As we quickly approach the halfway point in the year (HOW?!), it's the perfect time to look back and see what trends are emerging in 2025 book covers. There have been a lot of excellent books announced, unveiled, and published already this year with some clear styles and design choices beginning to take shape. Looking at trends can help you decide a direction on your next book cover to help you fit in, or break the mold, of your genre. It can also be a great place to get inspired and fuel some your creativity.
So, what's been popular with authors, publishers, and book cover designers so far in 2025? Let's take a look the seven most noticeable and striking designs that have been all the rage.
TOP SEVEN COVER DESIGN TRENDS OF 2025 (so far)
1. BRIGHT, BOLD COLORS
Bright colors that stand out on the shelves have always been a staple of good book cover design, but 2025 is taking it to another level. A trend that started in the romance genre in the last few years has now spilled it's colorful paint bucket into other genres. Neon oranges, electric blues, vibrant pinks—publishers are turning up the saturation to compete with social media feeds and online thumbnails. It's not just a color, it's a marketing strategy.
Genres: Romance, Memoirs, Sports, Contemporary
Why it works: These covers stand out in a crowded market, especially online, where eye-catching hues can make or break a scroll.
2. LARGE, LOUD TYPOGRAPHY
If you've read any of our other blog posts or social media posts, you'll know we're kind of nerds when it comes to typography. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to see a trend on this list that's type-focused. In 2025, fonts are taking center stage, and we're here for it. Big, bold, capitalized titles dominate the page—sometimes even nudging the author's name into the background.
Genres: Thrillers, Horror, Mystery, Crime
Why it works: Easy readability from a distance or thumbnail, and a confident visual hierarchy that screams, “Read me now!”
3. DRIPPING PAINT + SPLATTERS
Like a Jackson Pollock painting came to life and started reading poetry. This trend brings a handmade, messy-beautiful vibe to covers, often blending abstract shapes with bold color to suggest emotion, movement, or chaos.
Genres: Romance, Crime, Mystery, Contemporary, Psychological, Suspense
Why it works: It feels visceral and expressive—perfect for contemporary lit, memoirs, or anything that leans artistic or edgy.
4. ANIMALS. ANIMALS EVERYWHERE
Lions and tigers and bears—oh my. And foxes, crows, snakes, and (for some reason) lots of moths. Whether symbolic or aesthetic, animals are prowling across covers in a way that feels both classic and modern. One of the most used subcategories of this trend is to illustrate the animal in an old-time style, with heavy ink lines or oil paint (straight out of a history textbook).
Genres: Paranormal, Suspense, Horror, Fantasy, Mystery
Why it works: Animal imagery adds instant intrigue and can convey theme or tone in a single glance.
5. COLLAGE-STYLE DESIGN
Layered textures, overlapping imagery, torn-paper edges—collage is the perfect design method for stories that blend genres, voices, or timelines. This look often gives a vintage or indie vibe, while feeling fresh and layered. The extra layers also provide depth and intrigue and makes for a perfect style to hide easter eggs that relate to your story.
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery, Memoirs, Psychological, Crime
Why it works: It’s visually rich and rewards a second (or third) glance. Ideal for literary fiction or anything a little unconventional.
6. MOODY, GOTHIC AESTHETIC
Dark backgrounds, ornate frames, haunted-house fonts—gothic is back. Whether it’s horror, dark academia, or a historical novel with a spooky twist, the broody aesthetic is having a moment. This trend can be seen as the exact opposite of the bright, cold colors of our first trend. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (or something).
Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Paranormal
Why it works: Drama! Atmosphere! Shadows! These covers are dripping with tone and mystery before you even crack the spine.
7. SO. MANY. FLOWERS.
Delicate blooms, overgrown gardens, even thorny roses dripping blood—flowers are everywhere. Whether they’re soft and romantic or lush and sinister, floral elements are blossoming across genres.
Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Mystery
Why it works: Florals add beauty and depth while evoking themes like love, decay, or transformation. Plus, they’re endlessly adaptable depending on palette and style.
8. Bonus Trend: 'A Novel'
We picked up on this subtle trend while researching this post. While including the phrase 'a novel' has been commonplace for years in book cover design, quite a few of the examples we pulled have used it as a key design piece, setting it off-center to provide balance, or tucked it in nicely. How many can you find? 👀
FINAL THOUGHTS
Why Trends Matter (and When to Ignore Them)
Trends can help your book signal its genre and connect with today’s readers—but they’re not a rulebook. The best covers combine trend-awareness with timeless storytelling. So if your book needs a gothic raccoon holding a bouquet of paint-dripped roses under a neon sky...we’re listening (seriously, how fun would that be to design?!).
Need help bringing your vision to life? At Simons & Glade Book Design, we specialize in creating covers that are not just trendy—but unforgettable.
