The Manly Side of the Jacket (Across the Universe)

I'm a girly girl, but when I got my copy of Across the Universe on Monday evening, I immediately flipped the reversible dust jacket around to show the beautiful diagram of the ship (Elder's cover). I was just so fascinated by the concept. It was like those fantasy novels where you see a map of the made-up world in the front, but way better. Those maps always kind of confused me because I just wasn't map savvy as a child (this changed when I lived in the woods for a year as an adult). But when I saw this spaceship, I immediately felt oriented to Elder's world aboard the Godspeed.

I also had an ulterior motive for switching the cover right away: I wanted my husband to see the manly side of the jacket. I'm hoping he'll take it to work with him, after I'm done, to read during his lunch breaks.

See, I'm one of those people who has to share things. (Could you tell by this blog?)

When we were dating, I introduced my Tall Bright and Handsome to the world of Harry Potter. When we weren't making out, we were reading the series out loud together. It was awesome. He loved it. While he started reluctantly (girls, you have so much power when you're dating), it wasn't long before he was suggesting the readings and getting frustrated when I read ahead.

Fast-forward almost three years. Twilight's fourth book comes out and suddenly it hits my radar in a big way. My parents BOTH recommend it to me. Okay, fine, I say. I'll read it. I was hooked. This time, busy with work and his master's program, TBH read them on his own when he could squeeze them in. Meh, he said. They're okay. There was a lot of thinking and he didn't relate to the protagonist's conclusions. Let's face it, Bella isn't exactly logical.

Next up, the Percy Jackson series. I read them while pregnant and loved them from the first voice-laden page. TBH read them, too, and ate them up. A twelve-year-old boy, it turns out, is not so difficult for a twenty-something man to comprehend. Yay.

Then TBH got into Vince Flynn's political thrillers and I haven't seen him since.

Alright, I've seen him, but you get what I mean! We haven't shared a book in a while. (I do keep meaning to check out Vince Flynn, but there are so many YA books to read!)

So when Across the Universe appeared with the first chapter online, I got excited. This was a book with broad appeal, and we're both a bit sci-fi geek, after all. And then Beth Revis unveiled the reversible dust jacket for the book,  and the MANLY SIDE. Oh, I got so excited then. And looking at it now, on my desk, you'd never guess that the flip side is punctuated with pink and glitter and silhouettes about to kiss.*

TBH is going to LOVE this book.

What books do you share with your significant other? Do you find you fit into the gender stereotypes that dictate cover design? (i.e. do you fall in love with the girl/boy covers designed to draw you in?)

*To clarify: I love Amy's cover. It was one of the things that drew me to read the first chapter. But today was primarily about getting my man to read it.

p.s. I'm on page 113 and it's as awesome as expected! Had to make myself put it down at midnight b/c the whole house is sick and guess who gets to take care of them...