Book Trailers, Good and Horrible

 

This is a collection of various YA book trailers.  Have you ever seen book trailers before?  They act like the book is a little movie, and they are typically released by big publishers with loaded marketing budgets and spread around online prior to the book's publication to get that good old buzz going.

I started out this project wanting to have a good laugh at the expense of book trailers.  Much to my surprise, I found myself actually getting behind the promotional device. They're... interesting to disseminate.  Marketing is fascinating, fascinating evil genius business. Some of the book trailers even impressed me artistically.

However, when book trailers are bad, they are lip curling, head shaking, eye rolling, snicker provoking, gag reflex inducing bad.  Which makes them SO FUN to watch.

The Diviners by Libba Bray

This is a fairly standard book trailer.  As you can see, there are live actors, plenty of editing tricks to make up for a small budget, and — hey! — they even made an awesome rendition of the book's spooky song.  Pretty decent work, all around.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

This is the book trailer for one of the most insipid books I've ever read.  I have to say, I like the part in the trailer where the camera slo-mos on a girl tugging on her lace gloves more than I liked the entirety of The Selection.

The One by Kiera Cass

This is the trailer for the final book in the Selection trilogy and its worth watching if you like ball gowns and snickering.

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

I didn't like this book so much, but the trailer is absolutely boss.  I love the Sin City inspired color scheme and graphics.  High energy, amazing design, good music.  It's awesome.

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater is the only author I know of who makes her own book trailers.  I love what she accomplished with her trailer for The Scorpio Races.  She did the artwork AND music herself, which is incredible.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

 

 

Now, this was also made by Stiefvater and is more of a misstep in my opinion.  I can't help laughing at the characters' teeth when they talk.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

This is an animated trailer, and it's very cool.  For some reason, I think animation suits the imagination waaay better than live actors do.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This is just silly business.  Lots of bare male chests, darkened school hallways and making out. So, all in all, pretty representative of the books.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

 

 



I feel like this could go either way between bad and good.  There are live actors, but they just flash on the screen in costume for a profile.  It's kind of hilarious regardless.

 

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

 

This script is incredibly poorly written, and also cheesy, but they use the cover model as the actress in the trailer, which I liked.

Crossed by Allie Condie

That is the worst fake-swallow of all time, girl!  How did the dystopian law enforcement pass THAT one up??  She had to have been an undercover rebel concealing her eye roll.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

And now for the worst book trailer of all time.  This book just so happens to be a favorite of mine but my bias cannot save this trailer from being anything other than lame, corny, and cheap.  What is worse?  The terrible effects?  The abysmal costuming?  The acting?   No.  It is most definitely the make-out scene.