JABBIC reviews the entire book based on what the cover tells us. (We don’t just review the covers.)
We’ve all heard the old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But let’s be honest — that’s exactly what we do. A striking image, a bold title, a clever tagline — that’s what stops us in the bookstore or scrolling online. “People can’t pick up every single book and look inside,” says Gary Apple, founder of JABBIC.com. “An initial judgment is made based on the cover art and text alone. That’s how real-life book browsing works — and that’s what JABBIC is all about.”
Short for “Judge A Book By Its Cover,” JABBIC.com offers brief, irreverent reviews and ratings of current books based solely on their covers. No pre-reading plot summaries. No peeking inside. Just an honest reaction to the visual pitch publishers is making to readers. Each book gets a short, snappy review and a star rating — all judged from the cover alone. “This isn’t about literary analysis — it’s about that first, instinctive reaction every reader has when they see a book for the first time,” says Apple.
Each JABBIC review includes a wild guess at what the book might actually be about based only on the imagery, font, and title—often with funny or wildly off-the-mark results. A pop-up reveals the real publisher’s description so readers can see how close (or far) the guess was. “If we’re off, don’t blame us,” says Apple, unapologetically. “We’re just reacting to what the publisher put in front of us.”
Each week, JABBIC updates its reviews to reflect the top-selling books from The New York Times bestseller list, ensuring the covers being judged are the ones currently catching readers’ eyes across the country.
Each review page also includes direct links to buy the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.com, making it easy to go from curiosity to checkout if a cover — and a review — sparks your interest.
JABBIC.com isn’t just entertainment — it’s also a fresh way to think about book marketing, design, and how readers make decisions. For book lovers, designers, and anyone who enjoys a smart take on pop culture and publishing, it’s a delightful literary rabbit hole worth falling into
