I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time last August, and now I’m hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme — and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in.

The rules are simple:

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back so she can see your post! Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone. Have fun!

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June has three birthstones! The three gems are pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone.

For more about these three birthstones, check out the info page at gia.edu. I was not familiar with alexandrite at all until now — not surprising, as it’s considered very rare!

Alexandrite is the rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl that changes color in different lighting. Most prized are those alexandrite birthstones that show a vivid green to bluish green in daylight or fluorescent light, and an intense red to purplish red in incandescent light. Major alexandrite deposits were first discovered in 1830 in Russia’s Ural Mountains. The gem was named after the young Alexander II (1818–1881), heir apparent to the throne. Alexandrite caught the country’s attention because its red and green colors mirrored the national military colors of imperial Russia.

An example of an alexandrite ring:

And from Earthshine Jewels:

June Birthstone Meaning

• Pearl has purity, wisdom, and tranquility. Pearls were believed the tears of the gods or moonlight that had been captured in shells. People believe that pearls have the ability to bring good luck and provide a relaxed vibe.
• Moonstone shows love, self-awareness, a calm state of mind, and a balance of emotions. Moonstone, a birthstone, is frequently regarded as a precious treasure for fresh starts.
• Alexandrite color-changing feature represents change and understanding. Alexandrite is well-known for its remarkable color change, which occurs when it is exposed to luminous light and changes from green to a reddish-purple hue.

June Birthstone Color

• Pearl Naturally white, cream, pink, and even black. Freshwater and saltwater pearls can have subtle rainbow-like iridescence known asorient.
• Moonstone Typically comes in milky whites or soft grays with a magical blue or rainbowadularescence(a glowing sheen)
• Alexandrite Famous for its dramatic color shift—from green in daylight to reddish-purple under incandescent light.

Onward to the books!

Alexandrite is new to me, and I’m finding myself fascinating by its range of colors. Based on the images of the gem, I decided to look for book covers with a mixture of blues, greens, and purples… close enough!

Does alexandrite make you think of any favorite book covers?