BOOK JACKETS, different approach

Although I feel I am more image driven... I have confused myself. 

A new direction I have taken for the book covers is having a memorable, enticing quote as the main focus on the front cover.

I thought about having a simple, block image that relates strongly to the story, perhaps having it spot varnished? So it is there, but not always that visible and also giving the front cover some texture.

I gave it a little more authenticity on Photoshop, I felt the image before was too flat. I like the colours in this one, but....

Testing out the design roughly on a book cover format. I thought about having the book title and author segregated and in a coloured strip on the top, so it prioritised it and gave it more importance and clarity.

Trying a similar idea with '127 Hours'. Using a vectored image of a flask, produced in Illustrator. I chose warm colours, representing sand and heat (for location of story) and red, also heat, but a bit of frustration and..blood.

I do like these, but I wasn't sure whether they were appropriate as book covers. When considering book covers format, they didn't appear as successful and I'm not sure whether the large type is enough to work quite by itself? 

I spoke to Joe questioning my thoughts and he agreed. He said the quotes was a good idea but said they seem too much of a main focus with these particular design. It could almost be like the quote was the title of the book. 

SO

I want to include imagery but not as a main focus, perhaps patterns representing the story?

How can I include the quote but not to an extent where it becomes the title of the book?