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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Bookish Elements That Make My Heart Go BOOM


I looooooooove pretty books. LOVE. Even beyond the actually quality of the cover design, though, is the PHYSICALITY of a book. The extra bits and bobs of a book. The things that take it from pretty to...well, book porn. So these are a few of my favorite book porn elements.

Deckled Edges
I may be in the minority here (it was damn hard to find IG pictures of beeyoooteeful deckled edges, like the ones on Uprooted or The Wrath and the Dawn) but they make me feel FAAAANCY.


Matte Finish
I LOOOOOVE MATTE BOOKS. I much prefer matte dust jackets to shiny ones, especially if they have a TEXTURE (that velvety finish, or rougher, or the kind that makes you want to rub your face all over it)




MAPS
MAPSSSS. MAPS MAPS MAPS MAPS MAPS! MAPS! MAPS!!!!!



A photo posted by @_livelaughread on

Chapter and Section Headers
Also illustrations and any other interior doodads that make turning the page a GIFT and a TREASURE and a DELIGHTFUL SURPRISE

A photo posted by Epic Reads (@epicreads) on

A photo posted by Kay (@bookydorky) on



METALLIC
Metallic lettering! Metallic finish! SHIIIIIIIIINY



A photo posted by Sampson (@bookfanatic757) on


Spines
MATCHING SERIES SPINES or or NAKED SHINY SPINES or OMG SPINES

A photo posted by Avery (@averyreadsalot) on


A photo posted by Em ๐Ÿฆ„ (@em.emxx) on

A photo posted by Em ๐Ÿฆ„ (@em.emxx) on


Underneath It All
Naked book SURPRISES! When you finally get intimate with a book and get it undressed and THERE'S MORE THERE THAN YOU EVER DREAMED (I told you this was porn)


A photo posted by @sapphire.reads on




Endpapers
I want to wallpaper my whole HOUSE with these

A photo posted by Epic Reads (@epicreads) on

A photo posted by Epic Reads (@epicreads) on

A photo posted by Epic Reads (@epicreads) on

A photo posted by Kevin (@tomebound) on




Bonus: the book that has it all. Fancy edges. Fancy map. Fancy endpapers. Fancy chapter headers. Fancy section headers. Fancy finish. FANCY FANCY.

BECAUSE THOSE BLACK EDGES HOLY KAZ

26 comments:

  1. Ahhh deckled edges are life!! Wonderful post xx

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  2. I just learned the other day that those types of edges are called deckled. Fun word! =) And thank you for this post- all the prettiness in one place, eep!!

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    Replies
    1. now I can't stop saying "deckled" over and over and giggling, so thank YOU

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  3. So much pretty. I also love all these things, although how could you not. I just saw Six of Crows in the wild for the first time the other day and omg those black pages.

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    1. A SMORGASBORD OF PRETTY. Six of Crows is sooooo pretty it should be banned

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  4. Hahaha naked book surprises! Yes!! I loooove metallic titles and shiny bits too, and chapter/section headers, and maps/endpapers. Squee!!!! I'm not a huuuuge fan of deckled edges and I actually don't like colored pages like Six of Crows (meep) but most other designy things I am ALL FOR. Especially pretty spines! I like matte covers but not tooooo velvety. There's a fine line haha. So much prettiness, I love the pictures you used!

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    Replies
    1. okay what kind of MONSTER doesn't like colored pages. You heathen.

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  5. I love maps in fantasy books! Give me all the maps! All of the photos you pulled for this post are amazing by the way.

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  6. THIS POST IS SO PRETTY. I love deckled edges and maps and pretty naked books and nice spines and ahhh

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! books are just the prettiest things ever I can't get enough EVER

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  7. OMG!! All the pretty books have me like *Fans self!!!* I absolutely agree with you about the matte finish books (SO PETABLE ((pettable? Pet-able? Do we have a legit spelling for this??)) !!!!) And also MAPS!!!!! Funny, I never used to care about maps. I’d ignore them, flip right by them. But ever since I read the Grisha books, I’m obsessed with maps in books and I want maps in EVERY BOOK NOW OMG! Matching spines – especially naked matching spines – are so HOT! And books with endpapers? (Like in The Shadow Queen?!?!?!?!?!) are just OMFG.

    Excellent post! *Fans self, goes to take a cold shower*

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    1. hahahahaha! getting hot under the cover :D

      i loooooove maps and endpapers and ALL OF ITTT

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  8. LOVE THIS POST! And agree on all fronts! MAPSSS! and pretty edges and end papers and chapter headers!!!

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  9. Same same same same. How lucky we are to be alive right now!

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  10. Same same same same. How lucky we are to be alive right now!

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  11. YES, YES, YES, I LOVE ALL THESE THINGS TOO! ALL OF THESE GLORIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL BOOKS <3

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  12. YAS YAS YAS!!! I loved uncut edges, pretty covers underneath the dust jacket, maps, matte finish, and patterns! Typesetting and having a colophon in the back is also important to me.

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  13. THIS POST WAS GLORIOUS! Be still my beating heart. Deckled edges are the best, I don't know why people don't like them?! And MAPS, MAPS. And yesss when you take the jacket off and there's something shiny underneath OH MY GOSH!

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    Replies
    1. I don't know why either! I love deckled edges! AND YES TO UNDER JACKET SURPRISES, IT'S LIKE A PRESENT FROM THE BOOK GODS

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  14. I don't want to be too werid, but I may have salivated just a little over these georgous books!

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