15 Standard Edition Books with Beautiful Foiling + Artwork
Sometimes seeing everyone’s shelves full of pretty books on Booktok and Bookstagram can make book collecting seem out of reach or super expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There are some gorgeous standard edition books that will make your shelves look every bit as beautiful as a shelf full of special editions. And I’ve collected some of my favorites below. Know of any others not on the list? Drop me a message or leave a comment!
King of Scars Duology by Leigh Bardugo
King of Scars
$13.53 (32% off list price)
Rule of Wolves
$21.95
King of Scars might be my favorite book in the entire Grishaverse, and I remember getting the standard hardcover in the mail thinking how beautiful the gold dust jacket was. And then I took the dust jacket off, and about lost it. It’s so incredibly stunning with gold foiling across the entire front and spine. Rules of Wolves has the same, but silver foiling on a burgundy binding.
#ProTip: Rule of Wolves is on Book Outlet right now for $5.99 each! (Here’s a $5off coupon if you’re a new customer!)
The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
$14.48 (37% off list price)
Not only does this edition have super beautiful bronze foiling across the front and spine, it also has stunning illustrations throughout the book. Plus, I appreciate the snarky little poem about pirating in the front.
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth
$9.98 (63% off list price)
Multiple dimensions, Koshei’s myth, and a group of young heroes, I was completely sold, and really enjoyed this book. However, I was not expecting the sunburst gold foiling or the super detailed and textured hardcover!
The Betrayals by Bridget Collins
$14.89 (47% off list price)
I 100% bought this book because of the beautiful foiling under the dust jacket. I was in Austin, at a Half Price Books, spotted it, and thought…this looks promising. Popped that dust jacket off, and voila, one of the most beautiful, double-sided, gold-foil hardcovers I’ve ever seen on a luscious raspberry red binding. Immediate purchase. Have I read it yet? No. But no regrets. Plus, the story also sounds incredible.
The Skyhunter Duology by Marie Lu
Skyhunter
$11.59 (42% off list price)
Steelstriker
$13.69 (32% off)
Skyhunter was on my list of favorite reads in 2021. I loved it so much. Dystopian, disability rep, found family, the list goes on. And it’s always nice when a great story comes with a great cover. Likewise, the sequel to Skyhunter is equally gorgeous, and also has the title on its pages like Skyhunter, and the bright, gradient cover.
#ProTip: Both are currently also on Book Outlet for $5.99 each! (Here’s a $5off coupon if you’re a new customer!)
@booksaremythirdplace @the_octunnumi does not exist... but I cannot wait to read this! 😍 #theoctunnumi #booktok ♬ Arrival Of The Birds - Bonni
The Octunnumi by Trevor Alan Fortis
£30.00
Admittedly, there’s nothing standard about this book, so perhaps this one’s a bit of a cheat. But as there are no other versions of the “book that does not exist”, I’d still consider this the standard edition. It went viral on Booktok in fall of 2020, and is honestly one of the most beautiful and unique books I own. It even has an AR app, and the covers come alive…
Photo courtesy of @thebookprivateer
The Bridge Kingdom series by Danielle L. Jensen
The Bridge Kingdom
$26.99
The Traitor Queen
$26.99
The Inadequate Heir
$28.99
One of my favorite comfort series for getting out of a reading slump, and the perfect series if you’re just getting into adult fantasy. Danielle self publishes these, so they are a little more expensive than some traditionally published books on this list, but the map artwork is so beautiful, and the fact that all of the books connect vertically to show a continuous piece of artwork is such a cool detail.
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
$11.39 (40% off list price)
I was not expecting this one to have any foiling other than the spine. So it was a pleasant surprise to see the pretty blue foiling all across the cover. The Girl the Sea Gave Back is book two in a series (book one didn’t have enough foiling to add to this list), and it’s still on my TBR.
Elektra by Jennifer Saint
$15.97 (free int’l shipping)
The UK standard edition hardcover is absolutely gorgeous. While most of the gold foiling is on the dust jacket, it does have a fully foiled spine. In addition to that, it has beautifully illustrated endpapers. I ordered mine from Waterstones, and did get a signed edition because they were the same price, but I’ve linked the Book Depository version with free international shipping.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
$7.68 (72% off list price)
Yes, this one has gorgeous gold foil columns that spell out the title across the entire front and back. And I honestly can’t believe it’s this price–for a hardcover! It also won the Women’s Prize for Fiction, so I can’t wait to read it.
Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
$13.99 (30% off list price)
I thrifted this copy of Echo, but of course, what initially drew me to it was the gorgeous cover. Under the dust jacket, there’s a beautiful solid cover of art, and the first several chapters have stunning pages, including full black pages with white writing. A middle-grade book that is beloved by many.
Again, if you have any you’ve come across that deserve to be on this list, shoot me a message–I’d love to continue updating this post! And hopefully, you’ll find some beautiful gems to add to your shelves.
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*All photographs by Ashley Whitlatch unless otherwise credited.
P.S. If you end up getting a copy of any books through an Amazon affiliate link above, you’ll be helping me support this site and newsletter. Thanks in advance for supporting a fellow bookworm! BTW, I will always disclose affiliate links when they’re present. :) Happy reading!