Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
This week’s topic was originally “Bookish merchandise I’d love to own” but since I don’t care as much for cute knickknacks, I’ve decided to focus solely on special edition books I’ve seen before and wished to have had the chance to open. You know these things get you because they’re exclusive and super limited in stock.
Disclaimer: I will be advertising a number of different businesses in my following list but I am not affiliated with any of them or receiving any compensation for such advertisement. I’m purely putting them out there because I love the work they’ve done!
OwlCrate: White Once Upon a Broken Heart cover
I love the pink exclusive edition from Barnes & Noble/Indigo which I have (and even the original black cover), but there’s something very pleasing about this white version too. But I have a weird thing about buying the same book twice (spacing issues, you know?) so obviously I had to just pick one.
Juniper Books: Chronicles of Narnia box set with continuous spines
A good classic series is always great to have on hand, but make it a special box set that fits all the spines together? It’s an instant must-have! It’d be perfect for just displaying on the shelves for that proper book shelfie for IG, you know?
FairyLoot: Six Crimson Cranes the UK version (but make it prettier)
I previously didn’t think edges of books mattered all that much. I mean, the saying goes about not judging a book by its cover, right? Nothing about the one side of a book that’s not usually visible. It’s even less visible than spines on a shelf! Yet here I am salivating over the beauty that is this UK cover with altered colours and beautiful edges stenciled with cranes.
OwlCrate: naked Kingdom of Cards duology hardcovers
I’m personally a fan of hardcovers with jackets. Is that an unpopular opinion? I’m super curious. I feel the plain cover underneath the jacket can easily be ingrained with unwanted oils from fingers or what not and be permanently absorbed. Yet this wonderful naked hardcovers with foil designs for this duology is soooo beautiful. I was so tempted I almost bought book #2 for myself but alas, I don’t have book 1 in this edition so it’d be incomplete.
FairyLoot: Kingdom of the Cursed but creepier
I mean, the original cover is pretty darn amazing itself – I even had a poll going for which cover was cooler on my bookstagram – but there’s something about this special edition purple that just fits with its atmosphere. Plus look at those sprayed and intricately stenciled edges! They’re breathtaking. How does one ever just choose one cover??
Anna and the French Kiss classic collector’s edition
Did anyone dislike the original cover of Anna and the French Kiss? Or even the cover that later came out to match the rest of the trilogy? I was not a fan of the first, but the second was okay. I like my more abstract covers without human models. So this beautiful cover that just SCREAMS classic with a French twist has me swooning. Plus, also blue edges!
FairyLoot: The Iron Fey series box set in ALL the colours
I adored this series since it came out, particularly the original trilogy (+1 with my favourite character Ash’s wonderful journey/POV book). I love it when they get an updated look together although I’m still quite fond of the original covers regardless that they feature human models. They kept the same dominating colours on each cover and for that little nod to the original, I’m even more grateful. But now the edges feature that same colour too, with additional artwork under the jacket.
OwlCrate: Book of Night in monochromatic feels
There’s just something about a monochromatic cover that also matches the dark sprayed edges. Book of Night is a dark academia book and this stunning delivery just plays that all up so gloriously! Look at that gorgeous embossed foil design! Ah I was so on the fence about purchasing it for myself but shipping costs suck.
FairyLoot: Daughter of the Pirate King duology with continuous sprayed edges
Do I need to say much more about this one? LOOK at this sprayed edges? If you thought continuous spines were cool (which I very much do), how much more are continuous edges which take perhaps even more work and craftsmanship? This is the only one that’s not even out yet but I’m soooo on the fence about purchasing. Conversion rates and shipping agh!
Kathy’s Sprayed Edges (IG: @kathys_sprayed_edges): literally anything she does
I had the pleasure of winning a giveaway Kathy hosted for her Etsy store where she customizes books by spraying edges the way people request. The hardest ones are those that match the covers like they extend onto the edges of the page. I actually got The Other Side of the Sky done as shown in the picture. She does incredible work so please check out the different spraying and stenciling she offers.
Those are the wonderful special book editions I would love to own! Do you have any favourites among these?
xx
Down the Rabbit Hole 
Ooo, I love this! I love all the beautiful special editions that Owlcrate does but I with they would level up their actual sub books! Changing the cover and *sometimes* doing sprayed edges isn’t enough anymore! So many subs have amazing books now.. feel like they need to do the same! It’s obvious they can do it!! lol now I’m ranting.. sorry!
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I feel you on this! The conversion rate plus shipping is also killer for me so after a friend gifted me 3 months I stopped my sub. On the other hand, I gifted myself a fairyloot sub as a birthday treat and said I’d stop after 3 months…this month marks 4 😂 the struggle is real
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Woah!! Owlcrate is def. Not worth that. I sub to that one bc it’s US based so the shipping isn’t killer. Oooh, the gifting keeps going!! If you enjoy it though, I say keep it! If you can. 😊
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Thanks haha. I’m gonna try for a bit. I might switch over to just the book-only subscription they’re starting soon to save a bit more money.
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Oh, that’s actually a good idea!! Book only is something I probably should consider.
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Yeah I’m glad they’re putting out that option. I also don’t have much room for cute merch AND books so something’s gotta go at some point
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Never the books!!!!!!! 💜💜💜
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I wonder if the Chronicles of Narnia books are in the order that I think if correct (publication dates). That would be a no-go for me, if not. My TTT list
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Oh true that’d be important with how you’d want to place them in order on a shelf. I hadn’t thought about that
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Oh.. I love these! If I had to choose, though, I’d probably have to go with Holly Black’s ‘Book of Night’
Great post and thank you for sharing all of these beautiful books with us!
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Thanks Sheri! That one is gorgeous. Just missed it being in stock for this post but I’m not surprised it sold out. Definitely fits the dark theme of its story
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My pleasure! I’m not surprised it’s sold out either.. look how pretty it is. Have you had a chance to read it yet?
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No I haven’t! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy soon.
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Sometimes waiting can be the worst kind of torture.
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💯% agree. I doing my best to be patient 😅
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Best of luck!
I use my ever growing Tbr as a distraction. 😆
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Beautiful special editions! I hope you can acquire one or more of these in the near future.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/where-you-can-find-bookish-merchandise/
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Thank you! I hope so. They’re so stunning
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The graphic design for the Chronicles of Narnia series is amazing. Wow.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-bookish-merchandise-id-love-to-own/
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It is 😍 I know it’s on some other people’s wishlists and that’s how I came across it in the first place
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Ooh, I did a similar topic for my post today and looked at sprayed/stencilled edges! That last photo of Kaufman/Spooner’s books is absolutely STUNNING! I want all the special editions 😭
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They’re so amazing 🥺😍 I wish I could afford all of these special editions too
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Don’t usually collect special editions, but the UK version of Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes is so pretty?! 😍🌸
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I know right?? I personally like it more than the US version. I love the colours
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Yo this hits hard. I recently discovered an apparent weakness for sprayed and stenciled edges, and was very strongly considering spending an OBSCENE amount of money to get the gorgeous fairyloot edition of Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I talked myself down from the ledge but JEEZ was it a close one!
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Ohhh I know the one. I treated myself to fairyloot for my birthday and I was lucky Daughter of the Moon Goddess was in that box 😭 but I feel you. So many of those special editions outside of subscription boxes are SOOO tempting to buy
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What a fab birthday present, glad you made the list for that month! Now hopefully you also like the book itself haha.
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Lol hope so! Gonna try to get to it by summer hopefully. So many books on my TBR
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The Chronicles of Narnia set is very pretty!
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
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I so wish I could have got the naked hardcovers of the Kingdom of Cards duology, but shipping to the UK would have been ridiculous! I was slightly sad I missed out on the FairyLoot edition of Once Upon A Broken Heart as it looked stunning, but I had already pre-ordered the regular UK edition (also stunning) and like you, didn’t want to have two of the same book. Those continuous sprayed edges are SOMETHING ELSE. I’ve never seen that done before!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/04/19/top-ten-tuesday-364/
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I totally hear you on the shipping costs! I’m in Canada and even that shipping is insane.
I definitely haven’t seen continuous sprayed edges before but maybe it’ll become a thing soon 😍 so beautiful if done well
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Any shipping where you’re not shipping within your own country seems to be mad! I’ve sent from the UK to Ireland before and that’s been okay, but that was pre-Brexit, so who knows what it’s like now! Me either, but it is so cool, hope that’s a thing more series do.
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Oh that’s good to know! I didn’t think from UK to Ireland would be really bad too. I wish it wasn’t the case so more of us can get really cool stuff
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I mean it was okay the last time I did it, but since we left the EU, prices may have gone up! Yes, it would be lovely if shipping wasn’t so expensive.
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Those Kingdom of Cards books are so pretty 😍
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I know! Different without the dust jacket but I love the designs
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I love those editions of the Narnia books. Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/bookish-merchandise-id-love-to-own/
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They’re beautiful 😍 I LOVE your choice for LOTR and HP merch. I would absolutely adore a Middle Earth map to just hang up somewhere
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