They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but sometimes it certainly helps. I have a habit of wandering bookstores (pre-COVID) and filling my arms with books with covers that intrigue me and whose inside jackets sound promising. Some are definitely better-looking on the outside than they are on the inside, but sometimes you find a true gem. These books not only have gorgeous cover art, but behind the pretty covers are incredible works of fiction and poetry.

12 books we love with pretty covers:

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

This was one of my favorite books of 2019, Taylor’s too. It’s an incredibly beautiful love story that we loved from beginning to end.

All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts For Boundless Living by Morgan Harper Nichols

We can never get enough of MHN and her relatable, inspirational poetry. This beautiful book cover is just the icing on the cake.

We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir by Samra Habib

One of Taylor’s favorite recent reads, this brightly colored book cover catches your eye but the real magic is in between the pages.

The Crying Book by Heather Christle

This book cover is so dreamy, but the words inside are game changing. Heather Christle touches on the phenomenon of tears including everything from tear-collecting devices (lachrymatories) to exploring the role white women’s tears play in racist violence.

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

This revised hardcover edition of Rupi Kaur’s poetry book is a true statement piece, not to mention it’s full of poems we could read over and over again.

Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Moving forward and backward in time, Jacqueline Woodson’s taut and powerful novel uncovers the role that history and community have played in the experiences, decisions and relationships of these families, and in the life of the new child.

Mothers: Stories by Chris Power

I picked this book up on a whim while at my local bookstore. I’m not normally a huge fan of short stories, but this collection is emotional and beautiful.

Grand Union: Stories by Zadie Smith

We love everything Zadie Smith writes and every book cover, but Grand Union is especially aesthetically appealing.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

Have you ever read a combo thriller/fairytale? This book boasts a gorgeous cover, and the words inside are brilliant.

The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir

This book may be older than I am, but its cover is timelessly cool. We all love Simone de Beauvoir here at GG, but this will forever be our favorite cover.

The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay

This is one of the rare books that has an equally beautiful hardcover and paperback edition. I received this book for Christmas and it was one of my favorite reads of 2019.