Instagram is not friendly to one’s wallet. Well, more specifically, bookstagram. How can one resist purchasing books when people take photos that make it look so darn appealing? How can one resist when you don’t see the book just once, but hundreds of times? How can one resist the temptation even though they know nothing about the book besides the cover is darn pretty and everyone’s talking about it?
Simple: You don’t.
In honor of the beauty that is bookstagram, here are 8 books that it made me buy.
You by Caroline Kepnes – All I knew about this book was that everyone was saying it was good but disturbing…everyone was saying that…and the cover was so creepy and minimalistic. Obviously, that left me intrigued (I think that’s obvious? Maybe I’m just weird for being interested in something labeled as disturbing?).
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith – Confession: I had no idea this was J.K. Rowling when I first saw it. The cover just called to me and I didn’t know she wrote anything other than HP. Another confession: I feel a little odd wanting to read this book before I’ve read HP. xD
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton – Technically, this came in my Uppercase box, but I would have purchased it on my own if it didn’t come in it. Just look at that cover! Sadly, it didn’t blow me away like the cover did, but it was still an okay book.
Related: Rebel of the Sands review
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff – I had very little knowledge about this book and I actually hadn’t intended to buy it. Why I bought it: I went to a book signing for Leigh Bardugo and Kaufman & Kristoff were there. I felt weird not having anything for them to sign, had seen this particular book on bookstagram, and bought it so I had something. That counts right? I mean, it was bookstagram that sort of inspired this purchase (they did have other books I could have bought).
Related: Illuminae review
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – OK OK this one was not a cover buy. I mean, come on, it obviously wasn’t the beautiful cover design that pushed me to buy it. It was everyone talking about Jamie and me wanting to know what all the fuss was about. I literally had no idea it was about a girl who went into the past, or that it was in Scotland. I just knew everyone was obsessed with it. Except, now I’ve watched the show without reading the book 😕
A Court of Thorns and Roses AND Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – I did not even know who Maas was before bookstagram. I didn’t know what Throne of Glass was about but I saw it everywhere and I dug the cover so much! The chick looked so kick ass I just had to buy it. Then A Court of Thorns and Roses had a cover that looked like an evil witch, so I just had to buy that one too.
Related: A Court of Mist and Fury Spoiler Review
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – The cover of this one isn’t even that great, but for some reason I liked it. It just looks like the story will be great. And it helped that everyone was talking about how amazing The Bone Season was when The Mime Order came out (which was around when I joined bookstagram).
What books have you purchased simply because you saw it show up on bookstagram a lot?
What books have you purchased because of a great cover without knowing what it was about?
11 Comments
Haha Instagram is not friendly at all for the wallet! A lot of books I see there, I end up adding to my TBR. I’ve actually been part of having people buy books I recommend, which feels great. That I know of, it has happened with two amazing books.
ACOTAR is a book that Instagram has made me want to buy, but I’m not sure if this series will be for me so I’ve been a good girl and not bought it lol My wallet thanks me a lot.
A Thousand Pieces of You was a cover buy and Instagram buy. I had no idea what it was about (I actually still don’t) but I bought it anyway.
hahaha oh bookstagram, just take our money! lol
ACOTAR was…ok… I liked ACOMAF more. If you want a romance sprinkled with fantasy, go for it. (thats how i describe it at least lol)
I got A Thousand Pieces of You because of IG as well! I read it & didn’t like it but oh well, it was still pretty hahah
The Bone Season is awesome! You have to read it! Also Illuminae. You should read that one, too! I don’t even know how many books I’ve bought/read because of intragram. Probably all of them!
I keep wanting to! And coincidentally, there has been a bunch of news for the third one all over Twitter and IG today xD I guess its a sign! I have read Illuminae, it wasn’t my favorite, but it was still good! Also, yeah, really, probably all of the books I own because IG inspired the purchase somehow xD
I have totally added books to my TBR because of bookstagram! I cannot pass up pretty covers. Still I do look up reviews to make sure they aren’t a complete bust before buying/borrowing them. You got some great ones there of IG though!
I look up reviews for some, but there are others that I’m just like OHHHH pretty! and buy it lol >.<
The last Morgan Matson book was everywhere on Bookstagram so of course I got that one but really, that’s all I can think of right now. I love pretty bookish pictures but my downfall is reading book blogs. That’s where my wallet gets the real work out. Ha!
Oh yeah! I actually dont even read Morgan Matson, but I’ve seen that book everywhere and have been so tempted to buy it hahah. I have purchased a few books from book blogs but I think I do more bookstagram buying because I’m on IG every day while I only check blogs a couple times (or less) a week. If that makes sense lol
Ah, bookstagram. I had to make one separate from my IG account to make it easier for everyone :D. I hope you like The Bone Season–it’s awesome!
Rebel of the Sands was a Bookstagram buy as well for me! XD There is also Six of Crows and the Unexpected Everything!
I ALMOST bought The Unexpected Everything because of IG but I withheld hahaha