10 Reasons Why Paperbacks Are Honestly the Best

We love books in all sizes, shapes, and formats, but today we’re here to talk about why paperbacks are the best.

If you’re not a fan of paperbacks, this list might convince you otherwise. . . .

1. Paperbacks are easy to take with you everywhere.

They fit right into almost any purse or even in your back pocket. With a paperback you never have to be without your book . . . just maybe look up from time to time so you can watch where you’re going.

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2. You can bring more of them with you when you travel.

When you’re packing for a trip you can easily bring even MORE books with you, because paperbacks are smaller and lighter. Pack away, baby.

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3. Paperbacks don’t break the bank.

They cost less, which means you can buy more! Go ahead, treat yourself!

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4. You can fit more of them on your shelves.

They are smaller, so it’s just science. And who doesn’t love science?

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5. It’s easier to lend them to a friend.

It’s a little easier to let go of a paperback (unless it’s your old favorite copy) so letting a friend borrow them is less of a blow than saying goodbye to a hardcover (do people ever give books back anyway?)

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6. They’re easier to read on the DL.

When you’d just rather be reading, they are a lot easier to hide. Never worry about an awkward social situation again!

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7. They don’t have dust jackets.

Jackets are beautiful, but with a paperback you never have to worry about taking the jacket off, damaging it, ripping it. You can live your reading life carefree and unattached. Doesn’t it just make you want to skip?

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8. They are more flexible.

They are bendable, flexible, and they show just the right amount of wear and tear after being read. You can tell how much they’ve been loved, and we love that.

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9. They don’t make that awful spine-cracking noise.

Opening a hardcover and hearing the spine crack makes us cringe every time. With a paperback, you can break open that beautiful book and relax.

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10. They are another edition to collect.

Lastly, paperbacks offer another edition to add to your collection because when you really love a book, you need every version of it! And having every edition of your favorite book is something to celebrate. You go, you!

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And because we’re all about the paperbacks today, here are a few we recommend:

The Gilded Ones #2: The Merciless Ones

The Gilded Ones #2: The Merciless Ones

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The epic, hotly anticipated sequel to the instant bestseller The Gilded Ones about a girl with the power to remake her world—or destroy it.

“Fans of Children of Blood and Bone, Mulan, and the Dora Milaje from Black Panther are goi...

American Royals

American Royals

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • What if America had a royal family? If you can't get enough of Harry and Meghan or Kate and William, meet American princesses Beatrice and Samantha. Crazy Rich Asians meets The Crown. Perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue and The Royal We!

Two pr...

Spin the Dawn

Spin the Dawn

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a teenage girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. And don’t miss Elizabeth Lim’s new novel, the instant New York Times...

House of Salt and Sorrows

House of Salt and Sorrows

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Get swept away by this “haunting” (Bustle) YA novel about twelve beautiful sisters living on an isolated island estate who begin to mysteriously die one by one. This dark and atmospheric fairy tale inspired story is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

"Step inside a fai...

Wilder Girls

Wilder Girls

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

"The perfect kind of story for our current era."Hypable

Featured in Vulture’s "11 Books to Read If You Already Miss Yellowjackets"!

From the author of Burn Our Bodies Down, a feminist Lord of the Flies

Harley Quinn: Reckoning

Harley Quinn: Reckoning

Experience the origin story of a Super-Villain in this Harley Quinn backstory that fans have been waiting for—now available as a paperback.

When Harleen Quinzel scores an internship in a psych lab at Gotham University, she's desperate to make a Big Scientific Discovery that will land her a full-ride college scholarship an...

The Agathas

The Agathas

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks they know what happened. But they're wrong. Two unlikely friends come together to solve the case in this fast-paced, fun, modern Agatha Christie inspired thriller.

"Part Agatha Chri...

Family of Liars

Family of Liars

The thrilling prequel to the TikTok phenomenon We Were Liars takes readers back to the summer that the Sinclair family’s lives changed forever.
 
A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts.
A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.
A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictabl...

One of Us Is Next

One of Us Is Next

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • There's a new mystery to solve at Bayview High, and there's a whole new set of rules. The highly anticipated sequel to One of Us Is Lying!

Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this.

A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but ...

American Royals III: Rivals

American Royals III: Rivals

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES • The third book in the bestselling American Royals series is here, and a meeting of monarchs will test everyone's loyalty to the crown…and their own hearts.

Beatrice is queen, and for the American royal family, everything is about to change.
 
Relationshi...

Year on Fire

Year on Fire

New York Times bestselling author Julie Buxbaum explores the blinding power of lies, the tight grip of family secrets, and the magic of first love, in this poignant novel about a trio of friends and the allure of romantic feelings that fractures their bond as they struggle to find a way to be true to themselves while building back the gro...

Want more paperbacks to read? Check out these Underlined paperbacks and get social with us at @getunderlined!

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