The Most Colorful Books of 2022 (So Far) to Add to Your Bookshelf
Looking to add some vibrancy to your bookshelves? Here are some of the prettiest book covers in every color of the rainbow. This list features new fiction releases, both novels and short stories, from 2022, so you’ll most likely be able to find them if you wish to recreate this reading rainbow in your own home.
Starting off is a little pink for the girlies. (Just kidding, pink is typically seen as a feminine color but really, gendered colors are a construct.) “Tell Me I’m An Artist” follows art student Joey over the course of a semester, who has enrolled in a film elective required by her San Fransico university. As Joey struggles to complete a self-portrait assignment (despite having never seen Wes Anderson’s “Rushmore,” she’s chosen to recreate it), themes of imposter syndrome, class, and privilege emerge in this coming-of-age novel.
The eye-catching cover of “Anonymous Sex” oozes a feeling of want and desire with its vibrant red color and plump strawberry hinting at a behind. Between the sheets, you’ll find 27 erotic short stories from 27 authors with zero bylines attached. So pour a glass of wine, draw up a bath, and thank me later.
“Nevada” technically debuted in 2013, but FSG rereleased the cult classic this year with a new afterword from Imogen Binnie. Its reddish-orange cover is a perfect transition book in your reading rainbow, and its insides are equally as alluring. While the synopsis sounds relatively simple — a fiery trans woman embarks on a cross-country road trip from New York City to Nevada — it’s an impactful read that stays with you long after the final page. Torrent Peters, author of “Detransition, Baby,” called “Nevada,” “a book that changed my life.” Going on to say, “it shaped both my worldview and my personhood, making me the writer I am. And it did so by the oldest of methods, by telling a wise, hilarious, and gripping story.”
You can’t tell me the deliciously decadent orange cover of Ling Ma’s short story collection doesn’t do something for you. The eye candy is even sweeter because it’s the much-awaited second release from the author of “Severance,” the post-apocalyptic horror meets satire and road adventure pushed in 2018, made even more popular after the start of the pandemic. Fittingly, Bliss Montage was written during the pandemic, and its short stories, which braid together the all too real with the fantastical, are a strange and wonderful follow-up.
If you’re a fantasy lover, “This Woven Kingdom” makes for both a pretty and enthralling addition to your bookshelf. The first in a new trilogy, Tahereh Mafi’s YA novel has it all: forbidden romance, clashing empires, and an engaging, evenly paced plot.
The saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover, but it’s hard not to be captivated by the design of “Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century.” It’s whimsical, earthy, and is an excellent representation of the speculative and strange short stories that await inside.
Crisp, bright, and relatively simple, the electric cover of “A Very Nice Girl” draws you in, while its story of sex, power, and love — which Meg Mason, the author of “Sorrow and Bliss” called “Sweetbitter” meets “Normal People” — keeps you saying “just one more chapter.”
What lies beneath the ordinary and mundane? Kate Folk explores this, the eerie and unknown, in her creepy, debut short story collection. If the cover is giving you sci-fi vibes, you’re not wrong…
Strap in for a strange and wondrous ride — Anna Dorn’s “Exalted” will take you down a rabbit hole of desire and self-worth, and make you look like a cool, hip astrology babe while reading it.
A vampire novel but make it modern! In the realm of Ottessa Moshfegh’s “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” (which is another great cover), “Woman Eating” isn’t for those looking for something more plot-driven. Claire Kohda tells the story of Lydia, a mixed-race vampire struggling to feed her constant hunger while balancing a life living with humans. It’s character-driven and, like the cover, extremely vibey.
This piece is part of Color Month, where we’re showing you the best ways to inject more color into your home and life. From paint color combos to vibrant house tours, head over here to see it all.