LitJoy’s special edition books are more than just beautiful stories—they’re immersive works of art designed to elevate your reading experience. But what makes each edition so unique? It’s all in the details! From custom slipcases and beautifully redesigned covers to luxurious page edges and author annotations, each feature is carefully chosen to bring the story to life.
This guide explores the standout features that make LitJoy special edition books into true treasures for book lovers and book collectors alike. Whether it’s a signed tip-in page or intricate sprayed edges, these thoughtful extras transform our special edition books into unforgettable keepsakes.
LITJOY'S SPECIAL EDITION BOOKS | EXPLAINING the FEATURES
Slipcase: The Ultimate Book Hug
Our custom slipcases aren’t just protective—they’re a statement. With exclusive artwork from some of the most talented artists and sometimes even fold-out or pop-up designs, these slipcases are pieces of art on their own, designed to captivate your attention before you even open the book.
We LOVE to push the boundaries on what we can do with our slipcases…just look at this near-architectural wonder designed in collaboration with @rosiethorns88 for our LitJoy x Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone Special Edition Box Set! Just imagine what we’ll do next…
Custom Covers: Dust Jackets, Casewraps, and Paperbacks
Dust Jacket: First Impressions Matter
A dust jacket is designed to catch your eye and draw you into the story—this is what most readers think of when someone says “cover,” though on a hardcover there’s an internal cover (the casewrap) as well. A removable paper cover that wraps around the outside of a hardcover book, a dust jacket is designed to protect the cover while showcasing stunning artwork.
Here at LitJoy, our special edition books often come with truly immersive artwork and special elements on the dust jackets, as you’ll read about below. Sometimes, though, like with our leatherette and Wibalin covers, we leave off the dust jacket entirely.
Trade Dust Jacket
These are publisher-produced dust jackets found on trade hardcover editions—sometimes our LitJoy Editions will retain the trade dust jackets, with new art on the casewrap, instead.
Reversible Dust Jacket
This is a trade dust jacket with fan art on the back, making it reversible, and another element you will sometimes find in our LitJoy Editions. Opt to give your book a new look, or remove the dust jacket entirely and turn it into wall art!
Custom Dust Jacket
Custom dust jackets are more than just covers—they’re the first steps into a new world! These innovative dust jackets often have unique elements like foiling and intricate character art. Some of our favorite special editions have dust jackets that complement the casewrap with die cuts, revealing parts of the custom casewrap design underneath, like in our Leigh Bardugo Grishaverse Collection Box Sets. It's the perfect blend of form and function, adding a layer of magic to your reading experience!
Casewrap: Drawing You Into the Story
What is a casewrap? It’s the beautiful, durable covering of a hardcover book that is printed directly onto the book’s cover boards. Unlike a dust jacket that can be removed, the casewrap is there to stay, adding a unique touch to the book itself.
Every one of LitJoy’s special editions gets a brand new custom casewrap. From custom artwork to enameled inlays—our newest innovative design featured on the covers of our Vampire Academy Special Edition Box Set—and from faux leather to textured finishes like Wibalin, each casewrap is crafted to complement the book’s story and style. This means every one of our special editions has its own personality!
Paperback: The Perfectly Portable Reader-Friendly Companion
A paperback is the lightweight champion of the book world! With a flexible, durable cover, it’s designed for readers on the go, making it easy to slip into a bag (like one of our book totes) or take on an adventure. LitJoy is just beginning our foray into paperbacks with our LitJoy Paperback Classics, each one featuring beautifully designed covers and page edges.
Tip-In Art and Signature Pages: A Personal Connection
Tip-in Pages
These are pages that are inserted into a book after the printing process. They are not bound with the rest of the book, but designed separately and glued in between existing pages. Tip-ins can include special content like an author signature page, exclusive artwork, or quote pages.
Author Signature Pages
There’s nothing quite like a signed special edition, and at LitJoy, we elevate that experience. Our custom-designed signature pages are either hand-signed or digitally signed by the author, often accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
Tip-in Artwork
Stunning artwork by talented artists adds another layer of magic to our special edition books, featuring pivotal scenes, beloved characters, or designed quote pages that highlight the story’s most memorable moments.
Here’s a peek at a few of our favorites (though there are truly too many to choose from):
Vellum Overlay Pages
Some of our editions go even further with vellum overlays—translucent pages with intricate artwork that layers beautifully over another illustration, creating a captivating effect that adds depth and detail to the experience.
Endpapers and Page Edges: Beauty in the Details
Endpaper Art
Endpapers are the pages that are pasted inside the cover at the very beginning and end of a book, continuing onto the first and last pages. Endpapers serve as the bridge between the book’s cover and its interior pages, and they’re typically made of a thicker, sturdier paper.
At LitJoy, we love to get creative with our endpapers, working closely with our authors and artists to transform them into stunning works of art. Whether it’s a beautiful pattern, an intricate map, or custom illustrations that mirror the story inside, LitJoy endpapers add a touch of magic from the moment the book is opened to the very last page. These thoughtful details make every LitJoy special edition not just a book, but a true book lover’s treasure.
Page Edges
When discussing page edges, we mean the outer edges of a book's pages, visible when the book is closed.
LitJoy takes page edges to the next level with unique designs—think vibrant sprayed edges, elegant gilding in gold or silver, or even custom digital patterns that match the book's theme. These special details not only make our editions pop on the shelf but also enhance the overall reading experience, making every moment with a LitJoy special edition a little more magical.
Our stunning page edges do leave you with a dilemma, though…whether to face your books inward or outward on your shelf!
Sprayed Edges
Edges of a book's pages that have been colored or painted, usually with a solid color, ombre, or a simple design, to add visual interest and uniqueness to the book.
Gilded Edges
Edges of a book's pages that have been coated with a thin layer of gold or silver leaf, giving them a shiny, metallic finish for a luxurious and elegant look.
Digitally Designed Edges
Edges of a book's pages that feature intricate patterns, illustrations, or designs created using digital printing techniques, adding a personalized touch and matching the book’s theme or artwork.
Author Annotations: Inside the Mind of the Story’s Creator
Author annotations: Notes from the author that give readers a behind-the-scenes look at the story, characters, and the creative process, like having a private conversation with the author as you read! Imagine reading a story and having the author whispering insights and secrets to you along the way.
Acid-Free Paper: Preserve the Beauty
Acid-free paper: a high-quality paper that doesn’t contain any acidic chemicals, which means it won't yellow, degrade, or become brittle over time.
This type of paper is perfect for our LitJoy special editions because it ensures the book’s pages remain as pristine as the day it was printed, preserving the vibrant artwork, illustrations, and text no matter how many times it’s read and loved.
Why Choose LitJoy Special Editions?
In the world of LitJoy, every feature is carefully designed to enhance your reading experience and create something truly special. From vibrant sprayed edges to insightful author annotations, these details elevate each of our special edition books into a work of art for your shelf.
We hope this guide has helped illuminate the magic behind the features of LitJoy’s special edition books. If you missed Part One, where we delved into the elements of each kind of LitJoy's Special Editions, be sure to check that out here!
We’d love to know: which features are most important to you in your special edition books? We can’t wait to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Happy reading!
