Riot Headline Book Riot’s 2025 Read Harder Challenge
Lists

Weird Bookstagram: 25 Accounts that Admire Odd Vintage Books

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Ashley Holstrom

Staff Writer

Ashley Holstrom helps make books at Sourcebooks. She lives near Chicago with her cat named after Hemingway and her bookshelves organized by color. Newsletter: Crooked Reads. Twitter: @alholstrom.

Look, y’all, Bookstagram has a weird layer beneath the beautiful, artful posts with perfect lighting. It mostly involves very old books, or donated books, or, most often, very old donated books. A bonus: These weird Bookstagram accounts often double as stores.

Also, please imagine with me: Wouldn’t it be great if you could smell this post? All those old books. Mmm.

So here are 25 weird Bookstagram accounts to follow to add some odd, vintage books into your feed. Because not everyone can have a perfectly curated book collection.

Awful Library Books

This one is honestly one of my favorite weird Bookstagram accounts to follow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Awfullibrarybooks (@awfullibrarybooks)

Bargain Bin Book Covers

When I grow up, I want to go to estate sales and photograph the weirdest books I find. WAIT, I COULD DO THAT NOW. Or just follow this account and live vicariously through it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by B.B.B.C. (@bargain_bin_book_covers)

Black Pulp Fiction

From the bio: “Rethinking race, gender, and sexuality during the golden age of paperbacks.” I’m into it.

bookcvlt

Sometimes they post really cool old covers, and sometimes they post really weird old covers. Just the way I like my internet.

Collectible Sci-Fi

The best part of this weird Bookstagram is you can buy the weird, rare books. All sci-fi, all the time.

Cool Book Art

This is mostly weird sci-fi art, and it is WEIRD.

Cover Aesthetic

From the bio: “Handpicked books, aged to perfection.” Beautiful.

Cover Critiques

Reading and critiquing the covers of such classic series as The Baby-Sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, and more. What more could you want?

Donated Books

Y’all, this is simultaneously my favorite and least favorite account to follow on Instagram. The books are hilarious and scary and amazing all at once.

Forgotten Bookmarks

Forgotten Bookmarks is a more delightful slice of old books. The owner runs a used bookstore and collects the items he finds inside donated books. He even put together a book, Forgotten Bookmarks, showcasing the highlights of his collection.

Horror Finds

Spooky, weird horror books!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuwEXIHlEeE/

Joyland Books

I am here for all the bright, colorful backdrops this account uses to showcase weird, vintage books.

Odd Archive Vintage Paperbacks

More weird sci-fi, ahoy!

Paperback Goldmine

This weird Bookstagram really is a goldmine.

Paperback Paradise

This account is a used bookstore that shares the weirdest of the weird that they find.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTsJYRiD7DH/

Paperbacks from Hell

They’re creepy and they’re spooky, they’re…Paperbacks from Hell.

The Preserving Machine

“Highly strange books.” You got that right.

Retro Reads

According to the account bio, they’re digitally archiving and restoring retro young adult and middle grade fiction. Because we really need to preserve these gems.

Spooky Kids Books

Boo!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoowcMNF3Re/

Vintage Book Love

This account is run by an English teacher and it’s just the best.

Vintage Book Nerd

SO many classic kids books here, and I love them all.

The Vintage Book Vault

Mostly horror and other spooky, old finds.

Vintage Covers

Old book covers with reimagined titles. Brilliant.

Weird Literature

I mean, it’s right there in the name.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv2n16hnbFP/

Yearling Reads

Yearling Reads is a beautiful weird Bookstagram account with cute, old paperbacks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt8rTyNHKDZ/

Please, please @ us with more weird book accounts on Instagram. They’re our favorites.