There's a certain kind of reader — and if you're here, you probably are one — who doesn't just read. You curate the experience. You choose the right candle, the right playlist, the right mug. You tab your pages, annotate your margins, and feel a specific kind of satisfaction when your current read's cover coordinates with your bookmark.
For that reader, bookish accessories aren't extras. They're part of the ritual.
This is a roundup of some of the best reading accessories out there right now — things worth actually owning, gifting, or adding quietly to your wishlist. No filler. No obvious picks. Just the things that genuine readers reach for.
1. Illustrated Kindle Art Inserts
If you use a Kindle Paperwhite and haven't discovered art inserts yet, this is going to change things.
Kindle inserts are illustrated art cards — typically printed on high-quality matte card with foil detail — that slip behind a clear Kindle case and turn the back of your device into a piece of art. They're genre-specific, swappable, and entirely non-destructive. No adhesive, no commitment, no bulk.
BIND & Co makes some of the most distinctive inserts currently available, with three designs rooted in specific genre moods: Chained Fate for romantasy readers, Memento Mori for those who lean gothic and dark academic, and Ascendant for epic fantasy devotees. Printed on 350gsm matte art card with metallic foil accents, they're designed to look deliberate rather than decorative.
For readers who care about how their reading life looks — not just what they're reading — this is one of the most genuinely considered kindle accessories you'll find right now. Browse the full range in our collections.
2. A Reading Journal Worth Keeping
The market for reading journals has expanded considerably, and the quality of what's available has followed. At the useful end: journals that prompt you to track start and end dates, star ratings, and your emotional response to an ending. At the beautiful end: hand-stitched notebooks with custom cloth covers that feel good to hold.
A few things to look for in a reading journal:
- Enough space per book. Some journals allocate a single page per title; others give you a spread. Think about how much you typically write.
- Year-at-a-glance. The ability to see your whole reading year across two pages is surprisingly motivating.
- Good paper. Fountain pen users will care about bleed-through. Everyone else will appreciate paper that doesn't feel flimsy.
Reading journals also make excellent gifts for readers who claim they don't need anything — everyone has a physical shelf of books they've read and almost no one has a written record of what they actually thought about them.
3. Magnetic Kindle Grips
A phone grip for your Kindle sounds simple. Done well, it's transformative.
If you read in bed, on the bus, or in any position where holding a device for an extended time becomes tiring, a magnetic grip changes the ergonomics entirely. The magnetic ring allows you to attach and remove the grip without leaving residue or damaging the device.
BIND & Co makes a Memento Mori enamel magnetic grip — a polished silver finish grip with the same gothic illustration that anchors the insert design. It's the kind of detail that makes the accessory feel intentional rather than utilitarian. Currently available for pre-order, alongside bundle options on our collections page.
4. Annotating Supplies
The annotation revival is real. What used to be considered borderline sacrilege — writing in books — is now one of the most active corners of BookTok and Bookstagram. If you're converting or upgrading your annotating setup, a few things are worth investing in:
Micron pens are the annotator's standard for a reason: they don't bleed, they're archival, and the fine tip doesn't obliterate the text you're writing beside.
Page flags and sticky tabs in a system you'll actually use. Colour-coded tabs for different types of annotations (quotes, plot points, character moments, things that made you sob) are more useful than a single colour because future-you will immediately understand what past-you marked.
A pencil case or pouch dedicated to your reading supplies. Keeping your annotation kit together means you're more likely to use it consistently.
5. A Good Book Sleeve or Case
Dust jackets on hardcovers exist for a reason — the cover is part of the object. A book sleeve does the same job for the books you're carrying around: it protects the cover, keeps the pages from bending, and if you've chosen a well-made one, adds something to how the whole reading kit looks.
For Kindle users, a proper case rather than the basic fabric sleeve is worth it. Look for something with a firm enough back to support the device, a magnetic closure that doesn't bulk it out, and a material you'll still like in three years. BIND & Co has Kindle sleeves and book sleeves in development — get on the list to be notified when they drop.
6. Literary Candles
There's a thriving ecosystem of candles made for readers — scent profiles tied to specific books, tropes, or genres. "Old library," "enchanted forest," "ink and parchment." Some are novelty; some are genuinely excellent candles that happen to have thoughtful names.
They're particularly strong as bookish gifts for someone who doesn't particularly want more books (rare, but they exist) or as a pairing with another gift. A dark romance novel alongside a candle called "Forbidden Bargain" lands differently than either does alone.
7. Bookmarks That Actually Stay Put
The hierarchy: bookmark > dog ear > leaving it face-down. But not all bookmarks are equal.
Magnetic bookmarks grip the page rather than sliding out, which makes them genuinely useful rather than aspirationally decorative. Leather bookmarks develop a quality patina with use. Illustrated bookmarks from independent artists are often some of the most beautiful small objects you can own for under a certain price point.
BIND & Co has bookmarks in development — illustrated to match the genre themes of the insert collection. Follow along on our story page or on Instagram to be the first to know when they're available.
A Note on Buying Bookish Accessories
The market for reading accessories has grown considerably in the last few years, which is mostly good news — more choice, more quality, more independent makers doing interesting things. The less good news is that the field includes a lot of generic print-on-demand products that look similar in thumbnail and disappoint in hand.
When you're buying something you're going to use every day — a grip, an insert, a bookmark — it's worth paying attention to materials and to whether the design actually means something, or whether it's just pattern-fill on a white substrate.
The things on this list are here because they're genuinely worth owning. Browse the full BIND & Co range — designed for readers who read with intention — in our collections.