diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/landing/landing.html b/bookwyrm/templates/landing/landing.html
index 3879e987..7a30f161 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/landing/landing.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/landing/landing.html
@@ -10,18 +10,18 @@
     <div class="tile is-vertical is-6">
         <div class="tile is-parent">
             <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                {% include 'landing/large-book.html' with book=books.has_description.0 %}
+                {% include 'landing/large-book.html' with book=books.0 %}
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="tile">
             <div class="tile is-parent is-6">
                 <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.no_description.0 %}
+                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.1 %}
                 </div>
             </div>
             <div class="tile is-parent is-6">
                 <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.no_description.1 %}
+                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.2 %}
                 </div>
             </div>
         </div>
@@ -30,18 +30,18 @@
         <div class="tile">
             <div class="tile is-parent is-6">
                 <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.no_description.2 %}
+                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.3 %}
                 </div>
             </div>
             <div class="tile is-parent is-6">
                 <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.no_description.3 %}
+                    {% include 'landing/small-book.html' with book=books.4 %}
                 </div>
             </div>
         </div>
         <div class="tile is-parent">
             <div class="tile is-child box has-background-white-ter">
-                {% include 'landing/large-book.html' with book=books.has_description.1 %}
+                {% include 'landing/large-book.html' with book=books.5 %}
             </div>
         </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
index 0add1469..b1e5f68c 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/helpers.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import re
 from requests import HTTPError
 from django.core.exceptions import FieldError
-from django.db.models import Max, Q
+from django.db.models import Q
 from django.http import Http404
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub, models
@@ -165,20 +165,16 @@ def is_blocked(viewer, user):
 def get_landing_books():
     """list of books for the landing page"""
 
-    options = (
-        models.Edition.objects.filter(
-            review__published_date__isnull=False,
-            review__deleted=False,
-            review__user__local=True,
-            review__privacy__in=["public", "unlisted"],
+    return list(
+        set(
+            models.Edition.objects.filter(
+                review__published_date__isnull=False,
+                review__deleted=False,
+                review__user__local=True,
+                review__privacy__in=["public", "unlisted"],
+            )
+            .exclude(cover__exact="")
+            .distinct()
+            .order_by("-review__published_date")[:6]
         )
-        .exclude(cover__exact="")
-        .annotate(Max("review__published_date"))
-        .order_by("-review__published_date__max")
     )
-
-    has_description = options.exclude(description=None).exclude(description="")
-    return {
-        "has_description": has_description[:2],
-        "no_description": options.exclude(id__in=has_description)[:4],
-    }