Bookshops are my weakness in general. I should just put that out there…read more So when the newest owners took over the Wahroonga bookstore (there's been one in this location since 1917) and added all sorts of gorgeous gift items to grace the shelves alongside my beloved books, I redoubled my love. Novella (I adore the name!) is the perfect one-stop-shop for pretty much every occasion. If you can't find the right book to gift (yes, I still give books as gifts - is that old-fashioned yet?), then you'll be sure to find a cute piece of jewellery, some lovely crockery or even some particularly gorgeous leather-goods. And of course you can buy a cards to cap things off. So much for attempting to spend less time in bookstores!

Novella stocks a variety of quality books. The store has charm and ambiance unlike chain stores…read moresuch as Borders (now closed) and Dymocks. The customer service is more personable and the shopping experience more enjoyable. The staff are very knowledgeable about their products (books and gifts) and are very efficient. Evidently the stock has been carefully selected with a great amount of consideration. The store is conveniently located in among Wahroonga shops and is easily accessible in comparison to supercentres.

Silly I know....but wherever I go, I try to visit Independent Bookstores…read more This wonderful shop in Lindfield always gets a visit from me when I am in the Sydney area. It is a small shop, but packed with beautiful treasures. I love that they offer a wide variety of Australian authors along with the international works. They carry a lovely selection of children's books, reference materials, coffee table books, and gorgeous gift items. There is ample parking behind the store, along with the front parking. The location is superb because it is just across the street from the Lindfield train station. If you are a lover of the written word, stop in to check out their amazing selection.

Visited this book shop again today with my grandchildren and was very impressed with the help we…read morereceived for a special area of interest one of the children had. Books appropriate for the different levels of reading as well as interest for the children was impressive. Thank you

Another second-hand bookshop with a huge collection of books to browse through. Like many of these…read moreshops I actually stumbled across it quite by accident, and honestly, I could literally spend hours browsing the collection, if it wasn't for the fact that when I ended up loading up with books my luggage ends up weighing way too much. Still, the owner is really friendly, and as I mentioned, there is also a huge collection here as well.

This is a gem of a coffee place!…read more Having to mission up to Hornsby for a training day was SAVED by this place - tucked in to the train station this place caught our eye and then won our heart. Friendly and relaxed staff pump out coffees to the commuters and then keep the coffee flowing throughout the day. The service was fast and the coffee was delicious - they didn't bat an eye at strange orders such as quarter strength skim lattes and made a great soy fw. There were a few treats to try including the in vogue cruffin which was a sweet treat to help us through our afternoon. Well worth dropping in to grab a takeaway if you are traveling through the Hornsby train station.

Civilisation has reached the North! I never thought I'd see anything this good pop up in this…read moregrubby little corner shop on the concourse at Hornsby Station. "Shop" is a stretch - it's really more of a hole in the wall takeaway only kind of space, lovingly kitted out in tiles, timber, blackboards and big Edison bulbs. The sort of aesthetic that gives you hope. It doesn't disappoint. They make a damn fine coffee here, with good customer service to boot. None of that awful aloofness that typifies so many hipster-esque joints. They sell beautiful muffins and even Bircher muesli, but they do sell out. Hey, it's not like there's space for much stock, and coffee is certainly the priority. Will certainly go out of my way to get a coffee here in future, whenever I'm around Hornsby.