Nice bookstore, this is the kind my wife and I love because the books are curated. We came to just have a look and ended up spending more time here than we thought. There is a main section and also a small walkway that connects to the building next door with more books. It's set up with comfortable sofas and chairs for people that want to hand out and read. They have a large children's selection of books and toys, my kids wanted some of the lego sets they had. In this section I ended up spending the most amount of time in the "Where's Waldo" section. There were so many new books that I didn't know existed and our old childhood books we passed to our kids are some of their favorites. Some other notable areas are a "rare books" section in the display case with handwritten tidbits. There is also a discounted "used books" section. My wife ended up with two books which she loved. read more

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If you want to grab a book and enjoy it while chilling to the sounds of crashing waves and chirping birds this is your place. Lovely staff. Great used book options too if you forgot to bring your Harry Potter copy with you. Your kids will thank you. read more

The bookstore was very cute and the staff was pleasant, only thing that threw me off were the used books with stains or damages were quite expensive, was better off getting the book brand new. I would still come back though. read more

I always stop by Ink Spell books when I'm in HMB! I love their selection of both new and used books, the layout of the store is open and inviting, and I always find at least one or two books to keep me engaged for a while! read more

We go here every time we visit Half Moon Bay, and this time, the checkout counter was moved completely, to a much more logical location. The old space has two lovely and comfortable new green velvet wing chairs. There are four more of those chairs in what I call the third room. But the middle room was pretty empty. That's my only criticism of this place, not enough inventory. I like bookstores I have to leave before seeing half the stuff. We liked the banned books display, and the others were well thought out too, like a mystery table. A kidnapping mystery set in Half Moon Bay? Cool! read more

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We happened to visit Ink Spell on Independent Bookstore Day which was fortuitous. It is so spacious and cute. I appreciated the many different displays ranging from board games to the mystery books you could purchase for $2. This is definitely a great spot to pick up gifts / kill time at. read more

Ink Spell Books - One of the rooms inside the bookstore - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Wonderful bookstore, with friendly service. As expected, there's a great selection of books. I was also surprised by the board games, small gifts, and a surprising number of seasonal items. When I popped in, I really liked how there's a very personal touch to the store, including a Christmas advent countdown with books (24 books for $50, which is a great deal to entertain the kids in a novel way)! I would stop by again. read more

Ink Spell Books - Interior vibes - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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I love this place and tend to love all bookstores so I never felt compelled to leave a review. I was walking Main Street this past weekend and fell in love with their current window display (mid Sept 2024). They had 50+ banned books on display and numbered them with matching index cards to detail why they were banned and where they were banned. It was educational and stopped me in my tracks! Very very clever. read more

Ink Spell Books - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Nice small bookstore with a decent selection. They don't have magazines or newspapers but it's a good place for the type of city it's in. Good service too. read more

Ink Spell Books - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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What a fun Store! They offer books and games and book related trinkets. The selection is excellent. I really appreciate it the staffer knowledgeable about their offerings, and were helpful at advising. read more

Such an amazing bookstore! Stumbled upon this hidden gem after leaving a Dia de Los Muertos festival around the corner. Ink Spell was having a October special where you buy one get one half off so of course I had to pop in! It got even cooler seeing the storefront proclaiming "Bans Off My Books + Body." Hell yeah. These are the sorts of local business you need to love and support! Also also. They had a really cool display of fully gift wrapped books where the only thing you knew about them was the genre of the book. Great surprise and perfect for gifts or just finding something new you probably wouldn't have normally picked up on your own. So much to see, and since it was around Halloween, the decorations were great too. Ended up walking out with two books, wishing I could get more. Love this gem, and can't wait to come back next time I'm in Half Moon Bay! read more

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Very cute and staff is very helpful. Love supporting small book stores! Highly recommend

No longer in their previous location - moved 2 months ago next to the Sweets store across from the Bank of America on Main Street! Old Cottage Industries building! Lovin' the spot. Still a fantastic selection! read more

Ink Spell Books - Screw censorship, buy banned books and save history. - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I love this bookstore! Have been coming here for years. They have a nice selection of used and new books as well as kids' games and activities. read more

they some times have the first cat in space athurs and they have a lot of books and it is a big slecion read more

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They have new and used books mixed. It was hard to tell which ones were new. I was looking for new books. My husband and I bought several books each and I bought a cute canvas bag. The clerk (male long hair) had zero personality and said nothing to us, not even a thank you. That was a bit off putting. But we still bought some nice treasures. We were visiting from out of town. I follow them on Facebook and was excited to check them out. read more

Cute book store along main street! Lots of selection of books and toys for the kids. Will be returning in the future! read more

Ink Spell Books - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

The staff is very friendly, and the atmosphere and design of the store create a cozy feeling, making one feel very comfortable, with bright lighting. There is a wide selection of both valuable second-hand books and new books to choose from, at reasonable prices. There are also many choices of toys for children, which is very heartwarming. The bookstore also hosts many meaningful events. read more

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This book store is such a blessing to the Coast. Not only do they have wonderful books and games, the owner goes out of her way to support the local schools, library, and downtown businesses. If you need a book, make Ink Spell your first choice. If they don't have it, they will order it! read more

It's kinda like walking into a history's lost and found when you walk in here. Since there are no more big chain book stores around anymore except for Half Price Books, walking in any book store is a treat. Second, it's an independent book store and it's nice a comfy inside. When a person walks in, or at least when I walk in, there's a sense of welcome here. There's an area with nice couches and seats for you to just enjoy the atmosphere. I think there's just something for just about everyone here, new, used, and a great kids section. Being located at Half Moon Bay helps as well, it's always foggy and kinda chilly here so it adds to the affect. Come by, check it out, buy a book or two. read more

Ink Spell Books - Lovely book store - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I love our local bookstore. They will order any book they do not have in stock and call you when it arrives. They are beyond helpful and cheery whenever I go in. read more

Surprisingly a great selection of books and items available. I went in not expecting much I was wrong. So glad I went in and I came out with a great read. It's worth the stop. read more

Great place to buy used books. I have visited here twice and both times found something I liked. And my wife was even luckier. They seem to have the largest used book selection in the area (I cannot find something comparable in the San Mateo area). The fiction section is pretty big. I only wish it was closer to where we live, but maybe that is a good thing... read more

This is my favorite place to go after school. I love it because it has toys. The cashiers are very nice and the place is very neat. I go to it after school or on the weekends. I like to play with the fidget cubes. I became a better reader because of Ink Spell because it had good books to read. -Third Grade Student read more

Visited the new location. Friendly staff and very organized layout! Great kids section. They have a deal going on: buy 2 kids picture books and get 2 free! And also if you grew up on the 90s, they have a great selection of Baby Sitters Club and Box Car Kids books! Great location as there are many restaurants, bakery and deli nearby! read more

Helpful, family friendly, owned and staffed by book lovers. What more could you want in a local book store?

A lovely shop on Main Street. Good selection of new & used books. Unusual gifts also. They will order any book you can't find. A fun place to shop! read more

This is by far the best book shop I came across in Half Moon Bay. Off the main road, the La Di Da Cafe is next door. You can order your coffee from them via a hole in the wall (looks like a framed picture) and have your coffee inside. There are new books with used books sprinkled throughout. I was very tempted to buy this baked goods book published in 1960! They have a cute kids section complete with rocking chair and story time. I want to say that it is at 10:00 am on Tuesdays, but not sure. Great spot to buy gifts for children too, lots of little knick-knacks for kids -- bouncy balls, a container full of assorted rubber duckies, bendable pencils, you get the idea. You can also go up the stairs to an alcove area that encompasses three of the walls. I know there is a name for this type of set up! There are arm chairs, tables and of course more books. Found a hardcover book about the life and times of Buddha for $6. I would have spent more, but my caffeine craving kicked in. read more

Partially used books and new books for sale. There is a toy area for kids. It's hidden from the main strip but nice little spot for locals. read more

What a cool bookstore. It feels like a mixture of a library, bookstore and someone's house. There are a bunch of places you can sit down and read. It is so comfortable here, which is why it feels like a house. I really like this place. You can even order some drinks from a hole in the wall towards the back of the store. Right next store is a coffee shop, thus you can get your drink without having to go next door, genius. Another thing I love were all the seashells for sale. I just love looking at them and pretending which one I would put somewhere in my apartment. read more

I can't believe I didn't do 5 stars before. I think i hit the wrong button. Forgive me, I love y'all. LOVE!

This is a sizable new and used bookstore just of the main downtown part of ye old half moon bay. Parking is street only which will here will almost always allow for a spot if not right in front then down the block a ways. There are also some short term surface lots close by. This is a large store with both upstairs and downstairs sections. The used stock is mixed in with new, thus it pays to pay attention to what you are buying. Not everything will be the 50% ish off used price. The upstairs isn't really like a second story-it's a section that runs along the wall and is fully within view from downstairs, which can be handy for parents. not so handy for those that have vertigo. While the selection is more limited in the upstairs area, it's always worth a browse because you never know what might have come in since your last visit. Like a lot of bookstores browsing is more then half the fun as it's very possible to find something you never knew you needed/wanted until you see it. In addition to the large ish book stock, they also carry enough toys (especially stuffed/plush thingys), games and puzzles to fill a small toy store. as this is a locally owned shop, with no real issues on the service end-usually the owner is on site, or one of her relatives, so the odds are the person ringing you up is the boss. Overall this makes a nice addition to the half moon bay retail experience, and pairs nicely with the other bookstores in the area as opposed to competing with them. If you like to read, it's totally worth a leisurely browse. read more

This is one of my favorite book stores (of the many many) in Half Moon Bay. It's a beautiful little place with a second story that overlooks the first. Cozy and local, it's warm and inviting with a great selection of new and used books. The children's section is large and the selection varies a lot. They also have a fair selection of children's toys and activities. They do buy back books and offer trade or cash. Very handy! read more

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It's so nice to have a small bookstore like this. We stop in every time we are in town and our grandchildren love exploring here. Lovely combination of books - old and new as well as a wonderful selection of toys and games. If you want to have your kids tolerate stopping in the HMB store that you like, make sure Ink Spell is your first stop. read more

A gem of a bookshop! Great selection of new and used books plus some fun gift items and an extensive selection of kids toys and puzzles. One block off the main street downtown Half Moon Bay. A fun discovery! read more

I can't believe I've walked by here a squillion times and never visited till this weekend. What a great store! Their selection of used books is immense. There's even a nice robust amount of antique books to look through. In addition to all this, they have a few DVDs as well as a ton of toys. There's even a couple cozy sitting areas, including a cute loft upstairs. Super friendly employee didn't even make me feel bad for snooping in a drawer of that awesome old bookcase (it's my business what's in there!) and making a whole bunch of racket in the process. read more

Ink Spell Books - My homie. - Bookstores Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Very cool, independently owned new bookstore in downtown Half Moon Bay! Accidentally bumped into the storefront on our way into Main Street for the Annual 4th of July Half Moon Bay Parade (in case you were worried America, patriotism is alive and well on the coastside thank you very much!) I just love the *vibe* the minute you step in to Ink Spell Books... It was a lively GORGEOUS day on the coast, so that added to my initial giddiness; But it just really felt like the kind of store I would love to visit over and over again. Very warm, cozy, laid back. They sell new and used books, dvds, games. During this visit, I was a bit distracted with the fun kids section, particularly their collection of puppets and a huge colorful stuffed caterpillar atop a bookshelf. They had stickers, bottles of "magic bubbles" for 75 cents, little stamps for 59 cents, puzzles and other fun stuff. The opening into neighboring La Di Da cafe is a wonderful bonus and they also have some very cool sketches - some framed - along one of their walls. I'm told the artist works there on Wednesdays - really cool work so I'll have to check it out again. They really caught my eye. On the way out, I noticed an upstairs area lined with all kinds of chairs and seating areas (it looks sturdy but I guess I should verify if it's for display only!?). I will surely be back here. Lovely layout and conveniently located just down the way from Main Street. *They sell "Robota," Doug Chiang's film book! Also, I know there's a market out here on yelp, so some of you may be interested to know that they sell Manga and graphic novels. read more

This place holds a special place in my heart. When I was 7 months pregnant, my husband and I were in this store looking through a baby name book together. This past weekend we went back and brought our daughter, who is turning 7 months this week. I browsed through the children's section and found a few books for her. This store carries both new and used books. If you're lucky you can find a used book that looks brand new and only pay half the listed price! Most of the used books look used but the cool part is that you can find books here that are out of print already and not even available on Amazon (unless you are willing to buy it from an outside seller). read more

My wife and I have been coming here since we moved to HMB and love it because: A) Excellent selection and prices on new and used books, B) It is one of the only places where both parents and kids can have fun while shopping, and C) They are exceptionally helpful. For example, the other day I decided to trade in a box full of DVDs that were collecting dust. I brought them over to Inkspell and asked it they would take them in exchange for store credit. The parsed through the box, gave me fair pricing, and then spent over an hour helping me to spend this credit on building a small learning library for my kids! The temptation to simply buy online is strong, especially when you know exactly what you want and can wait a few days. However, Inkspell is much more than just a book seller. It's an experience and one of the last remaining vestiges of what a real bookstore used to be. read more

Love this place! Great people too. It's comfy and loaded with new and used books. It's also a great place to go gift shopping. It's become my go-to place on the coast for those endless birthday party invitations. At their recent sale, I got a great table with 2 chairs for my girls and a dollhouse. This is the place I go to kill some time while waiting for my kids to end their lessons.... I sit down on one of their comfy chairs with a book... then I go home with a few more. They also take your used books and give you credit for future purchases... great way for me to clean out every now and then. read more