I have this problem where I cannot walk into a bookstore and then walk out empty handed. I'm a big…read morebookworm and saying goodbye to an entire store filled with books without a book for myself is just unthinkable. That's like hiring a prostitute, giving her a hug, and then sending her away. Actually, it's worse than that. EXPLOIT THE OPPORTUNITY, methinks. This is especially hard when it comes to secondhand or cheap bookstores like Bookay-Ukay. This place is amazing. It is filled from ceiling to floor with books - and not the usual crap you see in chain bookstores, either. You can tell that these titles were handpicked by whoever manages this place, and you're sure to find something you like in this hole-in-the-wall. My girlfriend had to drag me away from these books. I wanted to buy the entire building.

Finally visited the store, saw one of my fave comic books and bought it. never knew that I could…read moreget one for a such a low-cost. I'll definitely visit the store again for sure.

I grew up reading books. Story books, comic books, history books which my dad happily supplied when…read moreI was a child. When I grew up, I was buying them myself and it didn't matter where. Local stores, garage sales, book fairs- I was always there. I never felt guilty for buying books; I could buy 20 at a time and feel no remorse. So imagine my happiness when Fully Booked finally opened its doors to the public. It felt like having access to something so grand and I knew there and then that finally, I could get the books I want anytime I please. Fully Booked always has the latest and the greatest literature around and it's been my constant source of supply ever since it opened. Tips: 1. Be ready to spend when you're here! 2. Check out the Tin Tin exhibition when you have time.

There is no bookstore in Metro Manila which for me rivals this particular Fully Booked. Sure there…read moreare other Fully Booked bookstores out there, but I don't any of them rival this one in terms of size, and even if they do, none of them can probably compare to the ambiance of this place. The fact that it's located in the south means that it doesn't draw as large of a crowd as the Fully Booked in BGC. It has around four floors if memory serves me right and each floor is full of the kind of books that can satisfy almost any person's needs. There are books on speculative fiction, different kinds of hobbies, history, and so much more. I love this place because they keep most of the book marks, posters, and other trinkets and baubles that they sell down stairs. Once you get to the second floor and beyond, it's all books from there. It's also very quiet. I actually have half the mind not to talk about this particular Fully Booked out of fear that more and more people might want to go here.

Fully Booked Katip is a place I regularly pass by whenever I get picked up. My dad comes from the…read morenorth, so I chill at Regis Center while waiting for him. This particular branch is really fun to stay in, because it's hardly ever full. The staff are used to dealing with the "college kid" demographic, and know all the latest Young Adult or Romance hits, and are very responsive when you want to have one ordered from another branch to be picked up or to pre-order a book. It's especially nice to hole up in the back part of the branch or in the couch seat in one corner and just will the hours away. There's fancy stationary and pens available too, if you find yourself short of any. Another thing I love about it is how it's right next to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch, where you can enjoy your latest book buy with some warm tea and pastries to keep you company.

Fully Booked is the heaven of book lovers! They have great selections of all sorts, and even a…read morego-to for comic books and graphic novels. The store gives a classy and comfortable vibe. Conveniently placed in Katipunan, students, teachers and even parents are the usual customers who drop by at this branch. I personally go to Fully Booked to buy quality art supplies that may not be found in other bookstores. I also find some of their items exclusive that's great for gift shopping. This particular branch may not be big enough to house the particular item(s) you're looking for, but the staff can help you find them at the other bigger branches in the metro. The downside for me is that their items can be pricey and buying from there can make your wallet cry :( However, the place for me can be a good treat-yourself once in a while. It will also help to avail their membership card if you're planning to buy books and supplies there regularly. I will surely drop by Fully Booked once in a while to update myself with cool art stuff and perhaps buy a book as well. :)

National is the major chain bookstore in the Philippines. Located in SM City Clark; this branch is…read moreon the small side. I find prices are cheaper in the office/stationary section at SM Hypermart, but they don't stock everything National has. I find myself shopping here once in a while when I'm in need of office items.

I am a very regular customer at SM Hypermarket and one of my most frequently visited establishments…read morewould hands down have to be Books for Less. Few things make me happier than sticking my nose in a book so when I found out that the store was no longer as big as it used to be, it made me sad. However, BFS continues to provide a decent selection of fiction and nonfiction books that one can peruse and purchase from. I've found many a gem here, and I'm glad that places like this exist as where would society be without the written word.

When i was a kid, I dreamed of having my own library at home. I would line up my books in small…read moreshelves and imagine a whole room filled with books about various topics and fields. But as I was growing up, I noticed that books, especially hardbound ones can be quite pricey. So the dream just waned away. However, Booksale has rekindled this vision when it introduced to me the concept of buying pre-loved books and magazines. Actually, I don't consider myself as a bookworm. I just experience a simple joy when I see my books lined up side by side waiting to be opened and explored (it makes me feel organized). But more than books, I am a magazine person. I read fashion and travel magazines more than books. When I am in Booksale, I usually spend a lot of time perusing through their back issues of foreign magazines and find the ones that interest me. Since they aren't current issues, they are sold cheaper so I usually end up buying two or three issues...per field of interest.

Secondhand bookshops are treasure groves for me. I just love this tiny panicky feeling I get every…read moretime I enter, not knowing where to start. In places like these, you'll never know what you could find. So it really feels like you have to be alert and look really carefully, especially if you're hunting down a very rare book or magazine issue. Enough about books though. Foreign and art magazines are pretty hard to find locally. I used to have copies of Juxtapoz mailed to me by a friend who lives abroad. They take forever to arrive and by the time I get my hands on them, a new issue will be out. I was thrilled when the cashier answered "meron" to me when I asked if they had copies of Juxtapoz. I mean why didn't I think of that before? I don't know. It honestly never occurred to me to ask the keepers. My bad. The issues I get are still outdated, it's pretty hard to come by, after all. But at the very least I don't have to spend too much on shipping costs and whatnot.

Tyrion Lannister once had a conversation with John Snow who asked him why he read so many books, to…read morewhich Tyrion replies, "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." Our country can use more of book stores like Books for Less. Books for Less has an earnest appeal to it. It doesn't make any pretension to be anything more than what it says on the tin. It has books for less. The books are all old or second hand, but in all honesty, does that even really matter? What matters is that you have a copy and that you can pass it on. What matters is that they're making books accessible to people. Were I a government official I would've given the person who came up with this business a medal for making books more accessible to the public.

I love reading; I grew up with my father buying me more books than toys. Now that I'm a mom, I…read morewant to share my love for reading to my daughters. I put up a mini library for my girls on their area of our room and I'm constantly trying to grow that, but children's books, especially the more popular titles are quite pricey. I know books are investments, but my two-year old daughter is in the stage where she's not yet careful in flipping the pages so I'd rather not buy expensive books at this moment (my heart jumps every time she accidentally tears a page and I salvage it as best as I can). Good thing there's Booksale where we can get nice books at a quarter of the original price. I got most of my daughter's board books there for less than a hundred pesos. Her Dr. Seuss hard-cover books we got for 150. Most of the books are still in good condition. There are also a lot of good titles for adults. Booksale really is the best bargain place for books. You just need the patience to stand the faint smell of old books and to leaf through the hundreds of books available for sale.

Unpopular opinion, but...I love e-books! They're so handy! You can bring your entire library with…read moreyou everywhere and read on your phone or on your laptop or on your tablet, and you can highlight and make notes without completely ruining your book! After I discovered the wonderful world of e-reading, I rarely ventured into PowerBooks or Fully Booked for the latest novels, because who needs to go to those places when you can just search for books on the internet? Though my love for those bookstores have waned, inexplicably, my love for Booksale has not. I love the smell of books - especially the smell of pre-loved books, and Booksale smells exactly like that. Also, there are some great finds in there! My friend isn't much of an e-book lover, and I remember finding a Daniel Handler book he really wanted in Booksale for P150, when it was still relatively new and cost around P550 in Fully Booked. What a great steal! I also love Booksale because, as much as I love e-reading, there are some obscure books out there that you just can't find on the internet. I remember finding Susan Sontag's collection of essays in Booksale for P100! Definitely the best thing I ever found in there. They also have a variety of dictionaries available for cheap, and all of my Spanish - English dictionaries from there have been a huge help to my goal of achieving my Spanish minor! It might not seem like the greatest bookstore at first, but Booksale definitely has some hidden treasures in its shelves - all it takes is a bit of looking!