I stumbled into the Lagusnilad underpass one rainy afternoon last month, dodging puddles and trying…read moreto cut through from Taft to City Hall. Wasn't even looking for books--just wanted dry feet--but there it was, this cozy little chaos of shelves tucked between the clothing stalls. The smell hit me first: old paper, a bit of dust, and that unmistakable comfort of a real secondhand bookstore. The guy behind the counter (think his name was Aj?) looked up, smiled like he'd been expecting me, and asked what I was in the mood for. No pressure, just genuine curiosity. I ended up spending almost an hour there, flipping through worn paperbacks and hardcovers that felt like they'd lived interesting lives. Found a beat-up but complete set of Garcia Marquez short stories for P250 and a pristine copy of "The Shadow of the Wind" that I'd been hunting forever. Prices were ridiculously fair--nothing over P400--and the selection is surprisingly deep for such a small space: classics, Filipino lit, sci-fi, even some niche non-fiction. They've got everything neatly sorted by genre now (huge improvement from the early days I've heard about), and if something's buried in the back, they'll dig it out without making you feel like you're inconveniencing them. What really sealed it for me was the conversation. We chatted about favorite authors, he recommended a couple of newer Filipino titles I hadn't heard of, and even held a book I wanted for a few days when I realized I didn't have enough cash. Super chill, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about books--not just selling them. I've been back twice since, and every time it feels like visiting an old friend who happens to run the best hidden bookstore in Manila. If you're anywhere near Intramuros or Taft, duck in--you won't regret it. Absolute gem. Five bright, dusty, book-scented stars.

I was commuting alone, on my way to San Agustin Church (Intramuros) to attend my very first school…read moresanctioned rally. From the LRT Central Terminal Station, I needed to cross Padre Burgos Avenue, so I instinctively followed the foot traffic that led me to the Lagusnilad underpass. Inside were a number of stalls selling clothes and other knickknacks. But something else caught my attention as I was passing by - a small secondhand bookstore! As a certified bookworm, I was pleasantly surprised. The makeshift shelves added character to the store. Some books were arranged by genre, while some were just randomly piled up one over the other. I imagined that getting one from the bottom would be like playing a game of Jenga. They have a wide selection of novels, textbooks and even some magazines that won't burn a hole in your pocket. I saw works by Oscar Wilde, Dan Brown, George R.R. Martin. Since I was in a middle of a commute and it wasn't practical to carry a heavy bag of books, I couldn't buy all the stuff I wanted. I settled for a Dual-language Book of French Stories (by the likes of Voltaire, Camus, etc.) for only P100. I later found out that this humble store had a Facebook page. They post their new acquisitions and even accept reservations. How neat is that? For me, I discovered a real hidden treasure when I literally found "Books from Underground" (that's the name of the book store).

This is one of my favorite bookstores in the Philippines. I love the aesthetic inside and how it…read morewas laid out especially when they have photo of a woman create with books. It was also bonus that my book, Bridging the Confidence, was available at this location. Definitely a must go if you love book stores.

Bookstore -- more than books! (MANILA Philippines)…read more My two daughters would absolutely love this bookstore if we had one in the U.S. My 10-year old niece who resides in the Philippines introduced me to this store when I told her that I was looking for Sonny Angel merchandise for my adult daughter at home who loves this stuff. Not only did they have them but they had so many different kinds of Pop Mart blind box merchandise meaning you do not know which figure you will receive until you buy one and open the box. The bookstore also carries a good selection of Manga books series which my other daughter would be excited to see. For Yuko Shimizu fans... they sell the mural shirts here too. After all the searching for the Sonny Angel merch I was glad to find them in this bookstore and surprised my child with the plush. Customer service was excellent, they were very friendly and helpful. Great prices! The bookstore is located in the Mitsukoshi BGC in Taguig Metro Manila. Review #3294

The reason why this particular branch of Powerbooks is special to me is because my younger sister…read morelost my iPad here. My siblings just came back from the States, and of course, I had to take them around the newest parts of Manila. We went to Serendra, and had lunch at Conti's. After lunch, my sister and I decided to spend an afternoon reading some books at Powerbooks to digest our food while my other siblings decided to go shopping. I was so engrossed in a comic book that I was reading, when I asked her to hold my iPad for me. After I finished reading, I asked her for my iPad, and unfortunately, she, too, was engrossed in reading her book that she didn't notice that someone must have taken it. We tried to ask the help of Powerbooks for CCTV footage, but no to avail, we couldn't find the culprit. I was pretty upset that day, but I think my sister felt worse for being responsible. I eventually forgave her after a few days, and she saved up enough to get me a new iPad.

This shop is at the second floor of the Ayala mall and easily caught our attention - very…read morebeautifully decorated, spacious and cozy. They sell second hand books - they have a lot of books on hand and they were stacked neatly for easier browsing. They also have cool items like scratch maps, globe stress ball, adventure banks, etc. Highly recommended for book and novelty item enthusiasts.

Nobody was willing to help. Either staff were busy with their task or chatting with other staff…read more Noone offers to help you find things. The cashier was not nice.

We stopped by here to look for books for my classes, but I didn't find anything that would be…read moreuseful. What I drooled over were their stock of stationery and pens. Omg their selection of pens is pretty incredible. There were several aisles of different kinds and colors of pens, markers and pencils imaginable. I was so tempted to buy pens 'cause they were so inexpensive, but then I saw the line and I didn't want to wait. It's Christmas time so it's a super busy time in the mall. This bookstore also had lots of toys on the ground floor, and art and school supplies on the 2nd floor.

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. :)

As a writer, one of my passions is reading, and I've always been protective of my books. So it was…read morequite a surprise for me to find out that a man named Nanie Guanlao actually set up the entire front part of the house he grew up in along Balagtas St. in Makati as a free library. No library cards, no membership, no anything. The rules are simple: there are none. You can take a book, you can leave a book, or you can do both. You can come once and leave with 10 books, or keep/leave a book every week. Spreading from the steps to his house and leading all the way inside, over 500 books sit there waiting for new readers to explore their pages. My first time there, I ended up taking home "The World According to Garp" and "2001: A Space Odyssey." What started as Nanie's personal collection has become a repository for learning and exploration, a project for Nanie's family, and a neighborhood curiosity. As a believer in the power of words to inspire, motivate, and transform, I applaud Nanie and hope against all odds that there could be people like him in every street in every barangay in every city of the country. One can dream, after all.

I haven't visited this establishment in a while. My thoughts, this establishment offers the bare…read moreminimum returns on all book commodities sold or fair market value for trading your books. CAUTION! Buyer's/ Sellers beware.

I frequent used bookstores because not only are their items inexpensive but they have many…read morehard-to-find titles as well. A few years ago, I used to visit Books For Less in Valero Street during weekends. I would spend quite a number of hours browsing through their shelves and reading while drinking coffee. It was really a sad day when they closed shop. Fortunately, I recently discovered that they have an existing stall on the third floor of RCBC Plaza. This is a small version of the shop they closed down and they don't have chairs and tables nor do they serve coffee. Still, the stall has tons of interesting books for adults and kids. In fact, after a few minutes of looking at the display, I found a suitable book for my one-year old nephew and a hidden gem which is the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th Edition. Both books were selling for a bargain.

What saved us from having to scout Recto to look for references or books is Goodwill which is just…read morea few walks away from UP Manila. We were surprised at how some books were already available here and some are even way cheaper than the ones sold brand new. We were also able to purchase additional or supplemental text books that would help us in reviewing especially for neuroanatomy. They also have other books for other fields or professions such as accountancy, midwifery, nursing, etc. That's somehow surprising because you'd kind of wonder how all these books fit in such a small space. Gallifreyan technology perhaps? (If you're a Whovian you might get this reference). They also sell a few office supplies which also saves you time and effort from walking all the way from UP Manila all the way to NBS in Rob Ermita especially if you're running there just to purchase a pen or an envelope.

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.

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.