Just taking in the sights and sounds of Cambria. I was across the street looking at the fresnel…read morelighthouse lens which I always do when I am in the area which is not very often. I decided to walk myself over to the library to check out the bookstore. The volunteers were quietly polite. Even the bookstore had a quiet sshhh mode. The inventory of nonfiction literature was quite extensive for a library used bookshop. nice. I was looking for cookbooks and design art books. I found a lot of cookbooks. I bought a knife skill cooking book, which had hand sketched pictures. $2. And another cookbook with hand sketches. The artwork in the cookbooks peaked my interest. The books were in great condition.

First, the library is so quiet, clean, and charming. The friends of the library bookstore has a…read moregreat selection of gently used books at low prices! It's definitely worth stopping there while in town.

If you know me, you know I love books so when I knew there was a book shop in town, I had to stop…read moreby. Unfortunately, the shop is closing so everything was 50% off and everything must go. So a good price for what you want. The shop had multiple rooms filled with books. Each genre is labeled on each shelf but the books are stacked different ways so a little hard to read everything. Not much walking room since books are stacked on ground, too. There is a huge selection of mystery and thriller. Also, a huge selection of John Grisham, Tom Clancy, and other top authors. Lady at register did not speak English and was watching YouTube so didn't really ask if we needed anything. But it's okay, it was good to be able to browse around.

A wonderful surprise when we stopped for gas. I'm so sad to hear they're closing at the end of…read moreApril, though. Everything is 1/2 off right now which was nice, but I'm still sad. Especially good if you're looking for more "vintage" books (versus new bestsellers). Prepare to spend a good bit of time as it's like a book warren in there. Joan is knowledgeable if you're looking for certain topics or genres. I've had bookshops close where I live, so to see another fold somewhere else is a damn shame. Enjoy while you can!

This is not my tale to tell…read more... -But I'm going to give you MY version of the story- And just like a Fantasy Romance Novel.... There will be a little spice, a touch of word play, some intense trope enemy-to-lover conflict, a dash of magic and of course.... A Happy Ending! So, Where do I begin? It all began about a year and a half ago when my wife started back up reading, but this time around..... She picked up her 1st Fantasy-Romance Novel, never put it down and now, the rest is all history. The Backstory: Let me break it down for you.... But first, let's meet the Main Characters: The Ladies... Feyre, Nesta & Elain Archeron & The Gentlemen... Rhysand, Tamlin, Lucien, & Cassian ---(Just to name a few)--- And suddenly, ACOTAR has entered the chat! Yeah, I'm talking about A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas; maybe you've heard of it? ;) So during g a road trip in late 2024, my wife was super excited about her new book series she had started reading and was like, "Can I tell you about it?" In my head I was like, sure, we've got 5 hours to kill... give it your best shot. And just like an Audiobook, she basically gave me the run down, the play by play, the almost word for word enactment of how ACOTAR was going down as was playing out thus far... I could immediately tell: She Absolutely Loved it! Fast forward to present day.... Her love for reading these Adult Romantasy books is more than just a hobby... It's a way of life! Book clubs, late night reading sessions, and a 6ft tall book shelf in our bedroom that's already filled from top to bottom with F.R. Novels. Let's just say, in our bedroom.... Tamlin is Out, you can Call me Rhys and my wife is the High Lady of the Night Court! But those books on her bookshelf are not just any 'ol books with those plain, old boring edges... Oh No, No, No... They are Fantasy Romance Novels, highly sought after literature with Beautiful, Stunning and even Mystical Painted Edges that are now her prized possessions. Yeah, it's come to the point that whatever town, city, or place we visit... She's already mapped out the local bookstore to visit. And in November 2025, Spare Time Books in Paso Robles met their match! The match: My Wife! Yeah, like a kid in a candy store, she was in her happy place. And while I perused the Classics.... You know: Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Dickens, Tolstoy & Twain... My wife was on the hunt for First Editions, Special Versions and of course those cool looking painted edges by... Maas, Yarros, Armentrout, Palphreyman, and Sarah A. Parker. Yes, this quaint, cute little bookstore has a charm that only Bibliophiles, Book Dragons, & Ink Drinkers will appreciate. So, if you too are a book lover.... I dare you to you to step into this enchanted library of stories, tales, fables and literary magic at Spare Time books where the message on their front window says it best.... "So Many Books So Little Time"

Super cute local bookstore with lots of comfy seating for browsing. Used and new books here, as…read morewell as cute accessories made by local artists like metal bookmarks and a cool little tool you can use to hold a book open more easily with one hand. Reasonable prices and the secondhand books are in good shape. If only we lived closer, I'd be coming here all the time.

This is a great used bookstore. The selection of books for sale are very well curated and…read morereasonably priced. They had many books that I was interested in getting which I can't always say is the case for many used bookstores I have visited.

This is the cutest little bookstore in this town. My daughter had a blast looking through all of…read morethe young adult books they had. I was really happy with the prices as they are very affordable. They had a great selection of books and I was shocked to see the full series of Harry Potter or other populate book series perfect for little kids. We host a shared library in our neighborhood, and they had one dollar book specials right out front. It's great to still see bookstores around and we will definitely come back to see what new books they get.

I was in Paso for a girls weekend and always look for bookstores to check out in the city we visit…read more We got here after they'd closed but a helpful librarian came to help us with our purchase. The books are extremely well priced.

I was surprised this cute little FOL shop didn't have any reviews! I was looking for used books and…read morepuzzles and although they didn't have any puzzles, the volunteer recommended a shop nearby. They had used magazines for 0.25 so I bought a huge stack of birding magazines to look through. I also found a couple of used books. On a second trip, they had some used puzzles! This is a well-organized shop with a great selection of gifts and used books. It was very helpful during the 3 months we stayed in the Paso area.

Wonderful Catholic bookstore with a wide selection of books, merchandise and other seasonal items…read morein one location. Prices were reasonable on the items purchased and they have a catalog in case that you want to order any special items that they do not currently have in the store. The owner is available to answer any questions overall it was an enjoyable visit and I look forward to returning again!

This is a cute and needed little catholic gift/book shop. The people who run it are very helpful…read moreand informative. Every time we come up to Cambria my wife likes to stop here to buy something special for her mom. Glad it exists.

This little shop up in the east village of Cambria is a breath of fresh air. It is open and easy to…read morewalk through to shop in. The beach vibe is authentic and unforced. There is fine art, sculpture, clothing, plants and seriously cool stuff I have never seen before. It appears there is a wide range of priced items for gifts for a traveler. I chatted with the shoppers and the gal sitting the front cash register and had a wonderful time. Super relaxed and a great stop on my walk about.

Charming shop with all kinds of local handmade goods, scents, plant decorations, crystals, dyed…read moresilks, even some surf goods. Family run, beautiful, great vibes, great place to poke around for gifts or home items for locals or tourists passing by

This a cute little place with tons of gift ideas. They carry everything from crazy hats to lovely…read moreYak woven shawls. I was able to score a couple of finds for Christmas presents here!

Fun stuff and good soulful gifts for you, family, and friend. Worth a visit. Prices are reasonable…read more Adult humor aplenty. Fun stuff and good soulful gifts for you, family, and friend. Worth a visit. Prices are reasonable. Adult humor aplenty. Yelp Grading This is my rating system to help you gauge my rating. I feel it is a dis-service to over-inflate ratings. I don't want you to be disappointed with your experience. Ratings are based upon the kind of business and expectations. A business will be rated in consideration of its intended clients. A To-Go shop or hole-in-the-wall will be compared to similar businesses and rated thus. Anything under three stars is not worth mentioning. Meh. *** stars - Good overall. Some aspects are above the notch: food, service, and/or ambiance. Worth your time. **** Stars - Exceptional, short of perfect. ***** Stars - Perfect in all aspects. Food/Product Quality, Service, and Ambianceis is my rating system to help you gauge my rating. I feel it is a dis-service to over inflate ratings. I don't want you to be disappointed with your experience. Ratings are based upon the kind of business and expectations. A business will be rate in consideration of its intended clients. A To-Go shop or hole-in-the-wall will be compared to like businesses and rated thus. Anything under three stars is not worth mentioning. Meh. *** stars - Good overall. Some aspects are above the notch: food, service, and/or ambiance. Worth your time. **** Stars - Exceptional, short of perfect. ***** Stars - Perfect in all aspects. Food/Product quality, Service, and Ambiance