Step aside Kindle and iPad, there is absolutely no replacing the feel and smell of an actual book…read more That woody, inky aroma is in full effect inside Brays Books. In fact, it kind of comes over you like a cloud when you waltz through the shop's doors. I found Brays to be a very curious little bookshop indeed. From what I could tell, they have three sections in their bag. If you're looking for a cookbook, any kind of culinary almanac at all, you can likely find it here. And what about travel books? With atlases, travel guides and travel related fiction and non-fiction at your fingertips, I recommend you pop in here before you next step on an airplane. And if you happen to be under the age of 10, or know someone who is, Brays delivers in the children's department as well. They have picture book classics and fiction for those readers who are stepping into the land of more words than pics. But, wait a second, what if I am looking for some good old fashioned adult fiction? With a rinky dink little case along one side of Brays, I had a hard time believing their selection was anywhere near complete. But I guess I can't be too hard on an independent bookshop. As they die out like orchids in the garden of retail, I'm sure Brays can use all the support it can get.

A boutique bookstore on Darling street, Balmain. I love these places. Each one has its own feel and…read morevibe, and there's no place like a good bookstore. Theres some good variety among the shelves, so you know theres no hidden agenda behind the store, just a bunch of popular books for sale. The place is colourful and inviting, the staff are great, and helpful when you're trying to find something, although if you're on a mission, I guess a boutique bookstore isn't where you'd go. But still, a great place to browse and get into the reading zone.

There is nothing better than a good second-hand bookshop, other than a second-hand bookshop where…read morethe owner will talk to you for ages about second-hand books, and this is certainly one of those places. If there is one thing I love to talk about and that is books, expecially old books, and she certainly has a decent collection of them. There are some pretty good titles in here, but the best part about this place, as with most shops of a similar nature, is the ability to simply pour through the volumes looking for something that catches your attention, and also getting a nice, dusty old hardcover book.

The staff was incredibly helpful and the range of books was amazing. This is highly recommended.read more

It's got the lovely homely smell of a second hand bookstore because it is a second hand bookstore…read morebut that's where my fondness for it ends sadly. It's brightly lit and in a shopping centre in need of a make-over. I prefer my bookstores dark and wooden, so that I can hide in amongst the shelves and finger my way around. I have browsed the display table outside this shop many a time but just don't feel I can intrude on the inner sanctum of the shop. On the odd occasion that I have made a purchase (selected from the display table) the staff were pretty uncommunicative - to not have a bit of chatter about a book is rare for me. They offer to buy books too though they declined my rejects recently and appear to be operating to undisclosed buying preferences. Not really my kinda place. Just no fun to be had in discovering what's there.

Any book lover is in heaven right here. Despite the number of books for sale being way greater than…read morethe number of space available to store these books for sale; the owners have done extremely well and have made a great art out of this. The books are extremely neat and well stocked: this definitely defies the trend of used book stores. Usually they are messy and the walking space is cramped and limited: not so much at this establishment. Spacious and well inviting shop front with friendly staff manning the counter all the time with great service to boot which is a beautiful thing. Vinnies will pass on this occasion as well. And the flea markets too. This establishment is well set up and designed to give any of those nearby second hand book stores in Glebe a good run for their money. Books almost falling apart almost sell like hotcakes here, and at great prices too. My foster mum is really in heaven here as well. She loves books and always ends up with half a plastic bag full of them after her experiences book shopping here. And with a village atmosphere; what is there to not love here?

At Newtown's Modern Times bookshop, you can purchase an interesting range of books with particular…read morefocus on art, their have a selection of Art books you may not find in other book shops, the pop culture focus really appeals to me. Also on offer is an extensive collection of cult comics and graphic novels (I saw a Tank Girl art book there) they also have really odd toys for sale and they have wrapping paper, which has a fun pop culture style, they had Thunder Birds paper! Also they have a Doctor Who section with all kinds of books DVDs and a great collection of collectibles for sale. I must resist. If you are looking for children's books or a gift for kids, their children's section is truly excellent. The shop has an excellent set up as it is directly connected to Art on King (there is no diving wall) although they are two lots of businesses, so it is an artist's dream shop.

This Newtown store is actually two stores in one, the arts craft supply store, Art on King and the…read moreBookshop/stationary store. They don't have a large stock and mostly carry new and popular titles, but their comic book and graphic novel section is quite nice. They also offer 15% discount off new releases. Since the shop isn't too large it is easy to browse quickly through the titles. I bought The Decision Book by Mikael Krogerus on a whim since it was displayed ever so valiantly next to the cashier (I used the Swiss Cheese model and SWOT to make this decision). The stationary portion of the shop is well stocked with all sorts of creative tools and Art on King is one of the best art supply shops in Sydney.

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.

Cooool. A second…read morehand bookstore that occasionally sells new books, this little boutique store has a lot of character. The owner is a charistmatic woman who enjoys chatting and making a joke, so she's very approachable and capable of helping you find what you're looking for. It doesn't do mainstream, but focuses on lesser-known but very capable, often award winning literary artists, with a particular focus on history and the classics. There are typewriters on trhe walls near the ceiling, and towards the back are two glorious looking armchairs with a typewriter between them, almost as if one of these long since past authors had just risen from his place to make a cup of tea. In a book store, the vibe is very important, and this store has it right, at least matching the books it sells. What they may or may not have, is the book you're looking for. Have a browse, or call ahead if looking for a specific book. Oh, and I have been informed they are very picky about which second hand books they take. They're all in very good condition.

You could schedule out a bit of a 'book crawl' in Manly - Desire Books is just round the corner…read morefrom another secondhand bookstore, both packed with re-readable treasure. Desire is probably the more 'highbrow' of the two - along with some pop novels, there are shelves dedicated to classics and some quite alternative stuff. The owner seems to have read a scarily large proportion of them and can bang off in conversation about just about any one of the authors they feature - we ended up in the midst of one of 'those conversations' about 'We need to talk about Kevin'. Desire will buy books too. Frequent traders can establish an account, so they maintain a record of credit and you can pick up your replacement whenever something takes your fancy. I love a new book, but there's also something tantalising about one that has been read before - I wonder who by, and I wonder what they thought?

I was a fan up until I learned about the wage dispute with the employees that dragged on for years…read more The workers did finally "win," and good for them, but I haven't been back and just don't feel comfortable patronizing this business given how this was handled. https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/better-read-dead-workers-win-landmark-agreement-after-dedicated-industrial-action https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/28/unprecedented-the-fight-for-sydney-independent-bookstore-better-read-than-dead

This is one of the reasons that I love Newtown, it is just so retro, and you can find some pretty…read morecool shops along the strip, such as this one. In fact there wasn't one, but two, decent bookshops within a short distance from each other. This one was pretty cool, and that usually comes down to me being able to find a book within a couple of minutes browsing the shelves, and this place certainly hit the mark. The staff are pretty awesome as well, and there is a really good selection of secondhand books.