Friday, March 15, 2013

Buying Books: My favorite spots



As a book lover, I love buying books. I like getting new books, their smell, and their feel in my hands. I love choosing which one I’ll buy, in which format. I can spend hours looking for new books, either online or in bookstores. I have my favorites places, both online and offline. Here are some of them:

Amazon.ca sometimes has sometimes really good prices, but not always. The good thing is that it is fast, and there is no shipping fees for orders of 25$ and more. 

The prices are not that much cheaper than Amazon.ca, but shipping is free, and they ship almost everywhere. I usually use the Book Depository if I only want one book, and I’m in no hurry to read it.

I visit Book Close Outs once in a while, since I almost always end up buying way too much. This is where you go if you’re looking for cheap books. You can find great books anywhere from 1.99 to 8.99 for a regular Hardcover.

I love audiobooks, and Audible is my favorite place to buy them. They are inexpensive, and they often have great sales. Perfect if you have an iPhone, since the app makes it really easy to listen to them anywhere and at anytime.

One thing I love about Chapters and Indigo is to walk around with my coffee. I love the smell of the bookstore, the atmosphere. I can easily spend hours shopping. I do have to say that I use mostly their website to buy books, since there are cheaper there and I can get them delivered in store.

Renaud-Bray is a French bookstore in Quebec, and they have a small section of YA books in English. I mostly go there when I’m working, since it’s the only bookstore near my workplace.

Archambault is another French store in Montreal. They sell more than books, but they have a small section with YA books in English. The great thing about Archambault is that they have a discount for students (10% if I’m not mistaken) on their white price tag in store.

If you are in New York City, it’s a place you should check out. They have a great selection, and I always find something to buy (always too many.) You can also use their website, but I prefer visiting them once in a while.

I don’t really go to use bookstores, except The Strand. I don’t really any good ones in Montreal, and I’m almost always disappointed when I go there. I know many cities have great used bookstore, but since Montreal is a bilingual city, they don’t have the same variety some other cities might have.

Where do you go buy books? Any favorites?

14 comments:

  1. It is very hard to get YA English books here in the stores (very expensive and there aren't so many titles), so most of my books are ordered online via TBD. I love that there international shipping is free. I recently found an awesome store, The American book Center. The prices are not too bad and they have a nice section with second hand books.

    Mel@thedailyprophecy.

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    1. They do! TBD is a great online store for international readers.

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  2. That's awesome that you have so many places to get books. I usually just use B&N or Amazon. I've never been to The Strand before. Gonna have to check it out next time I'm in the city.

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    1. The Strand is worth checking out. They have a great selection.

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  3. My favorite bookstore is Powell's - I've only been there twice, but I bought way too much both times. I usually order from Barnes & Noble, for the free express shipping. I'm going to have to check out bookcloseouts.com though - awesome prices!!

    Nikki @ There were books involved...

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    1. They do have great prices! I wish I could order from Barnes & Noble. They sometimes have special editions you can't find where I am. The shipping is simply too expensive for a Canadian.

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  4. I live in Mississauga and am in need of good used book stores! I haven't stumbled upon one so far (moved here three months ago) and really want to know if there is! other than that I like to buy from The Book Depository because, like you said, the books are pretty cheap along with free shipping. Haven't tried Amazon.ca yet but will do!

    - Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf

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    1. Amazon.ca is great to use, but Indigo's website have better prices these days (wll, at least for the books I've been buying lately.)

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  5. Great list and several I didn't know about. I buy a lot from audible and amazon too and also from book depository.

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  6. I loved The Strand! I was so overwhelmed at first! Like how can that many books be packed in here? And it's one of the only bookstores I've seen with such a large poetry section. As a poet, I loved it. I need to check out some of these others because I mainly buy from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I especially need to check out the book depository. Great list! :D

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    1. I went crazy the first time I went to The Strand. SO MANY BOOKS! I bought so many books.

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  7. The only places I go to buy books are Barnes and Noble and Amazon. I've heard a ton of great things about The Strand! I would love to go there some day. :D

    Daphne @ Reading Until Dawn

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    1. If you ever go to New York, you should visit it. They have a really great selection.

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