Bookworms are a special kind of breed.
For an avid reader, being taken into a good bookstore is a dangerous game – one that can only really be reserved for special occasions. The act of leafing through a brand-new book taken straight from the shelves of your local bookseller is frankly addictive.
You’ll catch us, bibliophiles, clutching more books than we can carry to our chest, smacking them down on the counter, and frantically checking our bank balance in the process – the only thing stopping us from overspending is the availability of funds.
For all the bookshop addicts out there, there’s a safer way to shop for the next novel on your reading list – the answer is on the World Wide Web. There is an incredible range of trusted online booksellers of both new and used literature for you to browse endlessly though, even when it seems like your collection can’t handle the new additions.
With the importance of sustainability ever-present in our society, it’s becoming increasingly necessary to be mindful of our book-buying habits. For those of us who simply cannot get behind the e-reader wave, for the feeling of a physical book in hand is irreplaceable, it’s even more essential to keep our collections limited. Where possible, we recommend donating to local libraries, friends, and families or engaging in book swaps.
However, when the irrevocable need for a brand-new read crops up, try buying online. You’ll surprise yourself by how much easier it is to restrict your overspending. Or, if bookshops somehow just aren’t your vibe and you’re an online shopper at heart (shakes fist at the Dewey Decimal system) – we’ve rounded up a selection of the best online booksellers.
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Amazon
If you’re truly struggling to find the book you’ve been searching for, or you’re looking for a translation of a well-loved piece of literature, your best bet is having a browse on Amazon.
Likewise, if you’re simply looking to stock up on your e-book collection, you’ll be able to scroll to your heart’s delight for all - and we mean all - the Kindle and e-reader-compatible offerings.
Buy now, Amazon
Waterstones
Starting off with a well-loved classic, Waterstones has got a myriad of stores across the entirety of the UK. Founded in 1982 by Tim Waterstone, and as the brand itself has put it – Waterstones has certainly become an icon of the British cultural landscape.
Though the in-person stores are indeed a delight to visit, the website provides an incredible range of reads from bestsellers to rare and indie books. It is also always worth watching out for the ever-increasing exclusive reader offers and signed editions of the most popular novels on the market.
Buy now, Waterstones
Foyles
This award-winning bookseller is well known amongst UK citizens. Beloved for hot off-the-press releases, you can always guarantee Foyles has got the book you’ve been waiting months for.
While trawling their website, you’ll come across interviews with authors, wonderfully passionate blog posts and extracts from some of the team’s favourite reads. Their loyalty scheme offers three points per pound both in-store and online, so you won’t be missing out on those precious deals by limiting your purchases to the web.
Buy now, Foyles
Abe Books
If you’ve ever studied a humanities subject at either school or university, you’ll likely be intimately familiar with AbeBooks. Founded in 1996, the e-commerce store specialises in used, rare and out-of-print books on just about any subject you could possibly imagine.
Though the retailer has been a subsidiary of Amazon since 2008, its independent heart has never ceased. This is because the millions of books and other objects that are listed for sale on the website are uploaded by thousands of individual sellers across over 50 countries. It’s like Depop for books – only better.
Buy now, Abe Books
World of Books
Not too dissimilar to AbeBooks, World of Books was founded after a group of bibliophiles discovered the sheer number of books in charity shops destined for landfills. Since its naissance, World of Books has grown its book inventory to over seven million.
Specialising solely in the selling of pre-loved books, World of Books is also a certified B Corp, so you can feel safe and secure in the knowledge that your purchase is aiding the circular economy.
Buy now, World of Books
Wordery
Started by a group of five friends who, between them, had worked in the book trade for more than forty years – Wordery has been created by book lovers, for book lovers.
The brand’s ethos is to bring the vibe of a traditional bookstore to the online world. This means that you’re able to engage in online chats with dedicated staff in order to be recommended the book that’s right for you.
Most importantly, what sets Wordery apart from the other sellers, is the fact that delivery is always free. You heard us right. Spend away in the knowledge that your shipping and handling fee won’t be astronomically larger than the books you were buying in the first place.
Buy now, Wordery
Daunt Books
We know, it feels blasphemous not to buy directly from the well-loved, Marylebone-based Daunt Books. However, we can guarantee you won’t spend an arm and a leg on those gorgeous tote bags that are always hanging temptingly behind the register.
Though Daunt Books is a specialist in travel books, you can find a vast array of literature online - spanning subjects such as Science, Art, History and Gastronomy.
You can even grab their handy book bundles for the perfectly curated gift for a fellow book lover.
Buy now, Daunt Books
