Kesley's is a wonderful little gem, which is very lucky not to have any competition nearby from the…read morelikes of Waterstones and WHSmith. And the Tesco in Haddington doesn't sell books and stationery, so Kesley's is the place to come if you are looking for that sort of stuff. The shop is divided up by the counter, and on the left side there is fiction books, and a selection of gifts and stationery, while on the right lies the non fiction section. The books that they sell are very good and the last time I was here I managed to get my hands on a limited edition copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - and at a price that was much cheaper than what you would pay in Waterstones. The staff here are very nice and take the time to chat to you about which books you are picking. And they are ever so helpful too. I enquired about a paperback edition of a book once and the man went through the back and found one! There is a lovely coffee shop through the back which is worthy of its own review. I'm really glad that I have found a new favourite bookshop. Move over Waterstones, because Kesley's will be the king of bookstores soon!

Ahhhh LOVED this bookstore. As an avid reader, I was drawn to literature like any woman who lives…read morein Booktok would be. The store is cute, cramped and smells like old books. It was perfect. I even overheard a women say the first edition Hobbit was £925!!! We weren't greeted, but who is when you walk into a quiet, moody bookshop. I for one, don't want anyone talking to me when I am browsing. The books were an array of prices- ranging from high to low.

I completely forgot to review this place! It's one of the nicest used books store I've seen in my…read morelife. Edinburgh is filled with all these lovely stores and shops I just can't. This little book store is what I imagine other used bookstores wish they could be. I don't even want to buy a book there because then it would disturb the order of things. It's small but perfect for a bookworm to read a book in the corner and enjoy being surrounded by books.

Excellent old-school bookseller in a beautiful area staffed by warm and inviting personnel. Love…read morethis place! Very easy to walk here from the Royal Mile and easy to get to the shopping areas nearby as well as restaurants.

They have a very good selection of books of different genres. The ambience is pleasant and there…read moreare nice places to sit down and peruse the books and even lose yourself in thought on a rainy day. The staff, however, can be indifferent and, on occasion, rude. I don't know why. It seems like a rather nice job to have. Still, a great bookshop.

Antiquarian books Rare & first edition books…read moreOld classics Modern classics Penguin classics Scottish classics Scottish culture & history books Architecture books Art books Photography books History books Military books Greek & latin books European books Irish books Theology books Philosophy books Political books & Book marks In short, Edinburgh Books offers story lovers and book-worms 8 rooms of awe and wonder. To top it off, the staff are lovely and they play fantastic music from Dylan and Tom Waits to Gram Parsons.

There's a reason yelpers have almost unanimously given Edinburgh Books 5/5. It's a bloody good book…read moreshop! Somewhere between the Grassmarket and Lothian road lies this gem of a second hand book shop. Bringing class to the area unfortunately called "the pubic triangle" given the nature of the other establishments nearby, Edinburgh books remains central whilst retaining a slightly quieter location. Perfect for browsing, Edinburgh Books provides truly a great range of fiction and nonfiction, mostly well known titles and classics, as well as collectors items and antiquarian books. But make no mistake, this isn't some stuffy, up themselves store where you feel the piercing eyes of the owner follow you round the room. No no no, this is a friendly, browsing welcome gem. The first time I visited I spent about thirty minutes perusing their wares without buying and I got a nice smile and a 'goodbye' on my way out. There are signs up that say "please leave bags at the counter" which surprised me at first. But these are quickly countered by others which say "please don't hesitate to ask for help". I now presume the bag thing is to do with not knocking things over/making more room for fellow visitors. I should add here that though Edinburgh Books covers nearly all genres, its "Scottish Room" covering, yes, all things Scottish, is particularly good for its specialisation. The last time I visited I came away with a copy of Dostoevsky's The Demons, for about half the price it would have cost in Blackwells. A bargain! A lovely second hand book shop with great titles across a range of genes. A must for all book lovers living or visiting Edinburgh.

Now, the Kindle is a marvelous invention, there's no denying that. How else could you carry all…read morethose books around with such ease! But, of course, nothing can take away from the warm feeling of a crisp, worn, second-hand book. In this sense, Stirling Books is the anti-Kindle. Not in a pretentious way, not in the least. More in a 'Hey, I'll still be here if you need me,' tipping its cap at you as you go by, kind of way. Second-hand books are thrilling. - Reading the heartfelt messages inscribed in the books given as gifts, imagining why they were given up or even just picturing the previous owner. It's all exciting stuff and in here, you never know what you might find! - There's literally book after book after book. My favourites are the old lived-in books and there's lots of those to be found here. There's also a large academic section in the back which is great if you're working your way through your reading list, thrifty students! It's also worth mentioning that there's a very enviable Shakespeare collection. Shakespeare fans rejoice! I love the arrangement of the shop. It's very relaxed and just a little bit hectic without being messy and unorganised. It just feels like you've wandered into someone's very large book collection with shelf after shelf to explore and the addition of helpfully divided sections. Staff are really friendly and I'm sure you can even even grab a coffee or tea whilst you browse. If you were looking for something in particular, I've no doubt that there would be someone more than happy to help! There's also some other crafty bits and bobs and ornaments to have a look at whilst you're in. So, whilst I don't urge you to drop the Kindle forever, I urge you to drop it only momentarily to make your way down this set of stairs on Maxwell Place. - A proper independent bookstore like this is, not only a rarity today, but a pleasure to browse!

Delightful, with many standard works at amazingly low prices and also rare treasures. The staff are…read moreinteresting and knowledgeable folk, friendly and helpful. I am an inveterate browser of second-hand bookshops throughout Britain and Europe and I can thoroughly recommend this one. Not only should you go there for a good, inexpensive cup of coffee (or good tea) where you can sit in comfort reading some of your prospective purchase, but you should also recommend Stirling Books to your friends. It is a light of civilisation (and a blessed relief from the shopping traipse-).

The Forest Bookstore is a beautiful shop that has now been open for about five years in the Market…read morePlace in the centre of the Borders town, Selkirk. They stock a real range of books, the staff are very knowledgeable and it's a lovely space in which to browse and discover worlds of fiction and non-fiction, both! They have a great children's section (including reads for young adults) and you can get cards, maps, poetry and Reviews of Books magazines, diaries and notebooks, and copies of Reforesting Scotland too. They specialise in Literature, Art and the Environment, but they have sections of new fiction, classics (Everyman editions), cookery, gardening and craft, poetry, Scottish lit., second-hand and art and architecture. If they don't have what you're looking for they can order the book for you free of charge, and if you don't know what you're looking for, they can advise. Exhibitions of art grace the walls (usually showcasing talented local contemporary artists), and there's a strong following of the shop amongst Borders locals.

An excellent bookshop that provides a really intriguing selection of books; from everyday…read moregardening, children's and cooking books, to books that offer radical insights into art, culture, philosophy and politics. A great place to buy a specific book or browse and find a new treasure.

As a fan of second hand and rare book shops, I just had to pay handselled bookshop a visit. This…read moreshop is set back from the main high street and I think only attracts a limited number of customers. However, this shop is online and provides a great service on line for ordering and finding rare books. Inside, this shop is split into a section with second hand books (some books are only 50p), whilst the other section is donated to those rare books that the shop stocks. The shop from my visit, seems to specialise in rare books of Scottish interest including quite a few into Scottish buildings and history. Handselled books is defiantly worth a visit if you are in Burntisland.

Why has this place not been reviewed yet? It's so resourceful!…read more It's tucked away off the main street but seriously, swerve left before you hit Tattie Mac's, take a wee right and you're there! And you won't be disappointed. Like a better organised Voltaire and Rousseau or a more reasonably priced Caledonia Books, this place has a large collection of lit crit for the uni student, a ton of sheet music past and present, and a plethora of fiction and non-fiction, all organised into appropriate sections. The guys who own it are really friendly, always eager to ask if you need assistance and will find you what you need in a second flat. Great selection, the books are pleasantly priced and in good nick. I bought A Clockwork Orange today (bit of light reading, ha) and not only was it only four quid but it looks like new! The owners are always very knowledgable of their craft and banter is free. Very useful for uni students but also accessible if you just fancy a new read. Thistle Books are a service to the local literati community!

As much as I appreciate playing a game of potentially life threatening over-sized Jenga with the…read morebooks of Voltaire and Rousseau is part of the shop's appeal, sometimes all you want is a little bit of order. On those occasions, pay a visit to this little gem, which is situated in the lane adjacent to V+R. Like its neighbouring competitor, Thistle is a second hand book mecca, stocking virtually every genre you could imagine at extremely reasonable prices. Unlike V+R, it is set out neatly and something resembling orderly, meaning you actually have a chance of finding a specific title. Don't get me wrong, Thistle is no Waterstones. It retains the tattered, rough around the edges appeal of all second hand book shops in this neck of the woods and, most importantly, offers ample opportunity to uncover hidden gems at a fantastic price. The staff are also very welcoming and content to let you spend the day browsing and reading. Hell, they'd probably even make you up a bed for the night if you wanted to stay.

Edinburgh was our first stop for spending two months in the UK. We showed up with very limited…read morebooks and games because of limited packing space. We always intended to replenish our books and games while we were here, but Blackwell's made it fun and easy. It seems like Blackwell's is just a great bookstore all-around, but it's particularly notable for the fact that the basement is devoted entirely to kids books and games. They had basically every board game you could as for and were willing to help us think about how to pick them out. We wound up getting a copy of Carcassonne (which we have at home) and Cascadia (which I'm excited to try). We also got a few new kids picture books and a book of short stories and poems which will make for good bedtime reading. My wife also picked up a few fantasy novels.

I've been a huge fan of this bookshop for many many years, and would make the effort to visit it…read moreany time I was in the vicinity to feed my reading addiction. Since the advent of the Kindle, I don't visit as often and that makes me rather sad, because Blackwell's is a great bookstore and a cool place just to browse around soaking up the literary vibes. I love the labyrinth of different rooms and secret corners where you can find the most surprising things from board games to desk toys, DVD's, maps, children's books and even a Caffe Nero at the back. Upstairs they have a vast selection of academic books, and it is this connection with the nearby University that probably keeps this bookshop alive in face of the competition from Amazon and e-books. I still love visiting here even though I'm less often inclined to buy a fiction book (most of my fiction is on Kindle these days), as they still have some interesting finds to discover that you won't find elsewhere. I love their selection of stocking-filler type gifts, their eclectic CD and DVD offerings, their board games (Carcassonne, anyone?), and of course the Caffe Nero.