If I die and wake up at This Old Book, I'll know I've been admitted to heaven. Because, books. And…read morebooks. And even more books. How big is this place? Does that aisle keep going back and back and back? Oh boy, does it ever. With more shelves of books? Thank goodness there are two armchairs about half way through the store. I'm getting palpitations. History and biography and science fiction and cook books and mystery and fiction -- well, not so much fiction for me, but more history -- and oh my, even a kids' area near the back. My hand is itching, longing to grab my credit cards and pile up all that I want at the front counter, charging and charging until my credit card is smoking. This Old Book is That Kind of Place. The scent of printed pages fills my brain. I'm getting dizzy again. Wandering towards the front of this store, and I find racks of posters and old maps. I am fascinated by maps. I pull a few from the rack and stare intently at the little lines and various colors. There are also travel posters. My favorite one is on the wall behind the register -- "travel by TARDIS." I wouldn't mind doing that myself, except that you can't be sure where you're going until you arrive. These are all used books, obviously cared for and loved. Nothing is in tatters. All are clean and fresh and look like they are new. The prices are second-hand book prices, which only sends me further and further into rapture. I pick up a few and tote them under one arm, and force myself to make my purchase and leave, before I lose all control. This Old Book is a treasure. I plan to return when I have more time, and a smaller balance on my credit cards, and allow myself to peruse every aisle, flip upon a few covers, and let myself strike gold. Because the printed word is a gold mine, the kind that has the most value, and I am a devoted prospector. This is a good place. You should shop here, and let yourself wander among the stacks. Find yourself some gold.

Love it. I want to visit again and again. I've been twice already. Gotten a handful of books for…read moremyself and some for others

This is the book store I always wished had been at this location! Prior to Secret World Books…read moreopening up here, it was a religious reading room. The space was so nice looking, and they had this adorable little garden in the back that I had only gotten glimpses of for years (like as far back as the 1990s) - but it didn't cater to my tastes and beliefs, so I never really visited there. Secret World Books recently occupied the space, and turned it into everything I love about small independently owned book nooks, which makes me so happy! They have a nicely-curated collection of books. Such a small shop obviously cannot compare to major book stores in sheer volume, but runs laps around them when it comes to style and vibe (sorry, I'm probably gonna say 'vibe' a lot here, please bear with). If you want books from local authors, if you want well-loved hidden gems that maybe missed the "[Insert Celebrity Name] Book Club™®©" spotlight, if you want to find some gently-read books with character unique to used books, if you're looking for some retro magazines, if you like comic books / graphic novels, if you're into tabletop RPGs, if you want books catering to out-of-the-box thinkers, and might enjoy an inviting safe space for people of all walks of life... Yeah, this just might be your place. And if you DO want the latest greatest manufactured-viral or pop culture hit, the Secret World staff can still get it for you, and seem chill about it. Hey, sometimes I just wanna read the latest entry in a best-selling megacorporation-owned franchise, without being judged... It's all good. Just go to the front and ask them to get a copy for you; easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Just maybe also consider looking behind the counter at their collection of books from local and lesser-known authors, who might have something that'll pull you in. It's so tough for local artists, crafters, writers, and other creative individuals go get traction; IMO, it's always bodacious when you put a little effort into checking 'em out, and generate some word-of-mouth magic to help them advance their message and/or skills. You might even just run into an author you know. They recently had some poets reading from their works, including Katana Smith and Highland Park's own poet laureate Laura Joyce-Hubbard. This weekend they'll have authors Jenna Satterwaite and Beth Kander. Seems like this is a somewhat common occurrence here... Pretty cool, huh? Oh, man, and the atmosphere here is sooo... I dunno, my ADHD want to say "cozy" and "crunchy" at the same time. "Crunchozy?" Thanks, wacky-internal-monologue-voice! Secret World feels nice and chill, but still filled with positive lively vibes. It's physically just comfortable, too. They have some comfy seats and a tea station that adds to the vibe, plus a gorgeous view of their secret garden. Dude, they even call it the "Secret Garden," which - funny(ish) personal story - I've been calling it for years. Literally, for decades, I had known there was a cool little secluded garden back there; but it's completely walled in, so I could only catch fleeting glimpses. I had a running head-canon that I would unlock an Elder Scrolls-esque mission there someday. I finally got to see it in person, and it's even cooler now! No RPG mission yet, but I'll be back to see what the zen racoon has to say. Okay, sorry, I've babbled on enough. Secret World Books book store: Cool place. Nice books. Friendly peeps. Comfy vibe. They spread the word on exercising your 5th amendment rights. They have complementary hot tea. Plenty of free street parking, near some 2-hour-free public parking lots. Neighbors to Curt's Café. Yeah, pretty awesome. Books; check 'em out!

This place is great! I was able to find a cool board game for a party. I also found some cool…read morecomics here as well!

I love any bookstore with cats, and I like a place like this that's a little disorganized so…read morethere's the fun of the hunt. But that's not for everyone, if you're looking for a specific title you're possibly going to be frustrated here. Better than average Sci Fi collection, friendly owner. Very good prices.

Very irregular hours, no guarantee it will be open. Not sure what the deal is with the owner.read more

I've seen this indie bookstore pop up on my social media feed many times and knew I needed to stop…read morein and check it out. It is located within the Ice House Mall in Barrington among other businesses. The store itself wasn't large but was nicely organized by book category. The right side of the store was adult books, lifestyle/cook books, and second-hand books while the left side was more children's to young adult books. Upon entry, they also had a small section where books were all 25% off. I had the pleasure of talking with Montana who gave me some background on the store, events they host, and how they're different from other indie bookstores. Highly recommend stopping in and supporting local business! Tip: Check their website calendar to see what events they have upcoming to attend. Pro Tip: Prefer listening to books over reading them? Bell House Books has audiobook membership options through the Libro.fm app.

Such a cute bookstore that recently opened in the Ice House Mall. From a small kids area that has…read morebooks to help enrich and encourage reading in the littles, to YA to a super organized adults section ranging from nonfiction, historical fiction, cookbooks and more. They also had features tables and best sellers which I always appreciate because that's how I find some of my favorite reads. I ended up picking a few books for bookstore romance day and some others that I've been looking for awhile and they just so happened to have in stock. The staff was super friendly and recommended a few books that I've added to my never ending TBR list. Love seeing some of their upcoming events, and collaborations. WIll definitely be back soon when I'm in the area.

As a retired teacher, I now love shopping here for my grandkids. Unique gift ideas that are…read moreeducational! I would have loved a store like3 this when I was teaching. I appreciate the pleasant staff and that they wrap my gifts so beautifully. They have a FREE bookcase of used books, which is also popular.

This store is AMAZING!! So so so bittersweet that I found it as they began closing. I wish I had…read morefound it sooner but there's still so many amazing gems to be found!! Please do yourself a favor and stop in before they close for good! So sad what's happening to all the small business around.

What on Earth is better than a quaint little Victorian-style bookshop stocked with best-sellers?…read moreThe rows of books are sprinkled with index cards about staff favorites and unexpected gems. They have a welcome atmosphere- come with your little ones and hang out on the second floor, or ask about their cute conference room available for reservation. I'm loving the book I purchased during our quick perusal; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab. Forget Amazon, go smell some books ;)

Love this little shop! The staff was so kind and friendly and they had such a fun selection of…read morebooks and trinkets. I was overjoyed to find the Dungeon Crawler Carl special edition of Maeve chocolate there unexpectedly. It has been my white whale and I think I scared everyone in there when I involuntarily gasped upon seeing it. The joy it brought me cannot be overstated. I also chatted with the staff about books we like and I forgot for a second that they were strangers I had only just met. What a gem of a store!!!

I'm updating this as Jay's has really taken their shop to the next level. Improved store branding…read moreand decor. Increased square footage. Expansion of trades, back issue selection including plenty of wall books with keys and CGC. They carry all the associated toys, pops, statues,etc...but for me I'm there for the comics. Jay's easily has the widest selection of back issues (raw and slabbed) within an hour driving distance. Get in your car and check it out.

Three stars for the selection, but the staff brings the overall rating down. I'm a casual collector…read morejust getting into obtaining collectible issues (I typically purchase to read and enjoy them). I have been interested in the original 4-part Wolverine series for a while, and since the shop had all 4 issues, I asked whether they were newsstand or direct issues. The employee took them out of the case and assured me they were all newsstand, but when I got home and conducted a bit more research, I found that they were ALL direct issues. Whether it was due to incompetence or ignorance, I won't be placing anymore trust in this shop, which is unfortunate because I had a high level of interest in a lot of their glass-case collectible issues. Yes, this is partly my own fault for making the purchase without conducting further research first, but to be taken for a ride like this by an employee who is there to assist customers is enough reason to stay away in the future.

Store feels a little cramped but customer service is excellent. Very welcoming to kidsread more

Great time to be a comic book collector. I have been looking for a nice comic book store and I…read morefinally found one. Beyond Tomorrow Comics reminds me of the old school stores. The store has new owner and he is great to talk to and offered many recommendations of other comics to read. Very friendly service and was very helpful. Definitely going back every week to pick up my comics.