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!

A renovated train station, a bookstore, a café, and shelves upon shelves of stories--what more…read morecould a book lover ask for? loved it! Look up, make sure you get a picture of the mural and the train.

This place is a global treasure. One of us had been here 11(!) years ago with friends who live in…read moreNewcastle who brought her here, and she loved it so much that she insisted we all go again--so we did. After spending the morning at Alnwick Castle, we came to Barter Books for lunch and browsing. The cafe is adorable and cozy, and our party of seven was promptly seated. You order at the register and you do not want to sleep on the rarebit--it's so good! While it had just a tad too much mustard than remembered, it was still so gooey and heart-warming (and certainly more impressive than the pile of gloop that was our daughter's mac-n-cheese...let's just pretend that never happened). The beans on toast was also comforting and perfect in such a setting. Fries (chips!) are well-made, and the accompanying salad has a tangy vinaigrette. The whole bookstore is a converted train station and it's massive and we would have perused the titles for several more hours had we not had four children in our party. It was still a lovely time exploring the store, roaming the aisles, and getting lost in old books. We bought a few to bring home, as well as some other swag. And obviously you don't want to miss seeing the famed original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. This is just one of those magical places that you really can't describe, but once you go, you'll get it. Five unequivocal stars.

Love this place! Whether you are walking and need lunch or…read morehanging out and need a book, or cruising and are ready for tea, this is a superb stop. Combination bookstore and café but with excellence in both. What a delight this was. I wish I had been staying in the area instead of merely passing through. This could become a local haunt, a fascination, an enchantment. It was charming. Our lunch was splendid, a surprise for hikers who take what comes but are serious foodies too. I remember boar sausage on my sandwich!

The best bookshop in at least the Scottish Borders! Winner of UK Independent Bookshop of the Year…read more2012 and Best Bookshop in the Telegraph Small Shops Awards 2012. The best coffee in 50 miles, and soup and sandwiches made from home-made ingredients. The cakes are delicious as well.

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.

This is a magical place: all sorts of wonderful books, a super, eclectic selection. Staff very…read morehelpful. And good value. Do call in, worth a special trip!

Good little shop for second hand books, I find myself in here a lot, whenever I walk past I can't…read moreresist popping in for a new (used) paperback. Characterful shop and as with all used books shops you never know what you'll find inside, which is half the fun.

Such a beautiful bookshop…read more Topping's has a handful of locations, they seem to pick them very carefully. This, their newest, is in a lovely building at the top of Leith Walk. Edinburgh has a ton of great bookshops already, and this is a welcome addition. It's a great setting for a bookshop - it feels kind of like you're browsing a house full of books. It is quite overwhelming to browse as the stacks are literally floor-to-ceiling. Downstairs has a big biography section and some non-fiction sections. Upstairs on the first floor you'll find a ton of fiction, classics, crime, nature, and art books - and more that I probably didn't note. They also have some table displays, but it's mostly geared towards shelf browsing. It was quite busy when I visited with a friend on a Saturday afternoon. The staff and other guests were all respectful, wore their masks and kept their distance as much as possible. It's a tight space, so if you're unsure about crowded indoor places at the moment, do be aware of that. They did have the windows open. A few people were enjoying some tea - there are a few tables dotted around with tea service. I really enjoyed browsing the fiction section, they had a great selection. Although I thought a couple fo the items I was looking for were semi-obscure (i.e. I didn't find them at any of 3 Waterstones or Blackwell's), I found them here. As I mentioned, the stacks are high, but they have ladders attached to the bookshelves like you're in Beauty and the Beast or something. My friend was delighted when I told her the title I was looking for was at the very top, and popped up to grab it for me. Pretty novel. Really nice shop, and the booksellers were friendly and helpful. I like that they sell their tote bags for a very reasonable £2 as a souvenir, too. Well worth a visit.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Unknown Pleasures is an understated music store at the rear end of the Royal Mile (opposite end…read morefrom the Castle.) I barely knew of its existence till last week, when I finally got to see it for myself. Selling rare LPs of all sorts of varieties, I too was impressed with the range. Some offerings are veering towards expensive but that's due to their obscurity. They sell CDs and LPs that range in genre from classic rock to prog, ska and new wave. As the other young dudes have said, they also sell amazing posters and t shirts. Band t shirts are vacuously popular amongst people who sometimes don't even know what band they're wearing, but for die hard fans there's a good selection in here. The staff are refreshingly laid back and friendly, and with the content of the shop that makes it one for passionate lovers of music.

Look maybe they have a good online store but they are no longer a bricks and mortar. Storefront…read moreclosed 2 years ago.