As an English literature graduate it's hardly surprising that any Waterstones practically feels…read morelike a second home to me, but this Cardiff branch in particular is really one of my favourites. As Laura mentioned it's big, though no way near as large as the recently defunct Borders, which was only a few doors down from this Waterstones. Whilst I liked Borders (particularly their excellent magazine selection), something didn't quite sit right with me and I became rather fiercely loyal to this Waterstones branch. I think this is perhaps due to the fact that despite being a chain store, Waterstones has an awfully British feel to it, which I rather like. We're rather lucky that this store is in the Welsh capital, as it attracts plenty of high profile authors (and John Barrowman) for book signings, which are quite frequent. When it comes to their book selection, it is in a word excellent. You're usually guaranteed to find any literature that you desire, and they also stock graphic novels and audio books (though I expect this might change with the rise of digital downloads). The staff are clearly book lovers, their always willing to make suggestions, and when I forget either the tile of a book or the author's name their usually able to work out what it is I'm looking for (incredibly spooky).

I went into this Waterstones to get a book for my course, which I couldn't find in either the…read morelibrary or the local Blackwells in the students' union. It was very easy to navigate my way around and I was impressed by the sheer size of it, meaning that there is a substantial range of books. There is a great children's section. That is my favourite section of the whole shop. There is a little play area, places to sit down and a whole range of books from those for tiny little children up to teenagers. I had great fun - and wasted quite a lot of time - finding all the books I knew when I was small. The service was also very good, friendly, smiley, helpful.

Just a mess of fun for a bibliophile!!! Small cram packed stall with lots and lots of books!!! Wish…read morethere was a chair to sit and peruse selections!!!!

I recently decided that it was about time my younger brother read Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials…read more I don't own the books myself, having read them at school, so I decided I'd buy them for him to read over the summer. The same week I decided this, I came across Northern Lights in a charity shop, along with The Amber Spyglass. No middle book, but I figured that by the time he'd read the first one, I'd have found The Subtle Knife in another charity shop. This was much, much harder than I thought it'd be. Being a huge book lover, I am in charity shops all the time hunting through the books and adding to my collection, but every shop I went into had the first and last book of the trilogy, but no Subtle Knife. I don't know what it is about this book, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Finally, after 2 months, I happened to be buying something else from this stall when I saw TWO copies inside. That's how great this stall is: it magically comes up with all the books you can never find in other second hand bookshops. I also love that the general fiction isn't arranged strictly in alphabetical order, because a) it makes browsing more fun, and b) it means you read every book title rather than just homing in on the areas where your favourite authors would be.

Lots to choose from, great variety of all different kinds of books, magazines and collectibles…read more Very overpriced though.

I've found some great books here and is my go-to second hand book shop. It's worth noting that they…read morealso sell comic books, and lots of them! The reason I havn't given 5 stars is that their email doesn't work and they havn't gotten back to me about some books I wanted to sell them.

Cardiff isn't the best city for second hand book shops, and there are only a couple in the city…read morecentre that are worth a look. Located in one of Cardiff's many lovely arcades, Capital Bookshop is one of them. It has the classic look of a second hand book shop, with a few 'bargain bin' crates leaning against the walls outside selling odd books they want to get rid of, and a window full of old leather-bound first editions, and rare and off-beat titles. It's a fairly laid-back shop to browse around, and there are plenty of good general books; those that are in a slightly shoddy condition have fair prices that reflect this, while the rarer titles and books in better condition obviously have a higher price tag. Some of the stock hasn't changed much for some time, though, which is a shame because it puts you off bothering to drop in regularly.

For anyone who is a fan of the Hay-on-Wye vibe (the town of books up in Herefordshire), this is the…read moreshop for you. Like Troutmark Books in another little arcade, this is a tucked away secondhand bookshop that is never forgotten once found. Although the quality of more modern books isn't quite as good as you might find in Troutmarks, there is an excellent selection of old tome and leather-bound volumes in this shop. In fact, the windows are full of them. And the sign outside on the main pedestrian street pointing you down into the arcade for the shop is full with pictures of them. This is the kind of shop that you imagine a grumpy old man to be sitting and smoking and hiding behind mounds of dusty volumes. If you run in there to hide from the bullies, you might just get given a book which transports you to a wonderful world of luck-dragons... This is an amazing treasure trove of secondhand books that is very well worth a rummage through.

It's a funny thing how niche bookshops have managed to stay alive in this day and age, sometimes…read morefar better than the ones that might sell everything and anything. Now, not being a massive fan of anything non-fiction, I felt a little cheated after walking in here. I'd followed the big blazing word 'BOOKSHOP', but hadn't paid any heed to the small print. So I found myself in a shop all about transport and trains, the navy and military aviation. Since then, I've heard quite a few people discussing this shop, so clearly it does something for the people at all interested in the areas it provides for. And apparently the staff are great; my experience shows that they're probably used to people walking in and looking around in bemusement. It's a nicely laid out shop and, most importantly, it had that bookshop smell. .

I welcome any and all book stores that choose to operate in this fair city - anything that staves…read moreoff the rise of the Kindle is received with open arms! Ian Allan Book Shop caters to more of a niche market, mainly those interested in the military and transport industries, with an expansive and well-designed layout that struck me as orderly and precise, much like the attributes you need to create the intricate models on display. Offering everything from Wargaming figures and aviation magazines to model train kits and history books, Ian Allan is undoubtedly Cardiff's transport and military hobbyist emporium. If you fancy a bit of socialising with like-minded aficionados, have a look at the bulletin board as you walk in, where you'll find a range of notices for clubs, presentations and conventions aimed at transport and military enthusiasts.

When I ventured through the door I was greeted by total chaos! There were books absolutely…read moreeverywhere, and it was hard to find the owner hidden away behind his counter. When I did find him he was very friendly and explained that although he buys and sells books he currently has so much stock that he is not buying at the moment. Although because of the piles of books everywhere it was hard to see what was in stock, I was able to browse through a selection of 1st editions and some local history books. The shop stocked quite a lot of O.S maps as well as text books and a range of fiction. I'd like to return when things are a little more organised, as it would be easier to see what stock was actually available.

Apparently they have over 30,000 books in stock at this shop, but unfortunately this seems to work…read moreagainst the place because it feels more like a store room than a book shop - with the owner seemingly off working on the internet (presumably trying to sell some of the stock!). If you can find your way to the shelves, though, the books here span all sorts of genres from fiction to local history, text books and specialist collectors' items such as first editions and limited editions. I've found the owner very helpful and informative, and willing to try to get titles in for you if you want something specific. Worth a look if you're passing, but don't make a special detour or you could be disappointed.

Cab@n is a Welsh bookshop that stocks both fiction and non-fiction. Although the majority of books…read moreon sale are written in Welsh, there are also a smaller number of books written in English. In addition, Caban stocks a good selection of greetings cards with Welsh poems and sayings in them. These are a particularly good seller as they seem to have cornered the market in this area somewhat! Tucked away in a sleepy little enclave, where Kings Road meets Pontcanna Street, you certainly feel as though you have time to browse, compared to the more hurried retail outlets in the centre of town. But there's another reason why this spot makes for an ideal location. Caban is next door to Pulse, which is probably my favourite health food shop in Cardiff. The young lad, who works in Caban most days, is apt to let you take a couple of books to peruse whilst you sit and drink a coffee next door. As they have a coupe of tables on the pavement, this makes for a very pleasant way to while away the time. I've never found such a chilled out way of buying a present! I certainly recommend it!

I'm not really able to claim tht I'm a Welsh speaker. I know just about as much as everyone else…read morewho had a school education in Wales. Cymru am byth! Etc etc. But it's really lovely to see that a place like this Welsh bookshop can exist.

I'm a fan of almost any bookshop, and Camelot Books does not disappoint. In this shop I discovered…read moresome of my favourite authors: Jonathan Safran Foer, Joanne Harris, Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdi and Barbara Kingsolver... to name but a few. The service in this shop is, in general, superb. There is only one incident when I felt uncomfortable, and that was as the shop assistant didn't help a new mother with the door. But that's about all I have bad to say! Although this shop is out of town, and although I might not recommend a trip out to the area just to visit it, if you do happen to pass by, then this is a a nice place to pop into. Although it's not got the range of, say, Waterstone's, or the charm of Troutmark's, this is still a Cardiff gem.

From the owner: Books Wholesaleread more

Until as recently as yesterday, the last time I had entered Halls Bookshop was at least three years…read moreago. So I was much surprised to find the shop almost completely unrecognizable, my initial reaction was where were all the books? If not for Mrs. Hall standing patiently behind the till I would almost have believed I had entered the wrong shop. Halls now appears to resemble a rather nice gift, candle, and card shop so perhaps a name change is in order? The card selection is very good for an independent retailer, and you're sure to find something that will be to your satisfaction. It's almost surprising how extensive the candle selection is, so I get the impression that they're clearly very popular (I'm actually wishing I'd bought one now). Halls also has a rather nice selection of notepads (think Paperchase but more unique), which are very good value. On the book front, there remains a very small selection, which are mainly about cooking or the local area. In the age of big chain bookshops such as Waterstones, and until recently Borders, It has become harder and harder for independent bookshops to compete (especially with supermarkets getting in on the action), it is therefore quite heartwarming that rather than shutting shop, Halls has managed to make changes and continued to survive. Personally I think Llandaff High Street wouldn't feel right without this store, so I really hope with these changes that Halls succeeds.

Excellent shop crammed with lots of things you know you need! One of those places you could spend a…read morelong time in just browsing... great ranges of cards of all types and description, old fashioned proper toys and books from bestsellers to pulp fiction. Something for everybody A real find!

A childhood memory is this place to me, as I used to go here many times with friends. There is so…read moremuch cheap choice there too. It is almost an old fashioned sweet shop it has sweet; sugary, juicy different flavoured mice, lollies, and there all kinds of chocolate and many other sweets there. The prices are just right and the staff are really friendly and very welcoming. I recommend it as the best sweet shop in town, and it is one of the best arcades within town. I love this arcade because it is amazing what neat, smaller, old fashioned shops that you discover down here. I also love it because it reminds me of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter, fantasy novel series. Apparently Cardiff is known for being the city of arcades representing perhaps the only images left that tell us of the wonderful and interesting history of the Victorian and the Edwardian heritage. It was in 1858 when the Royal Arcade in Cardiff's city centre was built; before that the 1790s only beheld twenty five retail shops known as 'market stalls.'

Fine Chocolates is an extremely well positioned shop on the corner of The Royal Arcade where it…read moremeets St Mary Street, allowing it a sizeable shop front on both, whilst retaining the prestigious address of The Royal Arcade. The chocolates are exquisite, but with a price tag to match, and so I have only ever bought them as gifts for other people, munching out on the less expensive, ubiquitous mass produced Belgian chocolate when I have a chocolate attack. I think that this is probably what most commonly occurs. With a selection of modern gift boxes, which are all finished off with presentation ribbons by the staff, it's clear that the gift option is a popular one. (This doesn't mean to say that it's not possible to prize the box open and snaffle a couple before you present them, somewhat apologetically, to their intended owner. And, this way you can announce with authority, as you hand the goods over, that the contents of their gift are really very good!) The shop also stocks soft drinks and a few lower cost items, like cake, that you can eat in at the tables provided. They also do great ice creams. I guess it is the sale of this kind of stuff that subsidises the chocolates, and justifies having such a large retail space, (otherwise there would be no point, and it certainly wouldn't be affordable).