For its size the Blucoat Books and Arts store crams a hell of a lot into its small store which is…read morebasically a space under the stairs leading to the rest of the stores in the Gostins Building. Their selection of books is really very good especially in the arts, films and music sections. Taking an interest in the cinema section I was pleased to see many titles that you would struggle to find even in the new Waterstones - which for all its size isn't as extensive as you would expect, maybe they should concentrate on the books instead of the coffee to go with them. Added to this they only have an arts and crafts space that would give Rennie's a run for their money. It is not a one stop kind of place for all your artistic needs - that would be a bit too much to ask considering the lack of floor space - but with an extensive range of paints, cards and paper the enthusiast will find enough to keep them busy.

When I think of the bookshops in Liverpool, this one never seems to spring to mind first, but it…read morereally should. Tucked away in a little cluster of shops off Hanover Street, Bluecoat Books is a good little store for the budding artist, crammed with Art and Design books on specific artists and architecture as well as the usual A-Z of fiction. They have an art materials workshop with a rainbow of paints, brushes and canvases on sale and also a surprising amount of childrens books which took me back to the days when I was much happier reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar than Austen! I also noticed there was a whole section on travel guide to...'s and they had some out-of-date ones out at 50p each! Also it was £5 for 3 of the second-hand hardback books so I'm stock up for a while now! I won't be forgetting this place in a hurry!

This is a fab original little bookshop fighting against the likes of Waterstones and Blackwells. I…read moremean, it's not actually fighting those giants, but you know what I mean. If you've seen You've Got Mail you know what I mean. This is a proper bookshop. Books are crammed onto rickety-looking shelves and span all kinds of categories. They buy as well as sell books, so you can get yourself a good swop-shop thing going on if you're savvy enough. Obviously, you've got to have some spare time on your hands to browse through everything, but it's well worth it as this is one of the few remaining old fashioned book stores in the city centre, and you can find some real gems. Also worth a look from an academic point of view - being near the university campuses means you can get some bargains as far as uni reading goes.

It's good because it sells a lot of books cheaply but my enthusiasm for little quaint second hand…read morebookshops has worn a little thin mainly because the owners al seem to be sociopaths or misanthropes. Too harsh? Maybe, it could just be the case that put end to end and the hours sat alone with only books for company probably add up to years, either that or books give off some sort of toxic fumes that effect the central nervous system. Still there are lots of books here so if books are what you're after then why not take a few minutes to see if there's anything amongst the second hand stock - and therefore tick your little green eco box for the day to boot - and you may just come across some thing you'd never thought of picking up .

Really good selection and great service in the children's section. You can get stuff cheaper on…read moreAmazon, but if you want to support the brick and mortar economy this is a good option.

The kids books section is awesome! It has not only books and toys, bit also a yellow submarine that…read moretoddlers can play in. It has a cafe upstairs, as well a pretty good inventory. Recommended.

If you are anywhere near the Empire Theatre with some time to spare, this small rare and second…read morehand book shop is a treat to visit. Just look out for the big clock. There a books packed on shelves from floor to the high ceiling for the depth of the shop. Outside there is a 10p bookcase with some interesting titles. The sign above the door reads "Books purchased from Single Items to the Largest Library. All Subjects, All periods, 16th Century to Modern Paperbacks." They also purchase classical and jazz LPs and CDs but the first floor department is not open yet. There are all manor of books to browse from specialist subjects to old annuals. They have recently been refurbished but the bookshop has an real old fashioned feeling.

Henry Bohn is a mini second hand book shop that has surprisingly and most recently attracted my…read moreattention. It is a mystery that I bothered to walk in after so many years I've passed this shop. Outside the entrance currently has a collection of books on sale for as cheap as 10p each. I don't know anywhere else where you can buy books for 10p! Most of these books are in adequate condition and of course readable. Inside is a different story. There are stacks full of books that feature many genres such as classics like Shakespeare and plenty of other literature including poetry. Plus, if that's not enough to tempt you, then they have a variety of music CD's. For example, jazz, classical, blues and LP's too. All of these items are affordable and if you have any unwanted items, you can trade in for cash depending on the type of book and condition. This is what's great about the shop as both sides can benefit. In terms of the layout, it is rather narrow and the lighting is a bit dull. Other than that, you can't really argue much about the items they sell. There is something for everyone here and it could be your lucky day if you come across a valuable read.

I came across The Olive Tree one day by accident and when I stepped into the shop, it took me by…read moresurprise in terms of the spiritual format it was decorated in; this gave it a calm, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere which it suited as it is a shop focussed on spiritual beliefs, worship and crafts. They sell a wide range of products such as incense, books, massage oils and small gifts. There are even opportunities to try out a free massage session upon appointment and trying you hands at origami at their workshop. Flyers and information leaflets can be found which details these events at the front desk where the friendly owner will assist you.

If you want a bit of chill out and to get away from the busy rush that we seem to live in, then the…read moreOlive Tree is the place for you. I always come out feeling a sense of relief and really relaxed. It often has really relaxing music playing and incense burning. The shop has a good selection of books on topics such as spirituality, aromatherapy, yoga, herbcraft and healing, ancient wisdom and more. They also have a cool little prayer book, where people write in something that is bothering them, for instance a relative who isn't well and ask people who come into the shop to then prayer for their relative. Really nice. At the very back of the shop they have the Moroccan Room which as you would imagine has all things Moroccan in it. Again, totally relaxing with Moroccan recipe books, cushion's galour and more. I also liked their selection of CD's, candles and cards.

The Book Clearance store situated in St. John's Precinct is a small shop which sells a variety of…read morebooks at affordable prices. The shop is not really aimed towards children but more to those interested in arts, literature, history, cookery and languages to name but a few. They have a great selection of books on offer and attract a lot of students. Quite often when I was a student, I went straight towards the computing section where they always had a range of books related to software development and hardware. Their prices are usually cheaper than most high street stores like Waterstones but their selection sometimes dated. The shop is perhaps a little tight for comfort and you will have to be on your feet to flick through a book. However, it is a fabulous place to buy hobby books or a good place to browse if you have time on your hands.

The Book Clearance Centre is one of those places where you need to be patient, but you can more…read moreoften than not find something you want or at least are interested in. There is a varied selection of fiction and non-fiction books, both paperback and hardback, at pretty good prices. There is usually some sort of offer on as well, such as three paperbacks for £10. In addition to this, there is a section dedicated to Liverpool - its authors, history and tourist information, as well as the usual tat to do with The Beatles. Not an ideal place, if, like me, bookshops make you need the loo (and I know I'm not alone here - something about browsing bookshelves just makes you wanna go!!) as you need to invest some time if you're gonna find anything valuable. Still, worth a shot!

Book Factory looks like the most depressing bookshop you could visit. Instead of having…read moreeye-catching displays in the window, it just has a permanent Closing Down sign with a couple of paperbacks underneath. The inside feels equally dire as it's a large space with just a couple of tables in the middle and bookcases around the outside. The irony is, once you look around the discount store actually has some terrific recent novels for daft prices. I picked up brand new copies of Colm Tobin's Brooklyn, Joseph O'Neill's Netherlands and Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger for just £1.99 each. They also had some great food and drink and film and music books for equally silly prices. It's just a shame there's no ambience, love or design gone into the shop!

The Book Factory is a little discount book shop with a very simple layout, lacking any style at…read moreall. However, there are some decent books to be found at low prices and a whole variety to suit all ages including kids, gardening, fact and fiction. It's not a bad place to come for a quick browse when you're passing by but not if you're seriously seeking anything particular. Another thing is that the shop always seems to be about to close down (as displayed on the window on occasions) but still remains open. This is confusing but all in all, it's a basic book shop that is currently not closing down. One thing for sure, is that there will certainly be bargains to be found.

Though only a small sectioned off area at the rear of the FACT building this shop is one of the…read morebest places in Liverpool to get hold of movie related books and gifts. Their selection of postcards featuring abstract versions of the city centre (the perfect small keepsake for the homesick art student) and old posters of B-Movies and James Bond films (the perfect present label for the cinema obsessive) are fantastic, as is their collection of classic book cover posters (the one for "Slaughterhouse 5" currently adorns my wall and I plan on picking up several more). The shop also carries a great selection of BFI guides to genre and directors (the "100 Best American Independent Films", which I picked up here, has been a book that I go back to again and again when I need something a little different to watch). The staff here (it's usually just the one guy) is happy to recommend suitable gifts or purchases and is happy to just have a bit of a movie fanboy jawing session.

The Shop at Fact is a little glass walled area at the back of the ground floor. It doesn't look up…read moreto much until you step inside. The items on sale here are wonderful, from the cuddly lambanana's to the arty books, there is so much on offer here you wont find anywhere else. The items are cheap, but they are of a very high quality and being so rare, you don't mind paying a little extra. The staff are very friendly throughout FACT and they are happy to suggest a gift and they will wrap your item for you if you wish.

Staying on the subject of love, peace and understanding, News From Nowhere is Liverpool's longest…read morerunning community bookshop. A not-for-profit organisation run by a workers co-operative, it's a welcoming environment with friendly staff committed to social change. As you'd expect from their window displays, the emphasis is firmly on books that inspire and empower people to make positive change to the world. There's a decent section of fiction along one wall of the shop but really, News From Nowhere is the place to go if you're looking for books on politics, activism, the environment, human rights, animal rights, peace, global equality, feminism, sexuality, gay, lesbian and queer culture, spirituality, Jewish diaspora, health and well being or world fiction. They also stock roots and world music CDs and have a notice-board advertising community events, meetings and demonstrations. In a world that's becoming more corporate and generic by the minute, News From Nowhere offers genuine and life-affirming food for thought.

News From Nowhere is a radical bookshop situated at the top end of the trendy Bold Street. It has a…read morewide variety of books, in many genres including fiction, gay and lesbian, feminism and women, masculinity and men, politics, philosophy, spirituality, sexuality, Liverpool, media and culture, arts and photography and so many more! The staff really helpful and knowledgeable about what they stock - which makes a change, as so many of the big chain bookshops don't have a clue. I recommend checking out the website as you can also order from there, but then you miss out on the dusty smell of the shop. It appeals a lot more to the average consumer now with a wider range of popular goods. There's all sorts of little pieces such as some funky postcards.

As you would expect from a city that boasts about its musical heritage and contribution to pop…read moreculture as much as Liverpool, there a few independent music shops that can be found around the city centre. Music Notes is one of the smaller music stores that I have come across and placed in an odd area of town, in my opinion, to find it. Being small seems to encourage this place to stock mainly small musical instruments. I'm not entirely sure if they offer more online but you wont find any pianos or drum kits although there are plenty of half size guitars, eukeles, bongos and harmonicas. However they do stock a wide range of sheet music and song books. Good for those looking to take up a new hobby or dwarves in folk bands.

A nice and friendly music shop on North John Street. Very helpful staff which meant I didn't have…read moreto hunt through all the books in their well stocked music shop. The shop has been open for over eight years and really know what they are doing. The stock includes music for all abilities and tastes from the beginner to the professional musician. If you want to find the right music to learn to sing or play your chosen instrument be it piano, guitar, saxophone, drums, trumpet, violin, recorder, penny whistle, banjo etc. then you have come to the right place. There is a noticeboard in the entrance of the shop where you advertise concerts and gigs.