Oh dear Lord they have an Alice in Wonderland themed miniature tea set in its own carry case! How…read moredo I ever manage to pull myself away? Sheer willpower. Whenever I step into Pencil Boutique I struggle not to break into song. "Edelweiss", in particular. You know "small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me". I want to sing it to the pencils, which are sold individually. To the greeting cards, which are unique and ever-changing. To the finely crafted notebooks and diaries. In fact I want to live here so I could greet the beauty of the shop each morning with heartfelt song.

Pencil is a wee stationary and supply store located just off High Street. Relatively unknown, it's…read morea great place to find quirky knick-knacks and great gifts. Although quite similar to Typo, Pencil stocks better quality stationary and has a much more eclectic range of supplies. There is so much to look at, I could literally spend hours in there - posters, pens, laptop cases, cards, landline telephones, mugs, the list goes on. The only down side is the service. Both times I have been into the store the sales assistant largely ignored me and never once asked if I needed any help. A the time it didn't bother me too much - I was more than happy perusing the shelves and ogling at the fun objects, but if I had had any questions or requests, it would have been nice to have felt I could ask someone. That aside, I'd recommend Pencil to any stationary-lover, or anyone looking for the perfect present - there is a lot to choose from and you can't go wrong!

Ever since Kikki K opened in NZ, I have adored the quirky stationery from Sweden: fresh & well…read moreexecuted designs and colour ways. The brand has been in operation for over 10 years and I have purchased diaries, birthday cards, notebooks and other gifting from here. The staff are extremely helpful assisting you in choosing what's on your mind. Ha! Kikki K definitely has a feminine-feel With lots of pastels and light Blues, yellows, corals, pinks etc. There are 5 stores in NZ: Britomart, Newmarket, Hamilton, Wellington & Christchurch! They have a strong Instagram following and regularly run competitions on social media. Gorgeous brand, just staying.

I buy books online because they are cheaper but every so often when I am in Newmarket I will come…read moreand take a look at what Book Barn has because it is a book bargain bonanza! My mum goes through books like crazy and I she picks up paperbacks here for around only $5 each which is so good. They have cook books too and for those who like to cook from a book and have a picture you can pick up some cheap ones here. I got a couple of vegetarian cookbooks a while back and some baking books for my mum, hard covers and all under $15 each. Sure the range is not huge but like all stores like this you don't expect it to be like Whitcoulls or anything. There is still a good variety and with stock that changes frequently a store to check out every once and a while.

It's almost ludicrous the amount we pay in New Zealand for books. If you are anything like me, you…read morewill have 3 or 4 books in you arms within the first five minutes of walking into a bookstore and have to sort through your stack via process of elimination. Book Barn has rows of books, all seemingly on special tables to save you the heartbreak of having to discard chosen books. Fantasy, cooking, kids (sadly not all three together), a great classics section in the gorgeous Collins Classics covers and plenty of murder thrillers. The genres are diverse and the reduction in retail price makes it economical. Run by a friendly couple, The Book Barn maybe the single best place in Auckland for cheap and contemporary books.

I am all about independent bookstores these days and this one is an absolute gem! Doris, who owns…read morethe store is kind, knowledgable and most importantly passionate about books. When I last went in they didn't have the book I was after (City of Thieves by David Benioff - if you haven't already, you should read it - it's fantastic!) but were happy to order it in. They are also happy to host other people's book clubs after-hours complete with wine and sweet treats for FREE, which I think is pretty cool! Doris goes through some of the new and interesting books they have in-store and then you share with you B.C comrades what you have been reading of late. Book swaps are also allowed! I think it's important that we support small independant stores like this and am happy to make the extra trip over the bridge to do so!

I'm into a lot of historical books, so this book store isn't one of my favourites. However, I do…read moreadmire all independent bookshops like this one that still operate, especially when it's so easy to get stuff online. This bookshop in particular has a great selection of cookbooks and children's books, which means it's perfect for gifts. They seem to keep pretty up to date with all the latest new releases, and they can also order something in for you if they don't have it in stock. One of the bonuses of coming to a bookstore like this one is that you get good service and advice from the person who knows a lot about the products that she sells. Definitely ask if you are stuck for gift ideas.

The man behind the counter. Be like that man. His service is second to none. I would drive from the…read moreother side of west Auckland just to be apart of the service he gives. Thank you so much for being so kind and so very helpful and patient with me. I'm a high voltage wired person and he is able to create calm for me. And yes it's so true, nothing is a problem for that lovely man. . From the lady that emails you my labels. TJ from Whitford

First class service by the always cheerful owner. Nothing appears to be too much trouble for him…read more Great selection of cards and stationary.

Okay apart from being a complete rip off this place has all one needs for their university needs…read more From books to pencils to staplers to absolutely everything. I have bought two books from UBS, one by De Vito and another about philosophy. It was a first year student's mistake buying the books at full price when I could've gone onto Trademe for something cheaper. Now that I know I only head to UBS when I need to buy a notebook for my notes or highlighters. It's a great place to buy books if you urgently need one and can't be bothered waiting to win a bid or walk down to Queen Street. Plus as it is a University bookshop you are more likely to find what you are looking for.

Kikki K is only losing one star because I feel the place is a tad expensive for what it is. Yes the…read morestationery is beautiful, quirky, cute (depending on what one chooses) and of quality. But still. I bought numerous items on their most recent sale and loved all the goodies with a 30% or 50% markdown. The service is always friendly and the girls working there now recognise me. It's worth noting Kikki K also holds organisation and happiness workshops. Great place to go shopping for gifts.

A wander through the Britomart precinct is incomplete without a visit to Kikki K. It's the…read moreclassiest stationery shop in Auckland by a million miles. The staff here are friendly and seem to have an idea of the very specific way that true stationery officianados need to revisit each item in the shop about twelve times per visit, as they make their mental lists of which pencil is cuter, which noteboook is the ideal size, which illustration best sums them up as a person. I'm not being mean! It takes one to know one. The only thing I would advise against at Kikki K is asking for too much assistance. I made that mistake and it kind of just made a hard decision harder, with all the options the sales assistant showed me.

The perfect way to relax and unwind is sitting in a big comfy chair with a good book and great…read morecoffee in hand. At the recently reopened The Book Exchange Glen Eden you can do exactly that! Serving the absolutely delicious Refined Wesite Mt Atkinson Coffee famous in West Auckland all you need to do is search through the abundance of pre loved books to find that perfect read. My long black was on point and there is a great selection of coffees on hand to meet most requirements. They also have a few counter top treats if you like a wee snack with your book and coffee. This place screams old school awesomeness from the old books to the big old vintage armchairs you can sit and relax in. This place is a real gem for young and old and a place you would happily enjoy on your own. "The more that you read, the more you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go." - Dr Seuss

What an inviting ,warm ,cosy find on one of the coldest mornings in Auckland. Not Nottinghill or…read moreNew York but Glen Eden. A very well organised second hand book shop with great Mt Atkinson coffee and baking ,tucked along the road from the Glen Eden library. A surprise find in one of Auckland's old Western suburbs. We enjoyed good coffee while browsing through the huge collection of books even finding the James Mitchener novel we were searching for.We will be returning.