Love, love, love! A must-visit if you're in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This is such a unique bookstore…read moreexperience- I'm pretty sure we wandered and explored for about an hour and could have stayed even longer. They have a wonderful selection of books, tarot cards, crystals, and of course, the secret garden... how does it get any better than that? The garden is incredibly peaceful and zen, and every step feels like discovering something new. Tucked in the back is a charming little shop with a cute selection of décor, wind chimes, candles, and more. Absolutely loved this bookstore. As a bookstore lover, this one is definitely at the top of my list

If you're in Carmel, you have to visit Pilgram Bookstore and Secret Garden. Run by a lovely…read morehusband-and-wife team, both spots feel like hidden gems. Pilgram Bookstore is cozy and has an amazing selection of books for being so tiny. It's easy to lose track of time here! Just a short walk away, Secret Garden is the perfect spot to relax. With its peaceful atmosphere and beautiful plants. Both places are full of charm and heart. Highly recommend them!

We found ourselves with some time to kill in between meetings on a trip to Monterey. This place…read morelooks cute and my husband and I are both readers so we decided it would be a no-brainer to stop by. The bookstore section is kind of small, but it is nicely decorated and organized. There's a large children's section that I appreciated and the plethora of plush puppets was something I had never seen before. They had several items that were gift varieties like candles and stationary and crayons, etc. It's attached to a coffee shop so if you wanted to grab a book pay for it and then grab a coffee, you could actually sit and read for a bit.

I love the vibe here at Bookworks, but the Wifi is very poor here. Every time I come to get coffee…read moreand work, I end up finishing my drink as fast as I can, and heading down the street to other places with Wifi. There are folks living here who simply need 21st century pipes. For example, if you're doing university work with Stanford and want to get away from Hopkins. But the Wifi here is from the 1990s. If you don't need reliable wifi, Bookworks is amazing. The food, the service, the bookstore, everything. Unfortunately, living in a "connected" world, I can only give it 3 stars, as cafes are workplaces now.

Very kind, wrapped our books for us. They had a good selection of children's books for us.read more

I bought a book last week and came with 2 of my friends. I bought thinking fast and slow, I did not…read morelike it so today I went to return it. Suzan was extremely disrespectful asking if "I was sure this is the right book store I got it from" and I asked why would I walk into this bookstore then? She replied back saying "because there's more than one bookstore in this area". I did not have a receipt but I did show her the purchase receipt on my Wells Fargo account. They don't even give you a refund just a store credit, which she did not go over. Do better on handling customer service!

It's hidden places like The Rose Books that keeps Downtown Monterey so special. I walk in every few…read moremonths and always walk out with my arms full of new finds that I can never find anywhere else. Nearly left in tears last week when I found a signed copy of my favorite novel,The Martian Chronicles. A signed copy I've been searching for over 15 years, truly a gem of a place.

I am sorting and distributing my mother's and grandpa's libraries. Their books mean a lot to me:…read morethey are precious. Ernest treated me and their collections with respect and joy. He is an honorable book buyer and seller. This bookstore is a treasure!

Charming bookstore with a large selection of used books, with a back room full of 1960s classics. A…read moregreat place to visit after the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Came here during a rainy day as we were visiting the area and looking for the next book in a series…read morethat my wife has been reading. Walked in and greeted the guy guy behind the counter which was returned with a scowl, but we didn't even let that deter us until we asked if there was any other spot that we might look he responded very rudely like we should have already known. We put back the book we planned to buy and walked out. If you want to make new customers maybe learn how to treat people. Don't recommend

I loved digging through the many old books at this store. Many hard to find treasures. The staff…read morewere friendly and very helpful. Prices were very fare. I truly love this place.

I was so bummed when I learned that the Old Capitol Bookstore would be closing. Local bookstores…read moreare a gem and Old Capitol had some awesome bundle deals during the early days of the pandemic that helped with boredom, but apparently wasn't enough to keep the doors open. There is something about being able to flip through pages or find books you otherwise wouldn't have bought when you browse the aisles of a bookstore (I judge a book by the cover, guilty!) On a walk down Alvarado Street this past weekend, I was excited to see that Old Capitol 2.0 has opened in the shopping center by Lallapalooza. I popped in and got the same great service with the excitement that comes with a new, clean space. They are also apparently still doing the book care packages!! I look forward to seeing what they will do as things open up.

Olivia & Daisy is such a warm and welcoming book store, and an inclusive safe space! They welcome…read morechildren as well as adults, and are set up with a kids rocking chair and wooden doll house to keep younger kids content. The store has beautiful displays, and carries all of the knick knacks and tools readers love (give me all of the pens and bookmarks), toys and projects for kids, and of course a wonderfully curated selection of books. If they don't carry a book you want, they are happy to order it. The store offers events and themed book club meetings. They collaborate with Children's Therapy Center for a monthly Sensory Story Time the first Wednesday of every month at 10am and it is a wonderful experience for babies through preschool kids. Kelsey is inclusive, friendly, and always welcoming, even if I walk in looking like a hot mess with my toddler. I highly recommend Olivia & Daisy Books!

Olivia and Daisy is a wonderful store, home to some of the loveliest and smartest book sellers. I…read morelove the recommendations table- it is just big enough to have something for everyone, while not overwhelming me with too many choices. This is my go-to gifting shop for self and others.

Great people great service. Great shipping love the book I got…read more Perfect description beautiful bookstore

This is by far the best collection of rare and first edition Western history and classic fiction…read moreI've seen. The store was very well organized and the owners were very friendly and accommodating with my questions. Some of the comments here are negative regarding the ability to actually visit the store. It is only open by appointment, but I found no issue scheduling a time over the phone. The owners were responsive and accommodating. Be sure to call ahead. This is a must visit for any book enthusiast visiting the area!

My daughter loves crystals and anything related to reiki, healing, spiritualism, and yoga. So…read moreanytime we cross paths with a store of such ilk, she is immediately drawn in. And in fact, while doing the touristy thing in Monterey, Dec 2022, I believe we hit 3 such stores in the downtown area of historic Monterey on one particular day. But there was only one that touched our hearts. First of all, a crystal shop does not normally appeal to children, and there is the added concern over the many fine things that could be accidentally broken. I appreciate how difficult it must be to order special inventory for a gift store such as this; it takes special knowledge and understanding. But the true test of success of any business is the person who greets and interacts with their curious customers. In this case, that would be the lovely Leslie, the owner of Luminata Books. Leslie later confessed to being quite shy, but I witnessed a complete metamorphosis as she drew out her own inner child in the presence of my two grandchildren. Delightful! There was a wealth of beautiful things, from crystals to knickknacks, inspirational books, jewelry, bells, singing bowls, and beautifully made puppets. Oh, there was so much more, but it was actually the stuffed animals/puppets that broke the ice. Next thing I knew, I overheard Leslie having the most delightful time in playful conversation via the puppets, with my grandkids. And then, she introduced them to the crystal singing bowls. One by one, she brought each of the colored bowls down from their display shelf, explained exactly how to hold the mallets, and showed them how to drag them along the outer edge to make them sing. The resonation was exquisite, the children were transformed. They were delighted to make such beautiful sounds so easily, and understood how precious the bowls were. She spent a substantial amount of time with them, while thankfully her very capable staff attended to her other customers. And meanwhile, I was able to secretly purchase a sweet, small, hand-held music box, a Christmas gift for my 9 year old granddaughter. The store is full of wonderful items, but it was Leslie who made this experience stand apart from the others. It was tough having to leave. Thank you, Leslie, for making our day so special.

They're just not here during business hours. It says they'll be back but not. They've lost 3…read morecustomers in the time I've sat here in the parking lot. Don't know what's happened to them. I drove in from out of town just to come here.

Amazing! As a bookstore and library lover, this was an absolute must during my weekend in Big Sur…read more It feels like a library, bookstore, and art exhibit all in one- such a unique place with so much character. They have a wonderful book selection and I had to pick up a book as a souvenir from my trip. We spent about an hour here exploring, browsing the shelves, and taking in all of the interesting art. The staff were very friendly and there was even a friendly cat. Definitely worth stopping by if you're exploring Big Sur!

The Henry Miller Memorial Library is amazing, and I highly recommend stopping by while exploring…read moreBig Sur. The space is a basically a cabin in the woods with smoke billowing out of the chimney. The interior was eclectic and tranquil. They had a curated selection of books, various art, and garlands of international money hanging from the ceiling. The guy at the counter was friendly and I especially loved his two elderly dogs. We bought a few books and he stamped the inside with a custom "Henry Miller Memorial Library" stamp. Such a special experience!