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.

Visiting this store was one of the highlights of our Edinburgh trip. We got lucky enough to have…read moreour coffee by the windows with a view and the coffee was delicious. Nothing better than a book store/coffee combo!

Hidden gem for one of the best views in Edinburgh! Plus, you know.. an incredible selection of…read morebooks :)

Edinburgh was our first stop for spending two months in the UK. We showed up with very limited…read morebooks and games because of limited packing space. We always intended to replenish our books and games while we were here, but Blackwell's made it fun and easy. It seems like Blackwell's is just a great bookstore all-around, but it's particularly notable for the fact that the basement is devoted entirely to kids books and games. They had basically every board game you could as for and were willing to help us think about how to pick them out. We wound up getting a copy of Carcassonne (which we have at home) and Cascadia (which I'm excited to try). We also got a few new kids picture books and a book of short stories and poems which will make for good bedtime reading. My wife also picked up a few fantasy novels.

I've been a huge fan of this bookshop for many many years, and would make the effort to visit it…read moreany time I was in the vicinity to feed my reading addiction. Since the advent of the Kindle, I don't visit as often and that makes me rather sad, because Blackwell's is a great bookstore and a cool place just to browse around soaking up the literary vibes. I love the labyrinth of different rooms and secret corners where you can find the most surprising things from board games to desk toys, DVD's, maps, children's books and even a Caffe Nero at the back. Upstairs they have a vast selection of academic books, and it is this connection with the nearby University that probably keeps this bookshop alive in face of the competition from Amazon and e-books. I still love visiting here even though I'm less often inclined to buy a fiction book (most of my fiction is on Kindle these days), as they still have some interesting finds to discover that you won't find elsewhere. I love their selection of stocking-filler type gifts, their eclectic CD and DVD offerings, their board games (Carcassonne, anyone?), and of course the Caffe Nero.

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.

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.

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.

They have a very good selection of books of different genres. The ambience is pleasant and there…read moreare nice places to sit down and peruse the books and even lose yourself in thought on a rainy day. The staff, however, can be indifferent and, on occasion, rude. I don't know why. It seems like a rather nice job to have. Still, a great bookshop.

Another brilliant independent bookshop for children - and their parents! - is The Children's…read moreBookshop in Bruntsfield. Established in 2007, it's a quirky shop with bright and colourful books enticingly displayed on wooden bookshelves and tables. There's picture books and alphabet books for toddlers, short stories and educational aids for four, five and six year olds and a mix of fiction and illustrated books for school children. If you look closely you'll also find, science fiction and young adult novels for teenagers. A labour of love, TCB is owned and run by Vanessa and Malcolm Robertson - who also run childrens publishing company Fidra Books. Their fingerprints are clearly all over the shop from the imaginative window displays to regular events with high profile authors like Neil Gaiman and Cathy Cassidy. If only I was seven again...

This shop is definitely one of a kind in Edinburgh. It's a really quality bookshop with both…read morefiction and nonfiction, hardback and paperback and the most thoughtful staff ever. I definitely recommend talking to the staff, 'cause they're really passionate and really quite frighteningly knowledgeable. A friend of mine worked there for a bit and she said that during her interview they grilled her a la interrogation-blinding-light style on her knowledge of literature. Which is quite comforting, because I do get bit put off a bookshop when they don't know as much as I do about literature (being a meager English Lit. graduate). And it definitely demonstrates the kind of passion you don't often find anymore. The bookshop itself is very clean and tidy (so don't go there expecting one of those second-hand bookshops you could get lost in), and their books are obviously carefully picked out. It's admittedly pricey, but if you can afford to give to an independent book seller, than you should (just for the sake of keeping the business going).

If you're only going to visit one antiquarian bookshop in Edinburgh, I'd recommend Old Town…read moreBookshop. Aside from being on one of the loveliest streets in Edinburgh, it's a delightful wee shop that stocks an eye-watering selection of books from the 1850s onwards. There's a treasure chest of Scottish history, architecture and topographical studies alongside special editions of literary classics from Shakespeare, Dickens and Burns. As the shop is run by a painter, they also sell some lovely prints, lithographs, etchings, paintings and maps of Edinburgh and beyond. Tourists hoping to pick up a picture of the Castle should note these are priced £30 - £300 depending on the age, quality and scarcity of the work.

Edinburgh's Old Town Bookshop, set at the top of the winding Victoria Street, is more like a museum…read morethan it is a book store as they specialise in collecting antiquarian literature. From the books jauntily placed in the window to the many within, each is treated with tender loving care. It shows, since the books aren't falling apart at the spine, but are rather tainted with age. The majority of their books date from the 1700s onwards and are priced as such. You can gather from the pristine condition of the stock that it's not the kind of store you'd pick up a lovingly creased copy of Harry Potter from. But they do have a collection of classics (of predominantly Scottish origin), so tourists and avid fans of Burns can have a ball gandering the shelves. I wouldn't necessarily go here for a browse since it is so specialised although the staff are welcoming if you just fancy a nosey. But this store is a trove for Antiquarian collectors, who can hope to find anything from literature pre-dating the enlightenment to old prints and lithographs. It's largely a pricey venture, but for people well versed on antique auctions the Old Town Bookshop displays some lucrative books that would bring back a substantial amount of money when under the hammer. For tourists, this place is a quirky homage to Edinburgh's literary culture of old.

I passed by this little shop today and got intrigued by the mysterious display of books and a…read morewitches hat! The shop is only a few weeks old and still lacks a bit of soul, but I'm sure that content wise it will be an esoteric heaven for anybody who likes to read or wants to get more involved into the genres of witches, druids, spells, goddesses, tarot , mystic places in Britain (including the famous stone circles), cults, occults or just simply want to enjoy a fantasy book written by Terry Pratchett. There are plenty of other fantasy books, new and old, but remember that this is a very specific shop entirely focusing on the otherworls and the abstract. You will get inspiration from the shop owner and she appears to know her stuff well about the pagan world. In the back you will find some cozy looking couches and for the future be informed that there could be potentially some interesting esoteric meetups being held and guest speakers being invited to hold some specific topic related speeches. For all the people out there who are interested in the otherworlds, this is a good book shop to go to as you can find many different genres of the esoteric in one place and in addition you have a friendly shop owner who can also advise you, if you have any questions!

Crammed onto the small West Nicholson St is a variety of interesting shops clearly geared toward…read morethe students of George Sq Campus located nearby. There are little independent sandwich shops, jewellery shops, and at least one interesting hair salon. But the one shop that stands out in particular is Word Power Books. This book shop, with its bright purple facade and packed window diplays, immediately invites the passerby in. The first thing that strikes you, either because you notice it or walk straight into it, is the box of leaflets and pamphlets left outside the front door for people to take away for free. This is a sign of what's to come inside. All these leaflets and pamphlets are all politically oriented, typically with a radical left wing or alternative emphasis. Indeed Word Power Books specialises in political books, mostly non-fiction but not solely, gearing to the left. However this does not mean Word Power Books is overly niche. There still remains a great selection of genre, from philosophy to history to graphic novels. But Word Power Book's strength does come from its more focused range, for those with an interest already. Where else in Edinburgh do you readily find anthologies of Anarchist essays?! You will also find unexpected but welcomed finds that don't entirely fit in with the rest of the stock, and the owners seem committed to providing titles that they simply think people will enjoy. The staff are friendly and eager to please but otherwise let you browse freely. There is a general feeling of calm and relaxation in the shop, and there isn't the pressure to buy sometimes found in independent book shops. The prices for titles are reasonable. Of course no shop like Word Power will be able to compete with the likes of Amazon. However they are aware of this, and instead promote the fact that they are independent, and an alternative to corporate giants. A fascinating independent book shops with a great range of stock to challenge, entertain and infuriate!

Word Power is exactly the kind of bookshop that would have Michael Moore and Mark Thomas punching…read morethe air with glee. A radical independent bookshop, it specialises in books on socialism, marxism, politics, philosophy, social protest, global politics, the environment, history, religion and belief systems. Well laid out with tables and bookshelves, the shop is easy to navigate and has lots of interesting books from Cracking Capitalism and The Anarchist's Handbook to Against The Wall - The Art of Resistance in Palestine. The staff are friendly and laidback and there's regular book signings and events from international authors. Now, where did I put that collection of Noam Chomsky essays?

A second hand CD/DVD store which is great for browsing and finding good quality discs at good…read moreprices. It has a large selection and you could be suprised of what might crop up if you just ask the quite knowledgeable staff. Apart from mainstream hits there's also a grand choice of good oldies and lesser known bands to choose from. Don't be deterred by its dark interior and the owner's abrupt manner. It may not be a flashy music chain store, but it's a good place to hunt for a bargain and discover new music.

Hogs Head music hails from a dying breed of music stores, probably because it has much more…read morepersonality than the high street. Dark, dingy and inspiring, it's the kind of place that begs you to dig in and have a look around. With an eclectic, decently priced selection of second hand music and DVDs, the stock is in very good condition considering how little you pay for it. The owner was very helpful when I was in, and seemed genuinely interested in your custom. It had a great selection of music DVDs and I was especially impressed with how much punk music they had. Including what I am assuming is a rare live Bouncing Souls DVD, which I might go back for since I regret leaving it. All I can say about Hogs Head is I wish there were more independent stores like it. Great quality second hand CD's, rarities and low prices, you can't go wrong in here!