One of the coolest book stores yet, as soon as we walked in we were impressed. Starting with the…read morecool stairs and murals. The store is nicely organized, clean and easy to maneuver. Friendly staff and two levels with a Bar upstairs. The type of bookstore you could hang out in, meet a friend, make a friend and connect over books. Reasonable prices and a cool vibe makes this a definite stop or if local the place to hangout.

Bookstore downstairs, cute bar upstairs - the perfect date spot! Plus, pizza stands in the side…read morecourtyard. I have always wanted more cute and unique spots to get a glass of wine in ellicott city, I must have walked by their "Biblobar" sign a million times before actually registering that they served drinks. When we went on a Saturday there was a poetry reading. Plus there was tons of local art on display which was fun to look through. Since we visited in summer, taking our drinks outside was a delightful way to spend the evening.

An insta reel led me to Books for Life, and I'm so glad it did. Used bookstores are often…read moreoverwhelming. Books for life is not. It is organized in a very easy to identify way. I took my 12 year old, and she thought there was a small section appropriate for her, but for me... oh my gosh, I withheld because there were so many gems that I wanted to bring home but held back so that others could enjoy the selection, too. I'm talking hardcover, sprayed edges Onyx Storm for 10 dollars. How is that even possible??? Needless to say, we will absolutely be back, even with a 35 minute one way drive. Oh, it's in a totally nondescript warehouse space but is clearly branded. They also take trade ins, which I'm guessing is part of how they curate their selection. Lots on BOTM offerings. Go, just go. You will have zero regret, only new books.

My new favorite used book store. It's like the selection was catered specifically for me and my…read moredaughter. We will be back soon!

This place is soooooo coooool. Being in a Christian family…read more I'm so excited to find this bible shop. They got toys for kids too. And so many vintage books. Nowadays, people rely on internet, but books are my favorite. Old school I guess.

I love this hidden gem. Floor to ceiling rows of used books. What more could you need!?read more

It's so refreshing to see a local bookstore that truly cares about its curation and being apart of…read morethe community. As stated on their website, "We take pride in being more than just a bookstore. We are a vibrant community hub, hosting events, book clubs, and providing personalized reading services that deepen your connection with stories and fellow book lovers. We believe that everyone can find themselves in the pages of a book, and we're here to help you on that journey." You can clearly see that mission reflected as you walk around the store. The book selection, displays, and merchandise all demonstrate thoughtful attention to detail. Everything is well organized, making it easy to browse, and the staff is knowledgeable and happy to help with finding the right selection or suggesting information about upcoming events. They also offered to order certain books to store if they were not on the shelf! In regard to community outreach, their social media pages clearly communicate upcoming events and highlight their wide variety of book clubs. I attended the Dark Romance Book Club and was please with how well the store facilitated the discussion, especially given the large size of the group. Coming in for the meeting, chairs had already been placed out in a circle for members to sit. The conversation was engaging and well organized with employees asking questions that had clearly been researched beforehand. My only complaint is that parking can be scarce during busy hours such as book club events, particularly after snowfall when available spaces are more limited. Overall, I love visiting this bookstore. It has a lovely charm and a makes a wonderful connection with its customers. It is an asset to our local community as a small hub. I look forward to seeing how their small business grows. I felt comfortable to ask followup questions - I love to talk!

Having just left a conversation about Spider-man with fellow teenager, Peter Parker, Mary Jane…read moreWatson, after reluctantly being made Homecoming Queen, is surprised to find her tempestuous best friend, Liz Allan, who deeply coveted that title, waiting for her in front of her home. "I decked Flash...He wouldn't shut up and, without even thinking, I balled up my fist and...Principal Gorbert chewed us out. Said we were a bunch of selfish brats. Said tonight was for everyone, and we ruined it." Moments later, with tears running down her eyes, Liz makes a startling confession. "I care about you so much. You're my best friend, my sister. I try to think of what my life would be like without you in it, and it makes me sick inside." Liz pauses. "Your popularity and success, it's all great. It's what you deserve. I should be happy for you, right? And, I mean, in a way, I am, but...I needed desperately to be Homecoming Queen. Not because I am trying to feel superior to anyone, or because I have it coming to me. I needed it so...so maybe I could stop feeling like...I hate you." Eventually, the panels of the fourth issue of Sean McKeever and Takeshi Miyazawa's Mary Jane: Homecoming miniseries end in complete silence--with the two lifelong friends each riding one of the adjacent swings Liz seized for them in elementary school, but the words that Liz spoke before are what spark the imagination and trigger empathy, regret, anger, and love. Sentences in the best-written novels, mysteries, fantasies, speculative histories, and gothic horror do that too; and there is no better place to discover new sequences of words that will linger in your memory than Queen Takes Book, located at 6955 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia, Maryland. There, the friendly service will welcome you as if to the sparking embers of a fireplace in which only your imaginations are lit.

Great place for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Children and educator would greatly benefitread more

For the price, can't be beat!…read more The model is simple: donate your books (up to 7 boxes per visit). They give them away for free! According to their website, you can't take more than 150,000 books per visit, so don't be too greedy, you bookworms! They sell 1-2% of donated books to cover overhead, but everything else is volunteer basis, keeping The Book Thing a free community even once a month. Be prepared to wait in line. We arrived at 11:45 so most of the big rush had faded. They let people in on the hour, with a max of 100 people in per time. If you arrive after someone leaves, they can let you in to finish that hour out. You could make a day of it - there are several cafés, breweries, and restaurants in the area that you could visit before or afterwards. Inside there are three rooms - red, blue, and green. They are organized by genres. A warning: this is not for claustrophobic people. It gets crowded and while people are generally polite and respectful, you will rub shoulders with plenty of other bibliophiles. My kids enjoyed it, though Child #1 was a tad overwhelmed and Child#3 wanted to get out of his umbrella stroller and run around! They all picked out something that was just for them. My wife gathered several books and I picked up a couple for myself. When you leave, you need to count your books and tell them that number (for their record-keeping) and your ZIP code. Other than that, it's a great deal, not to mention a fun way to meet other folks in the community. One parent reminisced about how her (now grown) daughter used to love a series that my middle child was looking at. I overheard one woman asking about a particular genre and a volunteer told her that those usually get picked over pretty early. So while there is more of a wait and higher demand closer to opening time, it sounds like there are some choicer items that are available then. DONATION - there is a small one-way road that leads around the back. After the morning rush, it seemed like it moves quickly. There's a small parking pad where you can pull up and give your books to some volunteers. Parking - it's Waverly, so pretty much street parking and you will have to look. We lucked out and saw someone leaving their spot right by the donation drop-off, so we were able to park close. If you have a bunch of books that could use a new home, come donate them here! If you are curious about grabbing some new books for yourself, drop on by! Just check the website for specific dates - it can vary from month to month what's available.

It's so wonderful to have our own bookstore in Catonsville!!! There's an excellent selection of…read moreused books for very, very fair prices. She also has a great selection of new books for children. I also like to order new books from Jen. You might not get them by the next day, but it's worth it to me to support this wonderful spot. Not only is it in Catonsville, but it's an independently owned company. Independent stores are my favorite type of capitalism. Not to mention - Jen is super! I like to give my money to good people rather than to Amazon, who will be laying 500,00 off in the next few years. I hope more of my neighbors will do the same so we don't ever lose this gem!

Was just there and Jen, the owner, helped me select books for everyone on my list. Great customer…read moreservice, well-organized displays, lots of options, easy parking. Great experience!

For safety, you have to ring a doorbell to be let inside. And when you ring that doorbell, odds are…read morean opinionated chihuahua will be the first at the door to greet you. Once inside, I was greeted by a second dog whose nose was auspiciously shaped like a heart who enthusiastically loved on me before moving on to my husband. I mean, I've never been greeted like this before in a bookstore and now I don't ever NOT wanted to be greeted like that! This store is small but mighty with a book that I've been lowkey searching for for months (Marsha: The Joy and Defiance) and another that I had on my audiobook list but was happy to purchase as it was signed by the author (Keeper of Lost Children). I love independent bookstores. There's just something about searching and finding just what you're looking for. I can't wait to return again soon.

Cute Black-owned bookstore. They seem to be a great local indie for the area with many author…read moreevents. Parking was a little hard to find on the street so we had to walk several blocks. Still worth the effort!

Cute bookstore with lots of new reads and a wide variety of genres! Staff was quiet but very kind…read more I had a hard time not leaving with 10 books. I'm always happy to support a local bookstore!

My first visit to this location of Greedy Reads. I love:…read more *Recommendations galore. Lots of books with thoughtfully written employee recommendations attached to them. *Variety. From the classics to the current trendsetters. Greedy Reads had a great selection of fiction and non fiction, kids and local interest. Despite being a small place, they pack a mighty amount of variety in here. *Special signed copies for no additional fee. Maybe I'm used to the world where signed things cost more. Here, the signed book I picked up cost exactly what the sleeve said. Only downside during my visit was how cramped it felt when there were quite a few people inside.