Any book-buyer's favourite type of bookshop- simple, with a good selection of generally underpriced…read morebooks and a helpful but quietly-reading-until-you-want-him owner. Would be four or even five stars if only it were larger, so we could spend even more time browsing in the gentle silence of an undiscovered gem!

I believe that Ottakar's has now been taken over by Waterstones. This branch is very small (but…read moreperfectly formed!). There are a lot of books packed into a very small space, but everything is logically laid out, orderly, methodical and easy to find. The non-fiction section is quite impressive for a small bookshop in a small city (town really). Staff are always helpful and friendly, the book 'accessories' section is also good (bookmarks, labels etc.) and the children's section is pretty good too, quite comprehensive. Adult fiction is relatively small but then this is an area that is covered to some degree even by supermarkets so I would say it is less important. A good little shop.

My top tip for shopping at The Works: don't buy your diary straight away in the New Year or before…read more Wait till the end of January and get it for 50p at The Works! Also they often have rather nice kids' craft kits that a crafty adult might find quite handy. As far as the fiction section is concerned, you're often better off buying the classics here rather than the 'upmarket' bookshops. There are some real bargains to be had. Also hold off as far as buying celebrity biographies is concerned, as they often wind up here (but deeply discounted from their original RRP prices). It's also good for a few stocking fillers at the last minute for Christmas, and 'educational' toys - not that most kids will thank you for those - only their parents!

It's Waterstones. You know what you're getting. Books! The Wakefield branch, tucked inside the…read moreRidings, covers off on everything you'd expect - fiction; crime; fantasy/sf; music; humour; travel; a good local history section... you get the idea. The thing I really like about this branch of Waterstones, though, is that it evades the anonymous chain store feel of the bigger shops. It's not a big place and, although I only stick my head in occasionally, I recognise the staff there. I find that reassuring - it's staffed by people who care about books, and who know their job well, not temps just looking to make a few quid. The flipside of the shop's limited size and intimate feel is, of course, that the range is limited. You'll find recent releases, best-sellers and big-name titles, but limited shelf space means you won't find a massive range beyond that and might have to order in more obscure titles. It pains me that, barring WHSmiths (which I don't really count) Waterstones is Wakefield's only bookshop!