The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the hop on February 15, 2013. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to their own blog.
Is it difficult to find new books in local bookstores?
(submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)
I never really thought about this because I love browsing through books, but I guess I do have trouble finding new releases at my local bookstore. The Barnes and Noble about 15 minutes away has everything I could ever want but my little independent bookstore – Main Street Books – isn’t always that predictable. They can order anything I want but that usually costs so much more than if I just get online from one of the national chains.
But what I do love about my local bookstore is the uniqueness and it’s dedication to local and all North Carolina authors. It’s also right next to the local coffee shop – Summit Coffee – and across the street from the library. It’s the perfect area for whiling away a few happy hours.
Do you have trouble finding new books in local bookstores?
Tessa Talks Books 
While it may not always be convenient to get certain books at independent local bookstores, I am jealous that some have the option. Even though I live in a large city, the only book store in my area is a Barnes & Noble 20 minutes away. Though, even there, I don’t find all the books I’m looking for.
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We have a huge Barnes and Noble a few towns away. Everything I’ve looked for, I’ve found there.
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Your bookstore (and its location!) looks amazing! I don’t have a bookstore in my area. There are a few within reasonable driving distance but they carry mostly Dutch books, their English selection is abominable. So I buy all my books online.
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Online is just the best. Everything is just a few clicks away ❤️
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True. I miss browsing though!
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Bookshops are hard to find where I live full stop! There is a Waterstones in town but really that’s about it. Here reading doesn’t seem to be as popular as it is in the States and that’s really sad. 🙄
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That’s also surprising considering how many wonderful UK authors there are!
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I know!
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We only have Waterstones too but I have to say that it is really good for a small shop.
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Totally agree! I love sitting in their cafe watching the people choose books!
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I am guilty of not really going to local book stores really, but I buy a subscription from Berts books although its not local, but they pick for me 😂
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That’s cool to have them pick books for you. ❤️
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Sadly we only have Waterstones and W H Smith over here now, we lost our indie such a long time ago. I rarely go in and browse but normally do click and collect online and have it delivered to the shop. At the moment Waterstones are having major problems with a new system, so lots of their shops aren’t getting new books, and customers and authors are rather worried!
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Oh, that would be bad. Hope they figure it out soon!
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Your downtown area is so charming, Tessa! We don’t have a local bookstore, but I sure wish we did. There’s only a B&N and a Half Price Book Outlet here. Parnassus Books is in Nashville, about an hour away, and I sure wish they were closer. They get so many wonderful authors there for signings. I’ve been to several on weekends, but it’s not an easy drive on a weeknight.
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Davidson is such a sweet little town and Davidson College is right across the street from the area I showed too, so it’s all so picturesque.
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This question had me stop in my tracks. I don’t think we have an independent bookstore nearby, the one in my memory having closed some time ago. I’m a fully digital reader so I don’t even go into Barnes & Noble anymore. But I love handling the physical copies and have several bookshelves stuffed with them.
How times have changed.
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Digital books have so many pros to them and that is definitely one.
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Most of the new releases are thankfully found at the local bookstore in my town, and otherwise it is 20 minutes to another town with a bookstore one way or 20 minutes the other way to a nearby city for another bookstore. I got some options at least! Though Dutch comics (unless popular) aren’t always easily found, so I have to visit bol.com for that.
Sadly, almost all bookstores (big or small) mostly and sometimes (if small) only stock Dutch books. If you are in luck you may find English books and sometimes bigger stores do have a better selection, however it is still mostly just the most popular books and often at quite high prices. So for English I will have to go to Amazon.
Also can I say I absolutely LOVE how your bookstore and surrounding street looks? It looks like out of a movie!
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Awww…thank you! It’s quite a picturesque little town and the town leaders work very hard to keep it that way. Also across the street is a small private college with a gorgeous campus, so that just adds to the beauty.
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I never really look for anything particular in independent bookstores – for me, that’s my time to browse and find something new to me.
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That’s exactly what I do too. I love to browse the sales and the recommendation racks, in particular ❤️
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What a lovely street, and the bookshop is so pretty and picturesque!
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I love Davidson because of that. It’s just so quaint and that isn’t always easy to find, anymore.
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I have to admit I rarely go to bookstores. But, I enjoy them when I do go. Our local bookstore is fairly well stocked and has the latest books usually. Our local Barnes and Noble just closed and turned into a Goodwill.
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I don’t often go anymore. Covid kind of got me out of the habit. I really should get back into it though.
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I would love to find a little shop where I can buy books, I would never leave. Normally I buy my books on-line, however Tesco has a second-hand book shelf at the back of their store. Sometimes I take one from there, as the proceeds go to charity.
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That sounds wonderful. I always feel so good when the money I spend goes toward a worthy cause.❤️
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My closest independent bookstore is in the nearest city, but it seems to have a very political/social history slant and my preference is for lighter fiction.
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That would drive me crazy. I like compartmentalizing things and really don’t like when entertainment crosses over into politics.
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I don’t have a local bookstore. I have to go to Chapters at the local mall to buy books, so I usually just buy them online. When I go to Florida, I browse the bookstores, not always looking for anything in particular.
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I bet Florida has some great independent bookstores.
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There are a few that I always visit when I am there.
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