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A book you bought from an independent bookstore.

For me, I'll be looking at books from my library sale shelf, or some old out of print books I bought from thriftbooks.

Yet again, this one will be different for everyone, so no Listopia.

I may cheat on this one and do a library book. My library sometimes sells discarded books (for 50 cents or a dollar). So, I will pretend they are an independent bookstore.

I'm part of a book club at an independent bookstore and buy the monthly book club book from there. So I guess my book for this prompt will be one of their picks.

In the UK, Hive sell books online and allow you to nominate an independent book shop to receive a percentage of the sale price, so if you haven't got a book shop nearby, that could be an option,

If money is an issue and you're in the UK (and you don't want to just freebie this prompt) I highly recommend checking out Big Green Bookshop's buy a stranger a book day, which is every Wednesday on twitter but I'm sure Simon can arrange it off twitter since so many people offer to buy books for strangers. OK, someone else is buying it but it's still supporting an independent seller.

Obviously Amazon itself is out. And presumably chains like Waterstones are out?

But what about sellers on Amazon Marketplace? As I understand it, those are often smaller independents using Amazon's platform rather than their own? Ditto Abe Books.

And then where would chains of charity shops fall? For example, Oxfam Books?

Trish wrote: "Obviously Amazon itself is out. And presumably chains like Waterstones are out?

But what about sellers on Amazon Marketplace? As I understand it, those are often smaller independents using Amazon'..."''

I, personally, would feel okay with charity shops and Amazon Marketplace as I think it fits the feel of the prompt even if you can't follow it to the letter with what's available in your area. I'll be doing either the charity shop/library sale or Marketplace route myself, as I don't have any independent bookstores left near me (although maybe I'll Google that just to check I haven't missed one).

I do tend to order from my local indie (Third Place Books, for anyone in the Seattle, US area) when I want a physical copy of a book for my shelves. So I'll probably use something I have on pre-order for this prompt.

I haven't sold anything on Amazon marketplace in a long time, but I'm pretty sure Amazon take most the money from a secondhand book sale, so it doesn't seem in the spirit of supporting small business. A charity shop seems more charitable, even if Oxfam is massive.

I'm lucky because I bought The Dead Romantics from an English independent bookstore when I visited France!

I found an independent bookstore near me. Now to see if I can get a reasonably priced (read cheap/sale) book from it. I am on a fixed income and use library books and free ebooks almost exclusively.

I’m slightly spoiled by working a block away from an excellent independent bookstore (Northshire Books in Saratoga Springs, NY). I have a couple of options at home, but it might be more in the spirit of the challenge to support the store by buying a new one (as if I needed an excuse�)

If you are an audiobooks fan, I would consider Libro.fm as a potential option - you select the independent bookstore you would like your purchase to be credited towards and they get some of the money.

I had planned on a book I got from a local second-hand store, figuring that counted, until I saw that was a separate prompt! I guess I can read two books I got there...

There's an independent bookstore I go to all the time around here. This definitely seems like an easy topic. I have a crate of ones I've already gotten from the shop but I look forward to adding on new additions.

As a librarian, I'm lucky enough to participate in Libro.fm's Advanced Listening Copy program! I have several that I haven't gotten around to reading this year!

My life isn't lending itself to reading physical books these days so I am thinking about how this prompt translates to ebooks. I was recently introduced to StoryBundle, which bundles together indie ebooks by indie authors around a particular theme. I bought their Hopepunk bundle and the first book I read from it (Red Dot) was an unexpected 5 star read! I feel like StoryBundle is a great digital analog to an independent bookstore so I may read something from them for this prompt.

(I order all my kid's books through our local independent bookstore when I am buying them new, so I feel good about still supporting them. I just don't want to use toddler books to fulfill my reading challenge prompts.)

Lailah, that's an outstanding idea for ebook readers. I got a bunch of books from a Humble Bundle recently, so that is probably going to be how I put something down for this prompt.

I'm planning to use one of the books I've bought from Bookshop.org since you can put in a local bookstore to help support with your purchase. It's a good alternative if you want to order a book but don't have a store physically close to you (you can pick any random store to support, and they denote specifically black-owned bookstores as well).

Here are some handy dandy links.






- Has a cool fly-through video

Leaving this one blank as I mostly shop at independent bookstores, so I'll just put in whatever I buy this year.

I’ve bought a ton of books from a local Indy used book shop, but do you think I can remember which books I purchased there as opposed to HPB? Will have to think on this one, or see what I get there in 2023.

Might use a book from the friends of the library booksale for this category, or maybe I'll go seek out a new-to-me indie bookstore. I haven't found a good one in my area yet so that could be good adventure.

I bought Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz at Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale this week. I had been planning on using it for an alliterative title, but I can probably find another one of those or double dip.

If you find yourself in the Old Town area of Scottsdale, AZ, the store is worth a look. They have quite a few titles and variety for such a small space.

Does anyone know if websites like AbeBooks or BetterWorldBooks count as independent bookstores?

I bought A Venom Dark and Sweet from an independent bookstore, so I just have to figure out where the first book in the duology will go.

Rachel wrote: "Does anyone know if websites like AbeBooks or BetterWorldBooks count as independent bookstores?"

AbeBooks itself is Amazon owned, but it does have independent sellers on it, so it's up to you if that counts.

Rachel wrote: "Does anyone know if websites like AbeBooks or BetterWorldBooks count as independent bookstores?"

I wouldn't count AbeBooks.

But I do count big retailers like BetterWorldBooks, HalfPriceBooks, HamiltonBooks, ThriftBooks, and Timber Press

I'll probably read two books for this topic. I want to read one from a local indie bookstore and there's this other one called BirchBark Books which I love. It's an Indigenous-owned bookstore in Minnesota.

Ron wrote: "I'll probably read two books for this topic. I want to read one from a local indie bookstore and there's this other one called BirchBark Books which I love. It's an Indigenous-owned bookstore in Mi..."



Thanks for reminding us of that store!! It's special because it's practically a main character in Louise Erdrich's The Sentence. (Erdrich herself is a character, too, and I just love that kind of metareference)

Nadine wrote: Thanks for reminding us of that store!! It's special because it's practically a main character in Louise Erdrich's The Sentence. (Erdrich herself is a character, too, and I just love that kind of metareference)

Absolutely! I think someone on GR turned me to that store once. I love it.

Just ordered a few from there like 10 minutes ago so I'll be going with these:

Redskins: Insult and Brand
(this one I'm using for the sport prompt)

Playing Indian

Restoring a Presence: American Indians and Yellowstone National Park

So I have wanted to read Love Medicine for a while. For some reason, neither NYPL nor Nassau County libraries have it in digital format. I would imagine BirchBark Books would have it (the physical version, obviously). Thank you for reminding me about this independent book store. And I loved The Sentence, read it after all the talk about it here.

Milena wrote: "So I have wanted to read Love Medicine for a while. For some reason, neither NYPL nor Nassau County libraries have it in digital format. I would imagine BirchBark Books would have it (..."

They do have it. They have pretty much all of Louis Erdrich's books. And you're welcome. I definitely view it as one of those "must" bookstores because of the variety of Indigenous work they have both in terms of content and authors.

Ron wrote: "Milena wrote: "So I have wanted to read Love Medicine for a while. For some reason, neither NYPL nor Nassau County libraries have it in digital format. I would imagine BirchBark Books ..."

I agree. I can probably get Love Medicine anywhere, including a physical copy from my library. But it just seems right to order it from BirchBark. Plus I don't think there's an independent book store anywhere near me.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Does anyone know if websites like AbeBooks or BetterWorldBooks count as independent bookstores?"

I wouldn't count AbeBooks.

But I do count big retailers like BetterWorldBooks, Hal..."


I don’t know about the others, but I personally wouldn’t count Half Price Books since that is a national chain.

Milena wrote: I agree. I can probably get Love Medicine anywhere, including a physical copy from my library. But it just seems right to order it from BirchBark. Plus I don't think there's an independent book store anywhere near me

Yeah, that's why I like BirchBark. Love Medicine can be found anywhere but there's nothing like supporting an indie bookstore especially if it's from a BIPOC-owned bookstore. It makes it special, I think anyways

I've ordered some books from an independent bookstore local to one of my favorite humor authors, James Breakwell, in order to get signed copies, so I imagine the one I have left to read would count (Bare Minimum Parenting: The Ultimate Guide to Not Quite Ruining Your Child). We also have a local independent bookstore that I can use.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Does anyone know if websites like AbeBooks or BetterWorldBooks count as independent bookstores?"

I wouldn't count AbeBooks.

But I do count big retailers like BetterWorldBooks, Hal..."

Cool, I just ordered 4 books from BetterWorldBooks yesterday, so I'll most likely count one of those!

I don't have any independent bookstores near me (that I know of) and I don't drive so it's hard for me to get downtown to see the ones there.

Looks like I will be reading The Autobiography of Mark Twain, which I picked up from Main Street Books in Cedar City Utah while on vacation. And it will help fulfill my personal reading goal of a non-fiction per month.

As far as I know, this is the only book that I have purchased at an independent bookstore that I haven't already read. Although I did just find out about a new used bookstore near me, so I should use this as an excuse to check it out (just in case I need a backup).

I figured out a way to tell which books I acquired from a local Indy used book store. I looked at receipts from the last four visits, then looked for books added to my GR shelf on that date or day after, and came up with several titles from which to choose:

* Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly (book one of a trilogy)
* A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer (first in series)
* Christmas with You byNora Roberts
* The Fall by Albert Camus
* Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
* The Next Person You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
* Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie
* Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Well my books from BirchBark won't arrive for a while since they have to order one of them. No rush though, I've still got until January or so. Still I'm excited for them.

poshpenny wrote: "Here are some handy dandy links.



I do love Powells (I visit Portland semi-regularly), but also their shipping costs to the UK are a bit mad. I was in there in September, if I can remember what I bought from them!

I decided to buy from the Augusta library's bookstore for my independent bookstore. All books are used. When closed, they have carts with books on them priced to sell with a box to put the money into.

I changed my mind and will move the above mentioned book to the secondhand prompt.

Today I visited the independent bookstore in Augusta. I ended up buying Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations. This might take me all year to experience!

Im going to be reading Atonement

JoJo wrote: "Im going to be reading Atonement"

Cool. Good luck with it. I've read it twice but personally it's a book I can't get into. Wish you the best with it though.

Ron wrote: "JoJo wrote: "Im going to be reading Atonement"

Cool. Good luck with it. I've read it twice but personally it's a book I can't get into. Wish you the best with it though."

I read Atonement some while back and wish I had't kept going with it. It was just a trudge and I thought it would be super moving.

I might read a non-fic for this prompt - I bought a book about Rosa Luxemburg from a political bookshop a while back and haven't got to it yet. Need to dig it out of my shelves and find out what it's called.

Immy wrote: I read Atonement some while back and wish I had't kept going with it. It was just a trudge and I thought it would be super moving

Yeah this was how I felt with the book too.

I love this recommendation � Read whatever you want! Support an indie bookstore! <3

I bought Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson from an indie bookstore that had a booth at JordanCon 2022. I've been looking for a prompt for this year, and this may be it.

Edited to add: I went back and looked. I think it might have been Read It Again Books from Suwanee, Georgia.

Rachel wrote: "I don't have any independent bookstores near me (that I know of) and I don't drive so it's hard for me to get downtown to see the ones there."

I also don't drive, but I live in suburban Metro Atlanta, which makes it a bit easier (though our transit systems can be meh).

Another option is bookshop.org. You can purchase from them and choose an indie bookseller to support!

I wholeheartedly endorse this option. Not everyone has physical access to a good indie bookstore, including many with disabilities.