For all the book lovers out there, like myself, I thought it might be helpful and interesting to know all about some of the scores you can find in the book junkie world to satisfy your cravings of all things book related. As you can probably guess I am a total book nerd, so much so that I turned the dining room of my apartment into a little reading nook complete with bookcases filled to the top. This obsession doesn’t just focus on books though, I love anything book related ranging from memorabilia to unique bookstores. So, just a couple interesting ideas I thought I might offer for any other fellow book lovers out there.

  • Check out some book subscription boxes.

I just got my first subscription box this month from Illumicrate and it was everything I hoped it would be. The best thing about these boxes is that the companies make them unique to the different genres and types of readers that they could encounter. There are so many different options and themes available for the many different types of readers. Generally, these boxes include a book or two, book related art from independent artists, and some other miscellaneous book related knick-knacks. It is a really cool way to get introduced to a book and it provides some extra incentives that are guaranteed to interest readers.

  • Be on the lookout for unique bookstores to visit.

While there is nothing against Barnes and Noble or Half Price Books, which is where I do most of my literary shopping, independently owned bookstores have their own charms that appeal to the book lover mindset. There are quite a few in the Dallas area, such as Interabang Books or The Wild Detectives, that would be such a cool place to browse, hangout, and just bask in the literary glow. My summer to do list definitely involves taking a visit to these bookstores. Also, don’t forget to look into some unique bookstores that might be further away and keep them in your head as places to visit one day. When I went to Hawaii I visited the Talk Story Bookstore, which claims the title of the western most bookstore of the United States, and it was just a really cool experience. Then, of course, every book lover needs to be aware of “the town of books” which is Hay-on-Wye in the United Kingdom. A small town that is home to over 20 independent bookstores and hosts an annual literary festival.

Just a couple of interesting ideas for your inner book lover, because it is important to keep that interest going and there are so many interesting ways to do that. So, be on the lookout for ways to interest your literary needs and don’t forget to check out the local libraries for any fun literary events that might also be taking place. Finding ways to entertain and expand your inner book lover is such a great experience.

PSA: Half Price Books is having a Memorial Day sale this weekend: 20% off everything in store and online. So, go crazy!

-Alison DeVries, MS-LS Candidate 2019