The Best Bookstore Websites to Browse Form Your Couch

Laura Sackton is a queer e book nerd and freelance author, recognized on the web for loving winter, despising summer time, and going overboard with extravagant baking initiatives. In addition to her work at Book Riot, she evaluations for BookWeb page and AudioFile, and writes a weekly e-newsletter, Books & Bakes, celebrating queer lit and engaging treats. You can catch her on Instagram shouting in regards to the queer books she loves and sharing pictures of the walks she takes within the hills of Western Mass (whereas listening to audiobooks, after all).

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I didn’t purchase very many books earlier than the pandemic. It used to be that I’d solely purchase 4 or 5 books a 12 months, normally only a few beloved titles I’d already learn from the library and knew I needed to personal. But when every part shut down in March 2020, together with the library, I noticed how badly I missed having a continuing inflow of recent books — a rush of enjoyment my library behavior had beforehand given me. On prime of that, I needed to assist indie bookstores that have been struggling. So I began shopping the web sites of some of my favorites. And I began shopping for. And right here we’re.

I’ve, fortunately for my finances, reigned myself in from the peak of my e book shopping for in 2020 and 2021. I nonetheless purchase extra books than I did pre-pandemic, however it’s rather more affordable. Now I’ve numerous thrilling books I nonetheless haven’t learn and one thing I didn’t anticipate — a brand new appreciation for indie bookstore web sites!

I’ve at all times cherished shopping bookstores (and libraries), partially for the joys of an sudden shock. This was one thing else I missed sorely within the early days of the pandemic: the serendipity of coming throughout a e book you’ve by no means heard of, studying a number of pages, and falling in love. I quickly found that, whereas it’s a special expertise from strolling right into a brick-and-mortar retailer, the identical factor is feasible on the web, thanks to fantastic suggestion lists curated by indie booksellers.

Even although bookstores at the moment are open once more, there’s nonetheless one thing magical about shopping indie bookstores from dwelling and experiencing the joys of discovering the right e book you didn’t know you wanted. Some folks don’t dwell close to indie bookstores. Some folks can’t simply depart dwelling. Sometimes it’s merely simpler not to exit. Indie bookstores with nice web sites for shopping present a enjoyable and accessible various.

If you’re not on Instagram, don’t fear! Their web site is equally wonderful. They have a whole web page devoted to browsable booklists — and you may actually spend hours there. Get misplaced in trans comics, genderqueerness, incapacity research, fuck it books (you’ll have to click on by if you’d like to know), robot-themed reads, and Covid novels. And that is just the start! A Room of One’s Own is on my bookstore bucket checklist, however within the meantime, their web site makes me really feel like I’m already there.

Massy Books

Massy Books, an Indigenous-owned new and used bookstore in Vancouver, BC, is one other one on my bookstore bucket checklist. They host numerous group occasions, have an adjoining artwork gallery, and ship out a e-newsletter that makes me want I lived in Vancouver.

Since I’ve no plans to transfer, I consolation myself with periodic visits to their unbelievable web site. Simply shopping their inventory is a pleasure — you may filter by used/new, what’s accessible for delivery or in-store pickup, and about one million topics and tags, from particular nations and world areas to numerous LGBTQ+ identities. They even have many considerate and artistic curated booklists, similar to anti-oppressive approaches to therapeutic and wellness, recs from the Massy Books ghost, and imagining woven futures — a set of sci-fi and speculative books centering decolonial visions. I generally purchase Canadian books from Massy that aren’t accessible within the U.S., and I’ve by no means logged into their web site with out including one thing else, sudden and fantastic, to my cart.

Yu & Me Books

Yu & Me Books, a beloved group house in New York City’s Chinatown, and the primary Asian American women-owned bookstore in NYC, not too long ago suffered a devastating fireplace and will likely be closed indefinitely as they rebuild and restore. In the meantime, you may assist them by buying by their Bookshop.org storefront. You can, after all, purchase nearly any e book by their store and so they’ll earn a fee, however in addition they have some unbelievable lists arrange on your shopping pleasure: meals & noms, pleasure & love, and favourite NYC & Chinatown tales, to title only a few.

The Imaginary Bookshop

I’ve to give a shoutout to my native indie, The Imaginary Bookshop in Greenfield, MA. They are a tiny however mighty retailer with an enormous concentrate on speculative fiction, horror, fantasy, and queer lit. I can personally attest to their impeccably curated choice — I’ve discovered some indie press gems there I hardly ever see in bookstores! But should you don’t dwell in Western MA, don’t fret. Their Bookshop.org storefront is certainly one of my favorites, with fabulous rec lists similar to: Books for Your Terrible Uncle, Cute Cryptids, and Oh Dang: It’s Mushrooms!

Bonus Bookshops

And there are such a lot of extra than simply these 5! Third Place Books in Seattle has certainly one of my favourite workers picks pages (and so they have three areas and a whole lot of workers, so don’t say I didn’t warn you). Each workers member has their very own web page with an inventory of favorites, and so they’re all personally annotated, so shopping for books from these lists is principally like having an actual human handsell you a e book.

Bluestockings Cooperative in NYC has an internet site I simply love every part about. The booklist presently on their homepage is “Hot Beach Reads Every Hot Bitch Needs” and so they even have a complete part merely referred to as “Yeah We Gay” with about 15 separate rec lists. Need I say extra?