Used

Random, Thrifty

Truth be told, I love used bookstores. I love them so much that when I’m going someplace new I search the interwebs hoping that a used is somewhere close by. 

Used bookstores are magical places. They’re filled with charm, like Meg Ryan’s bookstore in “You’ve Got Mail.” 

I also love the fact that you never know what you’re going to find and uncover. It’s like one giant game of hide and seek. 

Because I love them so much, I decided to turn my love into a new blog feature. Every time I visit a new bookstore I will dutifully report back – my thoughts, info on the bookstore, my findings, etc.. 

I went to Wildwood for a few days and as luck would have it, guess what I found?! A used bookstore! 

The Store: Hooked on Books 

Store Website: www.hookedonbooks.info 

Location: 3405 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood NJ 08260 

Hours: Because Wildwood really comes to life in the Spring/Summer the store is closed from October to April, which for the area makes a lot of sense since it’s Wildwood’s off-season.  

May Hours are Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

June Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

July Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.  

September Hours are Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Finds: I kind of went on a V.C. Andrews kick. Luckily I scored the whole Shooting Stars series which included titles: Cinnamon, Ice, Rose, Honey, and Falling Stars.  

I also, scored V.C. Andrews stand alone novel My Sweet Audrina 

 

Total Spent on 6 books: $20.00 

Thoughts: I thought this store had a lot to offer, however I did feel it was chaotic. There were books all over the place – even surrounding the cash register. The fact that there were marked sections didn’t seem to help make it less chaotic. It had a lot of your typical sections – Children’s, Teens, Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror. But what I found interesting was that it had a general fiction section and another general fiction section featuring books only written by female authors. 

Another aspect I liked is that the salesperson didn’t question me if I needed help, nor did he follow me around. I’ve had experiences like that in the past, and not surprisingly have walked out empty-handed because being haunted and followed isn’t fun. 

I’m a big YA reader (if you couldn’t already tell) and was disappointed that it didn’t have a great YA section. In was only two bookshelves full. Don’t get me wrong it is a lot, but a lot of the book on the shelves were Gossip Girl books or Clique books. 

Prices: The prices are all reasonable. Most seem to be between 3 and 5 dollars for paperbacks and between 9 and 12 dollars for hardcovers. It seemed some paperbacks were cheaper because they were a bit more worn than others. Hooked on Books also sells discounted new books but, personally, I felt that the discount wasn’t as great as it boasted. I felt that I could buy online for a cheaper price. 

As an aside I just want to share with the world of what makes V.C. Andrews paperbacks so awesome. It’s this: 

 

Inside the front cover there are these awesome and creepy pictures! 
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