Here are all the best student-friendly spots for the literature lovers of Liverpool

Ok, so you might already have a New Year’s resolution to get through the looming pile of books on your TBR pile, but that doesn’t matter, because reading books and buying books are totally different hobbies, right? If you’re going to ignore the mountain of reading you’ve been putting off all semester, you might as well spend your time doing something interesting instead.

Supporting indie bookshops is a win-win for everyone, and it would be rude not to buy a book next time you pass by one. There’s no point having an aesthetically pleasing book corner in your room if you can’t use it as an excuse to add to it every once in a while. Plus, it makes for a wholesome day out doing a tour of the city and picking up a new read along the way.

Liverpool is full of independent bookshops, and I’m not about to be a gatekeeper either, so here all the best places to get your literature fix in and around town.

Dead Ink Bookshop

Located on Smithdown Road, this one is perfect for those wanting to find some hidden gems. They specialise in books from independent publishers and often have a good three for two sale available too – so you won’t blow your weekly budget, we promise.

They also have a Dead Ink Book Club that meets on the final Sunday of every month, which is great if you are looking to find some like minded bookworms! If book clubs aren’t quite your thing, you can always join for their Dead Ink Film Club, which meets every month and gives you access to a free month of MUBI to stream your favourite films on. Sounds like a win-win situation to us.

The Reader Bookshop

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If you also love a weekend stroll, you can kill two birds with one stone by visiting The Reader Bookshop which is located in the heart of Calderstones Park. After finishing your walk, you can go and browse their fantastic selection (there’s a great mix of contemporary and classic fiction) and then go and grab a coffee and a sweet treat from the adjoining cafe with your new read. I challenge you to find a more wholesome weekend activity than this.

Reid of Liverpool

This stunning bookshop opened around 1785, and just screams Hogwarts vibes to me. Reid of Liverpool is perfect for finding vintage, second-hand gems that also won’t break the bank. It is also the only surviving Georgian, purpose built retail premises incorporating living accommodation in Liverpool, so you’re absorbing a bit of classic history while shopping there.

Book markets on University Square

You’re never too far away from a book sale, even if you’re pulling a morning shift in the Harold Cohen. Keep an eye out on campus for signs pointing you in the direction of the book and vinyl markets held in the University Square during the day. They take place in various weeks throughout the academic year and there is always a great selection of books – with both old and new to choose from. As a bonus, it is never too expensive either!

And girl math tells me that this is a good excuse to get a coffee with the money you would otherwise have spent on a brand new book online. Another win for the Goodreads girlies.

News From Nowhere

Arguably an overlooked hidden gem on Bold Street, News From Nowhere is bound to scratch that itch of grabbing a coffee and buying a new book after rooting through the vintage stores on the way up. There’s a range of books in here to please absolutely everyone, and it’s not too far off route to take a visit to.

It gets even better too, because they offer a student stamp card for every £10 you spend that really justifies popping in there to pick up a new read whenever you walk past.

Henry Bohn Books

This second-hand book shop was opened in 1988 and was last year coined the “friendliest shop in the world”. If that can’t convince you to take a trip down to St George’s Quarter for a mooch round, then I don’t know what will.

It houses thousands of books spreading across two floors, and is a bookshop you could easily spend the entire afternoon in. It definitely tops the list for hidden gem bookshops in the city.

The BIG Little Library

A building packed floor to ceiling with books for completely free? Seems like there must be some sort of catch right? Nope!

The BIG Little Library is home to thousands of books for you to sit and mull over, and it’ll definitely bring you more joy than sitting in the Sydney Jones staring at your seminar prep. Just catch the 79 bus to Belle Vale Shopping Centre and you will find a wide array of books waiting to be read.

However, be warned: If left unsupervised you may come home with more than you can carry.

It’s time to get Goodreads downloaded again, and make some room for your newest additions to your collection, because your next book shopping weekend is bound to be a big one. It’s never too late to start that New Year’s resolution of reading more in 2025, so take this as your sign to grab a coffee and take a stroll into town!