I have a total confession to make: I am obsessed with indie bookshops. But I’m a very specific kind of bookshop nerd. You know those shops where books are literally bursting out of every corner and it feels like a magical hidden world? I love the vibe of them, but my brain usually goes into “where do I even start?” mode. I’m much more of a “give me space, organization, and a table full of cute stickers and stationery” kind of bookworm.
The fam and I spent the long weekend wandering through Ipswich, New Hampshire, and Kittery, and I think I officially found my “travel thing”: hunting down the best indie bookshops. Here were the highlights from the trip:
Tidal Pages Bookshop (Ipswich, MA)
This place was basically curated specifically for me. If you’re into romance novels and the latest releases, you have to go. I managed to snag a hardcover copy of The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center, and get this — it has hot pink sprayed edges. It’s going straight onto my “favorites” shelf. I also couldn’t resist a hot dog bookmark from Humdrum Paper because, well, why not?
Portsmouth Book Nook (Portsmouth, NH)
We were actually heading somewhere else when I saw this spot and had to pivot. I’m so glad we did! It was so bright and airy inside, which made browsing the new releases a breeze. The staff were absolute gems, too — they even let the kiddo test out a working typewriter they had on display.
I walked out with the new Ilona Andrews hardcover. I haven’t cracked it open yet, but their world-building is always top-tier. Plus, it had turquoise sprayed edges… and look, if a hardcover has something special going on with the design, you know it’s coming home with me.
Sheafe Street Books (Portsmouth, NH)
I’m not gonna lie: I originally wanted to visit for the shop cat. Sadly, the kitty was nowhere to be found when we arrived, but the shop itself was incredible. It felt like stepping straight into a Harry Potter book. While they had some new stuff (I spotted a copy of Alchemised), the real soul of the shop is all the hard-to-find titles. It’s definitely a place to get lost in.
Even though it was a quick trip, it was exactly what I needed. I think I’m officially hooked on the indie bookshop hunt!
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