Where to Buy Cheap Books
10 Best places for discount books. Plus! Lots of bookish news for Mid-May 2025.
Hi Bookish AF friend! Everything seems to be getting more and more expensive these days. And despite the adage “you can never have too many books,” the reality is that you do have to be able to afford the “many” books.
But here’s the good news: there are plenty of places where you can buy cheap books. Yay!
Today’s newsletter is here to help you save with more than 10 places where you can buy cheap books. Plus, a smart shortcut for finding the lowest price!
Then, I’ve been extra busy rounding up all the bookish breaking news for mid-May:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month: See this booklist!
The Read with Jenna book club announced their pick for May.
Also, Oprah just selected her 114th Book Club pick.
The 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction is a book I read and loved!
Fans of Fredrik Backman (the author of “A Man Called Ove”): New book!
And there’s a new Netflix series based on a Judy Blume novel from 1975.
Happy Reading! (and Happy Bargain Hunting!)
Your friend,
Audry
P.S. Here’s a fun bookish word: "Tsundoku.” This Japanese word (pronounced "sun-doh-koo") translates to “piles of reading” or, more accurately, that pile of unread books sitting on your bedside table or bookshelf. (You can thank me later for helping you save money while adding to your tsundoku!)
Bookish Reading Tip: Best Places to Buy Cheap Books
Shopping for print books can add up quickly. However, there are plenty of ways to save!
In-person: Visit a local used bookstore or find a library sale.
Online: You can easily find many sites dedicated to discount books.
Here are the top 10 places on the web to spend a little … on a lot of books!
ThriftBooks carries over 13 million titles with a wide selection of genres, both new and used books, and affordable prices.
AbeBooks, an Amazon subsidiary, provides book collections and the option to conduct an advanced search of its inventory of discounted books, used books, and textbooks.
Alibris sells print books and ebooks as well as music and movies. Check out the bargain section for 99-cent books!
Powell’s Books, located in Portland, Oregon, and one of the largest independent bookstores in the United States, is also a great place to visit online for discounted and used books.
Better World Books aims to live up to its name by donating a portion of the profits from each book sold to charities and environmental programs. It also provides a rewards program to save on future purchases.
Biblio is great for finding affordable books, or if you’re looking for a rare or out-of-print book. They also give back by building libraries in rural South America.
Half Price Books is a retail store based in Dallas, TX, that also provides a website with books priced, maybe not half-off as their name implies, but at a decent discount.
Book Outlet has a section called Frugal Finds where you can stock up on cheap books. They also have a rewards program where you can accrue points and use them to buy … what else … more books!
BookBub is a site you’ll want to check often for its ever-changing selection of discounted ebooks, including new releases! Subscribe to their newsletter to never miss out on a sale on the genres you love best.
Amazon Daily Deals has a constant stream of the latest book deals. Since we’re on the subject of saving money, I found deals on these books on wealth:
The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life by Sahil Bloom
Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel
Bookish Pro Tip: Use this shortcut to find cheap books!
With one click, using a comparison platform, such as BookFinder.com or BookScouter.com, you get a rundown of different prices for the book you’re considering buying.
I clicked on both sites, and Book Scouter seemed the most sleek and user-friendly. For fun, I searched my book, Until Next Sunday, and it created a list of places I could buy it, including on several of the platforms listed above! Plus, it displays the shipping costs and the book's condition.
Bookish News: Mid-May 2025
From thought-provoking and uplifting books for your mental health to a modern adaptation of a fifty-year-old novel that’s still relevant today, the bookish news in May doesn’t disappoint!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month: Read these books!
Your Guide to Ritual Design: Redefine Your Day, Transform Your Life by Kris Farren Moss will inspire you to rethink how you go about your day. Discover how adding small rituals into your daily life can lead to more meaningful experiences and feelings of connection. (Thank you
for sending me a copy. I can’t wait to read it!)Find more book recs to improve your mental health here!
Read With Jenna Book Club Pick for May
The Names by Florence Knapp explores how a name can change the direction of a person’s life. Three different storylines, each following a different reality, emerge as Cora decides which of the three names she will name her newborn son: Gordon, after her abusive spouse; Julian, the name she prefers; or her daughter’s choice, Bear. (Be aware that this book depicts domestic violence.)
Oprah's 114th Book Club Pick
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong begins with nineteen-year-old Hai standing on a bridge about to jump when Grazina, an elderly woman with dementia, stops him. Hai becomes her caretaker in this poetic, character-driven story. You can watch a short clip of Oprah explaining why she chose this book here.
The 2025 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Fiction is …
James by Percival Everett! And I couldn’t agree more. I read James earlier this year and knew it was one of those influential books that would stay with me long after I read it. Read my review of it on Goodreads.
From the Author of “A Man Called Ove”
My Friends by Fredrik Backman is a heartwarming story that’s sure to make you laugh and cry. It follows eighteen-year-old Louisa, who leaves on a cross-country journey to learn more about the three figures most people overlook in the background of a famous painting.
Bookish Entertainment News
Forever on Netflix is the adaptation of Judy Blume‘s 1975 groundbreaking novel by the same name. The Netflix series, set in 2018, depicts two black teenagers living in Los Angeles, who become each other’s firsts.
Bookish Quote of the Week
“I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” – Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice
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Thank you for the shoutout and your great book recs!