The benefits of books are countless — reading regularly can even help lengthen your lifespan. But books can be expensive, and you know what’s not good for your health? An empty bank account. Here are some tips on where to find affordable books.
Don’t Skip the Library
It might sound obvious, but every time I visit the library it’s much emptier than it should be. The only downside to borrowing books from the library is that you have to return them, but if you’re like me, that might just be the motivation you need to actually read consistently. And in Houston, you can get access to both the city library and Harris County libraries!
If you prefer e-books, you can borrow digital versions of books from the library through the Libby app. There’s also the K-12 version, Sora, for the youngins in the house.
Some Cheaper Options
You don’t have to pay full price for books. Here are some great options around Houston.
- Used book stores — Kaboom Books in the Heights, just north of downtown, has used books, specializing in hard-to-find titles and a fantastic patio. Quarter Price Books in Montrose both buys and sells used books. And Katy Budget Books is a haven for book-lovers, with thousands of titles.
- Friends of the Houston Public Library also hosts used book sales throughout the year, selling books for $1 or $2.
- Thriftbooks.com — this organization partners with libraries across the country to find homes for ex-library books for a fraction of the retail price.
- Goodwillbooks.com — your favorite place to buy vintage t-shirts also sells books at a great price.
Free Books
There’s nothing cheaper than free.
- Houston book clubs — the best way to find books is arguably through fellow bibliophiles. Looking for serious discussion? Check out the nonprofit Houston Great Books, which focuses on major works of literature and has groups across the region. Inprint offers an online book club to discuss works by top authors featured in its Margarett Root Brown Reading Series. Kindred Stories, a Black-owned bookstore in Third Ward, also regularly hosts book club gatherings. Brazos Bookstore’s book club members are reading “Elena Knows” in June and “Not a River” in July. And in southeast Houston, there’s Book Cycle that accepts book donations and holds regular events to find them new homes.
- Little Free Libraries — you’ve probably seen these tiny standalone shelves around town. They’re a great option, but the product is a gamble, which can either be a delight or a shock, depending on what you find. Find one near you on their interactive map.
- Project Gutenberg — browse from a catalog of more than 70,000 free books with an expired U.S. copyright.
- Goodreads — the online social network for books also has a lineup of e-books you can read for free.
Do you have a book you’d like to recommend? Tell us what you’re reading! And if you want even more options to hunt for good books, check out our recent roundup of Houston’s best bookstores!
City Cast Houston Executive Producer Laura Isensee contributed to this article.
