The 7 Best Bookstores in Houston

Kindred Stories is a bookstore true to its neighborhood. It showcases the works of both local and famous black artisans.

Terri, the shop owner, has created a magical and fantastic space for anyone in the neighborhood to escape from reality while learning from authors’ experiences from all walks of life. 

Pottery, candles, coffee, tea, and even stationary adorn Kindred Stories to make it a haven in the neighborhood. 

When we walked into the bookstore, we noticed how organized all the bookshelves were. Then, we were greeted by Terri, who quickly left us alone to browse throughout the bookstore. 

While she attended to a little girl looking for some books, the way Terri lit up when she spoke made it obvious how passionate she is about books and culture.

As far as we could see, children swarmed throughout the bookstore, with their parents not too far behind. Smiles and laughter all around us—nothing like a quiet library.

Even outside in the backyard of the bookstore, we found avid readers. It provides a nice atmosphere.

Although we didn’t find many second-hand books here, by the way, we thoroughly enjoyed the selection of books Kindred Stories offers. 

We found ourselves living through the words on every page of the books we read. 

Indeed, whether you’re a fiction lover or a fan of biographies—there’s something here for everyone, in our opinion. It’s a pity it’s closed on 2 days of the week, though.

There’s something about mystery books that captures our attention with every flip of a page.

Murder By The Book claims to be one of the largest mystery bookstores in town, so naturally, we couldn’t resist checking it out for ourselves.

On the day we went, they had an author signing event, with lines of people waiting to meet their favorite mystery writer. 

Nevertheless, we managed to squeeze through the crowds and were warmly greeted by one of the staff members. 

The entire bookstore felt like being in a murder mystery. From book-themed candles to classic mystery painted matchboxes and even the murder mystery games we were able to play. 

Now, although they specialize in mystery books, we were able to find some general fiction books in the young adult section, such as the Percy Jackson series.

By the way, we did see a selection of books for sale in the back of the store. However, we didn’t see any second-hand books.

But what we loved the most was Murder By The Book’s collections of first editions lining up the bookshelves.

When we inquired about the first edition of one of Agatha Christie’s famous novels, the man helping us offered to look it up in their system. 

Although we were a little disappointed that they didn’t have one in stock, he assured us that they could put an order in for us.

Nevertheless, we walked out with a few other first editions to add to our mysteries collection. We just couldn’t resist!

So, anytime you’re in the mood to escape into a mystery, this is the place to be.

ReadMeAStoryToday is not just your average bookstore; it’s a haven for families and children in Houston, TX, where stories come alive and imaginations soar. As a children’s shop with a mission to transform lives through literacy, ReadMeAStoryToday goes above and beyond to provide educational resources, engaging books, and a welcoming community for all. 

As a proud provider of PaperPie educational products, ReadMeAStoryToday offers high-quality resources designed to enrich, inspire, and nourish the mind and imagination. Whether it’s interactive storybooks, hands-on learning kits, or innovative reading programs, PaperPie products enhance the learning journey and make education enjoyable for children of all ages.

Furthermore, we like that they offer an extensive range of educational toys, picture books, storybooks, reading programs, and educational jigsaw puzzles. From classic favorites to innovative learning tools, their diverse selection caters to children of all ages and interests, fostering a love of learning from an early age.

Note though that while ReadMeAStoryToday has a strong online presence, some customers may find the lack of physical storefronts limiting, especially if they prefer to browse books in person or attend in-store events and activities. However, the convenience of online shopping and the availability of virtual resources help mitigate this limitation for many customers.

Overall, ReadMeAStoryToday stands out as a beacon of literacy and learning, offering a diverse selection of educational products, fostering community engagement, and providing opportunities for individuals to become StoryMakers. While there are some limitations in terms of physical presence and geographic accessibility, the overall experience and impact of ReadMeAStoryToday are overwhelmingly positive, making it a valuable resource for families, educators, and children alike.

We first caught sight of Kaboom Books when we were driving on the I-45. It’s right off the intersection, so we decided to check out the place and see if we could find any good reads.  

But parking was tricky—thank goodness we know how to parallel park!

When we entered Kaboom Books, a fluffy orange cat skedaddled past our feet. Towers and towers of bookshelves greeted us at the door. 

As far we could see, the books reached the ceiling!

At first glance, it was honestly overwhelming. But as we made our way through all three rooms of the bookstore, we noticed labels on the bookshelves—all organized by subject. 

Everyone we came across was wearing masks, and there were pumps of hand sanitizer scattered throughout the store. 

People were sitting on stools in the aisles and reading in every room we went into. But we did see one person at the top of a ladder in the back room, avidly peering into a book. 

So, we decided to do the same! We climbed up a ladder and started our scavenger hunt for some classic literature pieces. 

Even if we had spent all month reading, we would never get close to finishing the books in just one room. Because the bookstore owners came by and told us they had over 100,000 books throughout the store. 

They have one of the best-curated inventories that we have come across—from unique and rare collections to culinary and gardening books. 

Once we had our books picked out, the owners gave us a tour of the reading garden out back and proudly boasted about their giant fiddle leaf fig tree. 

But the best part is, any old books can be sold here—yes, that means from your own collection! Not to mention, the prices are reasonable. 

We can’t speak for everyone, but to us, Kaboom Books was a haven away from the ugly realities we face. It was the perfect place to get lost in a world of books.

We’re not going to lie: the bookstore’s name is what attracted us at first. Quarter-price books couldn’t possibly be true, or so we thought.

While the store is small, it’s crammed with books. Right away, the owner, a kind white-haired older man, came up to us and started talking our ear off! 

As we followed him throughout the store, we noticed that little books had tags on them marked interesting or good reads. We even saw multiple books in various languages. 

He first showed us his collection of rarities—it was obvious he’s been a true lover of books for decades. 

His rarities included his first editions and some bound leather books he had available. Some of the books looked older than the bookstore itself!

Afterward, the owner pointed us in the direction of his collection of fiction novels. 

So we spent the rest of the afternoon browsing through the store, seeing just about everything from philosophy books to old romance novels. 

But what truly fascinated us was the leather-bound books he had for sale. We had never seen such old leather copies of books for less than $30. 

Of course, none of the books in the quarter-price books section is brand-new. They’re all pre-loved gems, and the owner keeps them in excellent condition.

Unfortunately, the books aren’t sold for a quarter, if that’s what you were hoping for. Instead, they sell valuable classics and collectibles for a quarter of the price of other bookstores – still a steal, we think!

To be honest, we almost drove past Becker’s books on our way there, so do make a mental note that the place is a little hard to find. 

We thought it was a typical house because it blended in with the rest of the neighborhood. 

Yet, as soon as we walked in through the doors, we were surrounded by chaos. But, wonderful chaos of books. 

As we looked around the maze of books, one of the owners, Mrs. Ann Becker, came up to us and offered us some coffee. 

We didn’t want to refuse, so we sat down on one of the empty couches and kept roaming about the store with our eyes. By the way, the coffee was splendid. 

So at first glance, the bookshelves seemed to be completely unorganized. It wasn’t until we realized that they were not organized alphabetically but instead by genre.

From the floor to the ceiling, the house is filled with books. Every time we thought we reached the end of an aisle, another one was waiting for us to explore. 

To be honest, we could’ve spent hours here. However, our only disappointment is the book prices. Some can be very expensive, ranging from $5 to $25 for highly used books.

Not to mention, the prices are written in pencil inside the first few pages of the books. 

But overall, we found some unique gems here and plan to return when we have more time to explore the rest of the book maze.

The Forgotten Lore Bookshop boasts an impressive and trustworthy record of providing an amazing and varied selection of rare books. 

With a reputation for authentic classics, contemporary works, and significant literary works in history, they’ve carved out a trusted place in the literary world. 

We appreciate how ideal the environment they’ve created is, providing a comfortable and peaceful place for bookworms. Browsing books is also free of charge for all types of clients.

There’s also a lot of helpful knowledge and hospitality from the owner and staff to help people in browsing desired potentially consumed books. Some have even shared that their employees have helped them find a title they were looking for.

However, some of their books are said to be dusty or tattered, especially the classic ones. This can be pretty usual for bookshops, though, especially if specific sections are dusted or maintained as regularly as others.

Altogether, the company presents a trustworthy reputation for providing an authentic selection of significant literary works. We can definitely recommend them for people looking for authentic and valuable contemporary and classic literary pieces by well-known writers from all eras.