If you’re an avid reader like me, you know that being a bookworm can get pretty pricey. Brand new books with their beautifully illustrated covers are incredibly tantalizing, and it’s hard to resist buying book after book. To tame my book buying habits, I’ve started to look for used bookshops, and SecondSale is now my go-to recommendation for affordable secondhand books.
With SecondSale, you get the good deals from used books just like you would at a thrift store or used bookshop, but you also get the convenience of shopping online. They also have millions of books available, so it’s easy to find your next best read.
Thank you so much to SecondSale for partnering with me on this collab! These books were kindly gifted to me, but all opinions are my own.
During the pandemic, something I really missed was taking my time browsing in bookstores. The nonprofit I worked in is actually located inside of a library, and I would take daily trips to check out the Library bookstore and its used book deals.
Secondsale has provided that same great book shopping experience, and I can do it safely from my home. The entire selection process was super easy, and the books came in less than a week. Shipping is also free over $10, and let’s face it—you’re definitely going to spend that much.
The prices are also really competitive compared to what you might find in person nowadays. I got 7 books for less than $50, so it’s really an affordable secondhand books option. And you can choose which condition you’d like your books in—depending on whether you’re okay with a copy with some writing inside or if you’d like a brand new copy, the prices differ.
Let’s get into what I bought! If you’re looking for more book recommendations, check out my bookstagram.
My SecondSale Used Books Haul
Queenie
by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie is a contemporary fiction book about self-worth, breakups, and finding yourself. I’ve seen lots of great reviews for this one and I’m intrigued because people have compared it to Bridget Jones’ Diary and Fleabag. It’s written by a UK author and chronicles the life of the main character, a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman living in London.
The Jigsaw Man
by Nadine Matheson
I’ll basically read any book about serial killers, and The Jigsaw Man looks like the perfect thriller to dive into. When body parts are found in a river, it seems eerily familiar to previous murders done by the currently incarcerated serial killer known as The Jigsaw Man. A detective works to figure out what the copycat’s mission is, and to solve the case before it’s too late.
Black Buck
by Mateo Askaripour
I’ve seen so many others gushing about Black Buck, but the cover is one of the main reasons the book has stuck in my head for so long. I had to have this one on my shelves and I’m really excited to crack into it. Black Buck is a fiction book that weaves in a bit of comedy, and it’s also a debut novel. It centers around the only Black salesman at a cult-like startup where secrets are everywhere.
The Mothers
by Brit Bennett
Brit Bennet put herself on the map with her bestseller The Vanishing Half, which I read and loved. I’m excited to read another one of her books that looks like it has similar themes of family and secrecy. The book’s description tells readers: “The Mothers asks whether a ‘what if’ can be more powerful than an experience itself.“
Anna K: A Love Story
by Jenny Lee
“Every happy teenage girl is the same, while every unhappy teenage girl is miserable in her own special way.” Jenny Lee’s Anna K is—you guessed it—a retelling of the classic Tolstoy novel Anna Karenina. This young adult novel is set in NYC and is perfect for fans of Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians.
You Had Me at Hola
by Alexis Daria
The cover of You Had Me at Hola is absolutely stunning. I’ve heard great things about this contemporary romance novel that is set in the world of telenovelas, and as a Jane the Virgin fan, I’m super interested. Alexis Daria’s rom-com is said to be filled with secrets, off-limit romances, and a whole lot of character chemistry.
The Library Book
by Susan Orlean
The Library Book is a Reese’s Book Club pick, and I’m on a mission to read as many of her selections as I can. This is a nonfiction book that is said to read almost like a true crime story: on April 29, 1986, someone burned the Los Angeles Public Library for 7 hours. The Library Book shares the story of the LAPL and the importance of libraries and librarians throughout time.
All in all, my total came out to $49.00 – for seven books, this was such an incredible steal! SecondSale is definitely the cheapest way to shop for used books. I know both my wallet and bookshelf are happy now.
2 Comments
Hi, I have a question. I requested an arc from a publisher and they told me that they could not sent me the book due to the copyright in my country but told me that they would be keen to work with me and to keep their titles mind. What’s the best way to respond?
Thank you!
Good question! I would recommend thanking them and ask if there is any other way you could work with them. Maybe ebooks, instead?