Awesome Books: Finding New and Used Books Online

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If you’ve been around Life in a Break Down for a while, you’ll probably know I love books. Sadly, my eyesight means I can’t physically read them anymore.

That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped reading; thanks to audiobooks, I managed 141 books last year and, at the time of writing, I’m already on 71 for 2026. Apparently, having a book playing in my ear a lot of the time really adds up.

I haven’t completely stopped buying physical books either. I still collect special and signed editions of books I love. I might not be able to read them, but apparently I can still find space on a shelf for a pretty one.

So when Awesome Books offered me the chance to have a look around their website, of course I said yes.

New and Used Books at Awesome Books

Awesome Books sells both new and used books online, and I was actually surprised by how much they had.

It’s not just your usual fiction and non-fiction either, they have colouring books, activity books, children’s books and all sorts. I even spotted some lovely special editions, but just about managed to keep scrolling.

Instead, I decided to see if I could find some books my dad had been looking for.

He’d discovered a few authors after listening to them speak at Hay Festival and had been keeping an eye out for their books in charity shops ever since. They’re not obscure authors, he found out about them at Hay Festival after all, but they’re not necessarily books you’re going to come across in every charity shop.

I managed to find four on Awesome Books: Berlin by Antony Beevor, Operation Biting and The Secret War by Max Hastings, and The Last Man in Russia by Oliver Bullough.

They were all used and cost between £3.89 and £4.99, so all four came to £17.66.

I love having a nose around charity shops myself, but as an ambulatory wheelchair user they’re not always easy. A lot are small and tightly packed, which can make actually getting around them difficult. Then if you’re looking for a particular book, you’ve got to hope it’s there in the first place.

Sometimes being able to sit at home and search for exactly what you want is just easier.

What Were the Used Books Like?

I was slightly worried about what condition they would turn up in.

I’ve bought used books online elsewhere before and it didn’t go particularly well. Some colouring books arrived already partly coloured in, while others had a smell to them. And sadly, I don’t mean that nice book smell.

Luckily, I didn’t have the same problem this time.

They looked like used books; they had clearly been read and weren’t pretending to be brand new, but they were in perfectly good, readable condition. Nothing awful, nothing that made me wonder what on earth had happened to it before it reached me and, most importantly, no weird smells.

That’s pretty much what I want from second-hand books.

Of Course I Bought Myself Something

I couldn’t spend the whole £30 on my dad, could I?

I also picked up a new copy of Beyond Bored for £13.75, which took my grand total to £31.41.

Yes, I went £1.41 over my gifted credit. Try not to be too shocked by my wild spending.

UK delivery is free too, and when you’re buying books for £3 or £4, that makes a difference.

I’d definitely use Awesome Books again, especially if Dad gives me another list of books he can’t find. Or if they had any of the special additions I was looking to add to my collection.

What do you think of the sound of Awesome Books? Would you buy from them?

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