By the end of 2022, data shows that there were 1,072 independent bookstores in the UK and Ireland. They come in all shapes and sizes. They are wonderful places, and our booksellers are treasures, gems of our local communities.

On Bookshop Day, Saturday 14th October, we celebrate and support all Independent Bookshops.

We’re proud to have been working as a bookstore with social purpose for just over a year.

Choose bookshops for diverse and informed recommendations from fellow book lovers. With LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids there’s the added bonus of supporting schools close to your heart and those in need across the UK.

However, it's not easy being a bookseller. The number of independent bookshops in the UK and Ireland climbed to a 10-year high in 2022, as the book trade defied the odds in an otherwise brutal year for high street retailers. In spite of the positives, some estimates show that by 2025 Amazon could take over more than 70% of the US print book market. In the UK, Amazon controls at least 50% of the market, selling over 106 million copies each year.

Bookshop Day is a great opportunity to celebrate and support all independent booksellers. Today we’re celebrating the time dedicated to finding and sharing a steady stream of recommended books from established and upcoming authors. We’re celebrating recommendations for bookworms from fellow book lovers, not algorithms set up to drive sales. Celebrating helping all authors to shine and helping you to find the next book or gift perfect for you and your loved ones.

We’re celebrating recognising the true value of books. Supporting bookshops over mega-retailers supports not only the booksellers but the wider publishing industry, meaning a bright future filled with endless new bookish treasures to discover.

So whichever book you buy next, show how much you truly love books and choose bookshops. To celebrate bookshops today and every day of the year, we have collected here a selection of our favourite reads featuring brilliant bookshops and our beloved booksellers. Which one's your favourite?

#BookshopDay

#ChooseBookshops