A Bookish Moment in London

Hello my dearest bookworms! Welcome to my first post of 2024! I know it’s a tad late, but the first couple of weeks of the year were spent planning a little trip to London. 

For Christmas, I got tickets to see She Stoops to Conquer at the adorable Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond. I was super excited because it was my first play (I’ve seen one musical before but it was years ago and I was right at the back). I loved the small and intimate setting of Orange Tree because it helped the play feel more personal and it made for some wholesome audience interaction. I had the absolute best time! 

had such a wonderful time visiting @OrangeTreeThtr for the first time this weekend to see She Stoops to Conquer. such an adorable theatre, and freddie fox & tanya reynolds are SO incredible 😌 pic.twitter.com/7WtdMPVwku

— katie (@KatieBookQueen) January 14, 2024

Since I was going all the way to London (I live near Liverpool and can’t travel often) I decided to visit some bookshops, naturally. I didn’t have much time because I had to get the train back, but I managed to squeeze in a few stops. 

First up was The Alligator’s Mouth, an adorable little place in Richmond that focuses mostly on children’s books but has a section for YA and Adult novels too. It was close to where I was staying so I was thrilled to discover a bookshop nearby. It was SO cute in there. 

Next up was Foyles! There isn’t a Foyles anywhere near where I live so whenever I get the chance to travel to London, I’m always excited to visit. The flagship store on Charing Cross Road is gorgeous and I had a great time browsing the huge YA/NA shelves. 

Just before I had to catch my train, I had enough time for the place I’d saved till last. My personal favourite, Gay’s The Word. It’s a no brainer that I love this bookshop with my whole heart. I can’t go to London without buying a book there.

This time I managed to get my hands on a copy of Love Letters: Virgina Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Oh, to be tending a castle garden whilst sending love letters to one of the best writers of all time. 

As I made my way back to the station, I passed by one of the homes of J. M. Barrie. How are we all feeling about Peter Pan finally being in the public domain?? I’m excited for what stories it brings because I’ve always been a sucker for Peter Pan retellings. I’ve been planning my own story (based more on Hook 👀) for years now and I’m hoping that 2024 is the year I’ll actually get it written. 

So, a short and sweet bookish wander around the capital for me, but I enjoyed every second of it. If I lived closer to London, the bookshops would never be rid of me. 

What’s your favourite London bookshop, or one you’d like to visit?