This week (Saturday 13 – Saturday 20 June) marks Independent Bookshop Week in the UK and Ireland – a time for us to celebrate our local bookshops and the role they play in our communities. To mark the occasion, we asked some of the authors long- and shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prizes for Fiction and Non-Fiction to share their favourite independent bookshops and what makes them special.
Read on to discover their picks – and if you’re heading to your local bookshop this week, why not pick up one of the 32 extraordinary books recognised by this year’s Prizes?
The Little Ripon Book Shop – Rozie Kelly
‘My lovely mum lives in Ripon, and whenever I visit her I always have to go to The Little Ripon Book Shop for a browse. It’s got the most beautifully curated fiction section, and the owners work so hard and clearly care about it so much (something that you can find in all indie bookshops). There’s nothing better than going to a shop piled to the rafters with paper worlds you can take home in your bag, and having a natter with someone who’s as obsessed with them as you are.’
Drop City Books – Sheena Kalayil
‘Drop City Books, located in Hanley and run by the inspirational Ruth Wallbank, is transforming the literary and cultural scene in Stoke-on-Trent. She has partnered with Keele University for events with local and international authors, including Lisa Blower and Abdulrazak Gurnah. Ruth opened her bookshop in 2023, the first indie in the city centre, but had to close because of flooding. Thankfully, she found new premises, did most of the renovations herself, working all hours, to open again in February 2026. This is serious commitment to books from an extraordinary young woman.’
Warwick Books – Kit de Waal
‘A beautiful, small bookshop, welcoming to all where they host new writer events to help people who may not have a big presence in the publishing world. They stock a very inclusive booklist including local writers and writers from diverse backgrounds. They have been known to take my order via Instagram and deliver the book to me when it arrives. This is the kind of bookshop where you can say I saw a book with a red cover and yellow writing and they know what you’re talking about. They are two lovely women.’
Newham Bookshop – Lucy Apps
‘It’s been there for as long as I can remember, it’s one of very few bookshops in Newham and has a great selection of books. Vivian (who runs it) is very supportive of local authors. It’s a landmark in the borough, loads of local people are regulars at the shop. They have an excellent children’s section and work with local schools. It’s been a part of my life since I was a kid.’
The Chorlton Bookshop – Marcia Hutchinson
‘The Chorlton Bookshop in Manchester is both my local bookshop and my favourite independent bookshop. They are extremely supportive to writers and work closely with local events to provide books on sale. The staff are also very well read; they ALL read The Mercy Step and made a point of recommending the book to potential readers.’
No Alibis – Wendy Erskine
‘No Alibis is a Belfast institution. It’s not a large shop in size but it feels huge in impact. Put simply, it’s run by people who love books and that comes through in absolutely everything: the selection of titles on display, the written recommendations, the care and imagination they put into their programme of events. But another important aspect is that they love people too. I’ve overheard so many conversations in the shop where the supremely knowledgeable No Alibis staff take the time and care to help readers find what is right for them, whether they’re a sci-fi fan or someone looking to buy a poetry collection for the first time. It’s a warm, unpretentious place.’
Daunt Books – Katie Kitamura
‘I have always loved Daunt books. It must be one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world, and the selection of books is unparalleled. When I’m there, I’m always making new discoveries, picking up books I didn’t know I wanted to read, which is everything you can ask of a bookshop.’
The Bookcase, Lowdham – Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
‘This bookshop, run by Jane Streeter, supports local authors and is central to the community. The bookshop stimulates interest in children’s and adult fiction and non-fiction, hosting literary festivals, book events, fascinating and energetic conversations around books. The bookshop fosters connections to the arts and music, being a centre for the work of local musicians and being present at concerts and music events. Independent bookshops like this are necessary and bring vitality to literature and the arts in general. The Bookcase is a beautiful place for engaging the imagination and bringing people together in new ways.’
To Be Young, Gifted and Black: Creativity and Race in the 21st Century
by Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason
Find out moreWest Kirby Bookshop – Daisy Fancourt
‘I couldn’t be more in love with West Kirby Bookshop. It’s a magical labyrinth of beautiful books run by passionate book lovers. The owner Jordan was the speediest and most enthusiastic champion of Art Cure and I had such a great time doing my very first live book event there.’
Donlon Books, Hackney – Zakia Sewell
‘It’s a tiny bookshop but I adore the selection of books they sell. It really feels like it’s been curated very personally and covers art, folklore, mysticism, radical histories and much more. It’s also a lovely mix of new books and rare and second hand ones which is an extra bonus! It’s the kind of place I go into to buy presents for friends and end up leaving with an additional pile of books for myself – dangerous and irresistible!’
John Sandoe – Harriet Rix
‘Such a hard choice, but it has to be John Sandoe in London. Books are piled up with a maze-like logic, and alongside every travel book you could hope to read, poetry classics, nature-writing epics, every variety of novel, there are exhibition catalogues (such as the spectacular catalogue of the Britta Marakatt-Labba exhibition), rare translations from Chinese and Turkish, and books by small publishers like Peirene Press. It was also there that I bought the only book that has ever managed to shock me….’
The Genius of Trees: How Trees Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World
by Harriet Rix
Find out moreThe Broadway Bookshop – Judith Mackrell
‘It has a gorgeously handpicked stock of fiction and non-fiction, and it has been in Broadway Market, in Dalston, for years – long before the area became a go to destination for Instagrammers.’
Artists, Siblings, Visionaries: The lives and loves of Gwen and Augustus John
by Judith Mackrell
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