House of Books

Very cute book store. They had a lot of unique books and souvenirs to buy. The staff seemed nice too.

A drive and visit to Kent, Connecticut is not complete without a stop at the House of books. A beautifully designed store with knowledgeable staff and thorough and thoughtful staff. Book pic selections make this bookstore a one-of-a-kind gem. The children section is filled with wonderful books for kids of all ages and the adults section offers a variety of books in different genres. I highly recommend you check out this independent bookshop.

The staff are welcoming, warm and have excellent suggestions (even for gifting). LED silicon book light has been a staple - get one ;). The space is stunning and meticulously curated. Love visiting!

Absolutely a must-visit if you love books 📚 & the other humans that love them. Also there's pens and other little treasures. Friendly and well kept store.

My favorite bookstore in CT, and that’s saying a lot since Connecticut has great bookstores. Books are curated and displayed in a way that makes browsing so enjoyable. I have found all kinds of terrific books here.

Great little book store! I went for an author talk and signing with Paul Tremblay. Of course I checked out the books. I would definitely head back for a regular day trip soon!

This is an amazing bookstore. It is wonderful the way they curate the books, and provide notes explaining what they find special about some books. They have an amazing card selection as well, plus a children's section, and a few fun gift miscellanea like candles.

Simply the best book store around. Knowledgeable staff with great recommendations. They’re well stocked with a variety of genres, and always have something new and interesting to sink your teeth into.

Wonderful selection of novels, but the lady at the register never looked me in the eye or even said hello. She acted like I was bothering her by buying books. Dampened a great vibe.

It's an independent book store. It's not huge, but they have a wonderful well curated selection in the beautiful well lit space they have. The staff is always helpful, and do a beautiful wrapping job if requested for gifts. You'll find tags with staff recs hidden around the store which is fun. The kids section is a bit limited, but the wall of books it's behind is creative and the selection that is there has great classics mixed in with some great newer publications.

Writer friend and I wandered in during a day in Kent. There's nothing that draws us in faster than a good indie bookstore, and we weren't disappointed. Lots of books you can't find in any of the chain stores, or even in the book section of a good department store. The store is well organized and marked, and I browsed through most of the sections quickly. They tend to lean towards 'quirky' and recent fiction is their strength. Of course, I checked the Mysteries section (small, with a lot of the mass-market blockbuster authors missing), and the Science Fiction section (even smaller, with a couple of trending authors). However, a great section on History (found a book by a friend who's relatively obscure), and a fantastic "We Recommend" section by their staff. Even on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend, the store was busy. They also will special order books for you, as several people came in to pick up things they ordered. The staff was friendly, obviously used to bookies, since we were acknowledged, and invited to take our time to look around. No "can I help you find something?" right off the bat, although, it was apparent he would jump at the chance to assist if asked. Every town needs a bookstore like this!

Every town deserves a bookstore like this. Excellent contemporary selections, a book club, and even niche stationary supplies such as washi tape. Love!

Great little book store in the heart of a cute little town. The staff is very friendly and ready to help you find your next favorite. Highly recommend a stop through - has something for all ages - even the littles in your group.

House of Books is a cute, classic book store with none of the dust or disorder you may find in other independent bookstores (but who am I kidding, I'm a book person and I love them too!). It's located on Kent's Main Street, and has a good assortment of new books you didn't know you wanted to read. Sign up for their mailing list - they occasionally have local author signings which are fun to add to your own collection or give as gifts.

When you walk in, it at first seems cramped. There's a lot of tall bookshelves with not always a lot of room to walk around them. But the selection is varied and interesting. Move to the right, closer to the register, and you'll find music, and then you spot the doorway in the back. It's another room filled with toys and games and educational items. The games selection is huge, but it's an interesting variety, and it's only the 2nd retail store where I've ever seen the Mensa Select (TM) game of Dizios (think psychedelic dominoes). Off of this - TWO more doors. One leads to a small art supply room, the other to a room full if books for young readers. Off that, two more doors. One room has school-type supplies, and the other another room of books for young readers. I found a 2013 calendar there I had never seen anywhere else... unique calendars are always a plus for me. Very nice staff too. Well worth a visit.

I have a weekend home in Litchfield County and enjoy visiting all of the towns in the area and shopping small. As an avid reader I prefer to browse and purchase books from local booksellers instead of online and House of Books is always one of my stops whenever I'm in Kent. Unfortunately, my most recent visit the Sunday before Labor Day left such a bad taste in my mouth that I will reconsider going there in the future. I truly don't like leaving a critical review, but the salesperson, Mary, made me and my party feel so unwelcome that it made me question whether our business was even wanted. Admittedly, we did come into the store 15 minutes before closing, it was me, my husband, my son, and my mother, but from the moment we walked in we were not welcome. Mary did not look up from the register as she counted change. Knowing that the store was closing we tried to make quick selections, but it was not appreciated when a few minutes before closing we were told "you know, I've been here since 8:30am and we close at 5 and I have an appointment I need to get to so you need to hurry up." The whole experience was bizarre. I told her as I paid that she made us feel very unwelcome and that it appeared that she didn't want our business and I essentially got a "what do you expect when you come in before closing" and an "I don't care." The selection is great, but I think I'll take my business to Hickory Sticks in Washington where the service is always nothing but lovely.

Right in the heart of Kent is this decdes-old book store, long a familiar part of this attractive town. It boasts a good stock of new and recent books with a small used book section. There's an emphasis on the local, which is always good to see. The staff -- actually we met only one woman -- is pleasant and reasonably informed, and there are several nice chairs for browsing comfortable. Other sections of the store contain a large selection of children's books and knick-knacks, and kids and their parents seem very happy here. A good place to visit, and it joins our list of worthy independent book stores.

The bookstore is fine in terms of merchandise. Low rating is for terrible customer service. I walked in and got a stare from two ladies talking at the front: "Can I help you or...?" I almost asked if they were open; it seemed like I had caught them so off-guard. I said no, I was just visiting and looking around. Silence. Decided just to buy a magnet. "$10 minimum for credit cards." This place can clearly afford to not do that. I asked if she had a restroom. She stared at me and said "oh, no, no public restrooms, sorry." Just a really weird experience -- wouldn't recommend this place to tourists.

This is one of my favorite bookstores in any city (San Fran, NYC, Philly you name it). The selection is excellent and I especially love the extremely knowledgeable, kind, and helpful staff. I enjoy reading the summaries of recommended reading and the organization as well as the whole vibe of the place. Whenever I enter even without looking for a particular book, I often leave with a great find. Thank you!!

"We're closing now." She wanted to go home. We came the next day with 20 minutes before closing. The place has stationary supplies, art supplies, a shelf of music, an excellent children's selection with two big rooms. They also have a kind of tourist shop room. And they have books. I didn't see any used books as Craig C says. Looked like everything was new to me.

House of Books is a wonderful little gem in Kent, CT. They have a great selection of books--there is something for everyone, of all ages. And, if they don't have it, they can get it for you lickety split. I think you will specifically find Robin to be of the most help, and she's an absolute delight to chat with. In addition to their vast selection of books, House of Books also has a wonderful greeting card collection, and many other charming gifts. One of my favorite finds was during a Halloween visit when I stumbled on their selection of homemade Harry Potter wands --they were magnificent! I think they even surpassed the wand selection at the WB Studios in the UK. On a more personal note, I was visiting Kent on one occasion during a trying time for my family, and Robin was an exceptional help in trying to locate books for me on the subject. I hope during your next visit to Kent that you take the time to visit this special little shop. You will not be disappointed.

A nice local bookstore with a good kids section. A good place to buy a gift or pick up some summer reading.

HOB is the type of bookstore that you can just walk into and immerse yourself in just about any genre that you can think of. The staff members are all pleasant and very helpful. Discovering this bookstore made the trip to Kent that much more worth it. I will definitely make it a point to come back every time I'm around the area!

One of my favorite independent bookstores. Each time I find myself in the Litchfield Hills I make sure to take a trip down Route 7 to House of Books. There are few pleasures better on a Fall day then coming in to this cozy, shelf-lined book store, finding a new title of local interest, and having a seat. For a small space, the selection is surprisingly extensive and varied. The owner is well-read, friendly, multilingual, and knowledgeable.

A wonderful place to browse, with great suggestions on display, and book-loving staff ready with suggestions. Beautiful gift wrapping and lots of witty and thoughtful "house gifts" plus games for all ages and well selected art supplies. This store is a treasure.