The River Severn flows about five minutes away from where I live, meaning I am lucky enough to be surrounded by some picturesque and very cute little towns and villages. One of those being Ironbridge. I used to visit there when I was a child (and didn’t live quite so close) and used to love having ice creams and walking around the quaint little shops.

Now I live right down the road from Ironbridge but still don’t spend nearly enough time enjoying it’s beauty. I know about a little second hand book shop there, so decided to pop in today and have a mooch.

Twice Told Tales is exactly how I want a book shop to be; small, quirky and filled with as many books as possible. There are shelves upon shelves of books. Lots of them double lined and going from floor to ceiling. I could have spent hours on end walking around this treasure cove. In fact I probably would have if my partner hadn’t have been with me (he has very little patience and once his books were chosen it’s time to move on!).

I’m sure other readers like me will agree that there is nothing like an actual book, with pages and a cover and everything. I do read on my iPad but I often miss actual books and revert back regularly. In addition to this, there is nothing I like more than a used book. I like the cover to be dog eared, the pages to be yellowed and it’s scent to be musty. It’s awesome when you really think about it that umpteen number of people could have owned this book before you. Their opinion on the book could have been completely different or it could have been very similar. They could have purchased it from new, found it in an attic, borrowed it from a friend and never given it back. I’d love to know the full journey of every second hand book that I’ve ever purchased.

Later on this week, I’m hoping to start one of these books and enjoy every single musty page. This little shop was such a good spot and I am buzzing that it’s right on my doorstep. If you ever find yourself in Shropshire and fancy some fish and chips, an ice cream and a good book rummage, make sure you stop in at Twice Told Tales! I certainly can’t wait to visit again!

Sarah