I don't have intentions of attending National Bookstore's Book Binge Bazaar. I have more than enough books since December. I also have pending orders from Thrift Books. I've been seeing teasers from National Bookstore's Facebook page, nothing appealed to me. A few days before weekend, my cousin signified her intention. Being the dutiful cousin ;), I woke up earlier than my usual Saturday routine. The early morning trip was worth it because less traffic and surprisingly, SM Megamall wasn't populated yet. 

Walking towards the 5th floor to the mega trade hall was a breeze. The few people inside the mall, particularly the millennials, seem to head to one destination. I love the sight of the younger generation eagerly headed to exhibition hall. Much more when I saw that the flock of Book Binge shoppers were teenage to college kiddies. :) Some came with their parents, but most are with their friends. #FriendshipGoals :p Although my heart bleeds whenever I see them returning books because of budget constraints. Deciding which books to let go, even when their hearts long for that crisp hardbound read. 

As I made my way to the shelves, I realized why this event appealed to the younger populace. Most books belong to the genre of Young Adult (YA). Books written by David Levithan, Kiera Cass, Jenny Han, Meg Leder, Robyn Schneider and Jennifer Smith. There were also great selections of children's books and a few lifestyle books. I was hoping to score a nice coffee table book from the lifestyle section. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything interesting.

Here are photos from the event





It was hard to take photos of the books. We started with a few fellow shoppers. In a matter of minutes, the exhibition hall was already jampacked.





Books that were given up :( - In as much as the kids wanted to return them to their shelves, the flock of shoppers makes everything difficult.


My cousin's shopping loot. :) My contribution was limited to three books, much to my relief. hahahaha

Overall, I enjoyed my Book Binge Bazaar experience. However, I still wouldn't trade my traditional visit to the Manila International Book Fair. There's another book fair coming to Manila, the first Big Bad Wolf Sale. You can also find details of the event through their website. I wanted to attend, but my budget does not seem to agree. ;) Let's see, let's see.

Just a few observations from National Bookstore's first Book Binge Bazaar

1. It's hard to find decent copies of some titles. Unfortunately, some copies looked like factory rejects.  Either the spine or cover has torn edges. Some even have ink marks. But for Php 175, I didn't anymore complain. 

2. Don't expect help from the sales assistants. - If you are looking for a specific title, don't expect assistance from the sales personnel. Most of them are busy rearranging the books and unboxing deliveries. I also didn't find a customer service area that allows checking of stocks and available titles. 

3. It's quite a challenge to get baskets and trolleys. We waited for a while in the cashier section to get our own trolley.

4. Books that are abundant in stocks include Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, David Levithan's Every Day, My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories from authors such as Rainbow Rowell, David Levithan and Gayle Forman, Shopaholic to the Rescue and The Museum of Heatbreak.

5. If you love the genre of YA (Young Adult) reads, this event is for you. 95% of the titles are under this genre. It' s YA heaven!!!!!

6. Paying for purchases was a breeze. They have more than adequate cashier stations.... except that the lady cashier double swiped my credit card. Uggggh! 

7. If you love giving books as presents, this event is the best place. No one will prevent you from scoring early Christmas?!? or any occasion presents to friends and family members who love YA reads.

8. There are also regularly priced books, usually from local publications.

9. Most of the books sold are old titles. So don't expect the latest book from John Green or David Levithan.

10. Come early! People tend to flock on the peak of mall hours. The best way to shop is during the mall opening.