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Original poster

To think there’s no hope anymore financially after seeing the price of this…?!

165 replies

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:40

I’ve just been browsing the new books due to be released next year. Hardbacks are now 22 pounds????!!!

I know hardbacks have always been pricey especially when new but I am almost certain they were around 14-15 pounds only recently.

I have quite a bit of disposable income and I love reading but I cannot for a moment get my head around how expensive this is? It won’t be long before a new hardback will cost the best part of 30 quid!

I am paid close to six figures and hand on heart if I lost my job, I know I’d be worse off for sure, but not so worse off that I’d be devastated. In a way it’s quite liberating… I care less about keeping my job than I once did! What’s the point!!!!

I have only just seen this on Amazon so this is my very reactionary post to it 😅

OP posts:
Junenights · 23/12/2025 08:55

That 14 year olds are getting excited about books has made me feel hopeful!

Libraries are cutting opening hours due to funding but also due to less people visiting, which is a catch 22 situation because then more Libraries will closing! They're so important that I feel militant about protecting them

Junenights · 23/12/2025 08:55

That 14 year olds are getting excited about books has made me feel hopeful!

Libraries are cutting opening hours due to funding but also due to less people visiting, which is a catch 22 situation because then more Libraries will closing! They're so important that I feel militant about protecting them

GalaxyJam · 23/12/2025 08:56

Junenights · 23/12/2025 08:55

That 14 year olds are getting excited about books has made me feel hopeful!

Libraries are cutting opening hours due to funding but also due to less people visiting, which is a catch 22 situation because then more Libraries will closing! They're so important that I feel militant about protecting them

I agree, I’d love to be able to use our library and would desperately like to protect it, but unless I use annual leave to go to the library I just can’t!

Bjorkdidit · 23/12/2025 09:03

If you're serious about extending your library opening hours you could see if it's possible for it to be staffed by volunteers a couple of evenings a week for example. A couple of libraries near me are entirely community run as otherwise they'd have been closed, but I don't see why a hybrid arrangement wouldn't be possible.

GalaxyJam · 23/12/2025 09:07

Bjorkdidit · 23/12/2025 09:03

If you're serious about extending your library opening hours you could see if it's possible for it to be staffed by volunteers a couple of evenings a week for example. A couple of libraries near me are entirely community run as otherwise they'd have been closed, but I don't see why a hybrid arrangement wouldn't be possible.

Ours is already entirely community run, hence the 9-3 Mon-Weds opening hours. I imagine that’s all the hours they can get volunteers for.

Junenights · 23/12/2025 09:10

GalaxyJam · 23/12/2025 08:56

I agree, I’d love to be able to use our library and would desperately like to protect it, but unless I use annual leave to go to the library I just can’t!

Show quote history

Yes this a major problem. so many libraries close early and aren't open on weekends. No wonder there's a lack of visitors.

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/12/2025 09:24

Bjorkdidit · 23/12/2025 09:03

If you're serious about extending your library opening hours you could see if it's possible for it to be staffed by volunteers a couple of evenings a week for example. A couple of libraries near me are entirely community run as otherwise they'd have been closed, but I don't see why a hybrid arrangement wouldn't be possible.

A lot of libraries in my county are staffed by volunteers. There is a lovely new big library being built to replace an old one in a beautiful but outdated and rather out of the way building. The new one is rght by the main bus stops and shops so I hope this tempts more people in.

Flowers999 · 23/12/2025 10:19

Sartre · 22/12/2025 07:26

If you’re able to, you should only buy second hand books by dead authors. Live authors rely on actual book sales to get by.

Hardbacks have always been expensive,
irrespective of whether you buy from Amazon or an indie bookstore. I suggest using Audible or Kindle if you can’t wait for the paperback to save money.

Show quote history

Ì'm not fussed about the authours pocket rather my own!

Diamondsbutnoknickers · 23/12/2025 12:10

Junenights · 23/12/2025 08:54

That 14 year olds are getting excited about books has made me feel hopeful!

Libraries are cutting opening hours due to funding but also due less people visiting, which is a catch 22 situation because then more Libraries are closing!

Show quote history

I know! Hearing him saying "I cant decide whether to get the book Pete recommended or the one Clare said was good" and even "I cant wait to get a new book tomorrow" makes me smile.

berlinbaby2025 · 24/12/2025 09:34

Flowers999 · 23/12/2025 10:19

Ì'm not fussed about the authours pocket rather my own!

Show quote history

Same. I’m able to spend a fortune on new books if I wanted, but generally prefer getting books from the library (a one minute walk from my house). However, sometimes I want to buy a new book so it’s a waste of money to spend, say, £30 on the recent Robert Galbraith hardback book when Amazon or some supermarkets sold it for half that price.

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/12/2025 11:00

I cant get over the OP (who seems to have left the thread) who is earning at least twice as much as I've ever earned and four times as much as I have on my pension bemoaning the fact she can't afford books.

TeamToeBeans · 24/12/2025 11:02

I’ve got into the habit of checking Kindle Daily Deals each day, and have bought loads of books at 99p. When I go into Waterstones, half of the books on the front tables, with the “buy one, get one half price stickers” are books that I’ve previously seen on the kindle deals. It has made me really reluctant to pay full price for them, I just can’t justify it.

LemaxObsessive · 24/12/2025 11:04

cramptramp · 21/12/2025 21:49

You don’t need to buy them.

Why is it whenever anyone dares to have a simple conversation about a price increase, someone always trots this one out?! Well duh! We know that but it doesn’t prohibit us from being able to talk about it! Is price increases a globally banned topic of conversation or something?!

Sskka · 24/12/2025 15:10

@LemaxObsessive Every thread on here draws an equivalent post somewhere on page one – “why shouldn’t your DD get a tattoo on her face? It’s not your forehead.”

There must be a small army of these people poised over their keyboards all day, dying to let us know how clever they are.

wavingfuriously · 24/12/2025 15:13

Suteleynot · 21/12/2025 21:40

I’ve just been browsing the new books due to be released next year. Hardbacks are now 22 pounds????!!!

I know hardbacks have always been pricey especially when new but I am almost certain they were around 14-15 pounds only recently.

I have quite a bit of disposable income and I love reading but I cannot for a moment get my head around how expensive this is? It won’t be long before a new hardback will cost the best part of 30 quid!

I am paid close to six figures and hand on heart if I lost my job, I know I’d be worse off for sure, but not so worse off that I’d be devastated. In a way it’s quite liberating… I care less about keeping my job than I once did! What’s the point!!!!

I have only just seen this on Amazon so this is my very reactionary post to it 😅

6 figures ?! okay what do you do for a living ?

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