I am the short-haired tiny woman caressing and whispering into the crevices of the older books in the corner of the local book shop. I deeply inhale the comforting fumes as if I am taking in a pumpkin spice latte in the midst of October. I'll make a pit stop at a small, tucked away bookstore before I actually hit up a bathroom. Also, yes, I will completely abandon the person who came with me to the bookstore to touch every single spine in the political science section and shedding a tear when I come across another edition of "Alice in Wonderland." I'll then curse at Kafka, but sneakily place him into my book-basket because I love the feeling of my skin crawling off me. During the weekends, I sneak away to a new book shop I discovered tempted to never return.This is my strange (but beautiful) addiction.

My love for book-shop traveling blossomed when the first bookstore I went to in Albany disappeared within a few months. I was with my father and brother for my first of many Saint Rose visits back in 2013. We were very lost in the Capital and during one of our many wrong turns, we came across a bookshop at the corner of a seemingly empty street. I begged for him to pullover so I could check it out. My father reluctantly paralleled parked in front of the shop and knew to wait in the car.

The shop was packed with used books from the ceiling up and it was owned by a frail but smiling older gentleman. His register was a stool he sat on with an older receipt copier in hand with a metal cash tin next to his feet. I picked a few books to purchase and made my way over to him. I told him this was my first Saint Rose visit, and like every other local at the time, he told me it was a great school with bright students. He ensured I would fit right in and to make the best of what is presented to me. The year after, the store disappeared and my drive to discover every book shop in the Capital Region came to fruition. Here are my top five local book shops that deserve all the attention in the world:

1) Dove and Hudson in Albany

One of the many independent bookstores in the Capital Region, Dove and Hudson has proved to be my favorite one thus far. Dan Wedge, who owns the bookstore, is incredibly friendly and dedicated to his business. He knows each and every book almost personally and will update his collections when he notices a swing in one direction genre wise. Dove and Hudson is closed the 1st and 7th of each month, however they are usually open Tuesday-Friday from 11-7 and Saturday-Sunday 11-5.

2) I Love Books in Delmar

Nestled in Delmar lies this hidden gem. Alongside having a rich fiction and YA section, they also have a killer gift and stationary collections. They always have the loveliest literary themed knick-knacks, such as a Shakespeare magnet dress-up set for your refrigerator. Yes, that's a thing and I play around with it often on my fridge everyday. The staff is always friendly and they wrap gifts for free! Wee! I recommend this particular rack with all the Dover Thrift Editions, they have a bunch of fantastic cheap copies of poignant works by various philosophers, literary theorists, and beyond. They are open Tuesday-Friday 10AM-8PM, Saturday and Monday from 10AM-5PM and closed on Sunday's.

3) Market Block Books in Troy

Super comfy, super inviting, and if you love history books they have a GREAT selection. Really, it's pretty neat. I have cried in this bookstore over an annotated edition of Alice In Wonderland. They have a full line of adult, children's, travel,cooking, and literary books. But, as I mentioned, really check out the history section. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and will strike up a conversation based on your purchase. Also, it's incredibly aesthetically pleasing like look at that red brick archway? They are open Monday-Friday from 10AM-6PM, Saturday from 9AM-6PM, and Sunday from 11AM-3PM.

4) Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady

Pictured is Betty Fleming, who founded the Open Door Bookstore with her husband, Bob.

Located on pedestrian Jay Street, directly across from Proctor's, is this locally-owned, independent bookstore and gift gallery. Centered on children's literature, there is also a wide selection of adult literature and what tends to be interesting to the locals at the time. Betty Fleming, pictured above, founded the bookstore on the premise of wanting to provide quality books for children. Now, with that same aspiration at heart, she is providing quality books for her community. They are open Monday-Wednesday, Saturday, and Friday 10AM-6PM then Thursday 10AM-8PM and Sunday 10AM-2PM.

5) Mary Jane Books in Albany

Last, but not least, is Mary Jane Books! Are you still buying your books full-price at the campus bookstore? You gotta cut that out, honestly. Your wallets will thank me because check out Mary Jane's first with your textbook/book lists and see if they have them used for ten-times cheaper. You can also sell your textbooks here! Amazing! While specializing in college textbooks, they also have other academic titles,political science, history, and contemporary fiction. They also have some cute mugs last time I was there. They are open Monday-Thursdays 11AM-6PM, Friday 11AM-3PM, and closed on the weekends.