According to many critics, these are the top five books about famous road trips:

1. On the Road: Written by Jack Kerouac and published in 1957, this story works to capture life in the 1950s. The book’s narrator Sal Paradise goes cross country with his buddy Dean Moriarity, a reform school escapee who has stolen his fair share of cars and serves as Sal’s mentor. It is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
2. The Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: Published in 1974 and written by Robert M. Pirsig, the book is an exploration of the world of ideas during a journey that begins in Minneapolis and ends near San Francisco. This is a great one if you love philosophy.
3. American Nomads: Author Richard Grants writes about life on the open road as he shares stories from his 15 years of wandering throughout the US. His stories include chance meetings with truckers, rodeo cowboys, flea market traders, RV campers and more. You are guaranteed to laugh while reading!
4. Lolita: One of the most controversial yet loved novels ever written, Lolita takes you into the bizarre mind of Humbert Humbert. The aging man falls in love with Lolita, a young girl, and goes on a one year cross country road trip with her. The story is pretty funky, but has been noted as one of the best books ever written.
5. Sideways: This simultaneously funny and heartwarming book surrounds the wine tasting road trip of Miles and Jack. Topics within the book include lots of analysis of different wines, thoughts on relationships and plenty of hilarious moments. A great read for those who love wine and roadtripping.

We hope that you will read one or more of these adventures and be inspired to take to the road! These are only 5 of the numerous books about road trips….there are so many more out there. What are your favorite books on road trips? Please share on our Facebook wall!

Ah, tis’ the month of love. Whether you are in love, looking to find it or have sworn it off for good, we have Valentine’s Day must-reads for you. If you’re a love bird, snuggle up and get lost in Other People’s Love Letters by Bill Shapiro or Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems of John Keats to Fanny Brawne. If you’re on the prowl this February, check out Art of Seduction by Robert Greene and Meeting Your Half-Orange: An Utterly Upbeat Guide to Using Dating Optimism to Find Your Perfect Match by Amy Spencer. Did your last relationship leave you with a sour taste? Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak: By Writers Famous and Obscure is a must have for your personal library. Below, check out more popular titles at sweet prices that are sure to put you in the mood for the month of love.

While supplies last. Prices are subject to change at any time. Excludes shipping costs.

Six-Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak by Larry Smith $14.95 $2.40		Other People’s Love Letters by Bill Shapiro $22.50 $16.87		Bright Star: Love Letters and Poems by John Keats $14.00 $6.07
Monday Hearts for Madalene by Page Hodel $16.95 $10.41		Love Stories by Diana Secker Tesdell $16.00 $9.64		Valentine Promises by LeAnn Weiss $14.00 $9.00
Love by Ferdinand Protzman $19.95 $16.07		Drenched: Stories of Love and Other Deliriums by Marisa Matarazzo $14.95 $8.99		Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey $14.95 $9.95
The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene $18.00 $10.00		Meeting Your Half-Orange by Amy Spencer $22.95 $16.52		Dear Old Love by Andy Selsberg $9.95 $7.67

You already visit ValoreBooks.com to get great deals on cheap college textbooks, but we want you to know we are more than just textbooks! We also offer many additional genres including bestselling novels, biographies, cook books and self help books as well as other popular genres. Even better, most of these titles can be purchased for under a dollar, many for just a penny!

In 2010, we have pledged our commitment to making education more affordable for you. We are doing this by offering heavily discounted textbooks and books, hosting a textbook scholarship and giving away textbooks to lucky students across the country. Penny books are just one example proving our commitment to our cause.  Send penny books as gifts, order them for yourself and catch up on previous bestsellers over your spring break, or check out the penny books that were made into movies.  Below is a partial list of penny books currently offered on our site.

While supplies last. Prices are subject to change at any time. Excludes shipping costs.

Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson $14.95 $0.01		Big Fish by Daniel Wallace $13.00 $0.01		Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck $14.00 $0.01
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fieldling $14.00 $0.01		The iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod by Scott Kelby $16.00 $0.01		Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier $14.00 $0.01
It’s Not About the Bike My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong $14.00 $0.01		Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich $15.00 $0.01		30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray $14.95 $0.01
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand $15.95 $0.01		All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward $14.00 $0.01		John McCain: An American Odyssey by Robert Timberg $15.00 $0.01

We are in the process of creating an entire webpage on our site devoted to these cheap titles, so stay tuned. We’ll update the blog, our Twitter and Facebook pages once the page goes live.

Research shows that the overall cost of textbooks has been on a continual rise for many years. If the trend continues, many students may not be able to afford their books. However, by following the follow tips, any student can benefit financially.

• Opt for a cash back credit card or a rewards card over the use of cash, debit or checks for purchases. You will receive an added advantage when purchasing your textook(s).• Contact your professor or his/her office about a month before the start of the semester and inquire about the course material. This gives you the opportunity to purchase the required material before the major demand sets in. When purchasing used book the earlier you buy, the better, as a wider selection of top quality texts is still available. This allows for a higher resale value at the end of the semester.
        o Ask your professor if bundled materials really will be used. If he or she says the CD-rom isn’t required or the companion workbook won’t be needed, you can save much more money finding a seller who isn’t offering these add-on items.

• If you plan on purchasing an older edition, be sure that the savings are substantial. While you may be getting a great deal now, you also may be risking a low resale value, especially if an updated edition is about to be released.

• When buying a used text, be sure to check the condition of the book as well as any comments the seller has provided. If a deal sounds like it may be too good to be true, contact the seller with any questions you have regarding the item’s description.

• Check seller feedback left by previous customers. While you may save a few dollars by going with a low-rated seller, you can also risk the chance of having a hassle when ordering from them. A smooth and timely transaction can be far more valuable than the couple bucks.

• Always search for a text using the book’s ISBN number. Searching by referencing a title or author’s name can lead to confusion and may end up in the result of you purchasing a similar book but not the correct material.

• Shop around for the most expensive books, as this is where the most savings can be found. ValoreBooks.com still offers new and used books at great prices, even as costs continue to rise elsewhere.

2. Condition is Key

The easiest and best way to ensure the highest sell-back value of your textbooks is to keep them in great condition. Using book covers, a digital highlighter and even hardshell backpacks or messenger bags are all ideal ways to maintain the condition of your books.

3. Sell books for you AND your friends.

If you’ve already done the research for your own textbook sell backs, why not offer the service to your friends? We all have friends who are too busy, or even lazy, to sell back their books at the end of the semester. It takes almost zero extra time to help them out and it will make you some money in the process! Just negotiate a fair price or percentage for your work and you’ll both win.

4. Ultimate Selling Tips

• Don’t wait until the start of the semester to sell your books. The best time to sell your texts back is about 7-10 days before a new semester. However, if one of your books is due for a new edition release, it may be best to sell it right at the end of the current semester to avoid a drop in value.

• If you’re planning on selling back a book that came with a bundle, be sure you save all the original packaging and pieces. Sending a book with an incomplete bundle may reduce the buy back price.

• Many buyback websites will offer payment via Paypal. This may seem like an quick and instant way to receive your payment, but unless the site specifically states that they will cover processing fees, you may stand to lose part of your money. PayPal often charges 2-3% for each transaction so be sure to make sure you won’t be slammed with this extra fee. ValoreBooks.com will actually cut and mail you a check when your book is received!

• Another great money-saving feature to keep an eye out for is free shipping. Just be sure you compare the total return value including shipping fees to ensure that you really are saving money. ValoreBooks.com offers free shipping and you can print your pre-paid shipping label right when you finalize your order.

Buying discount and used textbooks is a great way to save some major money while in college and taking advantage of buyback programs will help put a little extra cash in your wallet. ValoreBooks.com has documented the latest textbook sales trends as well as some helpful hints which can be viewed here.