I was looking to see if there were any other bookstores in the Prescott/Prescott Valley/Chino Valley area than the one in Chino Valley that never seems to be open, at least on the weekends when I am visiting our friends' ranch there. And sadly, the Old Sage in downtown Prescott has, after 12 years of being what a bookstore should be, clean, neatly arranged and well-stocked in all genres, plus having a wonderful owner, decided to close its doors this past Christmas as the new owners of the Hotel St. Michael hiked up the rates.Recently I was cleaning out the shelves of the nearby (Prescott Valley) GOODWILL of their Old West histories - until I found the Book Haven.So in checking out bookstores in the area (still hoping Country Roads in CV will eventually open their doors on Saturdays, I came across the Book Haven and decided to check it out.Yes, there are piles of books not shelved throughout the store. So what? It makes it more a treasure hunt for a volume you just might like to pick up, as I did with this biography of Will Rogers that I found.Yes, there is a cat present - no problem for me I love cats.The owner? VERY, VERY PLEASANT AND HELPFUL. Those books that are on the shelves are arranged by subject. I found four books, the aforementioned Will Rogers biography, a book about Soldier life during the Civil War, a dual biography of Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill Cody, and another Civil War book about the campaigns along the Mississippi north of Vicksburg.Oh, and one more book for my Cowboy friend about - COWBOYS.This is a gem of a bookstore. I am looking forward to my next visit to Book Haven. Most likely this coming weekend.

I love The Book Haven. I’ve been shopping there for years and enjoy my interactions with the owner and other staff. If I can’t find what I want, or need suggestions for new authors, they always direct me to likely candidates. And, I’ve noticed the owner will often order new and used books in series and by authors I enjoy, even without me asking. I know she does this for other customers as well. You might also want to know the owner is a disabled vet who is well-read and is happy to help customers find what they want. Yes, there are book store cats who are friendly and leave their toys about, so if you don’t like cats, this is not the place for you. And why is this store crammed with books - on shelves, on tables, in piles? Because the owner can’t stand empty shelves!! She also has a program offering credit for books you bring in. Enjoy!

I visited the Book Haven in Prescott Valley yesterday afternoon in what was to become to most bizarre encounter in a book store I've ever experienced. It wasn't the mask requirement signs or the fact that upon entering the store the typical pleasantries of greeting were replaced with an order to use the provided hand sanitizer; it was the fact that despite the lighted open sign in the window, the store was dark. When asked if the store was in fact open, the person behind the counter gave a snide reply that the open sign was on. She asked what I was looking for, and when I said I'd never been to this shop and I'd like to browse, she seemed quite irritated and responded by stating I'll have to turn on ALL the lights. She abruptly got up from behind the counter and stomped to the back of the store to turn on the lights. I felt extremely uneasy and not free to browse as I would normally do in a bookstore. I was afraid to touch anything since I was made to use the hand sanitizer that everyone else before me had touched. As I rounded a corner, I noticed the only chairs to sit and read on were covered with dirty cat toys. There was a cat scratching station next to the chairs that had so much cat fur on it, I dared not get close to it or I'd be covered in fur. The books are stacked so the spines with the book titles are impossible to read, and again, there is that hand sanitizer issue. I find it interesting that masks are required, but there is no warning for people with cat allergies. This experience has made me never want to come back.