Every ATK UP and DEF UP Book Location in Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse (All 28)

Rose can raise her Attack and Defense beyond her starting values by collecting glowing books tucked into the hidden corners of Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. They sit on ledges and pedestals, usually inside a secret room, a sealed alcove, or at the end of a short trap run, and each one sticks with you for good.

Quick answer: Across the game, 28 stat books are available: 14 for ATK and 14 for DEF, and each one grants a permanent +1. They’re spread across six areas; neither the Catacombs of Paris nor the Library contains any.

What the ATK UP and DEF UP books do

Each ATK UP book adds +1 ATK and each DEF UP book adds +1 DEF. Every level-up also grants +1 to both stats. A book is therefore worth one level’s share of that stat, and collecting all 14 of either kind adds +14 on top of whatever your level provides.

The bonus is permanent, so there’s no need to equip it. Touch a book and the screen displays “ATK UP!” or “DEF UP!”; the matching stat gains one point immediately on the Equipment screen. If you’re leveling too, pair book collection with a dedicated how to level up fast route to increase both stats at once.

Stat book counts by area

Area	ATK UP	DEF UP
Paris Streets	3	3
Holy Innocents’ Cemetery	2	2
Notre-Dame	4	3
Main Hall	2	2
Clock Tower	1	2
Hall of Mirrors	2	2
Catacombs of Paris	0	0
Library	0	0

ATK UP book locations

Area	Sub-area	Nearest Mirror of Life	How to reach
Paris Streets	Sewer Reservoir	Central Sewer Drain	Beneath the winch room, a concealed lower chamber lies under a breakable platform.
Paris Streets	Prison Tower	Central Sewer Drain	From the left, fall past the spikes to reach an alcove beneath the combat room.
Paris Streets	Stairs to the Tower Roof	Undercity	—
Holy Innocents’ Cemetery	Overgrown Crypt	Overgrown Crypt	On a pedestal behind a lower passage.
Holy Innocents’ Cemetery	Serpents’ Lair	Pauper’s Grave	—
Notre-Dame	Narthex	West Triforium	Wall-jump up the left side to reach a high balcony above the central nave.
Notre-Dame	Tree of Saints	West Triforium	Shares the room with a DEF UP book.
Notre-Dame	Tomb of the Chevaliers	West Triforium	First of two ATK UP books here.
Notre-Dame	Tomb of the Chevaliers	West Triforium	Second of two ATK UP books here.
Main Hall	Old Gallery	Ballrooms	Inside a breakable container.
Main Hall	Wine Cellar	Storerooms	—
Clock Tower	Counterweight Chamber	Foundry Apex	In the upper-right niche, inside an alcove concealed behind a crushing block.
Hall of Mirrors	Ballroom of Terror	Nightmare Atrium	It hovers above a pedestal, with rotating saw blades around it.
Hall of Mirrors	Looping Hallways	Threshold of Vision	—

Before the opening boss, find the first ATK UP book in the Sewer Reservoir. Enter the lower room beneath the winch room; the book is on the floor below the breakable platform.

ATK UP book Sewer Reservoir — The first ATK UP book, picked up in the Sewer Reservoir under the winch room. Shown at 23:57 in Shirrako’s video. Image: KONAMI

In the Prison Tower, the next book waits in an alcove below the combat room. Drop through the spikes on the left side to reach it.

ATK UP book Prison Tower — The Prison Tower ATK UP book, reached by dropping through the spikes beneath the combat room. Shown at 39:52 in Shirrako’s video. Image: KONAMI

Inside Notre-Dame, the Narthex book sits on a high balcony over the central nave. Wall-jump up the left side to climb onto it.

ATK UP book Narthex — The Narthex ATK UP book, on the balcony above the central nave in Notre-Dame. Shown at 873:19 in Shirrako’s video. Image: KONAMI

The Clock Tower holds a single ATK UP book in the Counterweight Chamber. Look in the upper right niche, inside an alcove set behind a crushing block.

ATK UP book Counterweight Chamber — The Counterweight Chamber ATK UP book, tucked behind a crushing block in the upper right niche. Shown at 290:18 in Shirrako’s video. Image: KONAMI

DEF UP book locations

Area	Sub-area	Nearest Mirror of Life	How to reach
Paris Streets	Ruined Market	Undercity	On top of the bridge arch, behind an iron railing.
Paris Streets	Upper Tower	Prison Tower	—
Paris Streets	Abandoned Sewers	Burned District	—
Holy Innocents’ Cemetery	Ancient Sewers	Cloister	A wooden beam spans above a water drain; drop down to the ledge below.
Holy Innocents’ Cemetery	Flooded Crypt	Cloister	—
Notre-Dame	Tree of Saints	West Triforium	Shares the room with an ATK UP book.
Notre-Dame	East Triforium	East Gallery	—
Notre-Dame	Great Organ Room	Notre-Dame Undercroft	—
Main Hall	Mirror Rooms	Ballrooms	—
Main Hall	Servants’ Quarters	Servants’ Quarters	—
Clock Tower	Daedalus Crossing	Mechanic’s Ascent	—
Clock Tower	Eastern Summit	Eastern Summit	—
Hall of Mirrors	Passage of Perplexity	The Descent Into Memory	—
Hall of Mirrors	Corridor of Déjà Vu	Heart of the Maze	—

The DEF UP book on a raised ledge in the Ruined Market, Paris Streets — The Ruined Market DEF UP book sits on top of the bridge arch, behind an iron railing.

The Ancient Sewers book is found in Holy Innocents’ Cemetery, resting on a beam above a water drain. Drop to the lower ledge to pick it up.

DEF UP book Ancient Sewers — The Ancient Sewers DEF UP book, taken from the wooden beam above the water drain. Shown at 86:14 in Shirrako’s video. Image: KONAMI

Making secret books easier to find

Most books sit in secret rooms or behind hazards, so a few Relics cut down the hunting. Check the full Relic locations if you have not picked these up yet, and the best Relics tier list for what to wear in fights.

Put on Gloomstone; it “Gives a hint when Rose is close to a secret.”
Equip Ghostly Pendant, where “Traps deal 75% less damage to Rose.” for the books ringed by saw blades and spikes.
Drop a map marker on any ledge you cannot reach, then return once you have Double Jump and the other movement abilities or Aerial Rush.

Clearing every stat book leaves Rose with +14 ATK and +14 DEF on top of her level, all without spending a thing.