Secret Reader Exchange

[Allison]

Susan, he wasn’t taking into account that I’m just about to win the lottery, quit my job and read for the rest of my life!

[❀ Susan]

Lol - he might need to do a get real intervention!!

[✿✿✿May]

Very excited!!

[Natasha]

I love the idea of some shelf sorting.

[Louise]

I just have WAY too many books to start listing which ones I already own on GoodReads. I have even been known to buy a book and when I come to place it on my shelves, I notice I already have it. I also have more than one copy of many of my favorite books.

[Allison]

Well, @Louise, your Secret Sender is going to have to go off the beaten path then, and get creative! :)

[Rainey]

I have 3 places for books l want to buy and dont own which should make it easier for my secret gift giver.

Wish list or want to buy
Waiting 4 price drop
Entered a giveaway

[Louise]

Allison wrote: "Well, @Louise, your Secret Sender is going to have to go off the beaten path then, and get creative! :)"

No book is ever wasted. If I already have it, I will pass it on to someone else whom I think will enjoy it, or donate it to a prison library. It's all about sharing the love of reading.

[✿✿✿May]

I have my "Want To Read" shelf and when books are purchased, I will add "own" to that book, so guess the ones without "own" on it I do not have :)

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I have shelves indicating the books I own but have not read: hard copy unread, eBook unread, and audiobook unread. If a particular book is not on one of those shelves, then I don’t own it.

[Allison]

So interesting to see how we all manage or shelves! For me, Want to Read means I own it. I have a different folder of books I don’t own, but want to, called “To Get my Hands On”. Every systems works, right!?

[Louise]

I should probably start a shelf called "can't get from the library". Those are the books I tend to buy these days, books I can't get at the library, nor in ebook format, like lesser known collections of short stories, books from lesser known countries or in translation, or books by authors I'm about to meet.

[Louise]

But then again, what is fun about getting a book from an unknown recipient, is to perhaps get I book I wasn't planning on reading, or didn't know about, not on my radar. A book that I would not have otherwise read.

[Allison]

So true, Louise! My approach is going to try to surprise my recipient with choice they may not have on their radar. I must say, though, everyone’s TBRs are so huge, it’s hard to do!!

[Petra]

For me, "want to read" is often a place holder for more uncommon titles that I don't want to forget and want to read should I find a copy. I also mark a title as "library" if it's available there or "book I own" if I have it already.

Sadly, only I can see the "shelves" column on my page, which makes it easy to see which books I do not own or cannot get from the library yet want to read, which would be helpful for this exchange.

I started a Wish List for the Christmas exchange and will continue this shelf, keeping it current with books I want to read, do not own and have no library access to.

Louise & Allison, I agree. It's fun to search through my recipient's shelves looking for a book that I think would be a perfect fit and is not on their shelves. Surprises are fun.

[❀ Susan]

Sometimes the best books are surprises and like Louise, all books are appreciated and duplicates are fun to share! the cool thing about this secret reader group is that we can monitor comments and interests (secret stalkers).

When i was choosing for Christmas, I liked to look on the shelves but also liked buying books that were on the recipient shelves and also that I had read so that I felt like i was endorsing the book!

[Louise]

I think that is the best kind of gift. Sharing a book you read and loved with someone else. There is something special in that. Moreso than simply buying a book someone wants because anyone can go on Amazon and buy the book they want. But to get a personal recommendation along with the book "here, I loved this book and hope you do too" means more.

[Kim]

Hi there, excited about this exchange as a first timer.
Need to work on my shelves as well. I use the "Want to Read" shelf as a way of managing those books already on my shelf. Although Susan's free library appreciates it when I buy a duplicate book, I try to be diligent and scan new acquisitions into this shelf.
I look forward to getting some new books that perhaps I never considered reading before.

[Allison]

So glad you’re in, @Kim! Maybe you’ll become a hard core member of the group like rest of us!

[Allison]

I received a secret package today!!! :) :) :) :)

Am I the first!??

My inlaws were over for dinner, so I managed to get dinner served and eaten without opening the Chapters box. Then I could wait no more. I grabbed the package and explained the whole thing. And then I opened it.

What a great surprise! I was gifted Suzanne, which is a book I absolutely did NOT have on my radar before the Canada Reads long list! And immediately upon learning about it, I was intrigued! It looks so cool, and people here who have read it have had really great reviews. I'm excited!

Thank you Secret Sender! I feel so lucky! :)

[❀ Susan]

That is awesome!! I look forward to hearing what you think. It seems to be getting great reviews. My library hold of this book is “in transit”.

[Petra]

Wow, Allison, that's a nice surprise! I haven't followed the Canada Reads books but they do sound interesting.

How does everyone keep up with so much reading in such a short period of time? I'd love to know the secret.

Nice day, Allison!

[Louise]

Petra wrote: "How does everyone keep up with so much reading in such a short period of time? I'd love to know the secret. ."

It's like cramming for exams, lol.

[Petra]

LOL! It must be. When I retire I will have to try it one year and see if I can keep up.
The hard part would be (I think) to decide which to read. I imagine one would want to read the books that will not be on the short list first, so as to be able to read the short list during the debates.

[Louise]

I always manage to read the short list before the debates. Usually by the time the short list comes out I have already read a couple, but not his year. I have all 5 to read. The challenge will be getting a copy of Forgiveness. It's the only book where I am wayyyyy down the list of holds at the library.

[✿✿✿May]

Louise wrote: "I always manage to read the short list before the debates. Usually by the time the short list comes out I have already read a couple, but not his year. I have all 5 to read. The challenge will be g..."

@Louise, funny how library holds differ in different cities. There were no holds for Marrow Thieves and Forgiveness at my libraries, so I was able to get those out of the way. I had to buy the other 3 since there is no way I'll be able to get them before the finale.

[✿✿✿May]

Allison wrote: "I received a secret package today!!! :) :) :) :)

Am I the first!??

My inlaws were over for dinner, so I managed to get dinner served and eaten without opening the Chapters box. Then I could wait ..."

That is soooo amazing!!

[Louise]

May wrote: "L@Louise, funny how library holds differ in different cities. There were no holds for Marrow Thieves and Forgiveness at my libraries, so I was able to get those out of the way. I had to buy the other 3 since there is no way I'll be able to get them before the finale.."

I have access to 5 libraries. The main Quebec library in Montreal (serves all of Quebec), Westmount (also in Montreal), Ottawa Public Library, Toronto Public Library, and San Diego Public Library (good luck finding ANY Canadian titles there!!). The big Montreal library didn't even have Forgiveness at all so I'm stalking it daily as I'm sure they will bring it in now so I want to be the first to scoop it up.

[✿✿✿May]

Louise wrote: "May wrote: "L@Louise, funny how library holds differ in different cities. There were no holds for Marrow Thieves and Forgiveness at my libraries, so I was able to get those out of the way. I had to..."

Guess you are trying to track down the e-copy, right? That's quite a large nest you are casting, Lol!

[Louise]

Oh yeah, I only do ebooks and audiobooks thru libraries, never paper books. I'm too scared of cooties, lol. Although I borrow several books per week from libraries, I never actually step foot in one.

[✿✿✿May]

Louise wrote: "Oh yeah, I only do ebooks and audiobooks thru libraries, never paper books. I'm too scared of cooties, lol. Although I borrow several books per week from libraries, I never actually step foot in one."

That'a funny! Haven't heard the word "cooties" for a while, lol!

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

Louise wrote: "Oh yeah, I only do ebooks and audiobooks thru libraries, never paper books. I'm too scared of cooties, lol. Although I borrow several books per week from libraries, I never actually step foot in one."

Same here Louise. I'm all bout the eLibrary but I never actually go there. I only have access to Newfoundland Public Libraries and I stalk their website daily for new additions.

[Petra]

I received a special delivery this afternoon...a Secret Sender surprise!

I received a copy of Vinegar Girl, one of the Hogarth Shakespeare series. It's a series I want to read and collect since reading Hag-Seed.

The book was wrapped in a lovely bag with ribbon and a card. My Secret Sender used a different name, so identity is still secret. Sneaky!

Thank you, Secret Sender! What a lovely surprise!

[❀ Susan]

I have a feeling that this is going to be one of my favourite threads!! How exciting @Petra!!!

[Petra]

Susan, this is an exciting thread and the updates are so uplifting.

[Louise]

Secret Sender! I like that!

[Rainey]

For those ordering from Amazon - haven't tried it yet but this is what i was told from a friend of mine

apparently once you know how much your book will cost - order a gift card in that amount.

add your person to your address list.
purchase their book using the gift card and put their address as the billing address if asked

this way the billing and person whom its being shipped to are the same

[Allison]

@Rainey, it's a good idea. I believe with Chapters you can do the same thing, using the person's address as the return address. Then both sender and recipient will be the same person, and they'll never know the identity of the sender -- heehee. Sneaky!

[Natasha]

Brilliant!

[Allison]

I'm sure I first heard that idea in this group. Someone used it for Secret Santa, I'm sure...

[Natasha]

Apparently, I've been told by a friend of mine that another way to ensure your identity stays hidden is to place an order an order at the store Kiosk, if you're ordering at Chapters. She said they told her none of her personal information appeared because you pay at the store.

[❀ Susan]

What a great surprise to come home and find a copy of The New Brick Reader! it is described as having a; "great many of the world’s best-loved writers, and has readers in every corner of the planet" and this anthology "collects some of the very best work to appear in Brick over the last twenty-two years".

What a terrific treat! Thank you Secret Reader!!!

[Petra]

Susan, that's a lovely surprise to come home to!

I dropped in to thank my Secret Sender again. I finished reading Vinegar Girl and loved every page. This was a charming, relaxing, delightful story to read. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you again, Secret Sender.

[Gillian]

I went to the post office thinking a book I won in a giveaway had arrive but it was a mystery package from my secret sender! Inside was The Classic Fantasy Collection. It's big, shiny and beautiful. Thank you! I am so excited to read through it. Probably at a very slow pace though since it's over 900 pages.

[❀ Susan]

@Shvaugn - that is a lot of reading!! Great surprise!

[Petra]

Shvaugn, that's a nice surprise....and a lot of good reading! That sounds like a really interesting book.

[Natasha]

Shvaugn wrote: "I went to the post office thinking a book I won in a giveaway had arrive but it was a mystery package from my secret sender! Inside was The Classic Fantasy Collection. It's big, sh..."

That sounds incredible!

[Allison ༻hikes the bookwoods༺]

I received my first book! It’s an audiobook, Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime. Can’t wait to get started. Thanks Secret Sender!!

[Allison]

Oooooo... a gifted audio book! Very cool!

[Petra]

What fun! That's an interesting twist to send an audio book. Nice!