Christmas in July Book Exchange discussion

Welcome to the Christmas in July Exchange!

Come and say hello and tell us about yourself. What kind of books do you like? Where are you from? :-)

I'm Kendra, and I have loved doing the Secret Santa exchanges over the past few Decembers. I am looking forward to sharing some book love this summer. :-)

I am a mom of 3 awesome kids, two of which play hockey. I am enjoying a quiet off-season. I pretty much read only M/M romance. Those are my favorites!

Hi all! I am a regular in Secret Santa exchanges. Always hoped to do one in June-July :)

About me, let's see....

Been with M/M Group since 2010. Hosted a few challenges. Moderator at LGBTQ Fantasy. Strongly prefer same-sex relationship in my books :)

I have four kids, who usually keep me uber-busy. As a rule, my summers are crazy with international travel, but this year we decided to stay close to home and relax. Hopefully we won't go much farther than Province-town =) Looking forward to sitting on the beach and reading awesome m/m books :)

I was just talking about P-town today! I would love to go there. I'll be spending a weekend outside of Boston, possibly also going to Newport. That's about the extent of my summer travel. I wish I could do more! I love traveling.

We should SO meet! :) When are you going to be in MA?

That would be awesome! I'll be there the weekend of July 7th.

OH, BUMMER! I will be in NYC :( Totally forgot about that! :( We can wave while passing each other on I-95 :/ But I have to go. I have to renew my other passport.

Dang! :/

Well, that's a bummer, but I'm already only in CT. Maybe there can be another opportunity. :-)

We can meet in Providence for water fire :)

Hi Kendra and M'rella

I love doing the secret Santa and I was part of several of them this past holiday season so Christmas in July I'm all for that.

I'm a mom of 4 and I am always reading in my spare time...including lunch breaks. I read mostly erotic romance books and M/M, but I also read other genres.

I live in Westchester County NY and my favorite place to visit is Nantucket Island MA. Have either of you visited there yet?

Well, this sounds super fun! I'm in.

As for me . . . I'm a book challenge addict from Boise, and I read M/M pretty much exclusively these days. Well, I still do some sci-fi on audiobook and nonfiction and poetry in physical books, but I haven't put anything on my tablet except M/M in, like, three years. I do all the sub-genres, everything from light & fluffy to dark & disturbing as long as it involves two (or more) men.

It's funny, because I usually travel all summer, too, but this year I'm saving up for one big trip. My oldest son and his girlfriend are going to have a baby girl this month, my very first grand-kid. So as soon as things settle down for them I'll be heading to Seattle for a nice long stay to get to know her.

Any-hoo, I've never done an exchange like this before, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Sounds fun!

@Nadine

I lived in New England for more than 25 years and to my shame - no. I have never visited Nantucket. Or Martha's Vineyard. However, I think I am dealing with some sort of a curse. Both times I tried, the weather was absolutely horrendous :/ After that I decided that it's fate :/ LOL But I would still love to go :)

@Erica

Congrats! You must be ecstatic :)

Funny, my husband says he is going to try and peel me off the beach sometime in July (while the kids are in the overnight camp) to go to Seattle with him. He has a project going in WA. I am not sure about it, tho :) Still up in the air.

M'rella wrote: "@Nadine

I lived in New England for more than 25 years and to my shame - no. I have never visited Nantucket. Or Martha's Vineyard. However, I think I am dealing with some sort of a curse. Both time..."

LOL I don't believe it was a curse just a nudge saying try again. 😃

I remember the first time I went during the winter, I wound up with pneumonia and was stuck on the island during a blizzard and couldn't get home for a week, but I've been back many, many times since then.

Erica wrote: "Well, this sounds super fun! I'm in.

As for me . . . I'm a book challenge addict from Boise, and I read M/M pretty much exclusively these days. Well, I still do some sci-fi on audiobook and nonfic..."

Congrats this must be a very exciting time for you. Enjoy every minute with her because they grow up so fast.

@Nadine

Ha...and every time I am in Hyannis, a Kennedy dies :(

Started with Jackie, then Michael (granted, I was there a day before), then JFK junior and then Ted Kennedy :(

Wow Nadine! You're kinda-ish close to me! I work occasionally in Chappaqua/Mt. Kisco area. My company has sites in Westchester county. :-) so cool!

Nadine Bookaholic wrote: "Congrats this must be a very exciting time for you. Enjoy every minute with her because they grow up so fast.

I'm pretty psyched, but also bummed because they live so far away. Not that Seattle is really all that far away, but too far for weekly or monthly visits, you know? Luckily we live in the age of Skype.

Congratulations Erica! That is so exciting. I Ioved Washington state. I got my masters degree from Gonzaga (did most of it online) but I spent a couple of weeks in Spokane and Seattle, with a quick drive through of some Idaho. I love it out there!

Hi, ~Lei~ here. Long-time Californian GoodReader who reads mostly m/m and been reading the fantasy m/m books I received at the Secret Santa Exchange. Many more books to read than I have time :(

Waving at old and new friends!

Hi everyone, my name is Sarah and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I've joined the last two December Secret Santa exchanges and was really excited to think there might be a Christmas in July exchange in the works as well. My family celebrates Christmas in July every year as my mum's birthday happens to be July 15, plus it's a great excuse to cook up the Northern Hemisphere Christmas foods that it's too hot to cook/eat during Christmas in December, so it only seems appropriate that I have an occasion to give presents while I'm eating Christmas pudding (Mum won't accept presents as she doesn't want us spending our hard-earned money on her).

I read everything except self help, comic books (although I did make an exception for The Complete Maus and The Complete Persepolis), and children's picture books. Don't worry, I know that encompasses way too many books for my Secret Santa to choose from, that's why I have an Amazon wish list with over 100 books to choose from any of which I would be delighted to receive. If my Secret Santa had a burning desire for me to read a book that they've loved that appears to take me out of my comfort zone (most of my Amazon wishlist is M/F romance), don't worry I'd still be really happy to give it a go as long as it doesn't stray into the territory of telling me how to live my life (self help) or filling a book with more pictures than words (comic books or children's picture books).

I can't wait to get started!

ETA I forgot to add that I'm one of the co-mods of the Unapologetic Romance Readers group (the participation in which has only made my unread Kindle collection grow even bigger).

Hi all. I've been doing the December exchanges for several years now & really enjoy them so am excited to be doing a summer one. I live in Ohio, am mom/mom-in-law to two sons since my only got married in late March/early April. Generally read mostly m/m across most subgenres but do occasionally read other genres if a favorite author grabs my attention.

Mostly I'm a homebody but am unusually busy every weekend for the next month. And will be going to GRL for the first time this year.

Hi all. I've been doing the SS for a couple of years now & just love these type of exchanges. I generally read m/m leaning towards pnr. I live in Ohio & am a mother of 2 girls and 2 cats. I am also the grandmother of 2 grandsons. I've been married to my husband of 30 yrs & am pretty much a homebody.

Kendra wrote: "Wow Nadine! You're kinda-ish close to me! I work occasionally in Chappaqua/Mt. Kisco area. My company has sites in Westchester county. :-) so cool!"

Not far at all!

Lisa ~ Books Are My Drugs ~ wrote: " And will be going to GRL for the first time this year. ..."

How fun!

Hello all. This sounds like so much fun. Really looking forward to this.

Little about me. I live in central Texas with my husband and 8 year old son. When I am not running around with family or working I am reading. I love paranormal books leaning more toward M/M than M/F. Really looking forward to seeing everyone's gifts, etc and expanding my TBR pile.

Hi everyone I have done the S.S. for the last few years I love them. I currently live in Adelanto, CA in the high desert about 2 hours north of LA I have 2 daughter's. I read a wide variety of genres with mmf being a favorite. I am looking forward to getting and giving some good books.

Hi!!!

Hey everyone :) I'm another Aussie, from Queensland out in the country :D We live on the property with our dog, horses, cattle and guinea fowl. But I also work part-time in Brisbane 6.5 hours away, so audiobooks are a necessity in my reading! I read nearly 100% MM in any sub-genre, but can be tempted by some MF fantasy or the odd contemporary (when a book keeps jumping out at me).

I've been doing Heather's exchange since it started and I LOVE secret santas!

Hi all, I've done SS a few times now, and I'm really happy that we get to do it again this summer. I love Secret Santa!

Hi, Alicia!

Great to see you again :)

I think this is a reverse situation, where Santa and Elves trade places. We have legit midsummer Elves in charge, and Santa is The Little Helper? =)

Hi M'rella! Great to see you too :)

Hi everyone! So glad you are here! :-)

Spread the word about the group. We have a little less than 2 weeks. :-) I'm excited.

Hello everyone and thank you Kendra for putting this together!
I've done the SS for a couple of years now and really enjoyed it. I live just a little north of Houston, Texas and it's getting HOT! Country living at it's finest. One daughter and one granddaughter. I read M/M romance mostly contemporary with a little of everything else thrown in. Can't wait to get started!

Hi Tammy! I'm glad you could make it over! :-)

Waves at Tammy!

Hi, my name is Steph and this is my first time participating in a GR SS. I am from the Tampa, Florida area where I swear the sun never sleeps :)

I read MM romance almost exclusively, and I love a majority of the sub-genres. You are more than welcome to check out my Read and TBR lists to get a feel.

In addition, I don't have a problem if the story ends with a HFN or is ambiguous, just as long as the story warranted it. The only thing that is a must for me is a PLOT!

Steph wrote: "Hi, my name is Steph and this is my first time participating in a GR SS. I am from the Tampa, Florida area where I swear the sun never sleeps :)

I read MM romance almost exclusively, and I love a..."

Hi Steph! Welcome!!!

Kendra wrote: "Steph wrote: "Hi, my name is Steph and this is my first time participating in a GR SS. I am from the Tampa, Florida area where I swear the sun never sleeps :)

I read MM romance almost exclusively..."

Hi Kendra, thanks for hosting this event :)

Time to shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Woot Woot!!!!

Hi...
I'm Sunshine.

This is my first time here. I am kinda following the treads. But I'm not sure what needs to be done.

Looks like I missed the sign-up...

:(
Maybe next time

I hope everyone receives something they love..

Come join us anyway!!! I have a couple of people who joined today and I am doing picks again later today. It's not too late!!!

I will start shopping next week

I think I gave away too much in my one clue to my giftee, not realizing I was the only male on the list. Also spread a little cheer to one of my friends here.

Hahaha. Oops!

Kendra wrote: "Come join us anyway!!! I have a couple of people who joined today and I am doing picks again later today. It's not too late!!!"

I did... thanks

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "I think I gave away too much in my one clue to my giftee, not realizing I was the only male on the list. Also spread a little cheer to one of my friends here."

Ha! Thanks Roger, we've never talked but I have seen you around and read your reviews before. I only got my wish list refreshed last night - good catch to check my elfster w/l on GR - I forgot to go back and refresh the Elfster list 'cuz I was tired.