Christmas in July Book Exchange discussion

Feel free to talk about anything and everything here :)

Thank you for setting up the Exchange again!
So many books to discover, to buy and to gift! 😀

Looking forward to the new Elf and Santa names! 💕

M'rella wrote: "Thank you for setting up the Exchange again!
So many books to discover, to buy and to gift! 😀

Looking forward to the new Elf and Santa names! 💕"

I am also

I'm excited to be doing this again this year! Thanks for the invite Kendra.

So happy to be doing this again ^^ Ty for the invite Kendra

Yay! Welcome back!!!

I’m so proud of myself this year. I got this done before Mrella came knocking to remind me! 🤩🙃🤣

I’m so excited to do this again. I love these things.

Back again.

Hi Everyone!

I'm excited to be doing this again I love Christmas in July.
Just a little heads up that I will be away celebrating my 25th anniversary so I may not check in every day but if you see that I haven't claimed a book in a few days give me a nudge.

Nadine Bookaholic wrote: "Hi Everyone!

I'm excited to be doing this again I love Christmas in July.
Just a little heads up that I will be away celebrating my 25th anniversary so I may not check in every day but if you see ..."

Have a wonderful time, and - Congratulations! 💕🍾💐

How exciting! Happy anniversary! 😍

Thank you 😊

Just commenting so I can stay in the loop. I couldn't find the group chat for some reason 🤦🏽‍♀️

I’m excited to be back again this year. I’m feeling especially celebratory since my partner and I just bought a house-I can’t wait to share all my happiness by sending fun presents to everyone 😁😁

I’m excited to be back again this summer 😊

Happy Anniversary Nadine!

I had such a hassle with my Elfster account, and I've been using it since 2014, the couldn't explain what happened but they were able to retrieve my lost wishlists. Whop!
I'm all signed up and excited for Christmas in July.

I thought I was signed up, but I don’t think I was! Ugh. I’m so glad this is here again this year! My reading has slowed down because in one year I’ve been diagnosed with cataracts, glaucoma, and double-vision! Can you believe it?!
A READER?!
Anyway, I have my first surgery next week and I CAN NOT WAIT TO UP MY READING GAME AGAIN!! Glad to be with you all! 💕

**Kαчcєє** wrote: "I thought I was signed up, but I don’t think I was! Ugh. I’m so glad this is here again this year! My reading has slowed down because in one year I’ve been diagnosed with cataracts, glaucoma, and d..."

Hope your surgery goes well.

Wishing you well, **Kαчcєє**! Get better soon :)

Midniteillusion wrote: "**Kαчcєє** wrote: "I thought I was signed up, but I don’t think I was! Ugh. I’m so glad this is here again this year! My reading has slowed down because in one year I’ve been diagnosed with catarac..."

Thanks, Midnite 💕

M'rella wrote: "Wishing you well, **Kαчcєє**! Get better soon :)"

Thanks, M’rella 💕

**Kαчcєє** wrote: "I thought I was signed up, but I don’t think I was! Ugh. I’m so glad this is here again this year! My reading has slowed down because in one year I’ve been diagnosed with cataracts, glaucoma, and d..."

Sending you speedy recovery wishes Kaycee!

Fran wrote: "**Kαчcєє** wrote: "I thought I was signed up, but I don’t think I was! Ugh. I’m so glad this is here again this year! My reading has slowed down because in one year I’ve been diagnosed with catarac..."

Thanks so much, Fran 💕

I’m really kinda p*ssed how much the books went up! Ugh. Nice to see some deals <3

I agree, Kaycee. I’m glad that Smashwords has their sale going on. More books! Lol

Hey all. Sorry I’ve been quiet. Things have been super crazy over here. It’s been a long month. My son graduated high school. Woo hoo!! It’s a huge accomplishment. The last year has been a huge stressful struggle for him where he had so much anxiety about finishing and the future and everything else in the world. I feel like we have finally overcome the biggest hurdle and things are finally settling. I’m so dang proud of him, though. ❤️
Sorry I haven’t been around much.

@Kendra

Congratulations on your son's graduation! So proud of him, too!
It's a huge deal!
One of my twins excelled during covid and the over almost failed (anxiety and a host of other issues that came with it), graduating by the skin of her teeth. Our poor children 😕

Thanks! Our kids sure do put us through the wringer. lol
Covid was no joke. It really affected the kids, especially the older ones.

For a couple of months I've been in a huge book slump, so much so that I don't feel like even starting a book, not even one I have that is the 2nd part in a duology, that I LOVED the first book.

I don't know if it is the season -I hate summer, the heat, the humidity, all the people in the beach that makes you feel claustrophobic, not having enough money to go on a small excursion- or how drained I am from work, in a company that it is so, So, SO clear that the CEOs care only about the money and we plebeians are there to take advantage of their generosity. I wish I could leave but you know... need the money to pay rent and buy groceries.

So anyone else in a book slump for other reasons that don't toe the line of burn out?

@Teeny
I’ve been in a book slump for over a year. Used to read about 2 books a week, now I’m lucky if it’s 2 books a month. I don’t know what it is. Maybe a lot of the plots are being recycled; there’s not anything really fresh.

I know one thing. These PRICES don’t help! I was going to get a book on sale for $1.99, the first in the series. The second book is $8.49!!! Seriously? I guess it’s back to KU. I just wonder when the price of KU will shoot up.

@Kaycee
My circumstances since last year changed and I went from 250 books a year to 100 and maybe I'll manage 150. If I'm not getting the ARC for a new release, no matter how much I want to read it, it lives in KU rental, probably never to be read.

I'm not expecting anything fresh apart from an author's fresh voice or perspective. But I've grabbed a few new authors and either I'm extremely picky with the writing styles I can read or the bar at what is good writing is a bit low. Even authors I really liked, their books lately just don't hit the same. Out of 4 books there will certainly be one that will be a miss.

The prices are insane and I'm an international reader so I'm paying extra taxes on top of the raised prices. A lot of authors are saying how they'll drop KU or have their books in it for a couple of months only and I don't think Kobo or B&N have subscription for my country... maybe Google books but I don't know if they'll bring their books there. The thing is that I just forked over 100$ to renew my subscription to KU, before the price changed. So I can't look for another subscription for a while. Another problem is that I have a Kindle PW so I don't think that I'll be able to read books gotten from anywhere else.

That really sucks. I'm sorry you are having that slump. It hits every now and then for me as well. When I have big challenges to do (like the Spell Challenge), I can generally crank it out because it helps me pick my books. Now, I'm finding it tough to find books to read for Bingo because the category isn't appealing or I don't like the books on the list. I'm still reading, but I have definitely seen a drop off lately. Then again, I have had a bunch of craziness here with my kids, so I hope that will settle.

@Kendra
I moved back home and that was a change that didn't help my reading. I'm not a fan of reading in bed unless I'm going to sleep and since I moved back, I don't have my own space apart from it, and reading while TV is playing, convos happening, kids on the pc is just not ideal.

I applaud you for doing Challenges, I could never cos I'm a mood and picky reader. I could never commit to something like that without it feeling like a noose around my neck.

I read an article a few days back about Goodreads killing the reading mood.

Summing up:

Challenges/keeping track of your books and pages eventually makes reading all about the statistics and the competition. Top it off with constant annoying "updating" of GR and Amazon misbehaving badly, and it's more of a chore to pick a book, buy a book and read a book. There is no joy in pure reading anymore.

M'rella wrote: "I read an article a few days back about Goodreads killing the reading mood.

Summing up:

Challenges/keeping track of your books and pages eventually makes reading all about the statistics and the..."


Amazon and their insane guidelines that make reviewing so hard really put a damper on things that's for sure

@M'rella

I'm not doing challenges and I'm not obsessively keeping track of books/pages etc. I'm not even into the whole TROPE thing that seems to be the fashion these days. As an international reader, Amazon was always a PITA so nothing new there. I'm not loving the new GR page but I'll deal.

So I don't think those reasons are what brings book slumps or takes the joy out of reading. I think it has more to do with the limited finances* people have, the limited time to do things other than work that eats away the time to relax with a book and the general feel that as a society we actively move backwards than forwards. Being bombarded with everything that in 2023 we still fight for or we are called to fight for again.

*being on ARC teams, although beneficial in getting the books for free but it is also a stress factor with having limited amount of time to read and review a book, withhold my review if it is below 4 stars and release it afterwards etc...

Anyways all in all stressing about life is killing my mood to read.

I have loss access to my rojoroaors@yahoo.com address. New one is rogegrace1968@yahoo.com

Know we still got time but haven't heard from my santa as far as I can tell!

Teeny wrote: "@M'rella

I'm not doing challenges and I'm not obsessively keeping track of books/pages etc. I'm not even into the whole TROPE thing that seems to be the fashion these days. As an international rea..."

Sorry to hear all the struggles and discouraging times for you. I completely understand. These last few years, my reading was almost nonexistent. I turned to videos, almost like I needed noise or something lol, idk. Books just didn’t hold my interest long and I think I’m still in a slump. Up until last Monday, I could barely see. I couldn’t drive and I’ve been off work for 3 months. I had surgery, and it’s been amazing. So I think poor eyesight and resulting depression has caused a major funk.

I’m hoping the nightmare of the last few years dissipates for everyone and we all leave 2023 on a high note.
Best wishes *S*

I thought I had a Santa, but now I suspect I don't.
But I might be mistaken.

Dear Santa, can you please let me know - anonymously on Elfster - if you are participating in this event.

I am very happy with what I got so far, don't get me wrong, but I am still curious.

@ **Kαчcєє**

I can't even!.... This is so devastating, to be without sight! I don't know how you were able to cope even for a limited period of time. No wonder you were depressed! My struggles are truly superficial in comparison, not eve worth mentioning.

I truly hope things are starting to look up for you and this year ends on a better note than any of the last three years.

Hugs and all the best to you too!

Could @M'rella or @kendra message me please? Thanks :)

M'rella wrote: "@ **Kαчcєє**

I can't even!.... This is so devastating, to be without sight! I don't know how you were able to cope even for a limited period of time. No wonder you were depressed! My struggles are..."

*Thanks* ❤️ I’ll never take my eyesight for granted, that’s for sure.

Teeny wrote: "*being on ARC teams, although beneficial in getting the books for free but it is also a stress factor with having limited amount of time to read and review a book, withhold my review if it is below 4 stars and release it afterwards etc...

Anyways all in all stressing about life is killing my mood to read."

I know exactly what you mean, some of the ARC teams I'm on don't even give a heads up about the books until a couple of weeks before they are going to release which makes things really stressful.

Are we doing a reveal thread

I think maybe tomorrow? Gifts can still be gifted today :)

Aղցela W. wrote: "Are we doing a reveal thread"

I was wondering that as well

Here is Reveal yourself thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...