Secret Santa gift exchange! discussion

Talk about anything and everything here!

Thank you @Heather !

Yes, thank you Heather! :D

Can we add "Free books and discounts" thread?

I have a very good first entry :)

Death in the Spires by K.J. Charles is $2.99 on Chirp
https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks...

M'rella wrote: "Can we add "Free books and discounts" thread?

I have a very good first entry :)

Death in the Spires by K.J. Charles is $2.99 on Chirp
https://www.chirpbooks.com/..."

Here you go: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

M'rella wrote: "Can we add "Free books and discounts" thread?

I have a very good first entry :)

Death in the Spires by K.J. Charles is $2.99 on Chirp
https://www.chirpbooks.com/..."

Yes!! Great idea!

Sorry about my email typo, guys!! I'm matching everyone on November 17th!! Still time :)

This is so fun, thanks Heather!

Kelly (Maybedog) wrote: "This is so fun, thanks Heather!"

Of course!! xo

Okay everyone, I have a mission for you.
I need book recommendations for:

Ｍａｆｉａ　Ｒｏｍａｎｃｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａｎ　Ａｇｅ　Ｇａｐ

ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ, ᴅᴀʀᴋ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ. This is a gift for someone, if it was for me it wouldn't matter.

Now Go!

Nadine Bookaholic wrote: "Okay everyone, I have a mission for you.
I need book recommendations for:

Ｍａｆｉａ　Ｒｏｍａｎｃｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ａｎ　Ａｇｅ　Ｇａｐ

ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ, ᴅᴀʀᴋ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ. This is a gift for someone, if it was for me it wouldn't matter..."

https://www.goodreads.com/series/2268...

Thanks Sandra, I’ll check it out.

Hi friends!

Care to share your favorite authors? I am looking to expand my library, but need good author recommendations. My only requirements are MM, and as little sex as possible.

My own recent favorites from 2025:
J.S. Harker
Gaia Tate
Martha Wells - specifically The Murderbot Series
Kai Butler

M'rella wrote: "Hi friends!

Care to share your favorite authors? I am looking to expand my library, but need good author recommendations. My only requirements are MM, and as little sex as possible.

My own recent..."

This one was a cute one, all bedroom is fade to black.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

@Sandra

Thank you! I love funny ones, too :D

Oh, and it's an author with only 3 books! I have both MMs on my TBR now. Thanks again :)

M'rella wrote: "Hi friends!

Care to share your favorite authors? I am looking to expand my library, but need good author recommendations. My only requirements are MM, and as little sex as possible.

My own recent..."

'Nathan Burgoine -- definitely not all his books are low/no sex, but Stuck With You is safe and wonderful!

@Jenn

Thank you for the rec! I have a few of his books, but never got a chance to actually read them. I will move them to my asap-to-read shelf :)

M'rella wrote: "Hi friends!

Care to share your favorite authors? I am looking to expand my library, but need good author recommendations. My only requirements are MM, and as little sex as possible.

My own recent..."

There's a Murderbot group chat if you'd like to join. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

Murderbot? Did anybody watch the apple show over the summer? It is also one of my fav book series and I am not really big on sci-fi books without a lot of romance but LOVE me some murderbot.

I would LOVE to watch it, but I don't gave apple TV. Unless you can watch it elsewhere.

@mwana
Thank you for the link!.

M'rella wrote: "I would LOVE to watch it, but I don't gave apple TV. Unless you can watch it elsewhere.

@mwana
Thank you for the link!."

Use a VPN and their free trial

Free trials tend to go sideways 🤣

My worst one was when I cancelled Adobe trial and instead they kept charging me double for the next 4 months (yes, I called them every time). Never got reimbursed either, after the dust settled.

Disney was another cluster. They couldn't find my email/account, but somehow kept charging my credit card until I finally cancelled the card.

I am sure it works for someone, but I would rather stay away from that trap 😉

I just looked at my persons wishlist she has expensive ebooks on her list

@Angela

From personal experience: If the books are over $15, send a book and a gift card for the difference. It's not very enjoyable, but there is only so much you can do without breaking the bank :(

Aղցela W. wrote: "I just looked at my persons wishlist she has expensive ebooks on her list"

Sometimes, I wait and see if the books go on sale around Black Friday.

Smashwords usually has a good sale at the end of the year.

Aղցela W. wrote: "I just looked at my persons wishlist she has expensive ebooks on her list"

Can you ask your match to add more to her wishlist?

@Angela

It happened to me in one of the exchanges as well. Either expensive or paperback rather than ebook. Try sending them a message on Elfster to add more options. Or if it doesn't work, well then gift card is your way to go. Not fun though.

I did thanks

I actually want to give my perspective as someone who certainly puts expensive ebooks on her wish list at least in the last two or few years of participation . I checked my wish list I did see two or three less expensive options so hopefully Angela was not talking about me , but even if she was :) I want to give my perspective. I do not put expensive books on my list for the sake of doing so ! I do it because in the last few years I had been dissatisfied with a lot of m/m offerings . And that doesn’t mean that I am tired of the genre it just means that often I can’t find the books I like . So when I look for the books I find that often enough when book is more expensive there is at least somewhat higher chance that it is better written . Not always mind you but at times . What I am trying to say is that I would certainly prefer getting two ( or one and the gift card if the price of one book is that high ) books that I found that I am very likely to read than the books that are cheaper but I would put it on the list just because they are cheaper but I am less likely to enjoy them . Hope that makes sense ! Having said that I will certainly try to look for more books I like to put on the list :)

Dumbledore11214 wrote: "I actually want to give my perspective as someone who certainly puts expensive ebooks on her wish list at least in the last two or few years of participation . I checked my wish list I did see two ..."

I agree with that and its not a problem for me to give them. I meant in terms of book prices going up in the last few years I mean an ebook with 200 pgs. that cost $12.99 also my person didn't realize that all his or her books have been on the list for years also.

Angela makes sense !

M'rella wrote: "Hi friends!

Care to share your favorite authors? I am looking to expand my library, but need good author recommendations. My only requirements are MM, and as little sex as possible.

My own recent..."

You should also check out the Rakshura series by Martha Wells! I loved it so much. She's such a talented author. Love Murderbot too.

Love Kai Butler too~

:D

Should I be concerned I haven't heard anything from my Secret Santa.

Aղցela W. wrote: "Should I be concerned I haven't heard anything from my Secret Santa."

Sometimes Santa uses Elf names instead of the obvious "Secret Santa". But you can ask Heather to check also. Maybe your Santa is waiting for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals...

@Angela

I don't believe my Santa sent me any books yet. Most of my books are on Smashwords and it makes sense to wait for the sale.

Yes, I'd usually wait until after Cyber Monday to see if I hear from my Secret Santa. People in the past that I've gifted to, I sometimes wait until the black Friday weekend.

Aղցela W. wrote: "Should I be concerned I haven't heard anything from my Secret Santa."

I think a lot of people are waiting for black friday sales

Has anyone else read Monk and Robot? Currently reading the first novella and it may be curing my slump

mwana wrote: "Has anyone else read Monk and Robot? Currently reading the first novella and it may be curing my slump"

The two novellas are so lovely, I really enjoyed them!

iam wrote: "mwana wrote: "Has anyone else read Monk and Robot? Currently reading the first novella and it may be curing my slump"

The two novellas are so lovely, I really enjoyed them!"

As someone who loves Murderbot I'm surprised no one recommended Monk and Robot to me. But at least I got Bot 9 recommendations.

If anyone reads the Prime Mating Agency series by Regine Abel, the latest book is out. It's Kayog's story. Omg it's so good. There is so much more to him and Linsea that I wasn't expecting.

Shari-amor wrote: "If anyone reads the Prime Mating Agency series by Regine Abel, the latest book is out. It's Kayog's story. Omg it's so good. There is so much more to him and Linsea that I wasn't expecting."

going to check it out!

Thanks to whoever suggested December Beginnings - that was super cute! Half the series is available from my library (Hoopla) and am heading down that rabbit hole shortly!

Did y'all see this BS??

"Hello Goodreads Member,

In the coming weeks, we will be making some updates to how messaging works on Goodreads.

What's Changing?
• Direct messages between individual members will no longer be available
• Images and external links will no longer be supported in messages

While direct messages between individual members are no longer available, you can still access your past messages from your inbox, Group moderators can still send broadcast messages to their group members, and you can still send group invitations to your Goodreads friends. All other public interactions, such as writing and responding to book reviews, remains unchanged.

-The Goodreads Team"

I saw it I can't believe they are missing with the system again

There's a petition on Change.org
https://www.change.org/p/urge-goodrea...

Sandra wrote: "Did y'all see this BS??

"Hello Goodreads Member,

In the coming weeks, we will be making some updates to how messaging works on Goodreads.

What's Changing?
• Direct messages between individual me..."

So so annoying.

that's SO ANNOYING!!!