2025 Reading Challenge discussion

What did your Secret Santa send you?

I'm starting to send out Secret Santa names today. They'll go out in batches. I'm going to keep this thread closed for a little bit while I'm sending out messages, but then I'll open it so folks can post when they start receiving their books. I'm still waiting on a few survey responses, so not all of the Secret Santa assignments have gone out. If you haven't received yours yet, don't worry!

PLEASE REMEMBER: If your profile is private, it'll be harder for your Santa to know what type of books you like and impossible for him or her to know what you have already read.

About 75% of the messages have gone out. Goodreads has a daily message limit, and that's what's preventing the remaining ones from being sent. Please be patient, and you should receive your Secret Santee info in the next 48 hours.

If you signed up but have not filled out the form, you will not be given a Secret Santa, and you will not receive a book. Please fill out the form from my message ASAP if you have not already.

Fun facts:

113 participants (so far!)
30% want eBooks; 70% want physical books
Physical books are being sent from 11 different countries!
The country breakdown: USA (53), UK (10), Canada (3), Australia (3), Netherlands (3) and one each from Norway, Malaysia, Brazil, Japan, India, and Germany
88% of ebook participants would like Kindle books

Thank you so much to my lovely secret Santa who kindly gifted me not one, but two Stephen King books. So very kind.

Sadly, they are gifted from the US and Amazon will not let me access them as my kindle is registered in the UK

I received my book. Thanks so much for my Secret Santa - I'm so excited to read it!

Santas, after your Santee receives your book, you are welcome to reveal yourselves if you would like. :)

I have sent across 2 books to my Santee. I hope she enjoyes it. Her profile was on private so I had to take a chance with what books she might like.

Thank you Jamie! I received Angelfall. That was incredibly fast!

Wow, Alisia! You're the very first to receive a physical book. Your Santa must have sent it out two day shipping as soon as they got my message.

Thank you so much DAN E!! I have received my Stephen King book that I cannot wait to devour! And Sadly--I think I may have mistakenly revealed my identity to my Santee...Oh gosh, hope you still love the book I sent! <3

You're welcome, Brenda! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Really a great read and didn't want to put it down.

I got my Secret Santa emailed to me today ... In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park ... it was on my books I neeeeeeed to buy shelf ... can't wait to read it !!! thanks !

Thank you, Secret Santa! I look forward to reading Five Stories High: One House, Five Hauntings, Five Chilling Stories!

I recieved my book today from my Santa and it is a book that is on a few of my challenge lists for next year so it will come in handy to own the book. I got which I loved the movie so I am sure will love the book as well Thank you Santa

Debra wrote: "I recieved my book today from my Santa and it is a book that is on a few of my challenge lists for next year so it will come in handy to own the book. I got [bookcover:The Fault in Our Stars|118700..."

You're very welcome! Knock out those challenges;)

I received my book yesterday! It's gift wrapped so I'm not sure what it is, I'm saving it for Christmas Day! Thank you :)

Update: If you have signed up to send and receive a physical book, you should have received a note from me with who your Santee is. Please let me know immediately if you did not get a message.

eBook Santas, there are still a few of you have not received messages. Please sit tight. Thank you!

Thank you to my Santa she gifted me a book I've been wanting to read for several months. Everytime I thought about getting it, either there was another book I wanted more, forgot, or life itself, BUT now, I have it and I'm hoping to start it tomm after I get home from work! It's going to be cold and nasty starting in the afternoon, so it will be a perfect day to sit and read for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. I got from my santa Stacy! Thank you so much!!!

Thank you Santa! I am so thrilled with the book gifted to me. I can't wait to read The Trespasser. Thank you so very much :) :) :)

A big thank you to my Santa! I received Dark Matter by Blake Crouch , something I have been wanting to read in 2017.
Merry Christmas everyone :)

Rashmi wrote: "A big thank you to my Santa! I received Dark Matter by Blake Crouch , something I have been wanting to read in 2017.
Merry Christmas everyone :)"

That's one of my 2016 faves!

Thanks Santa!

I can't wait to read Cinder. I am really looking forward to reading the series!

This was so much fun!

I hope everyone has a great holiday!

Received Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris. Thank you so much!! I'm starting it today.

Just received two books! Area X Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy and Childhood's End Childhood's End.
Many thanks to whoever send those! Area X was already on my list for a few months now, so I guess this is a sign :)

Today I learned that the post in Europe and Australia is much, much faster than that in the US.

Kara wrote: "Today I learned that the post in Europe and Australia is much, much faster than that in the US."

Hi Kara. The post here in Australia is fast when posting overseas. However, a simple letter can take anything up to two weeks to get from one side of the country to the other.

Kara, confirmed for the Netherlands;-)

I just received Lord of the Flies, which will definitely be my first book for 2017. Thank you Secret Santa!!!

Wenda wrote: "Kara, confirmed for the Netherlands;-)

I just received Lord of the Flies, which will definitely be my first book for 2017. Thank you Secret Santa!!!"

You're welcome Wenda. Hope you like it :)

Sarah wrote: "Thanks Santa!

I can't wait to read Cinder. I am really looking forward to reading the series!

This was so much fun!

I hope everyone has a great holiday!"

You're welcome! I really enjoyed it and I hope you like it too.

Freddy wrote: "Just received two books! Area X Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy and Childhood's End Childhood's End.
Many thanks to whoever send those! Area X was already on my lis..."

Hi Freddy, I was your Santa :) Sorry, completely forgot to put my name in! I hope you enjoy!

Jill gave me The Interestings. Thank you so much!!! I wanted to read it for ages and now is a great start. Secret Santa's are great!!! Last year I got The Nightingale from Vernice and read it in one seat (from 21 hrs till 4 in the morning) Can't wait to read this one....

So glad it's one that you have been wanting Caro! I do hope you will enjoy it! Merry Christmas!

Thank you to my Secret Santa for giving me two books based on Time Travel, which I absolutely love. I received Outlander and The Time Travelers Wife. Going to start Outlander after I finish the book I am reading now. Thank you so much!!

Thank you so much to my secret santa Nancy for Nightingale!!! <3

Can't wait to read it!

Thank you so much, my Secret Santa for the 'The Romanov Prophecy' and 'The Life She Wants'! I can't wait to dive in and devour them. <3

P.S. Pray tell, who are you??

What is Secret Santa??

Next year I want to participate! I like it so much!

Jamie wrote: "Received Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris. Thank you so much!! I'm starting it today."

this was one of my favorite reads this year i hope you enjoy it

I received We Need to Talk About Kevin from someone who calls themselves Santa, but since it's in Dutch (and I'm also Dutch) I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence that it's in the same country or if I've received it from somebody else entirely haha. There's nothing in the postcard on Secret Santa stuff so I'm not sure.

If it is from my Secret Santa, thank you so much!

Jenn wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Thanks Santa!

I can't wait to read Cinder. I am really looking forward to reading the series!

This was so much fun!

I hope everyone has a great holiday!"

You're welcome! I reall..."

I can't wait! I love Disney in general, and Cinderella is one of my favorites!, so I am excited to see this take on it. I am trying my hardest not to start it now, lol.

Karina wrote: "Thank you, Secret Santa! I look forward to reading Five Stories High: One House, Five Hauntings, Five Chilling Stories!"

I am so glad! Happy reading :-)

Nurai wrote: "I received We Need to Talk About Kevin from someone who calls themselves Santa, but since it's in Dutch (and I'm also Dutch) I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence that it's in the same country or..."

Ha ha ik was het:-)! Sorry for the confusion... Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did!

Thank you Jordyn! I received The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle . A book that was in my TBR list for a long time.

I received from my Secret Santa. Thank you so much!

I received from my Secret Santa. I have never read this author and I am looking forward to a new adventure in reading.

Roni wrote: "I received from my Secret Santa. I have never read this author and I am looking forward to a new adventure in reading."

Just read Pretty Girls by her and LOVED it. I'll be reading more of her very soon.

Thank you very much to my secret santa for not one but two of my books from my tbr, All the Bright Places and City of Bones, such a lovely gift to receive :)

Wenda wrote: "Nurai wrote: "I received We Need to Talk About Kevin from someone who calls themselves Santa, but since it's in Dutch (and I'm also Dutch) I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence that it's in the s..."

Thank you so much! I look forward to reading it :) Such a coincidence that you had one of the only two dutch people participating haha.

Jamie wrote: "Received Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris. Thank you so much!! I'm starting it today."

I so hope you like it. I really enjoyed it so I thought you might too. : )
Leslie

Joanne wrote: "Thank you very much to my secret santa for not one but two of my books from my tbr, All the Bright Places and City of Bones, such a lovely gift to receive :)"

Hi Joanne! I was your Secret Santa! I'm happy you liked it! :) City of Bones is one of my favorites, so hope you enjoy it!!