Welcome to the Secret Book Swap
Hello, and welcome! I’m Laura, the host of the Secret Book Swap – where book lovers can get together and enjoy an evening talking about the joy of reading, making connections, and of course sharing books.
What Are the Secret Book Swap Events All About?
I wanted to create an evening that’s warm, relaxing and joyful. Something without the pressure of having to have read a specific book by a specific date or where you need to share opinions and analysis -- a space to simply revel in our shared enjoyment of books and reading.
The Secret Book Swap is more than just a book exchange – it’s an opportunity to discover a new author or genre to take home and enjoy and share a book you’ve loved, with the excitement of watching another unwrap and discover your gift.
Here’s how it works:
Choose a Book: Pick a book from your collection that you’ve read, enjoyed, and are ready to pass on to someone else.
Wrap It Up: Wrap your book - keep it simple or make it fancy - there’s no rules, the choice is yours
Think about how you want to introduce your book: Whilst you don’t need to, many of us will write this on a note with the book. You’ll want to let others know why you enjoyed it and why you think they would. Of course you need to do this without revealing the title or author - it is a secret swap after all. You could include hints like “A heartwarming tale for lovers of adventure” or “This story made me laugh out loud.”
Come Along and Share: On the night, introduce your book to the group without giving too much away, then choose a book that catches your eye. Together, we’ll unwrap our books and chat about our finds.
What Else Can You Expect?
A Special Guest Author: We’re hoping to invite along a local author or perhaps a bookstore owner or publisher who shares an exclusive reading with us as well as, offering insights into their creative process.
Games and Thoughtful Moments: From book-themed parlour games to readings from banned books, we like to make each event interactive, engaging and something to remember.
Delicious Treats: And of course there’s plenty teas, coffees, and a few sweet treats to enjoy.
About the Venue
The Craws Nest Collective is a beautifully welcoming space, with parking right outside and full wheelchair accessibility. It’s the perfect setting for us - just take a look at some of the photos in our gallery below and read our blog posts from each swap.
