It’s the most wonderful time of the year—with December comes long winter nights (perfect for reading), hot chocolate, and for many of us, presents!
This year, to really get into the spirit of giving, we're organizing a giant Holiday Ebook Exchange among our readers. Here's the idea: you'll get to gift an ebook to someone, and another participant will send you an ebook in return.
To help make sure you receive a book you’ll like, we’ve put together a gift guide below. After signing up for the challenge, you’ll be asked to fill out a form with information that will be sent to your gifter, including your name, email address, and which list you’d most like to receive a gift from.
Because it's the season of giving, we're also encouraging anyone who signs up to make a donation to Worldreader, a nonprofit organization that provides people in the developing world with free access to digital books. To learn more about Worldreader and donate, click here.
If this sounds like fun to you, sign up now, and check out our FAQ below for all the details!
*By entering your email, you agree to share your email address with Early Bird Books, your gifter, and the sponsor of your chosen book list. See below for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements to enter?
You must be at least 18 years old, a US resident, and subscribe to our newsletter. If you unsubscribe to our newsletter before December 18th, you may be removed from the exchange. You also need to be willing to send an ebook to your giftee!
Can I send or request a paper book instead of an ebook?
To keep things simple, we’re limiting this swap to ebooks only. That way, we only need to ask for your email address—not your real one!
Who will receive my email address?
Your email address will be shared with Early Bird Books in order to subscribe you to our newsletter. It will also be shared with your gifter, who will be chosen at random, and may be shared with the publisher who sponsored your preferred book list from our gift guide.
I want to participate, but I don’t have an ereader.
Good news—you don’t need an ereader to read ebooks!
How do I send an ebook as a gift?
Here’s a full guide! Note: Kobo users cannot receive specific ebooks as gifts, but you can send them a gift card.
What are the book lists we have to choose from?
Here are all of the lists in our gift guide! You will be required to choose one as inspiration for your gifter on your entry form (and don’t worry, you’ll also be given a space to list any books you’ve already read or are not interested in).
Literary Fiction Books to Gift
Historical Fiction Books to Gift
Science Fiction & Fantasy Books to Gift
Do I have to send someone an ebook from their preferred list?
We highly encourage this so you can be sure that your recipient likes their gift, but ultimately, what you send is up to you!
Am I exchanging ebooks with just one person?
Probably not! We'll be randomly choosing which email address everyone gets, so it's much more likely you'll be gifting to someone other than who you're receiving from.
What if my gifter never sends me my ebook?
Because this is an honors-based system, we cannot guarantee that every participant will send a gift. But remember—it’s better to give than to receive!
When is the deadline to enter?
You must subscribe to our newsletter and fill out the form by 11:59 PM EST on December 16.
When will I receive my giftee’s information?
Look for an email on December 18th! If you do not receive it by December 19th, please contact editor@earlybirdbooks.com.
When do ebooks have to be sent by?
All gifts should be sent out by December 27th. But late is always better than never!
Can I invite friends to join?
The more the merrier! Feel free to email this page to friends, or share it on social media.
What about…
Have a question we didn’t answer here? Email us at editor@earlybirdbooks.com!
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