Taking time to relax and unwind with a great book is an inexpensive way to relax and take time for yourself. Often when I finish reading a good book I want to share it with friends who might also enjoy the book so I decided to plan a Book Swap party! It's an opportunity to connect with friends and share your favorite stories.
The Invitation
Each guest is asked to bring a book to swap at the party. The invitation is an old-fashioned library sleeve with adhesive on the back so your guests can adhere it onto the inside of their book. The invitation is created using an old fashioned Library Sleeve with a check out card and a form for guests to fill-out with details about the title, author and why they love the book .
Shopping list:
Personal Library Kit $19.95, Paper Source (700 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA 98004 (425)-646-0100; )
Guess Who Brought It? Game
When guests arrive ask them for their book and their form with the title, author and why they love the book. Then display the books on a central table with the coordinating form so that guests can try to match the person with their book. It's a great way for guests to find the book they want to borrow as well as familiarize themselves with who's at the party. The guest who connects the most people with the correct books wins a copy of More Book Lust by Nancy Pearl.
Shopping list:
More Book Lust, $16.95, Elliott Bay Bookstore (101 South Main Street Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 523-7500; )
Oliver Twist
We named this drink after Charles Dickens' classic, Oliver Twist. It's a vodka and vermouth martini with olives. Pour 1 1/2 oz vodka and 3/4 oz dry vermouth into a shaker. Shake vodka and vermouth together with several ice cubes in a shaker, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with an olive and serve. Martinis are know to be the most written-about and praised cocktail in history.
Chocolate Martini
This drink is a decadent treat inspired by the novel, Like Water for Chocolate, an unforgettable tale about love and family. To make your chocolate martini you will need 2 ounces of vodka and ½ ounce of crème de cacao, shake and serve.
Book End Take Away
Repurpose used books to create bookends for your guests to take home. This is a quick do-it-yourself take away. First, purchase inexpensive metal bookends from and used hardback books from your local thrift store. Glue three books together (one large, medium and small sized book), then glue the large book to the bookend.
Shopping list:
Book Ends, $4.95, Storables (2692 NE 49th St. Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 523-7500; )
Book Memo Pad
Give each guest a Book Memo Pad to jot down notes about favorite passages. Attach the memo pad with a long ribbon for guests to use as a bookmark as well. After reading the book and taking notes friends can share their favorite passages with one another.
Goodreads.com
One of the largest social network for readers in the world is . It's a place for bona-fide bookworms to compare, track and recommend books with one another. Friends can see what one another are reading. The site allows
members to compare, track and recommend books to fellow book lovers
