Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
2016 Challenge Archive
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2016 April Pick-It-For-Me Challenge
TIPS TO MAKE THE CHALLENGE ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYONE!Pickees
✱ To help your picker understand the type of books you like or are currently reading, please make sure your ‘read’ shelf is up to date. You can create shelves for books you DNFed (Did Not Finish) or authors that don’t work for you as well as favorite books and authors. In addition, you might consider updating your profile. You can include info about your favorite books, authors, genres, themes or tropes (or themes/tropes you dislike – i.e. secret baby).
✱ Please do not specify likes/dislikes in the sign-up thread. This information will not be included in the pairings and your pickee may not see your message and does not need to rely on that information when making picks.
Pickers
✱ Please remember this is primarily a romance readers group. Thus, most, if not all, of your picks should be romance. There are various sub genres within the romance category - Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Erotica, M/M, Urban Fantasy. If your pickee reads a wide variety, you could add a non-romance as a choice.
✱ Choose at least 4 new titles for your pickee. These can be brand new to them (not found on any of their shelves) or a book found on their shelves if they've never read any of the author's work previously.
A few hints to help with book selection:
✱ Check the book’s publishing date. Select "date pub" from the checkbox selections and save.
✱ Check pickee's personalized shelves, especially their exclusive shelves. A personalized shelf is one the member has created. (e.g., 'to read next', 'favorites' ‘didn’t like’)
✱ Make sure the books you choose are not on their 'read' shelf. Just because it isn't rated doesn't mean it wasn't read.
✱ Look at your pickee's 'read' shelf and see what genres they have recently read or read the most. Reviewing their ‘read’ shelf might help you in choosing something they are interested in reading right now.
✱ If your pickee reads lots of books in a genre you are not familiar with (erotic romance, GLBT, YA, etc.) Contact the Mods or the month's organizer for guidance.
✱ Include a variety of books (e.g., shorter page count, new addition to their 'to-read' shelf, an older book on their 'to-read' shelf) This variety gives your pickee options when choosing the book or books they will be reading this month. Use the sort feature within their shelves to determine date a book was added, published or read; page numbers, ratings, etc.
If you want to volunteer to make repicks:
✱ We love that you want to help out, but please remember those who need picks have been waiting for a long time already. Please only volunteer if you are able to make the repicks within a few hours of the deadline. Thank you!
April 2016 PIFM Challenge - ParticipantsUpdated 3.23.16, through message #38.
Pie, any kind of pie!:
Danielle - Books to Read in 2016
Cecily - Shelf 1 (preferred) or Shelf 2
Cake and Ice Cream, the perfect combo!:
Aminko - Picking Shelf
Stacie
Elke - on-deck-4-chlges
Penney - pifm shelf
Diane ~Firefly~ - mng-picking
Drishti(Private) - Pick-it-for-me shelf (No link, private profile.)
Kait
Lekshmy
Sonal
Chocolate, I don't care how - just give me all the chocolate!:
☘KathyD☘ - cp-pick-it-for-me
Rachel C.
Vandhana
Fran(Private) - a-pifm-shelf
fluerette - meet-n-greet-old
Nancy H
Shelby - Current Challenge to Reads
Tink Magoo is bad at reviews
Salony(Private)
Leigh - pick-it-for-me-challenge
Rebecca
Jody challenges
~KarenH~ - cant-wait-to-read
Pam
Ashley
MountainKat - to-read-asap
April 2016 PIFM Challenge - Picking RulesApril is Stress Awareness Month. We all have stress, but as readers we have a great way to relieve it. All it takes is a good book! So help your pickee get rid of some stress by helping them find a few good books!
Please make sure you pick at least four new and four books from their TBR or preferred shelf.
Stress Reduction Activities:
Comfort Food: We all know some books are like comfort food - they just make you feel good. Recommend a book like that or one with food on the cover or featured in the book.
Vacation: Select a book set somewhere you would love to visit or where they travel in the story. You may also select a book with an outdoorsy cover.
Laughing: Recommend a humorous book.
Good Friends: Having friends you can relax with or talk to always helps with stress. Pick a book which features friendship in the story.
Music: Select a book that has a musician in the story or a MC that is artistic or a performer.
Exercise: We may hate this, but it's proven to help. Recommend a book with physically active characters.
Sex: Probably a more favored form of exercise! =P Select a steamier story or one with a sexy cover.
Pets: Pick a book with an animal on the cover or in the story, shifters count.
Bonus Pick: Just for fun, not required!
Reading: Probably the best stress reducer! Recommend one of your favorites that you will think your pickee will like. Check out their shelves to get an idea of what they like!
Stressed spelled backwards is desserts! Dessert is much better than stress!
Happy Reading!!
April 2016 PIFM Challenge - PairingsPick for the person below you in your group. The last person in each group picks for the first person, for example Sonal picks for Kait.
Updated 3.26.16, through message #93.
✓ = picks made
Pie and Cake and Ice Cream, oh my!:
✓ Kait
✓ Cecily - Shelf 1 (preferred) or Shelf 2
✓ Penney - pifm shelf
✓ Diane ~Firefly~ - mng-picking
✓ Stacie
✓ Elke - on-deck-4-chlges
✓ Aminko - Picking Shelf
✓ Danielle - Books to Read in 2016
✓ Lekshmy
Drishti(Private) - Pick-it-for-me shelf (No link, private profile.)
Sonal
Chocolate, I don't care how - just give me all the chocolate!:
✓ ☘KathyD☘ - cp-pick-it-for-me
✓ Shelby - Current Challenge to Reads
✓ Vandhana
✓ Fran(Private) - a-pifm-shelf
✓ Ashley
✓ MountainKat - to-read-asap
✓ Pam
✓ Nancy H
Salony(Private)
✓ Tink Magoo is bad at reviews
✓ Leigh - pick-it-for-me-challenge
✓ ~KarenH~ - cant-wait-to-read
✓ Rachel C.
✓ fluerette - meet-n-greet-old
✓ Rebecca
✓ Jody - challenges
April 2016 PIFM Challenge
April 2016 PIFM Challenge
If you love this challenge like I do, you will likely love hosting it too! We have openings for hosts, please PM me if you want to give it a try! It's fun to let your creative juices flow!
I am in :) Chocolate is all that I care about :P
Sounds cool !!! Well my favourite dessert is Fruit Custard
Salony wrote: "Sounds cool !!! Well my favourite dessert is Fruit Custard"If you could please pick from the options - just go with the best one, that would be helpful! If not, I will just assign you to a group. =)
I'm in! (private profile)For me, it's Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate! I don't care how - just give me all the Chocolate!
PIFM shelf
cake and ice cream! I might like to try hosting!
I'm in! I have to go with pie since I don't like the taste of chocolate - I know crazy but there it is!My shelf is Books to Read in 2016
Chocolate! Reading this is making me hungry
I am sorry MountainKat maybe I didn't read it properly ... Chocolate - which is my all time favourite dessert ....
Hmmmm, whenever we had multiple choices for dessert, my dad always wanted some of each - so following in his footsteps, I'd like chocolate pie with ice cream! =PBut seriously, I have to go with Chocolate.
Please use my cant-wait-to-read shelf...thanks!
I am in again!! I have to say Pie is my favorite!! I am not a huge fan of sweet... Please choose from this shelf if possible.
Shelf 1
If Not, please use this shelf.
Shelf 2
Thanks!!
Chocolate, I don't care how - just give me all the chocolate!
Cake and Ice Cream :) ...I just had some popcorn and now I've got a craving for brownie ice cream!
Cake and Ice cream..!!! O this makes me to drive to coldstone NOW and gobble up brownie with vanilla ..yummmm.. unfortunatley running with bad cold..:(
I am in.....cake and ice cream for me always :)
I was wondering where all my cake and ice cream people were at!
Stacie wrote: "I was wondering where all my cake and ice cream people were at!"I'm kind of wondering where all the pie people are? My boys are all about pie - if fact my son isn't having a wedding cake, they are serving pie!
For me though, it's all about the chocolate! Any kind, any where!
And my shelf: to-read-asap
Signups are closed - pairings and rules posted in a few.
Rules are in message #4 and pairings are in message #5. Please double check to make sure you are using the pairings list, not the participant list, when making your picks!
Hi Pam, I'll be working on your picks today - they will be up by this evening!
Hi Ashley!Here are your picks. I hope you find something you like here! I noticed you read a lot of PNR, some Contemp and some Historical. I tried to include a little of everything :)
Comfort Food:
Deacon-tbr- Kristen Ashley is comfort food to me. This was one of my very favorites by her. Just the two of them, alone in a cabin.
Apples Should Be Red-NEW- I just read this one for the March PIFM. So good! An older couple finds love- funny and touching.
Vacation:
Rebound-NEW- a sweet, romantic series that takes place on a tropical island. I want to go there!
Everything and the Moon-tbr- outdoorsy cover. The FAC for April!
Laughing:
The Viscount Who Loved Me-tbr- This whole series is light and fun.
Big Rock-NEW- a sexy, funny read
Good Friends:
Unleashed-tbr- I read this quite awhile ago but I remember loving it. friends to lovers
Disarm-NEW- emotional friends to lovers
Music:
Mountain Dreams-NEW- musician- an older title but a really good one
Talon-NEW- musician- I have this one on my tbr just waiting for me. It's stand-alone but if you want to start at the beginning of the series- Storm
Exercise:
Lust Eternal-NEW- a genie seems active to me, what with all that in and out of the bottle.
Beware of Bad Boy-tbr- she is a cheerleader, sounds active
Sex:
Limited Time Offer-NEW
A Gentleman in the Street-tbr
Pets:
Damage Report-tbr
My Shifter Showmance-NEW
Bonus Pick:
Pleasure and Purpose- loved this steamy historical!
Into the Wild Nerd Yonder- one of my favorite YA books.
Hi Cecily! We don't have a lot of books in common, in fact I haven't read anything on your preferred shelf so I did my best picking for you. Hopefully I selected some that you'll enjoy! :) I gave you lots of options to make up for it.Comfort Food: We all know some books are like comfort food - they just make you feel good. Recommend a book like that or one with food on the cover or featured in the book.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - Grey (Looks like you've loved the others in the series so this will be a perfect comfort food!)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Lick (A really fun series. Definitely comfort food)
New - Fury (Very quick, delicious read. The series is a little formulaic but I think that's what makes it comfort food)
Vacation: Select a book set somewhere you would love to visit or where they travel in the story. You may also select a book with an outdoorsy cover.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - A Matter of Days (An outdoorsy cover... This sounds like an intense read!)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Passion Unleashed (Lots of travel in this one if I recall correctly. Looks like you enjoyed the first but the second was only okay for you. Maybe give this series another try?)
New - Darkhouse (Travel and outdoorsy, I'm not a fan of 'ghost hunting' but this series is intense and dramatic and a fun read)
Laughing: Recommend a humorous book.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things (Not a romance but it was the only humor shelved book on this shelf and I've heard great things)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Wallbanger (Very amusing story. I adore Clive, meow)
Good Friends: Having friends you can relax with or talk to always helps with stress. Pick a book which features friendship in the story.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - Emmy & Oliver (Friendship plays an important roll)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Feed (Not a romance but one of my favorite YA books and friendship is very important to the story)
New - Hard as It Gets (A band of 'brothers' looking to set things right)
Music: Select a book that has a musician in the story or a MC that is artistic or a performer.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - Elixir (Sounds like the MC is artistic as she's described as a talented photojournalist)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Porn Star (A performer of sorts ;) )
New - Beach House No. 9 (He's a journalist. I remember this being an emotionally intense and satisfying read)
Exercise: We may hate this, but it's proven to help. Recommend a book with physically active characters.
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Rule (Rule is pretty fit guy!)
New - Bitter Sweet Love (As wardens they're both fit. Armentrout is a very popular YA author, give her a try?)
Sex: Probably a more favored form of exercise! =P Select a steamier story or one with a sexy cover.
TBR (#1 Pref. Shelf) - Fueled (Yummy cover and sounds like a steamy story)
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Pride and Pleasure (A very steamy, great historical romance)
New - Hold (I'm not a sci-fi person but this story is HOT and a great read)
Pets: Pick a book with an animal on the cover or in the story, shifters count.
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Bound by Blood (Shifters in the story)
New - Dragon Actually (Dragon shifters, very hot read in both senses!)
Reading: Probably the best stress reducer! Recommend one of your favorites that you will think your pickee will like. Check out their shelves to get an idea of what they like!
TBR (Ebook Shelf) - Angels' Blood (Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors and this is an awesome book/series!!)
New - Red Rising (I saw lots of YA and some dystopian one your shelves... this one practically have me a heart attack while reading. So intense. So well written. Ugh.)
Lekshmy,Comfort Food:
TBR* How to Bake a Perfect Life - Author you loved and it's about food.
New The Bride - this one just makes me feel good
Vacation:
TBR Beyond the Highland Mist - Scotland a place I love to visit)
New Body of Evidence - A great RS with lots of travel
New The Gamble - Contemporary where the MC is on vacation
Laughing:
TBR After Dark This is a Quirky and funny book
TBR The Mane Event - This one made me laugh
NEW Something About You - Loved this one and it made me laugh
NEW He Loves Lucy - because you can never laugh too much
Good Friends:
TBR Rock Chick - lots of friendships in this one
TBR Playing for Keeps - A good friends to more book
NEW Sex, Lies, and Online Dating - friendships and humor
Music:
TBR The Phantom of the Opera - Never read the book just saw the show in London
NEW Lick - A hot book about musicians
Exercise:
TBR Real - I plan to read this one this month
NEW Dirty Thoughts - mechanics are physically active and I liked this book a lot
Sex:
TBR The Warlord Wants Forever - a good series with some steam
NEW Feral Sins - lots of steam in this PNR
NEW Riskier Business - a good one to start with if you don't read too much steam.
Pets:
TBR Magic Bites - Amazing series that just keeps getting better and it was really good to start with!
NEW Moon Called - Love this series with shifters, fae and more
Bonus:
TBR Naked in Death - it's Roarke nothing else needs to be said
NEW Dragon Bound - One of my all time favorite books!
*TBR - not on your TBR but you've read the author
Hope you enjoy a couple of these.
Hi Jody, I hope you find something you like.Comfort Food:
(New) The Two Gentlemen of Altona
Vacation:
(New) Outlander (I would love to visit Scotland. I dont live to far away but I have never had time to visit)
(challenges Shelf) The Mane Event (I have always wanted to visit New york)
Laughing:
(New) A Dirty Job
(challenges Shelf) Porn Star
Good Friends:
(New) The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window
Music:
(New) Devoured
Exercise:
(New) It Had to Be You
(challenges Shelf) Tackled: A Sports Romance
Sex:
(New) Tall, Dark & Hungry
(challenges Shelf) Forbidden Flaws
Pets:
(New) Written in Red
(challenges Shelf) Bodyguard Bear
Bonus Pick:
A Kiss of Shadows
Hi Pam! So we meet again... I tried not to duplicate an picks from last month, but I might have. Of course my feelings won't be hurt if you read any of last month's picks for this month!Comfort Food:
NEW: Lumberjack in Love by Penny Watson
TBR: Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb - or whichever is next for you
Vacation:
NEW: If You Dare by Kresley Cole
TBR: When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James
Laughing:
NEW: 10 Ways To Steal Your Lover by Dee Tenorio
TBR: To Die For by Linda Howard
Good Friends:
NEW: Fully Ignited by Shannon Stacey
TBR: Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper
Music:
NEW: Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
TBR: Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley
Exercise:
NEW: Hope Smolders by Jaci Burton
TBR: The Stranger in Her Bed by Janet Chapman
Sex:
NEW: Rocky Ride by Vivian Arend - group buddy read book
NEW: Forgotten Sins by Rebecca Zanetti
TBR: The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle
Pets:
NEW: Water for Elephants b Sara Gruen
NEW: The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston
TBR: Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Bonus Pick:
Surrender by Pamela Clare OR
Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
I hope something looks good for you! Happy Reading!!
Hi Penney!! I Hope you enjoy some of these picks! Happy Reading!
Comfort Food: We all know some books are like comfort food - they just make you feel good. Recommend a book like that or one with food on the cover or featured in the book.
TBR Already Home by Susan Mallery ~ Food Cooking Theme
Vacation: Select a book set somewhere you would love to visit or where they travel in the story. You may also select a book with an outdoorsy cover.
TBR Truly (New York #1) by Ruthie Knox ~I would love to go to NYC and it kind of has an outdoorsy background
Laughing: Recommend a humorous book.
N2U Pucked (Pucked #1) by Helena Hunting
Good Friends: Having friends you can relax with or talk to always helps with stress. Pick a book which features friendship in the story.
N2U We Were Liars by E. Lockhart ~A Book about a group of friends
Music: Select a book that has a musician in the story or a MC that is artistic or a performer.
N2U This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales ~MC has a passion for music!
Exercise: We may hate this, but it's proven to help. Recommend a book with physically active characters.
N2U The Baller: A Down and Dirty Football Novel by Vi Keeland ~Physically Active Characters
Sex: Probably a more favored form of exercise! =P Select a steamier story or one with a sexy cover.
TBR Burned (Fever #7) by Karen Marie Moning ~Steamy Sexy Cover
Pets: Pick a book with an animal on the cover or in the story, shifters count.
TBR My Life At The M.B.R.C (Magical Beings' Rehabilitation Center #1) by K.M. Shea ~Animals on the cover
Bonus Pick: Just for fun, not required!
Reading: Probably the best stress reducer! Recommend one of your favorites that you will think your pickee will like. Check out their shelves to get an idea of what they like!
Bonus Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover ~One of my favorite recent reads, and I saw it is also on one of your TBR shelves!!
Firefly, I'll get to your picks tomorrow. I'm so tired right now that I would just mess them all up, lol.
Cecily wrote: " Hi Penney!! I Hope you enjoy some of these picks! Happy Reading!
Comfort Food: We all know some books are like comfort food - they just make you feel good. Recommend a book like that or one wi..."
Great picks Cecily, thanks! I was just looking at
on someone else's shelf so I'm going to try and get to that one. Also I've been dying to read
so I'll try and get that one in as well.Thanks again!
Hello MoutainKat,Here are my picks for you. I hope you enjoy them.
Comfort Food We all know some books are like comfort food - they just make you feel good. Recommend a book like that or one with food on the cover or featured in the book.
Truce (TBR) - I love her books and find them very comforting because they always have a happy ending.
Love Is Blind (NEW) - Sweet feel good book.
Vacation Select a book set somewhere you would love to visit or where they travel in the story. You may also select a book with an outdoorsy cover.
The Beast (TBR) - I would love to travel to the Black Dagger Brotherhood fantasy world.
Spider's Bite (NEW) - I have never been to Tennessee. I would like to visit.
Laughing Recommend a humorous book.
The Luck of the Irish (TBR) - I think that Leprechaun's are funny.
Friend-Zoned (NEW) - Funny.
Good Friends Having friends you can relax with or talk to always helps with stress. Pick a book which features friendship in the story.
Nobody But You (TBR) - I have never read this so I am hoping that they are friends.
Radiance (NEW) - A solid couple that has a baseline friendship.
Music Select a book that has a musician in the story or a MC that is artistic or a performer.
The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy (TBR) - Music
The Last Song (NEW) - This is my favorite Sparks book and it has music in it.
Exercise We may hate this, but it's proven to help. Recommend a book with physically active characters.
Memory in Death (TBR) - Being a cop can be a physical job. I love this series.
Here Be Sexist Vampires (NEW) - All that darn training. I love this book.
Sex Probably a more favored form of exercise! =P Select a steamier story or one with a sexy cover.
Love and Let Die (TBR) - Never read this book but it has a sexy cover.
Highland Destiny (NEW) - I find highlanders to be very attractive in books....
Pets Pick a book with an animal on the cover or in the story, shifters count.
Big Bad Beast (TBR) - Shifters
Cry Wolf (NEW) - Shifters.
Bonus Pick Just for fun, not required!
Reading: Probably the best stress reducer! Recommend one of your favorites that you will think your pickee will like. Check out their shelves to get an idea of what they like!
The Prize (NEW) - Garwood is one of my favorites.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Play On (other topics)Before Jamaica Lane (other topics)
Cherries on Top (other topics)
Sustained (other topics)
Pucked (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
K.M. Shea (other topics)Helena Hunting (other topics)
Joey W. Hill (other topics)
What is the Pick-It-For-Me Challenge?
The Pick-It-For-Me Challenge (PIFM) is a reading challenge where each participant gives and receives book recommendations based on a given a set of rules. The assignment method and book selection rules change each month so it’s always new and always different.
The idea of the PIFM challenge is that you will get new-to-you books and authors selected for you as well as a push to read some books that have been lingering on your shelves. You may not be interested in the new books recommended, which is why you also get a minimum of four books from your shelf.
You only have to read ONE book to complete this challenge!
After signups are closed, your names and any extra info will go into the super secret PIFM randomizer and it will select someone for you to recommend books to and someone to give you recommendations. This list will be posted along with any specific picking rules for the month.
In order to participate you need to either HAVE YOUR PROFILE SET TO PUBLIC (preferable), or friend the person giving you recommendations. PLEASE NOTE: if you choose to keep your profile private, it is your responsibility to send a friend request to the person picking for you as soon as possible after the matchups are posted. Whether your profile is private or not, it is also very important that your profile be set to receive Private Messages (PMs) in case anyone needs to reach out to you (mods, organizer etc.)
Everything gets done in this thread so be sure to come back often!!!
Repicks:
You can ask for repicks if:
✱ The books picked for you are not yet released.
✱ If you have already read the chosen book(s) and they are on your ‘read’ shelf.
✱ If you did not receive four picks from your ‘to-read’ shelf, with at least one from your preferred shelf.
You may NOT ask for repicks because:
✱ A book is not available at your library.
✱ A genre or author you don’t enjoy.
INFORMATION NEEDED TO SIGN UP
Please sign up in this thread with the answer to the following question:
✱✱ We all love desserts, what is your favorite kind? ✱✱
Pie, any kind of pie!
Cake and Ice Cream, the perfect combo!
Chocolate, I don't care how - just give me all the chocolate!
✱✱ If you have a preferred shelf, please list it along with your pick! ✱✱
IMPORTANT DATES
Sign ups will remain open until March 23rd (6 pm US EDT).
For your convenience a Time Zone Converter.
You’ll have until March 28th (1 pm US EDT) to make your recommendations.
Please do not start reading your book(s) until the first of the month. You then have the entire month to read your pick(s) and give some feedback.
If you’re new please read the PIFM Guidelines and FAQ. If you have any questions that are not addressed there, please feel free to ask!
✱Please note that late sign ups will be included at the host's discretion and no one will be included after re-picks are assigned!✱