2017 December Pick It For Me Challenge

[Elke]

Carmen,

Read my first pick -liked it...short and sweet!

On to #2!

[Nicole]

Hi Elke,

As the month progresses I'll update this post with all the books I manage to read from your picks :)

Holidays and Celebrations
TBR: Holiday Sparks: A Christmas Romantic Comedy by Taryn Quinn (04/12) ★★★ - was okay. Didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Friends/Enemies
TBR: Shut Up and Kiss Me by Jessica Lemmon (05/12) ★★★ - nice and easy read where the two MCs definitely do not get along and avoid and ignore the sexual tension between the two of them.

Cowboy
TBR: Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley (18/12) ★★★ - I seem to be a sucker for KA. Same formula. Same plot lines. Sam type of characters.

[Sonja]

Carrie wrote: "Hi Sonja, I hope you find something you would like to read.

Billionaire Playboy:
TBR:
New:

Damsel in Distres..."

First one down, Carrie!
✔Cowboy
TBR: ★★★★★
Finished in 24 hours... Whew...

[Carrie]

I'm happy you liked it :)

[Rebecca]

Sonja, I have finished my first pick If Walls Could Talk It was fun and entertaining

[Sonja]

I LOVED it, Carrie! Rebecca will be getting the recommendation soon since I seem to draw her every month! ;)

Awesome, Rebecca! Sounds like I might need to read it too!

[Rebecca]

just finished my second pick The Wolf Gift I love Anne Rice's books especially the older ones but this one seemed to lack compared to her previous books.

[Sassafrass]

Hi MountainKat!

Here are the books I've read so far:

Changing Course: (12/6/17) This one was definitely not an easy read. I seriously didn't know how there was going to be a HEA there. I was so glad that there was, but honestly I don't know if I could read these back to back. I want to continue with the series and will, but I want to give it a little time before heading into the next one of these. The dual narration was great. I don't usually listen to those types of books, but I could appreciate feeling like it was an actual play that I was listening to. *4 STARS*


Hold Her Again: (12/8/17) This one was sweet. I wish it had been longer. As long as the main characters had been apart, I wish they had more time to get to know each other as they were now. I didn't matter though, I really enjoyed this second chance romance story. *4 STARS*


Croc and the Fox: (12/9/17) This was funny and over the top--just like I've come to expect with Eve Langlais. I liked how she made it work out with the cold blooded male and warm blooded female. I'm hoping that they can extend their family more somehow. And I look forward to seeing more of them in future books. I will definitely continue on with this funny series. *4 STARS*

So, that's it for now. I hope to get to a few more before the end of the month. Thanks again for the great picks!

[Snowflakemood]

Fran wrote: "Hi Snowflakemood !

Here are your picks....I hope you find one you like!

Billionaire Playboy:
NEW: black on cover- Curio

Damsel in Distress:
TBR: red on cover- Simon vs. the..."

Hi Fran,

I finished which I really really liked (★★★★). It's a really sweet story, and very well written too. Thank you for picking it!
I will now move on to my second pick, Curio.

[jenny]

Mary-Megan wrote: "Jenny
Here are your books for December. I hope you find something you really enjoy!

❅Billionaire Playboy:
TBR: Royally Matched (Princes are wealthy, right?)
New: ..."

Hi Mary-Megan!

I finished my first two picks:
- I really enjoyed it, Paige Toon is my favorite author! - 5 stars
and
- It was ok, but not as good as I hoped it would be - 3 stars

Thank you for the picks!

[Elke]

Carmen....

Finished my 2nd pick -liked it a lot!!

On to #3?!?

Thanks again for the picks! :)

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Stacie,

I finished my first pick and enjoyed it. Thanks for the rec!

[Mary-Megan]

Jenny
I'm glad you enjoyed your books! It stinks that the one wasn't as good as you thought :( Hopefully whatever you read next is better.

[Rebecca]

Today I finished The Return 4 stars

[Fran, Moderator]

Snowflakemood wrote: "I finished Superhero by Eli Easton which I really really liked (★★★★). It's a really sweet story, and very well written too. Thank you for picking it!
I will now move on to my second pick, Curio."

Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :)

[Calila]

Fran wrote: "Snowflakemood wrote: "I finished Superhero by Eli Easton which I really really liked (★★★★). It's a really sweet story, and very well written too. Thank you for picking it!
I will now move on to my..."

*psst* Desperately Seeking Santa is a kind of sequel. The MCs from Superhero are supporting characters.

[Sassafrass]

MoutainKat: I finished my 4th and 5th Pick and wanted to give you an update:

Innocent in Death: I finished Born in Death before the month started so I just went to the next book for your pick. Loved it. Eve and Roarke were really tested but they came out on top. Eve was also tested with this case. What a creepy kid she was dealing with! I just love this series, and love it even more on audio. I will definitely be continuing on with this series.


Rogue: Definitely a great follow up to the start of the series. I'm just trying to get used to the heroine. She's a little selfish but it's entertaining. I'm hoping that she's going to grow out of that though. I'll be continuing on with this series too.



I'm hoping to get to a few more before the month is out. I'll post back if/when I do.

[Snowflakemood]

Fran wrote: "Snowflakemood wrote: "I finished Superhero by Eli Easton which I really really liked (★★★★). It's a really sweet story, and very well written too. Thank you for picking it!
I will now move on to my..."

Hi Fran,

here's an update on my readings

★★★ (more like a 3.5): a very pleasant read, although maybe a little too much towards erotica. I liked the MC a lot, so I hoped in deeper insights into their lives (especially their past)...but I do understand that being a series of novellas I really couldn't ask for more.

★★★★ a touching and sweet story, despite the extremely sad prologue. The novella is beautifully written, and the author manages to convey a lot in just a little more than a hundred pages. Proof that books don't have to be 300 pages long to appropriately include deeper topics, such as disability, and enable the reader to connect with the story and the MC.

★★★ I laughed a lot but I felt a bit detached and let down by Amanda: so young and yet with such a cemented attitude; too often relying on her ability to judge/understand others. I preferred Blake, definitely a bit lost and more chaotic in his choices, but much closer to the spirit of a 23 year old. The banter between the two of them was absolutely great though.

I will try to approach Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda before the end of the year, let's see if I can make it.

[Snowflakemood]

Calila wrote: "*psst* Desperately Seeking Santa is a kind of sequel. The MCs from Superhero are supporting characters. "

Calila, thank you for the heads-up!

[Sassafrass]

MoutainKat I did two more so we're up to 7 books this month!!

Breaking Point: I went on ahead and went with the next I-team book and it was awesome! Who knew that Natalie would be such a kickass heroine. And of course Kaleo Griffin just makes the book with his expert narration.

And because I wasn't ready to stop listening to Kaleo, I went on ahead and listened to Skin Deep. I thought this was such sweet story. I was so glad that Nate and Megan were able to find happiness. They both deserved it.

I'm about to go on vacation so I think I"ll be able to get to a few more picks. I'll report back when I can.

[Mary-Megan]

Snowflakemood

I hope you had a great month of reading. I managed to get five read this month. Some were better than others. On a scale of one being the best to five being my brain felt like mush after reading this, I'd rank them this way...
1. Just for Kicks

2. Home for Christmas

3./4. (Tie) Oliver, the Cat Who Saved Christmas

3./4. (Tie) Long, Tall Christmas

5. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging


Thanks for the picks! I wanted to read The Christmas Cowboy Hero but I couldn't get it from my library...I guess there's always next year.

[Carina]

KarenH,

I finished The Christmas Family. It was a good read.

[Snowflakemood]

Fran,

I hope you are enjoying your Holidays. Here's my final update for this month
a solid ★★★★: this book is adorable!
★★★: it was ok. Nice characters, sometimes I am bit skeptical about GFY stories. This particular one left me a bit unconvinced.

Anyway, it has been a great reading month! Thank you again for the picks.

[Snowflakemood]

Mary-Megan wrote: "Snowflakemood

I hope you had a great month of reading. I managed to get five read this month. Some were better than others. On a scale of one being the best to five being my brain felt like mush a..."

Mary-Megan,

I am glad you could find some good reads among this month's picks.
I also didn't manage to read all I wanted to. My to-read list is not looking any shorter at the end of this year...

Happy Holidays!

[Fran, Moderator]

Snowflakemood wrote: "Fran,

I hope you are enjoying your Holidays. Here's my final update for this month
a solid ★★★★: this book is adorable!
[bookcover:Promises|7..."


I’m so glad you loved Simon vs.! I can’t wait for the movie in a few months!

[Elke]

Carmen,

Read my 3rd pick -it was good!

Thanks again for the picks!! It was a great ending to 2017 and here's to 2018!

Happy New Year to you all!!

[Sassafrass]

Hi MoutainKat!


I just finished pick #8 today!


What it Takes was so sweet. I missed the memo that there was a new Kowalski book out and I'm so glad that you recommended it. I really like Ben and Laney's story. I was glad that they got their HEA and was even happier to catch up with the other Kowalski's as well.

I'm really hoping that this wasn't the end. I'd love to know if Laney and Ben were gonna have kids. That would just be the perfect icing on their HEA cake.

Thanks again for the recommendation.


I may get to one more pick by the end of the month I'll check back.

[HeatherMarie]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Hi Heather!! This is going to be interesting ~ you and I have rated some books the same and other books at opposite ends of the scale! I've tried to add a few books focussing on the uncoming holida..."

Hey Jane! Really enjoyed Archer's Voice & 100,000 words. Thanks for the great picks!

[Sassafrass]

Hi MoutainKat!


I just finished pick #9 today!

Barely Breathing was cute. I love the second chance romance theme and this was no exception.

I really liked the characters and the town. I will continue on with the series at some point. Too bad it's not on audio.

I'm on vacation right now but when I get back I'll give a recap of this great month of reading.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Shelby wrote: "Oooooh Jane (PS) I'm so excited I get to pick for you! Glad I've got a few minutes to sit down and get this in just under the wire. :)

Ok admittedly I tried to give you New, new suggestions but th..."

Thanks Shelby - I managed to clear 4 of these books in December! I pretty much didn't read anything else, its been so busy :D

I read Shield of the Dragon, Bloodline, Stories Beneath Our Skin and Part & Parcel. Loved the first three and was really pleased to have finally read the fourth. P&P was just too repetitive on thoughts and themes to be more than a 3 star read ~ but hey, it fit the pick and I have been busting to move it to 'read' :D

I've already bought, or lined up, most of the other books you recommended. The other two, I have on my watchlist :)

Thanks again Shelby!!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Fran wrote: "Snowflakemood wrote: "Fran,

I hope you are enjoying your Holidays. Here's my final update for this month
a solid ★★★★: this book is adorable!..."

I SO want to read this, but I want to get it in audio ~ not available to me in Australia :( Darn digital restrictions!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

HeatherMarie wrote: "Jane (PS) wrote: "Hi Heather!! This is going to be interesting ~ you and I have rated some books the same and other books at opposite ends of the scale! I've tried to add a few books focussing on t..."

Great to hear :) I've added 100,000 words to my watch list!

[Sassafrass]

MountainKat

It's been a great month of reading. I've gotten to 9 of your picks this month an they were all hits. Thanks so much for them. What a way to end the year!

[LaurLa]

Hi Sassafrass! I didn't get to any of the NEW picks (too many yearly challenges to finish) but I did get to read several from my TBR! Happy New Year!!!

✯Damsel in Distress:
✔TBR: Memory in Death - J.D. Robb ~ romantic suspense - 12.05 ★★★★


✯Pets/Special Animals:
✔TBR: Biting Bad - Chloe Neill ~ shifters - 12.09 ★★★★


✯Holidays and Celebrations:
✔TBR: The Color of the Season - Julianne MacLean ~ holiday theme - 12.19 ★★★


✯Family and/or Friends:
✔TBR: Down London Road - Samantha Young ~ friends - 12.28 ★★★★


✯Kick-Ass Heroine:
✔TBR: Haunted in Death - J.D. Robb ~ strong female - 12.22 ★★★★

[Nancy H]

Hi Ezinwanyi,
I just finished Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck , and it was really good. I really enjoy Molly Harper's books and will probably read more in this series because I enjoyed it so much.

I didn't get to a lot of these picks this month because of a rather hectic month, but they are going on my TBR and I will eventually read almost all of them, I think. THANK YOU for such great recs!

[☘KathyD☘]

Happy New Year jenny! I was able to knock out quite a few books this month from your picks! Thanks for the push to read the ones from my TBR shelf and for the new picks! =)

Billionaire Playboy
Egomaniac, Vi Keeland – 12/16/17 – ✮✮✮✮✮ (tbr)
Ruthless King, Meghan March – 12/31/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰ (new)

Damsel in Distress
Divided in Death, J.D. Robb – 12/27/17 – ✮✮✮✮✮ (tbr)
Spider, Ilsa Madden-Mills – 12/3/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰ (new)

Pets/Special Animals
Magic Bleeds, Ilona Andrews – 12/6/17 – ✮✮✮✮✮ (tbr)
The Vixen’s Lead, Tate James – 12/17/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰ (new)

Holidays and Celebrations
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens – 12/24/17 – ✮✮✮✮✮ (tbr)

Family and/or Friends
The Goal, Elle Kennedy – 12/21/17 – ✮✮✮✮✮ (tbr)

Kick-Ass Heroine
Kick the Candle, Genevieve Jack – 12/15/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰ (tbr)

Friends/Enemies to Lovers
On a Tuesday, Whitney G. – 12/4/17 – ✮✮✮✮✰ (new)

[jenny]

☘KathyD☘ wrote: "Happy New Year jenny! I was able to knock out quite a few books this month from your picks! Thanks for the push to read the ones from my TBR shelf and for the new picks! =)

Billionaire Playboy
[bo..."

Happy New Year to you as well!

Wow, looks like you had a great reading month! I'm glad you enjoyed them all!

[Sonja]

hi Carrie!
So this month was kind of tough for me PIFM-wise... I made it through 1.... one book off my list! *hangs head in shame*


I read more than that, but the ones on my PIFM list, none came through my library system in time, though I have two of them now to read for January -
and .
I'm still on hold for a couple more so HOPEFULLY I'll get them read in January or February!
Thank you SO MUCH for the awesome picks and hope your December was more productive - and you had a great holiday and happy New Year!

[Carrie]

I'm happy you got to read at least one of them :) December always slips away.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Sassafrass wrote: "MountainKat

It's been a great month of reading. I've gotten to 9 of your picks this month an they were all hits. Thanks so much for them. What a way to end the year!"

Wow, you really had a great month!! It was great too see your updates, even if I didn't get to say anything at the time! And even better that you loved them all! Glad to help give the year a good send off.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Hi KathyD! Life in December was crazy with a capital C! But I did manage to read several of my picks!

Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis 12.3.17 - Loved this!
Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones 12.21.17 - Like I say after every book - what an ending!
Evan the Virgin Reindeer & His Sexy Buck by Candi Kay 12.31.17 - Funny!