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2023 PIFM and Color Challenges > January 2023 PIFM (Pick It For Me)

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message 1: by Jennifer, Moderator (last edited Dec 25, 2022 12:30PM) (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Hi, everyone!

For anyone unfamiliar, this is a monthly challenge where you post a link to a shelf you created. It can be named "PIFM" or "Pick It For Me" etc, if you want one dedicated only to this challenge, or you can use an existing shelf you already have, as long as it has 100 or fewer books on it. The link must be to the specific shelf, or you will not be partnered.. Indicate how many books you would like to have picked for you from that shelf for the month in question. There is no lower limit as to how many books you can have on your shelf, but, of course, they should be books you are interested in reading during the next month and have ready access to.

On or about the 25th of each month, I will post who picks for whom. In order to accommodate an uneven number of participants, pairs will not be reciprocal -- in other words, it won't be Joanne picking for Jennifer and Jennifer picking for Joanne. It may be Joanne picks for Jennifer, Jennifer picks for Herman, and Herman picks for Suzanne, and someone else entirely picks for Joanne.

IF anyone has not been "picked for" by the 30th, I will pick for them if the designated picker can't be contacted by PM.

When you are assigned someone to pick for, note the number of books in parentheses after that person's name in the pick list, go to the link for their shelf, and pick that number of books for them. Post the books in a new message here. That person has the entire following month to read his/her picks. Someone will be picking for you the same way. We all like to see what people think about their picks, so we hope you will keep us posted in this thread!

Example: "In for five, please!
PIFM"

The HTML template for linking your shelf can be found HERE and if you have trouble, PM me and I will help you.

Your designated shelf must be set so that others can see it. To set up a PIFM shelf for those who would like to, go to the "MY BOOKS" link in the GOODREADS toolbar, scroll down below your shelves on the left until you see the "add shelf" button, and click that. Name it PIFM or Pick It For Me. Add books to it, and post the link to it in this challenge as described above. Again, if you need help, please don't hesitate to PM me!

If you are in for January, post your shelf and the number of picks you'd like to have below. See you on picking day!

January pairs:

Jennifer picks 1 for Martha
Beth picks 5 for Jennifer
Jackie picks 4 for Desley
Joy picks 1 for Jackie
Denise picks 3 for Joy
Martha picks 2 for Denise
Desley picks 2 for Beth


message 2: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
In for five, please!
PIFM"


message 5: by Joy D (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Three for me, please:
P1FM


message 8: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Time to pick -- pairs are posted here.


message 9: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Martha, I'm picking Those Angry Days Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson for you, which is also on my TBR.


message 10: by Joy D (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Jackie, I am selecting for you:
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

I have this book on my TBR so I look forward to seeing what you think of it.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Sorry I'm too late, only just realised I needed to decide what to read next month - this month has been 'oh ****, I haven't done nearly enough this year'


message 12: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
If you get your shelf up today, I'll add you. :)


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Thank you so much Jen, much appreciated. Not the best shelf, but 4 from here would be appreciated.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Now to see if I can get my head round a 12+4 list - I'm normally so organised these are done in October, but the year has just flown so quickly!


message 14: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Ok, I added you to the matrix: you need to pick for Beth, Desley, and Jackie will now be picking for you.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Thank you, I'll do the picks now so I don't forget those!

Beth, for you I pick

XOR AX, AX - intrigued by the title
The Nun's Tale - in case you need a blue cover


message 16: by Jackie (new)

Jackie | 1103 comments Joy D wrote: "Jackie, I am selecting for you:
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin

I have this book on my TBR so I look forward to seeing what you think of it."


Joy, this is perfect! I went to an independent bookstore and bought this a couple of weeks ago and I am anxious to get started on it in January. Thanks and Merry Christmas!


message 17: by Jackie (new)

Jackie | 1103 comments Desley, I am choosing these for you for January.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad classic
The Executioner (Robert Hunter, #2) by Chris Carter series
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay added to my tbr
Speaking In Tongues by Jeffery Deaver also added to my tbr


message 18: by 〰️Beth〰️ (new)

〰️Beth〰️ (x1f4a0bethx1f4a0) | 470 comments Jennifer wrote: "In for five, please!
PIFM""


Here are my picks for you Jennifer. Hope these are just the beginning of great reads in 2023🎉

The Secret Witness (Shepard & Gray #1) by Victor Methos Murder at the Ice Ball (Lady Katherine Regency Matchmaker, #3) by Leighann Dobbs 4 Sleuths & A Bachelorette A Killer Foursome Mystery Book 1 by Leslie Langtry Beach House Summer by Sarah Morgan The Good Nurse A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber


message 19: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Oh, great picks, Beth!


message 20: by Denise (new)

Denise (derickert) | 1268 comments Joy here are my picks for you:
Haven by Emma Donoghue The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson


message 21: by 〰️Beth〰️ (new)

〰️Beth〰️ (x1f4a0bethx1f4a0) | 470 comments Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Thank you, I'll do the picks now so I don't forget those!

Beth, for you I pick

XOR AX, AX - intrigued by the title
The Nun's Tale - in case you need a blue cover"


Thanks Desley. I can always use an extra cover color and I have put off continuing the series so this will motivate me to read the others in the series.


message 22: by Joy D (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Denise wrote: "Joy here are my picks for you:
Haven by Emma DonoghueThe Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy LefteriNow Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson"


Thanks, Denise!


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Jackie wrote: "Desley, I am choosing these for you for January.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad classic
The Executioner (Robert Hunter, #2) by Chris Carter series
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay added to my tbr
[book..."


Thanks Jackie - sorry for adding to your TBR!!


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments 〰️Beth〰️ wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Thank you, I'll do the picks now so I don't forget those!

Beth, for you I pick

XOR AX, AX - intrigued by the title
The Nun's Tale ..."


Hope you enjoy!


message 25: by Jackie (new)

Jackie | 1103 comments Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Desley, I am choosing these for you for January.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad classic
The Executioner (Robert Hunter, #2) by Chris Carter series
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay added ..."


I think I may have given up on being able to "control" how much I add!!!


message 26: by Martha (new)

Martha (marthas48) | 767 comments Jennifer wrote: "Martha, I'm picking Those Angry Days Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson for you, which is also on my TBR."

Thanks, Jennifer! I've been wanting to read this for awhile.


message 27: by Martha (new)

Martha (marthas48) | 767 comments Denise, these are my picks for you ... I enjoyed both.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner Skipping Christmas by John Grisham


message 28: by Denise (new)

Denise (derickert) | 1268 comments Martha wrote: "Denise, these are my picks for you ... I enjoyed both.
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner Skipping Christmas by John Grisham"


Thanks Martha!


message 29: by Lance (new)

Lance (sportsbookguy) | 398 comments Sorry to be late - Jennifer, could you please pick three for me? Thanks!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...


message 30: by Jennifer, Moderator (last edited Dec 27, 2022 12:50PM) (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
With pleasure.

Earnhardt Nation The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family by Jay Busbee because I was living in Daytona and in a bar about a mile away from the speedway when Dale had his accident, and

Welcome to the Circus of Baseball A Story of the Perfect Summer at the Perfect Ballpark at the Perfect Time by Ryan McGee because it sounds like spring and summer, and that is appealing right now and

Little Poison Paul Runyan, Sam Snead, and a Long-Shot Upset at the 1938 PGA Championship by John Dechant because that title is intriguing.

Enjoy!


message 31: by Denise (new)

Denise (derickert) | 1268 comments Finished The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner , 4 stars. A very engaging and entertaining historical novel. The story jumps effortlessly from past to present. It is full of mystery and self discovery. I was drawn more to the story in the past than the present.
Thank you for picking this one Martha.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Tried starting my first Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer, struggled through the first story then realised I didn't have the inclination to start the second. As it's a classic, I've put it to one side and will try again in classics month


message 33: by Jennifer, Moderator (last edited Jan 08, 2023 08:14AM) (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
I have a hard time with stream of consciousness writing, Desley. That author and some of Virginia Woolf and most of James Joyce give me trouble (i.e I didn't finish them the first time and have no desire to go back).

Ironically, if I had to choose an all-time favorite author it would probably be John Galsworthy, who, when he was young (and obviously well before he won the Nobel Prize for literature), was roommates or shipmates or something with Joseph Conrad and they became good friends. So my favorite author and one I simply cannot read lived together and knew each other well.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments That's interesting Jennifer - I was talking to a friend yesterday about classics, we'd both like to read more, but find some hard going, that might explain it.


message 35: by Lance (new)

Lance (sportsbookguy) | 398 comments Finished #1 for January, Earnhardt Nation: The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family Earnhardt Nation The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family by Jay Busbee and really enjoyed it. Mostly about Dale Sr and I learned a lot about him - and I knew quite a bit on him and Jr before reading this. Excellent for any NASCAR fan.


message 36: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Same here. There are some classics authors I really like and will read all day long -- Anthony Trollope, Galsworthy, Jane Austen, Somerset Maugham, Edith Wharton, Fitzgerald, Dumas (pere or fils, either one), Wodehouse (and I could name a bunch more), others I like in smaller doses (Henry James, Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoi, Thomas Wolfe) and some I just can't stand (the stream of consciousness crowd (you can add most of Faulkner to that list) and Ernest Hemingway come to mind, and I don't much like Kerouac and a few others that would likely get me pilloried on here...).

I think the conflict is the label -- classics. Classics are supposed to have "stood the test of time" and "be worthy of reading." What they really are in another sense are "books that happen to still be in print," and while their author may have had a big effect on literature (Truman Capote) or life (Harriett Beecher Stowe or Upton Sinclair) at the time they wrote, now they're just books. And as just books, some we will like, and some we won't -- just like every other book we pick up.


message 37: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Lance wrote: "Finished #1 for January, Earnhardt Nation: The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family Earnhardt Nation The Full-Throttle Saga of NASCAR's First Family by Jay Busbee and..."

You're already in trouble with me today, young man. Putting five stars on books I think I might be interested in when you KNOW my TBR is vulnerable. THE NERVE.


message 38: by Lance (new)

Lance (sportsbookguy) | 398 comments I'll continue to take my chances...


message 39: by Denise (new)

Denise (derickert) | 1268 comments Finished Skipping Christmas by John Grisham , gave it 4 stars. Skipping Christmas is a novel idea that I may have to do one day. This was a witty story that kept me entertained from beginning to end. I enjoyed the characters Luther and Nora, but some of the neighbors were a little aggressive.

Thanks Martha for another good pick!


message 40: by 〰️Beth〰️ (new)

〰️Beth〰️ (x1f4a0bethx1f4a0) | 470 comments Finished The Wind That Lays Waste by Selva Almada . A wonderfully written novella. 4 stars. Also read Thorn Bearer (Thornraven, #3; The Twelve Systems Chronicles, #10) by E.G. Manetti which was not on my original list but had to finish this 10th and final book in the series.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments Jennifer wrote: "Same here. There are some classics authors I really like and will read all day long -- Anthony Trollope, Galsworthy, Jane Austen, Somerset Maugham, Edith Wharton, Fitzgerald, Dumas (pere or fils, e..."

Thanks Jennifer, that helps me not feel quite as bad, and happy to do my version of classics, which is things like Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton!


message 42: by Joy D (last edited Jan 09, 2023 01:05PM) (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Finished book 1 of 3 for January:
Haven by Emma Donoghue
Haven by Emma Donoghue - 4* - My Review


message 43: by Joy D (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Finished book 2 of 3 for January:
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri - 5* - My Review


message 44: by Jennifer, Moderator (new)

Jennifer (jhaltenburger) | 1812 comments Mod
Wow, Joy, whipping right through!


message 45: by 〰️Beth〰️ (last edited Jan 13, 2023 08:24AM) (new)

〰️Beth〰️ (x1f4a0bethx1f4a0) | 470 comments Finished my first pick The Nun's Tale (Owen Archer #3) by Candace Robb , loving this medieval mystery series!


message 46: by Joy D (new)

Joy D | 1289 comments Finished my 3rd of 3 for January:
Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson - 4.5* - My Review

It was a great month, thanks, Denise!


message 47: by 〰️Beth〰️ (new)

〰️Beth〰️ (x1f4a0bethx1f4a0) | 470 comments Finished XOR AX, AX by Andrei Saygo . Won on GR. Nice start to a promising new science fiction thriller series.


message 48: by Lance (new)

Lance (sportsbookguy) | 398 comments Finishing #2 for January today, Little Poison: Paul Runyan, Sam Snead, and a Long-Shot Upset at the 1938 PGA Championship. More biography of Runyan than the golf tourney in the title - but that’s a good thing as I learned a lot about him.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 800 comments I only managed two of my choices (well, plus 30 pages of one I've already discussed!), but both were 4 star reads.

The Executioner
Elevator Pitch


message 50: by Lance (new)

Lance (sportsbookguy) | 398 comments A few days late, but finished #3, Welcome to the Circus of Baseball: A Story of the Perfect Summer at the Perfect Ballpark at the Perfect Time. 4 stars - very good for a fun read about minor league baseball - the work done by interns, not the game itself.


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