March - Pick It For Me Challenge

[Rossy]

LOL! We have quite a few overachievers here. Either they finish before most even get started or they read 2 book or more. Although they make me feel like a turtle, am pretty proud of them.

[Shelley]

This is my first time participating in one of these, so I hope I'm doing it right!

The country I would like to go to is France.

[Skena]

Shelley wrote: "This is my first time participating in one of these, so I hope I'm doing it right!

The country I would like to go to is France."

this is my first time too :)

[Michelle]

This is great. I dont feel so alone with this being my first time too.

[D.G.]

Don't feel so alone! We get our share of newbies each month. :)

It's not that hard if you read the instructions carefully and ask questions if you don't understand anything. ;)

[SandyC]

I second what D.G. said. I would also add: be warned because your TBR is going to multiply!

[Tania]

Ditto Sandy... My TBR just isn't getting any smaller despite how much I read. Hmmmm I wonder why?

[Gigi]

D.G. wrote: "Don't feel so alone! We get our share of newbies each month. :)

It's not that hard if you read the instructions carefully and ask questions if you don't understand anything. ;)"

Oh and to add to that I hope you don't mind DG- also remember to check in before or by the deadline to give recs and get your recs.

[Cathy]

I would like to try this. I'd like to go to England.

[D.G.]

Gigi wrote: "also remember to check in before or by the deadline to give recs and get your recs. "

Definitely! One of the most important things! :)

Two more days to go until signups are closed! :)

[Rossy]

Sandy wrote: "I second what D.G. said. I would also add: be warned because your TBR is going to multiply!"

Just take a look at my TBR!

[Autumn]

Sandy wrote: "I second what D.G. said. I would also add: be warned because your TBR is going to multiply!"

ohh God yes!! it deliciously multiply!! like when ur making a gift list.. and go crazy with the laser scans pointing at every direction..

[Tania]

Less than 48 hours to go till sign up's close!!!

So here's a quick checklist of things you might like to do between now and then....

- Sign up if you haven't already

- Check that your name and country are down on the list if you have signed up

- Make sure your TBR pile is up to date

- Print out the rules to have in front of your computer ready to go (if you do it that way - I find it the easiest way to keep focused when I get lost in someone elses tbr pile)

- Twirl around madly in excitement, get distracted by a bookshelf and fall in a heap reading whatever book you happened to grab on the way down.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

LOL! Love the twirl!

[SandyC]

Rossy, I bow to your TBR. :-)

[Stormy]

I hope this doesn't come off as too much...but instead of printing the rules out, I usually cut and paste them into a Word document. Then I split my screen between my pickee's TBR and the Word document. I fulfill the PIFM rules for that month as I go thru the TBR, then cut and paste it into the comment field at the PIFM forum when I'm done. That way, I don't unnecessarily utilize any resources (paper/ink, etc) and it's easy to deal with interruptions in the picking/posting process.

FWIW.

[SandyC]

Hi Tania. I just noticed you have me listed as France, but I had picked England. (Not that I wouldn't love to go to France again. LOL).

Thank you for coordinating this month!

[Katherine]

I'm in. I'd go to Ireland.

[Elke]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Settings Group has their bookshelves arranged by country or US-state. Feel free to add books as well."

thanks Diane!

[Tania]

Sandy wrote: "Hi Tania. I just noticed you have me listed as France, but I had picked England. (Not that I wouldn't love to go to France again. LOL).

Thank you for coordinating this month!"

Thanks Sandy - all fixed now.

[Tania]

Kerste wrote: "I hope this doesn't come off as too much...but instead of printing the rules out, I usually cut and paste them into a Word document. Then I split my screen between my pickee's TBR and the Word doc..."

Thanks for the tip Kerste. Anyone else have tips for how to do the challenge?

[Dee]

i use the compare books function quite a bit - normally my read list and their to-read list...that helps me find books that they might already have on their shelves and be interested in.

i normally print out a sheet of paper that has the categories on it and make notes as i'm going through shelves - try to get a few for each category and then i narrow it down to one or two choices

[Sue]

I almost missed this month! I'm in and I would love to go to Italy.
Sue-

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

I've only done this once before, but I pretty much did as Kerste and Dee do. ...Maybe with a bit more ink and paper usage than Kerste though :) I use word, but sometimes I can't help printing it out and scribbling!

First I troll their 'read' books for an idea on their reading taste (comtemporary/PNR/Sci-fi etc) and then go from there utilising the 'compare books' function and their TBR list A LOT.

[Desperado]

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "i use the compare books function quite a bit - normally my read list and their to-read list...that helps me find books that they might already have on their shelves and be interested in.

i normall..."

That's how I've been doing since I started participating in these challenges. I also save the final drafts so I can compare them to see what books I'm recommending the most. Instead of saying "Hey, I liked this book so you might too" I try to pick based on what the person might enjoy based on their shelves. One month I picked for someone who doesn't like PNR/UF. I LOVE those genres but since I've read so many books (1200+), I looked for books in other genres that that person seemed to enjoy.

I also tend to rec more books than required for this challenge. I figure that the more options my person has to choose from, the less likely they'll end up reading a book they're not excited about.

[A_Vishous_Fan]

I'm in,If I'm still able to join. I wasn't going to.
but I couldn't help it. I would love to go to Scotland

[Leah]

I'm in and I'd go to Scotland

[Cacophony]

I have never tried this challenge before, but it sounds like fun! I love to travel, and if I had unlimited funds I think Japan would be the best.

[Tania]

Less than one and a half hours to go. The PIFM randomising generator is being warmed up and is currently in the process of making weird and disturbing clunking noises.

[Tania]

Sign up is now closed - I'll start to feed names into the PIFM Randomising Generator shortly.

[Tania]

Okay boys and girls the Pairings lists are now up. I had to take a cricket bat to the PIFM Randomising Generator in order for it to behave and spit everyone out a pairing that wasn't with the country they selected...(sorry Rossy - I'll get it repaired honest)

The pairing lists are in messages 2 & 3 with the rules at the bottom of message 1.

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

Charlotte, I'll have picks up for you sometime before noon EST tomorrow.

[Dee]

Lethal - i'm doing your picks right now - so you don't feel neglected this month! should have them in the next hour

[Ashley♥Alexis]

Tania wrote: "Okay boys and girls the Pairings lists are now up. I had to take a cricket bat to the PIFM Randomising Generator in order for it to behave and spit everyone out a pairing that wasn't with the coun..."

so wait.. how did you do pairings? Just randomized names but made sure it wasn't the same country?

[Desperado]

Delicious Dee Challenge Addict wrote: "Lethal - i'm doing your picks right now - so you don't feel neglected this month! should have them in the next hour"

Ahhh! I'm so happy that you're picking for me because a)I don't have to friend request you (since my profile is private) since we're already friends & b)we have very similar tastes so I know your picks are gonna be awesome! Yay!

I'm getting ready to start looking through my pickee's shelves right now.

[Dee]

lol...i'm trying to find you some good stuff right now!

aight - here you go!!

Places I'm Going
1. Culture Shock - Seven Nights of Sin - i've heard of Lacey Alexander but never read anything by her
2. Airport Purchases - The Perfect Play (need I say more) and if you don't have it, then Sinful
3. Making Those Connections - Slave to Sensation - you've read and rating her Guild Hunter's series, which I haven't read yet, but I've enjoyed the ones of these that i've read so far

Places I've Been
4. Going Back There For Sure - Warrior - loved this book because Mongolia isn't a normal setting for a Romance, plus after reading several books on Genghis Khan recently it has moved up my list of places i'd like to visit.
5. Making Space in the Luggage - Drums of Autumn - considering that I own the tradepaperback, the audiobook and the kindle version of all the books in the series - I don't think adding another version to the shelf would be too much trouble.
6. Heading Home - Shadowfever - to finish up the series - it will keep you guessing up until the last few pages and should entertain you on a long trip

Planning the Next Trip
7. Egypt - Nefer the Silent - I picked this up as a challenge for another group and it looks like an interesting piece of historical fiction
8. India - The Duke of Shadows - it sounded interesting - not sure how much is in India, and how much is in England, but India is listed as the main setting.

Optional Pick
I love audiobooks, and use them most days driving into work - I just finished The Help and I highly recommend it - the three women who narrate it bring Miss Skeeter, Abileen and Minni to life (one of them has actually been cast in the movie that is going to be out later on this year).

[Tania]

Hi Cathy, I had soooo much fun snopping around your shelves. Hopefully you'll find something here you like, otherwise let me know and I'll have another go.

Places I'm going
1. Culture Shock - Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (I don't read much YA so have never heard of this book or author)
2. Airport Purchases - I couldn't choose between Laid Bare by Lauren Dane or Sea Witch by Virginia Kantra, I think both are just beautiful, sensual covers
3. Making Those Connections - You have a few series going but I went for Linger by Maggie Stiefvater because you rated the first in the series so highly

Places I've Been
4. Going back there for sure - Stormwalker by Allyson James the imagery in this book just made me want to head to the desert
5. Making space in the luggage – Dark Celebration by Christine Feehan because it revisits so many of my favourite characters it would be like throwing out a family photo. I wouldn't suggest starting in the middle of the series so - Dark Prince instead.
6. Heading home - Touch the Dark by Karen Chance I got so engrossed trying to figure out who was who and what their motivations were I didn't budge for several hours when reading this.

Planning the Next Trip
7. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is set in peru but not a romance. Heart of Fire by Linda Howard is set in the Amazon but I don't know if its the Peru part.
8. My Wicked Highlanderby Jen Holling

Optional Pick
9. Audio book - I love Northern Lights by Nora Roberts in audio format. In fact all of NR's books translate well in audio. Unlike Halfway to the Grave which is giving me the s**ts in audio because the narrator is doing the worst british accent I've ever heard for bones. Makes him sound like a Cockney chimney sweep instead of James Bond.

[Tania]

AshleyAlexis wrote: "so wait.. how did you do pairings? Just randomized names but made sure it wasn't the same country? "

Essentially you were grouped in the number of letters in your screen tag (7+, 6, 5, 4-) and then I spent some time making sure people weren't picking for the same country. Which wasn't as simple as I first thought. A LOT of people want to go to Italy.

[Autumn]

Rachel i should have my recs by tomorrow :)

[SandyC]

Hi Tania! Here are my recs for you. If none of these excite you and you want more suggestions, just let me know.

Places I'm going
1. Culture Shock - I had no problem finding a book I'd never heard of your TBR. I randomly selected The Gargoyle.
2. Airport Purchases - I would pick Wicked Enchantment because I love kick-ass heroines!
3. Making those connections: Since you enjoyed the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I will suggest Dead to the World. (I would also suggest you rent the HBO True Blood series, which is one of my current obsessions.)

Places I've Been
4. Going back there for sure - I just read My Life in France by Julia Child last week. You will enjoy the sights, tastes, and smells of this beautiful country.
5. Making space in the luggage – I can't live without
Outlander. It's the only book I have in paperpack, audio and ebook format.
6. Heading home - The Pillars of the Earth is the perfect companion for a long journey.

Planning the Next Trip
7. Wolf Hall is historical fiction set in Tudor England. I've been wanting to read this for quite awhile.
8. Lima Nights and Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter are set in Peru.

Optional Audio
The only book I have ever listened to is Outlander. The narrator does a wonderful job with the Gaelic pronunciations and Scottish accents.

Happy reading, Tania!

[Ashley♥Alexis]

Hey MountainKat I wont be recommending any buddy reads because i have way too many challenges going for me this month =p I think you have the largest TBR shelf ive ever had to wade through ^.^

Places I'm going (Books from their TBR shelf)
1. Culture Shock - A Woman of Passion by Virginia Henley
2. Airport Purchases Soft Focus- by Jayne Ann Krentz
3. Making Those Connections Tribute- by Nora Roberts

Places I've Been (Books you’ve read)
4. Going back there for sure - Magic in the Wind (Drake Sisters, #1) by Christine Feehan
5. Making space in the luggage – I'll Be Your Drill, Soldier by Crystal Rose (this book change my life... and my reading habits lol)
6. Heading home - Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

9. I Love audio books because I walk and take the bus often, so it's kinda nice. I'm currently in line at the library to get the audio version of Halfway to the Grave just because I'm really curious how Bones will sound and how disappointed I will be. I would recomened listening to The Paid Companion by Amanda Quick. It was the first audio book I've ever listened to and it actually made me like Amanda Quick although i have avoided reading anything else under that pseudonym,in-case it was a fluke >.<

I wanted to recommend Dance Upon the Air or Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor for number 4 but you already read those =p I <3 small town islands. I have bigs hopes to move to San Juan Washington after i graduate from college ^.^

[Desperado]

Tania, is it okay if I pick a book that has an Indian character for #7? I ask because I'm finding very hard to find a book on my TBR that's set in India & neither me nor my pickee have books on our common TBR that are set in India. If the answer is no, I'll try again.

[Kami]

FOR MISS (Australia)

Places I'm going (Books from their TBR shelf)
1. Culture Shock - Pick a book from their TBR that you've never heard of or don't know much about.
Black Dust Mambo (Hoodoo #1)by Adrian Phoenix

2. Airport Purchases - Pick a book that you would buy at an airport because the cover caught your eye as you were walking past
Covet (The Fallen Angels #1)by J.R. Ward

3. Making Those Connections - pick a book that links to a book that they've read and rated highly (could be by author, series, theme etc)
Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4)by Diana Gabaldon

Places I've Been (Books you’ve read)
4. Going back there for sure - pick a book in an exotic locale that has made you want to pack your bags and travel to where the book is set
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

5. Making space in the luggage – mid way through a trip you need to get rid of some luggage weight. Pick the book you could never leave behind even if you knew you could get another copy back home.
The Host (The Host #1)by Stephenie Meyer

6. Heading home - pick the book that's going to help you get through an eight hour train / plane ride in economy seats.
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)

Planning the Next Trip (buddy reads)
(It’s expected that if the person you’re picking for selects one of these that you’ll read it as well)

Both you and your selectee chose a country you would like to go to. Pick:
7. One book set in the country you chose. Chocolat (Chocolat #1)by Joanne Harris
8. One book set in the country they chose.
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

[Tania]

LethalLovely~I Alone Love You. Fear Is Not the End wrote: "Tania, is it okay if I pick a book that has an Indian character for #7? I ask because I'm finding very hard to find a book on my TBR that's set in India & neither me nor my pickee have books on our..."

The buddy reads don't have to be from your TBR list. It's preferrable because then neither of you have to try to order the book from the library but it can be just a random book set in the countries you both chose. However, if you really want it to be from your TBR list I'll allow it, as I do understand that some people are determined to reduce their tbr instead of adding to it.(which is a theory I'm working on - I'm just not very good at it :grin: )

[Desperado]

Thank you very much, Tania. ☺ I am one of those people who are trying to drastically reduce my TBR. It'd probably work better for me if I'd quit adding books! LOL! I think I've added 14 within the past 2 days.

[Desperado]

Hey, Annie!
I am so excited to pick for you. We have a lot of books in common so it wasn't all that hard. If you don't see anything you are interested in reading, I am more than happy to try again.

*BTW, every book (except for #7) that I picked for you are from your TBR. I figure they were on there for a reason, so why not use it to your advantage?

Place's I'm Going (Books From Your TBR)
1. Alien Tango by Gini Koch
2. Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
3. Fire by Kristin Cashore~Because you gave Graceling 5 stars. I enjoyed Graceling & Fire very much & am (im)patiently waiting for Bitterblue to come out.



Place's I've Been (Books I've Read)
4. Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione~This is not only one of my favorite books in this series but it's set in Egypt! Oh! I'm jealous of fictional characters.
5. Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh~I've fallen hard for this series. I haven't met a cast of characters quite like the one's in Singh's "Guild Hunter" series. They are so awesome & unique-which is why I stayed up to 3 am on Jan 25th waiting to buy this book from Amazon! That's love.
6. Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost~I can't get enough of Cat, Bones & the other supporting characters. Only by using my fantastic *bats lashes* self-restraint have I kept from reading the latest book in this series. It seems from your ratings of this series that you enjoy them too.



Buddy Reads
7. From the Country I Chose (India): Glutton For Pleasure by Alisha Rai.
8. From the Country You Chose (England): Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley

[Cassie]

Hey Sarah!
Here's my picks for you. Hope you find something you'll want to read!

Places I'm Going
1. Culture Shock - Abithica by Susan Goldsmith - I've never heard of this book, but read the summary for it, and it would be something I'd read.
2. Airport Purchases - My Life as A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland. While looking through your TBR list, this book definitely caught my eye!
3. Making Those Connections - If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern. You gave 5 stars to P.S. I Love You, so you have to give this book a try. It was so sweet.

Places I've Been
4. Going Back There For Sure - Dark Champion by Jo Beverley - This book made me really want to go to England (where it takes place in the 12th century), Scotland, and Ireland to see castle and ruins.
5. Making Space in the Luggage - The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum - I am obsessed with anything Wizard of Oz, and most people think they know the story because of the movie, but it's not even the beginning of it. The story is actually pretty dark and it's only the tip of the iceberg. There are 13 more books!
6. Heading Home - Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult - I see you've read and liked some of her books already, and this has been my favorite of hers so far. I couldn't put it down, so it would be good for an 8 hour plane ride!
Planning the Next Trip
7. Set in Ireland - Confessions of a Pagan Nun: A Novel by Kate Horsley
8. Set in Scotland - Highlander In Her Bed by Allie Mackay
(Message me if you decide to read either one of these and I'll read it with you!)

Optional audio book
9. I listened to Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult on a playaway, and could hardly stop until I finished it. It's about a little girl who believes she's talking to God, and you just have to keep listening to find out if she is or not! Can't tell!

[Tania]

Sandy wrote: "Hi Tania! Here are my recs for you. If none of these excite you and you want more suggestions, just let me know.

Places I'm going
1. Culture Shock - I had no problem finding a book I'd never he..."

All right you've convinced me to give Outlander a go... this book has been sitting in my TBR pile so long it hasn't made it onto my goodreads listing yet.

[Fran, Moderator]

Hi Inga!

It was fun going through your shelves- hope you find something here you like- if not, just let me know and I will choose again.

Places I'm Going (from your tbr)

1. Culture Shock- Primal Hunger by Sydney Somers (I've never heard of this author)

2. Airport Purchase- Living Nightmare (hot guy's abs on cover)

3. Making Those Connections- This Side of the Grave (you have rated the rest of the series highly so might as well continue!)

Places I've Been (my tbr)

4. Going back there for sure- Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (set in Italy-beautifully described, makes me want to go there tomorrow!) or Cajun Hot by Nikita Black (set in Louisiana- fun, steamy read)

5. Making space in the luggage- I noticed you read UF and PNR almost exclusively so I am going to give you picks from those genres that I really like- Shadow Game by Christine Feehan (the 1st in the Ghostwalker series) or The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (ok, this is really magical realism but I just love it)

6. Heading home- Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning - I cannot stress to you enough how much I love this series- I recently read the entire thing in 10 days. This is the first one and will keep your nose in the book the entire train ride.

Planning the next trip (Buddy Reads)

7. A Snake in Paradise by Brenda Sedore (set in Italy, this is a .99 cent kindle book I found on Amazon that looks really good- "chick-lit thriller")

8. Heart of Fire by Linda Howard (set in Brazil, romantic suspense) or A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson (set in Brazil, YA historical about a ballet dancer)

9. Audio Book-
I have listened to Sh*t My Dad Says and Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea on audiobook and enjoyed both of them. Chelsea Handler herself narrates hers and she's really good.

[Juana "Darkness"]

A-Vishous-Fan here's your list, I hope you enjoy.

Places I'm going
1. Culture Shock- Rough Cut by Mari Carr
2. Airport Purchase- The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
3. Making those Connections- Dark Hunter Companion by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Places I've been
4. Going back there for sure- Heart Change by Robin D. Owens
5. Making space in the luggage- Dark Embrace by Brenda Joyce
6. Heading Home- Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

Planning the next trip
7. France- Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors
8. Scotland- Devil of the Highlands by Lynsay Sands