2012 February - Pick It For Me! Challenge

[Pollyanna]

Hey Yz, I finished Magic Study, really enjoyed it gave it stars, now I need to get hold of Fire Study, thanks for the rec.

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Susan, I ended up reading Misunderstanding Mason this weekend and I loved it! I think I am going to start listening to Glory in Death next. If there is still time in the month, I am going to try to read/listen to Again The Magic as well. I'm not picking the books I thought I would, but I am having lots of fun with what I am reading! Thanks again for the picks!

[Susan (susayq ~)]

MountainKat, I'm so glad you're enjoying your picks!

[Erin]

Reetuparna, I finally got a hold of this weekend. It was a quick, entertaining read, thanks for the recommendation!

[Lady Jaye]

Brett, I am going to try to read . I hope I can get through it before the month ends.

[Lacy]

Debbie,
I finished Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts today and I loved it. I couldn't put it down and I loved the characters. The relationship between the four women is refreshing and so un...catty! Thanks again for the picks!!!

I hope your reads are going well!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Better late than never. Stats time!

Our top 3 authors (and newcomer to this list - Butcher) owe a bit of thanks to the location based categories this month.

Top Authors:
1. Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 35
2. Paullina Simons - 21
2. Chloe Neill - 21
4. Nora Roberts - 19
4. Ilona Andrews - 19
6. Lisa Kleypas - 18
7. Julie James - 17
8. J.D. Robb - 16
9. J.R. Ward - 15
10. Jennifer Crusie - 13
10. Jim Butcher - 13
12. Pamela Clare - 12
12. Patricia Briggs - 12
12. Richelle Mead - 12
12. Nalini Singh - 12
12. Karen Marie Moning - 12
17. Sarah Addison Allen - 11


** out of 1152 total recommendations

[Diane ~Firefly~]

The top few won't be much of a surprise based on the top authors. The location categories really made for a big shake-up. This has to be the first time an author has had 2 books tied for 3rd.

Top Books:
1. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons - 19
2. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill - 18
3. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 12
3. It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 12
3. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews - 12
6. Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare - 11
7. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - 10
7. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - 10
7. Vision in White by Nora Roberts - 10
10. Storm Front by Jim Butcher - 9
11. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson - 8

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Wow - the books list looks quite different this month!

Love those stats Diane :)

[D.G.]

Wow! That was definitely a shake off!

Thanks for the stats, Diane!

[Nancy H]

Really enjoy seeing the stats - thanks, Diane!

[Debbie]

Lacy wrote: "Debbie,
I finished Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts today and I loved it. I couldn't put it down and I loved the characters. The relationship between the four women is refreshing and so un...catty! T..."

Glad you liked it Lacy. #2 & 3 are my favorites.
Just about to start my selection, I have been running behind on my reading again this month.

[Kami]

I finished Some Girls Bite. I gave it three stars. I thought it was okay but there was a lot of building up the story and not much actually happening. Maybe because this is the first in the series and the next book will be better? I couldn't really get into the story and wasn't loving the characters so it may be awhile before I pick up another book in this series. I will read Clockwork Prince next.

[Kami]

Miss wrote: "hi KAMI, thank you again for the picks, i've finished but i didn't like it at all. The main character was very very annoying, lol. But it's great that i got it off my ..."

I wasn't a huge fan of my pick either. Sometimes they're good and sometimes they're bad, right?

[Christine]

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Better late than never. Stats time!

Our top 3 authors (and newcomer to this list - Butcher) owe a bit of thanks to the location based categories this month.."

Nice stats. I'm can't imagine how long it takes to put this together. But, Jim Butcher is new to the list?! I need to start recommending him more....

[Alexis]

Penney wrote: "Yay Lexa! I'm glad you liked it, I felt the same way. And if you liked Dragon Bound definitely move on to Storm's Heart and Serpent's Kiss, they're both very good. Right now I'm eagerly awaiting #4, Oracle's Moon, I think it comes out next month! "

I'm glad you've enjoyed them! I'll definitely give them both a try as soon as possible! I was worried because of the up and down reviews that they got! I'm going to start reading the others I said I'd read this week. I just have to finish this ARC and I've finished my other challenges. So I have the rest of the month to work through your picks :)

[Lady Allison]

Lacy, that was one of the reasons I loved that series, too! There wasn't much conflict & it totally worked. It was just so nice to read & it made me smile the who way through! Keep reading, one of my favorite contemporary series yet!

Kami, it really does get better - when you get a chance you should read the next few in the series, she's a kick ass heroine & the storylines get tighter.

I finished my buddy read, with Mandy & while I LOVE him, I was really pretty disappointed in how rushed the story was. The heroine surprised me though because she could've gotten annoying pretty quickly but I ended up really liking her! It was a 3-4 star read, KC better pick up the pace on the next one!

[Christine]

The buddy read of starts today/tomorrow. For anyone interested here's the link to the thread:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

[Lacy]

Lady Allison St. Vincent wrote: "Lacy, that was one of the reasons I loved that series, too! There wasn't much conflict & it totally worked. It was just so nice to read & it made me smile the who way through! Keep reading, one of ..."

Thanks Allison,
I plan on plowing through them, except that I don't have the fourth one yet. Oh what to do! I am loving it. I love me some Nora Roberts!

[Lady Allison]

I PMd you, Lacy :)

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Christine wrote: "Nice stats. I'm can't imagine how long it takes to put this together. But, Jim Butcher is new to the list?! I need to start recommending him more....
"

Butcher will usually get a couple recs each month, but rarely more than that. Cool thing about keeping stats, is I can look things up and he was recommended a total of 23 times last year.

[~Melissa~]

Mandy~
Finished Hounded 4 stars for this first in a series. I'll be eagerly looking for book 2 of this series. Have to see what happens to Atticus and Oberon.
Also just completed Moon Called another new to me author and series. Mercedes is definitely a kick ass kind of chick. Interesting that it had so many types of preternatural(sp?) all in the same book. I will def be checking out the rest of this series.
Still going to try to get to Agnes and the Hitman and
To Tame A Highland Warrior. Thanks again for the rec's!!

[Diane ~Firefly~]

LethalLovely

I just finished Pleasure of a Dark Prince and enjoyed it. Thanks for the push to move it up my TBR.

[Brett]

DG,
I'm going to try and read . Not sure if I'll finish it this month though, but I'm going to try

[D.G.]

Wow, Brett!

That's one I haven't read but I've heard soo many good things about it! I'll be looking to your comments about it.

[Nairabell]

Thank you for doing the stats Diane :) It's been so manic for me this month with my sister's wedding and me then getting sick I haven't had a chance to do them.

[Carla]

Suzanne--I just finished The Brideand really liked it--thanks for the great recommendation. It was all that a light romance should be, and just what I wanted to be reading. I'll definitely be reading more of her books. Thanks!

[Alyssa]

I finished and it was great! This is definitely a favorite of mine. Marissa and Butch's relationship was great. I loved every second of this book!

[Christine]

Alyssa wrote: "I finished and it was great! This is definitely a favorite of mine. Marissa and Butch's relationship was great. I loved every second of this book!"


Butch is my favorite of the brothers. And I didn't even like his character until near the end of the first book when he first went toe to toe with the brothers.

[Alyssa]

Christine wrote: "Alyssa wrote: "I finished and it was great! This is definitely a favorite of mine. Marissa and Butch's relationship was great. I loved every second of this book!"

..."
I always like Butch. In the beginning I found this book hard to read cause I thought he was turning into a lesser and I just didn't want it to happen. It was funny listening to me no want it to happen only to discover what does. XD

I agree, he is definitely one of my favorite bothers.

[Dee]

hi Lady Jaye - I finished up Heartless this morning - overall I liked it, but I got to wonder if a woman who was 9 months preggo would really do all that alexia was doing...either way...can't wait for the last book in the series that is due out in a couple of weeks

[Lady Jaye]

Me too, Dee. I'm excited for the end.

[Dee]

honestly, i think this could have also been the series end - KWIM? wonder if her new series is going to be linked to this one

[Lady Jaye]

I know what you mean, Dee, :). But I'm kinda glad we'll get to see Prudence a bit more grownup in the next bok (plus, I'll miss Lord Maccon)

She's doing a spinoff for Prudence next year, and then another series which is set in the same world, but years before this one.

[Dee]

my only comment...the cover on this one and timeless was god-awful!! WTH was up with the model

[Lady Jaye]

:D. I haven't liked any of the covers :(

[Dee]

I liked the earlier one - like this one - but the model in the last 2 is just OMG

[Amy J.]

I finished The Snowman on the 13 and i really enjoyed the story even if it was a bit convoluted at times

And I finished Thorn Queen last night. Which was just OK. I found myself just sort of skimming toward the end

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

@ Angelica

I finished Extreme Exposure a couple of days ago, and I enjoyed reading it. I will be looking for more books of this author.

Thanks for the push.

[Suzanne]

Hi Leslie,

Finished Hot Six two days ago, and loved it - just like all of her books :)
I have had a change of heart and am going to try and find Magic Bites as I have heard so much about it this month!

[Dawn (Kat N Hat)]

Kimmy wrote: " Dawn
How are you enjoying The Trouble With Magic?"

So sorry real life has gotten in the way and I haven't made it past chapter 1. I hope to get more time in the next week for it.

[Lady Jaye]

Hey Brett, I decided to put Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell back on the to-read shelf after 34 pages. it's just too long, and there are other books I've been itching to read. I'll get to it sometime, but just not this month.

[Amy J.]

I finished To Tame A Highland Warriorand I enjoyed it a lot. I had trouble putting it down. I was up half the night reading about Grimm. Thanks for the rec

[Christine]

I finished Rapture in Death. It was a nice installment to the series, and great to get to see a little more depth from most of these characters.

[SandyC]

I finished my picks, and . I enjoyed both very much and would recommend to others. Thanks to Carla for moving them off my to-read shelf!

[Nancy H]

Nici,
I just finished And One Last Thing by Molly Harper and it was a really good chick-lit, current day romance, with a rather unusual but hilarious way of dealing with a cheating husband.

Thanks for the recommendation! I hope to get at least one more, possibly two, read by the end of the month!

[Debbie]

Hey Elke I got to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Wow, that was interesting wasn't it. Thanks for the push to get it done. I have had this on my tbr for a while. So, is the movie as interesting as the book was (just wondering)?

[Lady Allison]

Mandy, I started today :) I'll let you know how it goes.

[Brett]

Lady Jaye wrote: "Hey Brett, I decided to put Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell back on the to-read shelf after 34 pages. it's just too long, and there are other books I've been itching to read. I'll ge..."

Yea, I started reading

and it's long, and I got distracted by all these other books. I know I'm not going to finish it this month.

[Dee]

Lady Jaye - I also finished up A Lot Like Love - it was cute, but something seemed to be missing between the main characters...I never truely saw a spark, but I gave it 3 stars