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Monthly Challenges > 2025 December Pick It For Me Challenge

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message 1: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments 2025 December PIFM Challenge

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:

✱✱ What is your favorite thing about a holiday/holiday season? ✱✱
Spending the day with family/friends? Sleeping late? Special foods? Extra reading time? Something else entirely?

✱✱ If you have a preferred shelf, please list it along with your pick! ✱✱

IMPORTANT DATES
Sign ups will remain open until November 25th (1 am US EST).
For your convenience a Time Zone Converter: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock....

You’ll have until November 29, 9 pm US EST 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!✱


message 2: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments 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.

✱ You will be using 8 picking rules to select books for you pickee. 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. The remaining 4 titles should come from your pickee's tbr, with a minimum of one from their preferred shelves if provided. Be sure to pick at least one book for each picking rule, but please limit your picks to no more than two books per rule as sometimes having too many options is worse than too few.

Please remember when you are giving new recommendations, you are not limited to titles that you have read. You can choose books that are new releases, on your tbr, or titles you looked up on Goodreads or Amazon that you think your pickee would enjoy.

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!


message 3: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments 2025 December – Signups


message 4: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments 2025 December – Pairings


message 5: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments 2025 December – Picking Rules


message 6: by ~KarenH~, Moderator (new)

~KarenH~ | 11473 comments **


message 7: by Courtney (last edited 11 hours, 41 min ago) (new)

Courtney | 345 comments I'm in

Q: ✱✱ What is your favorite thing about a holiday/holiday season? ✱✱
A: Christmas Lights. I love walking around at night to see the creative decorations. There's something very calming about the experience.

December PFM


message 8: by Amanda (new)

Amanda  Edgar (amandaedgar) | 33 comments i'm in

Q:What is your favorite thing about a holiday/holiday season?
A: The coziness of having your house decorated & christmas movies

December PIFM


message 9: by Julie (last edited 4 hours, 19 min ago) (new)

Julie | 984 comments Count me in!

During this holiday season our family is looking forward to going camping with our group of friends by the beach. I hoping to read some good books with my feet up and a glass of bubbly!

Want to read shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...


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