Mount TBR 2014 Challenge discussion

I have so many really good-looking books I need to read. I pledge to avoid acquiring (that includes freebies!) new books until I can at least see the top of the foothills.

good luck, Jane!

Jane wrote: "I have so many really good-looking books I need to read. I pledge to avoid acquiring (that includes freebies!) new books until I can at least see the top of the foothills."

Good luck Jane! I have a hard time turning away from those Kindle freebies, so I am impressed with your goal!

I have unsubscribed from my NetGalley and Edelweiss emails. I'm serious, folks.

Jane wrote: "I have unsubscribed from my NetGalley and Edelweiss emails. I'm serious, folks."

Wow.

I have taken the first step by beginning Princesses Behaving Badly, which has the huge advantages of a) being short and b) having been selected as this month's read by the only IRL book club I belong to. I'm pretty excited about having started - I've set my sights low to begin with but I'd really love to see a HUGE dent in the pile by the end of 2014.

Jane wrote: "I have taken the first step by beginning Princesses Behaving Badly, which has the huge advantages of a) being short and b) having been selected as this month's read by the only IRL book club I belo..."

You are a step ahead of me - I am still reading books from December...

I'm now 1 book down: Princesses Behaving Badly is done and dusted, and I'm on my 2nd challenge book, The Returned. I'm eyeing my shelf to see if I want to take on one of the chunksters next.

AAAAND we are 2 down! The Returned only squeaked into the challenge as it was acquired in December but hey, the rules are the rules. Gotta read some review books now, but I'm already eyeing the mountain for the next rock.

Oh, excellent start! I have to admit a bit of envy to for your progress (grin)! :)

Thanks...I'm wondering when I'm actually going to see a physical dent in the pile. Right now it looms over me, glaring...

Jane wrote: "Thanks...I'm wondering when I'm actually going to see a physical dent in the pile. Right now it looms over me, glaring..."

LOL! Mine is having offspring - new little piles at various places about the house... plus I was weak at the library yesterday and came home with 4 books. *sigh*

Ha! I have created a Guilt List on GR for all books I acquire in 2014 (with the exception of books I receive for review for the Historical Novel Society). I'm pretty determined this year.

Jane wrote: "Ha! I have created a Guilt List on GR for all books I acquire in 2014 (with the exception of books I receive for review for the Historical Novel Society). I'm pretty determined this year."

I have already stocked up on plenty of "guilt" this year...

What a great idea Jane - I've only bought one book this year so far and got one for free on my Kindle.

One was the new Gaiman book which was 99p in the daily deal and the other was a book I had been wanting to read for a while so I definitely picked it up when it went free!!

Have faith!

"Acquired" includes freebies. That's why I unsubscribed from NetGalley and Edelweiss - I knew I'd be weak in the face of temptation.

AWRIGHT! I have increased my count to 4 by finishing A Game of Thrones and Bellman & Black. And when I get home I've nearly finished The Scottish Prisoner, only it was too big to take on this trip.

Jane wrote: "AWRIGHT! I have increased my count to 4 by finishing A Game of Thrones and Bellman & Black. And when I get home I've nearly finished The Scottish Prisoner, only it was too big to take on this trip."

Good going! And a couple of biggies as well :)

Had to take a huge hiatus because of traveling AND reading the entire Savannah Quartet in a month for the HNS, but I'm pleased to announce I've finished The Scottish Prisoner, bringing my count to 5.

Now then - Thunderstruck or Letters from Skye seem to leap out of the pile at me. Anyone like to help me choose between them?

I am unfamiliar with both of those so no help here, I am afraid! But good going on finishing up #5 - almost 42% done :)

I went for Thunderstruck - it's by Erik Larson, the Devil in the White City author. So far so good.

Thunderstruck turned out to be a page-turner so I whipped through it - and am now halfway up Pike's Peak with 6 books read! To recap, they are:

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon
Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield
A Game of Thrones (audiobook) by George R.R. Martin
The Returned by Jason Mott
Princesses Behaving Badly by Linda McRobbie

I might actually make this climb...

WOOHOOOO!!! Great job - you are inspiring me to crank out a few more of my own TBRs!

Jane, I also listened to Game of Thrones as an audiobook. Did yours have editting errors where certain sections were repeated?

Mine was the Roy Dotrice narration and yes, it had repeats. He also gets accents mixed up, mispronounces names and at one point burps mid-sentence!!

OMG, he burps mid-sentence?! That sounds rather fun LOL!

I have so many issues with Dotrice's reading - more so than just about any audiobook since The Da Vinci Code. I think Peter Dinklage should re-narrate the whole lot, at which point I'd buy the series all over again...love his voice.

Jane wrote: "Mine was the Roy Dotrice narration and yes, it had repeats. He also gets accents mixed up, mispronounces names and at one point burps mid-sentence!!"

Yeah, that was the one I had too. It is the only audiobook that I have returned to Audible - I think that it is a shame that it is still being sold!

Yes, certainly now that so many people want to read the series.

Aaaand Mrs. Poe brings me to 7! I'm starting to feel like I'm on the downward slope.

Just finished A Clash of Kings on audiobook, so that's 8!!! I'm on such a roll.

Oops, realized I haven't posted here for a while. Since April I've read:

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Bringing my total to 11! I can see the summit! And I think the 12th book will be The Robber Barons, which I started ages ago but took a break from.

After that I'm hoping to read perhaps half a dozen more of my TBR pile before the end of the year, but I won't announce an attempt on Mont Blanc unless it seems likely I'll make it.

I've got to say, I'd never have read those books without this group, and you've really encouraged me to stop buying books and read the ones I've got. I'll definitely be back in 2015.

Jane wrote: "Oops, realized I haven't posted here for a while. Since April I've read:

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Bringing my total to 11! I can see the summit!..."

Congrats!! And I have faith that you will make it not only to Pike's Peak but also to the top of Mont Blanc! :)

Thank you - I'll let you guys know if I try :D

Jane wrote: "Oops, realized I haven't posted here for a while. Since April I've read:

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Bringing my ..."

Almost there! And Mont Blanc in your sights--glad that the group is helping you shift those books off the TBR piles.

Jane, you rock! Keep up the fantastic work, and I hope you can conquer Pike's Peak and head up Mont Blanc!

I HAVE CONQUERED PIKE'S PEAK!

I've now knocked 13 books off my TBR pile, with the recent additions of The Robber Barons and Here be Dragons.

I have some recent acquisitions I want to read, but I also have my eye on a couple of TBR pile lingerers that might be great to finish off the year with. I'm not going to get to the next level, but I'm pretty pleased about those 13 books.

Jane wrote: "I HAVE CONQUERED PIKE'S PEAK!

I've now knocked 13 books off my TBR pile, with the recent additions of The Robber Barons and Here be Dragons.

I have some recent acquisit..."

Congrats!! You've reached your goal & can read whatever's appealing without guilt now :-)

Leslie wrote: "Congrats!! You've reached your goal & can read whatever's appealing without guilt now :-)"

Thanks...I'm definitely doing this challenge again next year. Review commitments mean I have to read a lot of new material, but if I can get 13 TBR books in by September that's not too bad.

And some of them were real chunksters.

Jane, you are my hero! I really need to get my rear in gear and start hauling @$$ through some of mine (though I'm not doing terrible in my goal, but I don't want to get lazy!!).

Go for it Crystal! The year is waning...

Jane wrote: "And some of them were real chunksters."

Indeed, such as Game of Thrones!

Ah, but they were audiobooks that kept me company on many a run or car journey.

Jane wrote: "I HAVE CONQUERED PIKE'S PEAK!

I've now knocked 13 books off my TBR pile, with the recent additions of The Robber Barons and Here be Dragons.

I have some recent acquisit..."

Congratulations!!