Mount TBR 2015 discussion

Wow. We're almost done with 2015 and it's time to get ready for the Final Mountaineering Checkpoint. Where does the time go? I'm ready to hear how all our mountain-climbing team members have done out there on Pike's Peak, Mt. Ararat, Mt. Everest....whichever peak you've chosen. Checkpoint participation is absolutely voluntary and is not considered necessary for challenge completion.
For those who would like to participate in this checkpoint thread, I'd like you to at least complete the first of these two things. And if you feel particularly inspired (or generous about humoring me during the holiday season), then please do both.

1. Tell us how many miles you made it up your mountain (# of books read). If you've planted your flag on the peak, then tell us and celebrate (and wave!). Even if you were especially athletic and have been sitting atop your mountain for months, please check back in and remind us how quickly you sprinted up that trail. And feel free to tell us about any particularly exciting book adventures you've had along the way.

2. The Year in Review According to Mount TBR: Using the titles of the books you read this year, please associate as many statements as you can with a book read on your journey up the Mountain. I have given my titles as examples.

Describe yourself: She's got Murder on Her Mind
Describe where you currently live: Ten Thousand Light-Years from Home
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: Paris in the Twentieth Century
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: The Vanishing Corpse
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: I drank some Strange Wine
The last meal I ate was: At Bertram's Hotel
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: give him a number that will Call for the Dead
Ignorant politicians make me: consult The Poisoner's Handbook
Some people need to spend more time: contemplating The Last Question
My memoir could be titled: A Pound of Paper: Confessions of a Book Addict
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: that life is a Game Without Rules
I've always wondered: about The Riddle of the Traveling Skull


And what do you get for all that hard work? The Checkpoint will close at 11:59 pm on Sunday, January 3. On Monday I will crank up the Custom Random Number Generator and pick a winning climber. He or she will have the chance to add to their TBR stack via my gently-used book vault (prize list will be sent). This prize is the only book given to you in 2016 that may count towards a 2016 TBR climb.

Even if you're not in the mood for a prize or if you got distracted by pretty scenery or side trails (library books, ARCs, what-have-you), I'd love to have you check in and tell us how your 2015 mountain climb went!

***Please note--comments are for Checkpoint posts only. If you would like to cheer for your fellow climbers or comment, please do so in their individual climb folders. Thanks! This will help me pick a winner more easily.

I've reached the top of Mt. Ararat this month, with 48 books counting for this challenge. Next year, I've signed up for Mt. Kilimanjaro, hoping to really focus on the books I already own and limit the new books I acquire! Thanks for organizing this, Bev!

For the year (so far) I’ve read a total of 320 books, however, for this challenge I’ve read 178 kindle books (Mt. Olympus) and 36 physical books (Mt. Vancouver). I’m still working on books so this number will be more. I love this GR group because it’s nice how many books I tackle. I’m looking forward to next year’s selection of books. I have selected Level 8: Mt. Olympus. Thanks for this GR group Bev. :)

Now for Mad Libs:
Describe yourself: A Princess of Mars
Describe where you currently live: The Wilder Side of Chaos
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: Rock 'n Roll Heaven
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Dead Witch Walking
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: The Witch's Revenge
The last meal I ate was: Easy Mexican Cooking - Mexican Cooking Recipes Made Simple At Home
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: Freak
Ignorant politicians make me: Cold as a Wedge
Some people need to spend more time: Bound
My memoir could be titled: I, Zombie
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
I've always wondered: The Color of Magic

I've silently participated in this challenge, since I fail at 1) having the time to actively participate in groups (cuts into reading time) and 2) fail at challenging myself to a goal (I always get distracted).

That said, my 2015 Mt TBR shelf says I've completed 35 books. Yay.

I reached the summit of Mount Blanc at the end of August, but I always find that the back end of the year gives me less time for reading older books as there is a rush of new ARCs of books coming out in the autumn. I still managed 29 books off the pile in the end, though and will probably get that up to 30 before the end of the year.
But I don't seem to quite be able to make the number required for Mt Vancouver, so I'll probably be giving Mount Blanc another go next year!

I've just passed the summit of Mt Vancouver, reading 37 books off my pile, not reaching my original target of 48 books. I hope to do more than this next year.

Here are my titles for your questions:

Describe yourself: The Last Girl
Describe where you currently live: The Old Curiosity Shop
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: Barchester Towers
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: A Change of Climate
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: of The Burning
The last meal I ate was: Spilling the Beans
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I'm: Dead Scared
Ignorant politicians make me: consult The Book of Lost and Found
Some people need to spend more time: contemplating The Outcast
My memoir could be titled:Three Act Tragedy
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: that Diamonds Are Forever
I've always wondered: about The Dead Secret


Thanks for organising this challenge, Bev.

I ended up surpassing my original goal by quite a bit. In July, I reached the peak of Mt. Ararat (48) and decided to keep climbing, scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro (60) and a bit beyond. The bulk of my books were off my Kindle (41) but I did manage to make a dent in the pile of physical books as well with 27 read.

I will give a think about the Mad Libs...
(added later)

Describe yourself: Our Mutual Friend, Louise de La Vallière
Describe where you currently live: Paper Towns
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: The Borders of Infinity
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Nightmare in Pink
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: I was Falling Free
The last meal I ate was: Yesterday's Body with Wine of Violence
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: Silence Observed
Ignorant politicians make me: want a A Civil Campaign
Some people need to spend more time: with Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog
My memoir could be titled: The Paper Thunderbolt
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: The Riddle of the Sands
I've always wondered: about Life on the Mississippi

1. I have read 37 books from my tbr this year, one more than planned. Yet somehow I hoped to make more miles. It was my first climb though, so I didn't really have a number to go by. The last months I got sidetracked a lot by other books, discovering a great many picture books along the way. Moving to a new city and graduating made it also quite hard to make time for reading at all. In the end, I'm content with the outcome, but I do hope to reach a higher peak in 2016.

2. The Year in Review
Describe yourself: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Describe where you currently live: A Tale of Two Cities
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: Too Far
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: The Martian
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: Die Schrecken des Eises und der Finsternis (The Terrors of Ice and Darkness)
The last meal I ate was: The Remains of the Day
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: give him Battle Royale
Ignorant politicians make me: think of Der Untertan (The Loyal Subject)
Some people need to spend more time: at Castle of Wizardry
My memoir could be titled: Twelve Short Masterpieces
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: that life is Wie ein Roman (like a novel)
I've always wondered: Wo ist Carlos Montúfar? (Where is Carlos Montúfar?)

Well, I managed to complete this challenge this year. I just finished reading 24 books from my TBR pile toward the Mount Blanc challenge. Overall, I read a total of 60 titles this year. This is a low number for me. I generally read over 100 books a year, but this was a really busy year for me: I was pregnant and had my first child, which has kept me very busy! I have signed up for the Mount Vancouver challenge for 2016. Hopefully I can read at least 36 books total this coming year, what with an active baby and all.

Describe yourself: Iron Kissed
Describe where you currently live: California (I wish!)
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: On a journey worthy of a Saga
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Mister Pip
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: of A Visit From the Goon Squad
The last meal I ate was: Sweetness #9
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: recite from What to Expect When You're Expecting
Ignorant politicians make me: Wonder
Some people need to spend more time: at The Library of Shadows
My memoir could be titled: Not That Kind of Girl
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: Me Talk Pretty One Day
I've always wondered: about The Science of Parenting

I'm at 147 of 150 at this point, so nearly the entire 25km of the ascent of Olympus Mons, and will be summiting shortly -- there's three books closing out in the next day (I have a habit of hopping from book to book.)

Describe yourself: Powers, Vol. 10: Cosmic
Describe where you currently live: It Girl & the Atomics, Round One: Dark Streets, Snap City
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: Hip Pocket Sleaze: The Lurid World of Vintage Adult Paperbacks
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Frankenstein
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: Doctor Who: The Uncertainty Principle
The last meal I ate was: at The Great British Tuck Shop
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: am He Who Hesitates
Ignorant politicians make me: think I'm At the Mountains of Madness: A Graphic Novel
Some people need to spend more time: doing Spadework: A Collection of "Nameless Detective" Stories
My memoir could be titled: Get Real
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: There's Corpses Everywhere: Yet Another Liō Collection
I've always wondered: who The Knights of Fuzz are

I made it to 25 out of 12. Unfortunately, I just can't find titles that work for your questions. I feel like such a party pooper. Sorry. :(

Here's a link to my wrap up post, however. http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.co...

Mt TBR 2015
Final Check point:

1. My goal was Mount Vancouver - 36 books. Looks like I'll end the year with 32 books off Mt TBR. Half of the books I read this year.

2. The Year in Review According to Mount TBR: Using the titles of the books you read this year, please associate as many statements as you can with a book read on your journey up the Mountain.

Describe yourself: Rebel Without a Cake
Describe where you currently live: Stranger in Mayfair
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: on The Search for Pagan Spring
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Ghost at Work
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: of Last Night's Scandal
The last meal I ate was: the Hen of the Baskervilles
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: Woof at the Door
Ignorant politicians make me: pray Heaven Preserve Us
Some people need to spend more time: Chasing Fire
My memoir could be titled: Buried in a Book
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: about This Dark Road to Mercy
I've always wondered: what happened The Night She Died

I made it up Mount Vancouver and a little beyond with 37 books from my TBR pile this year. We won't discuss how many books I acquired in 2015, but I have well over 500 books on my shelves. I read 192 books total in 2015 and expect to read about 150 in 2016. Will be making a resolution to read more of what I already own.

I started out on Mt. Vancouver and ended the year on Mt. Kilimanjaro. Not bad!

Describe yourself: Frozen
Describe where you currently live: Downton Tabby
If you could go anywhere where would you go?: [on] a Hundred Foot Journey
Every Monday morning I look/feel like: Dead With the Wind
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: [of] Untold Stories
The last meal I ate was: Cress
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: Moon Dance
Ignorant politicians make me: [look for] Skeletons in the Closet
Some people need to spend more time: Among Others
My memoir could be titled: The Plagiarist
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: One Last Thing
I've always wondered: If Walls Could Talk

I made it to the top of Mount Blanc 25/24...just and look forward to another challenge. I enjoyed this year and found new authors to read. Hoping I can do the same in 2016.

I made it up Pike's Peak and read 12 books. Here's my completion post: http://www.carpelibrum.net/2016/01/co...

I didn't get close to my goal of Mount Vancouver of 36 books, only about half-way of 18 read. I was doing well, until the summer and slowed way down, and on my reading overall. Then was distracted by many library books. Occupational hazzard!

It was a horribly busy day back at work today and I just realized (before shutting down to go to bed) that I hadn't drawn a winner yet. Winner coming tomorrow--Promise!

As I mentioned, yesterday was an absolutely crazy day at work (it's graduate student admission season at the university), and I forgot that it was time to find a winner for the Final Checkpoint prize until I was closing down to go to bed. So....without further ado, I will just plug in the random number generator and enter in the parameters....and the lights flash and webpage whirs and we get (drum roll, please)....Comment #17! That means thatPamela is our winner! Congratulations, Pamela! I'll be contacting you soon about the prize list.

Thanks to everyone for participating in the final check-in. I enjoy seeing your progress and the way you fit the titles to the prompts (for those who did). Thanks as well to all climbers for joining me in scaling those Mount TBR heights in 2015. Hope to see you on more mountains this year!

Congrats Pamela!

Woot, woot!! So exciting to win!!!! Thank you Bev!

Pamela has told me that much as she enjoys winning she would like to decline the book prize (after all, she's trying to reduce her pile!) and would like to pass the fun along. So...I'm pulling out the random number generator to see who else might like a prize.....And our winner is now....comment #7--Leslie! Congratulations, Leslie. I'll message you in a moment.