Mount TBR 2017 discussion

Well, my fellow mountaineers, our 2017 climbing expedition is coming to a close 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 post, 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, take a selfie, 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.

Unfortunately, for the first time since I put on my hiking boots and headed up the mountains, I have NOT met my declared goal--Mt. Olympus just doesn't seem to be in the cards for this climber. I seem to run out of climbing energy each year at about the 120 mark or so. What this means is that next year, I have my sights set back on Earth and will be scaling Mt. Everest again. If I manage to plan a flag on top of Olympus as well, then that will just be a bonus. Right now I have a few more reviews to write but I have knocked of 124 books off the TBR stacks. I might claim one or two more before the ball drops on New Year's Eve, but I'm not counting on it.

2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR: Using the titles of the books you read this year, see how many of the familiar proverbs and sayings below you can complete with a book read on your journey up the Mountain. Feel free to add/subtract a word or two to help them make sense. I have given my titles as examples:

A stitch in time...[saves] Dread & Water
Don't count your chickens...[before] Death Cracks a Bottle
A penny saved is.... (a) Deed Without a Name
All good things must come... (to a) Quick Curtain
When in Rome... (take a) Night Walk
All that glitters is not... Zadok's Treasure
A picture is worth a... Case with Three Husbands
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Fit to Kill
Two wrongs don't make... Grounds for Murder
The pen is mightier than.... Those Who Hunt the Night
The squeaky wheel gets... (a) Death With Blue Ribbon
Hope for the best, but prepare for... What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!
Birds of a feather flock... Where There's Smoke

And what do you get for all that hard work? The Checkpoint will close at 11:59 pm on Saturday, January 9. On Sunday 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 2018 that may count towards a 2018 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 2017 mountain climb went!

***Please note--comments are for Checkpoint posts only. If you would like to cheer for or respond to another challenger, please check out their specific climb folder. This makes it easier for me to track a winner. Thanks!

Finally topped out at 163 books cleared!

Final Mt TBR Checkpoint

1. I reached the summit of Mt. Vancouver with 37 books off my TBR.

2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:

A stitch in time... [sewn with] Twisted Threads
Don't count your chickens... Because of Miss Bridgerton
A penny saved is.... Only a Promise
All good things must come... [to] The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine
When in Rome... [beware the] Death of a Travelling Man
All that glitters is not... A High End Finish
A picture is worth ... Every Trick in the Book
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... Saddled with Trouble
Two wrongs don't make... Bridges Burned
The pen is mightier than.... Big Little Lies
The squeaky wheel gets... Iced Under
Hope for the best but prepare... [to be] Destiny's Captive
Birds of a feather flock... Finding Sky

I am still hoping to finish up one more today but even if I don't, I am extremely happy with my climbing this year: I have finished 130 books (in all forms: print, ebooks and audiobooks), far exceeding my original goal of 48!! I didn't make my secondary goal of averaging 4 print books each month but did manage to clear 40 physical books from my TBR.

I finished my 14 book climb up Pike's Peak!

Words to the Wise:
A stitch in time... {summer} 1493
Don't count your chickens...{with} Rebecca
A penny saved is.... {payment to} Ulysses
All good things must come... {to} Slaughterhouse Five
When in Rome... {visit} Beauty's Kingdom
All that glitters is not... Beautiful Mercy
A picture is worth a... Heart of Darkness
When the going gets tough, the tough get... {to} Rediscover Jesus
Two wrongs don't make... Beauty's Release
The pen is mightier than.... Peter Pan
The squeaky wheel gets... Beauty's Punishment
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Man in the High Castle
Birds of a feather flock... {near} Olivia, Mourning

Scaled the heights of Mons Olympus and shot off the top, flailing away, with 164 books shaved off my TBR. And now we do it again!

A stitch in time...(makes) The Flash by Geoff Johns Book 2
Don't count your chickens...Seven Up
A penny saved is.... The Winning Side
All good things must come...(in a) Saucer
When in Rome...Tender Hearts Taste Better in Butter
All that glitters is not...(a) Nightmare in Pink
A picture is worth a...Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror
When the going gets tough, the tough get... (the) Justice League of America Omnibus Vol. 1
Two wrongs don't make... Krazy and Ignatz, 1935-1936: A Wild Warmth of Chromatic Gravy
The pen is mightier than.... The Anarchistic Colossus
The squeaky wheel gets...The Sisters
Hope for the best, but prepare for...Portuguese Irregular Verbs
Birds of a feather flock...At the Villa of Reduced Circumstances

I didn't make it to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro as some bad weather kept me from it. But I did read 52/60 TBRs, and 71/80 total goal. I hope to do better next year by giving myself the freedom to read whatever my mood tells me, instead of giving myself strict rules of specific goals.

I strode gainfully up El Toro. I all but sprinted up Everest. Then December happened and with the completion of the Picture of Dorian Gray yesterday, I took 131 books off my TBR list. I added a whole lot more than that, of course, but... books...

A stitch in time... [is] Just One Damned Thing After Another
Don't count your chickens... In The Woods
A penny saved is.... What Milo Saw
All good things must come... [to] A God in Ruins
When in Rome... Wonder
All that glitters is not... The Second Love of my Life
A picture is worth a... Death in Shanghai
When the going gets tough, the tough get... A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String
Two wrongs don't make... An Exquisite Sense of What is Beautiful
The pen is mightier than.... The Picture of Dorian Gray
The squeaky wheel gets... A Thousand Pieces of You
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Forgetting Time
Birds of a feather flock... Under an Emerald Sky

I completed Pike's Peak in November. 12 books off my TBR pile. I'd like to do more next year, but honestly, just getting 12 books off the pile is pretty big for me!

A stitch in time...
Don't count your chickens... [on] The Underground Railroad
A penny saved is.... The Victory
All good things must come... [to] All Joy and No Fun
When in Rome... [see] Dogs and Goddesses
All that glitters is not... The Emperor
A picture is worth a... Yellow Crocus
When the going gets tough, the tough get... [a] Landline
Two wrongs don't make... The New Strong-Willed Child
The pen is mightier than.... The Tangled Thread
The squeaky wheel gets... The Night Strangers
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Setting Limits With Your Strong-Willed Child
Birds of a feather flock...[to] Stern Men

1. I read 24 books off my TBR piles, and made it to the top of Mont Blanc with one day to spare!

2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:
-Don't count your chickens... Till We Have Faces
-A penny saved is... How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
-All good things must come... To Sir, With Love
-When in Rome... Don't Waste Your Life
-All that glitters is not... Wastelands
-A picture is worth a... Pawn's Gambit
-When the going gets tough, the tough get... Steelheart[ed]
-Two wrongs don't make... A Canticle for Leibowitz
-The pen is mightier than... The Man in the High Castle
-The squeaky wheel gets... [to] Run With the Horses
-Hope for the best, but prepare for... Chasing the Moon
-Birds of a feather flock... [like] Firebirds Rising

1. I attempted Mt. Ararat and completed 41 books, so unfortunately I didn't make it to the top of this one (48 books). I will try again for this mountain next year.

2.
A stitch in time...(saves) Nine Stories
Don't count your chickens...(before) The Nightingale
A penny saved is.... (in) The Bell Jar
All good things must come... (to) A Man Called Ove
When in Rome...Their Eyes Were Watching God
All that glitters is not... The Shining
A picture is worth ... All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
When the going gets tough, the tough get...The Man in 3B
Two wrongs don't make... Dark Matter
The pen is mightier than....American Gods
The squeaky wheel gets... The Help
Hope for the best, but prepare for...Stories of the Supernatural
Birds of a feather flock... Up From Slavery

I reached my goal of Mt Vancouver back in September. Rather than continuing on a Tbr, I’ve been reading new purchases. Aiming higher next year!

Hello from the top of El Toro! *waves* The view from here is beautiful!
Last year I made it to the top of Kilimanjaro and I was hoping to get at least that far this year. And not only did I do it, but I managed to surpass it, even though I had to push a little at the end. This was an amazing reading year for me, and I'm super happy! Onwards to 2018!

A stitch in time...(is) The Name of The Star
Don't count your chickens...(till) The Cuckoo's Calling
A penny saved is.... A Torch Against the Night
All good things must come... (to) The Last Sacrifice
When in Rome...They All Fall Down
All that glitters is not...(these) Three Dark Crowns
A picture is worth a... Empire of Storms
When the going gets tough, the tough get... A Week of Mondays
Two wrongs don't make... These Shallow Graves
The pen is mightier than.... The Diabolic
The squeaky wheel gets... (a) Library of Souls
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Peril At The End House
Birds of a feather flock... (to the) Crooked Kingdom

1.
I made it up Mt. Ararat just in time. I enjoyed the view and took a deep breath of fresh mountain air, because I don't even have enough books left to return in 2018!

2.
A stitch in time... [saves] Sense and Sensibility
Don't count your chickens... [when in] The Valley of Fear
A penny saved is... What I Talk about When I Talk about Running
All good things must come... [To] Poor Swoboda
When in Rome... Tell the Wolves I'm Home
All that glitters is not... The Glass Castle
A picture is worth a... Fool Moon
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Subliminal
Two wrongs don't make... A Song for Arbonne
The pen is mightier than... Persuasion
The squeaky wheel gets... The Long Long Dances
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Moby-Dick
Birds of a feather flock... Neverwhere

1. I made it up my originally declared Mt. Ararat by July, and my stretch Mt. Kilimanjaro by August. After that, I crashed pretty hard and read very little for weeks, inching onto the top of Mt. Toro halfway through December. Hopefully 2018 will go as well--I've got a wide range of books, and half of them are Buffy/Angel novels that take maybe a few hours to read.

I didn't quite make it up to the top of Pike's Peak during 2017 but am looking forward to getting off to a much earlier start for 2018. However, I enjoyed the 9 books I did read, my favorite of the bunch being 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. Congratulations to everyone who participated, especially those who reached their reading goals.

I finished Pikes Peak just in time. Twelve books are now donated. "Hello" from the top. I had a grand desire to go farther, but the year just slipped away. I would like to climb it again;-)

I finished Mt Kilimanjaro, went on to summit Mt Ararat but fell short of Mt Everest. I’m delighted though to have read 87 books from my piles, with most of those either passed onto a friend to enjoy or donated, making more room for, ahem, new acquisitions :)

A stitch in time saves....The Last of the Wine
Don’t count your chickens until....The Heat of the Day
A penny saved is.....Why I Wake Early
All Good Things must come....Ready Player One
When in Rome.....Brewing Up a Storm
All that Glitters Is Not..Miracles on Maple Hill
A Picture is worth...Good Behavior
When the going gets tough, the tough...Keep Quiet
Two wrongs don’t make....A Great Reckoning
The pen is mightier than...Ten Years in the Tub
The squeaky wheel gets....Gardener’s Nightcap
Hope for the best but...Journey to the Center of the Earth
Birds of a feather flock...in Heather, Oak, and Olive

My aim was for Mt. Blanc and reached that peak by the end of May. Then went on and bagged two more mountain tops to end with 49 books, just one over the top of Mt. Ararat. My best year ever! Hoping to repeat good progress in 2018!


A stitch in time...(means) Earth Abides
Don't count your chickens... (before) The Wild Trees
A penny saved is.... (for) The Bookshop on the Corner
All good things must come... (to) The Beauty of the End
When in Rome... Carry On
All that glitters is not... The Nix
A picture is worth ... A Thousand Lives
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Yellow Crocus
Two wrongs don't make... Utopia
The pen is mightier than.... The Last Days of Night
The squeaky wheel gets... The Glass Castle
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Big Burn
Birds of a feather flock... In Milton Lumky Territory

I am always late for the checkpoints but I did make it to the top of Pike's Peak, as planned, and even read one more. I started with books that I got when I got my first Kindle, 6 years ago. I really enjoyed reading several that I'd put off and wondered why I hadn't read them before!

As for the proverbs:

A stitch in time saves... The Traitor’s Wife
Don't count your chickens before...(a) Heat Wave
All good things must come to... Pollyanna
When the going gets tough, the tough get… My Man Jeeves
The pen is mightier than... Letters of a Woman Homesteader
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Deadly Heat

I made it to the top! I have 24 less books on my physical shelf. Thanks for the challenge.

I just noticed that I got my calendar confused and said the checkpoint would close on "Saturday" January 9. Since those two things don't match up (and I'm late to check on the checkpoint thanks to a very busy work week so far...), I'm going to put every comment up till now in the random generator....which gives me message #15 Natália! Congratulations, Natália , you are our Final Checkpoint winner for 2017! I'll be contacting you about choosing a prize very soon.

Thanks again to everyone who climbed with me in 2017--I'm glad to see so many of you starting on your 2018 hikes.

YAY! I almost never win anything hahaha
2018 is starting out great ;D
Thanks Bev!

Congrats Natalia!

Natália wrote: "YAY! I almost never win anything hahaha
2018 is starting out great ;D
Thanks Bev!"

You can't say that any more--cuz now you're a winner! I'm organizing all my winners (I have winners from the blog version of Mount TBR plus two more challenges)--once I've got that all squared away, I'll fix you all up with the prize list.

Congrats Natalia!

Woot Natália :)