The VIRTUAL Mount TBR Reading Challenge discussion

I've done Bev's Mt. TBR challenge for the past 5 years, and have joined up again this year. At first, I didn't join this Virtual Climb, because it's hard for me to keep up on multiple challenges.

BUT! After giving it some thought (and adding all the books to GR that I've saved on Scribd...) I realized that I really do need this challenge, along with the usual Mt. TBR. I've already committed to 60 books over there, so I'm going to aim for 24 books here.

"Can She Do It?" Yes, she can!

thanks for joining me.

Oh hello! Nice to see a familiar climber! Let’s do this

Thanks, guys!

I'm heading to the library today to check out my first stack!! I'm kind of giddy to see what I can find! :)

I checked out 9 books from the library yesterday! Here are a few I finished.

1. Added to TBR 8/2018, 2/5 stars. Yes, it's a kids book that helps teach math concepts, but her other ones were much more interesting!

2. Added to TBR 8/2018, 3/5 stars. I'm currently making my way through a bunch of Roald Dahl books.

3. Added to TBR 12/2016, 3/5 stars. I appreciate Carrie Fisher's honesty and humor in looking at addiction and mental illness.

4. Added to TBR 8/2018, 3.5/5 stars. Next up is my favorite: Matilda!

Hooray for Roald Dahl! And hooray for libraries! You're off to an excellent start!

5. Added to TBR 8/2018, 4.5/5 stars. Love this book, don't know why I don't own it! I think that's the last of my Dahl books for now! :)

6. Added to TBR 7/2018, 4/5 stars. I really enjoyed it, but don't know how I feel about the ending. I'll have to ponder it for a few days.

Jessika wrote: "5. Added to TBR 8/2018, 4.5/5 stars. Love this book, don't know why I don't own it! I think that's the last of my Dahl books for now! :)

6. [bookcover:Little Fires Everyw..."
Yes, I think all book lovers should own Matilda. It's one of a small number of books where I think the movie is just as good as the book, too.

7. Added to TBR 3/2017, 3/5 stars. This was for a group read for another GR group. Nothing ground breaking, but not bad for a quick YA read.

8. Added to TBR 10/2017, 4/5 stars. It took me a while to get into it, but I zoomed through the second half in two days.

9. Added to TBR 11/2018, 3/5 stars. Cute story, love the artwork.

10. Added to TBR 8/2018, 2/5 stars. Kinda meh, not exactly a memoir. More like a bunch of non-sequiturs.

January Update:

Total read: 14/80
Counting for this challenge: 10/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 1
Total added to virtual TBR: 11

Got a huge pile from the library, so I focused on those for January (and a few to finish in February), so the virtual mountain is currently outpacing my owned TBR!

11. Added to TBR 10/2017, 4/5 stars. I read this book as part of my "Best Book Based in Every State" Challenge. I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Cowboy/homesteading is definitely not my usual genre. But it had a strong woman as the main character; maybe that was part of the appeal for me! The ending wasn't super satisfying as it didn't wrap up any major plot. The whole book was more like a year in the life of a widowed homesteader.

12. Added to TBR 3/2017, 3/5 stars. I read this as a group read for my series challenge group. Not bad, but I really hope Jace and Clary end up not being siblings, cuz the incest feelings are a huge issue for me...

13. Added to TBR 7/2018, 3.5/5 stars. An interesting look at the author's loss when she was 14 and how she struggled to find her place in her country without her parents by her side. A heartbreaking reality for many young children.

February Update:

Total read: 21/80
Counting for this challenge: 13/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 1
Total added to virtual TBR: 16

Kind of a slow reading month overall, but still making progress!

14. Added to TBR 10/2012, 2.5/5 stars. FINALLY finished the last book in The Wicked Years series. FINALLY FINALLY it's over. This was the best book of the series, which isn't saying much. I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone. Wicked, the musical, is totally different than the book, so maybe those HUGE changes are what made it so popular.

15. Added to TBR 3/2017, 3/5 stars. This series is a group read for another GR group, and I'm enjoying it so far. This book was a little stronger than the first two.

Jessika wrote: "15. Added to TBR 3/2017, 3/5 stars. This series is a group read for another GR group, and I'm enjoying it so far. This book was a little stronger than the first two." This one, the fourth and the last one in the series are the best one and my favorites. At least from TMI.

March Update:

Total read: 24/80
Counting for this challenge: 15/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 1
Total added to virtual TBR: 17

Had a terrible month of almost no reading... Must keep huffing and puffing up the mountain!

16. Added to TBR 3/2018, 5/5 stars. Wow, such a powerful look into poverty in our cities. If you are at all interested in social justice, I highly recommend this book.

Jessika wrote: "16. Added to TBR 3/2018, 5/5 stars. Wow, such a powerful look into poverty in our cities. If you are at all interested in socia..."

Agreed Jessika! I read this about 2 years ago, and was very impressed. Hope the book has and will help things in the end.

17. Added to TBR 11/2018, 3.5/5 stars. I read this for another GR group, and enjoyed it overall. But, I gotta say, I'm kind of over the moody lead male trope this author seems to like...

18. Added to TBR 11/2018, 3/5 stars. Entertaining, light read.

April Update:

Total read: 33/80
Counting for this challenge: 18/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 3
Total added to virtual TBR: 22

I had a good month of reading in April, a total of 9 books. I need to scale back my virtual reading, since I'm almost to the top of this mountain and still practically in the foothills of my owned TBR climb!

19. Added to TBR 11/2018, 3.5/5 stars. Continuing this series with another GR group. I'm glad Will's character had a little more depth this book, because I was tiring of him. This was definitely a "middle book" in the trilogy. I don't feel like there was a lot of plot momentum, mostly just character development.

Hi Jessica!!! Just wanted to stop in and say Hi!!! You are doing what I am doing too. I have my TBR shelves here and multiple lists written out on paper. Those are the books I am picking up at the library and checking them off all these random TBR lists. Good luck to you and climb these mountains high!!!

Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "Hi Jessica!!! Just wanted to stop in and say Hi!!! You are doing what I am doing too. I have my TBR shelves here and multiple lists written out on paper. Those are the books I am picking up at the ..."

Thanks for cheering me on! I really do need to read the books I own.... but I'm making progress on owned and library books little by little. :)

May Update:

Total read: 38/80
Counting for this challenge: 19/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 15
Total added to virtual TBR: 23

Purposely, I did not read anything from my virtual shelf in May, except for one book that was a group read. I need to avoid library books and focus on my own books! However, in June, I have a vacation coming up that will probably get some virtual audiobooks completed.

20. Added to TBR 7/2018, 4/5 stars. Good story about being swallowed by, then learning to overcome trauma.

21. Added to TBR 8/2018, 4/5 stars. I love Roald Dahl. This book has a surprising about of name calling and cussing, though, for a kids book! Still, I enjoyed it.

22. Added to TBR 11/2018, 4/5 stars. Reading as a group read for another GR group. This was a good wrap-up to the trilogy, and also helped expand the universe for The Mortal Instruments series. The character that I was having trouble relating to did end up having a redemption arc that wove to story together well.

June Update:

Total read: 44/80
Counting for this challenge: 22/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 15
Total added to virtual TBR: 24

Almost to the top of the mountain! As always, I need to focus on the books I own with more determination. :)

23. Added to TBR 3/2017, 4/5 stars. This book's plot was really picking up in anticipation of the last 2 books in the series. I'm excited to jump right into the next one!

July Update:

Total read: 47/80
Counting for this challenge: 23/24
Total added to TBR 2019: 15
Total added to virtual TBR: 24

One more book to go!

24. Added to TBR 3/2017, 3/5 stars. I had a hard time getting into this one. A lot of the relationships seem forced. It's the 5th book in the series, but I'm kind of viewing it as the middle book of the 2nd trilogy, because middle books tend to be the awkward book of most series, in my opinion. I'm still looking forward to the conclusion of the series, though!

With that, I've conquered the mountain! There's still more time in the year, but aside from planned group reads that will count for this virtual climb, I will try my best to avoid virtuals and read only what I own!

Congrats Jessika on reaching your goal!

Pamela wrote: "Congrats Jessika on reaching your goal!"

Thanks!

Congrats, Jessika! I'm also trying to avoid Virtual TBR books to stick to my owned ones, since I'm failing spectacularly on my MT TBR challenge.

Natália wrote: "Congrats, Jessika! I'm also trying to avoid Virtual TBR books to stick to my owned ones, since I'm failing spectacularly on my MT TBR challenge."

Same here!! Ugh, not enough hours in the day!

August Update:

Total read: 49/80
Counting for this challenge: 24/24 - Challenge Complete!
Total added to TBR 2019: 17
Total added to virtual TBR: 40

Like I said, I still have a few more planned virtual TBR reads, but for the most part, I hope to stick to books I own.

25. Added to TBR 10/2018, 4/5 stars. I really did enjoy this story, but my only complaint is that the solution of the mystery was quite sudden. Overall a good read, I look forward to another book in the series in the future.

You did it!