Mount TBR 2019 discussion

Well, my fellow mountaineers, our 2019 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.

I set my sights on Mount Everest again in 2019. At the moment, I am scrambling to try and make it up the last leg of the climb. I've got about ten more books to read in as many days if I'm going to plant that flag. I think I should have packed more energy bars....We'll see how this goes.

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] The Lucky Stiff
Don't count your chickens...[before] Opening Night
A penny saved is.... (worth) A Passage to India
All good things must come.. (to) A Girl of the Limberlost
When in Rome... I Am Captain Kirk
All that glitters is not... [The Mystery of] the Emerald Buddha
A picture is worth... The Two-Pound Tram
When the going gets tough, the tough get [a]... Blueprint for Murder
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Scales of Justice
The pen is mightier than.... Thrones, Dominations
The squeaky wheel gets... A Wreath for Rivera
Hope for the best, but prepare for... A Knife in the Back
Birds of a feather flock... Where the Snow Was Red

And what do you get for all that hard work? The Checkpoint will close at 11:59 pm on Thursday, January 9. On Friday 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 may count towards your 2020 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 2019 mountain climb went!

Please comment below with your check-in information. And please only use this thread for check-ins. If you'd like to congratulate your fellow climber, you are encourage do so by visiting their climb threads. Thanks!

Another year almost done ... I can hardly believe it is going to be 2020 soon!

1. Tell us how many miles you made it up your mountain: I've read 19 of 24 books, and with the year I've had I think this is not too shabby. There are a couple of days left and they are destined to cozy up with a cuppa and a book, so maybe I can squeeze in another one or two books.

2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:
A penny saved is... Luck in the Shadows
A picture is worth... Two Serious Ladies
Two wrongs don't make a... Magic's Promise
The pen is mightier than... The Rivan Codex
When in Rome... I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
The squeaky wheel gets... The Complete Robot
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Radiance
All that glitters is not... The City of Golden Shadow
All good things must come to ... Lud-in-the-Mist
Don't count your chickens ... [in] The Gardens of the Moon
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... The Master and Margarita
Birds of a feather flock... [to] Dead Things
A stitch in time saves... The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

I started at Pike's Peak and then kept climbing to Mount Blanc, and I'm at 21/24. Those last three are in progress right now so I'm going to push so hard to get it done!

A stitch in time.....[is for] Pagans

Don't count your chickens.....[count your] Mockingjay

A penny saved is......[a penny to] Hold your own

All good things must come....[to] Callandar Square

When in Rome...[I think] If you were here

All that glitters is not.....[the] Dawn

A picture is worth.....Th Archer's Tale

When the going gets tough, the tough get .....The Glass Guardian

Two wrongs don't make a ....Wrong Number, Right Guy

The pen is mightier than.....Don Quixote

the squeaky wheel gets....Burn[ed]

hope for the best, but prepare for....11/22/63

Birds of a feather.....[are] Daughters of the Night Sky

With just over a week to go, I made it 108 miles up the mountain, eight miles past the goal! I will definitely finish at least one more book that counts before the end of the year, but it's a long one, so I can't see farther ahead than that.

As for my proverbs, let's see what I've got:

A stitch in time... [saves] The Deepest Cut
Don't count your chickens... [with] The Bride of the Wolf
A penny saved is... The Talisman
All good things must come... [to] Pigs in Heaven
When in Rome... Wait For Me
All that glitters is not... A Darker Shade of Magic
A picture is worth... Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Primal
Two wrongs don't make... The Signature of All Things
The pen is mightier than... A River in Darkness
The squeaky wheel gets... Death by Chocolate
Hope for the best, but prepare for... [the] Silver-Tongued Devil
Birds of a feather flock... [to] The Last Necromancer

I’ve been climbing Mt Blanc this year. I’m at 23 now, and I am certain I’ll finish no. 24 by the end of the year.

It (ridiculously) felt hard to meet the goal. I’ve read 222 books this year, which means I read 199 new ones rather than read what I already own. Since the Mt Blanc goal didn’t slow down my acquisitions at all, which I’d hoped it would do, I’m going to try a harder goal this year and see if that helps.

Thank you again for arranging these annual TBR climbs!

1. I finished my trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro in the nick of time, with a couple of weeks to spare. It was a close one, but I managed. I pushed aside my previously owned TBR for a while because of shiny new releases and it took its toll on my climb. Hopefully, 2020 will be a better year and I'll climb higher.

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

A stitch in time...(is) A Discovery of Witches
Don't count your chickens...(for) The Daughter of the Siren Queen
A penny saved is....The Midnight Jewel
All good things must come...(to) Infinity
When in Rome...The Wicked Will Rise
All that glitters is not... Roses and Rot
A picture is worth... The Winner's Kiss
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue
Two wrongs don't make ... The Winner's Crime
The pen is mightier than....The Heart of Betrayal
The squeaky wheel gets... The Cruel Prince
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Winner's Curse
Birds of a feather flock...(to the) Steelheart

I'm a few books shy of Mt. Vancouver. At 32 out of 36 books, I can see the peak but won't reach the summit.

Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:

A stitch in time saves... Sheer Folly
Don't count your chickens... [with a] Crocodile on the Sandbank
A penny saved is... [for] Someone to Hold
All good things must come to... The Sugar Queen [and] All Shall Be Well
When in Rome... [enjoy] The Promise in a Kiss [with] Someone to Love
All that glitters is not... Little Fires Everywhere
A picture is worth... A Most Novel Revenge
When the going gets tough, the tough get... The Secret Adversary
Two wrongs don't make a... Mission Impawsible
The pen is mightier than... A Likely Story [on] A Front Page Affair
The squeaky wheel gets... [a] Whack Job
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Diners, Dives & Dead Ends
Birds of a feather flock... [to] Still Water [on] Whiskey Beach

Well, this was my first mountain climbing adventure and I’m pleased with how I did. I set my sights on 24 miles up Mt. Blanc and so far I’ve gone 25! I even expect to finish another one or two before January.

I started small in Pike's Peak, then got to Mt. Blanc and now am finishing Mt. Vancouver. I didn't know at Pike's Peak I'd read so many of my books, but now I'm currently going to #35, with 10 dnfs (I could be climbing Mt. Ararat if I counted those, but I decided not to) and, so far, 112 books that I don't own. Not my greatest year, but I like how I managed to read so much as I only started really reading in April.


A stitch in time...[saves] The Cuckoo's Calling
Don't count your chickens...[before] The End
A penny saved is.... (worth) The Titan's Curse
All good things must come.. (to) Angels
When in Rome... Stay With Me
All that glitters is not... The Slippery Slope
A picture is worth... The Mystery of Mercy Close
When the going gets tough, the tough get [a]... Brave New World
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Storm Warning
The pen is mightier than... The Grim Grotto
The squeaky wheel gets... Milk and Honey
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Summer Pleasures
Birds of a feather flock... Under the Knife

1. I reached the peak of Mr. Vancouver on Dec. 18 and have been stomping about a bit on the top, having read two more books from my TBR list since then for a total of 38 miles. I may travel one more mile before the year ends, but it will depend on how soon I finish a book I purchased this year that has crossed my path.

2. A few of these turned out a little bit macabre, probably because I read several murder mysteries, and at least one doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But here goes:

A stitch in time saves...[things from becoming] Frayed
Don't count your chickens...[in front of] Roaring Lambs
All good things must come When Books Went to War
When in Rome [go to] Mr. Penumbra´s 24-Hour Bookstore
All that glitters is not For the Sake of Elena
A picture is worth All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes
When the going is tough, the tough get A Great Deliverance
Two wrongs don't make a Full Dark House
The Pen is mightier than Sketchy Behavior
The squeaky wheel gets Payment in Blood
Hope for the best, but prepare for the Hangman's Daughter
Birds of a feather flock [to] Ender in Exile

Checked in on the blog as Quiet Geordie.

Got up Mt Vancouver then carried on up Ararat.

I made it up Mt. Kilimanjaro in July this year and then ground to a near-total halt, ending up with 63 books.

A stitch in time saves...The Woman Reader (particularly apropos to this time of year, I think!)
Don't count your chickens before...The Buying of Lot 37
All good things must come.. (to) The Possessed
When in Rome... Kill The Farm Boy
The pen is mightier than.... The Ten Thousand Doors of January

I made it to the base of Mt Everest (76 books) and said that Everest was too cold so I snuggled in and read either new books or library books during December.

1. Tell us how many miles you made it up your mountain: I've read 33 of 24 books. Not quite enough to get up the next mountain, but zoomed past my chosen peak!

2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:
A penny saved is... The Wicked Wager
A picture is worth... Forty-Four: 8, 9, 10
Two wrongs don't make a... Fairy Tale
The pen is mightier than... Bad Spirits
When in Rome... Preserve, Protect and Defend
The squeaky wheel gets... The Final Omen
Hope for the best, but prepare for... End of Days
All that glitters is not... Prism
All good things must come to ... Wicked Destiny
Don't count your chickens ... [during] Dark Of The Moon
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... Iceball
Birds of a feather flock... [to] Sorrow Wood
A stitch in time saves... The Lost Ark of the Incas

1. I have exceeded my goal with 113 books read & one more in progress.

2. A stitch in time...[saves] Spinsters in Jeopardy
Don't count your chickens... Before Midnight
A penny saved is.... Making Money
All good things must come.. (to) The Brother Of Daphne
When in Rome... (follow) Local Custom
All that glitters is not... The Truth
A picture is worth... All The King's Men
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... Money for Nothing
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Design for Living
The pen is mightier than.... Diplomatic Immunity
The squeaky wheel gets... A Few Quick Ones
Hope for the best, but prepare for...The Day of the Locust
Birds of a feather flock... (in) Heavy Weather

1. I made it up Mt. Everest, but only just, ending up with exactly 150 books read.

2. A stitch in time... (saves) The Lost Continent
Don't count your chickens...(before) Reclaiming Midmark
A penny saved is.... (worth) Silk
All good things must come.. (to) Children of Swan
When in Rome... The Devil Wears Scrubs
All that glitters is not... Inside Room 913
A picture is worth... A Chance in the World
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Shiftless
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Black Storm
The pen is mightier than.... Stars In Her Eyes
The squeaky wheel gets... Sundered
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Heavenly Killers
Birds of a feather flock... (in) The Cage

1. I'm at 11/12, so I'm only ONE AWAY from my goal, and trying to make that happen in the next 36 hours.

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] Winter
Don't count your chickens...[before] Midnight (in the Garden of Good and Evil)
A penny saved is.... (worth) The Kiss Quotient
All good things must come.. (to) Winter
When in Rome... Lean In
All that glitters is not... Sovereign
A picture is worth... Becoming
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Educated
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Faithful Place
The pen is mightier than.... You
The squeaky wheel gets... Cinder
Hope for the best, but prepare for... the Bride Test
Birds of a feather flock... In the Woods

1. Tell us how many miles you made it up your mountain (# of books read).
I've read 53 books out of the 60, so I won't make it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro this year. That said, I have read more of my owned books this year than I have in previous years, so that's a plus. I'm on track to finish one more book this year that will count.


2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR
A stitch in time...[saves] Lilith's Brood
Don't count your chickens...[before] Breakfast at Tiffany's
A penny saved is.... The Best We Could Do
All good things must come.. [to] The Joy Luck Club
When in Rome... A Flower Does Not Talk
All that glitters is not... (Spinning) Silver
A picture is worth... More Than Human[s]
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl
Two wrongs don't make a... Fantastic Voyage
The pen is mightier than.... The Birdwoman's Palate
The squeaky wheel gets... The Scarlet Letter
Hope for the best, but prepare for... People Who Eat Darkness
Birds of a feather flock... [to] The Forgotten Garden

All the way to the top. I’d plant a flag, but, eh.

The year is coming to a close and I read 60 books from my bookshelves! I set my sights on the peak of Mt. Arat at the beginning of the year and I was so excited when I made it to the top (48 books). By mid-October, I challenged myself to another peak, Mt.Kilimanjaro. I refused to stop there and continued climbing and made it to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro by mid-December. This was my first attempt at mountain climbing and I feel invigorated to do more mountain climbing in 2020.

My profile photo is a shelfie of a portion of our Casey Family Library and I have many more books to read, thanks to a great small town library with their Friends of the Library Quarterly Book Sales ($2/bag of books and sometimes $1/bag of books) gathered over a number of years

Now, Words to the Wise According to Mt. TBR:
A Stitch in time is... Preserving America's Past
Don't count your chickens before... Skating On Thin Ice
A penny saved is (worth)... A Painted House
All good things must come to... Texas
When in Rome (the)... Empire Falls
All that glitters is not... The Silver Chalice
A picture is worth... One Christmas Memory
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Absolute Power
Two wrongs don't make a... Miracle on I-40
The pen is mightier than a...Legacy
The squeaky wheel gets... The Maid
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Sweet Revenge
Birds of a feather flock (to)... The Pelican Brief

I kept changing my goal, but I finally planted my flag atop Mt Kilimanjaro yesterday, and then squeezed out one more today because I can’t count.

Words of Wisdom

All good things must come... Into the Drowning Deep

When in Rome... Skitter <— great mental image

All that glitters is not... Tin <— my fave

A picture is worth... All These Worlds

When the going gets tough, the tough get... (an) Unwelcome Quest

Two wrongs don’t make... Discount Armageddon

The pen is mightier than... Ash and Quill

The squeaky wheel gets... Annihilation <— bit extreme

Hope for the best, but prepare for... Just One Damned Thing After Another
Alternatively
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Annihilation

I managed to read 15 TBR out of the 30 books I read. Of course I added more than that to my bookshelves. Hope to do better next year.

I started off at Mt. Blanc and made it to the summit with 24 books read. I then moved on the Mt. Vancouver. I finally made it to the top with my 36th book on December 31st! Woot!

A stitch in time...[saves] The Princess Bride
Don't count your chickens...[before] The Last of August
A penny saved is....A Curious Beginning
All good things must come..[from] Spinning Silver
When in Rome...Here There Be Gerblins
All that glitters is not...Scarlet
A picture is worth...Stalking Jack the Ripper
When the going gets tough, the tough get...Caught in Time
Two wrongs don't make (a)...Lethal White
The pen is mightier than....The Subtle Knife
The squeaky wheel gets...A Study in Charlotte
Hope for the best, but prepare for...The Fifth Season
Birds of a feather flock...[in a] Storm Front

I made it to the summit of Mt. Ararat and a little beyond by moving 49 books out of my house this year. I’m really, really, really trying to clear the shelves, so there’s no need to enter me in the drawing.

Thanks, Bev, for all you do to keep this challenge going.

I manage 56 out of 100 for 2019 so managed to climb Mount Ararat. Hope to improve for this year.

I was doing a slight variation on the challenge because I was counting books I bought as steps down the mountain.
I started at the beginning of August and wanted to scale Mont Blanc. I got 17 steps up the mountain, which meant I read a lot fewer books than usual. However, the end of last year was very difficult and I am delighted that I didn't end up pot-holing instead of mountain climbing!


2. The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:
I've done as many as possible, but I didn't have enough titles to do them all.

A stitch in time...[saves]
Don't count your chickens...[before the] Cuckoo
A penny saved is.... (worth)
All good things must come.. (to) The House of the Spirits
When in Rome...
All that glitters is not... Angels Passing
A picture is worth...
When the going gets tough, the tough get … Injury Time
Two wrongs don't make (a)...
The pen is mightier than.... (the) Angel of Brooklyn
The squeaky wheel gets... (the) Death Watch
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Lies We Told
Birds of a feather flock... (to) The White Horse

This was my fourth year climbing. My first goal was Mt Arafat but I ended up climbing Mt Kilimanjaro and a few steps more for 63 books off the mountain.

Just for fun, I added up my totals for all four years = 288 books off the TBR (Mt Vancouver, failed attempt for Mt Everest, successful attempt for Everest, and Mt Kilimanjaro). Thank you, Bev, for offering this challenge! And with a view like this, no prize needed.

Whoah, I almost missed this! Quickly checking in now :)

I managed to scale my mountain (El Toro), but barely. I re-read a few books this year and also had three months' worth of Kindle Unlimited trial borrowed books to finish, so I didn't go about decimating Mount TBR as quickly as I used to. Still, I reached the summit, and have already started fresh in the 2020 group.

The Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:
Let's see ... obviously, I'm going to stick to books read in English for this one. I didn't work in all of them, but I did manage to come up with a few^^

The best thing since The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Make hay while One Of Us Is Lying
A blessing in (a) Closed Casket
The Killer Next Door's chance in hell
All's fair in love and Caliban's War
Black Wings flock together
One minute to Four Past Midnight
It takes two to Hide and Seek
Out of the frying pan and into the Lost Library
An apple a day keeps The Teacher away
Times flies when you're having The Ritual
I'm a bit under the Witch Elm
We'll cross that bridge At the Mountains of Madness
Your guess is a good as my Nightmares and Dreamscapes
Let The Girlfriend out of the bag
The last Bag of Bones that broke the camel's back
The best of both World(s) Without End
Bake, Battle & Roll around the bush
The Body Swap wins the race
Speak of The Woman Who Stole My Life
No pain, no Dead Man's Grip
It ain't over Until I Find You
Don't lead me down The Butterfly Garden path

I am a day late...but not a prize short. Yesterday was a bit hectic so I pulled out the Custom Random Number Generator this morning and put it to work picking my winners for various challenges. Our winner here on Goodreads for the Mount TBR Challenge is...comment #18 Marni!

Congratulations and thanks for climbing with me! I've messaged you about how to get the prize list. And thanks to everyone who tackled their Virtual Mount TBRs in 2019!

And a round of applause for our winner and all the climbers!

Congrats, Marni!