Mount TBR 2021 discussion

Well, my fellow mountaineers, our 2021 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.

This year wound up being my year in reading. After meeting my declared goal of topping Mount Everest, I loaded up my spaceship and headed for Mars and Mount Olympus. That isn't the good part...every year I have hopes of planting that final flag on the peak of Olympus, but this year I finally made it! Lots of dancing on that mountain, let me tell you...

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.

Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR (my selections as examples):

A stitch in time...[saves] The Pig on the Hill
Don't count your chickens...Where the Dead Lie
A penny saved is.... Money in the Morgue
All good things must come... When Falcons Fall
When in Rome...Look Behind You, Lady
All that glitters is not... The Talisman Ring
A picture is worth....The Ivory Snuff Box
When the going gets tough, the tough get...A Night to Remember
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Smooth Justice
The pen is mightier than.... A Silver Spade
The squeaky wheel gets... Lord Mullion's Secret
Hope for the best, but prepare for... [a] Dying Fall
Birds of a feather flock...After the Armistice Ball

And finally...if you would like to be in my year-end drawing for a challenge prize, please visit me at My Reader's Block and link up the URL for your mountain climb (the most recent mountain, if you've moved through several mountains). I'm only choosing one winner from all my challenges this year.

Link up post: https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2...

I completed Mount Vancouver with 36 books. I read a lot of shorter books this year and hope to read some longer ones next year. Throughout the year I ended up adding to my mountain of books to read, so I have plenty for next year!

Meg wrote: "I completed Mount Vancouver with 36 books. I read a lot of shorter books this year and hope to read some longer ones next year. Throughout the year I ended up adding to my mountain of books to read..."

Congratulations, Meg!

I've made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro with a few extra finished: 63/60. And my TBR has fewer books now than at the start of the year.

Words to the wise:
A stitch in time...[saves] Blood, Metal, Bone
Don't count your chickens... Memory Man
A penny saved is.... A Darker Shade of Magic
All good things must come... To Kill a Kingdom
When in Rome... [go to] Ninth House
All that glitters is not... Practical Magic
A picture is worth... [a] Treasure Island
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Stealing Snow
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Lost Boy
The pen is mightier than.... The Scarlet Letter
The squeaky wheel gets... The Catcher in the Rye
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Sin Eater
Birds of a feather flock... Far From the Madding Crowd

1. I got to book 31 on Mt. Vancouver, or 4143 meters. I've come further than expected though, because my initial goal was only to reach Mt. Blanc. So in spite of not having made it to the top, I'll gladly plant my flag right here. Nearly all of my old tbr books have been conquered, only 2 survive (they are very big!). But I acquired some new books and plan to reread some of my older owned books that I haven't used for this challenge before, so I'll be back for another hike in 2022!

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

Birds of a feather flock ... Among Others
Hope for the best, but prepare for ... Uncommon People
The squeaky wheel gets ... The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The pen is mightier than ... The Cruel Way
All that glitters is not ... The Colour Purple
When in Rome ... [send] Letters Back to Ancient China
All good things must come to ... Mythago Wood
A stitch in time saves ... The Candle in the Wind
Two wrongs don't make ... [a] House of Leaves
A picture is worth ... The Left Hand of Darkness
Don't count your chickens ... [during a] Night of Amber
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... Built

Congratulations to you guys! I was only able to finish 11 books, but I'm going to try again in 2022.

I've read 93 of the 100 I need to summit Everest, but it's not over til it's over!! I technically started on Mt. Ararat, and reached that summit in June. I'm reallyyyy hoping some of these short books I always ignore will help me get to that 100 book goal!

Rachael wrote: "I've made it to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro with a few extra finished: 63/60. And my TBR has fewer books now than at the start of the year.

Words to the wise:
A stitch in time...[saves] [book:Bl..."

Great job! And thanks for playing along with my fill in the blank--some interesting match-ups there! I particularly like the birds of a feather match-up.

Sam wrote: "1. I got to book 31 on Mt. Vancouver, or 4143 meters. I've come further than expected though, because my initial goal was only to reach Mt. Blanc. So in spite of not having made it to the top, I'll..."

Wow--got your mountain down to two books! That's amazing. Thank you also for playing my "words to the wise" game. I'll definitely not count my chickens during a night of amber! :-)

Kelly wrote: "Congratulations to you guys! I was only able to finish 11 books, but I'm going to try again in 2022."

Kelly--that's 11 books off the mountain. So, it's a win no matter what. See you on the slopes in 2022!

Brave wrote: "I've read 93 of the 100 I need to summit Everest, but it's not over til it's over!! I technically started on Mt. Ararat, and reached that summit in June. I'm reallyyyy hoping some of these short bo..."

Congrats on meeting your goal! And I hope you can find the right books to help you top Everest.

I got to the summit of Mount El Torro - 75 books read! Although so far this year there have been 63 incoming - so I've not really made much of a dent in the mountain!

Sheila wrote: "I got to the summit of Mount El Torro - 75 books read! Although so far this year there have been 63 incoming - so I've not really made much of a dent in the mountain!"

Congratulations on 75!

I reached the summit of Pike's Peak quite early in the year so adjusted to try for Mount Blanc, which I have scaled successfully just this month! Back next year, starting from Pike's again but hoping to surpass Mt Blanc as I have even more on my owned-tbr that this time last year... oops.

Rai wrote: "I reached the summit of Pike's Peak quite early in the year so adjusted to try for Mount Blanc, which I have scaled successfully just this month! Back next year, starting from Pike's again but hopi..."

Congratulations, Rai! Yes...it's hard not to keep adding books to those mountains...

1. This year ended up being a relatively low reading year for me in general, and with the distraction of library books and books purchased this year, I did not make it to the top of my mountain. (25/48 books for Mount Ararat). I hope to get back on track next year (especially since I purchased more new books than I read from my owned TBR!)

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

A stitch in time...[saves] The Moment
Don't count your chickens... [on] Mars...With Venus Rising
A penny saved is.... A Torch Against the Night
All good things must come... [to] The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
When in Rome... [have] A Transcontinental Affair
All that glitters is not... An Ember in the Ashes
A picture is worth... The Crimson Petal and the White
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Hyde
Two wrongs don't make... Three Women
The pen is mightier than... The Historian
The squeaky wheel gets... A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Love with a Chance of Drowning
Birds of a feather flock... [as] The Killer Collective

My final checkpoint only finds me half way up Pike's Peak with 6/12 books. Hopefully, I will do better next year.

Congrats to all those who have reached their goals!!!!

Final Checkpoint 2021

I reached the mountain top in mid-November and have been kicking up my heels - and kicking more books off the mountain - ever since.

Mount Vancouver

End of year tally:
Books pledged: 36
Books read: 40

Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:

A stitch in time... [and it's] Sealed Off
Don't count your chickens... [near] The Coloring Crook
A penny saved is.... [for] Stayin' Alive
All good things must come... [at] Such A Fun Age
When in Rome... [you'll get a] Letter From Home
All that glitters is not... Playing with Fire
A picture is worth.... Assault and Beret
When the going gets tough, the tough get... [to] Discover the Power Within You
Two wrongs don't make ... A Dangerous Collaboration
The pen is mightier than.... Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge
The squeaky wheel gets... Buried to the Brim
Hope for the best, but prepare for... A Fatal Cajun Festival
Birds of a feather flock... [to] The House of Unexpected Sisters

I was aiming for Everest, but stopped just short of El Toro. I made it through 73 books, which is more than I've read in a year in a LONG time! I've read a total of 23,481 pages. I'm quite pleased with that! That's not counting the book I'm currently reading which will add a few hundred more pages to the total.

Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:

A stitch in time...[saves] Mercy House
Don't count your chickens...[at] Animal Farm
A penny saved is.... Perfect on Paper
All good things must come... Under the Whispering Door
When in Rome...[I] Wish You Were Here
All that glitters is not... The Nature of Witches
A picture is worth....The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
When the going gets tough, the tough get...[to] The House on the Cerulean Sea
Two wrongs don't make ... The Lucky List
The pen is mightier than.... The Fire Keeper's Daughter
The squeaky wheel gets... The Prison Healer
Hope for the best, but prepare for... The Next Everest
Birds of a feather flock...[to] Cloud Cuckoo Land

I made it to the top of my mountain, Kilimanjaro (60 books) with only a week to spare.

A stitch in time...(saves) The Hangman's Daughter
Don't count your chickens...(in the) Valley of Dry Bones
A penny saved is...The Mexican Way
All good things must come...From Above
When in Rome...(visit the) Temple of the Jaguar
All that glitters is not...The Donzerly Light
A picture is worth....Stealing the Dragon
When the going gets tough, the tough get...(a) Shot of Tequila
Two wrongs don't make...Colors that Bleed
The pen is mightier than....The Witch and the Gentleman
The squeaky wheel gets...Haunted and Hexed
Hope for the best, but prepare for...Braving Fate
Birds of a feather flock...(with) Brenna's Wing

Kristina wrote: "1. This year ended up being a relatively low reading year for me in general, and with the distraction of library books and books purchased this year, I did not make it to the top of my mountain. (2..."

Thanks for checking in and I love your words to the wise! Here's to a good year of reading in 2022.

Beverly wrote: "My final checkpoint only finds me half way up Pike's Peak with 6/12 books. Hopefully, I will do better next year.

Congrats to all those who have reached their goals!!!!"

That's six off the TBR stacks! Good luck with next year's climb!

Nell wrote: "Final Checkpoint 2021

1. I reached the mountain top in mid-November and have been kicking up my heels - and kicking more books off the mountain - ever since.

Mount Vancouver

End of year tally: ..."

Congratulations, Nell! And thanks for playing along with my fill in the blanks. Nice match-ups!

Bethea wrote: "I was aiming for Everest, but stopped just short of El Toro. I made it through 73 books, which is more than I've read in a year in a LONG time! I've read a total of 23,481 pages. I'm quite pleased ..."

Glad to hear you managed more books than you have for a while! Great match-ups in your Words to the Wise.

CinCO wrote: "I made it to the top of my mountain, Kilimanjaro (60 books) with only a week to spare.

A stitch in time...(saves) The Hangman's Daughter
Don't count your chickens...(in the) Valley of Dry Bones
A ..."

Congratulations on reaching your summit! I'm enjoying your Words to the Wise!

1. I planted my flag atop Mt. Kilimanjaro again, but this year I thought I wouldn't make it in time. Thankfully, I found this last burst of strength in the final days of the year and I managed! This was a tiring year, more so than 2020. But I feel renovated for 2022!

2. Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR:

A stitch in time [saves].... All The Missing Girls
Don't count your chickens...Towards Zero
A penny saved is.... Evidence of The Affair
All good things must come... From Blood and Ash
When in Rome...Lock Every Door
All that glitters is not... The Kingdom of Copper
A picture is worth....The Secret of Chimneys
When the going gets tough, the tough get...Fire & Blood
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Deception
The pen is mightier than.... The False Prince
The squeaky wheel gets... A Touch of Darkness
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Ordeal by Innocence
Birds of a feather flock...Skyward

1. I made it to the top of Mount Blanc with long books, with a few side excursions to see flowers with shorter books, for a total of 32 books read.


2. Words to the Wise According to Mount TBR (my selections as examples):

A stitch in time...(saves) TEN
Don't count your chickens...(but rather take a) Pig in a Taxi
A penny saved is....(an) Illusion
All good things must come...(in the) Shadow of the Wind
When in Rome...(visit) Father Elijah
All that glitters is not...Antiquities [in the sense of treasures[ of the Jews
A picture is worth....The Mirror and the Light (used to take the picture)
When the going gets tough, the tough get...The Faith-Filled Grandmother.
Two wrongs don't make (a)...Match Made
The pen is mightier than....The Citadel
The squeaky wheel gets...(buried) Underland
Hope for the best, but prepare for...Bringing up the Bodies
Birds of a feather flock...To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

This year I attempted to climb Mt. Vancouver and failed. I managed to clear 19 out of 36 books, but 19 books is still better than 0, so I'm not too sad about it. I hope I can do much better in 2022!

I also bought considerably less books in 2021, so I count that as a win. Less books cleared but less books added, so still on track.

1. I made it to the top of Mont Blanc - 24 books in total! My favorites were Because Internet, by Gretchen McCulloch, and Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson. My average rating across all books was 3.96 out of 5 stars, so it was a decent selection of books overall.

2. Words to the wise:
A stitch in time... [brings the] Edge of Tomorrow
Don't count your chickens... [until you're] Almost There
A penny saved is... [for] The Phantom Tollbooth
All good things must come... Through the Looking-Glass
When in Rome... We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled
All that glitters is not... Home
A picture is worth... The Sign of the Four
When the going gets tough, the tough get... Crazy Busy
Two wrongs don't make... Just Mercy
The pen is mightier than... The Time Machine
The squeaky wheel gets... To Be Taught, If Fortunate
Hope for the best, but prepare for... Nimona
Birds of a feather flock... To Kill a Mockingbird

This year my goal was El Toro, but I surpassed Everest, with a total of 106 books removed from my TBR! Needless to say I have also acquired many during the year, but ended the year with 10 fewer on the list that I had last year, so will be attempting Everest again.

A stitch in time...[saves] A Case of Exploding Mangoes
Don't count your chickens...(before) Everywhere I Look
A penny saved is....What Is Left Over, After
All good things must come... To the Islands
When in Rome...Bring Up the Bodies
All that glitters is not... The Satapur Moonstone
A picture is worth....A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald
When the going gets tough, the tough get...A Distant View of Everything
Two wrongs don't make (a)... Home Fire
The pen is mightier than.... The Bronze Horseman
The squeaky wheel gets... The Strays
Hope for the best, but prepare for... How to Raise an Elephant
Birds of a feather flock...Around the World in Eighty Days

I've surpassed Mt. Kilimanjaro with a total of 70 books.

A stitch in time...[saves] The immortal Prudence Blackwood
Don't count your chickens...(before) these deathless bones
A penny saved is.... spectacle
All good things must come... to The lost property office
When in Rome... find me their bones
All that glitters is not... trapped in room 217
A picture is worth.... insignificant events in the life of a cactus
When the going gets tough, the tough get... a shadow on the lens
Two wrongs don't make (a)... perfectly fine house
The pen is mightier than.... a whale in paris
The squeaky wheel gets... the murder at the mill
Hope for the best, but prepare for... the atrocities
Birds of a feather flock... shatter me.

Hi! I had my 24 read early on and climbed Mount Blanc. I of course added more books to my TBR pile.

I made it to the top of El Toro at the end of November. I'm thankful that I was able to reach that point a little early, since I was sick the last 6 weeks of the year, and barely read anything between Thanksgiving and mid-December. I finished with 80 books read from Mount TBR and I feel good about that. Thanks for hosting this every year, Bev. I look forward to it every year.

How did I miss this year end checkpoint? I attempted Mt. Kilimanjaro for 60 books despite never getting that far yet, usually stopping near Mt. Ararat. But I did it! I planted my flag in early December and went up a few more steps finishing with 63. Very happy with the progress this year, and bonus, acquired less books so I had a net negative of 7 books for the year.

Looking forward to another good year for 2022 and reading.