Mount TBR Challenge 2023 discussion

Let's get this (climbing) party started!
1. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
Delightfully creeping novella length retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher.

2. How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps by Pamela S. Turner
Where was this book when I was struggling with Human Prehistory and Evolution in college?! Fantastic, highly recommended.

3. Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case

4. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
5. Broke the Bread, Spilled the Tea by Mitchell Kesller

6. Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland
I really liked this one!

7. Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart; DNF @ 65%
8. Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen; DNF @ 31%
Reading Chaos & Flame reminded me how good a good book and reading experience can be. I've been working on both of these since last year, and it's time to let them go. I'm very glad they were written, but not the right books for me.

9. Jackal by Erin E. Adams
10. Dick Fight Island 2 by Reibun Ike
11. Gunpowder Moon by David Pedriera

Two finishes and a DNF 15 pages in. Also letting go of another one that was over 50% (I think) at the start of the year. Definitely freeing to say not the right time for me and move on to other books.

12. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
And another multi-year book that doesn't qualify, but I finally said good bye to.

13. Madam: The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age by Debby Applegate

It's a weekend for finally finishing up nonfiction that's been lingering.
14. The Plant Messiah: Adventures in Search of the World's Rarest Species by Carlos Magdalena
15. Felids and Hyenas of the World: Wildcats, Panthers, Lynx, Pumas, Ocelots, Caracals, and Relatives by Jose R. Castello

Whoops, one more!
16. Science Not Silence: Voices from the March for Science Movement edited by Stephanie Fine Sasse

Haha, halfway through and it's not even April yet! :D

17. Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender; DNF after the prologue. I got through it over a year ago, and haven't picked it up since. Time to say goodbye. Another book that I'm very glad was written, but not the right time/book for me.
18. How the Scots Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman; DNF at page 24. I've had this sitting on my TBR pile since before COVID, and I finally started it last night, and read it today while waiting for the doctor. I don't need to read anymore; just too dry and too much Calvinism/Reformation etc.

Let's mop up a couple more partials!
19. My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise by Ian Flynn
20. Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road by Kyle Buchanan

21. When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

22. Black Butler, Vol. 4 by Yana Toboso

23. An American Beauty by Shana Abe

24. The Far Side Gallery by Gary Larson

25. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Whew. I devoured this one in about 36 hours. This is definitely a 'book hangover' book. I'm going to be thinking about this one for awhile, and checking Goodreads for the answer to a certain question. It is lush and darkly magical and will be a matter of personal opinion whether you find the writing style and prose to be intoxicating or purple (or both).

26. Harley Quinn: Vengeance Unlimited by A. J. Lieberman
DNF shortly after the first issue. I found the timeline confusing and this isn't the Harley I love (and that's okay!)

27. Harley Quinn: Ravenous by Rachael Allen
Okay, yes, this is the Harley I love.

28. Classic Monsters Unleashed edited by James Aquilone
Meh. Some great stories, but buried under some tripe. Two stars.

29. The Far Side Gallery 2 by Gary Larson
30. Butts: A Backstory by Heather Radke

31. Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson
32. Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean

33. Antique Bakery, Volume 3 by Fumi Yoshinaga

34. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

And I'm done! :D Definitely bumping up to 48 for next year!
35. The Essential Peter S. Beagle, Volume 1: Lila the Werewolf and Other Stories by Peter S. Beagle
36. Tibet Wild: A Naturalist's Journeys on the Roof of the World by George B. Schaller

Congratulations on reaching the peak, and so early in the year. If you want, you can move up to another mountain.

Pamela wrote: "Congratulations on reaching the peak, and so early in the year. If you want, you can move up to another mountain."
Thanks!

37. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
DNF at 15%. I just couldn't get into this one at the time.

38. Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

39. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

40. A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

41. Rated X: How Porn Liberated Me from Hollywood by Maitland Ward
42. Valentina Salazar is Not a Monster Hunter by Zoraida Córdova

43. A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson; DNF at 19%. Interesting magic system/premise, but couldn't get into the world building.

44. The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch; DNF at 58%. Put it down and don't care enough about what happens to pick it back up.

45. Wonders of the Annamites: Life in the Mountains of Laos and Vietnam by Eric Losh

46. Egypt's Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth by John and Colleen Darnell
Gave up in the prologue.

47. Yummy: A History of Desserts by Victoria Grace Elliott
48. The Red Widow: The Scandal That Shook Paris and the Woman Behind it All by Sharon Horowitz

49. Crimson Peak by Nancy Holden
This is one of my favorite movies, and I grabbed the audio book with some Amazon credits. Meh. It doesn't offer much more beyond the plot of the movie, and I found the narration mediocre.

50. Wildseed Witch by Marti Dumas

51. Beast Player by Naoko Uehashi; DNF @ 24%
52. The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco
53. The Liar of Red Valley by Walter Goodwater

54. My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham; DNF @ 6%

56. Leech by Hiron Ennes

57. Star Eater by Kerstin Hall; DNF @ 8%.

58. The Heartbeat of the Wild: Dispatches From Landscapes of Wonder, Peril, and Hope by David Quammen

59. These Prisoning Hills by Christopher Rowe

60. We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at Dozier School for Boys by Erin Kimmerle
I wish this had been better written. I started skimming around the half way mark.

What a great climb! Met your goal and more!

Bev wrote: "What a great climb! Met your goal and more!"

Thanks! :D

61. Once Upon a Camel by Kathi Appelt
And done! :D Definitely signing up for a higher peak next year.