Bev’s Comments (group member since Nov 04, 2016)

Bev’s comments from the Mount TBR 2017 group.

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.

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.

Thanks, Steven and Natália. Will try again in 2018 (but only committing to Everest :-) )

Stacy wrote: "I will do the challenge again!"

come join us at the 2018 page (link above)!

And...my final step on Mount TBR for 2017:

124. A Dollhouse to Die For by Cate Price [on TBR since 12/18/14]

123. The Year's Best Science Fiction Seventeenth Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois [on TBR since December 2000]

Steven wrote: "You're coming close, though! Rather wish I could lend you my surplus."

Steven, I just need to find a way to stay focused in the hectic last two months of the year. I manage to fall off the reading bandwagon somehow....This year has been the worst--now I'm spending time I could be reading trying to get my reviews caught up...

Leslie wrote: "That was my feeling as well but if I could squeeze an extra book out of it, I wasn't going to turn it down ;) "

:-D

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!

122. The Corpse in the Snowman by Nicholas Blake [on TBR since 10/6/16]

121. Mistletoe & Mayhem by Richard Dalby, ed. [on TBR since 11/10/14]

120. Crime for Christmas by Richard Dalby, ed. [on TBR since 10/4/14]

Quirkyreader wrote: "I hope that we will see you at the top in 2018."

I wouldn't hold my breath...It seems the older I get, the slower I read (especially when other parts of my life get hectic....).

119. Murder in Ordinary Time by Sister Carol Anne O'Marie [on TBR since 5/27/12]

Leslie wrote: "I was beginning to get worried about you Bev! I am glad to see you posting & hope that you had a good holiday."

Had good holidays--things just got too hectic here though, between preparing for the holidays and graduate application season at work. I'm definitely not going to be planting a flag on top of Olympus...that's for sure.

118. The Christmas Murder by Cyril Hare [on TBR since 12/25/14]

(Actually finished on 11/25/17--I'm WAY behind on reviews)

Leslie wrote: "Bev wrote: "Taylor wrote: "What about books that are an omnibus collection... for example a trilogy that was originally three books but packaged into a single edition now? Does one count this as 3 ..."

My goodness...you all are coming up with some interesting questions this year (and I apologize for not seeing this sooner). Hmmmm. I'm going to have to say no--either count the entire omnibus (even though two parts were not finished this year) OR just the third book that was finished this year, but not both. If it had all been finished this year, then I would allow you to count the three books as separate entries.

Taylor wrote: "16) Lorna Doone

I know that I will not meet my goal this year because I was so distracted by library books, but I will try again next year! I made a good dent in my at-home collection..."

Taylor wrote: "16) Lorna Doone

I know that I will not meet my goal this year because I was so distracted by library books, but I will try again next year! I made a good dent in my at-home collection..."

I know that I will not meet my goal this year because I was so distracted by library books, but I will try again next year! I made a good dent in my at-home collection..."

Taylor--you and me both. I misjudged my climbing ability this year...November reading completely fell apart and I don't see December getting any better with all the holiday distractions...

Glad you've made a good dent on the TBR pile!

Elena wrote: "Hello! I found about about Mount TBR in late 2016, when I did a Pike's Peak for the end of that year, and I committed to Mount Olympus this year! I can't believe I didn't think to check if there wa..."

Elena wrote: "Hello! I found about about Mount TBR in late 2016, when I did a Pike's Peak for the end of that year, and I committed to Mount Olympus this year! I can't believe I didn't think to check if there wa..."

Hi, Elena! Glad you've been doing well. Hope to see you climbing in 2018.

Taylor wrote: "What about books that are an omnibus collection... for example a trilogy that was originally three books but packaged into a single edition now? Does one count this as 3 separate books, or one for ..."

Yes, if each portion was *originally* published as a separate book, you are welcome to count it as three. There are some multi-story books (book- or novella-length stories) that were only published as an omnibus OR only separated after first publication--those would only count as one.