Mount TBR 2014 Challenge discussion

Reached the summit in 2013 so I'm increasing my goal for 2014 from 36 to 48. Reading more from my shelves. Hope to clear one more mountain range. :)

Read

Good luck with Mt Ararat!

January 2014
Books read from Mt. TBR:

1) Berried to the Hilt by Karen MacInerney - 1/02/14
2) Brush with Death by Karen MacInerney (K) - 1/06/14
3) Night Hawk by Beverly Jenkins - 1/07/14
4) Clammed Up by Barbara Ross - 1/11/14
5) Dead Men Don't Ski by Patricia Moyes - 1/18/14
6) Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn (K) - 1/23/14
7) Death of a Perfect Wife by M.C. Beaton - 1/24/14
8) Death of a Hussy by M.C. Beaton - 1/26/14

Nell
You are really climbing that mountain . I have the Setterfield book, so it'll be someplace on my list, just not sure when . Did you like it ?

February 2014
Books read from Mount TBR

9) Dead in the Water by Carola Dunn - 2/01/14
10) Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn - 2/05/14
11) Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn - 2/10/14
12) See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson - 2/14/14
13) Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson - 2/17/14
14) To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn - 2/19/14
15) Mistletoe and Murder by Carola Dunn - 2/25/14

Whoa, great start Nell!

Thanks I've gotten a lot of reading done with all the snowbound days we've been having.

Look at you go, Nell! You'll be at the top before you know it!

March 2014
Mount TBR books

16) A Mourning Wedding by Carola Dunn - 3/04/14
17) Fall of a Philanderer by Carola Dunn - 3/06/14
18) Gunpowder Plot by Carola Dunn - 3/10/14
19) Many Deadly Returns by Patricia Moyes (HC) - 3/15/14
20) A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash (K) - 3/20/14
21) Board Stiff by Kendel Lynn (K) - 3/24/14
22) Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay - 3/27/14
23) One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare - 3/29/14

Moving right along!

Mount TBR First Quarter Checkpoint:

1. I have read 24 books and am halfway to the summit of Mt. Ararat.
Mt. Ararat. = 16,854 ft. halfway = 8,427 ft.

2.
A. Favorite cover so far:

AND favorite title--It was clever and it fit the story:
Cloche and Dagger by Jenn McKinlay

B. Who has been your favorite character so far? And tell us why, if you like.
Daisy Dalrymple - I've read ten books this year in a mystery series featuring this character. Daisy is an unconventional, clever and endearing character.

C. Have any of the books you read surprised you--if so, in what way
One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - fascinating premise, great storytelling. Nine people are trapped in a consulate office by an earthquake. To stave off panic and past the time, each character tells a story from his/her life. My pre-conception of them completely changes with every story told.

D. Which book (read so far) has been on your TBR mountain the longest?
Many Deadly Returns by Patricia Moyes -in my TBR since 1997!!
Was it worth the wait? Yes. Excellent mystery. The victim died from an untraceable poison in the presence of the detective at her birthday party attended by her family and friend. If I'd known it was this good, I would have read it sooner.

Looking good, Nell! And what a lovely cover.

April 2014
Books from Mount TBR

24) Arsenic and Old Cake by Jacklyn Brady 4/13/14
25) A Covent Garden Mystery by Ashley Gardner 4/19/14
26) Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death by Denise Swanson 4/27/14

May 2014
Mount TBR books read

27) Grounds for Murder by Sandra Balzo 5/07/14
28) Sex, Murder And A Double Latte by Kyra Davis 5/23/14



Seduced by all the shiny new books. Not much from Mt. TBR this month.

June 2014
Mount TBR reads:

29) Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall (K) 6/08/14
30) Mama Pursues Murderous Shadows by Nora DeLoach 6/26/14

Second Quarter Check-in

I've read 30 of 48 books for Mt. Ararat = 10,534 ft.

My Day in Books

I began the day with Sex, Murder and a Double Latte
before breakfasting on A Red Herring Without Mustard

On my way to work I saw the Fall of a Philanderer
and walked by A Mourning Wedding
Whistling Past the Graveyard
to avoid A Brush With Death
but I made sure to stop at A Land More Kind Than Home .

In the office, my boss said he was Nickeled and Dimed to Death
and sent me to research The Covent Garden Mystery.

At lunch with a Damsel in Distress
I noticed she Clammed Up and was Nothing But Trouble
playing a game of Styxx and Stones.

When I got home that night,
I studied a Gunpowder Plot
because I'm interested in the Death of a Hussy
and I decided that Arsenic and Old Cake are Grounds for Murder.

July 2014
Read from Mount TBR:

31) Pane of Death by Sarah Atwell 7/21/14

August 2014
Read from Mount TBR

32) The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe - 8/11/14

September:
From Mount TBR

33) Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (K) - 9/03/14
34) Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay - 9/06/14
35) Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay - 9/12/14
36) Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (HC) - 9/14/14
37) When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James - 9/15/14

Third Quarter Checkpoint:

My climbing pace slowed to a crawl in July and August with only one book from Mt TBR each month. In September, I picked up the pace with 5 from Mt TBR. Back on track to reach the peak.

1) 12,978 miles up Mt Ararat
37 out of 48 = 77%

2.A) Who has been your favorite character so far? And tell us why, if you like.
Clay from Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. He's innovative, daring and loyal to his friends.

B) Three books were book-themed: Set in a bookstore or a library. Two of them are part of the same series.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay
Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay

C) Which book (read so far) has been on your TBR mountain the longest? Was it worth the wait? Or is it possible you should have tackled it back when you first put it on the pile? Or tossed it off the edge without reading it all?
Many Deadly Returns by Patricia Moyes, read in March, still holds that honor. I bought it at a library sale 15+ years ago!
The longest held read of the 3rd quarter was The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe. I had that book for 8+ years. It was a good summer read even though the story line was predictable. In a world of uncertainty that can be comforting.

D. Choose 1-4 titles from your stacks and using a word from the title, do an image search. Post the first all-eyes-friendly picture associated with that word.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore


The Beach House

October 2014
Read from Mt TBR:

38) It Takes a Witch by Heather Blake - 10/02/14
39) A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake - 10/10/14
40) Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti by Bailey Cates - 10/15/14
41) Endless Night by Agatha Christie - 10/23/14
42) Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson - 10/24/14
43) Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James (HC) - 10/31/14

November 2014
From Mt. TBR:

44) Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy - 11/11/14
45) Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy - 11/15/14
46) The Gifts of Imperfection: by Brené Brown (K) - 11/21/14
47) Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy - 11/24/14
48) The Map of Lost Memories by Kim Fay (K) - 11/28/14

WOO-HOO - Reached the Summit!

Nell wrote: "WOO-HOO - Reached the Summit!"

Congratulations! Woo-Hoo, indeed!

December 2014
From the Summit of Mt Ararat

49) Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy - 12/08/14
50) The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout (K) - 12/13/14

Mt Ararat Recap - 2014
Total books = 50

Paperbacks = 38
Kindle ebooks = 9
Hardcovers = 3

Books read in 2014 - 69% from Mt TBR

2014 Final Checkpoint:

1. I made it to the top of Mt. Ararat at the end of November. I've now read 2 books relaxing on the peak and I'm gathering my energy for next year's mountain.

2. The Year in Review

Describe yourself: Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti
Describe where you currently live: Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
If you could go anywhere where would you go?:A Land More Kind Than Home
Every Monday morning I feel like: I'm Berried to the Hilt
The last time I went to the doctor/therapist was because: it was Due or Die
The last meal I ate was: Buffalo West Wings
When a creepy guy/girl asks me for my phone number, I: am a Damsel in Distress expecting Nothing But Trouble
Ignorant politicians make me: Board Stiff
Some people need to spend more time: Clammed Up
My memoir could be titled: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are
If I could, I would tell my teenage self: the Plain Truth
I've always wondered: about The Map of Lost Memories