Mount TBR 2016 discussion

Hi all!

I am so glad to have found this group! I need to tackle my TBR pile this year and this will be just the encouragement I need (unless you all start intriguing me with your own lists!).

I have been busy the past year with family and crafting (I'm a knitter/crocheter) commitments and I haven't read as much as I usually do. And my TBR pile has turned into more of a TBR bookcase - and that's not including the research books I've been meaning to get round to - oops??

I should probably be aiming to get through a few more than this, but considering I've managed to buy 6 new books (to be fair, I had my eye on them for a while) in the new year deals, I'm thinking 24 is probably a good place to start!

I've already finished the first of my challenge - Gilead by Marilynne Robinson which was absolutely fantastic and has made me excited for my next two which are her other Gilead novels.

I'm also in the middle of 'The Girl in the Spiders Web', which I've had and have been avoiding since it came out.

In case I forget to update here, I'be created a shelf on my page to keep track as well.

Ok, sorry this is so long! I'm looking forward to climbing with you all and , finally, thank you to those who helped me sort out my posting issues!

Jesika

Whoo, knitting! I'm a novice myself, about to finish my beginners' scarf.

I look forward to seeing your read list grow, good look with the challenge!

Holly wrote: "Whoo, knitting! I'm a novice myself, about to finish my beginners' scarf.

I look forward to seeing your read list grow, good look with the challenge!"

Thank you! Ahhh, don't do it! It become a so addictive and the next thing you know your books and wool are in a territory battle! I actually have a book stand purely so I can read whilst I knit - I hope you find it as relaxing as I do!

I love audiobooks when I knit. That way I get to do my two favorite things at the same time.

Moonblink39 wrote: "I love audiobooks when I knit. That way I get to do my two favorite things at the same time."

That also sounds like a good idea!

Moonblink39 wrote: "I love audiobooks when I knit. That way I get to do my two favorite things at the same time."

Sounds lovely! I wish I knew how to knit, I never learned it. I mostly do housework while listening to audiobooks. Or on public transport.
Good luck with your climb, Jesika!

Jesika wrote: "Moonblink39 wrote: "I love audiobooks when I knit. That way I get to do my two favorite things at the same time."

That also sounds like a good idea!"

*nods*

I listened to the Graveyard Book for the Book Riot challenge on Saturday, whilst knitting, and am now the proud owner of a completed scarf. I finished the scarf this afternoon. Back to the hike up Mt Vancouver for me tomorrow!

Holly wrote: "Jesika wrote: "Moonblink39 wrote: "I love audiobooks when I knit. That way I get to do my two favorite things at the same time."

That also sounds like a good idea!"

*nods*

I listened to the Grav..."

I don't think you count as a beginner if you are good enough to be knitting and listening at the same time!! Congratulations on your finished scarf

I'm a needleworker and I do the same with audiobooks/podcasts. (I *so* need a podcast/audio drama equivalent of this challenge, because ooof.)

Hi Jesika! Welcome aboard. How cool that you can knit while you listen and knock books off the pile. I've never been very good at knitting or crocheting.

Bev wrote: "Hi Jesika! Welcome aboard. How cool that you can knit while you listen and knock books off the pile. I've never been very good at knitting or crocheting."

Hi Bev! Sorry for the late response! This group is honestly the best idea I've found on here - thank you!

Ahh, I sit and read weirdly - I have a book stand to prop my book on while I knit, which seems to baffle just about everyone!

I listen to audio books at work constantly though, which I'm pretty sure is the only thing stopping me from being so bored I eat all day!

(Ps, there is no such thing as a bad knitter/crocheter - I call any holes a unique design choice and dare anyone to contradict me!)

I'm beginning to get somewhere (by this I mean, I'vee now arrived at the mountain)

Today I have finished two books, binging my grand total this year so far to three. Well, it's a start!

So,
1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson

I am using this challenge to also make an effort to review my books now I'm working though my endless TBR pile - if anyone is interested in any of these books I have reviewed them. As I am too inept to paste links to the reviews on my phone, please feel free to have a look on my page if anything interests you because I'm always looking for obsessive book conversation

Jesika wrote: "Ps, there is no such thing as a bad knitter/crocheter - I call any holes a unique design choice and dare anyone to contradict me!"

Well...there is for those of us who are perfectionists...holes and uneven stitches drive me batty. :-)

Home has been on my shelf forever. I'm hoping to get round to it this year. Is it good?

Fay wrote: "Home has been on my shelf forever. I'm hoping to get round to it this year. Is it good?"


It was fantastic - I'm now reading Lila. I think the way Marilynne Robinson manages to write something so human and spiritual without forcing it down your throat is quite remarkable. As and when you get round to reading it I'd love to know what you think - I read Gilead first and that book definitely hit me the hardest emotionally. But what I'm getting from other reviews is that whichever of Robinson's books you read first will seem like the best one to you as you aren't expecting it. I thought Home was very well paced and a brilliantly well done portrayal of how families interact/how we interact as adults with those who have known us our whole lives.
I hope you enjoy it =D

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah


Now that I've made an effort to listen to The Girl in the Spider's Web and the Tales of Max Carrados, I'm back to getting new audiobooks for work - this is annoying to me as the amount of books I will get through that are TBR in paperback/ebook will take me longer as its only in the evenings at home when I can read them. Rather than getting new audiobooks, I'm therefore considering getting the audio add-on for some of my longest waiting ebooks so I can listen to them at work.

I'm really happy to be getting somewhere though - even if it is only four books. I'm probably going to finish another TBR book in the next day or so and at the moment 4 of the 5 books I've finished this year were for this challenge - it's really forcing me to finally get round to reading some of the books that have been sat waiting the longest =D

Jessika wrote: "I wish I worked a job where I could listen to audiobooks! I'm jealous! hehe"

I never quite know whether to love the story time or hate how boring I find my current job!

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson

Jesika wrote: "1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson"

This is a great start. I loved Gilead when I read it a few years ago. I've got The Best Max Carrados Stories sitting on my TBR pile...we'll see if I get to that one this year. :-)

Bev wrote: "Jesika wrote: "1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robin..."

Thank you! If love to know what you think if you do get round to it - I found it surprisingly enjoyable and unlike Sherlock Holmes in enough ways for it to feel like reading something else.

I have accidentally read a couple of new books purely because ineeded an emotional break after Lila! I truly love Marilynne Robinson - I can't believe I let those books sit and wait for me for so long!

Jesika wrote: "(Ps, there is no such thing as a bad knitter/crocheter - I call any holes a unique design choice and dare anyone to contradict me!) ."

Great start on your mountain! And I love your comment about holes and design choices. It just might inspire me to pick up my own crochet hooks again after putting them down way too many years ago. :)

Amy wrote: "Jesika wrote: "(Ps, there is no such thing as a bad knitter/crocheter - I call any holes a unique design choice and dare anyone to contradict me!) ."

Great start on your mountain! And I love your ..."

Yay! I hope you enjoy! I cant watch tbe tc wkthout something to do anymore!

Jesika wrote: "love to know what you think if you do get round to it - I found it surprisingly enjoyable and unlike Sherlock Holmes in enough ways for it to feel like reading something else."

If I do get round to it, I'll definitely let you know.

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson

I'm now finished with Marilynne Robinson and i think I'm going to try and tackle my back log of Neil Gaiman - who I love and I bought all of his books after realising this love and then got distracted with actual work when I was at university. I'm sad to be leaving Marilynne Robinson behind and am now one of the millions sat waiting and wishing she publishes another novel!

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman

My return to Neil Gaiman's work was a sad disappointment from an author who I loved wheb first discovering a couple of his works. I sincerely hope this is a blip as I am willing to forgive any author at least one bad book!

- The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman

You're almost half-way there!

How did you like A Man Called Ove? I have that in my TBR list.

Bev wrote: "You're almost half-way there!"

If I could only stop myself reading new books!

Teresa wrote: "How did you like A Man Called Ove? I have that in my TBR list."

I loved it! Ove reminded me of several people which, from reading other reviews, seems like a normal response. The way his character slowly unfolds was really well done. It was also relatively quick. I hope you enjoy if you get round to it!

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler

That awful moment when you thought you had read another of your TBR books but then you checked and you bought it on 01/01/2016!!

Aw. Sorry about that!

Oh no! I hope it was at least a short book and you didn't lose a lot of time for your climb.

Bev wrote: "Aw. Sorry about that!"

This is exactly why I need you guys - it's keeping me honest!!

Kendyle wrote: "Oh no! I hope it was at least a short book and you didn't lose a lot of time for your climb."

Thank you ! It was excellent and very short, so thankfully it didnt distract me for too long

- Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
12 - Tales from the Perilous Realm, JRR Tolkein

I have been slightly neglecting my TBR pile this last month after being intrigued by all the award longlists that came out/pre orders arriving on my doorstep, but I am now trying to at least manage these things at the same time.

I have most of Tolkein's work - like with Neil Gaiman - I discovered my love many years ago, bought everything I could and then somehow never got round to them. I guess you could say I'm easily distracted, but I'm very glad my return to this exceptional author and academic got me my flag on Pike's Peak

Woot for reaching Pike's Peak (and for loving Tolkien)!

Sam wrote: "Woot for reaching Pike's Peak (and for loving Tolkien)!"

Ditto & ditto :) Congrats on reaching your halfway point already!

Thank you both

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
12 - Tales from the Perilous Realm, JRR Tolkein
13 - The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

I don't know how I'd never read this before, and I'm so glad I finally have - it was a lovely read over a lazy, sunny through the window, kind of weekend

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
12 - Tales from the Perilous Realm, JRR Tolkein
13 - The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
14 - The Lake Hose, Kate Morton
15 - The Wilderness, Samantha Harvey
16 - Elephant Moon, John Sweeney
17 - The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
18 - The Versions of Us, Laura Barnett

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
12 - Tales from the Perilous Realm, JRR Tolkein
13 - The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
14 - The Lake Hose, Kate Morton
15 - The Wilderness, Samantha Harvey
16 - Elephant Moon, John Sweeney
17 - The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
18 - The Versions of Us, Laura Barnett
19, 20 and 21 - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
22 - Chocolat, Joanne Harris

1 - Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
2 - The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
3 - Home, Marilynne Robinson
4 - The Tales of Max Carrados, Ernest Bramah
5 - Lila, Marilynne Robinson
6 - Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson
7 - Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
8 - The Gospel of Loki, Joanne M. Harris
9 - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman
10 - A Whole Life, Robert Seethaler
11 - The Fire Sermon, Francesca Haig
12 - Tales from the Perilous Realm, JRR Tolkein
13 - The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
14 - The Lake Hose, Kate Morton
15 - The Wilderness, Samantha Harvey
16 - Elephant Moon, John Sweeney
17 - The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
18 - The Versions of Us, Laura Barnett
19, 20 and 21 - The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
22 - Chocolat, Joanne Harris
23 - Philomena, Martin Sixsmith
24 - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Brontë

Ahhhh, I can't believe I've managed to stick to my tbr quite this well (to be fair, I've also ignored it somewhat at times), but I'm hopeful that hitting 24 at this point in the year means that I will be able to reach 36. Not sure how I transfer over onto Mt. Vancouver, but this is my flag nicely planted on Mt. Blanc =D

Jessika wrote: "Great job, congrats!"

Thank you!

I have updated this to the Mt. Vancouver folder now as I'm assuming I just carry on?

My flag is on Mount Blanc and my first climb on Vancouver was-

25 - Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

26 - Me Before You, JoJo Moyes
27 - Stardust, Neil Gaiman
28 - Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman
29 - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman
30 - Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
31 - The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins
32 - The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
33 - How to be both, Ali Smith
34 - The Secret History, Donna Tartt
35 - The Road, Cormac McCarthy
36 - Trigger Warning, Neil Gaiman

37 - A Christmas Carol and other Christmas Writings, Charles Dickens

But late in the year, so inwont make it to another peak bit this challenge has definitely been good for me!