Mount TBR 2017 discussion

I have never tried this challenge before but I need to shift my TBR piles...over 800 and increasing pretty much weekly. Looking forward to it.

Here are my totals for January:

Read: 12
Qualifying for challenge: 6
Total going in the charity sack: 4

1. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I read this as a young teen, bought it when I went to university and it has been sitting on my shelf unread since approx. 2001. Brilliant book. Sadly, no space created on my shelf as I am not throwing this one out.

2. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson

Good book...but going to the charity shop

3. The Whores' Asylum by Katy Darby

Ditto book 2

4. The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by AA Milne

Keeping, keeping, keeping.

5. Playing With My Heart by Valerie Wilding

Going, going, gone

6. Forbidden Soldier by Alison Prince

Another for the charity sack

February update.

So far I have read 14 books in February. Of which:
5 are things I have bought this year so don't qualify for this challenge
5 were library books
4 qualify for this challenge. Even better - 3 are going in the charity sack and one has been given away. The books are:

7. Incoherent Empire by Michael Mann

8. My Scotland, Our Britain: A Future Worth Sharing by Gordon Brown

9. Snow Sister by Kate Ashton

10. Chauvinist by Vanessa Grant

More updates later!

Totals for February:
Total of 20 books read. Of which:

6 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
7 were library books
1 is something I own but have read before
And 6 qualify for this challenge.

I have included 4 in my last post and the two books I have read since then are:

11. A Lasting Kind of Love by Catherine Spencer

One for the charity shop.

12. Bought for the Greek's Revenge by Lynne Graham

And this one is from my Kindle.

I have now climbed Pike's peak!

I have read two items so far in March that qualify.

13. Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines

which was on my Kindle

and 14. Peoples and Empires. Europeans and the Rest of the World from Antiquity to the Present by A R Pagden

which I own in paper form and am keeping.

15. Pilate by Ann Wroe - read and going to a charity shop. Good book but I cannot see myself re-reading it in the near future.

16. The Alpha Man by Kay Thorpe - read and going to the charity shop.

17. I loved Passenger by Alexandra Bracken so much...but I am in definite need of shelf space. I am now starting the concluding part and if I like that as much I may get them both on Kindle. The covers are so gorgeous as well...

18. The Taming of a Wild Child by Kimberly Lang- I really enjoyed this.

19 The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson - a surprisingly enjoyable book. Would have liked to keep...but have no space

Totals for March:
Total of 19 books read. Of which:

7 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
4 were library books
1 is something I own but have read before
And 7 qualify for this challenge. Of which 5 are going in the charity sack.

I felt a bit bad that I had gone 8 days into April without reading anything from my TBR... so went for a little M & B book to make me feel a little better...

20. Forgiven But Not Forgotten? by Abby Green

Okay but nothing special... heading for the charity sack.

21. Simply Jesus: Who He Was, What He Did, Why It Matters by Tom Wright

22.The Sermon Of Saint Anthony To The Fish And Other Texts by António Vieira

A lovely gem of a book.

23. Diamond in the Desert by Susan Stephens. Boring... definitely one for the charity sack.

24. Why Christianity Must Change or Die: A Bishop Speaks to Believers In Exile by John Shelby Spong

Odd book, don't agree with most of what he says but I understand where he is coming from.

I have now climbed Mount Blanc!

Congrats! Enjoy the view and good luck on the next stretch.

25. On my way again with number 25 - Ferney by James Long

Beautiful cover and compelling book.

Totals for April:
Total of 18 books read. Of which:

3 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
9 were library books
And 6 qualify for this challenge. Of which 2 are going in the charity sack. Plus one of the ones I bought this year.

PS Thanks for your encouragement Susan and good luck with your own challenge.

Kicking off May with a wonderful and cute read. Number 26 - Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

27. In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar

I felt I had read this before...and the Kite Runner was so much better. It is a good book but not particularly surprising and I did not like the main character.

28. The Cost of Her Innocence. Jacqueline Baird

29. Darker Side Of Desire by Penny Jordan

Totals for May:
Total of 20 books read. Of which:

2 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
13 were library books
1 was a re-read
And 4 qualify for this challenge. Of which 3 are going in the charity sack.

And I finished my first book for June just a few minutes into the new month. One for the charity sack as well.

30. Fallen by Lauren Kate

Started off okay but just went a bit weird even though I knew what was coming.

31. Dark Mosaic by Anne Mather

Bit slow; nothing special.

32. The Essence Of Christianity: A Fresh Look At The Nicene Creed by Brian Hebblethwaite

Okay. Not brilliant.

33. Seeing by José Saramago

Brilliant book.

34. Sister in Hong Kong by Margaret Barker

Enjoyable.

35. The End of the House of Lancaster by RL Storey

I have dipped into this so many times. It is nice to finally read it all the way through.

36. Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper

I didn't actually buy this for myself. It is not my type of thing and I decided not to gift it either. But it is read and going to a nice charity shop where someone who appreciates it can read it.

I have now climbed Mt Vancouver. Looking at the view...and reading something that won't help me climb the next peak :)

Totals for June:
Total of 13 books read. Of which:

2 I bought this year and so do not qualify
4 were library books

And 7 qualify for this challenge. Of which 4 are going in the charity sack.

I am currently working my way through the Divergent trilogy but have not counted the volumes I have read so far (Divergent and Insurgent) as I own them in a box set... so I have actually read two more books than the total suggests.

37. Divergent Series Boxed Set by Veronica Roth

Contains Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant.

38.The Wars of the Roses: A Concise History by Charles Ross

I have owned this for years and am not convinced I ever read it all the way through.

39. Remember, Remember by Judy Parkinson

My present from the office secret Santa last year

40. Hawk in a Blue Sky by Charlotte Lamb

Quite good but not enough focus on the relationship.

July Wrap Up.

Totals for July:
Total of 18 books read. Of which:

6 I bought this year and so do not qualify
8 were library books

And 4 qualify for this challenge. Of which 3 are going in the charity sack.

41. Shotgun Wedding by Alexandra Sellers.

Good, cute book... need to read some of the bigger books on my TBR now.

42. Reap the Wind by Karen Chance

I have no idea why I did not read this when this came out. The book is full of (too much?) action... but yet nothing really happens. Very odd. Highly enjoyable but...

Totals for August:
Total of 10 books read. Of which:

4 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
3 were library books
1 was borrowed from my boyfriend
And 2 qualify for this challenge. Of which 1 is going in the charity sack.

Somewhat of an epic failure this month with regards to completing this challenge. Although I did discover a wonderful historical novel based on the Borgias. Also, what will probably be the worst book I read all year... also based on the Borgias

I have really not been in the mood to read my TBR! But have now read number 43. Women in England in the Middle Ages by Jennifer Ward

Good non-fiction; summary of others work rather than being based on original research. A good starting point for the history of medieval women.

44. Tales of a Midwife by Maria Anderson.

I got this in a lucky dip last Christmas and it is not something I would normally read. I quite enjoyed it.

Totals for September:
Total of 13 books read. Of which:

4 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
7 were library books
And 2 qualify for this challenge. Of which 1 is going in the charity sack.

Not doing particularly well at this challenge anymore. But I have just done a quick unhaul of approx. 10-15 books so that has made me feel better.

45. Bells and Bellringing by John Harrison.

Very short - it seemed a crime not to read it. Also, I have not actually been ringing for a while so I need to work up my enthusiasm again because ringing is amazing.

46. Inventing Eleanor: The Medieval and Post-Medieval Image of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Michael Evans.

Enjoyed this snapshot of Eleanor's historical reputation.

2 more books and I have climbed Mount Ararat.

47. The Gates of Zion by Bodie Thoene.

Disappointing book. Could not connect with the characters.

48. A Daughter of Zion by Bodie Thoene.

Better than the first in the series. Not keeping it though.

I have climbed Mount Ararat. Kilimanjaro is in sight... but I have just over 2 months to read 12 books!

Thanks Jessika.

49. The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse.

I really liked this book...the end was not quite as suspenseful as I had hoped, but I am glad I read it.

Totals for October:
Total of 15 books read. Of which:

3 are things I bought this year and don't qualify
7 were library books

And 5 qualify for this challenge. Of which 2 are going in the charity sack.

50. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

I enjoyed this one a lot.

51. Beowulf translated by E Talbot Donaldson,

A fantastic read.