Mount TBR 2018 discussion

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Level 8: Mt. Olympus (150+) > Leslie Climbs Again

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message 1: by Leslie (last edited Nov 06, 2017 06:05PM) (new)

Leslie Here is my thread for 2018! I am again hoping to get through 48 print books but I liked including my Kindle & audiobook books in 2017 so I am starting with a bit higher level. I have been climbing now for 4 years and love the motivation it provides.


Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) (knyttwytch) Happy TBR pile clearing!


message 3: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Thanks Hilary!


message 4: by Bev (new)

Bev | 330 comments Mod
Welcome back, Leslie! Good luck with your climb.


message 5: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Bev wrote: "Welcome back, Leslie! Good luck with your climb."

Thanks Bev! I am looking forward to it :)


message 6: by Leslie (last edited Sep 13, 2018 11:38AM) (new)

Leslie January Progress: 6 Print, 17 total {acquired: 37}
Year to date: 6 print, 17 total {37 acquired}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
1. *Dead Lagoon (1/4); 4*; owned since 2009
2. Over My Dead Body (1/11); 4*; owned since 2009
3. *The Vagabond (1/20); 4*; owned since April 2017
4. Robinson (1/24); 3½*; owned since 2009
5. Money from Holme (1/26); 4*; owned since 2009
6. Where There's a Will (1/27); 3½*; owned since 2009

and additional formats:
Kindle books
1. *The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (1/1); 4*; owned since Aug. 2012
2. The Ice Princess (1/6); 3½*; owned since Dec. 2017
3. Mike (1/8); 3*; owned since Jan. 2014
4. The Captive (1/11); 3½*; owned since June 2017
5. Black Diamond Death (1/15); 2½*; owned since Dec. 2015
6. *Martin Eden (1/17): 4½*; owned since Aug. 2012
7. The Vanishing Man (1/20); 4*; owned since July 2013
8. *The Metamorphosis (1/22); 3½*; owned since August 2012
9. The Black Tulip (1/25); 3½*; owned since Feb. 2011

Audiobooks
1. Vivian Apple at the End of the World (1/12); 3½*; owned since May 2016
2. Monster (1/17); 4*; owned since June 2015
3. *The Metamorphosis (1/22); 4*; owned since Aug. 2017

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted) (crossed off books have been read)
The Abbey Court Murder
Twist of Faith (January Kindle First freebie)
Zeno's Conscience
Dragonflight (Kindle edition, I already own the paperback)
The Murder at Sissingham Hall (freebie)

The Puzzle of the Silver Persian
Arrest the Bishop? (freebie)
The Chalk Circle Man
That Day the Rabbi Left Town
Innocent Bystander
The Lucky Stiff
The Clue (Project Gutenberg)
Scout's Progress
I Dare
The Great Hunt (audiobook)
The Power House (Project Gutenberg Australia)

The Blessing Way

Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries:
John Thorndyke's Cases (Project Gutenberg)
The Mystery of 31 New Inn (Project Gutenberg)
The Singing Bone (free on Feedbooks.com)
A Silent Witness (free on Feedbooks.com)
The Great Portrait Mystery (free on Amazon)
Helen Vardon's Confession (free on Feedbooks.com)
The Cat's Eye (free on Feedbooks.com)

The Shadow of the Wolf (free on Feedbooks.com)
The D'Arblay Mystery (free on Feedbooks.com)
A Certain Dr Thorndyke (free on Feedbooks.com)
As a Thief in the Night: (free on Feedbooks.com)
Mr Pottermack's Oversight (free on Feedbooks.com)
Pontifex Son and Thorndyke (free on Feedbooks.com)
When Rogues Fall Out: (free on Feedbooks.com)
For the Defence, Dr. Thorndyke (free on Feedbooks.com)
The Penrose Mystery (free on Feedbooks.com)
Felo de Se (free on Feedbooks.com)
The Stoneware Monkey (free on Feedbooks.com)
Mr Polton Explains (free on Feedbooks.com)
The Jacob Street Mystery (free on Feedbooks.com)


message 7: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I have decided to include my rating and how long I have had each book in my monthly summary posts.

First book of the year is done!


message 8: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Second book done! Dead Lagoon is one of several Dibdin books I got when my parents sold their house in 2009.


message 9: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Boy that Amazon gift card I got for Christmas is making it hard to resist buying new books this month!

I thought that in addition to tracking the number of books I get I would list their titles in the monthly summary post.


message 10: by Leslie (new)

Leslie My second print book (6th overall) is done -- the 7th entry in the Nero Wolfe series, Over My Dead Body. While Wolfe is back to his typical self (not leaving home like in the previous 2!), some of his personal background is revealed in this one. Archie seemed a bit more hardboiled than I remember! The series remains poised on the edge between hardboiled & Golden Age in style, a tricky feat that Stout manages to perfection. 4*


message 11: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Barely managing to read faster than I get new books this month!


message 12: by Leslie (last edited Jan 20, 2018 10:24PM) (new)

Leslie Just downloaded 20 (!) free Kindle editions of Freeman's Dr. Thorndyke series so I am definitely behind the 8 ball now!!


message 13: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I have finished 2 more print books and hope to finish one more before the end of the month.


message 14: by Leslie (new)

Leslie My 5th print book (#16 overall) was a stand-alone by Michael Innes called Money From Holme. This book was one of the many I got when my parents moved back in 2009. Lots of fun though strictly speaking it isn't a mystery at all. 4*


message 15: by Leslie (last edited Jan 28, 2018 08:16AM) (new)

Leslie My 6th print book (17 overall), Where There's a Will, is the 8th book in the Nero Wolfe series. This is Wolfe and Archie as I remembered them although I had not read this one before. Wolfe does briefly leave his house in this one (to visit the client's home) which surprised both me and Archie! 3½*


message 16: by Leslie (last edited May 07, 2018 09:46PM) (new)

Leslie February Progress: 2 Print, 13 total {acquired: 7}
Year to date: 8 print, 30 total {44 acquired}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
7. Not Quite Dead Enough (2/18); 3*; owned since 2009
8. The Photograph (2/25); 4*; owned since June 2015

and additional formats:
Kindle books
10. *Manon Lescaut (2/2); 2*; owned since Dec. 2012
11. The Penguin Pool Murder (2/8); 3½*; owned since Sept. 2017
12. Psmith in the City (2/11); 4*; owned since early 2012
13. *Tom Brown's Schooldays (2/12); 3*; owned since Aug. 2017
14. *The Sweet Cheat Gone (2/23); 4*; owned since Sept. 2017
15. John Bull's Other Island (2/24); 3½*; read in my omnibus The Plays of Shaw, owned since Jan. 2015
16. Playing With Poison (2/25); 3*; owned since Dec. 2012
 Dad's Kindle:
1. Jester Leaps In (2/14); 3½*

Audiobooks
4. Juba!: A Novel (2/9); 3½*; owned since July 2016
5. Psmith in the City (2/11); 4*; owned since Dec. 2017
6. The Eye of the World (2/17); 4-4.5*; owned since Dec. 2017
7. Pennies for Hitler (2/23); 4*; owned since July 2016

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted)
Go (Feb. Kindle First freebie)
Mrs Craddock (Project Gutenberg)
Balance of Trade
Death Is No Sportsman (paperback)

The Drifter (Penguin Random House audiobook freebie)
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Project Gutenberg)
The Dragon Reborn (audiobook)



message 17: by Leslie (new)

Leslie My first print book for February's climb managed to put me on the top of Mount Blanc with 24 books completed! :)

The book that did it was the 10th Nero Wolfe book, Not Quite Dead Enough. This entry in the series is actually 2 novellas rather than a single novel; in both, Archie is now in the military! 3*


message 18: by Leslie (new)

Leslie My second print book for February was The Photograph by Penelope Lively. I picked this up at my local library's book sale in 2015 and wish now I had read it sooner. 4*

And my total is now at 28... still behind the number of books I have acquire but the gap is closing.


message 19: by Leslie (last edited Jun 06, 2018 04:02PM) (new)

Leslie March Progress: 4 Print, 12 total {acquired: 6}
Year to date: 12 print, 42 total {48 acquired}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
9. Suicide Excepted (3/15); 4*; owned since May 2009
10. The Silent Speaker (3/21); 4*; owned since May 2009
11. Green Shiver (3/22); 3½*; owned since May 2009
12. If on a Winter's Night a Traveler (3/29); 4½*; owned since July 2017

and additional formats:
Kindle books
17. Local Custom (3/5); 4*; owned since Oct. 2017
18. *Fathers and Sons (3/13); 4*; owned since 2012
 Dad's Kindle:
2. Game of Mirrors (3/5); 3½*
3. A Beam of Light (3/30); 3½*

Audiobooks
8. Between Shades of Gray (3/3); 4½*; owned since Aug. 2017
9. *Rebecca (3/23); 4½*; owned since July 2015
10. I'll Give You the Sun (3/26); 3½*; owned since June 2016
11. *I Am Legend (3/28); 4*; owned since Nov. 2017

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted)
A Glimmer of Hope (March Kindle first freebie)
The Dramatic Works of Gerhart Hauptmann Volume I (Project Gutenberg)
You Feel So Mortal: Essays on the Body (free ePub book from UChicago)
The Cruel Sea (audiobook)
Dragon in Exile
The Shadow Rising (audiobook)



message 20: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Halfway to the top! Woohoo!


message 21: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I have come to the conclusion that books on my dad's Kindle (which I appropriated after he died last July) count for this climb so I am adjusting my totals by 2 books:

Jester Leaps In, read in February
Game of Mirrors, read in March


message 22: by Pamela (new)

Pamela | 109 comments Leslie wrote: "I have come to the conclusion that books on my dad's Kindle (which I appropriated after he died last July) count for this climb so I am adjusting my totals by 2 books:

[book:Jester Leaps In|286343..."


Yes they should count, their yours now. Sorry for your loss Leslie. Losing a parent isn't easy.


message 23: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Thanks Pamela. He had cancer so his death wasn't unexpected but you're right, not easy.


message 24: by Leslie (new)

Leslie My first paperback for this climb in March was the 3rd Inspector Mallett book, Suicide Excepted: An Inspector Mallett Mystery. Very good Golden Age mystery -- 4*


message 25: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I have finished another couple of Golden Age mystery paperbacks (as well as some Kindle & audiobooks). Post #19 updated


message 26: by Leslie (new)

Leslie #41 was my 12th print book for this climb, If on a winter's night a traveler. I am so glad that I tried this, despite the fact that I didn't much like the only other Calvino I have read (Invisible Cities) -- I found this funny and intriguing, a real Reader's book :) 4½*


message 27: by Leslie (last edited Aug 07, 2018 05:57AM) (new)

Leslie April Progress: 4 Print, 14 total {acquired: 23}
Year to date: 16 print, 56 total {71 acquired}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
13. The Underground Man (4/7); 3.5*; read as part of omnibus edition Archer, P.I. (owned since July 2017)
14. Tragedy at Law (4/8); 4*; owned since before 2008
15. *Underworld (4/25); 2*; owned since June 2013
16. And Be a Villain (4/29); 3½*; owned since May 2009

and additional formats:
Kindle books
19. *Infinite Jest (4/7); 3*; owned since Dec. 2015
20. He Dies and Makes no Sign (4/18); 3½*; owned since June 2017
21. The Enchanted April (4/20); 4*; owned since 2013
22. Cadmium Yellow, Blood Red (4/22); 2*; owned since Dec. 2013
23. April's Lady (4/29); 2½*; owned since 2012
 Dad's Kindle:
4. Unexpected Night (4/10); 3.5*
5. Died in the Wool (4/30); 3*

Audiobooks
12. A Man Called Ove (4/1); 4*; owned since Jan. 2017
13. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat (4/13); 2-2.5*; owned since July 2015
14. Utopia (4/24); 2*; owned since Aug. 2017

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted)
Bandwidth {April Kindle First freebie}
*The Time Ships
Mouse and Dragon
Trade Secret
Old Bones
Murder on the Blackboard

The Warrielaw Jewel: A Golden Age Mystery {free offer from Dean Street Press}
Crystal Soldier
Neogenesis

The House by the River {Amazon freebie}
Still Waters {Amazon freebie}
Ten Women {Amazon freebie}
Interesting Times
Boar Island (paperback)
Ready Player One (paperback)

new audiobooks:
Emma (Audible freebie)
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

The Recognitions (free as a 2-for-1 deal from Audible)
The Once and Future King
East of Eden (free as a 2-for-1 deal from Audible)
Leaves of Grass (Tantor freebie)
The Heist (Penguin-Random House Audio freebie)
A Study in Charlotte (SYNC freebie)


message 28: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Oh dear, I seem to be in acquisition mode again!


message 29: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Step #44 of my climb was the final book in the omnibus Archer, P.I., The Underground Man. This is the last of the Ross MacDonald books I got from my father. I didn't like Lew Archer as much as he did but they are decent examples of the hard-boiled private eye subgenre. 3.5*


message 30: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I have finished off a few more on my climb -- making progress, slow but sure!


message 31: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Planting my flag on the top of Mt. Ararat. And I am pleased to note that of my (horrifyingly large number of) new acquisitions, I have read 11 so they won't be contributing to my mountain next year!


message 32: by Pamela (new)

Pamela | 109 comments Such speedy progress Leslie. Good job!


message 33: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Thanks Pamela!


message 34: by Leslie (last edited Apr 25, 2018 04:37PM) (new)

Leslie Another print book finished but lots more acquired! I picked up Underworld at a local library sale in 2015 so I'm glad to get it done but I didn't much like it. I guess it goes back to the library for sale to someone else...


message 35: by Leslie (last edited Apr 29, 2018 02:13PM) (new)

Leslie Step #55 (print 16) was another Nero Wolfe book -- And Be a Villain. Archie & Wolfe were up to their standard forms and this book introduces the criminal mastermind Arnold Zech (Stout's version of Moriarty) who appears in several other books in the series. 3½*

I am managing to stay on target for 48-50 print books by the end of the year. Now if I only could stop getting new ones!


message 36: by Leslie (last edited Jun 17, 2018 08:15AM) (new)

Leslie May Progress: 2 Print, 9 total {acquired: 16}
Year to date: 18 print, 65 total {85 acquired of which 28 already read}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
17. With a Bare Bodkin (5/7); 4-4.5*; owned since May 2009
18. Look to the Lady (5/14); 3*; owned since May 2009

and additional formats:
Kindle books
24. The Head of Kay's (5/4); 3*; owned since August 2012
25. *Augustus Carp, Esq. By Himself Being the Autobiography of a Really Good Man (5/5); 3½*; owned since August 2012
26. The Hundredth Queen (5/12); 2½*; owned since May 2017
27. Queen Margot, or Marguerite de Valois (5/27); 4*; owned since Nov. 2017
 Dad's Kindle:
6.

Audiobooks
15. Blue Monday (5/3); 2.5-3*; owned since May 2016
16. The Wreath (5/7); 3.5*; owned since Dec. 2017 {read as part of the omnibus Kristin Lavransdatter}
17. Rebuttal (5/30); 3*; owned since July 2017

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted) (crossed out books have already been read)
The Speed of Sound {May Kindle First freebie}
Saltation
The Sand Prince {freebie}
Ghost Ship
Necessity's Child
Dragon Ship
Alliance of Equals
The Gathering Edge


new audiobooks:
Solo (SYNC freebie)
The Devil's Highway: A True Story (SYNC freebie)
The Fires of Heaven
Johnny Get Your Gun (SYNC freebie)
On Two Feet and Wings (SYNC freebie)
Saving Montgomery Sole (SYNC freebie)
When Dimple Met Rishi (SYNC freebie)
Baker's Magic (SYNC freebie)


message 37: by Leslie (last edited May 23, 2018 08:29AM) (new)

Leslie And I have reached the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro!!

I finished 2 books for this climb today so actually I made it a bit past the top :)

I finished another Cyril Hare mystery from my parents' donation to my library -- With a Bare Bodkin (my copy is actually the 1946 edition, not this 1980 own). And I finished the first book in the audiobook omnibus Kristin Lavransdatter, The Wreath.


message 38: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Thanks Jessika!


message 39: by Pamela (new)

Pamela | 109 comments Now that is some quick climbing. Good job!


message 40: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Thanks Pamela -- now I need to decide what further peak to aim for *grin*


message 41: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I am not sure that I can make it to the top of Mount Everest so I am choosing to aim for El Toro for now...


message 42: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Having looked over the rules once again, I have determined that my reread of Look to the Lady counts since I didn't own the book when I read it previously & do now. So step #63 completed!


message 43: by Leslie (last edited Oct 12, 2018 08:53AM) (new)

Leslie June Progress: 4 Print, 12 total {acquired: 10}
Year to date: 22 print, 77 total {95 acquired of which 33 already read}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
19. The Wind Blows Death (6/5); 3.5*; owned since 2009
20. The Second Confession (6/15); 4*; owned since 2009
21. Lucia's Progress (6/22); 4*; owned since ? (read as part of the omnibus Make Way For Lucia: The Complete Lucia
22. *The Group (6/29); 4.5*; owned since 2009

and additional formats:
Kindle books
28. Information Received (6/6); 3.5*; owned since Feb. 2017
29. *Kindred (6/16); 4*; owned since Feb. 2017
30. *Germinal (6/29)' 4*; owned since Aug. 2012
 Dad's Kindle:
6. John Macnab (6/3); 4*
7. A Voice in the Night (6/30); 4*

Audiobooks
18. The Wife (6/11); 4*; owned since Dec. 2017 {read as part of the omnibus Kristin Lavransdatter}
19. Redeployment (6/21); 3.5*; owned since May 2017
20. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation (6/24); 3.5*; owned audiobook edition since July 2015

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted) (crossed out books have already been read)
Gorky Park

new audiobooks:
Lord of Chaos
Love and First Sight (SYNC freebie)
Extraordinary Means (SYNC freebie)
Everland (SYNC freebie)
The Just Men of Cordova (SYNC freebie)
First Comes Love (Penguin Random House freebie)
Doctor Cerberus (SYNC freebie)
Macbeth (SYNC freebie)
The Curse of Crow Hollow (SYNC freebie)


message 44: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I recently succumbed to the siren call of some of my new purchases and thus have fallen a bit behind in my climb. Oh well, it will help reduce my mountain for next year!


message 45: by Leslie (new)

Leslie An unexpected step closer to the peak -- I have been slowly rereading the Mapp & Lucia series (which I own in the omnibus Make Way For Lucia: The Complete Lucia) and discovered that I never had read the final 2 books. I finished the 5th (of 6) - sometimes called "The Worshipful Lucia" but the original title is Lucia's Progress. A fun social satire of early 20th century village life in Britain... 4*


message 46: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I finished 2 books for my climb today which took me to the top of El Toro!


message 47: by Leslie (last edited Oct 12, 2018 02:37PM) (new)

Leslie July Progress: 5 Print, 6 total {acquired: 10}
Year to date: 27 print, 83 total {110 acquired of which 34 already read}

Paperback books (and hardcovers!)
23. Death Walks the Woods (7/3); 3.5*; owned since 2009
24. Beast In View (7/19); 4*; owned since June 2015
25. St. Martin's Summer (7/25); 3.5*; owned since 2009
26. Abracadaver (7/26); 3*; owned since June 2015
27. Three Doors to Death (7/31); 3.5*; owned since 2009

and additional formats:
Kindle books
31.
 Dad's Kindle:
8.

Audiobooks
21. The Hobbit (7/10); 4*; owned audiobook edition since Nov. 2017

* means the book is on the Guardian's 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read list

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted) (crossed out books have already been read)
The King Tides (July Kindle First freebie)
O, How the Wheel Becomes It! (U. of Chicago ebook freebie)

new audiobooks:
*The Left Hand of Darkness
The Fifth Season
How to Hang a Witch {SYNC freebie}
The Lost World {Tantor freebie}
*Tourist Season
A Crown of Swords

Monstrous Beauty {SYNC freebie}
Tooth and Claw {free due combo of sale & credit}


message 48: by Leslie (new)

Leslie I am starting off the second half of the year by moving my climb to Mt. Everest! 23 books to reach that peak; I tenatively hope to plant my flag sometime in September :)


message 49: by Leslie (new)

Leslie :( I am starting off July with 2 new audiobooks before I have read even one book for my climb...


message 50: by Leslie (new)

Leslie Continuing in my attempt to read all my Cyril Hare mysteries this year, I have finished Death Walks the Woods (aka That Yew Tree's Shade). While I still liked Hare's style, this one wasn't quite as fun as some of the others. 3.5*


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