Matthew’s Comments (group member since Mar 08, 2015)

Matthew’s comments from the Reading List Completists group.

Our winner for March 2022 is

Death Comes for the Archbishop

Liane wrote: "Great progress for you too, Matthew! Especially given the struggles you had last year. You must have been tightly focused on the books you did read, so that must be a good feeling."

Thanks, Liane! It was a rough year for any sort of focus so I am very surprised!

Gaby wrote: "It's impressive it was written so long ago. Considering H.G Wells wrote it in 1897 (two centuries ago!) is not a bad read. He imagined all the alien technology even before the 1st WW or modern tech..."

HA! Looks like you and I were having the same thought at the same time! :)

For an old sci fi story, it really sounds like it could be happening right now. I mean, he does travel by horse and buggy early on, but it is very easy to figure this happening in a modern world even with the 1800s descriptions.

I started listening to the Simon Vance narrated War of the Worlds on Audible. I swear I read this book back in high school or college, but I did not have it on my "read" list in Goodreads.

I am reading Project Hail Mary right now, too, and I am getting some similar vibes. Modern sci fi definitely has its origins in books like this!

Well, I just went and created a poll for February but then remembered that there was a tie last month so we already have a nook picked for February (Sheltering Sky). So, this is now our March 2022 Poll

VOTE NOW:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Happy voting and reading! :)

Matthew wrote: "Up to 22 now - I swear I read some of the ones I just counted on this list in the past year, but maybe not since I only counted one more (or, I did a horrible job counting last year!)"

Up to 28 now - this is also a tough list, but we read several on this list in the group in 2020"

Wow - I am up to 35 now on the Board's List. Even with my slump in 2021, I did pretty good.

Liane wrote: "Some additions for me on both lists:
27 on the board list (Portrait of the Artist, Pale Fire & Midnight’s Children) - thanks Matthew for helping me make some progress!
44 on the readers’ (think I m..."

Awesome progress, Liane! :)

K wrote: "Yes, it was the Scott Brick one."

Sorry his voice did not work for you on that one - he is great on many others, though, so if you run into him again I hope it works for you!

Jessica wrote: "Wow that’s impressive Matthew! I’m at 31 but have many of these lined up for 2022"

Good luck - I hope you get to check off a lot more!

I finished it months ago and just finally wrote my review - that should tell you how the last few months have been going for me.

Here is the link - it is shorter than I usually write but that is mainly because I couldn't do a review or the book much justice with a long review this long after finishing it!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It has been a long time since I read this, but here is my review if anyone is interested!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

K wrote: "In regards to the audio version of the book, I enjoyed it, but did find it a bit unintentionally funny as the male narrator did all of the voices of the characters, including the women in southern ..."

I have seen that issue with other audiobooks and I am sorry you had that experience with this one. Was it the Scott Brick narration?

If so, that is the one I listened to and I LOVE Scott Brick so I have no issue with the way he does anything - he can do no wrong! :)

We have done this in previous years and I am curious to find out what your favorite book was that we read in 2021.

Click here to vote:

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

I hope you really enjoyed some of our 2021 books and that we choose more great ones in 2022.

I just realized I am replying to messages from 2020 - better late than never! :)

Eileen wrote: "I've only read 15. I guess I have work to do, although several of these books are on my list!"

Come on, Eileen! (I had to do it - and I am sure I have done it in the past #dadjoke)

Henry wrote: "I am only up to 30 on this list, but there are several that i intend to read in 2021."

Good luck, Henry! The February book is on this list, so if that is one you haven't tried yet it is one more to check off! ;)

Liane wrote: "Congratulations, Matthew! May this bode well for your reading future this year! This was a tough one, but worthwhile."

Thanks Liane - rarely do I have nice things to say about a book that takes me this long, but it was only kind of the books fault that it took this long!

Matthew wrote: "Matthew wrote: "

- I am up to 32 - adding 5 in 2017

- Now at the end of 2018 - up to 37"

- End of 2019 - Now up to 40 - if I just do 3 to 5 a year, this is gonna take a while!

Looks like I added 9 this year for 49 out of 100! I wish I had realized I was so close to 50, I would have snuck one more in!"

Now up to 53 out of 100 with the books I added in 2021

Finally finished Pale Fire - it took a long time, but it was good!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...