Bookish resolutions 2015 - mid-year review

Last January, I took a few bookish resolutions to organize my reads and reach some goals regarding Canadian literature. It’s time to take a step back and see how I’ve done so far!

2015 Reading challenge on GoodReads

I pledged to read a total of 70 books in 2015 and I believe I’m on track with 33 books read so far. Some books are longer than others (I’m looking at you, Seveneves) and I’m not worried with those two books “behind schedule”.

Reading challenge 2015: mid-year review

Now, more interesting, the readings by categories. Some books appear in several categories and this is intended.

Challenge #1: 36 Canadian speculative fictions

I’m surprisingly behind schedule! It’s my favourite category but it feels like I’ve been carried away by other books! I’ve only read 10 Canadian speculative fictions so far, which is only 27% of my goal. I need to correct this and fast!

Here is what I read so far:

Challenge #2: 20 Canadian literary novels

I’m happier with this challenge. Even though I’m also behind schedule, I did read more Canadian literary novels than last year and discovered some fabulous authors. I have a nice stack of CanLit books on my shelves. This challenge really succeeded in getting me into Canadian literature. I read 8 CanLit novels (35% of my goal).

Here is the list. Not many are reviewed because I tend to focus on speculative fiction on Maple Books but I will try more and more to bring you some CanLit reviews!

Challenge #3: 12 French-Canadian books

This is a paradox: French is my mother tongue, so I should read in French more often than in English, right? Right? No. For some reason, I read much less French than English at home. Maybe because it’s easier to find English books in Ottawa? I’ve no idea. Anyway, I gave myself this challenge to make sure I wouldn’t entirely miss out on QuebecLit and I’m satisfied with this category, especially thanks to the French Aurora / Boréal award 2015. I read 6 French-Canadian books, 50% of my challenge. Right on schedule!

Challenge #4: The SFF World Tour

I don’t even know if I want to talk about it. I read no book in this category. My foreign reads have been limited to US, UK and France. The SFFWT didn’t stop in UK yet but I didn’t want to just write one review and then stop again.
My main issue has been to find science-fiction or fantasy books by authors living in other continents. It’s rather easy for Europe and Asia, but much less for South & Central America as well as Africa. Most authors I found who were translated in either French or English actually didn’t live in their country of birth anymore, while it’s one of my requirements for the SFFWT.

If you have any suggestions, please don’t hesitate! What I’m searching for are classic or significantly popular science-fiction or fantasy books by authors living in a country which was not featured in the SFFWT yet (check the SFFWT page here).

Challenge #5: Aurora Award adult short list

When I gave myself this challenge, I didn’t know about the French Aurora / Boréal award, so I was planning for around 5 reads. With the added 6 books of the Boréal award 2015, it amounts to 11.

Boréal 2015: I have already read Escalana by Ariane Gélinas in 2014 and gave up on reading the Patrick Senecal since it was the last book in a long series. Challenge 83% completed.

Aurora 2015: I have read My Real Children by Jo Walton in 2014. I have tried The Peripheral by William Gibson and The Future Falls by Tanya Huff but dropped both books after just a few pages. I might try again later when/if more motivated. So only 20% done on this challenge.

Challenge #6: write more discussion posts

Complete failure. I’m not giving up though (look at what you’re reading!). I have a list of topics I’d like to write about and I’m determined to get to it!

Challenge #7: attend a book fair

I’ve been to the Gatineau book fair (Salon du Livre de l’Outaouais) last February! Challenge completed! I’ve been able to meet a few authors and, of course, spend an unreasonable amount of money on books. I wish the event had been bilingual but I guess it’s exactly not the point of this fair.

I was hoping to go INSPIRE! in Toronto this year but it has been cancelled, to my great despair. I hope they will do it again some time.

 

Overall, I’m rather behind schedule in my challenges but it does work to motivate me in my reads. I’m still hoping to complete my challenges on Canadian speculative fiction, CanLit, French-Canadian literature and also on discussion posts!

Did you give yourself bookish challenges for 2015? How are you doing?

 

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