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”.
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:
- The Just City by Jo Walton (Fantasy)
- Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (Science-fiction)
- Dix ans d’éternité (collection) (Science-fiction, fantasy and horror)
- Les îles du ciel by Daniel Sernine (Science-fiction)
- Hôtel Olympia by Élisabeth Vonarburg (Fantasy)
- Anita (Cobayes #1) by Marilou Addison (Horror)
- Jardin de chair by Frédéric Raymond (Horror)
- In and Down by Brett Alexander Savory (Horror)
- Objects of Worship by Claude Lalumière (Horror) – review coming soon!
- The Page Turners #2: Economy of Fear by Kevin T. Johns (Horror, science-fiction & fantasy)
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!
- The Antagonist by Lynn Coady
- If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie
- Sweetland by Michael Crummey
- Ru by Kim Thuy
- The Bear by Claire Cameron
- All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
- Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson Highway
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!
- Dix ans d’éternité (collection) (Science-fiction, fantasy and horror)
- Les îles du ciel by Daniel Sernine (Science-fiction)
- Hôtel Olympia by Élisabeth Vonarburg (Fantasy)
- Anita (Cobayes #1) by Marilou Addison (Horror)
- Jardin de chair by Frédéric Raymond (Horror)
- Ru by Kim Thuy (Literary)
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.
- Les îles du ciel by Daniel Sernine (Science-fiction)
- Hôtel Olympia by Élisabeth Vonarburg (Fantasy)
- Anita (Cobayes #1) by Marilou Addison (Horror)
- Jardin de chair by Frédéric Raymond (Horror)
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?
Wow, I’m so impressed! Good for you on keeping on top of most of your reading challenges! I feel like a disaster when I look at how I’ve neglected mine. I think I was too ambitious. I enjoyed reading your update. Thanks for sharing.
Carole
PS I look forward to reading your review of Sweetland. I LOVED that book. So. Much.
I absolutely loved Sweetland too! So much, actually, that I want to re-read it before I write about it: I read the eBook copy of the library and I had to rush at the end because I had to return the book! (you wouldn’t believe the number of hold on this book!). So I’m going to buy it and re-read it and enjoy it again (and feel heartbroken again, but oh well) 🙂
And how horrid to have to rush THAT ending. Which is just so “right”, though not necessarily as one would hope. I love the link between the beginning and the end of this novel: so beautiful. I read his poetry collection Under the Keel recently and thought it was wonderful too: have you tried any of his verse?
Buried In Print recently posted…Tessa McWatt’s Higher Ed (2015)
No, Sweetland is the only work I read from Michael Crummey. I’m taking note to have a look! Thanks 🙂
I was just saying, earlier today, that I really need to mend the gaps in my Cdn sci-fi/fantasy reading; I can see that following the progress you’re making on your challenge will be quite inspiring! Perhaps it will have to be a serious reading goal for me for next year, however, as I am making a whole-hearted effort to read more books from my own shelves (compared to new additions or to a steady flow of library books). So far I have read from my own shelves for 4/6 months and am now in an off-my-shelves month again, which is a success for me, but I wonder whether I can keep it up. Good luck with the gaps in your challenges: there is still half a year left of reading, right?!
Buried In Print recently posted…Summer 2015, In My Stacks
Setting some goals and then keeping track in a simple file really, really helps me to focus. It’s very tempting to throw some new books on top of the to-read pile every single day!
Can you believe it’s already the middle of the year? It sounds like you’re going to meet most of your goals, but I understand how easy it is to get distracted by other books … and life! Good luck for the rest of the year.
C.J. @ebookclassics recently posted…2015 Book Blogger Discussion Challenge – Do You Ever Seek Advice from Booksellers and Librarians?
Thank you! Indeed, I get very easily distracted by other books! It’s hard to resist when there are so many readily available in bookstores and at the library!
Hm, I need to do one of these posts, too! There’s still some time to catch up with my resolutions, I think. 🙂
Congratulations on keeping yours, you’re mostly on track – and I never expect to keep all of mine anyway, I’m sure you can cut yourself some slack 😉
Kaja recently posted…Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
I love to read other people’s challenge report! It gives me ideas for next year and some people have such interesting challenges such as diversity or catching up on classics!