Halfway Check In

Caspar looking for books at a good bookstore in Melbourne last year

At the beginning of the year I signed up for some reading challenges - four to be precise (oh and the Good Reads Challenge of 50 books for the year - again):

1. Australian Women Writer's Challenge
2. Great War Theme Read
3. Eclectic Reader Challenge
4. Non-Fiction Reading Challenge

I am on track with my 50 books for the year (I'm 3 books ahead of schedule on that one - phew!)

But how am I faring with the other challenges?  Huh? Huh?

Well for the first challenge - Australian Women Writers - the goal was to read 10 books by Australian women and review six of them.  One could say that I've just about blitzed this one. Looking at my books, I have read ten books by Australian women this year already.  They are as follows:

1. My Brother but One by T.M. Clark
2. Moving Among Strangers by Gabrielle Carey
3. Madeleine: a life of Madeleine St John by Helen Trinca
4. The Essence of the Thing by Madeleine St John
5. The Women in Black by Madeleine St John
6. Surrender by Sonya Hartnett
7. Innocence Lost: The Last Man Hanged in Queensland by Jacqueline Craigie
8. Fatal Impact by Kathryn Fox
9. You're Still Hot to Me by Jean Kittson
10. Wild Things by Brigid Delaney

Have I reviewed six of them though?  Well possibly not to the standards set down here.

My reviews tend to be perhaps too short and not analytical enough so I need to do some work here.

My great-grandfather and his brother in France during WW1

The second challenge - Great War Theme Read - has fallen by the wayside.  I wanted to read 5 books and have only read the first one.  Testament of Youth is still sitting beside the bed.  I watched the TV series though. Does that count?  No  - I don't think so.  I need to lift my game here and get on with it.

The third challenge - Eclectic Reader Challenge - isn't doing so badly.  There were 12 goals to fill here and I've highlighted the six I've completed, so I'm on track.

1. Award Winning - The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt won the Pulitzer Prize 
2. True Crime (Non Fiction) - Innocence Lost by Jacqueline Craigie
3. Romantic Comedy 
4. Alternate History Fiction - I'm going to claim Life after Life by Kate Atkinson for this one
5. Graphic Novel
6. Cosy Mystery Fiction
7. Gothic Fiction
8. War/Military Fiction - William an Englishman by Cecily Hamilton
9. Anthology
10. Medical Thriller Fiction - Fatal Impact by Kathryn Fox 
11. Travel (Non Fiction)
12. Published in 2014 - Wild Things by Brigid Delaney

The fourth challenge - Non-Fiction Reading - I was aiming to be a Dilettante reading 1 - 5 books and I think I am pretty much blitzing this one too.

1. Moving among Strangers by Gabrielle Carey
2. Madeleine: a Life of Madeleine St John by Helen Trinca
3. Innocence Lost: The Last Man Hanged in Queensland by Jacqueline Craigie
4. You're Still Hot to Me by Jean Kittson

And, because I am completely hopeless, I said I would also participate in the Mary Hocking Reading Month because I'd never heard of her and she died this year and my friends in the Virago Group thought a lot of her.  I'm struggling a bit with this one.  I've borrowed three of her books from the library.  I couldn't get into A Particular Place, so I'm going to give The Meeting Place a good go as it's got the most stars on Librarything, although I'm finding it a bit tough too.

So, to re- frame goals for the balance of the year ....

1. Write those reviews!!
2. Read four Great War books 
3. Read one from each of the following genres/groups: Romantic Comedy, Graphic Novel, Cosy Mystery, Gothic Fiction, an Anthology and a Travel book.
4. Try and finish a Mary Hocking book

How are you going with your goals?

Australian Women Writer's Challenge

Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2014

Ooh - I've found another challenge to enter!  The Australian Women Writer's Challenge.  I've decided to go for the Franklin Level.  My goal will be to read 10 books by Australian women and review 6 of them.

Of the nine books I have already read this year, four have been by Australian women.  Woo hoo!  I think I'm doing okay so far.  Now I just have to write the reviews, yes?

I have read:



The Essence of the Thing by Madeleine St John



That was prompted by reading Madeleine by Helen Trinca.

I have also read



Moving Among Strangers by Gabrielle Carey 

and



My Brother But One by T.M. Clark

I aim to try and read as many of the books longlisted for The Stella prize as possible.  And I'd like to read the rest of Madeleine St John.

Luckily I have already read:



Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

and



Boy Lost by Kristina Olsson

Have you read any Australian women authors lately?

Reading Challenges for 2014

Secret Santa gift from the lovely Simon at Stuck-in-a-Book

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all from a stinking hot Brisbane.

How was your Silly Season?

Was it full of books and lots of lovely reading?

I reached my goal of reading 50 books last year for the first time - hoorah!

This year I will try and do the same but mix it up a bit with a few reading challenges.

My first reading challenge is one I've joined on Librarything through the Virago Group.

It's the Great War Theme Read

For that I hope to read the following:

1. William an Englishman by Cecily Hamilton

 

    2.   One of Ours by Willa Cather

   3.   Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

   4.   Not so quiet by Helen Zenna Smith

   5.   The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West

I have also signed up for the Eclectic Reader Challenge

I am really looking forward to this as I need to broaden my reading particularly for the work I do in a public library.  These are the books/genres I hope to read:

1. Award Winning - I'll seek my inspiration from this website and given that I have just discovered Penelope Fitzgerald, I reckon I'll read Offshore for this one.

2. True Crime (Non Fiction) - well I do have The Gatton Murders by Stephanie Bennett  by my bed or The Baby Farmers by Annie Cossins or Three Crooked Kings by Matt Condon, so I think that's that covered off

3. Romantic Comedy - I'm a bit non-plussed about this - want to give me a suggestion?  Otherwise I'll be heading for Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella

4. Alternate History Fiction - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke appeals to me

5. Graphic Novel - I suspect this will be like eating dry All Bran for Me - I'm choosing Watchmen 

6.  Cosy Mystery Fiction - unless you have a better suggestion (and I am all ears, really I am) I will plump for Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by MC Beaton I suppose.

7.  Gothic Fiction - I'm ashamed to say that I have never read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier so that's a definite

8.  War/Military Fiction - see my first reading challenge ! ;0

9. Anthology - this is kind of curious.  I looked on Goodreads Listopia and Forever Friends by Shelagh Watkins was top of the list so I guess I'll give it a go!

10 Medical Thriller Fiction - hmmm I'd appreciate a bit of advice on this category too otherwise I'll plump for Michael Crichton's Andromeda Strain

11 Travel (Non Fiction) - I feel guilty that I've never read Bill Bryson so I think I'll choose 

A Walk in the Woods

12 Published in 2014- ummmm well it's only 4 January but I can tell you now it will be one of the ones nominated for the Booker Prize that was published this year.

And just when you thought I was done....my third reading challenge will be the 

Non-Fiction Reading Challenge for 2014

I'm aiming low - Dilettante level 1-5 books.  I've got two covered already in my eclectic reader challenge: travel and true crime.  I guess I'd like to read history, biography and genealogy as well.  But perhaps knitting will get a look in too.  Or social media or library stuff.  Lots of room for thought there.

What about you?  What reading challenges are you hoping to achieve this year?