Read What You Own 2026

Finished another one Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh

I am trying to attack my physical book pile in June. I have some that have been on my shelves unread for years - quite a few of them were presents and some are not the first in a series. I am going to try the 'read 50 pages and DNF if not grabbed' as I feel too guilty to give away presents without trying them. But also have always struggled with DNF-ing (more guilt!).

So far I have read two - How to be Invisible by Tim Lott ( a readable YA book) and Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls - David Sedaris which was part Memoir, part observation. Amusing in places but not laugh out loud funny for me. I have also DNF two - Let Me Go On by Paul Griffiths which tells a story of Ophelia after she dies using only the 400 odd words she is assigned by Shakespeare in the play. I really liked the premise of this and it reads very lyrically but in reality I don't know enough Shakespeare to follow the references. Also DNF The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde which is the second in his YA series about magic/dragons. I love Jasper Fforde but not that fussed about dragons and not sure how it ended up on my shelves. I probably bought it to encourage one of my kids to try it (they have since left home!).

I did enjoy! Thank you 😊

Elizabeth's Rival - Nicola Tallis

Physical book! Though more of a RWYDMO - with great restraint, I gave away many of Mum's books when she went into a care home but I kept this one so I'm counting it.

This is about Lettice Knollys, who was (probably) the granddaughter of Henry VIII, through Mary Boleyn's DD Katherine (Carey). Very good, fuller review on 50B.

👍

I’ve finished Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and Breakneck Point by T Orr Munro.

I have got back onto RWYO and finished Brooklyn - Colm Toibin which I enjoyed. I bought it in September 2024. Review to follow on 50B thread.

Coincidence! I will try to avoid spoilers in my review

I remember not particularly loving Brooklyn but I’d like to try again at some point, I read it at a not great time in life.

Finished 2 I’ve had knocking around since last year - Really good actually - Monica Heisey which I think was a kindle 99p deal at some point. And We Solve Murders - Richard Osman on audible.

Neither anything amazing but I enjoyed both in their own way.

I should also say I’ve fallen off the wagon in spectacular style, only on kindle not so much physical books but I must have bought about 10 titles in the last week. I’m still determined to read more of the ones I own though - I’ve managed 17 RWYO so far this year, would like to get that number to at least 27 say. Then any outstanding ones of my current purchases can be next year’s RWYO fodder 😀

Finished The Editor's Wife - Clare Chambers which I bought almost exactly four years ago. Worth waiting for and review will follow on 50B thread.

Have finished and enjoyed The Library by Bella Osborne
Also finished The Crossing by Matt Brolly

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin

Bought in 2023, finished today. Loved it!

Another one off the list - Vile Bodies - Evelyn Waugh

Semi-cheated as I bought this on kindle years back, got bored trying to read it so used an audible credit. I actually quite enjoyed the audio, the narrator makes all the difference and this one was brilliant.

Finished Scaffolding - Lauren Elkin which I bought at the 50B London meet-up last May. Not quite what I was expecting.

Have finished four more RWYO - Every Light in the House is Burnin' by Andrea Levy,
Sedated by James Davies, Good Harbour by Anita Diamant and The Missing Family by Tim Weaver.

Finished Tamar by Mal Peet which has been on my kindle for nearly 10 years. Enjoyable. Review on the 50 books thread.

Finished Fatal Legacy by Lindsey Davis, another in the Flavia Albia series. Not a regular whodunnit and very complicated. I’m only three books behind in the series now, of which I own two and have a birthday coming up…

I’ve also broken my RWYO rules by getting a library book - but in my defence it will finish a series, and I didn’t want to start any of my RWYO ‘first in a series’ books as my brain can’t cope with too many different worlds in this heat.

7 . Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy - I haven’t read this since my teenage years and it was well worth a reread. I definitely need to do some more RWYO over the summer.

Emma Watson - Joan Aiken Based on Jane Austen’s incomplete/ abandoned novel ‘The Watsons’ (I think it was only a few chapters wasn’t it?) which Aiken adapted and finished. Didn’t love this, it was ok.

Precipice - Robert Harris which I bought in May last year. I found this really interesting - full review to follow on 50B thread.

Finished and enjoyed Way Back by Sara Cox

I finished two RWYO books When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr and The Appeal by Janice Hallett I’ll add full reviews on the 50 Books thread but I enjoyed both.