26ish books 2026

@Teeteringonthebrink45
I adored The Names too and met Florence Knapp at a book event last summer.
She seemed absolutely lovely, so grateful for all the praise for her book and self-deprecating.
When I cheekily asked her about her second book I got the impression that it won’t be coming out any time soon, sadly.

I’ve just finished listening to The Names on Audible so that’s #1 for me this year. As a Pp said the early DV stuff is quite gratuitous and made it hard for me at the beginning but wow wow wow I’m so glad I kept going, an amazing and very thought provoking story that will stay with me for a long time. Also am intrigued by the writer as I think it’s her debut novel and she has adult children, l like hearing this as it gives me faith that I might still write my novel one day!!

Book no 2: James by Percival Everett

I really enjoyed this, although I haven't read Huckleberry Finn since I was a child (many decades ago). The book got much more exciting in the last quarter. It followed the escape of an educated black slave.

I'm going to take a few days off reading now, and pick up some knitting for a while.

I’ve read this too. It brought up some interesting points, like the Dutch not paying for their Jews to come back from the Concentration Camps but I found i speed read huge portions of the book because it really wasn’t very interesting.

I love sex but I’m not that interested in reading what other people do and o found the long rambling descriptions hugely distracting from the plot.

3. Between Two Kingdoms Suleika Jahouad. Very difficult topic (the author got cancer in her 20s) but a surprisingly compelling read. She is a very good writer - one of the things I notice when I'm writing about the books I read is how pathetic my literary writing is (I can write well on technical subjects!).

Book 2, was a library loan, The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits. It was a Booker shortlisted one, and I can't see why, had it been any longer I'd most likely DNF'd it, I only kept going as it was a short book.

Thanks for the new thread. I'll try to join in more than just posting what I've read this time! I'm going for a target of 15 as was well short ot 25 last year.

1. Stalker on the Fens by Joy Ellis

@Pigtailsandall I loved The Safekeep!

Unfortunately I read it in December so I can’t include it in my 26 book count.

My DD is a huge fan of iCarly and Sam & Cat (she's 11). I've tried to explain what happened to Jeanette in an age appropriate way, but it really disturbs me to watch them.

I LOVED Dream Count, which I listened to. I have spent quite a bit of time in other areas of Africa and her books are so evocative. I really recommend Purple Hibiscus.

I listen to audio books while commuting/driving or cleaning, or in bed (I have to rewind quite a bit - only light books come in this category so I nod off fairly quickly!), or while knitting or sewing (or playing games on my phone).

Morning 👋

I have just finished my first book of 2026!
(1) The French for Christmas by Fiona Valpy

I am trying to read what I own - it was an enjoyable but forgettable read....
Onto the next!

Happy reading everyone 😄

@drspouse

Hello, I'd like to join. I don't think I can do 26 books, but I'll aim for 15. I'd love to read more but life is busy and I also need to read a lot for work! I have a few books on my reading list, including The Names and The Safekeep, but right now I'm reading Dream Count by Chimamada Ngozi Adichie, which I'm really enjoying

Maybe I'll try it again this year.

So, I joined the 50 book thread but was being wildly optimistic so I’m glad I found you all. I’m a paper and audio reader with a stack by my bedside to read. I’m just over half way through The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner which I’m enjoying, it’s well written but have found I dislike books that have chapters from different perspectives. I have a few ‘next’ options to choose from.

1. Heaven and Hell - Jón Kalman Stefánsson

beautiful piece of literature following the ensuing days after a young orphaned lad looses his (adult) best friend while they work on fishing boats in Iceland about 100yrs ago. Brutal life and gorgeously written.

The main point of them for me is to be able to listen to them while doing other things, I literally can't sit still without doing something with my hands but I get distracted easily and miss bits too so I use the rewind button a fair amount. Mainly I listen to memoirs and other fairly simple books, nothing overly complex. Having said that I have listened o the entire Slough House series because the narration is so good and they are complex but I do find myself having to rewind fairly often.

Ok so far this year I've read 2 books!

1. Night trains by Andrew Martin. I'm going interrailing with DD at Easter so DH got me this.
2. Death in Diamonds by SJ Bennett. Lovely series of mysteries with HM QE2 as the detective. I liked the other ones in the series - set around 2016 - but this one was even better, set in 1957.

On a side note, I had to teach myself to be able to listen to audiobook, it really didn’t come naturally to me. I get distracted VERY easily and because I try to listen to them when doing other tasks sometimes an hour would go by without actually taking anything in!

I’m much better now, I find listening at a slightly higher speed (usually 1.4x-1.5x, depending on the narrator) helps.

Finished my first book of 2026!

1. what a way to go by Bella Mackie

not my usual choice of book but it was our book club read so thought I’d get it out of the way. It was ok. Not as good as how to kill your family and I didn’t rate that very much either. It was nice to have something a bit lighter after all the dark HF I have read recently and I’ve had a stinking cold and it’s been an easy read whilst I’ve been feeling sorry for myself. I gave it 2 stars!

now to start my A-Z challenge

I usually do a combo of kindle/audible. I like reading at night but enjoy listening when I’m walking or even doing cooking/laundry etc. It means I have to usually download both the book and audiobook at the same time which can get expensive!

last year I set a target of 52 books and managed 68. The year before that you’d be lucky if I had finished three! This year my target is 72.

I’ve finished ‘The Minders’ by John Marr’s so far this year and I’m currently reading ‘The apothecary’ by Sarah Penner which I’m really enjoying.

I've really loved some of his books - A Week in December, Charlotte Grey, A Fool's Alphabet - but just haven't got into others. Have you read Human Traces @DiggoryVenn ? This looked quite 'heavy'.

1: Snow Country by Sebastian Faulks
I am a fan of Sebastian Faulks, but this book didn't really deliver for me. It was the second of a trilogy, of which I haven't read the first (but the blurb said they could be read standalone).

Wolf Hall was a slow burner for me but one I was so glad I stuck with. It took me a while to get into but ended up being able to put it or Bring Up the Bodies down. It's on my list to reread at some point.

Place marking to join the thread too if that's ok. I had joined the 50 books thread but have realised that was ridiculously ambitious and not achievable for me!

I read 25 books last year but only managed 16 the year before. I'm not very good at not finishing books I'm not enjoying and can get stuck on them instead of marking them up as a DNF. I also spend far to much time scrolling and would like to swap some of that for reading this year.

Currently on book 2 of the year. I read the final book of Edna O'Brien's The Country Girl trilogy last week. Currently reading Sandwich by Catherine Newman, which I'm really enjoying.