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50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Eight

324 replies

Southeastdweller · 10/10/2026 22:44

Welcome to the eighth thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2026, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles and maybe authors as well of books you've read or going to read as this makes it much easier to keep track of books or authors that may appeal (or not appeal) to everyone else.

Some of us bring over our updated lists to the new thread. Again, this is up to you.

The first thread of the year is here the second thread here, the third thread here, the fourth thread here, the fifth thread here , the sixth thread here and the seventh thread

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · Today 17:10

TimeforaGandT · Today 17:06

Best wishes and good books to all those struggling with health issues at the moment.

I have only read one Cusk and just felt that she was trying to show how clever she was the whole time - not for me!

This is exactly what I felt about the one Cusk I read. Irritatingly smug - like a female Ian McEwan.

TimeforaGandT · Today 17:06

Best wishes and good books to all those struggling with health issues at the moment.

I have only read one Cusk and just felt that she was trying to show how clever she was the whole time - not for me!

Welshwabbit · Today 15:51

@PermanentTemporary it was me who reviewed the Harold Wilson biography. I know what you mean - Pimlott was clearly a fan and unwilling to be harsh towards his subject! That said, I thought his approach did bring out some of the difficulties of operating within a "broad church" that we have continued to see since in both main parties. Well, what used to be the main parties. I've not got a clue where we are now...

@Stowickthevast sending good wishes your way.

60 The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry

I was given this slim volume a while ago and have finally got round to reading it. Perry's topic is the crisis of masculinity, and the difficulty white, middle class, middle aged men ("default man") are having in adapting to a changing world. It was published in 2016, and I think over the last 10 years lots of people have been saying these things, so it didn't feel very fresh - but that's probably my fault for not reading it when I was first given it. The part I enjoyed the most was the final chapter, which I suspect was influenced by Perry's wife - a meditation on how our childhood experiences inform our later sexuality. I know very little about psychology, save that this is a well-worn theory, but his explanation was pithy and engaging and I would like to read more about it.

Owlbookend · Today 14:43

Sending strength and good wishes @Stowickthevast 💐 Like others on the thread I've been there.
Sounds dismal @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie & reminds thst i need to book my jab.
Hope things look up soon for everyone having a bad time.
The only Cusk I've read is the motherhood memoir so cant comment on the fiction.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · Today 13:58

@NotWavingButReading Sounds rotten. Hope you both feel better soon.

I think what I need is a proper, old fashioned comfort read - something like Pollyanna or Little Women, but ideally that I haven't read before. Off for a google!

Theretheretheir · Today 13:41

@Stowickthevast The Provincial Lady is a great choice- it's my go-to comfort read if I ever have trouble sleeping. Those are brilliant friends. Wishing you all the best x

Theretheretheir · Today 13:37

@AliasGrape I loved the audiobook of Demon Copperhead too. The narrator might actually have been too good- his voice actually stuck in my head to the point that I was 'hearing' his voice when I read my next book- which was set in the 1930s in England, so American South wasn't really what I was needing... 😀 I reckon a well read audiobook is a real art form.

ChessieFL · Today 13:03

Flowers for all those suffering in some way! Hope you all recover soon.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · Today 12:06

Flowers NotWaving and Remus

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · Today 12:04

RomanMum · Today 11:54

That sounds awful @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie, hope you recover soon.

Thank you. Hopefully it will just be a 24 hour thing.

RomanMum · Today 11:54

That sounds awful @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie, hope you recover soon.

campingwidow · Today 11:52

NotWavingButReading · Today 11:41

@Stowickthevast commiserations on the lumpectomy. I had one in 2019 followed by chemo and radiotherapy. Once it happens to you, you suddenly realise just how many women get breast cancer. Wishing you clear margins and good results. Books are the perfect gift, how kind of them.

Some health stuff here. DH had what seemed at first to be an amusing little accident injuring his foot. It snowballed after that - four trips to A&E countless trips to clinis, nurses and trauma consultants. Four weeks later he's still all bandaged up, can't drive or get shoes on and we're no nearer kowing what the prognosis is. To cap it all we both picked up a lurgy from A&E waiting rooms and now have chest infections.

Here one Moment by Liane Moriarty
Borrowbox read on kobo.
I think lots of you have read this one. I read Big Little Lies years ago and loved it, enjoyed the screen version especially the music. Read a couple of Moriarty's other books which didn't live up to BLL so I haven't read another for many years. I'll go back and try some more as I loved this.

On a plane from Hobart to Sydney an elderly woman walks down the aisle and tells passengers the date and cause of their death. The book follows several of these people and tells the woman's story. I galloped through it, an interesting tale of how people might behave if they know they are going to die. Lots of characters and I loved the first 80% though it flopped a bit towards the end. A measure of how much I like a book is the amount of quotes I highlight. Plenty in this case. I particularly like the use of the fourth wall by Cherry, the old woman.

Desire can sweep everything away on it’s path, your good sense, your catholic upbringing, your plans for next day. You may be at a stage where you have forgotten this and even the word “desire” aggravates you. But deep down you remember don’t you? I bet you do.

She and Max tossed out last minute warnings like helpful lifebuoys every time their son’s left the house from bike riding kids to new drivers to new fathers with babies. “Wear your helmet” “don’t drink too much” “drive slowly in the rain” . But you could never say it all and you could never say enough.
This is so true! My son's are grown men now and I have to resist throwing lifebuoys.

Leo has messed up badly on friends. He’s left “friends” to his wife like she leaves “lightbulbs” and “tax” to him

Following Southeastdweller's review of
Enough Said by Alan Bennett
I spotted it on Borrowbox.
I haven't read anything of his before though obviously know of him.
It spans the last ten years, he's 92 now. Even ten years ago he was battling with the vagiaries of old age. Some absolute gems in there among a lot of rambling about people I don't know - first names of his friends who may be actors or writers and you are presumed to know who they are. Enjoyed parts of it but sadly it would have been better with a lot edited out.

I’m making my way through Liane Moriarty’s catalogue at the moment. Mostly on audiobook via Borrow box - I really like Caroline Lee’s narrations.
Just finished Little Big Truths and enjoyed it just as much as LBLs. Need to watch the series now!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · Today 11:47

Wishing you well @Stowickthevast

I read a couple of Golden Age train crimes, both of which I enjoyed but not enough to write reviews of. I’m now annoyingly bookless again whilst I shiver under a blanket on the sofa. I had my Covid jab yesterday and it’s really knocked me for six.

VikingNorthUtsire · Today 11:45

@Stowickthevast 💐
@NotWavingButReading 💐

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · Today 11:42

Best Wishes Sto Flowers

I’m not reading much right now because I have been inundated with Telly I want to watch!!

NotWavingButReading · Today 11:41

@Stowickthevast commiserations on the lumpectomy. I had one in 2019 followed by chemo and radiotherapy. Once it happens to you, you suddenly realise just how many women get breast cancer. Wishing you clear margins and good results. Books are the perfect gift, how kind of them.

Some health stuff here. DH had what seemed at first to be an amusing little accident injuring his foot. It snowballed after that - four trips to A&E countless trips to clinis, nurses and trauma consultants. Four weeks later he's still all bandaged up, can't drive or get shoes on and we're no nearer kowing what the prognosis is. To cap it all we both picked up a lurgy from A&E waiting rooms and now have chest infections.

Here one Moment by Liane Moriarty
Borrowbox read on kobo.
I think lots of you have read this one. I read Big Little Lies years ago and loved it, enjoyed the screen version especially the music. Read a couple of Moriarty's other books which didn't live up to BLL so I haven't read another for many years. I'll go back and try some more as I loved this.

On a plane from Hobart to Sydney an elderly woman walks down the aisle and tells passengers the date and cause of their death. The book follows several of these people and tells the woman's story. I galloped through it, an interesting tale of how people might behave if they know they are going to die. Lots of characters and I loved the first 80% though it flopped a bit towards the end. A measure of how much I like a book is the amount of quotes I highlight. Plenty in this case. I particularly like the use of the fourth wall by Cherry, the old woman.

Desire can sweep everything away on it’s path, your good sense, your catholic upbringing, your plans for next day. You may be at a stage where you have forgotten this and even the word “desire” aggravates you. But deep down you remember don’t you? I bet you do.

She and Max tossed out last minute warnings like helpful lifebuoys every time their son’s left the house from bike riding kids to new drivers to new fathers with babies. “Wear your helmet” “don’t drink too much” “drive slowly in the rain” . But you could never say it all and you could never say enough.
This is so true! My son's are grown men now and I have to resist throwing lifebuoys.

Leo has messed up badly on friends. He’s left “friends” to his wife like she leaves “lightbulbs” and “tax” to him

Following Southeastdweller's review of
Enough Said by Alan Bennett
I spotted it on Borrowbox.
I haven't read anything of his before though obviously know of him.
It spans the last ten years, he's 92 now. Even ten years ago he was battling with the vagiaries of old age. Some absolute gems in there among a lot of rambling about people I don't know - first names of his friends who may be actors or writers and you are presumed to know who they are. Enjoyed parts of it but sadly it would have been better with a lot edited out.

RomanMum · Today 11:05

Sending best wishes @Stowickthevast- and you have a lovely group of friends.

When we booked a week away in the West Country I had visions of walking in the sunny crisp autumn air amid drifts of fallen leaves… hey ho. At least I’m catching up on the reading. Reviews to follow if I can cope with bad typing on a phone.

MaterMoribund · Today 10:48

Sending healing vibes @Stowickthevast and what marvelous friends you have, giving a book stack Flowers

Benvenuto · Today 10:31

Sending 💐& best wishes to @Stowickthevastas that sounds really tough( the book haul looks lovely - Provincial Lady is something I need to read).

Re Pullman - I can’t comment on whether The Rose Field is better than The Secret Commonwealth (as I have read the latter but can’t remember much about it) but otherwise I agree with everyone else. What was particularly annoying was that despite both books seemingly setting up a somewhat inappropriate ending, he clearly got cold feet & substitited an alternative yet also dodgy ending (I would have preferred the original one given the time spent building it up). I also disliked his vision of Lyra’s future as it seemed so limited compared to the Amber Spyglass.

It’s a shame as I liked a lot of La Belle Sauvage.

Also given Philip Pullman’s views on CS Lewis, it is interesting to spot the parallels between the 2. The beginning of both Northern Lights & TLTW&TW are both chilling re the implicit threat to the children whereas both The Rose Field & The Last Battle are disappointing especially their endings.

MonOncle · Today 09:58

Happy weekend! I am very sporadic with my posting but I do try to skim the thread. I read Outline by Cusk last year and recall admiring it but not really enjoying it.

I’m very sorry to hear about your lumpectomy @Stowickthevast , I had one last year plus needed to have chemo/radio afterwards. Hoping you get the results you want and you recover well x

Fruit Fly, Josh Silver

Very fast paced dual protagonist story. Mallory is struggling with her mental health, a coercive husband and a serious case of writers block. She’s desperate, after the huge success of her debut novel, to produce another book, all the meanwhile being held back by her controlling husband. She meets Leo, a gay, substance addicted homeless man, who is struggling to get clean. Mallory attempts to inset herself into Leo’s life so that she can write his story, because gritty tales are the it thing.

I enjoyed the ride, thought it was quite clever in places as the full picture was revealed (is Mallory an unreliable narrator or not??), but was frustrated by the bizarre ending, which resolved some things but not others.

The Manningtree Witches, AK Blakemore

A fictionalised account of the women of Manningtree who were identified as witches by the Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, with a focus on Rebecca West, a teenage fatherless girl. I loved this, the writing is very atmospheric and beautiful. The story also made me rage for these women. I’ll definitely seek out the other works by this author and I’m giving it a bold.

I’ve also DNF To the Lighthouse recently. I read it in my 20s but just cba with VW’s style right now!

Also plodding along with 11/22/64 by Stephen King on audiobook and am about to start Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.

DuPainDuVinDuFromage · Today 09:36

It’s quite sad really @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie , Pullman really does seem to have just gone off on an absolute frolic. He clearly had a lot of things he wanted to say but they all got jumbled up into a weird mishmash of competing and conflicting storylines. And the characters were lost in it all - I don’t feel I know who Lyra really is, whereas she was such a strong character in His Dark Materials.

@Stowickthevast I do agree The Rose Field is slightly less bad than The Secret Commonwealth, but that’s faint praise! Hope you are recovering well and hooray for friends who bring books ❤️

SheilaFentiman · Today 09:31

Feel better soon @Stowickthevast Flowers sending love and books 📚

Terpsichore · Today 09:28

Hope you’re OK and can have a relatively relaxed few days despite understandable worry, @Stowickthevast

InTheCludgie · Today 09:26

@MaterMoribund I've recently finished Haunted Tales too, and enjoyed it more than I expected to. Not sure I got all the nods to other authors, I'll need to Google that I think!
Re The Familiars, I'd say that's the one of Stacey Hall's I enjoyed the least- I felt The Foundling and Mrs England were better IMO. Knew very little about The Pendle witches but it was interesting to read more about them afterwards.

ÚlldemoShúl · Today 09:17

@Stowickthevasthope everything turns out well with the lumpectomy

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