50 Books Challenge 2025 Part One

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the first thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2025, 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? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

Who's in for this year?

3. The Peepshow - Kate Summerscale

I'm a bit on the fence about Kate Summerscale. The enormous fuss around The Suspicions of Mr Whicher was mystifying to me because the whole narrative of 'forgotten Victorian crime brilliantly unearthed' just wasn’t right - the Constance Kent case was one of the most famous Victorian true crimes - and I read it only in the hope she’d have found new evidence that conclusively proved or disproved the verdict - but she didn’t even do that. Since then I’ve read a few more of her books and come away feeling similarly unimpressed (although I did quite enjoy the Alma Fielding one).

This examination of the horrific murders by Reginald Christie at 10 Rillington Place in the 1950s is much the same, unfortunately. It’s absolutely grim, to begin with - the details are so horrible I genuinely considered making this a DNF. The main controversy here is whether Christie was also guilty of two earlier murders for which Timothy Evans was convicted and hanged - there is at least a very belated and minor (kind-of) revelation near the end of the book. But quite a large part of the narrative is taken up with the perspectives of two outsiders tangentially occupied with the case, the tabloid journalist Harry Procter and crime writer F. Tennyson Jesse; it does feel rather as though their presence bulks out what would have been a rather slender volume otherwise. Two warnings, therefore: it’s very graphic, and ultimately doesn’t add a huge amount that’s new to a case that’s been exhaustively examined already by multiple writers.

@Arran2024 I came back to Diary of a Nobody on audio this time after reading it many years ago. I knew I’d enjoy it again!

I also love this book. DD fell off the bed while reading it because she was laughing so much. I think it was the episode where he paints the bath.

Yes! @PepeLePew The build up to the bath disaster is brilliant.

I agree that Kate Summerscale is overrated, Terp.

First two reads of 2025:

1. A Walk to the Western Isles, Frank Delaney
Last year I read Samuel Johnson's account of his trip to the Hebrides. I attempted Boswell's account of the same trip, but got bored by the name-dropping and happily abandoned him in St Andrews. This book recounts a journey in their footsteps, published in the 1990s. It was a bit of a slog (as I'm sure the original journeys were), but there's something that touches me about the idea of capturing a rainy afternoon in the Hebrides, 250 years ago, and the conversation of the company present.

2. Long Story Short, Jodi Taylor
Short stories linked to the St Mary's books, which I'm intending to re-read one of these days (I've a feeling I missed at least one book in my original read but the timeline is so convoluted that it's hard to tell). Less about time travel and more about filling in the back stories of some of the characters - one for existing fans.

My favourite is when he thinks he's been invited to stay by friends but it's a boarding house and she expects him to pay!

1. The Forgotten Tower by Lulu Taylor

I thought this was something else hence ordering from the library (although I don't know what I meant to get). It is described as a gothic novel but it actually lacked any sort of atmosphere so not gothic at all. Poorly written and pretty naff.

1. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This made me chuckle but I was expecting more. Easy read despite all the alieny names.

1. All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

I really really liked this. I've read all of this authors books now and this is definitely the best one. The main character made me think of Demon Copperhead for some reason, so if you liked that you will probably like this 👍

Same here- I often dip in for ideas but don't post on the thread because there's no way I could read 50 books- I'd love to know how many hours a day you all spend reading on average?
I read around 8 books last year. Aiming for 12 this year.
My favourite from last year was The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Reilly- currently reading Hamnet.

2.Hotel Du Lac by Anita Brookner Romantic novelist Edith Hope is travels to Lake Geneva at the end of the holiday season, seemingly to focus on her writing. The other hotel guests are an odd bunch, all of whom have some degree of social or emotional dysfunction or hardship that has propelled them to be spending time far from people they know.

This was an odd little book. At first I thought it was going to be a Barbara Pym style comedy of manners, as much of the first part is spent gentle poking fun at the various foibles of the guests. This is not nearly as well done as Pym. The wintery faded grandeur creates a gloomy atmosphere. Nearer to the end we explore Edith’s recent past in detail, and the events that preceded her enforced holiday, and things became more interesting, but it really took a while to get going. This wasn’t a bad book by any stretch, but it’s hard to see what caught the Booker Panel’s eye. Although if anyone wants to boost their figures, it was short!

@BlueFairyBugsBooks – ah thank you. Outwith is a particularly Scottish word too!

2 My Friends – Hisham Matar. I’m not sure why, but I thought this was non fiction. For those who haven’t read it, it isnt. It’s based on true events, such as the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984 outside the Libyan Embassy in London and the Arab Spring in 2011. Mostly it’s a tale of a young Libyan boy who comes to Edinburgh to study in 1983. He ends up going to the demonstration in London and cannot return home. Its beautifully written and the ache of missing home and family is skillfully done.

New to this thread but posting because I'd like a record.

So far I've read Lessons in Chemistry which was really enjoyable.

Currently reading The Secret Hours by Mick Herron and doing the Count of Monte Christo would be very interested to see if I can manage 50 in a year. I reckon, I should be able to.

I probably spend far too many hours per day reading. But (for MH reasons) im currently not working, ans when my mh is really bad can end up not leaving the house for a few days. I also don't have small DC so have a lot of time to read. I also read quite fast.

I know others do it by listening to audiobooks.

I absolutely love Anita Brookner but it's definitely not written for laughs. All of her heroines are melancholic, lonely or lost and gloom is the prevailing aura. But strangely I've never read Hotel du Lac, despite it being clearly her most famous. I shall give it a go!

I would really encourage everyone to more or less ignore the "50 book" title and just join in if you like reading and talking about books (and occasionally other things). Absolutely no one is keeping track of how many books you read and policing that and lots of people don't even keep track themselves. So if you just dip in and out from time to time, or don't ever post your list of books, that's all good. Some of us find it helpful to keep track, post lists, write reviews and some of us don't - but we are not the 50 Book police and everyone really is welcome, I promise!

To answer the question "how do you get to 50+ a year?", I read fast, and am guilty of skimming a lot of what I read and not really paying attention if it's boring. I also don't have small children and I have a lot of time to myself to read. I also listen to audiobooks and include them in my lists.

Please don’t be put off @OneBadKitty and post reviews of the books you read if you’d like to. Some posters don’t number as they go along - actually, I’m not sure why I do tbh! I number them in a notebook I keep but I don’t think it’s essential to do so on these threads.
I prioritise reading in my life as I have that option (adult children, part time job, DH who doesn’t mind if I disappear for an hour or so or early to bed to read). It’s my number one destress activity and has been since I learned to read!
I personally don’t count audio books because I can’t stand being read to, no matter how good the reader and have only included Lissa Evans children’s books as ‘personal’ reading although my day job involves reading and promoting books for children.

Tl:dr it’s the reviews that count, not the quantity.

Just to add to the encouragement from PepeLePew and AlmanbyRoadtrip, I've been on the thread for several years and have never reached 50 books in a year (and I've been retired for the last 2 years!). It's just a lovely place to be and discuss all things bookish.

@OneBadKitty I think I've only reached 50 books about half of the years I've been on these threads, and some years read less than half that. It's all about the book chat, and those of us who keep count do so solely for our own purposes.

That being said, I've dramatically increased my numbers by combining audiobooks with a new job with lots of driving in the working day. I would recommend the BorrowBox app if your library gives you access.

We aren't cliquey but we do have robust opinions! Come one come all but be prepared that one of your favourite books might get crapped on! It's all in good humour but someone DID flounce once over The Butler - couple of years ago !

Agree that everyone is welcome here and it really doesn’t matter how many books people read. I just enjoy reading reviews of books I may not have come across otherwise, or where people have a different opinion to me. I also love the discussions and tangents we have!

I do spend a lot of time reading - pretty much all my non work/sleep time is spent reading. It’s like breathing to me. However I don’t have small children and I also have a DH who is a SAHD and does virtually all the housework so I probably have more free time than most.

The Favourites - Lynne Fargo

I really enjoyed this. It’s not quite a bold because it didn’t feel original enough - it’s very reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid - but recommended if you like her books. It’s the story of competitive ice dancer Kat - we get her story told from her point of view, and interspersed with the transcript from a TV documentary about her career, with lots
of other skaters, coaches, judges etc giving their opinions of events. It’s a bit of s
cross between Daisy Jones and the Six and Carrie Soto Is Back. As well as all that it’s a very loose retelling of Wuthering Heights although this is mainly just reflected in the relationship between the main characters and their names (the two main characters are Kat and Heath, and their rivals are Isabella Lin and Garrett Lin. Other names are Ellis Dean, Lockwood, Currer and Acton). I like Taylor JR books, skating and Wuthering Heights so this was right up my street!

6 - No Time Like the Past.

If you haven't come across Jodi Taylor, and you like semi-fantasy/sci fi books then I heartily recommend most of what she has written.

The world building and the dialogue is just spot on. Lots of humour (laugh out loud!) as well as moving moments.

Set in a near-reality where time travel exists - but don't call it that! The historians document past events in contemporary time by visiting that event in their pod. It is heavy on well researched historical info from various times in history as well as excitement, adventure and humour. By far my favourite series of books.

Ooh I don’t remember the butler flounce, but am still slightly scarred by the Agatha Christie one.

No rules; nobody is beholden to anything. Just read some books and say something about your thoughts on them.

Actually - two rules:
*titles and authors in bold
*don’t just copy the book blurb, unless you have something terribly witty or clever (or both) to say about it.

I read Diary of a Nobody a couple of years ago and loved it. I picked up a paperwork edition cheaply enough after reading about it in A Year Of Reading Dangerously (I think). Finished the book on holiday, and the day after, found a beautiful illustrated Folio copy in a charity bookshop in Kent which needless to say came home with us :)

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Someone announced they were reading ROTD and you said "not the bloody boring Butler again" and they took it as a personal slight that they were being boring. There was also that poster that turned on Cote and told her she wasn't entitled to an opinion because she reads Dick Francis !

Just to add to new joiners, my reading has massively increased since I joined this thread because there are so many books I want to read!

However, I am also past the stage of small children and commute by train so am almost guaranteed reading time. I also tend to read in bed every evening and when there is sport on the TV (which is quite often…..)

I do keep a numbered list but it’s really only for my own amusement. I'm with everyone else, @OneBadKitty - we’re only interested in talking about books! As for reading, I don’t have children, and work is extremely flexible, so I’ve got plenty of reading time. And I’ve always read, more or less constantly, my whole life - it’s my main activity, really!