50 Books Challenge - 2025 Round up

[RomanMum]

Hello again 50 Bookers! Here’s a separate thread to gather together our top recommendations from the year. Please post your final lists, or just your outstanding reads – good and bad - if you prefer. If you are posting the full list just a reminder to please bold your favourites (the best written, plot, characters, or books that stayed with you long after you finished them), and italicise the duds, disappointments or any DNFs if you can.

It would be handy if you could mark which are Fiction and which Non-Fiction too. Thank you!

I’ll wrangle the spreadsheet and put together some meaningful stats in early January – there’ll be a reminder on the main thread nearer the deadline.
Still ploughing through my current NF so I’ll come back later in December with my bolds.

Cheers! Roman

Thanks so much for doing this. It makes very interesting reading. I didn’t notice who added Jane Austen to the stinkers list, but I will have to fight them later.

Brilliant work Roman !

It's my fault for not highlighting my reads properly but just to clarify , Munichs is fiction.

Not me guv because I won't read any more of her works. My bad.

Thanks RomanMum, brilliant work!

Amazing! Thanks RomanMum.

I'm glad. I like you!

Phew.

I feel safe.

Amazing round up. Thank you so much

Thank you so much @RomanMum , you're a star!

I will also use the list of most popular bolds as a reference point for future reading (because obviously I badly need more ideas about what to read, cough cough).

And the Ben Myers / Bloody Boring Butler category (which I believe you introduced last year) is truly a category of genius.

😂at @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie and @Piggywaspushed !

Wow - thank you @RomanMum ! Like others I will try to work my way through a few of the more highly recommended titles.

Thank you @RomanMum, what a herculean effort! You also made me laugh several times, particularly with your awards.

Thanks @RomanMum ! It’s a reminder to read Bloody Boring Butler this year so I can pick a side…

Amazing @RomanMum - sterling work. My Good Bright Wolf by Moss has just pinged into my borrowbox. Hmmm to start or not ....

Wow @RomanMum great effort. I'm very happy to see Glorious Exploits come out on top.

Like Eine, I've read all bar 6 of the fiction but am rather unlikely to read Dickens, Dumas or JKR anytime soon. I have Precipice on TBR - I feel like this was a bit divisive - and not sure if I'd like The Women or the Bethany Clift one.

On the other hand, I've quite liked all the duds although haven't read My Bright Wolf.

Loved the Ben Myers category - I will defend Eimear McBride to the death!

@Stowickthevast I find Kristen Hannah overrated, I got so frustrated with the plot and character of The Women everything that can go wrong for the lead character does, and it just gets very misery fest. I didn’t notice the Bethany Clift being raved about on thread but I’ve bought it now.

It was me @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie ! I hated Emma! I thought it was just awful. I loved P&P and thats all I've read of Jane Austen. Soz, not soz

Thank you @RomanMum What a power of work!

Interestingly, I really have been concentrating on my TBR and trying not to get distracted with what everyone else is reading. So I havent read a lot of the lists and thats absolutely fine with me.

Delighted to see that When The Dust Settles is still going strong with 50 Bookers for a second year 💛

I will forgive you.

If you hated Emma, stay well away from Mansfield Park.

Actually, no - read it because I'd love to see your review.

Belated thanks to @RomanMum for undertaking this mammoth task.

Thanks @RomanMum , a very interesting list and I shall be adding Patricia Brent, Spinster to my highest priority wishlist for my birthday (lets ignore that I'm only halfway through the first of my Christmas presents). Love the BBB award, that's probably the most important award of all.

Thanks guys, it was an interesting task but I’m glad it’s over and I can get back to reading, housework, life etc. - in that order obvs

@MamaNewtNewt I’ll be in touch later.

Have you seen Clueless(film)? It's an updated version of Emma and well done.

I want the laughing emoji back!!

I might read Mansfield Park at some point, but I'm very much enjoying Jane Eyre atm and have P&P as a reread.

@Arran2024 no, never seen Clueless and seeing as I wasnt a fan of Emma, its not something that I'd have thought about. But I might have a look and see if its available.

😀

Clueless is brilliant. Even if you didn’t enjoy Emma, it’s worth a watch. It has all ofAusten’s wit and pithiness and social commentary and is very cleverly done.

Clueless is a great film. Hope you can see it and report back.