Read What You Own 2026

[ÚlldemoShúl]

This is a brand shiny new thread for those of us who want to continue reading what we own in 2026.
My aims for 2026 are:

• At least half my reading will be from books I already own on 1st January 2026
• I will buy less than a quarter of my reading new including kindle deals😱 and book club books
• I will wait when prize lists are released to see if the books appear in the library within a week. I will not read full longlists unless I love the sound of each and every book on it.
• For the first two months I will only read what I own- focusing on the older books on my kindle while allowing myself to read newer (but already owned) physical books

What are your RWYO aims for 2026?

It’s Mad Men!! @ÚlldemoShúl I saw it all originally bar the last season and that’s what I’m on now. I am ready to read as soon as I finish though! Absolutely loving it. Strongly recommend

Oh I loved it- I watched it when first out and may well be ready for a rewatch. Love Roger!

I've done pretty well this month - 5 RWYO and on the technical 6th, though I think I acquired it in December, The Antidote by Karen Russell. Am hoping it may be on the Woman's prize list though.

1 new audio but that was for book club, Vigil by George Saunders.

What's been your favourite Woman's prize NF audio @ÚlldemoShúl ? Am toying with using this month's credit for one of those or for The Director which has been hotly tipped for Three International Booker.

I’m almost finished my second- first was The Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry- very moving in its simplicity and truth. This second The Finest Hotel in Kabul by Lyse Doucet is also excellent- a history of Afghanistan from the 70s until the present day and adding a personal touch by linking each part to The Intercontinental Hotel there and its staff. Very engaging and Doucet narrates well- it’s much longer than the first too (15 hours to 5) so would be more bang for your buck!
Arundhati Roy’s Mother Mary Comes to Me has already been highly praised by the 50 Bookers and is my next read from the list (also library audio). Strong field so far.
Great going on the RWYO! My library has The Director too- ebook rather than audio- and have added it to my wishlist.

I'm doing quite well - on my 14th book of the year and 9 of my books so far have been RWYO, 3 have been book club books and 2 have been random recent purchases.

Failing miserably here.
Books bought 10.
Books RWYO 2.
Must try harder. I'm reading Mother Mary Comes to me too. I got that for Christmas.

Finished another RWYO Taken by Dinuka MacKenzie- decent Aussie crime

thanks @ÚlldemoShúl I'm going for the Arundhati Roy as have heard very positive reviews. Quite a few deaths including DM's ex and my step-FIL this year so don't think I can face Sarah Perry at the moment.

we shall be reading at the same time then :)

I've not read what I own for my last few books but I am reading from the stack of books people have loaned me so I can finally return them.

I have just finished The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Daré which is a paperback I must have got from a charity shop/stall, I can't remember.
I'm moving on to The Art of A Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson which has been on my kindle for ages.

I'm going to try to drop off any books I read at the charity shelf in my local Tesco as I finish them.

I've read 8 overall and 4 were RWYO so I'm at my 50% goal which is better than I expected. And the other 4 were library books.

HOWEVER. I have still bought 15 new kindle books this year and even though they were all daily deals that is Not Good.

@RightOnTheEdge I started, and DNF'd The Art of a Lie this week. I got to about 40% and realised I just didnt care any more about the story. Not helpful, I know, and I hope you have a better reading experience than I did. I'm a bit disappointed TBH because I read The Square of Sevens last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've almost finished a re-read of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson. It's a comfort read in a difficult time, health-wise.

I have read 19 books so far this year. 1 using my Audible credit, 15 RWYO, and 3 from kindle unlimited. I’ve also DNF 9 RWYO books and haven’t bought any books, so I’m really pleased with my progress.

Finished The Letter by Kathryn Hughes which I bought in 2016.

I’ve also bought new books though, including The Names by Florence Knapp which is on the kindle daily deal today.

I have read 17 RWYO this year - but I have bought or borrowed 11 books already (one of which I have read) so my net reduction of the TBR pile is only 7. My two most recent RWYO were Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan and The Woman who Died A Lot by Jasper Fforde.

Just updating on where I am, not an angel by any means but not too bad!
Almost finished my 20th book of the year.
11 RWYO, 2 kindle wishlist items that came up for 99p, 2 bookclub purchases, 2 library books, 2 audible credits, 1 Spotify listen!
My RWYOs included some great books that had been lingering unread in the kindle, they included Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd and My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier.

Bought another book today, I Who Have Never Known Men

Saw it discussed on the 50 book thread previously, so when I spotted it in the charity shop decided to grab it. At least it was a charity shop and not brand new/ another kindle purchase I suppose.

Also got emails piling up from the mailing lists for my various trashy romance authors about new releases free on kindle unlimited. I’m probably going to succumb to at least one of those soon!

Finished Hotel Du Lac by Anita Brookner- enjoyed it. Full review on 50 Bookers. Also read a library book so 50/50 on RWYO reads and 1 RWYO DNF- A Time of Dread by John Gwynne

Two more finished -

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson. This was a reread which, according to Goodreads, I read in 2015. A charming comfort read (apart from two uncomfortable episodes of antisemitism).

And Home by India Knight. This was another cosy comfort read. Non-fiction guide on how to make your home even more comfortable and homely, albeit on a generous budget.

One more finished: The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede. The true story of the small Newfoundland town which had to cope with the sudden influx of passengers as planes were diverted from US airspace on 9/11. Full review later on 50B.

Finished Human Acts by Han Kang. Tough but important.

I have finished two more RWYO: Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and a memoir A Light through the Cracks by climber Beth Rodden.

Finished The Favourites by Layne Fargo. Perfect for anyone who wants escapism and light reading.

I’ve dnf’d two books
A Spoonful of Murder by JM Hall
Death and the Olive Grove by Marco Vichi