50 Books Challenge 2026 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 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? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

Hi everyone!

It’s my first time joining one of these threads. I’m hoping to read at least 40 books this year so thought I’d come join you!

Happy new year!

Thank you for this! I almost bought The Land In Winter yesterday for £5.99 but thought I’d hang on till today and see if it make it to the deals and it did 🎉
I read What We Can Know recently I thought it was excellent

Happy New Year!
Also my first time joining and looking forward to some inspiration! Managed 22 books last year, favourite being Land in Winter. Currently reading Leonard and Hungry Paul which is a nice gentle read so far.

My first time on this thread! Going to give it bloody good go. Do audible books count?

just started reading Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

Currently listening to the new full cast audio of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets on my dog walks

@GlassofRosePorfavor Welcome and yes some other people have counted audible books in previous years.

I am part way through Quicksilver and loving it.

I downloaded the Story Graph app, it's free and you can tracking currently reading/read/tbr.

My genre is fantasy smut (like Fourth Wing and Acotar) with the occasional thriller if i fancy a change.

Thank you as ever @Southeastdwellerfor your organisation! Happy new year 50 bookers and welcome to new joiners. I didn't quite finish The Forsyte Saga last night but have finished it this morning so will include it in my 2025 numbers. Just in time before I see the second play on Saturday!

I am going to try and RWYO (except book club books) but will definitely falter having seen the Kindle offers posted above!

RWYO - is that 'read what you own'? Does it mean not buying any new books?

I don't own many I haven't already read - I just read them as I buy them. But I should try use the library more as my book habit it quite expensive.

Good new year everyone ! Just finished "The good neighbours" by Nina Allan. Mixed feelings; she's a good author but it's like she wants to take her story to a height it won't reach. I think the book would have been better if she'd been less ambitious. I skipped some pages which is never a good sign. But..I can't say I didn't like it. At times it was brillant and the protagonists complex and sounded authentic. She managed to capture their different voices brilliantly. I would have love to have edited the book:). Anyone else have read it?

I’m in! Also trying to scroll less this year.
I have 3 books on the go at the moment- Heartburn by Nora Ephron, The Secret History by Donna Tartt ( a reread - but last read many years ago so it feels new!) and The Names by Florence Knapp on Audible

Happy New Year and thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller!

I’ve just started Sam Neill’s autobiography on Audible which I’m enjoying so far - will get back into reading properly next week when I’m back in the office and have my reading hour aka lunch break back.

Yeah trying to cut back on buying books! There’s a separate thread for it hosted by @UlldemoShul who hasn’t posted on this thread yet. It’s in the What We Are Reading topic. I haven’t spelt her username correctly

Happy New Year everyone! I got a promotion in September which drained all my free time so I only hit 36 on 2025. This year
should be easier though now I’m in the swing of things

Thanks for the shiny new thread @Southeastdweller and Happy New Year! 50 bookers. Despite spectacularly falling off last year’s thread, I finished on 65 books. Not my best year for reading but not bad.

I read the first Ruth Galloway book at the weekend so have just bought the next 8 books in the series for 99p. Off to see what else is in the deals.

I'm starting the year reading The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks and I’m going to join the Les Mis read along that’s starting today.

Thanks as always for the shiny new thread @Southeastdweller - and Happy New Year 50 Bookers old and new 🍾☕

@Yolandiifuckinvisser @BeaAndBen
What were your Christmas book hauls?

@GlassofRosePorfavor
Audible listens accounted for almost half of my books last year! Always helpful to know how well a book is narrated I find.

Haven't looked at the monthly deals yet but will do so shortly. Currently reading Crazy Rich Asians on my kindle, still listening to Paul Noble's Italian for beginners and I'm about to embark on a new adventure with Strike in Lethal White.

Morning all,

Joining this challenge for the first time, read about 25 books last year but want to spend less time on my phone and more time reading. Also going to try to read what I own as I have an embarrassing to read pile.

Starting the year with The Safekeep.

I would like to join please! I read 61 in 2025, though that included one or two novellas for light relief! Wasn't on the thread though. Did enjoy some picks from the Rather Dated Book club, last year, especially MoonTiger and The Road to Lichfield both by Penelope Lively.
I'm starting off 2026 with The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart.
Happy New reading year to you all!

Thanks @Southeastdweller Place marking for the best corner of mums net 😁I am determined to finish this challenge this year now looking for kangaroo words in all words now I know lol. 😉 @nowanearlyNicemum thanks again 😁

I would love to join. Just joined the library to read some real books at night and avoid just screen reading.

@nowanearlyNicemum Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, Birding by Rose Ruane, Less by Patrick Grant, The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht, Question 7 by Richard Flanagan, a lovely cloth-bound edition of a childhood favourite and a few from the charity shop chosen for me by my daughter.

Thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller.

I started Helm by Sarah Hall yesterday which a few people recommended on the last thread. I really liked another book by her Burntcoat which I read a couple of years ago.

I'm also listening to So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne which is about 4 women at a baby shower that goes wrong. Not sure if the humour is quite hitting home for me but I am quite a few years away from the baby times. It was part of a BOGOF on Audible though so picked it up along with The Poisonwood Bible which is on my TBR this year.

From the Kindle deals, I picked up The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao which was on my wishlist. R F Kuang's latest Katabasis is also on there which some of you may like.

I'm in, for various circumstances I am now in a better position to dedicate more reading time, dh wants to read more books to so at least we can push each other. We want to reduce screen time etc.

About to finish one book, only 49 more to go 😂 not in a financial position to buy books unless it's charity store price but hopefully there are some good reads in the library.

How are you finding The Safekeep? I started it a few months ago, stalled, then picked it up again last week and finished it. I ended up enjoying it and the second part made sense of the first part.

Happy new year everyone! I have started with The Journey into yourself - Eckhart Tolle non fiction