26ish books 2026

[Tinkhasflown]

A shiny new thread for 2026.

All welcome and note 26 is just a number. Everyone can set their own target and you are welcome here even if you only read 2 books a year.

I personally count the larger novel style books I read to my children and audio books I listen to. Others don't and there are no rules.

I look forward to all your suggestions again this year.

Stayed up late last night to finish Atmosphere - a few tears were shed!!

Book 5 - The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley. Lived the Seven Sisters so have high hopes.

No.4 finished Ward D by Freida McFadden This was my first book by this author and it had me gripped from beginning to end.

Book 4, The Diary of A Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield Lovely gentle comedy, she's brilliant at portraying mundane conversations.

Next book is Hamnet. I've read it before and remember not loving it as much as some others by O'Farrell but I can't remember why, maybe I will like it better second time around.

1 Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Hadn't heard of the book or the author but inherited the book from a friend and thought I'd give it a try - and well, it was fine. Typical rom-com / chick-lit. Easy to read, light hearted, nice distraction. Nothing mind-blowing and it didn't particularly make me want to read other books by the same author but a steady, gentle read that was nice enough for a dull January.

2.4 (so I cant round up to a more solid 3!) stars out of 5

@ItalianChineseIndianMexican I quite like Emily Henry - good for falling asleep to!

It was definitely a 'nice' read. Just a bit predictable. Maybe I'll give one of her other books a go at some point - have you any recommendations? Thanks.

9 After You'd Gone - Maggie O'Farrell. I absolutely loved this. Interesting after the conversation earlier about how it grabs your attention when its parts of the world and streets you know well. I think I will read more of this author for sure.

Well, I read that in just under two days - but solely as I have the cold of the century and have been in bed for nearly 4 days, completely listless.

It took me a while to get into this book: I just didn't really manage to "feel" the places or atmospheres like in some other novels. But it improved (or maybe i started feeling better) and I enjoyed how the book moved between times and people. I never got the sense of the historical time though, so the places never felt vivid.

Forgot to add, book number 4 is All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow. It's very dense and poetic, and so far, I'd definitely recommend it for anyone wanting an insight into the mind of an autistic friend or family member

I don't get the buzz about Emily Henry, I think she's very mediocre but booktok/booktube love her. I was given one of her books on holiday last year and it was so predictable and not specifically well-written.

4 Dream Count - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Disappointing read, after having enjoyed Americanah. Skimmed through quite a bit of it. Not much of a plot, more character led, and every male character was either immature or toxic. Kadiatou was the most interesting character, & the author's notes at the end reveal her experience to be based on a real-life case. But I felt her character's story didn't sit well with those of the other three wealthy women, who basically just wanted to get married and have babies, and were disappointed by their men.

Finished book number 4 - As long as the lemon trees grow by Zoulfa Katouh. The story of pharmacy graduate in Syria as she is forced by circumstances to treat casualties in the war torn hospital. Salama is torn between staying to be loyal to her country and taking the boat to escape.

I loved this book. It was so well written and tugged on the heartstrings.

Ive read all the Bear Town ones. I loved those.
Do all his books make your heart ache? 💔

Just finished book number 3
The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves. I really enjoyed the story and catching up with Jimmy Perez.

Next up is Brimstone by Callie Hart. Not very high brow I know but good for a bit of escapism.

@Pigtailsandall I loved The Vanishing Half, hope you get back into it as it’s well worth it!

I felt the same about this book. Really disappointing as I loved her other books.

This is interesting as the whole time I read it, I kept thinking how Kadi's story felt like it was tagged-on for effect - what effect, I wasn't sure. But I enjoyed her story the most, particularly the description of Guinea. I still think it was a good read, as her storytelling is so fluid and immersive, but I agree on characters and that it wasn't as strong as Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah, which I both loved.

I read The Diary of a Provincial Lady many years ago and loved it. It's somehow relatable even though my life is nothing like hers.

Joining in belatedly over here! I was on the 50 books thread but, being realistic, with other interests and general life stuff and my dodgy attention span these days, very unlikely to achieve it. My only aim this year is to get back into the habit of reading- I've made more of an effort since the start of the year and have noticed a huge difference on the days I manage to read- my mind feels a lot calmer and I've noticed I'm sleeping better, even if I'm not reading immediately before bed. Need to keep reminding myself of that...

So far, I've read Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (audiobook) and The Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz- all were excellent.

Currently reading Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym and Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers. I'm only at the part where they've managed to get William out the house and very much hoping they're going to give him a bath and a haircut in the next chapter.

Also listening to The Secret Commonwealth by Phillip Pullman on audiobook to remind myself of the story before I tackle The Rose Field.

Hello, I would like to join in please. I think I am likely to get closer to 50 than 26 but the 50 threads move very quickly and I prefer reading more literary books that 210page quick reads. I do not think the number is important more the habit and that you get something out of it.

1. The List of Suspicious Things - I thought this was well written and I enjoyed it. It sort of plodded along but I felt the way it dealt with complicated issues from a young adolescent's view was extremely well done - the feeling that something was wrong but the characters didn't know how to say it becuase it was outside their knowledge of the world.

2 The Last Samuari by Helen De Witt, the first 300pages are a bit hard going and I did skim a bit but you can tell she really can write. I do not share her views that left to their own devices young children are going to teach themselves ancient Greek etc. After about 300 pages it turns into the most brilliant writing. I loved it. It is deeply moving. It is humorous (many allegedly humorous books are not imo). It is great story telling. It is many things. I can see that the author does not really like writing readable books hence her other books are rather short. That is her choice but a shame as she can write so well.

Both bold but The Last Samuari is much more memorable and exceptional.

3 The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova non fiction - this is about the psychology of the con. I think anyone, at the wrong time, can be caught out by a con and I have an interest in the area. It was very interesting, it relates tales about various con artists, how how we view ourselves can affect what we will believe ie I am a nice person, who would not believe this story, the reasons why we believe. It has a tiny bit about cults. Interesting if you have an interest in that sort of thing. I enjoyed it. I got it from the library but will probably buy a copy.

Yep! I love the way he really describes what it is to be human through his characters. How they are all flawed in relatable ways and they all have light and shade. The Beartown books are quite different to his others which are lighter and less intense. I love them all.

4 - Brotherless Night by V.V Ganeshananthan
this book was extraordinary. Beautifully written and so very sad in places - some of it was hard to read. But I learnt a lot about Sri Lanka’s recent history and am really glad I read it - I think I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

Book 6 finished - A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough. Can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get round to reading it. Makes for grim reading really but it has demotivated me to keep going with making changes in my life to contribute towards a more sustainable future.

Next up - My Friends by Fredrick Backman

Book 4 After You'd Gone - Maggie O'Farrell. Loved this
Book 5 Audio James - Percival Everett after a recommendation here. Great book and the narrator was excellent. I did shed a few tears throughout.

Also loved this. Was one of my best reads of last year.

Agreed. I was fortunate enough to direct the audio for it, the narrator was not professional but was the sister of the woman the booked is based on and had to leave Sri Lanka in the 80’s and remains an amazing activist. Working on the book with her was just astonishing. The author had specially asked her to do the audiobook

update here:
4: Knights of the Spiral Stairs - Einar Már Guðmundsson. classic Icelandic book that often leans into streams of consciousness if the first person narrator, a young boy. Beautifully told but I never quite connected with him

5: The Testament of Mary - Colm Tobin. listened to the audiobook which was BRILLIANTLY narrated by Meryl Streep. TBH I’m usually wary of famous tv and movie actors narrating books as it’s a totally different beast but she was perfect for this, a tragic retelling of the story of Christ from Mary’s POV

6: The Woman in the Dunes - Kōbō Abe. Finally read this after watching the film (1950’s or 60’s I think?) years ago. The writing, as with a lot of classical text in translation I think, was a bit stiff and I again never connected with the protagonist but the situation is def a Kafkaesque nightmare and I enjoyed it for that

all my books this year have been relatively short (under 300pages) hence so many, and apart from Real Life none of them have grabbed me, I really need something to disappear into. Starting tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow so not sure if that’s going to be it but holding out some hope…..