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.

No, I took against him same time as Ian Mcewan because I felt they just got a bit too middle class bubble and hit and miss. IIRC I saw them at a book event and got the fan ick. But I loved Green Dophin Street, Engleby and at least one other I can't think of the name of, so I'm open to accepting I'm being unreasonable and trying that book. Might be one for the friend who lent me Capital too, thank you!

@Scout2016 @Philandbill i don’t realise this was a book! I watched the mini series last year and it was fab - I love John Lanchester so will add it TBR

27 The Artist by Lucy Steeds
Set in Provence in the 1920s this is about an aspiring journalist, Joseph, who arrives at a remote farmhouse to try to interview fabled painter Edouard Tartuffe – Tata, “the Master of Light” – who lives with only his niece Ettie for company. It explores how the myth of the "eccentric male genius" has historically been used to excuse the emotional control and suppression of talented women, and also questions the value of art. Very atmospheric, with very lush and sensuous descriptions. It won Waterstone's debut novel prize for 2025 and is on the shortlist for several other book prizes. Reminded me a bit of The Muse by Jessie Burton.

@Scout2016 @Philandbill @Citygirlrurallife If you enjoyed Capital, I can recommend John Lanchester's latest - Look What You Made Me Do. It was my book 22.

This is now on my reserve list. Loved Submarine, both book and film adaptation.

Book 32: The Sleeper Lies by Andrea Mara
this was a book with a slow build up, the main character is snowed in so it kind of feels that there is no escape and something is coming, what was coming wasn’t what I expected, I’d completely focused on the wrong person being the stalker and the nod to the actual culprit was made with subtle references throughout the book. I’ve read all of Andrea Mara’s books now sob I really enjoy her writing.

2026 books so far:
then she was gone
beautiful ugly
the intruder
the shadowman
the family upstairs
Rock Paper Scissors
The Family Remains
The House we Grew up in
It Should Have Been You
Dont Let Him In
Daisy Darker
Someone In The Attic
The Tenant
One Click
The Other Side Of The Wall
No One Saw A Thing
Ward D
My Husband’s Wife
The Silent Patient
The Night She Disappeared
The Divorce
Hide And Seek
None Of This Is True
I Found You
Such A Nice Girl
The Couple Next Door
It Could Have Been Her
It’s Not What You Think
Watching You
The Last Party
I Let You Go

@PinkOrangeRed Thank you, I have added that to my birthday list 😀
@Citygirlrurallife I loved Capital so much I couldn't watch the adaptation in case they got it wrong....

27 Sisters under the rising sun by Heather Morris

An informative book, based on true accounts, of women who were held as prisoners of war in Indonesia by the Japanese. I have mixed feelings about the book. Firstly, the vocabulary and writing style was not very challenging. In fact, it was quite simple. Also, whilst the underlying theme is one of sisterhood, I feel it's a bit twee and overly optimistic. I'm sure not all the women in the camp were sacrificial, favouring their sisters, but the book implies that they were. That aside, I learnt a lot about the period and I'm glad I read it.

Totally fair enough - it is often the way! I’ve just started watching All The Light We Cannot See because I needed a LOT of years after reading the book before being able to watch the adaptation

@Citygirlrurallife
I have also avoided the tv adaptation of ATLTCS.
Is it any good as I read the book over 5 years ago so could probably give it a go.

1.One of us by Elizabeth Day.
2.The Backpacking Housewife by Janice Horton.
3.The Hike by Lucy Clarke
4.Postcards from a stranger by Imogen Clark
5.Introducing Mrs Collins by Rachel Parris
6.Remarkably bright creatures by Shelby van Pelt
7.Sleeping Tiger by Rosamund Pilcher
8.When the cranes fly south by Lisa Rizden
9.A midlife holiday by Carry Hanson
10. Nesting by Rosie O'Donnell
11. I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou
12. Ripeness by Sarah Moss
13. Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
14. The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah
15.Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth
16. We begin at the end by Chris Whittaker.
17. Until Next Weekend by Rachel Marks
18. Two Lives Together by Lauren Ho
19. What will people say by Sahaj Kohli
20. Strangers by Belle Burden
21.Yesteryear by Caro Burke
22. Table for one by Emma Gannon
23. Tilt by Emma Patte
24. The court of thorns and roses by Sarah Maas
25. We are here by David Nicholls
26. Honey by Imani Thompson
27. The way back by Sara Cox
28. The rest of our lives by Benjamin MarKovits
29. Why fish don't exist by Lulu Miller

I enjoyed Honey which was a happy place book club read I pitched up after listening to podcast so am trying Queenie by Candice Carty Williams because there current book is here sequel but I hadn't ever read the first.

Why fish don't exist was mentioned in Instagram and I found it really interesting not like anything I've ever read before. It's narrative non fiction with a memoir, a biography and non fiction science info all interwoven. Lots of information and US history of eugenics movement that I didn't realise predated Nazi Germany.

19: Chance - the science and secrets of luck, randomness and probability (New Scientist)
This has been on my to-read list for an absolute age. Very interesting but some of the essays went way over my head. Fascinating subject though.

Book 33: The Couple At No.9 Lies by Claire Douglas
This was a very intriguing story, I found the first chapters a little slow but once it got going it just gripped me. Lots of different characters interwoven and although I kinda guessed the big twist it was still a super ending
2026 books so far:
then she was gone
beautiful ugly
the intruder
the shadowman
the family upstairs
Rock Paper Scissors
The Family Remains
The House we Grew up in
It Should Have Been You
Dont Let Him In
Daisy Darker
Someone In The Attic
The Tenant
One Click
The Other Side Of The Wall
No One Saw A Thing
Ward D
My Husband’s Wife
The Silent Patient
The Night She Disappeared
The Divorce
Hide And Seek
None Of This Is True
I Found You
Such A Nice Girl
The Couple Next Door
It Could Have Been Her
It’s Not What You Think
Watching You
The Last Party
I Let You Go
The Sleeper Lies

Book 21 - Entitled by Andrew Lownie (audiobook)
This was a spur of the moment click into my audible account. An unusual choice for me as I'm a republican at heart. As you'll all know already nobody comes out of this well, including his adult daughters, the King, the late queen and some other public figures. I was left thinking that the king needs to do more to deal with this truly entitled younger sibling.

31 Raising Hare - Chloe Dalton

i don’t usually read non-fiction nor “cosy” books so this was a nice diversion. I did find the depth of knowledge fascinating especially as told in an engaging way and I genuinely felt connected to the Hare. It was a bit long for me though, her pontificating about life and nature repetitive at the end. Really enjoyed the rest of it though and empathised with the found-love of the countryside

25 Waiting for Sunrise by William Boyd. I enjoyed this one, a bit of a spy story and an ending which I think you can interprete a few ways. It starts of in Vienna for which I have a soft spot and he always writes period detail well.

26 The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey. I thought this was a first novel as it was uneven but the writer showed promise. It turns out it is the author's ninth book! I did not think it was that great, it had some 80s cultural detail and at times some detailed descriptive prose but was really a light beach read. Fundamentally, I like literary novels so it was not for me. As I said an uneven writing style, I felt the plot was a bit thin, how one thing was dealt with I thought was ridiculous and some of it just didn't hang together.

I struggled reading this too, and it's set close to where I grew up. I loved the audio book though!

I've just seen there is a drama of this on channel 4, so I might give that a go, to see where I went wrong.

@drspouse I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you managed to get some time for yourself while on holiday.

I have finished two more books!
51 The American No by Rupert Everett
52 Land by Maggie O'Farrell.
The latter did not disappoint.

@drspouse i cannot WAIT for Land to come out in paperback

@drspouse
I recently listened to Land on Radio 4. Loved it.

I'm another one waiting longingly for Land in paperback...

23 - Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid finished this in just over a day and absolutely loved it, not many books make me well up but this really did. I’m sure that scientifically it’s inaccurate in places for those who know about space science but for me the setting, story and characters were all just lovey.

28 The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

This book blew me away, it was superbly written and I loved it. It was set in the depression years in Kentucky and the core story was that of a group of women who set up a horseback library, taking books to the rural communities. It was so much more though, touching on racism, domestic abuse, feminimism and a whole range of issues. The main character was an English woman who had married an industrialist American, another core character was a free spirited American who faced the courts for the murder of a man who had a feudal relationship with her ancestors. It really tugged at my heartstrings. I hear they are making it into a film and I'll definitely be looking out for it.

I loved this too!