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.

1.Stone Yard Devotion, Charlotte Wood.

Read. 4.5* Recommendation from @Yuja on the 2025 thread. Thank you.

Middle age woman retreats to a Catholic community of nuns in her childhood hometown in Australia. Set in Covid and the mouse plague that affected the area.

Protagonist reflects on her life and reasons for remaining in the community beyond the planned period. A school peer arrives and creates the juxtaposition of the life and intentions of the community.

An exploration of personal history rather than a novel. There are extracts that make their way into my memory and I have shared extracts with friends.

2.Owls do cry, Janet Frame.

Finished book 1 of the year A Death on Location, Richard Coles

Disappointed in it, I know they're light reading books, but the seem to get slower with each book.

My aim this year isn’t a number, it’s to read the books I’ve already got! Only exception might be when I go on holiday I may treat myself to a couple of new ones. But that’s it!
I feel number targets make me avoid longer books, so I’m not doing that this year. About to start Wolf Hall.

I’d like to join! I read 20 books in 2025 -
think I only managed 8 in 2024, for various reasons. I’m aiming for 26 this year.

My book one was Union Street by Pat Barker. I chose it because I wanted to explore the era it was set in (1970s post-industrial north of England). However, it was very depressing (funnily enough!), so I raced to finish it so I could start something lighter.

My book two is Sophie Kinsella - Surprise Me. I’ve not read the shopaholic books, but I enjoyed one of hers a couple of years ago called My Not So Perfect Life.

GRCP did you know there’s a thread going for people doing exactly that! Called Read What You Own 2026.
You may already be on it (I had a quick glance but couldn’t see your name)

Let me know how you get on with Wolf Hall. I really wanted to love it, but have given up with it for a while. I found it such hard work.

Finished number 2 - I’m glad my Mom died. Good book and very readable but quite a disturbing look at Hollywood!!

number 3 is going to be An English Murder by Cyril Hare - a rather beautiful Hatchard limited edition that I gave my mum for Christmas and she really enjoyed

I totally dropped off the last thread but hello!

Place marking to join the thread too if that's ok. I had joined the 50 books thread but have realised that was ridiculously ambitious and not achievable for me!

I read 25 books last year but only managed 16 the year before. I'm not very good at not finishing books I'm not enjoying and can get stuck on them instead of marking them up as a DNF. I also spend far to much time scrolling and would like to swap some of that for reading this year.

Currently on book 2 of the year. I read the final book of Edna O'Brien's The Country Girl trilogy last week. Currently reading Sandwich by Catherine Newman, which I'm really enjoying.

Wolf Hall was a slow burner for me but one I was so glad I stuck with. It took me a while to get into but ended up being able to put it or Bring Up the Bodies down. It's on my list to reread at some point.

1: Snow Country by Sebastian Faulks
I am a fan of Sebastian Faulks, but this book didn't really deliver for me. It was the second of a trilogy, of which I haven't read the first (but the blurb said they could be read standalone).

I've really loved some of his books - A Week in December, Charlotte Grey, A Fool's Alphabet - but just haven't got into others. Have you read Human Traces @DiggoryVenn ? This looked quite 'heavy'.

I usually do a combo of kindle/audible. I like reading at night but enjoy listening when I’m walking or even doing cooking/laundry etc. It means I have to usually download both the book and audiobook at the same time which can get expensive!

last year I set a target of 52 books and managed 68. The year before that you’d be lucky if I had finished three! This year my target is 72.

I’ve finished ‘The Minders’ by John Marr’s so far this year and I’m currently reading ‘The apothecary’ by Sarah Penner which I’m really enjoying.

Finished my first book of 2026!

1. what a way to go by Bella Mackie

not my usual choice of book but it was our book club read so thought I’d get it out of the way. It was ok. Not as good as how to kill your family and I didn’t rate that very much either. It was nice to have something a bit lighter after all the dark HF I have read recently and I’ve had a stinking cold and it’s been an easy read whilst I’ve been feeling sorry for myself. I gave it 2 stars!

now to start my A-Z challenge

On a side note, I had to teach myself to be able to listen to audiobook, it really didn’t come naturally to me. I get distracted VERY easily and because I try to listen to them when doing other tasks sometimes an hour would go by without actually taking anything in!

I’m much better now, I find listening at a slightly higher speed (usually 1.4x-1.5x, depending on the narrator) helps.

Ok so far this year I've read 2 books!

1. Night trains by Andrew Martin. I'm going interrailing with DD at Easter so DH got me this.
2. Death in Diamonds by SJ Bennett. Lovely series of mysteries with HM QE2 as the detective. I liked the other ones in the series - set around 2016 - but this one was even better, set in 1957.

The main point of them for me is to be able to listen to them while doing other things, I literally can't sit still without doing something with my hands but I get distracted easily and miss bits too so I use the rewind button a fair amount. Mainly I listen to memoirs and other fairly simple books, nothing overly complex. Having said that I have listened o the entire Slough House series because the narration is so good and they are complex but I do find myself having to rewind fairly often.

1. Heaven and Hell - Jón Kalman Stefánsson

beautiful piece of literature following the ensuing days after a young orphaned lad looses his (adult) best friend while they work on fishing boats in Iceland about 100yrs ago. Brutal life and gorgeously written.

So, I joined the 50 book thread but was being wildly optimistic so I’m glad I found you all. I’m a paper and audio reader with a stack by my bedside to read. I’m just over half way through The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner which I’m enjoying, it’s well written but have found I dislike books that have chapters from different perspectives. I have a few ‘next’ options to choose from.

Maybe I'll try it again this year.

Hello, I'd like to join. I don't think I can do 26 books, but I'll aim for 15. I'd love to read more but life is busy and I also need to read a lot for work! I have a few books on my reading list, including The Names and The Safekeep, but right now I'm reading Dream Count by Chimamada Ngozi Adichie, which I'm really enjoying

@drspouse

Morning 👋

I have just finished my first book of 2026!
(1) The French for Christmas by Fiona Valpy

I am trying to read what I own - it was an enjoyable but forgettable read....
Onto the next!

Happy reading everyone 😄

I LOVED Dream Count, which I listened to. I have spent quite a bit of time in other areas of Africa and her books are so evocative. I really recommend Purple Hibiscus.

I listen to audio books while commuting/driving or cleaning, or in bed (I have to rewind quite a bit - only light books come in this category so I nod off fairly quickly!), or while knitting or sewing (or playing games on my phone).

My DD is a huge fan of iCarly and Sam & Cat (she's 11). I've tried to explain what happened to Jeanette in an age appropriate way, but it really disturbs me to watch them.