50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Two

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the second thread of the 50 Books 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.

The previous thread is

The Giant Dark - Sarvat Hasin

Apparently this is a retelling of the Orpheus / Eurydice myth. I saw very little connection so maybe I'm a bit dim?

The first review currently on Goodreads says "no plot, only vibes" and I'd agree for the first 200 pages. It's about a relationship between a rock star, Aida, and an old flame, Ehsan. I didn't really care about them or their cool vibes.

Then in "Act 2" some plot occurs but I was a bit baffled. I found it more interesting, definitely, but muddled.

I nearly DNF but I'm quite stubborn and I really wanted to get to the Orpheus myth part, which never fully transpired. I'm afraid this wasn't my cup of tea at all.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie
Totally disagree with you about your review - it's not useless at all! I think the that lack of sense of the main character was why I didn't like The Wizard of Earthsea much - however, my memory is that I found the second and third books much more interesting. It was a long time ago though, and before the rest of the series was published, so I don't remember much more than that.

Although I didn't learn to read until I was 5, I don't remember learning. For some reason I didn't get to start school until I was 5, whereas my siblings all started in Reception at 4. I have been told that my mum was told not to teach me to read before I started, but when I came home in tears on my first day because we hadn't learned to read yet, she did start teaching me herself. Clearly I couldn't wait to get started on all those books. Then after a few months at school mum and I went to live in China for a year - my dad (parents were divorced) sent me regular parcels of books which I devoured, including a small set of Roald Dahl titles and the first few Laura Ingalls Wilder books.

I read Prairie Fires, a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, about 10 years ago. I thought was excellent, though it's not light reading, and the portrayal of the real life people behind the books, and their politics (ranging from very conservative to far right) is quite challenging to read - I don't think I could enjoy a reread in the same way again! The author has also written several books on environmental issues, and I was interested by the links between the farming troubles faced by Laura's father and later.

For a lighter read, I quite enjoyed My Wilder Life by Wendy McClure. It's a very non-serious book about being a LHOTP fan. She tries some of the pioneer crafts (making her own butter with a churn) and visits key places from the Ingalls' life, some of which are now tourist sites complete with cosplaying fabs, others just forgotten little corners of the American wilderness.

Still working through my Kindle stash and have now read:

12. Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid

The story of the four Riva siblings in their early 20s who live on the waterfront in Malibu. The action takes place across 24 hours (but with flashbacks) culminating in a big party where lots happens. Easy read and kept me turning the pages.

Thanks!

Yes, the second had more to it, after the very boring first half where virtually nothing happens.

I’m really not enjoying the third thus far though. This one has lots happening, but there’s a lot of people talking nonsense and if there’s any actual thread or point to it all, it’s eluding me.

9.Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: China’s Stolen Children and a Story of Separated Twins by Barbara Demick

Twins Fangfang and Shuangjie are born in rural Hunan province in 2000. As the third and fouth children in their family, their parents are already struggling to pay a crippling fine for having a second child. In an attempt to evade further scrutiny from family planning enforcement, Fangfang is sent to live with a childfree aunt and uncle in the same small village, until she is taken from her aunt at the age of two and put up for adoption. Demick follows the life of each twin, and examines the devastating impact of the One Child policy across China as a whole.

This was shocking and moving. Alongside the fates of Fangfang, now called Esther, and Shuangjie, Demick focuses on the brutality of family planning during the One Child Policy. Although aware of the abandonment of daughters by individual families, forced contraception and forced abortions, I was naively unaware of the scale of trafficking of babies and toddlers by family planning offices, and the huge amount of money generating in facilitating international adoptions to middle class foreign parents.

I also loved Laura Ingalls Wilder and especially Little House in the Big Woods. I was obsessed with the descriptions of fabric and buttons! I have Prairie Fires but haven't read it yet and am slightly trepidatious about doing so.

Also just hopping on to say that Old Filth by Jane Gardam, which I absolutely loved, is 99p in the daily deals today.

This is on the Women’s Prize Longlist for Non-fiction and I’ve had it on my TBR for about 6 months- glad to see such a good review. Hoping my library is going to order it in!

Thanks for highlighting the Woman's Prize list @ÚlldemoShúl. I picked up Young, Black & Gifted too.

14. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë. I've somehow managed to spend half a century on this earth without reading this. Given how much I'd heard about Heathcliff & Cathy - thanks, Kate Bush - I was expecting a great tragic love story. But Cathy isn't around much and when she is, she's pretty awful. in fact, they're all pretty awful.
Cathy - narcissist, Heathcliff- abusive, Hindley -drunk and abusive, Edgar - wet, Isabella - ok bit misguided, Nelly - manipulative, Linton - so annoying, Cathy 2 - selfish, Joseph - self righteous hypocrite. The only half decent one is Hareton.
I'm glad to have read it and did quite enjoy it but love story it isn't.

@elspethmcgillicudddy – I suspect I am a good bit older that you. I checked the original publication date for Flash the Sheepdog and it was 1984, when I was 15, so The Kelpies have completely passed me by and my DD who was born in 1993! They are now firmly on my radar as presents. I have Introducing Mrs Collins on my library holds.

28 A Great Reckoning – Louise Penny - Chief Insp Gamache 12
My favourite Gamache so far. Gamache takes over the Police Training College. There is something rotten going on and Gamache has seen this come to fruition on the streets. He wants to fix this, so is appointed to the Commander of the Police Training College. He keeps on one of the corrupt professors to get a chance to get evidence against him. This goes horribly wrong when said corrupt professor is murdered. It has to be either one of the staff or one of the students. There is also a storyline regarding an old map and WW1. This was so well done and I was in tears at the end. Brava Madame Penny!

Some easy reads from me:

10. The Unfinished Clue, Georgette Heyer
One of her contemporary crime fiction novels. Who bumped off the odious victim? Suspects are numerous. She's always good fun on family relationships, but a week after finishing this, I'm struggling to recall any details.

11. Nothing to Lose, Lee Child
Reacher's curiosity is piqued by two neighbouring towns in Colorado, Hope and Despair. He has a good time in the former, and is run out of town as an undesirable in the latter, so becomes determined to unravel what shady activities are going on. Usual tough-guy stuff.

12. Devil's Cub, Georgette Heyer
Historical romance. Rake accidentally abducts the heroine; cue various adventures and misunderstandings on the way to true love. While there is some good fun with all the crossed wires, I baulked somewhat at how bad the hero is. He has casually shot someone dead by page 3. I'm troubled by the trope of angry violent man who is still desirable because he can choose to be charming and humorous at times and he is softened by the love of a good woman. Not a good bet in real life.

I loved Mills and Boon when I was about 16 or so, was never away from the library hunting them out

@bibliomania - I read Devil's Cub earlier this year and was also shocked at his behaviour in comparison with usual GH heroes.

Very different to eg. Freddy in Cotillion.

I will be in London for the first time in at least 10 years this weekend. Any literary sightseeing recommendations from the 50 Bookers?

Sounds fun! This is a bit obscure, but I love Christopher Woodward's book In Ruins. His chapters on Sir John Soane's Museum and the Foundling Museum made me visit and appreciate both places.

@bibliomaniathose both sound fascinating- have added both to my potential list! I see the Foundling Museum is beside the Dickens Museum which was another one on our list!

Piccadilly for book shops - massive Waterstones on the corner of Picc Circus and Hatchards near Green Park tube.

There's some Virginia Woolf bits in Bloomsbury including a bust & her plaque.

when I read My Friends a couple of years ago, I meant to make a note of his reading tour but never did ..

oh and I like Blake's grave in the city which is quite random.

Ooh I love a bit of Virginia Woolf @StowickthevastI already have that Waterstone’s on my list and Daunt Books too. We’ve also booked a Shakespeare and Dickens walking tour. Poor DH is not getting very much choice here

Bloomsbury - head for Marchmont Street for Judd second hand books and the fabulous Gay’s the Word, plus a blue plaque for Mary and Percy Shelley

Daunt Books in Marylebone

Blake’s grave is worth a call - if you have time and want a full on cemetery mooch, check out the Big 7 graveyards. Highgate is the best but I like all the ones I’ve been to so far.

Near Baker St is the church where Robert and Elizabeth Browning slipped. I’ve forgotten its name, but if you’re in the area for any other reason (eg Daunt books) it’s worth a look.

If you’re going to be near Piccadilly, there are two bookshops (Hatchards and a nice Waterstones) by Fortnum and Mason.

Sorry to repeat what others have already said: I replied before reading anything else.

I sometimes dump my DP in the National Gallery or an exhibition at the Royal Academy, so I can go to Liberty and F&M and then we hit the bookshops together. F&M afternoon tea is expensive but a nice experience and they just keep bringing you more food so my DP loved it (I think he was a seagull in a previous life).

Thanks so much @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie
I had been thinking about Highgate - now also considering F and M afternoon tea!

Sir John Soane's Museum is amazing.

Enjoy your visit to London, Úll.