50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Three

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the third 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 first thread of the year is here and the second thread here

I would think "all night" closer than 2 hours to drive to Cumbria from London. Looking it up most estimates are 5-6 hours (and presumably it varies depending on the specific town/village destination, according to distance but also location in relation to major roads).

The only two I haven't read from the WP shortlist are Dominion and Flashlight. Not sure yet if I want to read either of them. Both are on reserve but heard mixed things about both, so not feeling overly enthused!

A few reviews from easy reads I got through on my recent holiday, and with which I hit my 50 books.

44 Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hiller

Teenage Geo had an abusive relationship while a teenager, with an older boyfriend who becomes a serial killer. There’s a dual timeline covering this relationship, along with the disappearance of Geo’s best friend, and a later timeline covering a court case, prison, an escape and another series of murders. This wasn’t very good, with silly twists and unlikable characters. On Kindle Unlimited.

45 Fire in the Flint by Eva St John

Second in the map runners series set in an alternate reality with wild magic, practitioners (kinda like magicians), time quakes, and map running. I enjoyed this but there wasn’t a massive amount in the way of plot, despite there being a murder. However I like the characters and world so much so I will continue with the series. On Kindle Unlimited.

46 The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

Eve Black was the sole survivor of an attack by a serial killer known as the ‘Nothing Man’ on her family home. Now an adult Eve has written a book about her experiences and hopes to solve the murders through her investigation with the original detective from the case. We also see things from the viewpoint of a security guard called Jim, who is reading the book, and who is also the ‘Nothing Man’. I thought this was pretty good and it kept me engaged without being too taxing or grim. Another Kindle Unlimited.

47 The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
48 Killer Instincts by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
49 All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
50 Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This YA series focuses on Cassie and a group of teenagers who have natural abilities, such as being human lie detectors, being able to tell emotions people are feeling, being a genius with numbers, and being able to profile offenders, that they use to help the FBI to solve crimes. There are safeguarding issues all over the place, and the overarching story quickly became very silly but for an easy read on holiday I quite enjoyed them. Free on kindle unlimited.

@VikingNorthUtsire I thought the same about Weyward and it was a recent DNF for me.

@bibliomaniayou’ll be able to tell from my review that I enjoyed Fire in the Flint but I must admit I’d totally forgotten it was meant to be time travel book until I saw your review.

Last year I went off the Women's Prize for Fiction group when they chose the pretentious and dull The Safekeep as their winner, but this year's shortlisted books look appealing.

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella. The well-known 2000 comic novel about the misadventures of protagonaist Becky who lives in London and can't properly manage her finances and her shopping implulses. The story loses momentum two thirds in, but mostly I found this relatable and engaging.

What Does it Feel Like? - Sophie Kinsella. A fictionalised memoir that gives a snapshot of someone who's been told she has incurable brain cancer, I found this short book extremely moving and thought-provoking, especially since the author tragically died four months ago at just 55.

@Southeastdweller I also found What Does It Feel Like unexpectedly moving. And it made me very sad when the author died a couple of months after I read it.

The Safekeep, Yael van der Wouden
I loved this, this is a bold for me (sorry @Southeastdweller !!). I liked the writing, the characterisation, felt like it was tightly plotted. I came into it fairly cold and wasn’t expecting the big twist which really made the book. I guess it’s had mixed reviews on here, but I would recommend.

I’ve started and am likely to swiftly abandon You’re on an Airplane, by Parker Posey. I’m a fan but her writing style is all over the place, I don’t think I can cope.

It’s taken me ages but I’ve finished 2 books in the last few days
Fatal Isles by Maria Adolfsson
This was slow to start but worth sticking with. Set in Doggerland, an island nation between the UK and Scandinavia. It does exist but has been underwater since the ice age so the islands and culture are invented by the author and made for an interesting setting. Apart from that, it’s a regular police procedural, with the odd part that was a bit far-fetched, but mostly enjoyable. Detective Karen Eiken wakes up in bed with her boss (who she can’t stand) and regretting the night before. Later that day she is called to investigate the murder of his ex-wife. This is the first of a trilogy and the other two are in my library so I will finish as I liked the character and setting.

Orlando by Virginia Woolf
This is my third Woolf and my least favourite of the three (the other two are Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse both bolds for me) Even as my least favourite I liked it a lot. Magical realism, starts out as historical fiction with strong fairytale vibes and becomes an exploration of the passage of time, gender, nostalgia, memory and technological advance. It is mostly silly and lighthearted. The humour didn’t always land with me as there’s a bit of slapstick in there at times but I did enjoy the surreal silliness. I imagine I could reread this many times and find more in it. I’ve no doubt I’ll reread at least once. Not bold, but still great.

@SheilaFentiman – doh!! Ofc

I wish we had a laughing emoji. Need it for the spunky talk. One of my Australian cousins uses it all the time to talk about her husband. I don’t have the heart to tell her what it means in Scotland.

@elspethmcgillicudddy – currently reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Ngl, it’s a slog for me.

51 Flesh & Blood – Andrew Shanahan. Follow up book to Before & After which I enjoyed. I didn’t really like this. Quite surprised I bother to finish it. Its 9 months since the apocalypse and Ben is not having a great time. He appears to be the only person left in Manchester and is surrounded by zombies. The dog is pregnant and there is the small matter of his cancer getting worse. Too much slapstick killings for me.

52 The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy. Companion piece to Mother Mary Comes to Me. I had vaguely heard of AR and inspired by the reviews on here, decided to get MMCtM. I felt I really needed to get TGoST too. Oh it’s a heartbreaker. Not quite a bold for me as I couldn’t get over the ending.

53 Mother Mary Comes to Me - Arundhati Roy. This was a difficult read in parts. Mary Roy was an incredible woman, without a doubt, but goodness she was hard. Imagine telling your daughter you tried to abort her. Poor Arundhati, I just want to hug her. My knowledge of post 1950s Indian sub continent is very poor. I could vaguely remember some of the things from the 1980s, but not really. If someone could point me in the direction of more contemporary Indian literature, I’d be very grateful. Or even historical fiction going back to the 1980s. This was a bold for me.

@StrangewaysHereWeCome- I felt similar about Heart the Lover as I enjoyed it but found it slight. I found the jump between the first and second section jarring due to the narration moving from first person (addressing the reader) to first person / second person (as addressing another character). I am surprised that it is on the shortlist, but then I haven’t yet read any the others.

@ÚlldemoShúl I've tried to read Orlando 5 times over 30 years and I just can't do it.

@Tarragon123 Noooo Tenant is one of my fave books ever EVER

I’m still deep in Erotic Vagrancy with Taylor and Burton.
Got a belated birthday present in the post from DS this morning, a little hardback copy of Lolly Willowes so that is next on the list.

@Tarragon123 I can't think of many about modern India, but A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry is excellent, set in the 80s mainly I think.

16 When The Cranes Fly South by Lisa Redzèn

I read it. It’s very good. It broke me. Too much death. I don’t know whether to recommend this to those who’ve recently lost elderly relatives, or to tell them to steer clear. I was proper ugly sobbing, which not many books do to me. Not a bold, it’s too much, but I might change my mind about that. Very carefully written and beautifully translated.

989 posts - nearly time for a new thread!

@Tarragon123 if you read A Fine Balance, prepare to be scarred for life. It's brilliant but I read it 25 odd years ago and can still feel the pain.

Friendaholic - Elizabeth Day

The author analyses her friendships, and various research and literature on friendship, with considerable feeling. I thought it was great. A bold.

Death of an Ordinary Man - Sarah Perry

Also a bold. Beautiful book about the quiet dying of the author’s FIL David, over the course of less than two weeks from his cancer diagnosis. Reflective, beautiful and moving.

DNF - Fury - Salman Rushdie

This has been on my shelf for a decade or two. I got about half way through but I hated the self indulgent, flee his wife and child without a word, protagonist so much, I’m stopping.

Totally agree that A Fine Balance is not for the faint-hearted (or indeed the any-hearted!). It's brilliant, but a really tough read.

I also enjoyed The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee (set in the 60s though) if you're after a sweeping Indian novel, @Tarragon123.

(We are also 18 months away from all kids at university - assuming that is what happens. Younger ones are twins, and eldest is at Oxford, where they are home for half the year, so still have a relative houseful at the moment, but change is coming...)

@Southeastdweller we are going to need a new thread!

Supremacy: AI, Chatgpt and the race that will change the world by Parmy Olsen

This is non-fiction about the men who are heading the AI Revolution and the companies they aligned themselves with.

Both Deepmind and OpenAI start off with grand ideas of solving big problems and improving the world but soon realise the processing power needed for AI is owned by Google and Microsoft but once you sell to them you need to make money for the shareholders.

Fascinating as this was, I read it too soon after Trespass and I'm really annoyed that a handful of men are still running the world, these ones aren't even elected so they give even less of a crap what I think and face no consequences for their actions.

New thread here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/5520658-50-books-challenge-2026-part-four

Sending best wishes @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Yikes to the double exams, @Tarahumara ! And @carefullythere , three at university at the same time will be a big change.

@MamaNewtNewt , your review of Fire in the Flint is fairer than mine. I did like it enough to finish the book and I'll probably read the next one too.

@ÚlldemoShúl the film of Orlando starring Tilda Swanson is fabulous, if you get the chance to see it.

Will hop over to the new thread now.

Thanks @bibliomaniaI’ll have to seek it out!