50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Four

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fourth 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 as this makes it much easier to keep track of books or authors that may appeal (or not appeal) to everyone else.

Some of us bring over our updated lists to the new thread. Again, this is up to you.

The first thread of the year is here the second thread here and the third thread here

1. My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell

On Kindle Unlimited. Tells the first person story of Vanessa when she was 15, with a scholarship at an exclusive US boarding school, and in the present day, when she works at a hotel.

CW - Vanessa is groomed by her much older English teacher, Jacob, who makes her feel special and loved, and years later she is still somewhat in denial about their “relationship” as more girls come forward with their own experiences.

In the afterword, the author recounts her determination to tell it from Vanessa’s conflicted perspective, even as those around her (partners, fellow victims) are horrified. I think the book depicted Vanessa (and Jacob, through her eyes) very well.

@Stowickthevast
Also reading and enjoying The Barbecue at No 9.

I did really like The List of Suspicious Things which I read maybe a couple of years ago. I grew up in West Yorkshire, but in the city, at the time of Peter Sutcliffe (and the truly terrible police investigation - oh the reports ignored, the sexism, the racism, the classism, the hoax, the incompetence - there's an excellent series that has been shown on BBC 4, not sure if it's still available on Iplayer). The main character is slightly older than me although I think that Jennie Godfrey is a couple of years younger.

@elkiedee That's interesting. I'm a little younger, so don't remember the Ripper at the time whereas I do remember Live Aid. I think the story holds together a bit better in this, but she does capture the 80s brilliantly, and writes children well.

28 Last One Out - Jane Harper Really disappointed with this new book from Harper, unfortunately. I’ve loved all her previous books and I’m a sucker for a slow, character-based, atmospheric mystery set in small-town Australia - but this one was just too slow and repetitive even for me, and the relentlessly depressing storyline made it a real slog to get through with no reward at the end.

The small town in question is almost completely depopulated after years of a corporate mining operation encroaching on the town’s boundaries; meanwhile the main character keeps searching for answers 5 years after her son Sam disappeared on a visit back home from university. We learn a lot about the impact of the mine on the people of the town, while the mystery of what happened to Sam gradually unfolds. Could have been good, but it just didn’t work for me.

The Way Home: Tales From A Life Without Technology - Mark Boyle

A year in the life of a man who’s basically given up all modern conveniences - lives in a cabin he built himself, lives off what he can grow or forage, no gas, electricity or running water. It’s an interesting read, but my overwhelming takeaway is how miserable it all sounds. I do get the point about the sense of satisfaction from something you’ve grown/built/created yourself rather than just buying something, but it all just seems such hard work and also quite lonely (he’s lost touch with a lot of friends because they can’t just email or phone him, and he doesn’t see his parents much as they live a couple of hundred miles away).

I also felt however that he was a bit hypocritical - while he won’t run a car himself he seems to see no issue with hitching lifts when it suits, and he regularly goes to the local pub where presumably he doesn’t object to the technology involved in creating his pints.

I would also have liked him to explain his ‘rules’ as it feels a bit inconsistent at times - for example he will only write in pencil not pen (fine) but he will happily use a bicycle (and a puncture repair kit). I didn’t really understand the logic there.

Anyway it’s very impressive that he’s succeeding in living like this (well, he was when he wrote this book a few years ago) but it’s definitely not for me!

A warning for any vegetarians/vegans - he does describe in quite some detail how he deals with some of the animals he obtains for food.

Smaller and Smaller Circles by FH Batacan
A young teenage boy is found dead in a dump in an impoverished area of Manila and two priests suspect that it’s the work of a serial killer who has been preying on the vulnerable. One of the priests is a forensic anthropologist and is asked to consult by the police. The investigation bit is pretty standard but the book was a great insight into the Philippines- the long term impact of the Marcos dictatorship, the government and church corruption and the poverty still in existence. Well worth reading and I’ll read more by the same author if they become available here.

I loved My Dark Vanessa @SheilaFentiman. One of my favourite books.

A Kindle deal recommendation - one of those ones that doesn't seem to be listed as a daily or monthly deal but I noticed a book I read recently via Netgalley and liked very much, and someone else also read and enjoyed it recently. It's available at the moment for £1.99 - don't know how long for.

Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave starts with summer in Paris in the late 70s (I do like recent historicals), two young women, one English, one French, meeting, becoming friends and lovers, then they go their different ways but over the years they keep in intermittent contact.

Almost Life was a bold for me.

Today is my birthday and I have been very lucky with my book haul. A few are ones I’ve read before but wanted my own copy, others are new. You may have to wait for the photo to be approved.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @ChessieFL great haul

Happy birthday @ChessieFL! Can’t see the haul yet but looking forward to a look when it appears! Happy reading

Happy Birthday Chessie 🎈
Happy reading!

Happy birthday @ChessieFL!

Happy Birthday @ChessieFL and thanks for sharing a photo of your book haul 💐

Happy Birthday @ChessieFL - what a week, birthday and fab book haul and new episodes of Rivals!

Wow great book haul @ChessieFL Happy Birthday 🎂 🍾 📚

Happy birthday @ChessieFL - enjoy the haul!

Happy Birthday @ChessieFL . Hope you have a lovely day.

Happy birthday @ChessieFL ! Great book pile!

Happy birthday @ChessieFL, enjoy your reading!

Thanks all. I had a lovely day and am looking forward to reading all my new books - and am very much looking forward to the new series of Rivals!

Happy belated birthday @ChessieFL. Looking forward to Rivals too, 3 days to go! Have I got time to rewatch S1?
Been in bed with a lurgy the past two days so I re-read Prudence - Jilly Cooper. Great fun with the usual caveats.

29. Clown Town - Mick Herron

The most recent outing for the slow horses which I enjoyed more than Bad Actors. An old secret service program refuses to stay dead and buried causing issues for Diana Taverner. She makes the mistake of using a slow horse as a messenger and the usual chaos ensues with Diana trying to protect herself whilst Jackson Lamb (and Peter Judd) remain thorns in her side.

I’m a day late but Happy Birthday @ChessieFL.

Great birthday stash @ChessieFL enjoy reading it!