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

Have eventually got around to reading Small Things Like These. I hadn't realised it was so short. It's a lovely uplifting book and I think I love Furlong.

33 Let the Dead Speak by Jane Casey (Maeve Kerrigan #7)

I am quite proud that I've kept to my resolution of only reading one of these a month! I think I will be bereft when I get to the last one (for now). This was one of my favourites - I was absorbed by the plot and I thought it had a good twist (that I didn't guess). But as ever, the real draw is the relationships. Casey writes Maeve and Derwent so very, very well. There's one moment in this one where Derwent says something that pulls Maeve up short and it was almost exactly the same as something that happened to me in a workplace context last week. It is that well-observed. Everything is so true to life.

So, also well done me for leaving this one almost until the end of the month, so I can start the next very soon if I want to!

I fell asleep with my audiobook on last night and now I can’t work out where I was

@EineReiseDurchDieZeitgo back to your last known chapter- no other option and set your sleep timer tonight!

I finished two more RWYO great reads.
The Leopard by Tomasi di Lampedusa
The story of Don Fabrizio, a prince of Sicily who knows he is about to lose status and wealth in the coming Risorgimento and tries to prepare for it. The writing in this is warm and witty- Lampedusa clearly loves people and his characters- and Fabrizio and his surrounding characters- a lovelorn daughter, loyal dog, little-mentioned wife, adored nephew and long-suffering priest- are well rounded. It’s quite contemplative but lost focus a wee bit in the last couple of chapters- almost a bold and may become one with time.

I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Just old enough to have a vague memory of my parents watching this but too young to understand myself, Sir Derek Jacobi, the main actor of that 80s tv adaptation reads the audiobook beautifully. This was great- bloody, poisonous, treacherous Rome. And another witty narration. Unfortunately I didn’t realise that it was abridged until it ended so abruptly- I had got both it and Claudius the God as a 2 for 1 audible deal. I will definitely listen to the second- probably straight away- and buy the unabridged books to read. Even with the abridgement etc, this was a bold. Such fun!

@ÚlldemoShúl Interested in The Leopard I think the Goalhanger Book Club are covering it in a few weeks

Ooh great. I’m really enjoying that podcast- think it was you who recommended it! I’m actually currently reading ACOTAR before I watch the podcast about.

@ÚlldemoShúl interested in your ACOTAR thoughts. It looks like I’m going to have to read PG Wodehouse thanks to the pod. I’m not very excited so I hope I’m pleasantly surprised

You’ve made me feel old @ÚlldemoShúl 😂

Not only am I old enough to have watched I, Claudius when it was first shown, it was 1976, not the 80s! I was lucky enough to be in a comprehensive school that taught Latin and our teacher was so passionate about Roman history and made us all watch it. I’ve read the book a few times over the years. Like the sound of the audio.

Bella - Jilly Cooper
Another of the ‘romance’ books. Not her best. Now on to Imogen.

Ooh sorry @BestIsWest
I had a colleague tell me today that he was 2 when I started teaching, so I know the feeling!

@EineReiseDurchDieZeitI’m not a Wodehouse fan- I’ve read a couple and they were just okay. I find I don’t very often get on with funny classics.

I'm also interested in The Leopard.

I read Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell over the past two days. I liked it. I felt anxious for Eleanor all the way through because of her difficult home situation. I was hoping that things were going to work out for the young couple.The description of their relationship felt convincing to me as did the story of her mother's abusive relationship. I liked how the ending wasn't too neat.

This is a good example of how a YA book can cross over successfully into adult fiction (I think that Elkiedee said this already). There were lots of references to music and films which I enjoyed. I wasn't sure about aspects of some of the characterisation which leaned heavily on racial stereotyping and wondered if this was meant to convey the attitudes of the times (1986). I assume so.

Overall, this is a realistic portrayal of the awkwardness and infatuation of first love. A good story, well told, with two main characters you could care about.

I love I, Claudius. But when I tried to do it with my book club a few years ago, they all hated it so much I had to chose something else - heathens!

Agree with Eleanor and Park - I read it and then gave it to my kids a couple of years ago -I think they were 14 &12. They both loved it but were quite disturbed at how sad it was.

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh I tried The Leopard three times and DNF. I absolutely loved Eleanor And Park because I had a very similar High School experience and it was just perfect.

ACOTAR - I read two at the urging of a younger friend and it was disappointing. The writing was a bit toho 50 Shades for me.

As for Wodehouse - if it doesn't work for you, try reading it aloud. After several chapters of it not working for you, fair enough. But like Shakespeare, you kind of need to get your ear in, and then it's perfection.

Has anyone seen the Hay Festival’s pleasure list? I think I’ve read 20.
https://www.hayfestival.com/the-pleasure-list/

Hi 50 Bookers. I'm very late joining you this year, hope I'm still welcome.
Here's my list so far. I've bolded my 5* reads and put my not recommended in italics.

1. Tears of Autumn. David Wiltshire.
2. Dead On. Bryan J Mason
3. She Took My Baby. Steena Holmes
4. When The Light Is Mine. Chaz Holesworth
5. The Island King. Gina Giordano
6. The Eagles Shadow. Michael Reit
7. Phoenix Rising. Michael Reit
8. Two Wives. Helen Durrant
9. The Whisperwicks: The Labyrinth of Lost and Found. Jordan Lees

10. The Hidden Storyteller. Mandy Robotham

11. Lie Quietly. Alice Wright

12. The Seamstress of Auschwitz. C.K McAdam

13. The Angel of Warsaw. Rebecca Scott

14. Crowning the Snow Queen. Michelle Moras

15. The Vicar’s Daughter at the Lodging House. Natalie Meg Evans

16. Finding Ida. Marya Burgess.

17. The Orphan at the Irish Adoption House. Michelle Vernal

18. Braving the Dawn. Peggy Joque Williams

19. Between A Roc and a Hard Place. E.J Tanda

20. Once We Were Sisters. Ann Bennett

21. To His New Wife. Willow Rose

22. The Son of Osivirious. Cathryn Devries

23. A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets,The Beast.) L.C Moon

24. The Tuscan Sisters Promise. Daniela Sacerdoti

25. A Stranger in the Family. Diane Saxon

26. Small Acts of Mercy. Emma Salisbury

27. The Planter's Daughter. Susan Lanigan

28. Woven In Time. Jessica Ann

29. The Girl With The List. Shari J Ryan

30. The Other Moctezuma Girls. Sofia Robleda

31. The Sister Behind The Berlin Wall. Cynthia Anderson

32. The War Orphans Courage. Jenna Ness

33. The Last Train Home. Marion Kummerow

34. The Children of Hamelin. Janine Ireland

35. Gathering Storm. Maggie Craig

36. What Fools We Have Been. Hank Williams

37. The Last Baby In Auschwitz. Anna Stuart

38. The Diva's Daughter. Heather Walrath

39. Hotel Mirabelle. Valerie Sinason

40. Color of Fire. Gina Giordano

41. The Resident Murder. Jessi Kroft

42. Chameleon. Pip Landers-Lett

43. First of December. Karen Jennings

44. Murder Under Redwood Moon. Sherri L Dodd

45. Tracks in Time. Steve McCarthy

46. Blood Feud. Maya Ross

47. Icarus Plummeting. David Zigmond

48. The Heroine of Auschwitz. Mark Demeza

49. A Long Way Home. Mark Demeza

50. Illegitimate. Maddie Lock

51. Wind Flowers. Lina C. Amarego

52. Where It All Began. Debbie Howells

53. Chosen. Allison Wells

54. The Secrets of Silver Edge. Shirsten Shirts

55. Martin's Eyes. Iain Ballantyn

56. The Sanctuary. Danielle Bannister

57. The Secret House In Orchid Bay. Ann O'Loughlin

58. Death In Valetta. Lynne Marie Taylor

59. Blade of a Witch. Fiona Fairhurst

60. Let's Play a Game

61. Death On the Island. Lynne Marie Taylor

62. The Irish Cottage by the Sea. Clodagh Murphy

63. The Darkening Sky. Hugh Greene

64. The Lemon House Murders. Tucker May

65. Fablenoir. Vic Sinclair

66. A Quantum of Thought. A.D Quinton

67. The Last Daughter of Highdown Hall. Kathy Hayward

68. A World of One's Own. Susan Winterberg

69. Wishes On The Waves. Catherine Michaels

70. Bright Midnights. L.S Delorme

71. The Bone Garden. Tess Burnett

72. The Lady At The Lodging House. Natalie Meg Evans

73. The Flight. Heather J. Fitt

74. Hijab and Red Lipstick. Yousra Imran

75. The Puppet Master. Abigail Osborne

76. How To Bury A Secret. Ainsley Reid

77. The Galway Girl. Steve McCarthy

78. Of Sisters and Spitfires. Frank Francis

79. The Malfunction. Orval Wax

80. A is for Amy. Stevenson Crandell

81. Wednesday Night Whites. Marci Lin Melvin

82. The Nowhere Sisters. Jan Casey

83. Blood Will Be Born. Gary Donnelly

Palestine byJoe Sacco

This is a graphic non-fiction account of life in the West Bank and Gaza strip in the early 90s based on a series of interviews Joe Sacco conducted with Palestinian refugees (and a few Israelis) over a few months. In 1992 he talked to old people who were thrown off their land after the war in '48, but also at the time of the interviews there were peace process talks underway so some people were hopeful of a two state solution. Very distressing, particularly in light of the last few years.

@BestIsWest I laughed at A Little Life being second on something called The Pleasure List. I've read most of them, 32, but there's a couple I disagree with. Dune is Dh's favourite book but I found it turgid, I think it was a DNF. Would always pick Rivals over Riders, and There are Rivers in The Sky over The Island of Missing Trees. I also question Ken Follet's heaving breasts being worthy of a place.

Welcome back @BlueFairyBugsBooks I see your reading is still prolific!

Hiya @BlueFairyBugsBooks

I Am Watching You - Teresa Driscoll

Considerably better KUL thriller than the last one!

16 year old Anna went missing a year ago after a post exam night out with Sarah (The Friend). As the book’s version of Crimewatch gears up for an appeal, Ella (The Witness, who saw the two girls on the train in London speaking to two men) is receiving anonymous letters and hires ex cop Matthew (The Private Inves… you get the idea) to look into the threats.

The book alternates between the above viewpoints, plus that of Anna’s dad, but does so neatly, to finally tell the story of what happened to Anna after she and Sarah went clubbing.

There are half a dozen places where credulity is stretched (sixteen year olds in a club and also a hotel room, both of which usually have 18+ policies??) but that doesn’t stop it being pacy and gripping.

I’ve read about 23 of The Pleasure List and I’m aghast at The Midnight Library being in the same cohort as some of the other novels

Hi there BlueFairy

I’ve read 25 and had a similar feeling to Stowick about A Little Life- not my idea of pleasure!
Welcome back @BlueFairyBugsBooks😊

18 from that list. It's a bit of a mixed bag!

Good to see you @BlueFairyBugsBooks

I've read 17 and also raised an eyebrow at A Little Life

33. The Pretender - Jo Harkin

Whilst I couldn’t persuade my book club to read this (having fallen off the RWYO wagon and bought it off the back of the recommendations here), I have raced through this. Slightly confused initially as I had confused Lambert Simnel with Perkin Warbeck! I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought it was great fun. It also brought alive the court factions and uncertainties as to who was trustworthy. Sad for Simnel who was ultimately a pawn.

I’m always amazed at the love for Pillars of the Earth and thanks to this thread I will never read A Little Life. And yes, Rivals is better than Riders.

I think I have read 19 of those . Of that 19, I hated quite a few and DNF one. 'Pleasure' was had from 2, maybe 3.

I agree, Pillars is guff, but guff with big tits.

The idea it belongs on a list with Wolf Hall is ridiculous. But it's about things people found enjoyable, I guess, and sometimes guff can be fun.

I've read 26 of which I would recommend about half. I've also got three more I DNF.

I think I’ve read 13 of these - two gave me severe discontent (Hamnet and The Midnight Library) and The Song of Achilles didn’t exactly cheer me up (that is NOT the Achilles I know from the Iliad).