50 Books Challenge 2026 Part Six

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the sixth 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, the third thread here, the fourth thread here and the fifth thread

One of my most favourite reads so far this year is
Because I killed him by Edith Birde

Did I miscount again and there’s 5 of us @Terpsichore that’s quite the percentage of the overall thread! YNWA

Yay! A kindred (footballing) spirit.
Full disclosure, we also follow Arsenal (my kids spent their early years within a stone's throw of Highbury and are all arsenal fans first and foremost) and our current local team, Plymouth Argyle who my DH has followed since childhood.
We did all get up to Elland Road a couple of years ago for an FA Cup game and the rest of the family were gratifying impressed by the ground, team, fans and city!

Disaster I am off on holiday for 2 weeks, no internet, no tv, just me, Dh,ddog and wine. I have left my kindle behind

Yikes. Find a national trust place or similar with a second hand bookshop!

Order some books from Amazon to the address you are in? Desperate times and all that.

Oh no! I would literally go home for the kindle or order a new one 😂 or order some books on amazon as @MaterMoribund says, for a less drastic option! Hope you find a solution.

Do you have the Kindle app on your phone? If not, download it and you'll be able to access all your books.

Yes, just download the app to your phone, @minsmum. I don’t have a Kindle, I read all my kindle books on my iPad/phone via the app.

Alternatively, the internet tells me (and I have actually tried this):

You can read your Kindle books directly in your web browser without downloading any apps or hardware using Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader. Simply log in with your Amazon account to instantly access your library, read online, adjust fonts, and bookmark pages.
Quick Steps to Read Online:

1. Open your web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge) on your desktop or mobile device.
2. Navigate to Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader.
3. Sign in using the same email and password linked to your Amazon account.
4. Click on any book cover in your library to start reading directly on your screen

i thiink it is always useful to have a 'spare' kindle in case of accidents. So this could be a good opportunity to purchase a spare? I have two and now make sure I never take both out in the same bag.

Ah, @minsmum - just seen that you don’t have internet where you’re going….that will complicate matters 😬 How's your data allowance?

We regularly order stuff to holiday cottages. Just remember to delete the address on the app. Last year a delivery of frozen dog food went to a cottage in Wales we had stayed at instead of to my house! Luckily I was not to blame!

Checking in, late as always. In holiday packing mode, thanks for all the suggestions re a kindle. I’ll do some research first but it does make sense. In the meantime I’m trying to smuggle into the suitcase more books than the rest of the family put together 😊

Maybe a bookshop excursion will be just the thing.

If there’s any bookshops nearby then an emergency trip to see one would be fully justified.

57. The Opposite of Murder by Sophie Hannah

Once again, I am left with the feeling that what Sophie Hannah really likes is to think of some incredibly improbable scenario and to then build a story around that.

The actual murder motivation actually wasn’t too unbelievable this time, but the whole backstory behind it was hard to swallow.
Not to mention the way the detectives are carrying on at the end. I know they’re just as human as the rest of us, but there’s some seriously unprofessional game playing going on there.