2026 - 50 Books a Year Challenge

18 There are Rivers in the Sky Elif Shafak

I thought this book club choice was a fairly complicated novel, although I quite liked it. There are three main characters who drive the narrative along which spans separate time lines, but eventually cantilever together through their loose connections of two rivers, namely the Thames and the Tigris and how a droplet of raindrop is the link that transposes through a timeline spanning thousands of years.

Arthur, born by the river Thames in 1840, the embodiment of Dickensian London born into poverty and destitution, but with a gift of a brilliant memory that is first to earn him a position as an apprentice at a publisher where one book particularly fires up his imagination the remains of Nineveh ancient city of Mesopotamia.

The second character, Narin a ten year old Yazidi girl in the year 2014 just as ISIS is gaining momentum in her part of the world, the ancestral lands along the River Tigris and to whom she eventually falls victim to.

Finally, a few years later in 2018 London, newly divorced Zaleekah a scientist moves into a houseboat on the Thames to lament her failed marriage. Orphaned as a child when her Yazidi parents meet with an accident, since adopted by a wealthy uncle and aunt and brought to London.

There is a lot to the book covering the themes of a despotic king of ancient Mesopotamia and the archaeological discoveries that pertain to that part of the world. The subject of the persecution of the Yazidi people with the up to date horrors of genocide, modern day slavery and sexual trafficking inflicted on them when the embodiment of evil as displayed by ISIS taking over that region and set up their De facto headquarters in modern day Iraq.

I thought it was an interesting read, lots to Google, made me want to go up to the British Museum again and spend more time in the Assyrian rooms, I always got waylaid by the Egyptian rooms first.

#24. Where The Dead Fall by MJ Lee.

#18 was Ahead of the Game by JD Kirk
My latest in the DCI Logan series (10th in the series), set in the Scottish Highlands.
A body is discovered the Well of the Seven Heads, a popular highland landmark. The body is missing its head, suggesting the killer is trying to send a message.
Full of great Scottish dialogue and locations, with well developed characters. I’m really enjoying this series. 8/10

I started reading Girl Unknown by Karen Perry. I made it about a 3rd of the way through, but decided I have too many other better books waiting to be read, so this is going to the Little Free Library.

Having failed in my New Year resolution to post my reading in a timely fashion, here are my titles so far

Persuasion by Jane Austen - my choice for book club. I was surprised what a challenge I found this at the beginning, the language and sentence structure. I obviously watch too many classics on tv! But I soon got into it and it was wonderful.

The Names by Florence Knapp - my February book club read. Others have listed this and commented. It is an amazing book, a sort of Sliding Doors story (if you’ve seen the film). One person, three names, three different life outcomes.

My Second Life by Patrick Charnley - a novel based on the author’s own experience of suffering a cardiac arrest and subsequent brain damage. Set on a small farm in Cornwall. The plot of a local ‘baddie’ involved in drug smuggling, is fairly basic but I found the description of the long-term effects of the brain injury very interesting.

Spook Street by Mick Herron -I am reading my way through this series, televised as Slow Horses and loving it. It describes the fate of ‘failed’ spies/intelligence agents exiled to Slough House in London and given endless tedious, menial jobs to do in the hope they will leave voluntarily. They inevitably find ways of getting involved in various missions, with the dubious help of their ‘chief’, Jackson Lamb, sunk in a mire of alcohol and self-neglect and outrageously unpleasant behaviour, farting and belching without restraint. He is obviously severely damaged from the things he’s seen and done in his earlier career with MI5 but the one thing he has retained is a kind of loyalty to The Service and to his team of rejects (not that he’d admit to any such thing). Mick Herron’s writing is sardonically humorous and sharp in his characterisations and social/political commentary.

The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas - my book club read this month - enjoyable to start with but not much character development so I read it quickly to see what happened.

Homecoming by Kate Morton - I was gripped by this from beginning to end. It’s quite long but a very good read.

Currently reading Gordon Brown: Power With Purpose by James Macintyre. Obviously the author is pro-Brown, as am I, but he tries to look honestly as his flaws as well as his strengths. Being a Scot, I was interested in his early life and I was at Edinburgh University at the time Gordon Brown stood for the position of student rector and remember seeing him campaigning on campus. I have heard him speak at an event last year and he was impressive. I’ve never enjoyed political biographies and this one is dragging in places but worth reading.

22-Celebrationa at the Toffee Factory-Glenda Young
A delightful end to the triple saga. I've enjoyed these books tremendously and will definitely put GY on my list to find more of her books.

17 They Knew Mr Knight - Dorothy Whipple

I discovered this writer from a bygone age, apropos of a thread about her on GN. I've really come to appreciate her observations about life in the earlier part of the 20th century. Particularly the constraints of the time placed upon women, domesticity and the social structure which was predictably pretty ingrained.

This book published in 1934 is the story of the middle class Blake family residing in the Midlands towards the end of the 1920s in a world teetering towards the Great Crash of '29 and subsequent Depression and although she doesn't specifically mention either of those the premise of the book is very much about over extending through unwise investments and financial ruin via the antagonist of the piece Mr Knight . Mr Knight on the surface, charming and urbane belying a darker fraudulent almost devil like nature that is to lead trusting Mr Blake into financial ruin and social disgrace in trying to buy back the family engineering business that his father sold to another employee and who has absolute control much to Mr Blake's ongoing annoyance. Meanwhile his wife Celia is supportive of his endeavours, his eldest daughter having just left school is appalled that her father expects her to actually get a job as a teacher or office worker her preferred expectation is to idle her young life away lazing around and going to events, before meeting a suitable husband to keep her in that style. Initially the family are delighted when Mr Blake realises his dream of buying back the family firm and their new found wealth finds them embracing life at a whole new level. However, before long disaster is to strike and their lives are upended by the shame of Mr Blake's conviction for fraud and the ensuing loss of their new found wealth and all that encompassed, large house, car, social life when they find their fall from grace swift into reduced circumstances.

Would appeal to anyone who would wish to read a first hand account regarding the social norms of the early part of the 20th century through this writer's well-honed observations.

I’m still reading it Sparklefizz.

I like Shari Lapena books, not very long and very readable.

Not too taxing either.

Maggiemaybe ^
I loved it, Sparklefizz and TerriBull. And for once, all seven of us in my reading group were in agreement. It lived up to every bit of the hype. I hope you feel the same, Calendargirl!^

So glad you enjoyed it Maggie.

Book 19 An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena. I enjoyed this although the storyline was the old classic of a random selection of people stranded in a remote hotel during a snowstorm. But it was well written and I was keen to know how it ended. I haven't found a book by Shari Lapena that I haven't enjoyed.

I see you're reading it Calendargirl. What did you think of it?

#23. An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena.

Yes, The Names didn’t take me long to read!

An intriguing book, well written.

22. The Golden House by Salman Rushdie.

I really enjoyed this once I got into it a bit. I always find his books slow to start but great once you get into them. Haven't tried the Satanic Verses and not sure I ever will. If anyone has read it will you let me know what you thought, please?

TerriBull

I hope you enjoy The Names Maggiemaybe, it was one of my standout books from last year. Sparklefizz also posted a highly positive review of it upthread.

11. The Names, Florence Knapp

I loved it, Sparklefizz and TerriBull. And for once, all seven of us in my reading group were in agreement. It lived up to every bit of the hype. I hope you feel the same, Calendargirl!

21-The Jewel Garden-Monty and Sarah Don
The story of a garden that has risen from the ashes. An honest passionate and inspiring account of the highs and lows this couple have experienced. Some great garden tips as well.

11. Too Old for This by Samantha Downing - Ex-serial killer forced out of retirement when a journalist turns up asking too many questions about her past. I loved the dark humour. Completely unrealistic but such fun!

12. 52 Times Britain Was a Bellend: The History You Didn't Get Thought at School by James Felton - A comedic but disturbing collection of historical events. I heard of many of them, but not all of them, and halfway through the book I started feeling nauseated by the concentrated horrors. On the other hand, I'd love to read similar books about other nations too, especially those with former empires. The constant swearing was off-putting.

#17 The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
This is a novel based on the real life of Mila Pavlichenko, who was an astonishing female Ukrainian sniper during WWII. She was a post graduate history student, librarian and single mother who signed up for military service on the day the Nazis invaded Russia in 1941. Already a skilled sharpshooter, she quickly found her place as a sniper, notching up a confirmed 309 official kills, but her total was likely to be much higher. She survived many battles and many serious injuries.
In 1942 she was part of a Russian delegation to the US, hosted by Eleanor Roosevelt, who went on to become her dear friend.
It’s an amazing story, but it took me a little to get into it as I wasn’t initially keen on the author’s writing style. Once I did get into it, I was engrossed. She was a truly remarkable woman. 7/10

I loved The Penguin Lessons, DigginDoris and gave a copy to each of my adult children who also loved it. As you enjoyed it, I would recommend "Raising Hare" by Chloe Dalton, another joy.

Hope you like The Names Calendargirl.

For me, book 18 The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves - the return of Jimmy Perez. You know what you're going to get with this book. It was an easy read, but nothing special in my view. 8/10

#22. The Names by Florence Knapp.

Just started this, from the library, after reading the recommendations on here.

I can’t renew it, so it’s obviously in demand.

The library manager said to me, when she saw which book I had, “You’re in for a treat!”

20-The Penguin Lessons-Tom Michell
A true story this time. On holiday in Uruguay, Tom rescues a penguin from an oil slick, only to find that the bird then refuses to leave his side. This penguin changes the lives of everyone he meets. A magical story!

16 Best Offer Wins Marisa Kashino

Highly entertaining, best described as a psychological /black comedy. Set in Washington DC., Margo, a 30 something, married publicist, wants the perfect life and part of that is a coveted house living in one of DC's desirable environs rather than the cramped downtown apartment where she and her husband Ian live at present. Tipped off by a real estate friend, the house of her dreams, in a red hot market is about to be listed. Knowing the vendors will be inundated with offers, hell bent on eliminating any competition, she sets about stalking one of them and through shared yoga sessions, eventually befriends them both before their house hits the market. However, when she is rumbled as to the actual ruse she has used to ingratiate herself, the new found relationship goes south. Margo, not a very likeable person in her pursuit of going to extraordinary lengths in digging the dirt on one of the husbands, to blackmail them both into accepting her offer. Meanwhile, both her marriage and job are on shaky grounds, each vital to the acquisition of her ideal home, as she throws all her efforts into ruthlessly obtaining her ultimate goal.

Book 7: A Dubious Legacy by Mary Wesley. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Mary's work until my neighbour gave me this to read.
It is about Henry who brought his new bride, Margaret, to Cotteshaw at the end of the war. On entry she blacked his eye and retired to bed for most of the rest of her life interspersed by vicious outbursts to all who meet her.
In 1954 two young couples meet her and become regular, uneasy house guests over many years. They watch Margaret wondering and guessing, piecing together gossip and finally untangle the truth of Henry's life.
It is a strange tale but it was an excellent read.

#21. The Royal Insider by Paul Burrell.

6 The Missing Letters of Mrs Bright

Kay Bright has corresponded with her best friend Bear regularly for years since Bear emigrated to Australia. Then Bear (Ursula) stops writing and Kay wants to find out why. She leaves her predictable but rather unsatisfactory life to find out why.
This is the story of a wife, mother, who reaches a stage in her life where she thinks there must be more to life than this and of her daughter who has decisions to make too.

Enjoyable, but some of the reminiscences about their lives related more to those of women of a younger age group than me, which, of course, they are.

I’ve just read The Killing Time by Ellie Griffiths and Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb, both good and up to the authors usual standard.

I reserve books at the local library and I also use SELMS if the library doesn’t have a copy.

TerriBull

I hope you enjoy The Names Maggiemaybe, it was one of my standout books from last year. Sparklefizz also posted a highly positive review of it upthread.

I loved it. A poignant and moving book, beautifully written.

19-Paranoia-James Patterson & James O Born
This is the 17th book in the Michael Bennett series.
I have enjoyed every one of this series so far, but I realised that they are all pretty much the same; police chasing drug gangs, lots of shooting and fast cars chasing the baddies. So I think this will be the last one I read. The best part of this series is the on-going family story of MB and his wife and ten adopted children.

I hope you enjoy The Names Maggiemaybe, it was one of my standout books from last year. Sparklefizz also posted a highly positive review of it upthread.