QuestingA's ROOT Challenge 2026

I fell short of my target last year, again. Keeping it the same this year.

Total books read: 40
Fiction: 35
Non-fiction: 5
Updated: 24 July 2026

New books: 27
Books from sister: 6
Books from library: 7
Books from elsewhere: 8
Total new books: 48

1. The Seeker by S.G. MacLean

This was given to me by a friend last year. It was good.

Welcome back, QA. Happy ROOTing and a good New Year.

Off to a good start! Have a great reading year.

>3 connie53: thanks Connie! Wishing you a wonderful year of reading.

>4 rabbitprincess: thanks rabbitprincess. Good luck with your TBR goal this year!

Happy ROOTing!

>7 MissWatson: Thanks MissWatson. I hope you have a good reading year!

2. Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of New Ghost Stories edited by Rowan Routh

I bought this last year. It was OK.

3. Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, translated by William Rees

January's book group book, purchased last year.

4. Still Waters: A Lake District Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac

This joined the pile last year.

5. Hallowed Ground: The Folklore of Churches and Churchyards by Mark Norman

I bought this last year.

6. Death in High Heels by Christianna Brand

This joined the pile last year.

7. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

This has been on the pile a number of years.

8. Death in Ambush by Susan Gilruth

This joined the pile last year.

9. When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum

This has been on the pile since 2023. Second-hand. I have no memory of how it got there.

10. Land of Hope by Cate Baum

I bought this last year.

11. As if by Magic: Locked Room Mysteries and Other Miraculous Crimes edited by Martin Edwards

I bought this last year.

12. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

I bought this last year.

13. The Tattoo Murder by Akimitsu Takagi, translated by Deborah Boehm

I bought this last year.

14. Soot by Andrew Martin

This joined the pile sometime during or after 2022.

15. The Noh Mask Murder by Akimitsu Takagi and translated by Jesse Kirkwood

I bought this last year.

16. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

I bought this second hand in 2023.

17. The Consultant by Im Seong-Sun, translated by An Seon Jae

I bought this last year.

>23 QuestingA: I’ve got this on the TBR. What did you think of it?

>24 MissWatson: hi MissWatson, it was OK. Not a mystery, as I'd expected, but an interesting story.

Hi QA. Just peeping in to see what you have been reading lately. Keep unROOTing those books!

>25 QuestingA: Thanks!

18. The Black Friar by S.G. Maclean

This was given to me last year. I read the first in the series over New Year.

19. The False Rose by Jakob Wegelius

The second story featuring the wonderful and lovely Sally Jones. I bought this in 2023.

20. Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson

This has been on the pile a couple of years.

21. Not Dead Enough by Peter James

I picked this up in 2024.

22. Orbital by Samantha Harvey

This joined the pile last year.

23. Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon

This also joined the pile last year.