Book Box: Halfway through 2026, the books worth reading and skipping

DCapitulum Reader,So, this hebdomad, I’ve say roughly aught. Okay, maybe a few pages here and there, but nothing that counts. Instead, I’ve been building bookshelves, actually sitting with the carpenters and measuring depth, breadth and height. There will be more on that exercise in a few weeks, probably involving me rueing that I sacrificed bookshelf space for seating and agonising that the shelves are too aligned or that they are not aligned enough. Stay tuned.But the lack of reading gave me brain space to think about what I have read this year, and since we’re at the halfway mark — end of June, six months down, six to go — it felt like a good moment to take stock. To rate and review.And honestly? It’s been a bit of a letdown. All those books that reviewers and other readers have been raving about? I found them... Meh. Like, why-did-I-get-taken-in-by-all-the-marketing meh?Or is it me? Is it because I’ve been frantically busy, drowning in regular life and house-building chaos?Or is it because I keep diving headfirst into every new release by a favourite author like some kind of literary lemming?Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz? Bland and boring. Whistler by Ann Patchett? Felt overrated. The Doorman by Chris Pavone? Just average.Maybe I’ve been too easily swayed by popular opinion, picking up every flavour-of-the-month book. The Names by Florence Knapp had such a catchy premise — the name you are given affects your life. Equally intriguing was the premise of The Husbands by Holly Gramazio, where every time the husband goes into the attic, a new husband emerges. But both books somehow felt repetitive and contrived. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke was gripping and clever, but still felt overhyped.But in all this, there have been standout books too, and here they are for you:Light readsIf you are looking for light, funny, clever reads that are also page-turners, both these books fit the bill. In How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley, our deliciously irreverent 12-year-old narrator tells us of her plot to murder a sexually predatory relative. I loved the novel for its edgy, pro-feminist, anti-colonialist voice.Fans of literary thrillers like Yellowface by R. F. Kuang and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz will enjoy Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum. A darkly humorous mystery set in the literary world, this has all the bookish elements — bookstores, book readings and writer support groups — with lots of romance and murder as well.Feminist readsWe had a fantastic book club discussion on Wifedom by Anna Funder, which is about George Orwell and his wife. I’d read it early last year, but the discussion made me want to go back and reread it, which, honestly, is the highest compliment I can give a book.Then there’s Strangers by Belle Burden — a woman with two young kids, suddenly abandoned by her husband. It’s a little whiny and one-sided, I’ll admit, but it made me think about how we educated, aware women still end up ceding control of our lives and finances to someone else, and how terrifying the consequences can be.I also recommend No Exit Interview by Kristi Coulter, who tells the story of her years working in a mostly boys’ club at Amazon.On science The Periodic Table by Primo Levi is an old gem that I only recently discovered thanks to a recommendation from a book club friend. A memoir by a Jewish-Italian chemist, it investigates different elements like zinc, potassium and carbon to understand purity, human nature, knowledge and freedom. Simple, anecdotal and vivid, this book, published in 1975, was recognised in 2006 when it was named the best science book ever by the Royal Institution.Thought-provoking Endling by Maria Reva is a story set in Ukraine that features a girl who is obsessed with the survival of snails and a bureau that arranges Ukrainian brides for wealthy Western businessmen. Set against the backdrop of war, this book manages to be acerbic, empathetic and entertaining at the same time. It’s not an easy read, but one that is well worth the effort.Best audiobooksI’ve read all of Patrick Radden Keefe’s earlier books and bought this one the day it was released. I wasn’t disappointed; Keefe voices his own audiobooks, and he is incredibly good at it. He is also a fantastic storyteller. In London Falling, there is an incredible cast of characters, from a young British teenage boy who pretends to be the son of an oligarch to a Ugandan immigrant businessman, posh British designers and the Indian mafia, and through it all, the city of London. London Falling has been my favourite nonfiction book of the year, hands down.And The Correspondent by Virginia Evans — another incredible audiobook. We follow 73-year-old Sybil van Damme through the letters she writes to family, friends and even customer service executives. I was completely enraptured, and I was thrilled when it won the Booker this year.So, yes. The first half of the year was hit-or-miss, but these books saved my reading slump from total disaster. Here’s hoping the next six months bring fewer “meh” books and more five-star reads.Now I need more recommendations. Tell me, dear reader: what have been your best books of the year so far?(Sonya Dutta Choudhury is a Mumbai-based journalist and Founder, Sonya’s Book Box, a bespoke book service. For all questions about life and literature email sonyasbookbox@gmail.com.)