Bookies' Favourite

In this episode, Colin, Lucy & Aaron discuss Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden, published by Tangerine Press.This is the first book we’re covering from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 shortlist, and we unpack the novel’s structure, atmosphere, themes, and how it stands out within this year’s field.📖 What’s Coming NextWe’ll be continuing our shortlist coverage with two more books before the winner is announced:Spit by David Brennan — published by époque pressGhost Driver by Nell Osborne — published by Moist Books📚 Read along with us as we work through the shortlist and discuss what might take home the prize.Email the Book Club" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Email bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comInstagram @bookiesfavouritebookclubAaron @AaronRiceMediaLucy @bookz2026Colin @c_f_writesHannah @certifiedbookyapperhannah

We begin our Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 longlist series with Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix, translated by Helen Stevenson. Published by Small Axes / HopeRoad.Our bookie this week is Jean-François Bodart @nathanael_archerThis is our second time discussing Small Boat, having previously covered it during our International Booker Prize 2025 episodes. Returning to the novel a year on, we reflect on how it holds up, which themes have stayed with us, and why this slim but devastating book continues to resonate.We all loved it then — and many of its questions, images, and moral tensions are still very much with us now.📖 Next UpOur next read is The Weasel and the Whore by Martha Luisa Hernández Cadenas, translated by Julia Sanches and Jennifer Shyue, published by Héloïse Press.📚 Read along with us, share your thoughts, and join the book club as we work our way through the longlist ahead of the prize announcement.More Queen Mary longlist episodes coming soon.🎙️ HostsAaron: @AaronRiceMediaHannah: @certifiedbookyapperhannahLucy: @bookz2026Colin: @c_f_writesBookies' Favourite: @bookiesfavouritebookclubEmail us bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com

We’re kicking off a brand new reading series focused on selected titles from the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize 2026 Longlist — formerly known as the Republic of Consciousness Prize.We’ll be reading five longlisted books, before choosing a final sixth title from the shortlist once it’s announced. From there, we’ll follow the prize all the way to the winner.📅 New episodes every Monday🏆 Prize winner announced: 25th March🎁 Bonus episodes every FridayCheck our social media for the full reading schedule, read along with us, and share your thoughts — everyone’s welcome to join the book club.📖 Our Longlist PicksGroup pick:• Small Boat by Vincent DelecroixTranslated by Helen StevensonWe’ll also be revisiting Small Axes / HopeRoad, which we previously discussed during our International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist coverage — with a brand new episode on it coming this Monday.Hannah’s pick:• The Weasel and the Whore by Martha Luisa Hernández CadenasTranslated by Julia Sanches & Jennifer Shyue (Héloïse Press)Colin’s pick:• Spit by David Brennan (époque press)Lucy’s pick:• On the Greenwich Line by Shady LewisTranslated by Katharine Halls (Peirene Press)Aaron’s pick:• Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden (Tangerine Press)🎙️ HostsAaron: @AaronRiceMediaHannah: @certifiedbookyapperhannahLucy: @bookz2026Colin: @c_f_writesFollow us @bookiesfavouritebookclubEmail us ⁠bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📣 Read along with us, share your reactions on social media, and help us decide which shortlisted book becomes our final sixth read.Welcome to the next chapter of Bookies’ Favourite!

Our chapter-by-chapter journey through Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan continues! In this episode, we tackle Part II, Chapter 3: Colony, where the story shifts with a time jump of several years. We dig into the ensemble cast of characters, the rising rebellion, and explore some striking similarities with Les Misérables.🍗 Aaron’s Kitchen ChroniclesFood continues to play a role in the read-along! This week Aaron makes fried chicken (straight from the book’s pages), and we also chat about the intriguing mention of “spit cake.”📅 Coming Up NextNext episode: Part II, Chapter 4: Play 🎭And remember—the series will end with a special interview with Oisín Fagan. Got a question you’d like us to put to him? Send it in!💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comFollow along and share your thoughts as we read through Eden’s Shore together!

We’re back with our chapter-by-chapter read-along of Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan! In this episode, we explore Part I, Chapter 2: Land, diving into its characters, themes, and hidden layers.We’re once again joined by Emma from Real Life Ghost Stories, this time sharing some fascinating folklore about the Irish Púca. You can watch the original video we pulled audio from here: Emma on the Púca (TikTok).🍸 Lucy’s Cocktail CornerLucy debuts her Eden’s Shore Special cocktail—perfect for sipping as you read along! Check out the recipe and images on our Instagram: @bookiesfavouritebookclub.📅 Coming Up NextNext episode: Part II, Chapter 3: ColonyAnd don’t forget—this read-along series will end with a special interview with Oisín Fagan himself. Got a question for him? Send it our way!💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comRead along with us each week and share your thoughts!

Welcome to our weekly chapter-by-chapter read-along of Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan!In this first episode, Aaron & Lucy dive into Part I, Chapter 1: Sea, exploring its plots, characters, themes, references, and hidden easter eggs.He hear from Emma of Real Life Ghost Stories, who lends her insight as we pull in some fascinating clips from their episode on Hy-Brasil—a mysterious phantom island off the Irish coast. You can listen to that full episode here: Hy-Brasil on Spotify.We also hear from one of our listeners who’s reading along with us, sharing their thoughts on the opening chapter.🍪 Aaron Bakes Eden’s ShoreAaron kicks off a new segment where he bakes something inspired by each chapter! This week: Oatmeal Biscuits.Want the recipe? Head over to our Instagram: @bookiesfavouritebookclub.📅 Coming UpNext, we’ll continue the read-along with Chapter 2: Land.We’ll also be taking in your reactions and preparing for an exclusive interview with Oisín Fagan at the end of the series.👉 Got a question for Oisín, or your own thoughts on Eden’s Shore so far? Email or DM us and we’ll share them in a future episode!💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comFollow along and read with us, chapter by chapter!

We reach the end of Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan with Part III, Chapter 5: World — the final chapter of our read-along series.Aaron & Lucy discuss the closing moments of the novel, the meaning and placement of the letters threaded between each chapter, and share their overall reflections on the book as a whole now that the journey is complete.📚 What’s NextOur next episode will be a special finale conversation with:Oisín Fagan (author)Tom Alexander (audiobook narrator)Anna Bu Kliewer (cover illustrator)Sofia Hericson (cover designer)Send us your thoughts on Eden’s Shore and any questions you’d like us to ask our guests — we’d love to include them.After that, we’ll be launching our next literary award series, coming very soon.📩 Get in Touch📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bookiesfavouritebookclub/(@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📧 Email: bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comThanks for reading along with us — and we’ll see you for the finale conversationCheck out Aaron's The Novel Series book club podcast!

Aaron & Lucy return to Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan for Part II, Chapter 4: Play — the chapter where everything comes to a head.In this episode, we dig into the climax of the novel: the play itself, the unfolding revolution, and how the many threads of the story are tied together. We also talk through the return of familiar faces, with cameo appearances from characters we last encountered much earlier in the book, and reflect on how their journeys finally converge.📚 What’s Coming Next🔹 Final Read-Along Episode: World — the closing chapter of Eden’s Shore🔹 Special Finale Episode: A full conversation withOisín Fagan (author)Tom Alexander (audiobook narrator)Anna Bu Kliewer (cover illustrator)Sofia Hericson (cover designer)We’d love to include your thoughts on the book and your questions for our guests, so please send them in via our socials or email.🏆 And After That…We’re launching a brand-new literary award series very, very soon — more details coming shortly.📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on Goodreads

It’s official — Flesh by David Szalay (Jonathan Cape) has won the Booker Prize 2025, and the Bookies are here to react!Aaron, Colin, Lucy & Hannah unpack the result — with Aaron diving deeper into the novel after his re-read and celebrating becoming the first host to successfully predict the Booker winner (from the two shortlists we’ve covered so far!).We also hear from Bob the Bookerer, who shares his reaction to the win and thoughts on the Booker’s choice this year.🎧 Missed our full in-depth review of Flesh?👉 Listen here📚 What’s Next for the BookiesThe team discuss what’s coming up next — including more literary prize lists, shortlisted reads, and award-winning novels. We want to know what you want us to cover next, so send us your suggestions!📩 Get in touch via Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub) or email bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com🌊 Returning Soon: Eden’s Shore Read-AlongLucy & Aaron will soon be wrapping up their chapter-by-chapter read-along of Eden’s Shore by Oisín Fagan, including the final chapters and a special interview with the author himself!🏅 Introducing… The Bookies’ Favourites!We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our very own award show, The Bookies’ Favourites — celebrating our picks for the best books we’ve read this year. More details coming soon!

**This episode was recorded before Flesh was announced as the Booker Prize 2025 winner***We’re onto book five of the Booker Prize 2025 shortlist with Flesh by David Szalay — a look at how others can influence our lives and define the relationships we form.📅 Coming Up NextNext week: our final shortlisted title, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (Hamish Hamilton). 🌙💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on Goodreads

It’s time for our Booker Prize 2025 finale predictions! The Bookies sit down to rank all six shortlisted books, share their personal winner picks, and look at the bookies’ odds to see who the experts think will take home this year’s prize.We’re also joined (in spirit!) by some returning friends of the podcast:📚 @bobthebookerer📖 @dymphnaflynn📘 @afewofchifavoritethings💡 Plus, Maddi from @bookswithmaddi shares her Audition theory!📚 The 2025 Booker Prize ShortlistHere’s the full shortlist, in the order we covered them on the podcast:1️⃣ Audition by Katie Kitamura — Fern Press 🎧 Listen to our episode on Audition 💬 Featured Bookie: @bobthebookerer2️⃣ The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller — Sceptre 🎧 Listen to our episode on The Land in Winter3️⃣ Flashlight by Susan Choi — Jonathan Cape 🎧 Listen to our episode on Flashlight 📱 Aaron hasn’t read this one yet, but will be posting his reaction on social media before the winner is announced.4️⃣ The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits — Faber 🎧 Listen to our episode on The Rest of Our Lives 💬 Featured Bookie: @dymphnaflynn5️⃣ Flesh by David Szalay — Jonathan Cape 🎧 Listen to our episode on Flesh6️⃣ The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny by Kiran Desai — Hamish Hamilton 🎧 Listen to our episode on The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny 📖 Colin hasn’t yet read this one.🗣️ Share Your Reaction!The winner is announced on Monday, and we want to hear your thoughts!📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on Goodreads

We’ve reached the final book on the Booker Prize 2025 shortlist! This week, Aaron, Hannah, and Lucy discuss The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny by Kiran Desai — a tender, multi-layered story exploring how the two titular characters navigate love, family, and belonging, both in India and beyond.The team dive into Desai’s luminous prose, the emotional depth of her characters, and how this novel fits within the broader themes of this year’s shortlist.We also give a special shout-out to our friends at @bookfarepod — go give them a listen for more great bookish chats! 🎧📅 Coming Up Next📊 Tomorrow: our Final Rankings & Predictions episode — including the Bookies’ odds ahead of Monday’s Booker Prize 2025 winner announcement.🏆 Then: our Winner Reaction episode, dropping after the announcement!💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on GoodreadsWhich book do you think will take home the prize?

This week, the team hit the road with The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits — a story of midlife crisis, family tensions, and health struggles, all unfolding across a cross-country road trip through the US. Opinions are divided on this one, but there’s plenty to discuss!Our Bookie of the Week is @dymphnaflynn — book reviewer, Costa Book Awards Judge 2021, and former BBC Arts producer — sharing her thoughts on this Booker-shortlisted novel.We also hear from listeners in the book club who’ve been reading along, and of course, Aaron brings back Read It & Eat It, cooking up a batch of pancakes inspired by the book. 🥞Judging the Book by Its CoverNext up: Flesh by David Szalay (Jonathan Cape). We take a first look at the cover and share our early expectations.💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on GoodreadsShare your thoughts on The Rest of Our Lives and join the discussion for Flesh!

This week, Lucy, Hannah, and Colin discuss Flashlight by Susan Choi — a sharp, layered story that shines a beam on identity, family, and the fragments that make up a life. The three of them unpack Choi’s lengthy tale.📅 Coming Up NextNext week: The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits (Faber) 📘💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on GoodreadsShare your thoughts on Flashlight or your first impressions of The Rest of Our Lives!

This week, Colin, Lucy, and Hannah brave the chill as they discuss The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller — a historical novel set against a fierce blizzard and the frozen backdrop of political and personal turmoil.Do they have a frosty opinion on this Booker-shortlisted story, or does it warm their hearts? Hannah also dives into another of her trademark “odd chapters”—you’ll have to listen to find out which one!📅 Coming Up NextNext week: Flashlight by Susan Choi (Jonathan Cape) 🔦💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Read our written reviews on GoodreadsShare your thoughts or theories to be featured in a future episode!

This week we dive into the first book on the Booker Prize 2025 shortlist: Audition by Katie Kitamura (Fern Press). The novel is split into two distinct parts, exploring the life of an aging Broadway actress and her shifting relationships with those around her.Our Bookie of the Week is @bobthebookerer on Instagram—make sure to also check out his YouTube channel for more bookish content!📚 In This Episode✨ Breaking down the dual structure of Audition✨ Our classic “Rename the Novel” segment🥐 Read It & Eat It: Aaron snacks on a croissant straight from the pages—see the pic on our Instagram!✨ Listener reactions and book club thoughts📅 Coming Up NextHave you read other books by Katie Kitamura? We’d love to hear what you thought of them.Next week: The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller (Sceptre) ❄️💬 Get Involved📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com📖 Check out our written reviews on GoodreadsShare your thoughts to be featured in an upcoming episode!

The official Booker Prize 2025 shortlist is here—and honestly? We’re a little disappointed by the choices. Still, there’s plenty to dig into, and we’re excited to read and discuss each of the six books in the lead-up to the winner’s announcement.Here’s the order we’ll be reading them in:1️⃣ Audition by Katie Kitamura (Fern Press)2️⃣ The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller (Sceptre)3️⃣ Flashlight by Susan Choi (Jonathan Cape)4️⃣ The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits (Faber)5️⃣ Flesh by David Szalay (Jonathan Cape)6️⃣ The Loneliness of Sonia and Sonny by Kiran Desai (Hamish Hamilton)We also hear again from our guest Bookie, Ashlee (@afewofchifavoritethings) on Instagram.📅 What’s NextEach week we’ll release a new review episode on one of the shortlisted books.Our Eden’s Shore chapter-by-chapter read-along will pause until the shortlist project is complete.💬 Get InvolvedWhich shortlisted book are you most excited (or dreading) to read?📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comWe’ll also be posting written reviews on Goodreads: ⁠Bookies’ Favourite Bookclub on Goodreads⁠.Join us as we take on the Booker shortlist—six books in six weeks!

With the official Booker Prize 2025 shortlist announcement just one day away, we’re making our calls!Lucy and Hannah—who’ve managed to read some of the longlisted titles—face off against Aaron and Colin (who haven’t read any) as we each put forward our six predicted books for the shortlist. Then, together, we try to settle on a final six we’d love to see announced.📅 What’s Next📖 Tomorrow – the official shortlist is revealed.🎧 Later this week – we’ll be back with a shortlist reaction episode, setting out our full reading list.From there, we’ll be reading and discussing all six shortlisted books before the winner is announced.💬 Join the ConversationWhich books do you want to see on the shortlist?📸 Instagram (@bookiesfavouritebookclub)📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comFollow along as we make our way through the shortlist and build up to the winner!

The longlist is here—and Aaron and Hannah are diving straight in!In this episode, they run through all 13 longlisted titles, sharing quick synopses of each book and discussing whether they hope to see them on the final shortlist.📚 While we’re not reading the full longlist, Lucy will be making her way through as many titles as she can in her own time.And don’t worry—we will be reading the full shortlist once it’s announced in September: six books in six weeks!📅 What’s Coming Up Next🏺 Glorious Exploits – Full review episode coming Monday🌊 Eden’s Shore Read-Along – A chapter-by-chapter mini-series starts soon, featuring a special interview with the author, Oisín Fagan🗣️ Confessions – Review episode coming in September, just ahead of the Booker shortlist announcement💬 Join the ConversationWhich books are you rooting for on the shortlist? Let us know!📸 bookiesfavouritebookclub📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comHit follow to stay updated on every episode leading up to the Booker shortlist announcement—and beyond!

With the official Booker Prize 2025 longlist announcement just around the corner, Aaron, Lucy, and Colin sit down to pitch their top 12 books they’d love to see make the list.⚡ Plus, Lucy takes us through a speed round of eligible books she’s already read and whether she thinks they’ll appear on the list.📚 Previous Booker-Eligible EpisodesWant to catch up on some eligible books we’ve already covered? Check out our past reviews:Eden’s Shore by Oisín FaganThe Benefactors by Wendy ErskineAnd stay tuned—in September, we’ll be reviewing Confessions by Catherine Airey, another eligible title. If you're reading it too, send us your thoughts!👀 What’s Coming Next🎧 Wednesday – We’ll be uploading a longlist reaction episode, breaking down the official picks revealed in tomorrow's announcement and seeing which of our predictions made it.🏺 Next week listen out for our review of Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon🪼 Aaron & Lucy will also be launching a read-along mini-series soon, going chapter-by-chapter through Eden’s Shore. Read along and join the discussion!📚 And once the shortlist is announced in September, we’re planning to read and discuss every book on it.💬 Share Your Predictions & Hopes!What books do you want to see on the longlist?Send us your predictions and hot takes on:📸 Instagram: @bookiesfavouritebookclub📩 bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.comFollow along and be part of the Booker conversation!