Bookies' Favourite

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 Next Next week:  The Rest of Our Lives  by Ben Markovits (Faber) 📘 💬 Get Involved 📸  Instagram  (@bookiesfavouritebookclub) 📩  bookiesfavouritebookclub@gmail.com...

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...

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!...

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  Flash...

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 📖  Tomorro...

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 Chronicles Food continues to play a role in the re...

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...

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 ph...

In this episode, we dig into  Glorious Exploits —the witty, inventive, and widely celebrated debut that won your vote in our book club poll. Expect laughs, analysis, and plenty of admiration for Lennon’s bold storytelling. We’re also joined by this week’s  special guest Bookie ,  Mᴀɪʀᴇ́ᴀᴅ Hᴇᴀʀɴᴇ (@mairead.hearne) , who shares her thoughts on why this book has captured so much attention. 📅 Coming...

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...

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 Episodes Want to catch up on some eligible books we’ve al...

In this special bonus episode, Lucy is joined by  Stacey from  @whatstaceyreadnext  to discuss  The Benefactors  by Wendy Erskine—a sharp, moving, and freshly released novel set in Belfast. ⚠️  Content Warning:  This episode includes discussion of  sexual assault  as it relates to the themes in the book. ‼️ As we discuss the full book there are spoilers Both Lucy and Stacey bring local insight to...

In this episode, we dive into  Eden’s Shore —a dense, experimental, and rewarding read that left us wanting more. With Hannah away traveling, we’re joined by our  Bookie of the Week ,  Graeme  (@graeme_c on Instagram), who shares his take on this powerful and unusual novel. 📚  Eden’s Shore  is divided into four main chapters— Sea, Land, Colony, Play —plus a final chapter titled  World . We all ag...

We’re back! In this season premiere, we react to  Heart Lamp ’s big win at the 2025 International Booker Prize, reveal our next book club read— Eden’s Shore  by Oisín Fagan—and launch our  Book Club Vote  to decide what we’ll read after that. 🎧 We also catch you up on what we’ve been reading and planning behind the scenes. Come join the conversation! 📊 Book Club Poll – Vote Now! You can vote in...

The shortlist has been read, the opinions have been aired, and now it’s time... to rank them. In this special bonus episode of  Bookies’ Favourite , we each reveal our  final rankings  of the six International Booker Prize 2025 shortlisted books—complete with  laughs, debates, and a little chaos , especially as Lucy goes head-to-head with the  Bookies' Favourite  hivemind 👀📚 We also: Discuss our...

In this final instalment of our International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist read-through, we’re diving into  Heart Lamp  by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi and published by And Other Stories. A powerful collection of short stories that explore gender, class, and quiet resistance,  Heart Lamp  left us with a lot to reflect on—and no shortage of opinions. We also hear the though...

This week on  Bookies’ Favourite , we’re setting sail with  Small Boat  by Vincent Delecroix, translated from French by Helen Stevenson and published by Small Axes. A poignant dive into the conflicted conscience of a woman haunted by guilt after a migrant boat sinks in the English Channel under her watch,  Small Boat  has us asking: how much of grief can truly be put into words? We’re joined by sp...

This week on  Bookies’ Favourite , we’re tackling the ambitious and reality-bending  On the Calculation of Volume I  by Solvej Balle, translated from Danish by Barbara J. Haveland and published by Faber. It’s the first book in a  septology , and we’re diving deep into its looping timelines, philosophical undercurrents, and quiet emotional resonance. What’s it like to relive the same day again and...

This week on  Bookies’ Favourite , we’re diving into  A Leopard-Skin Hat  by Anne Serre, translated from French by Mark Hutchinson and published by Lolli Editions. ⚠️  Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of mental illness and suicide, major themes within the novel. If you’d prefer to skip, feel free to rejoin us next week. We unpack the book’s exploration of grief, loneliness, and f...

This week on  Bookies’ Favourite , we’re diving into the second book on the 2025 International Booker Prize shortlist:  Under the Eye of the Big Bird  by Hiromi Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Asa Yoneda and published by Granta Books. In this episode, we share our thoughts on Kawakami’s surreal, poetic, and quietly haunting novel. From its strange dream logic to its tender moments of grief a...

This week on  Bookies’ Favourite , we dive into the first book on the 2025 International Booker Prize shortlist:  Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated from Italian by Sophie Hughes and published by Fitzcarraldo Editions. We break down our reactions to this cool, clinical novella about art, lifestyle, and the pursuit of aesthetic control—was it minimalist mastery or just emotionally cold? T...

The International Booker Prize 2025 shortlist has officially landed—and we’ve got thoughts. In this episode of  Bookies’ Favourite , we react to the shortlist reveal and dish out our gut feelings, wild hopes, and bold predictions. Which books are we thrilled made the cut? Which ones broke Lucy’s heart by missing out? And who do we think  should  take home the prize? We’re also laying out our  offi...

Welcome to the very first episode of  Bookies’ Favourite , the book club podcast where four friends with very different reading habits come together to talk about big prize lists, bold opinions, and maybe even read a few books along the way. Meet your hosts: 📻  Aaron Rice  – radio journalist, pop culture guy, and proud non-reader (he’s working on it). 📚  Colin Rice  – Aaron’s twin, book-a-week r...