We're celebrating the end of the year with a look back over our favourite reads of 2025, from new releases to backlist gems, best book club books, best non-fiction, best comfort reads and more. Between us we read over 350 books in 2025. Listen in to hear the ones we loved best. We've also got a radical new idea for a book club involving cold-water swimming and the works of Robert B. Parker, and how to embrace DNFing without guilt. Join us for recommendations to see you through the festive season and set your new reading year off in style.

With Phil Chaffee and Sarah Oliver

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Booklist

Mother Mary Come to Me by Arundhati Roy

The Silver Book by Olivia Laing

Crudo by Olivia Laing

Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngoze Adiche

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

Heart the Lover by Lily King

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard

Pet Sematary by Stephen King

You Dreamed of Empires by Alvaro Enrigue

Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart

Lake Shore by Gary Shteyngart

Our Country Friends by Gary Shteyngart

Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon

A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chisholm

The First Man by Albert Camus

Robert B. Parker novels

Question 7 by Richard Flanagan

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Muybridge by Guy Delisle

The Sense & Sensibility Diaries by Emma Thompson

The Lockwood & Co novels by Jonathan Stroud

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Shattered Lands by Sam Dalrymple

Maurice and Marilyn, or A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst

Agent Zo by Clare Mulley

The Devil Two Step by Jamie Quattro

Train Dreams by Denis Johnston

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnston

The Director by Daniel Kelman

We Do Not Part by Han Kang

How to End a Story by Helen Garner (3 volume diaries collection)

The Children’s Bach by Helen Garner

This House of Grief by Helen Garner

Eucalyptus by Murray Bail

Wild Thing by Sue Prideaux

Nonesuch by Francis Spufford

Pet Sematary 1983 cover

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'I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train' wrote Oscar Wilde, in the Importance of Being Ernest. In this episode Kate is joined by critic, editor and podcaster Lucy Scholes and regular pod guest Phil Chaffee to explore the intimate world of diaries. Can immersing ourselves in the details of other people's lives offer us valuable insight into how to fully appreciate the passing moments of our own? From gossipy self-mythologising Samuel Pepys right up to the present with the experimentation of Sheila Heti's Alphabetical Diaries, and the beauty and hard-won insight of Helen Garner's Baillie Gifford prize-winning diaries. Also not to be missed, living it up Vanity Fair style through the glitz and glamour of 80s New York, with Tina Brown.

And if you enjoy this conversation don't miss Part II, over on the Patreon, where we swap notes on our favourite fictional diaries, consider the diaries we'd love to read if they had only been published and share some thoughts on our own diary keeping. You'll find that episode plus lots of benefits including ad-free listening, extra episodes, our community of readers and the pod book club over at patreon.com/thebookclubreview.

And to take advantage of that Serious Readers offer of £150 off any HD light head to serious readers.com/bcr and use the code BCR at checkout.

Book list

The Private Life of the Diary by Sally Bayley

The Paris Review

They by Kay Dick

Lord Jim at Home by Dinah Brooke

Love Life of a Cheltenham Lady by Dinah Brooke

Part of the Story by Margaret Busby

Woman Alive by Susan Ertz

Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld

Some People Need Killing by Patricia Evangelista

Look Closer by Robert Douglas Fairhurst

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Robert Latham (ed)

The Diaries of Virginia Woolf

How To End a Story by Helen Garner

Henry Chips Channon: The Diaries

The James Lees Milne diaries

Writing Home by Alan Bennett

There and Back: 1999–2009 by Michael Palin

The Vanity Fair Diaries 1983–1992 by Tina Brown

End of a Berlin Diary by William L. Shirer

War in Val D'Orcia by Iris Origo

Russian Journal by Andrea Lee

Beloved Son Felix: Coming of Age in the Renaissance by Felix Platter

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati

Modern Nature by Derek Jarman

Pharmacopeia by Derek Jarman

Went to London, Took the Dog by Nina Stibbe

Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti

A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter

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Explore this year's Booker Prize shortlist on the latest episode of the Book Club Review! Hosts Kate and Laura and contributors Phil Chaffee and Martin Vovk discuss and debate the six shortlisted novels.

Listen in to hear our predictions, and then find out our reaction to the winner as we listen in to the live Booker Prize ceremony. We won't spoil the plots for you, just whet your appetite to read some or all of the books, all of which make for brilliant discussion.

Booklist

Paddy Clark, Ha, H, Ha by Roddy Doyle

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

Flesh by David Szalay

All That Man Is by David Szalay

Starling House by Alex E. Harrow

Any Human Heart by William Boyd

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markowits

Carmageddon by Daniel Knowles

You Don't Have To Live Like This by Ben Markowits

Oh William by Elizabeth Strout

All Fours by Miranda July

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

Audition by Katie Kitamura

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

Flashlight by Susan Choi

Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

Booker Longlist episode

Episode 181 of The Book Club Review

Links

A Good Read: Colm Toibin and Zadie Smith discuss Flesh

Martin's Eyes On the Prize blog

Browse Martin's archive and discover his extensive reviews (including The Women's Prize) here.

Patreon

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Serious Readers

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In which Kate is joined by pod regular, journalist Phil Chaffee and Professor Elizabeth Eva Leach. Both read over 200 books a year, and their reading stacks this year have included the Booker longlist.

And so who better to consider the books that didn't make the final cut – but which are, notwithstanding, the 'best' books selected from over 150 submitted titles.

As we know, really great books can get overlooked for the shortlist. Consider Trust by Hernan Diaz, longlisted but not shortlisted, or, going further back Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and before that Penelope Fitzgerald's miraculous novel The Blue Flower. The fallibility of the judging process thus proven let's leave no stone unturned in considering this year's selection. Did the judges overlook a new favourite read?

The Booker Prize is announced on 10th November and we'll be recording an episode on the shortlist on the night. Coming soon!

Booklist

• Misinterpretation by Ledia Xhoga

• Seascraper by Benjamin Wood

• Endling by Maria Reva

• One Boat by Jonathan Buckley

• The Outline Trilogy by Rachel Cusk

• The Rough Guide to Venice and the Veneto

• Universality by Natasha Brown

• The South by Tash Aw

• Love Forms by Claire Adam

• Barn 8 by Deb Olin Unferth

• The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

Patreon

Head to www.patreon.com/thebookclubreview for all the benefits (extra shows, readalongs, book club and more) and how to sign up, and know that you'll be supporting a show that takes a lot of time and love to make.

Serious Readers

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In this episode: Kate and Laura are catching up on their pre-Booker season reading.

Did You Are Here by David Nicholls make Laura want to lace up her walking boots? How did Kate get on with A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chisholm, a page-turning account that explores a side of the city that tourists never see. We're also reporting back on book club reads Mouthing by Orla Mackey and The Pretender by Jo Harkin. Mix in the enjoyment of Curtis Sittenfeld's latest collection of short stories, and the all-too relevant classic Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and that's our Autumn bookshelf.

Books mentioned

You Are Here and One Day by David Nicholls

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chisholm

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Your Life and Other Stories and Exhalations by Ted Chiang

The Left-Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Mouthing by Orla Mackey

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Every One Still Here by Liadan ní Chuinn

The Pretender by Jo Harkin

The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk

The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovitz

You Don't Have To Live Like This by Benjamin Markovitz

Serious Readers

Book Club Review listeners get £150 off any HD Essential Reading Light, plus free UK delivery. Go to SeriousReaders.com/bcr and use the code BCR at checkout. It's completely risk-free with a 30-day home trial. If you don't feel the difference, they'll collect it for free and fully refund you.

Patreon

Support the show on Patreon and get ad-free episodes, extra shows, chat groups, book clubs and readalongs. Head to patreon.com/thebookclubreview to find out all the benefits and how to sign up.

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Book Club: Universality by Natasha Brown & Sparks of Bright Matter by Leeanne O'Donnell

Welcome to The Book Club Review! In this episode, Laura joins Kate to dive into two book club picks: Natasha Brown's much-anticipated second novel, Universality, and the debut Sparks of Bright Matter by Leeanne O'Donnell.

In this episode:

Kate and Laura catch up on their current reads, including Sky Daddy by Kate Folk and A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett, before diving into a discussion of Universality. How did it compare to Brown's acclaimed debut Assembly, and did the satirical style, bold narrative choices, and themes of media, class, and culture wars work for our book club.

We then move on to Sparks of Bright Matter by Leeanne O'Donnell, an historical tale of alchemy set across 18th-century London and Ireland. We're exploring the vivid sense of place and real-life inspirations behind the story, but did the many different characters and story arcs knit together?

We're also meeting Kristina Ambrosia, who offers a creative twist on book club with her "Graffiti Book Club," where members are encouraged to write, doodle, and annotate in their books before passing them around.

All that plus our current reads and community updates on how to join the Book Club Review Patreon, participate in chat groups, and readalongs.

Books mentioned:

• Universality by Natasha Brown
• Assembly by Natasha Brown
• Sparks of Bright Matter by Leeanne O'Donnell
• Sky Daddy by Kate Folk
• A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
• Katabasis by R. F. Kuang
• Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal
• The Women by Kristin Hannah
• Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer
• Just Kids by Patti Smith
• All Fours by Miranda July
• Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser
• And more!

Links & Extras:

• Special offer for Serious Readers HD Essential Reading Lights: visit seriousreaderscom/bcr and use code BCR at checkout.
• Join the Book Club Review community on Patreon for ad-free episodes, bonus content, and monthly book club meetings: patreon.com/thebookclubreview
• Follow on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast or email [email protected]

If you enjoyed the show, please share it with friends or leave a review – your support helps us reach more book lovers!

Happy reading!

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Something a little different this episode as I invite you to head down the rabbit hole with me into the world of books about books. Accompanying us into this particular wonderland is Joseph Dance, host of the Curious Readers podcast. From meta-fictional narratives to booksellers with shadowy agendas, we're flagging up some of our favourites both for behind-the-scenes insights into the literary world, and for the way they allow us to discover yet more books we might want to read. From Alberto Manguel's library of 35,000 titles, to Alejandro Zambra's essay collection On Not Reading, we're considering a broad spectrum of perspectives that help us reflect on and enrich our reading lives. And so listen in to hear what happens when two book podcasters get together to talk about their favourite topic.

Booklist

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Possession by A.S. Byatt

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

Packing my Library by Alberto Manguel

The Book Forger by Joseph Hone

Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire

Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef

A Bookshop of One's Own by Jane Cholmeley

In Search of Lost Books by Giorgio van Straten

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati

Further reading / listening

Alberto Manguel's library

And here's Manguel sharing his favourite bookstores and libraries with Biblio-file podcast host Nigel Beale

Umberto Eco's library on Youtube

Kate's Moleskine reading journal

Read this wonderful review of Shelf Life from Australian critic Beejay Silcox, who lived for two years in Cairo and knew the Diwan bookstore well.

Patreon

Head to patreon.com/thebookclubreview for full membership details and how to join

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Seattle, forever linked with books and reading thanks to Sleepless in Seattle. Also Maria Semple's Where d'you Go Bernadette, tho' to be clear, Bernadette was not a fan of the rainy city. Londoners, though, umbrella always at hand, feel right at home. A recent family holiday offered a rare chance for an in-person bookish catchup. Listen in for our thoughts on our latest reads including the new novel from Lily King and some purchases from the inimitable Elliot Bay bookshop.

Embracing the holiday spirit we're also getting into our bookish cocktails. Luckily Margaret C. Beeler, author of literary cocktail book Tropetails, is on hand to help us out. She shares one of her favourites, scroll down for the recipe, and if you like the sound of the book and want to get yourself a copy, US listeners, if you use the code TROPECLUBREVIEW at checkout you'll get free shipping.

Don't forget to check out The Book Club Review on Patreon to support Kate in making the show. In return you'll get extra episodes, chat group access with Kate and Laura, starting and at the higher tier you can join the monthly book club. This month we're reading On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle, in September it's Mouthing, the bestselling Irish debut from Orla Mackey. We meet on the last Sunday of the month over Zoom, with a catch-up episode posted for anyone unable to make the live session.

Books mentioned

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (Shanna Tan)

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa (Eric Ozawa)

The Bookshop Woman by Nanako Hanada (Cat Anderson)

Heart the Lover by Lily King

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Euphoria by Lily King

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Five Ways to Forgiveness by Ursula K. LeGuin

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Audition by Katie Kitamura

The Odd Woman and the City by Vivan Gornick

The Transitive Vampire by Karen Elizabeth Gordon

The Cafe with No Name by Robert Seethaler (Katy Derbyshire)

Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto (Jesse Kirkwood)

Margaret's Cocktail

Give me Your Brains

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Join Kate as she takes the Book Club Review on tour to New York, a city filled with incredible bookshops, and book podcasters. Christopher Hermelin of So Many Damn Books and Drew Broussard of The Lit Hub Podcast share cocktails and book recommendations on the theme of friendship.

Notes and Booklist

Rough Draft Bar & Books

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley

Who Will Watch the Frog Hospital by Lorrie Moore

Marlena by Julie Bunton

Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

Stay True by Hua Hsu

The Sherlock Holmes Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

It by Stephen King

The Wonder State by Sarah Flannery Murphy

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara

The Interestings by Meg Wollizer

Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

The Animators by Kayla Raye Whittaker

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary

On The Calculation of Volume I by Solvej Balle

A Man Called Ove, Anxious People and My Friends by Friedrik Backman (sp)

My Friends by Hisham Matar

Netherland by Joseph O'Neill

End of the World House by Adrian Kelt (sp)

Leonard and Hungry Paul by Rónán Hession

Ghost Mountain by Rónán Hession

Woodworking by Emily St. James

Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury

All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield

Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent

The Details by Ia Genberg

Network Effect by Martha Wells

The Odd Woman and the City by Vivian Gornick

Support the show on Patreon

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From lightening and dragons in Iron Flame to trembling mountains in A Court of Thorns and Roses, from Sally Rooney's Connell and Marianne to Ice Planet Barbarians - sex in books has gone mainstream. From serious high-brow literature to warm and cozy rom-coms, what do we want or need from writers when it comes to including sex in their books?

To consider the matter Kate is joined by critic Elizabeth Morris (Crib Notes), and author Alex Allison' (The Art of the Body and Greatest of All Time)

We'll be bringing you our recommendations for books we think push all the right buttons,once we've figured out what those are.

Patreon

Find out how to support the show, get ad-free episodes and extra content at patreon.com/thebookclubreview

Keep in touch

Find the pod on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast

Browse the archive

Find full shownotes and a transcript plus our full episode archive at thebookclubreview.co.uk

Booklist

Greatest of All Time by Alex Allison

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

Mrs Caliban by Rachel Ingals

The Literary Review's Bad Sex Awards

The Office of Gardens and Ponds by Didier Decoin

Pax by John Harvey

The River Capture by Mary Costello

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Electric Hotel by Dominic Smith

The Neapolitan Quartet by Elena Ferrante

I Love Dick by Chris Kraus

All Fours by Miranda July

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Hunchback by Saou Ichikawa

Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

Elmet and Hot Stew by Fiona Mosley

Tampa by Alyssa Nutting

Isaac by Curtis Garner

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Lullaby by Leïla Slimani

The Country of Others and Watch Us Dance by Leïla Slimani

The Bear by Marianne Engel

The Snow Ball by Brigid Brophy

Busy Being Free by Emma Forrest

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From Murderbot to Sense and Sensiblity, what are our favourite adaptations from books that we love? Inspired by the recent Apple adaptation of Martha Wells sci-fi novels The Murderbot Diaries, this episode is a celebration of the world of books to film. From the joy of seeing a book that we love brought to the big screen, to the pitfalls when things don't match up to our expectations, we're considering the hits and misses, and passing on our recommendations. You'll be hearing from pod regulars Laura Potter and Phil Chaffee, plus we meet Philippa Donovan, a literary scout to the film and TV world. Philippa founded her consultancy Smart Quill to bridge the gap between agents, publishers and authors around the world. She's giving us the inside track on the world of book to film.

All that, plus a peek into the future and the upcoming projects we've earmarked as ones to watch.

Interview

Listen to the full interview with literary scout Philippa Donovan here [TO COME]

Come and listen to the episodes ad-free over on Patreon, plus The Book Club Review Weekend, join our chat threads where you'll be able to swap book recommendations with Kate and other Book Club Review listeners and if you want to come and talk books with Kate in person at the higher tier you can join the pod's monthly book club.

Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview for all the benefits and how to sign up.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Book 1)

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (Book 2)

Room by Emma Donoghue

Normal People by Sally Rooney

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Exhalations by Ted Chiang (the film Arrival is based on Story of Your Life)

Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx

Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger

Rivals by Jilly Cooper

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

Children of Men by P. D. James

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda

Barn Burning by Haruki Murakami

Barn Burning by William Falkner

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Hot Milk by Deborah Levy

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

The Salt Path by Raynor Wynn

Everything I Know About Love andGood Material by Dolly Alderton

Universality by Natasha Brown

Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser

Transcript

Head over to the episode page at thebookclubreview.co.uk for a full transcript

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