Shortlist 2025

This year’s shortlist, as always, offers something for everyone . 
Mixing history, mystery, romance, myth, humour and gritty reality,  all of our shortlisted books are guaranteed to keep our y9+ readers turning the pages .    There are books by established authors and some ones to watch.  

We hope they tempt you into trying something just a little bit different. 

This year more than ever, our shortlisted books are packed full of important issues and ideas but with a twist.   They'll definitely get you thinking and talking -  prejudice, protest, politics, courage, identity, perfection, positive activism, the undeniable power of books, libraries and the spoken word... and much, much more... 

Which one are you going to start with?  Click on the covers below to find out more about each book and its author.   Keep checking back - we're updating the website with new content all the time!

Don’t forget to email us your bookish thoughts and opinions on each of the titles then check out our other great reading suggestions on each of the shortlist pages until the winner is announced in April.