books | The Reader's Room

Sep 19

2026 Booker shortlist predictions

The time has come for our shortlist predictions. We’ve spent the last few months reading all the longlist books and rating the nominees. Keep reading to see which books topped our collective list and what panelists picked as their personal predictions.

Each year the panel reviews books and scores them on the following categories: writing, plot development, character development, originality, and enjoyment. Of course ratings are highly subjective and often influenced by which books we liked the most. Our collective rankings are often not too well aligned with what books actually make it. Individually, our lists have varied in success.

Sep 19

Booker 2026 musings: Reflections and personal favorites

Every year when our panel reads the longlist, we rate each book on several categories including writing, originality, plot development, character development, and enjoyment. This year each of our panelists will pick their favorite book for specific to each category and a few other new categories. Later this afternoon we will post our predictions. So here are our musings and reflections on this year’s list.

Sep 15

2026 Booker Prize Longlist: The End of Everything by M. John Harrison

Next up for panel is The End of Everything by M. John Harrison. Five of our panel read this book (fewer understood it) and here are our reviews…

Aug 31

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2026 Booker Prize: The Renovation by Kenan Orhan

Next up for panel is The Renovation by Kenan Orhan. Five of our panel read this nominee and here are our reviews…

Jul 28

8 Comments

2026 Booker Prize Longlist

It’s here! The booker longlist was announced today at 2pm BST. I did worse than usual on my prediction list, but I own quite a few of them and am excited to read them. Here is the list…

Jul 16

16 Comments

2026 Booker Longlist Predictions

It’s that time again! Every year our panel comes together to read and review all the booker nominees and to predict the winners. Welcome back to Andrew who is joining us again this year after a short hiatus. This year’s longlist will be announced on July 28. Every year we try and most years we fail spectacularly to get more than 3 correct predictions each. Will we have better luck this year? Keep reading to find out who we all selected and let us know what you think.

Feb 7

Terrible Reviews of Great Books: 1984 by George Orwell

There is no such thing as a universally loved book. In this series, I revisit Time’s 100 best English-language novels and unpack the weirdest reasons readers can’t stand them. From the nasty to the snarky to the downright absurd, I’ll highlight some of the strange reasons why some people hate these great reads. It’s been a while since I’ve posted one of these features and what could be more appropriate for review than 1984 by George Orwell.

Dec 29

4 Comments

Our best books read in 2025

Many of the major book sites have released their top books of 2025 so we figured our panel would share their favorite reads of the year. While our lists do contain many books published in 2025, they are not exclusive to 2025 but rather the best books we read during the year.

Here are the top 5 books that each of our panel members read in 2025.

Nov 6

2 Comments

2025 Booker Shortlist: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

Last but not least is The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. You can read our short reviews here: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. The novel made it onto three of our predictions lists with Nicole, Lisa, and myself predicting it would make the shortlist. The Booker judges had this to say about the book…

‘At its heart, this book is about Sonia and Sunny’s love, but it is also an expansive novel that encompasses several other characters and concerns. It is an intimate story about two people finding a pathway to love and each other. Read it if you are looking for a truly unforgettable epic, one rich in meditations about class, race, nationhood and the titular loneliness.’

What does our panel think of the odds of this book being this year’s winner? Keep reading to find out

Oct 28

1 Comment

2025 Booker Shortlist: The Rest of our lives

Next up is The Rest of our Lives. You can read our short reviews here: The Rest of our Lives. The novel made it onto 0 of our predictions lists. The Booker judges had this to say about the book

‘When Tom Layward’s wife cheated on him, he stayed for the children but promised to leave when his youngest turned eighteen. Twelve years later, Tom drops his daughter off at college, but instead of driving back to New York he heads west. What follows is a remarkably satisfying road trip full of strangers, friends, and self-discovery. It’s clear author Ben Markovits has spent time teaching. This novel speaks like a much-loved professor, one whose classes have a terribly long waitlist. It’s matter of fact, effortlessly warm, and it uses the smallest parts of human behaviour to uphold bigger themes, like mortality, sickness, and love. The Rest of Our Lives is a novel of sincerity and precision. We found it difficult to put it down.’

What does our panel think of the odds of this book being this year’s winner? Keep reading to find out