The Booker judges have made their choices, and six novels have made it through to the shortlist. But what about the books left behind? In this episode, Kate is joined by regular-contributor Phil Chaffee, and Elizabeth Eva Leach and Charlotte Kearsley (both Patreon members) to give the best-of-the-rest their moment in the spotlight. Between them, […]

It’s the end of summer, so Kate and Laura are looking back over their holiday reading, the books they loved, the ones that disappointed them, and the unexpected discoveries that made their reading lists longer rather than shorter. We talk about Alex E. Harrow’s huge fantasy novel The Everlasting, and why it turned out to be […]

What makes secondhand books so irresistible? Kate and Laura celebrate the joy of used bookshops, their favourite places to shop, literary finds and the thrill of unexpected discoveries. There’s also an interview with W. B. Gooderham, author of Dedicated To, a book that explores the touching, funny and sometimes heartbreaking messages that can be found in […]

In this episode Kate is joined by Amanda Moulson, co-host of the Curious Readers podcast, to consider the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist. Ahead of the prize ceremony next week, which one do we think will win? Perhaps like Amanda you have read them all, but if, like Kate, you’re going to struggle to […]

When the Guardian newspaper drops a list of the 100 Best Novels of All Time it’s time to drop everything to talk about it. Luckily pod-regular guest, journalist Phil Chaffee and Joseph Dance, host of the Curious Readers podcast, also had views, and were willing to get together on a Sunday evening to share them. […]

A new local literary festival provided the perfect opportunity to record the very first Book Club Review live. Kate is joined by author and broadcaster Bee Rowlatt, whose books include the best-selling Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad, which went on to be dramatised by the BBC, and In Search of Mary inspired by Mary Wollstonecraft. Bee also runs […]

New year, new intentions – but if you’re in the northern hemisphere, January can feel less like renewal and more like the darkest, coldest stretch of endless winter. Maybe what you need isn’t another resolution. Maybe you just need the right book. Ella Berthoud is an writer and an artist, but most importantly from our […]

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 […]

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 […]