Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist Reaction 2025

The @Womens_Prize for Fiction shortlist is here and here’s my reaction to it! Hope you enjoy and can’t wait for your thoughts. #books #womensprize #booktube #reading

Books Mentioned…

You’ll have to watch the video to find out what the books are as I didn’t want to even tempt this breaking any NDA. I will update this in due course.

Me Elsewhere…

[vanessahunter]

Glad safekeep is there, a tad disapointed that amma, nesting and dream hotel, isn't there.

[kristinebenoitdebykhovetz]

Yep sadly not as excited about it as I was about it last year. Last years long list and short list were excellent. Sorry to say that this years selection is not for me. The International Booker longlist, on the other hand, this years is exceptionally good. Definitely worth reading all of them. Possibly some of the best reads I’ve done not only this year but of all time. Can’t recommend enough.

[gracechapman]

I decided to read all of the Lucy Barton books after your thoughts on them and I'm loving them! Lucy Barton took a while for me to really click with but then Anything is Possible blew me away! Really looking forward to reading all of them and getting to Tell Me Everything <3

[pixy]

Omg, thank you so much! Fundamental is basically my thesis topic and no one did not mention me that book before!

[lisafrericks]

This is my first year following the Women’s Prize for fiction. I have enjoyed watching your videos. I’m disappointed that Nesting and Crooked Seeds didn’t make it. I can’t wait to see the videos you do with your mom.

[CharlieBrookReads]

Great to hear your reaction.

I was sad for Nesting and Little Trickerie but pleased they were longlisted so it pushed me to read them.

There are still a few on the shortlist I am interested in.😊

[nancynurse]

Exciting list. I am going to read The Safe Keep, Nesting, Amma, and Birding. Also, going to read Dream Hotel for the prompt "set in a hotel/motel"

[nina-]

The short list!! I was disappointed that dream hotel and nesting was not on the list. But happy about good girl and the safekeep, my guess is that one of those two will win. I'm currently reading the persians, so lets see how that goes. Fundamentally does not sound like a book for me, so that will be one I will skip. But otherwise excited about the list!

[LydLoves]

Great video! I am also sad about Dream Hotel not making it on there! Also your thoughts on Good Girl make me more excited to read it!

[solarsatori]

Surprised Ministry of Time didn’t make it. That book has been recommended by everyone everywhere non stop.

[fozzymup]

I waited for your reactions, interesting short list! I loved The Pisces, so it sounds like I would like All Fours! Thanks for all your thoughts on the books on the Women's Prize for Fiction, now oh to the non fiction short list thoughts! Best Wishes 💕

[lyndsayreads]

I'm a bit disappointed by the shortlist if I'm honest. Granted, I only read 8 of the longlist but have read 4 of the 6 books shortlisted. And I think several others, including The Dream Hotel and Nesting, were much stronger books than some of the shortlist. I'm aiming to read Elizabeth Strout in order so won't be getting to Tell Me Everything right now. But it'll definitely be interesting to see who wins!

[emmavd]

Thank you, Simon!🌷I’ve only read two (Tell Me Everything and Fundamentally), am currently reading Somewhere Else (and actually liking it), and, after reading Raising Hare (the only WP non-fiction I’ll be reading), I’m going to read The Artist. I’m happy with what I’ve been reading so far. I have the feeling that there’s plenty of choice for every taste. Very much looking forward to yours and Louise’s videos reviewing the shortlists🥰🥰

[wooshell]

I am always excited for the shortlist announcement normally, but underwhelmed with this. I have been disappointed at the lack of accessible fiction (all a bit too literary I think so won't appeal to a wide audience) and all hardbacks also will exclude a number of readers who will have to wait until the paperback release. I just want as many people as possible reading womens fiction all of the time.
I only got two predictions right.

[lauracorsi]

I’m not going to lie—pretty disappointed in the shortlist. Only 2 that I liked made it. Obviously the judges and I have different taste.

[tonebonekoneable]

Need to catch up with a few of these. Miranda July’s would be a great win and so would Elizabeth Strout!

[nancynurse]

I just watched the official release video. Really amazing to hear what the judges opinions of each book is aloog with reasons for them being on the list.

[cindyhaiken]

I think the best thing about this shortlist, apart from Strout’s novel being there, is hearing you talk about it and muse and ramble and have fast black and white asides. I am quite disappointed by these choices, but I accept that reading is subjective and that this is just not my year for the Women’s Prize in Fiction. Will read Good Girl because I am a completist so we’ll see.

[Nana_Olafsson]

Always enjoyed the Women's Prize. Although this year I found the reading vlogs on booktube, especially yours, far more enjoyable and exciting then the prize itself. Most of the books on the lists are not for me it seems. Same as last year to be honest. I will reread the Safekeep and pick up Nesting from the library when it's finally available again. Reading Clear by Carys Davies at the moment, which is a marvelous read so far. I'm also intrigued by Torrey Peters' book Stag Dance. Thank you for sharing your reading experience and the recommendations 😊 It's a joy watching your videos!

[benreadsgood]

I can’t really fault the list, because the three I’ve read were all 5 stars. But at the same time it feels a little odd. Not sure why! I think it perhaps just doesn’t match up with the books from the longlist I’ve seen most people raving about - Nesting, The Artist, A Little Trickerie, and The Dream Hotel.

I am also sad that I won’t be a shortlist-completer this year, because I’ve only read Olive Kitteridge and I don’t want to rush through the Lucy Barton books to read this one!