I love this prize and have done for ages, this year being all the more special because I am judging the First Novel Award and can finally talk about the shortlist.

So what do you make of the category winners? Which have you read and what did you think? Which really take your fancy and which do you think will win, I would love to know all of this, so do tell me in the comments below.Īre here… finally. It also means I can finally share some reviews of the Costa shortlisted books I have read and some of the submissions that didn’t make the debut shortlist but I am desperate to talk to you about and send you off to read. These five books now go head to head for the Costa Book of the Year 2017 and I have decided I am going to read them in time for the party (which I am taking my mother to, she is thrilled) and the announcement on Tuesday January 30th 2018.

So here they all are…Ĭosta Children’s Book of the Year: The Explorer by Katherine RundellĬosta Poetry Collection of the Year: Inside the Wave by Helen DunmoreĬosta Biography of the Year: In The Days of Rain by Rebecca StottĬosta Novel of the Year: Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregorĬosta First Novel of the Year: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman It only seems the other day that I was getting asked to judge the Costa Book Awards (a moment that left me in a 50/50 mixture of shock and delight) and now my job is done as we announce the category winners, I was judging the debut category if you missed it.

Go Fox by Helen Dunmore