With five categories in the Awards, eight books are shortlisted in the Adult Fiction category, seven books in the Lifestyle Category, four for Young Adult, and six books each for the Junior Fiction and Children’s Picture Book Categories.

NZ Booklovers Director Karen McMillan says the awards, now in their seventh year, received 151 entries, all of a very high standard.

‘It was a pleasure to read so many outstanding books written by talented New Zealand authors,’ Karen McMillan says. ‘We are thrilled to celebrate the shortlisted authors after robust judging to select the finalists. Our fiction award celebrates the best in storytelling, well-written books where the story is key. Our lifestyle award applauds beautifully presented non-fiction books that can enrich our daily lives. In our Young Adult category, we sought a read that would entertain and provoke thought. For our children’s book awards, we looked for picture books and junior fiction books that engage children and foster a love of reading. We are delighted to see the exceptional books that New Zealand authors have created. These are superb books that Kiwi families will read and treasure. Thank you to our fabulous sponsors for supporting the NZ Booklovers Awards so that we can celebrate these exceptional New Zealand writers.’

The NZ Booklovers Awards 2025 shortlisted titles are:

NZ Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Book 2025, sponsored by Lighthouse PR

Better Left Dead by Catherine Lea (Bateman Books)

The Call by Gavin Strawhan (Allen & Unwin)

A House Built on Sand by Tina Shaw (Text Publishing)

The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna by Erin Palmisano (Moa Press)

The Space Between by Lauren Keenan (Penguin)

The War Photographers by SL Beaumont (Paperback Writer’s Publishing)

Weeping Angels by Riley Chance (Copy Press Books)

Woman, Missing by Sherryl Clark (HQ Fiction)

NZ Booklovers Award for Best Lifestyle Book 2025, sponsored by Benefitz

101 Ways to Find Calm by Rebekah Ballagh (Allen & Unwin)

Edith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist by Jill Trevelyan, Jennifer Taylor and Greg Donson (Massey University Press)

Kai Feast: Food Stories & Recipes from the Maunga to the Moana by Christall Lowe (Bateman Books)

The Laden Table: Recipes to share, infused with spice by Ashia Ismail-Singer, photography by Lottie Hedley (Bateman Books)

Myths & Legends of the Ancient Pākehā by Glenn Colquhoun, illustrations by Nigel Brown (Old King Press)

Play Wild: Nature Craft Projects for Tamariki by Rachel Clare (Bateman Books)

Wild Wellington Ngā Taonga Taiao: A guide to the wildlife and wild places of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika by Michael Szabo (Te Papa Press)

NZ Booklovers Award for Young Adults 2025, sponsored by Seeds Podcast

Grasshopper by Mandy Hager (OneTree House)

The Mess of Our Lives by Mary Anne Scott (OneTree House)

Migration by Steph Matuku (Huia Publishers)

The Night She Fell by Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House)

NZ Booklovers Award for Best Junior Fiction Book 2025, sponsored by The Kiwi Kids' Bookstore

Brave Kāhu and the Pōrangi Magpie by Shelley Burne-Field (Allen & Unwin)

Children of the Rush, Book 3 by James Russell (Dragon Brothers Books)

The Grimmelings by Rachael King (Allen & Unwin)

Nine Girls by Stacy Gregg (Penguin Random House)

The Raven’s Eye Runaways by Claire Mabey (Allen & Unwin)

Rimu: The Tree of Time by Lauren Keenan (Huia Publishers)

NZ Booklovers Award for Best Children’s Picture Book 2025, sponsored by Duckling Publishing

The Dream Factory by Steph Matuku, illustrated by Zak Ātea (Huia Publishers)

Elephant Park by Melanie Koster, illustrated by Jenny Cooper (Scholastic NZ)

Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Elizabeth Gray, illustrated by Rehua Wilson (Huia Publishers)

Little Axel’s Axolotl by Juliette MacIver, Illustrated by Christopher Nielsen (Walker Books)

The Squeakling by Kristin Kelly, illustrated by Ronja Schiller (Scholastic NZ)

The Very Best Words By Erin Munro, illustrated by Sarah Trolle (Moa Press)

The winner in each category will be announced on 20 March 2025, and each winner will receive $500 from NZ Booklovers.

The Best Adult Fiction Book Award is judged by author, reviewer and judge of the Ngaio Marsh Awards Stephanie Jones, reviewer and literary editor Marcus Hobson, and NZ Booklovers Director and author Karen McMillan.

The Best Lifestyle Book Award is judged by journalist and author Andrea Molloy, Whitireia publishing programme graduate, researcher and Verb Wellington volunteer Anne Kerslake Hendricks, and publisher, home renovator and foodie Iain McKenzie.

The Young Adult, Best Junior Fiction Book and Children’s Picture Book Awards are judged by creative writing teacher, assessor, mentor and reviewer Paddy Richardson, writer and former editor Heidi North, early childhood kaiako and journalist Rebekah Lyell, high school teacher, author, musician, and reviewer Chris Reed, and primary school teacher, journalist and former book editor Stacey Anyan.