We are delighted to reveal the 2025 winners of The Readings Prize!
This year's winners include a dazzling novel about a destitute young writer who is caught in a web of lies, a fast-paced fantasy featuring a curious girl discovering a big family secret, a darkly funny take on working in retail during the apocalypse, and a compulsive debut about magic and the machinations of the rich and powerful.
Discover the 2025 winners of The Readings Prize below, and read the full judges report here.
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New Australian Fiction Prize Winner
I Want Everything
by Dominic Amerena
Summit Books. PB. $29.99 (was $34.99)
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‘Scathing and hilarious; this debut novel examines ego and its ramifications with relish. Set in Melbourne, it explores the notion of a reliable narrator. You’ll laugh, cringe and delight in this clever story of literary ambition.’
Chris Gordon, Readings Prize judge
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Children's Prize Winner
How to Free a Jinn
Raidah Shah Idil
A&U. PB. $17.99
For ages 10+
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‘Full of family, faith and big feelings, Insyirah is a fish out of water, torn between her Australian upbringing and her Malaysian heritage. We loved the humor, heart and fantasy elements within a world that is so vividly realised that you can almost feel the humidity (and taste the food)!’
Tamuz Ellazam, chair of judges
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Young Adult Prize Winner
Aisle Nine
by Ian X. Cho
Harper Collins. PB. $19.99
For ages 12+
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‘While Aisle Nine is a take on consumerism, politics, control, and much more, it’s also a straight-up blast. There’s fighting, explosions, guns and a talking stuffed cat ... there’s joy and fear and a whole lot of courage.’
Fiona Hardy, chair of judges
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Gab Williams Prize Winner
This Dream Will Devour Us
Emma Clancey
A&U. PB. $24.99
For ages 14+
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‘A beautifully thought-out urban fantasy with a well-paced, intriguing plot that weaves together fantasy, mystery, romance, and action ... Clancey delivers a conclusion that left us enthralled and desperately wishing for more.’
Annalisa Chen, chair of judges
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