Book review award winners announced at Highclere Castle

The winners of Highclere Castle’s inaugural Book Readers’ Awards have been announced.

The competition, which gave keen bookworms the opportunity to review a book which had “captivated, enchanted or inspired them”, had over 500 entries in five different categories.

The various winners were invited to a special awards presentation on Friday, October 6 which was sponsored by financial services company Legal & General.

The winner of each category took home £500, with the runners-up to each category winning £100.

Sophie Honeywood was the winner in the children’s book category for her review of Enna Burning by Shannon Hale.

The children’s book runner-up was Catherine Truskolawski for her review of The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood.

Lucie Jo Bennett’s review of My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Mossfegh took first place in the novel category, followed by Sandra Zaninovich for her review of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

The history category was won by Jessica Willock for her review of Chums: How a Tiny Caste of Oxford Tories Took Over the UK by Simon Kuper.

History’s second place was claimed by Daniel Eckersley for his review of Explanatorium of History edited by Jenny Sich.

The travel category winner was Peter Godden for his review of Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson and the runner-up was Annika De Lathauwer for her review of The Alchemist by Paul Coelho.

Gerry Lawrence won the biography category with their review of Bess of Hardwick by Mary S Lovell and Jacques Wild was the runner-up with his review of Last Man Standing, Tales of Tinseltown by Sir Roger Moore.

Ethan Mead won £500 for having the best under-16 entry. He reviewed Wonder by R J Palacio.