We're back to finish Luke's list of favourite books he's read this year - including an EPIC fantasy, a global best-seller smash, the end of a romantic trilogy very well known to listeners of this podcast, and Luke's absolute top pick which he now calls one of his favourites of all time!

Which of these have you read? What have your favourite book discoveries of the year been so far?
Let us know and have your voice notes featured on the podcast: 
email goodbooks@taptmedia.com.au.

Stay connected on our socials:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/ 
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast 

We're back to finish Luke's list of favourite books he's read this year - including an EPIC fantasy, a global best-seller smash, the end of a romantic trilogy very well known to listeners of this podcast, and Luke's absolute top pick which he now calls one of his favourites of all time!
Which of these have you read? What have your favourite book discoveries of the year been so far? Let us know and have your voice notes featured on the podcast:&nbsp; email <a href="mailto:goodbooks@taptmedia.com.au">goodbooks@taptmedia.com.au</a>.
Stay connected on our socials: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/&nbsp; TikTok - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast">https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast</a>&nbsp;

What’s your story? Everyone has one — the ones we read and the ones we live.

In The Good Books is a new weekly podcast that serves as a community for those who believe in the power of a good story.

Each week, host Luke Bateman shares the books that have shaped his world, from timeless classics to buzzy bestsellers. He’ll also sit down with the most fascinating voices in the literary world — from bestselling authors to emerging new talent — as they reveal the inspirations behind their work.

This is more than a book club; it's a space to explore how the stories we consume influence the lives we lead.

We want to hear from you! Send us your audio by emailing us at GoodBooks@nine.com.au. 

Follow all the action on our socials: 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast

What&rsquo;s your story? Everyone has one &mdash; the ones we read and the ones we live.
In The Good Books is a new weekly podcast that serves as a community for those who believe in the power of a good story.
Each week, host Luke Bateman shares the books that have shaped his world, from timeless classics to buzzy bestsellers. He&rsquo;ll also sit down with the most fascinating voices in the literary world &mdash; from bestselling authors to emerging new talent &mdash; as they reveal the inspirations behind their work.
This is more than a book club; it's a space to explore how the stories we consume influence the lives we lead.
We want to hear from you! Send us your audio by emailing us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:GoodBooks@nine.com.au">GoodBooks@nine.com.au</a>.&nbsp;
Follow all the action on our socials:&nbsp;
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast

Luke Bateman shares the books that have shaped his world, from timeless classics to buzzy bestsellers. A community for those who believe in the power of a good story.

In The Good Books with Luke Bateman

Luke's Favourite Reads in 2026 So Far (Part 2)

Sydney-based author Joshua Hortinella, after becoming beloved in the book industry for over a decade, has just penned Hate You to Love You, one of the most vibrant romance debuts of the year.

Josh spills wild behind-the-scenes secrets of bookselling—including the joys of stocking, heartwarming customer interactions, and mysterious boxes. 
He opens up about how queer representation helped him overcoming feeling like a "side character" in his own life, shares the emotional highs and lows of writing enemies-to-lovers dynamics, how his book was an accidental love letter, and why holding it for the first time was an experience so powerful he almost had a panic attack. 

But most of all, Josh shares his deep love for love itself, including rom-com nostalgia and why queer literature is for everyone, along with his top three recommendations for jus that topic... along with the book he is drawn to read every single winter.

Sydney-based author Joshua Hortinella, after becoming beloved in the book industry for over a decade, has just penned Hate You to Love You, one of the most vibrant romance debuts of the year.
Josh spills wild behind-the-scenes secrets of bookselling&mdash;including the joys of stocking, heartwarming customer interactions, and mysterious boxes.&nbsp; He opens up about how queer representation helped him overcoming feeling like a "side character" in his own life,&nbsp;shares the emotional highs and lows of writing enemies-to-lovers dynamics, how his book was an accidental love letter, and why holding it for the first time was an experience so powerful he almost had a panic attack.&nbsp;
But most of all, Josh shares his deep love for love itself, including rom-com nostalgia and why queer literature is for everyone, along with his top three recommendations for jus that topic... along with the book he is drawn to read every single winter.

Joshua Hortinela Talks Representation, That 'Rom Com Feeling' and His Top Queer Romance Recommendations

A pre-birth prophecy, a contrarian relationship to fear that pushes her toward her deepest discomforts, and years spent studying both the stars and the greatest monsters of our imaginations alike. 
These aren't the notes of a fictional character - this is the lore of V.E Schwab herself!  

In this incredibly candid interview, she tells Luke all about it, along with illuminating insights into her writing philosophy and her most loved works, including:
How The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue contains her most personal character ever (that's not Addie!)
How Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil explores not only her favourite monster, but one of her favourite themes
 How she had the end to her her upcoming novel Victorious, the finale in her Villains Trilogy, from the very start - and exactly what we can expect from it.

 

A pre-birth prophecy, a contrarian relationship to fear that pushes her toward her deepest discomforts, and years spent studying both the stars and the greatest monsters of our imaginations alike.&nbsp; These aren't the notes of a fictional character - this is the lore of V.E Schwab herself!&nbsp;&nbsp;
In this incredibly candid interview, she tells Luke all about it, along with illuminating insights into her writing philosophy and her most loved works, including:
<ul>
<li>How&nbsp;The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue contains her most personal character ever (that's not Addie!)</li>
<li>How&nbsp;Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil explores not only her favourite monster, but one of her favourite themes</li>
<li>&nbsp;How she had the end to her her upcoming novel Victorious, the finale in her Villains Trilogy, from the very start - and exactly what we can expect from it.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

V.E Schwab: Fear, Magic, Monsters and Her Own 'Deep Lore'

There are few more beloved voices in fantasy writing than Australia's own Garth Nix - with Luke accounting for a fair share of that love himself.

Here, the two finally sit down to discuss Garth's hesitant awakening as a writer, his process of using 'bad maps' to great novels, how his landmark work Sabriel was originally intended to be very different, his latest venture (and adventure) into science fiction with Massif - and even why he thinks that if he weren't a writer, he might well be in jail!

There are few more beloved voices in fantasy writing than Australia's own Garth Nix - with Luke accounting for a fair share of that love himself.
Here, the two finally sit down to discuss Garth's hesitant awakening as a writer, his process of using 'bad maps' to great novels, how his landmark work&nbsp;Sabriel was originally intended to be very different, his latest venture (and adventure) into science fiction with Massif&nbsp;- and even why he thinks that if he weren't a writer, he might well be in jail!

Luke's Favourite Reads in 2026 So Far (Part 2)

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