The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

In this episode of Books, Baby!, Bev, Ian and Alo sit down with Australian author Joshua Hortinela to talk about his debut novel, Hate You to Love You — a funny, heartfelt love letter to rom-coms and all the messy feelings that come with falling in love. We chat about Carlos Reyes, a hopeless romantic having a quarter-life crisis, the expectations we bring to love stories, and what happens when real life refuses to follow the rules of a rom-com. Joshua also talks about writing his first novel, the books and movies that inspired him, and what it feels like to finally see his story out in the world. A conversation about romance, friendship, growing up, and why sometimes the happily-ever-after isn't quite what you expected. Connect with us via email (⁠[email protected]⁠) and on Instagram! Books, Baby! – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@booksbabypod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hosts: Ian – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@bookish_ian⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bev – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@booksgonewilde⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Alo – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@books.swallows.universe⁠⁠⁠ Guest: Joshua Hortinela – ⁠⁠⁠@joshhortinelawriter

This month, Ian, Bev, and Alo discuss Fruit Fly by Josh Silver, a sharp, darkly funny, and deeply unsettling satirical thriller about identity, ambition, desire, and the strange ways people reinvent themselves. In this episode, we unpack Silver’s wildly inventive novel, from its slippery characters and dual perspectives to its biting take on the art world, privilege, and the stories we tell about ourselves. We talk about what makes Fruit Fly so difficult to pin down—and why its mix of satire, suspense, humour, and psychological unease makes for such a memorable reading experience. Whether you've already devoured Fruit Fly or you're wondering what all the buzz is about, join us for a conversation about one of the year's most provocative and unpredictable novels. Connect with us via email (⁠[email protected]⁠) and on Instagram! Books, Baby! – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@booksbabypod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This month, Ian, Bev, and Alo discuss Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi, the winner of the 2026 International Booker Prize. Blending food, travel, history, and colonial politics, this richly layered novel invites readers on a journey through 1930s Taiwan, where every meal tells a story and every encounter reveals the complexities of identity, power, and belonging. In this episode, we unpack the novel's meditation on culture and colonialism, and discuss why this quietly ambitious work resonated so strongly with the International Booker judges. We also chat about the joys—and occasional challenges—of reading a novel that asks you to slow down and savour every detail. Whether you've already fallen in love with Taiwan Travelogue or are simply curious about this year's International Booker winner, join us for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most distinctive novels of the year. Books mentioned in this episode: ​The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran by Shida Bazyar ​She Who Remains by Rene Karabash ​The Director by Daniel Kehlmann ​On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia ​The Witch by Marie NDiaye ​Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq ​Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto ​Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang ​Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel ​The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood ​John of John by Douglas Stuart ​Whistler by Anne Patchett ​The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai ​Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor ​The Vegetarian by Han Kang ​Greek Lessons by Han Kang ​Fruit Fly by Josh Silver

Books, Baby! continues its sixth season with a discussion of The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante, a novel that begins with a seemingly ordinary holiday and unfolds into a piercing examination of motherhood, desire, and identity. In this episode, we explore the novel’s unsettling honesty, its complex portrayal of maternal ambivalence, and the questions it raises about the versions of ourselves we leave behind in order to become who we are. A conversation about expectations placed on women and mothers, and the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the stories we tell about our lives.

In the Season 6 premiere of Books, Baby!, we dive into Minor Black Figures by Brandon Taylor—a tender, searching novel set against the heat and loneliness of a New York summer. On the surface, this novel reads like a romance. But beneath the intimacy is a deeper meditation on art, race, ambition, and the quiet ache of wanting to be fully seen. In this episode, Ian, Bev and Alo unpack the emotional restraint, the tension beneath the dialogue, and the way Taylor turns New York into a backdrop for both reinvention and isolation. A conversation about connection, creativity, and the fragile distance between seeing and understanding. Books mentioned in this episode: Valencia - Michelle Tea Rejection - Tony Tulathimutte Cinema Love - Haming Tang The South - Tash Aw The Morning Star - Karl Ove Knausgård