APPROX AGE RATING: 15+

Welcome to Episode 1 of Season 6 of The Reading Cafe, winner of Emerging Talent at the 2026 Scottish Podcast Awards, and current Interview and Specialist FINALIST at the 2026 British Podcast Awards, as well as Books FINALIST at the 2026 Independent Podcast Awards!

This special Reading Cafe LIVE audience episode was recorded at the Edinburgh International Book Festival where we were joined by multi-award winning novelist, screenwriter and journalist, Patrick Ness - author of the Chaos Walking series.

Our fabulous presenters, Molly and Daisy, had a remarkable conversation with Patrick about his amazing career and the new chapter in the Chaos Walking story, Piper at the Gates of Dusk.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How Patrick approached his return to New World, following the massive success of his original Chaos Walking series
• The themes that find their way into his writing, and how he balances them with his characters’ journeys
• Why he isn’t threatened by AI in the creation of literature

PLUS: Noah presents an Ed Book Fest featurette including mini-interviews with YA Book Prize shortlisted writers, Harry Trevaldwyn, Elgan Rhys, Mared Roberts, Anika Hussain and overall winner, Josh Silver who picked up the trophy for Traumaland.

To learn more:

Patrick Ness - https://patrickness.com/

Josh Silver - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8e4k4zxwwlo

YA Book Prize - https://www.thebookseller.com/the-ya-book-prize/the-ya-book-prize-2026

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!

Follow us on Instagram: @readingcafepod

APPROX AGE RATING: 14+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe, the award-winning podcast from Holy Cross High School that aims to get people talking about reading!

This superb season finale episode features Radiya Hafiza, author of The Silver Kingdom.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why the enemies-to-lovers plot continues to grip romantasy readers
• How Radiya approaches planning her stories, especially when writing a dual-narrative
• The opportunities fantasy offers to address difficult real-world topics

To learn more:

Radiya Hafiza - https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Radiya-Hafiza/232707659

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Please do subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!

Follow us on Instagram: @readingcafepod

APPROX AGE RATING: 12+

Welcome back to The Reading Cafe, the award-winning podcast from Holy Cross High School that aims to get people talking about reading!

This special episode is the first ever Reading Cafe LIVE Jr, which features award-winning fantasy writer, Ross MacKenzie, who speaks with Nora and Orla about his latest thrilling novel, The Uninvited.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How (or even if...) Ross plans his stories, and how he visualises the exciting events of his books
• Ross's approach to addressing real world issues through junior fiction
• The influence of Scotland on his unique brand of fantasy writing

This episode was recorded in the Banqueting Hall at South Lanarkshire Council HQ before an audience of South Lanarkshire P7 pupils on the cusp of beginning in S1 at Holy Cross High School. Thank to the following schools for coming along to enjoy the show: St Bride's, St Elizabeth's, St John's (Blackwood), St John the Baptist, Our Lady and St Anne's, St Mary's (Hamilton), St Mary's (Larkhall) and St Paul's.

To learn more:

Ross MacKenzie - https://www.andersenpress.co.uk/contributors/ross-mackenzie/

Don’t miss a single episode of The Reading Cafe! Please do subscribe, leave a rating or review wherever you listen, and most importantly… keep reading!

Follow us on Instagram: @readingcafepod