Book Lounge by Libby

• From Beach Bags to Bedside Tables: July’s Must-Read Picks

  It’s a bonus episode, book lovers! Joe is joined by friend and fellow bookworm Emma to chat about the July 2025 releases they're most excited to add to their TBR piles. Whether you’re craving rom-coms, thrillers, fantasy, or something a little spooky, here's a stack of reads to keep your summer sizzling. From campus drama and romantic tension to magical greenhouses, haunted tunnels, and dragon-slaying heroines—there’s something for everyone this month. Add these titles to your TBR and check them out on Libby! Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the ⁠Libby App YouTube channel⁠!  Titles mentioned in this episode  Emma’s Picks:  ⁠Mean Moms⁠ by Emma Rosenblum ⁠Rose in Chains⁠ by Julie Soto (⁠https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11316498⁠)  ⁠The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy⁠ by Brigitte Knightley ⁠Wrath of the Dragons⁠ by Olivia Rose Darling  ⁠A Forbidden Alchemy⁠ by Stacey McEwan ⁠Our Last Resort⁠ by Clémence Michallon  ⁠Arcana Academy⁠ by Elise Kova ⁠Maid for Each Other⁠ by Lynn Painter ⁠Overruled⁠ by Lana Ferguson Joe's Picks: ⁠The Enchanted Greenhouse⁠ – Sarah Beth Durst ⁠Rush Week⁠ – Michelle Brandon ⁠The Art of Vanishing⁠ – Morgan Pager ⁠Mayra⁠ – Nicky Gonzalez ⁠The Bewitching⁠ – Silva Moreno-Garcia ⁠Miss Camper⁠ – Kat Fajardo ⁠Predatory Natures⁠ – Amy Goldsmith ⁠The Yomigaeri Tunnel⁠ – Kelly Murashige ⁠This is Where We Die⁠ – Cindy RX He Links from this episode: You can follow Emma's bookish updates on ⁠Instagram⁠ Find out more about Amy Allen Clark's ⁠2025 Summer Reading Guide⁠! Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in ⁠Libby⁠. Library friends can shop these titles in OverDrive Marketplace. Looking for more bookish content? Check out the ⁠Libby Life Blog⁠!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the ⁠Libby App YouTube channel⁠. Keep up with us on social media by following the ⁠Libby App on Instagram⁠!   Want to reach out? Send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. Want some cool bookish swag (including swag for our podcast)? Check out our merch store at: ⁠https://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge⁠!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  1:08:08
• Pride in Publishing: How Queer Stories Shape Readers

  Happy Pride 🌈💖! In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we’re celebrating LGBTQ+ voices and the power of queer storytelling.  In the first half of the show, Joe sits down for heartfelt, honest conversations with authors Andrew Joseph White, Juno Dawson, Susie Dumond, and Emily Austin. Each shares their unique experience as a queer writer—what inspires them, the challenges they face, and the joy of connecting with readers who see themselves in their stories.  Then, our guest hosts Carmen, Cece, Jananie, Kayla, and Meara return to the lounge with a list of incredible Pride Month reads to add to your TBR—this year and every year.  Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the Libby App YouTube channel!    Guest Host Recommendations:   Carmen's Picks:  Blackouts - Justin Torres  The Sunbearer Trials - Aiden Thomas  These Vengeful Gods – Gabe Cole Novoa  Bad Girls – Camila Sosa Villada  Cece’s Picks:   Juliet Takes a Breath - Gabby Rivera  Love & Other Disasters - Anita Kelly  Hell Followed With Us – Andrew Joseph White  Jananie’s Picks:  Fundamentally – Nussaibah Younis  The Legend of Meneka – Kritka H. Rao  Marriage of a Thousand Lies – SJ Sindu  Kayla’s Picks:   Felix Ever After- Kacen Callender  Monstrilio- Gerardo Sámano Córdova  It Came from the Closet – ed. Joe Vallese  Meara’s Picks:  This Princess Kills Monsters - Ry Herman  The Space Between Worlds - Micaiah Johnson  That Inevitable Victorian Thing - E.K. Johnston  Joe’s Picks:  Messy Roots – Laura Gao  Bath Haus – PJ Vernon  Hombrecito – Santiago Jose Sanchez  Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Part 1:  Juno Dawson - ⁠Instagram⁠  Susie Dumond - ⁠Website⁠  Part 2:  Andrew Joseph White - Website  Part 3:   Emily Austin - Website  Segment 2:   Carmen - @tomesandtextiles Linktree   Cece -  @ceceewing_ Linktree  Jananie K. Velu – @thisstoryaintover Website   Kayla - @booksandlala Linktree   Meara -  @mearaisreading Links  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!    Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: https://plotthreadsshop.com/!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  3:01:35
• Behind the Mic: Narrators, Authors, and Producers on the Magic of Audiobooks

  Welcome to the very first episode of Book Lounge by Libby! We’re kicking things off with an ode to audiobooks—the voices, the stories, and the behind-the-scenes magic that makes them so special.  First up, our host Joe chats with thriller author Carter Wilson, narrators Allyson Ryan and Patrick Zeller, and audiobook producers Catherin Bucaria and Almeda Beynon from Sourcebooks Audio to dig into what it really takes to bring a story from the page to your headphones and their work on Carter’s book TELL ME WHAT YOU DID. Then, Jason Reynolds and Dan Zitt join the lounge to talk about the creative process behind Jason’s audio-exclusive project, SOUNDTRACK.  In the second half of the show, guest hosts Carmen, Jananie K. Velu, Kayla, and Meara stop by with some truly excellent audiobook recommendations to keep you listening all year long.  Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the Libby App YouTube channel!  Guest Host Recommendations:   Carmen's Picks:  Oye - Melissa Mogollon   You Dreamed of Empires - Alvaro Enrigue   Jananie’s Picks:  Enter Ghost – Isabella Hammad  If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English – Noor Naga   Kayla’s Picks:   Recitatif- Toni Morrison  The Favorites- Layne Fargo  Meara’s Picks:   Everything is Tuberculosis  – John Green  The Weight of Blood – Tiffany D Jackson   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:   Part 1:   Carter Wilson – Website  Allyson Ryan – Website  Patrick Zeller – Website  Catherine Bucaria & Almeda Beynon, Sourcebooks Audio – Instagram  Part 2:   Jason Reynolds – Website  Dan Zitt, Penguin Random House Audio – Instagram  Segment 2:   Carmen – @tomesandtextiles Linktree  Jananie K. Velu – @thisstoryaintover Website   Kayla – @booksandlala Linktree  Meara - @mearaisreading Links  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  2:26:46
• Welcome to Book Lounge by Libby — A New Chapter Begins

  Say hello to Book Lounge by Libby, the new name for the podcast formerly known as Professional Book Nerds! In this intro, host Joe Skelley shares updates on the rebrand, what’s staying the same, and what new vibes you can expect in this next chapter. Plus, get a sneak peek at our first season - episode 1 is dropping next week, featuring a celebration of all things audiobooks. Pull up a chair—it’s going to be a great season. -- Looking for more bookish content? Check out the ⁠Libby Life Blog⁠!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the ⁠Libby App YouTube channel⁠. Keep up with us on social media by following the ⁠Libby App on Instagram⁠!   Want to reach out? Send an email to ⁠[email protected]⁠. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: ⁠https://plotthreadsshop.com/⁠!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  9:42
• Hot Reads, Cool Vibes: June 2025 Book Picks

  Joe is joined by his colleague and friend Nahomy for a fresh stack of June 2025 book picks—perfect for summer reading season. Whether you’re soaking up the sun or curled up in the AC, they’ve got something for every kind of reader.  Nahomy shares queer coming-of-age tales, romantic comedies, twisty thrillers, and empowering debuts, while Joe's picks run the gamut from eerie horror to thoughtful sci-fi , with plenty of speculative fiction and heartwarming surprises along the way.  Hit play and load up your Libby shelf with summer reads.  Mark your calendars for June 12 when we debut the podcast rebrand!  Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the Libby App YouTube channel!  Titles mentioned in this episode:  Nahomy's Picks:  Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid   If We Survive This - Racquel Marie   Sounds Like Love - Ashley Poston   The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club - Gloria Chao   The Summer We Ran - Audrey Ingram   The Other Side of Now - Paige Harbison   We Could Be Magic - Marissa Meyer   Girls Girl Girls – Shoshana von Blanckensee   Under the Neon Lights - Arriel Vinson   Joe’s Picks:  With a Vengeance – Riley Sager   A Girl Walks into the Forest – Madeleine Roux   Kill the Lax Bro – Charlotte Lillie Balogh   Dan in Green Gables – Rey Terciero   Love, Misha – Askel Aden   Arcana: The Lost Heirs – Sam Prentice-Jones  Best of All Worlds - Kenneth Oppel   The Second Chance Convenience Store – Kim Ho-Yeon (Shout-Out: The Dallergut Dream-Making District - Miye Lee) The Listeners – Maggie Stiefvater  Of Monsters and Mainframes – Barbara Truelove  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can shop these titles in OverDrive Marketplace.   Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: https://plotthreadsshop.com/!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  1:15:36

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