Book Lounge by Libby

• Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation on Writing, Identity, and Celebration

  As Season 1 of Book Lounge by Libby comes to a close, we’re getting you ready to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with thoughtful conversations featuring Ann Dávila Cardinal, Isabel Cañas, Cleyvis Natera, Isabel Ibañez, and Tamara Yajía. 🌎 Together, they explore how heritage and identity shape their writing and the stories they share with the world.  In Segment 2, Bre, Carmen, and Cece return with their top book recommendations to keep your shelves stacked with incredible Hispanic voices. 📚✨  ✨ Season 2 of Book Lounge by Libby arrives at the end of September!  Want to watch the show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel.  Articles Mentioned and referenced in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/hispanic-heritage-month.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAbout%20National%20Hispanic%20Heritage%20Month,and%20Central%20and%20South%20America.  https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/why-fiction-from-latin-america-is-growing-in-popularity  https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/english/community/blog/posts/the-obscured-roots-of-magical-realism/#:~:text=Magical%20Realism%20is%20a%20genre,those%20that%20were%20not%20literate.  https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-magical-realism   https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/english/community/blog/posts/the-obscured-roots-of-magical-realism/   https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2022/10/latin-american-literary-traditions-through-time  https://www.fountaindale.org/magical-realism-and-the-latin-american-boom/  https://bookriot.com/new-latino-boom/  https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/why-fiction-from-latin-america-is-growing-in-popularity  https://coughtibridge.medium.com/alejo-carpentier-surrealism-and-the-birth-of-magical-realism-ca87f029040c    Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  The Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas  The Spy - Paulo Coelho  Vampires of El Norte - Isabel Cañas  The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina - Zoraida Cordova  Carmen  Saints of the Household - Ari Tison  Children of the Land - Marcelo Hernandez Castillo  Magical/Realism - Vanessa Angelica Villarreal  The Bewitching - Silvia Moreno-Garcia  Cece  The Poet X - Elizabeth Acevedo  Cantoras - Caro de Robertis  Wild Beauty - Anna-Marie McLemore  Fever Dream - Samanta Schweblin   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Ann Dávila Cardinal - Website  Isabel Cañas - Website  Cleyvis Natera - Website  Isabel Ibañez - Website  Tamara Yajía - Instagram  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Carmen – Links  Cece – Links   Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:12:29 Segment 1- Part 1: Ann Dávila Cardinal & Isabel Cañas  00:48:31 Segment 1 – Part 2: Cleyvis Natera, Isabel Ibañez & Tamara Yajía  01:33:18 BREAK – Libby Tip: Creating & Using Tags!  01:39:05 Segment 2 – Book Recs with Bre, Carmen & Cece!  02:32:08 Outro  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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• Romantasy Rising: The Explosion of a Genre and What’s Next

  Romantasy is everywhere right now — and we’re diving deep into the magic, monsters, and swoon-worthy romance fueling its meteoric rise. In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe sits down with three of the biggest names in the genre — Jennifer L. Armentrout, Olivia Rose Darling, and Katee Robert — to talk about how romantasy took over bookshelves, why it resonates with readers, and where it’s headed next.  Then Meara shares romantasy recommendations to load up your TBR.   Plus, in a Libby Life exclusive, our guests play a rapid-fire round of Romantasy Trope: Love It or Hate It — with some delightfully unexpected answers.   Want to watch the show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel.  Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-romantasy-anyway   Guest Host Recommendations:  Meara  Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider  Lore of the Wilds - Analeigh Sbrana  Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson  Bring Me Your Midnight - Rachel Griffin   Devils Like Us - L.T. Thompson  Joe   Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon – Ann Mare  Captive Prince – CS Pascat  Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Jennifer L. Armentrout - Website  Olivia Rose Darling - Website  Katee Robert - Website  Segment 2:   Meara - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:06:12 Segment 1 – Jennifer L. Armentrout, Olivia Rose Darling & Katee Robert  01:14:47 BREAK – Libby Tip: Early Return Reward!  01:18:04 Segment 2 – Romantasy Recs with Meara  01:49:01 Outro  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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• Narratives of Legacy: Indigenous Writers on History, Identity, and Survival

  In this special episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we’re joined by celebrated Indigenous authors Angeline Boulley (Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed) and Carole Lindstrom (We Are Water Protectors, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior) for a powerful conversation on legacy, language, and literature. Together, we discuss what it means to write from and for their communities, the responsibility of storytelling, and how their work connects generations past, present, and future.  This episode is a celebration of Indigenous identity, survival, and the resilience of story — and an invitation to listen, learn, and uplift.  Plus, Bre and Cece stop by with a few incredible book recs from Indigenous voices you won't want to miss.  📲 Libby Life Exclusive: Head to LibbyLife.com for a bonus moment from the Lounge, where Angeline and Carole share how their ancestors live on through their words.  Want the video episode? Check it out now on the Libby Life YouTube channel! Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.un.org/en/observances/indigenous-day https://indigenousreadsrising.com/   Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  Never Whistle at Night - ed. Shane Hawk  The Marrow Thieves - Cherie Dimaline  White Horse - Erika T. Wurth  The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham Jones   Cece  #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women - ed. Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale  The Break - Katherena Vermette  Sabrina & Corina - Kali Fajardo-Anstine  Ready When You Are - Gary Lonesborough  Joe   Métis Like Me – Tasha Hilderman  My Life: Growing Up Native in America – ed. IllumiNative  Fierce Aunties! - Laurel Goodluck, Ill. Steph Littlebird   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Angeline Boulley - Website  Carole Lindstrom - Website  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Cece - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:04:51 Segment 1 – Angeline Boulley & Carole Lindstrom  00:58:09 BREAK – Libby Tip: Audiobook Tips & Tricks  01:00:58 Segment 2 – Indigenous Recs with Bre & Cece  01:46:52 Outro    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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• The Battle Over Books: Publishers, Libraries & Banned Authors Speak Out

  Book bans are rising at an alarming rate—but librarians, authors, and publishers are fighting back. In this powerful episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by librarian and intellectual freedom advocate Amanda Jones, bestselling author Kalynn Bayron (This Poison Heart), veteran librarian and censorship expert Pat R. Scales, and Skip Dye, SVP at Penguin Random House. Together, they dive into the impact of censorship on libraries, communities, and the future of publishing.  Plus, stick around for a banned books spotlight featuring Joe, Bre, and Meara, where they share a few of their must-read titles that have faced bans or challenges.  📚 Let’s talk about what it means to protect the freedom to read.  Want the video version of the show? Visit the Libby App YouTube channel! Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  What's a book ban anyway? Depends on who you ask  Manuscripts Don’t Burn: a Timeline of Literary Censorship, Destruction, and Liberation  American Library Association Names Skip Dye Honorary Member  The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality  Under fire from state, Hillsborough’s Ayres pledges to pull more books  Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison  Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison  Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston  Meara  Pet - Akwaeke Emezi  The Midnight Lie - Marie Rutkoski  Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury  Joe  Flamer – Mike Curato  The Magic Fish – Trung Le Nguyen  All Boys Aren’t Blue - George M. Johnson   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Amanda Jones - Links  Kalynn Bayron - Website  Pat R. Scales - LinkedIn  Skip Dye – Penguin Random House  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Meara - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:05:54 Segment 1, Part 1: Amanda Jones, Kalynn Bayron, Pat R. Scales  00:50:33 Segment 1, Part 2: Skip Dye  01:17:54 BREAK  01:19:01 Segment 2: Book Recommendations with Bre, Meara & Joe  02:11:38 Outro    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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• Panels with Purpose: Creators on the Power of Graphic Novels

  In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we explore the powerful world of graphic novels. In our first segment, Joe is joined by a brilliant panel of creators—mother-daughter duo Hallie Bateman & Suzy Hopkins, Maia Kobabe, and Mattie Lubchansky—to discuss how graphic novels have evolved, the importance of accessibility, the unique creative process behind visual storytelling, and the lasting impact of their work.  Then in segment two, guest hosts Bre, Carmen, and Cece stop by with stellar graphic novel recommendations for your TBR—whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting started.  Articles Mentioned in the Intro:  The rise of the graphic novel: Mainstream and small screen, they're not just for kids anymore  History of Graphic Novels: Ancient Times to 1920  Guest Host Recommendations:  Carmen  Tales from La Vida edited by Frederick Luis Aldama  Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo  Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler  On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder  Cece  Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer  On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden  Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (author) & Lisa Sterle (illustrator)  Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu  Bre  Monster by Naoki Urasawa  Bitterroot by Walker, Brown, Greene, Renzi, and Cowles  Earthdivers by Stephen Graham Jones  The Best we Could Do by Thi Bui  Joe  Animorphs vol. 1 – KA Applegate, Michael Grant  Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Hallie Bateman - Website  Suzy Hopkins - Instagram  Maia Kobabe - Website  Mattie Lubchansky - Website  Segment 2:  Bre – Links  Carmen – Links  Cece - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:05:52 Segment 1 – Hallie Bateman & Suzy Hopkins, Maia Kobabe & Mattie Lubchansky  00:54:50 BREAK – Check out PlotThreadsShop.com & a Libby Tip – Deep Search!  00:57:55 Segment 2 – Bre, Carmen & Cece  01:43:11 Outro    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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