Book Lounge by Libby

Book Lounge by Libby
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The Professional Book Nerds podcast is now, Book Lounge by Libby Book Lounge by Libby is the podcast where authors, book lovers, and industry insiders come together to talk about the stories we love and the impact they have. Hosted by Joe Skelley, each episode invites you into a cozy, candid conversation about books, writing, publishing, and the trends shaping the literary world. PLUS, every episode features book recommendations from some of your favorite online content creators. Book Lounge airs two seasons per year, along with special monthly episodes. Whether you're into sweeping romances, chilling thrillers, epic fantasies, or powerful memoirs, there's something in the Lounge for every reader. So, grab your favorite drink, get cozy, and meet us in the Book Lounge. Find more at: https://pages.libbylife.com/BL-Links  Brought to you by Libby, the library app.

  1. January 2026 Book Picks: New Year, New TBRs

    DEC 18 · BONUS

    January 2026 Book Picks: New Year, New TBRs

    As we head into the holiday season, we’re already looking ahead—because nothing pairs better with cocoa and cozy time off than planning your next year’s TBR 🎄📚  For our January 2026 Book Picks (and the final Book Lounge episode of 2025!), I'm joined by Madison to break down the new releases we cannot wait to snag in the new year. These are the books we’re placing holds and adding to notify me tags in Libby, lining up for holds, and mentally reading before the wrapping paper’s even recycled ✨  This episode is equal parts holiday sendoff and new year reading hype. We’re taking a short break, soaking up the season, and coming back in January 2026 with all-new episodes.  🎁 One last thing before the year ends! Help shape the future of Book Lounge by completing our listener survey by January 5: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8564187/2025-Book-Lounge-Listener-Survey  Happy holidays, happy reading, and may your holds come in early. ✨📖  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Titles mentioned in this episode:  Madison’s picks:  Graceless Heart – Isabel Ibañez  The Midnight Carousel – Fiza Saeed McLynn  Silver & Blood – Jessie Mihalik  The Elsewhere Express – Samantha Sotto Yambao  Women of a Promiscuous Nature – Donna Everhart  Dragon Cursed – Elise Kova  When Trees Testify – Beronda L. Montgomery  Joe’s picks:   Half His Age – Jennette McCurdy  Is This a Cry for Help? - Emily Austin  How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder – Nina McConigley  Meet the Newmans – Jennifer Niven  Fustuk – Robert Mgrdich Apelian  Gaslit – Megan Davidhizar  Better the Devil – Erik J. Brown  Check out Madison’s Bookstagram  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:01:07 Intro  00:07:33 January 2026 Book Picks with Madison!’  01:17:11 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 21m
  2. Our Favorite Reads of 2025

    DEC 11 · BONUS

    Our Favorite Reads of 2025

    We're wrapping up 2025 with a big, bookish bow! In this year-end celebration, Joe is joined by Carmen, Cece, Jananie K. Velu, Kayla, and Meara as everyone brings two of their favorite reads of the entire year. From unforgettable characters to gasp-worthy plots, these are the books that rose straight to the top of our 2025 lists.   Whether you're building your 2026 TBR or reliving your favorite reads of the year, settle in — this is the coziest way to close out the season.    ✨ Don’t forget to take our podcast survey!  Running now through January 5. We want to hear from you!  Survey link: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8564187/2025-Book-Lounge-Listener-Survey   Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Guest host recommendations:  Carmen  Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings - Myriam Gurba  The Possession of Alba Diaz - Isabel Canas  Cece  Listen to Your Sister – Neena Viel  The Luis Ortega Survival Club – Sonora Reyes  Jananie  Dust Settles North – Deena ElGenaidi  Immaculate Conception – Ling Ling Huang  Kayla  Julie Chan is Dead- Liann Zhang  The Compound- Aisling Rawle  Meara  Girl Dinner – Olivie Blake  Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng - Kylie Lee Baker  Joe   When the Wolf Comes Home – Nat Cassidy   Victorian Psycho – Virginia Feito  Hungerstone – Kat Dunn   Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Carmen – link  Cece - link  Jananie K. Velu – link  Kayla - link  Meara – link   Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:01:07 Intro  00:03:54 Best Reads of 2025  00:03:22 The Summer Book on KANOPY  00:31:52 Best Reads of 2025  01:03:01 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 6m
  3. Festive Fiction: Talking Holiday Reads for Cozy Winter Nights

    DEC 4

    Festive Fiction: Talking Holiday Reads for Cozy Winter Nights

    Season 2 is wrapping up with a bow! In this festive finale of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe gathers holiday-lit icons Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso, and Matthew Norman for a lively conversation about writing wintery stories across genres—from heartfelt romance to twisty mystery to big-hearted contemporary fiction.  Then in Segment 2, our guest hosts slide down the chimney with their best holiday reading recommendations to keep your TBR merry and bright.  Pour a mug of something warm, cozy up under your favorite blanket, and celebrate the end of another incredible season with us. And don’t forget—more great content is coming your way in the new year, so make sure you're subscribed!  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  Find all the books by our guests and mentioned in this episode here: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/festive-fiction-talking-holiday-reads-for-cozy-winter-nights-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-10   Guest host recommendations:  Cece  Make My Wish Come True - Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick   Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology - ed. Ellen Datlow  Jananie  A Little Holiday Fling – Farah Heron  The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year – Ally Carter  Meara  The Afterlife of Holly Chase - Cynthia Hand   The Christmas Murder Game - Alexandra Benedict  Joe  You Better Watch Out – James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth  Season of Love – Helena Greer  Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Alexandra Benedict – Instagram    Jenny Bayliss - Instagram  Maisha Oso - Website  Matthew Norman – Website  Segment 2:   Cece - link  Jananie K. Velu – link  Meara - link  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:22 Intro  00:01:53 Writing for the Season with Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso & Matthew Norman!  01:01:29 BREAK – Some holiday reads from Kensington Books  01:04:22 Holiday Reads with Cece, Jananie & Meara!  01:41:22 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 47m
  4. Page to Screen Magic: Authors on Adaptations

    NOV 20

    Page to Screen Magic: Authors on Adaptations

    Buckle up, book lovers — we’re going full Hollywood this week in an extended edition of Book Lounge! Joe kicks things off with the iconic Louis Sachar, who spills delightful behind-the-scenes tea about writing the Holes screenplay, hanging out on set, and the surreal experience of getting residual checks for his cameo.   Then Danielle Valentine pops in to chat about Delicate Condition and its evolution into American Horror Story: Delicate.   For the grand finale, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu and Meara for a joyfully nerdy celebration of book-to-screen adaptations.  It’s big. It’s bookish. It’s cinematic. And it’s a blast.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  Find all the books by our guests and mentioned in this episode here: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/page-to-screen-magic-authors-on-adaptations-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-9  Guest host recommendations:  Jananie  Howl’s Moving Castle - Dianna Wynne Jones  The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson  Frankenstein – Mary Shelley  Meara  It’s Kind of a Funny Story – Ned Vizzini   Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion  The Long Walk - Stephen King as Richard Bachman  Joe  Mommie Dearest – Christina Crawford & With Love, Mommie Dearest - A. Ashley Hoff  Watch Mommie Dearest on Kanopy  Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer  Watch Into the Wild on Kanopy  Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Louis Sachar - website  Danielle Valentine – website  Segment 2:   Jananie K. Velu – Links  Meara - Links  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:01:06 Intro  00:02:47 Louis Sachar on HOLES  00:42:47 Break!  00:44:11 Danielle Valentine on DELICATE CONDITION & AHS: DELICATE  01:33:15 Page to Screen Recs with Jananie K. Velu & Meara!  02:28:17 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    2h 33m
  5. Food for Thought: Holiday Feasts, Mamrie Hart, and the Books We’re Thankful For

    NOV 13

    Food for Thought: Holiday Feasts, Mamrie Hart, and the Books We’re Thankful For

    Comedian, writer, and foodie extraordinaire Mamrie Hart joins Joe in the Book Lounge to talk about her new cookbook All I Think About Is Food, her must-haves for holiday hosting, and why laughter really is the secret ingredient. Then, Carmen, Kevin Norman, and Meara pull up a chair to share the books they’re most thankful for this holiday season. A feast of laughs, stories, and reads you’ll want seconds of! 🦃📚  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  Find all the books by our guests and mentioned in this episode here: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/food-for-thought-holiday-feasts-mamrie-hart-and-the-books-we-re-thankful-for-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-8   Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Mamrie Hart - Instagram , podcast: This Might Get Weird  Segment 2:   Carmen - link  Kevin T. Norman – link  Meara - link  Guest host recommendations:  Carmen  Charlotte’s Web - E. B. White  Signal to Noise - Silvia Moreno-Garcia   Kevin  Inferno’s Heir - Tiffany Wang  Black Salt Queen – Samantha Bansil  Meara  Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Caitlin Doughty  UnWind - Neal Shusterman  Joe   Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse - Kevin Henkes  The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket  Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging - Louise Rennison  You – Caroline Kepnes  Sailor Moon volume 1 – Naoko Takeuchi  Cardcaptor Sakura volume 1 - CLAMP  Tsubasa volume 1 - CLAMP  Holic volume 1 - CLAMP  I Think Our Son Is Gay volume 1 - Okura   The House in the Cerulean Sea – TJ Klune  Witchlings - Claribel A. Ortega  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:22 Intro  00:01:20 Segment 1 with Mamrie Hart!  00:53:54 BREAK – check out these cozy Fall Reads from Kensington Books  00:56:08 Segment 2 with Carmen, Kevin Norman & Meara!  01:42:06 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 47m
  6. Science Fiction Double Feature: Exploring New Worlds through Books

    NOV 6

    Science Fiction Double Feature: Exploring New Worlds through Books

    It’s time to go beyond the stars! In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by Alex Segura, Daniel H. Wilson, and Ken Liu for a cosmic conversation on the ever-evolving world of science fiction. They dive into the genre’s growth, the art of writing in shared universes, and their own galaxy-sized reading recs. Then, Cece and Meara join for segment two with stellar sci-fi book recommendations to add to your TBR.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  https://www.libbylife.com/blog/science-fiction-double-feature-exploring-new-worlds-through-books-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-7   Guest host recommendations:  Cece  The Seep - Chana Porter  Salvation Day - Kali Wallace  Meara  The End of Men - Christina Sweeney-Baird  Annie Bot - Sierra Greer  Joe   August Kitko and the Mechas from Space – Alex White   The Bones Beneath My Skin – TJ Klune  Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Alex Segura - website  Daniel H. Wilson - website  Ken Liu - website  Segment 2:   Cece – links  Meara - links   Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:23 Intro  00:01:23 Segment 1 with Alex Segura, Daniel H. Wilson & Ken Liu  00:52:53 Break  00:53:51 Segment 2 – Sci-Fi Recs with Cece & Meara!  01:29:12 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 33m
  7. Library Love Letters

    OCT 30

    Library Love Letters

    This episode is our ode to the library—the beating heart of every book lover’s story. In segment one, Joe is joined by authors (and librarians, both current and former!) Terah Shelton Harris, Eva Jurczyk, PJ Nelson, and Jenn McKinlay to talk about how their time in libraries shaped their writing and storytelling.  Then, in segment two, Joe and our guest hosts share book recommendations by librarians, about librarians, and featuring that unmistakable library charm.  Whether you’re a lifelong cardholder or just love the scent of a good book, this episode is for you.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  https://www.libbylife.com/blog/library-love-letters-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-6   Guest host recommendations:  Amy  The Lions of Fifth Avenue - Fiona Davis  The Reading List - Sarah Nisha Adams  Carmen  The Next Best Fling - Gabriella Gamez  That Librarian - Amanda Jones  Cece  Gay the Pray Away - Natalie Naudus  84 Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff  Meara   If the Shoe Fits - Julie Murphy  The Archived - Victoria Schwab  Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Eva Jurczyk - website  Jenn McKinlay - website  Phillip DePoy (PJ Nelson) - website  Terah Shelton Harris - website  Segment 2:   Amy Allen Clark – links  Carmen – links  Cece – links  Meara - links  Articles mentioned in this episode:  https://www.libbylife.com/blog/2025-03-06-search-like-a-pro-expert-tips-for-finding-your-next-read-in-the-libby-app   Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:22 Intro  00:02:10 Segment 1 with Eva Jurczyk, Jenn McKinlay, PJ Nelson & Terah Shelton Harris!  01:02:27 Libby Tip: Search like a Pro!  01:07:52 Segment 2 with Amy, Carmen, Cece & Meara!  01:58:05 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    2h 2m
  8. Witch Please: Cozy & Witchy Reads for Fall

    OCT 23

    Witch Please: Cozy & Witchy Reads for Fall

    Witch please! In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we’re leaning all the way into fall vibes with cozy and witchy reads that’ll keep you warm as the weather cools.  In segment one, Joe is joined by Claribel A. Ortega, Liz Montague, HB Akumiah, and Travis Baldree for a fireside chat about all things cozy fantasy, witchy worlds, and why we can’t get enough of stories that feel like a soft blanket and a spellbook in one.  Then in segment two, Bre, Kayla, and Meara stop by to share their favorite cozy and witchy reads to add to your TBR cauldron.  Whether you love small-town magic, talking familiars, or books that smell like cinnamon and candle wax, this episode will enchant your fall reading list.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Link to our full book list:  https://www.libbylife.com/blog/witch-please-cozy-witchy-reads-for-fall-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-5   Guest host recommendations:  Bre  A Murder for Miss Hortense - Mel Pennant   Snapdragon - Kat Leyh  Kayla  The Ex Hex – Erin Sterling  We Ride Upon Sticks – Quan Barry  Meara  The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna  Sweet and Bitter Magic - Adrienne Tooley  Follow the guests & guest hosts:   Segment 1:  Claribel A. Ortega - Website  H.B. Akumiah - Instagram  Liz Montague - Website  Travis Baldree - Website  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Kayla - Links  Meara – Links   Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:21 Intro  00:02:48 Segment 1 with Claribel A. Ortega, Liz Montague, HB Akumiah & Travis Baldree!  00:56:43 BREAK  00:58:42 Segment 2 – Book Recs with Bre, Kayla & Meara!  01:42:13 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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

    1h 47m
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About

The Professional Book Nerds podcast is now, Book Lounge by Libby Book Lounge by Libby is the podcast where authors, book lovers, and industry insiders come together to talk about the stories we love and the impact they have. Hosted by Joe Skelley, each episode invites you into a cozy, candid conversation about books, writing, publishing, and the trends shaping the literary world. PLUS, every episode features book recommendations from some of your favorite online content creators. Book Lounge airs two seasons per year, along with special monthly episodes. Whether you're into sweeping romances, chilling thrillers, epic fantasies, or powerful memoirs, there's something in the Lounge for every reader. So, grab your favorite drink, get cozy, and meet us in the Book Lounge. Find more at: https://pages.libbylife.com/BL-Links  Brought to you by Libby, the library app.

Information

  • Creator
    Book Lounge by Libby
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    908
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved 2025

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