Hot Reads, Cool Vibes: June 2025 Book Picks

In this episode of Book Lounge, we're handing the mic to the readers behind the recs! Meet our guest hosts who'll be joining us all season long to share their themed picks! To get to know everyone, they'll be answering our version of the New BookTuber Tag - diving into their reading tastes, love of libraries and vibe essentials - so you can get to know the people helping you grow your TBR. Whether you're into horror, romance, fantasy or anything in between, there's a guest you're about to fall in love with! Find our guest hosts online: Amy Allen Clark Bre Carmen Cece Jananie K. Velu Kayla Meara Time Stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:16 Intro 00:01:26 Amy Allen Clark - Mom Advice 00:14:01 Carmen - Tomes and Textiles 00:21:07 Cece - Problems of a Book Nerd 00:26:45 Mid Way Break 00:28:20 Bre - Loc'd Booktician 00:36:18 Kayla - Books and Lala 00:40:59 Meara - Meara is Reading 00:50:05 Jananie K. Velu - This Story Ain't Over 00:54:56 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!  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

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!  Time Stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:16 Intro 00:01:11 Guest Intro - Emma! 00:03:01 Catching up with Emma 00:13:45 July Book Release Recommendations 01:03:21 Outro 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

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!    Time Stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:16 Intro 00:07:56 Juno Dawson & Susie Dumond 00:53:10 Andrew Joseph White 01:27:56 Emily Austin 01:51:19 Midroll Break - Plot Threads 01:52:36 Book Recommendations 02:55:36 Outro 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

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!  Time Stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:16 Intro 00:10:48 Carter Wilson, Allyson Ryan, Patrick Zeller & Sourcebooks Audio 00:55:30 Jason Reynolds & Dan Zitt 01:35:28 Midroll Tip - Find Audiobooks By Duration 01:40:15 Audiobook Recommendations 02:21:11 Outro 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

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

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

Spring has officially sprung and so have the May 2025 book releases! Joe is joined by colleague and fellow book lover Rachel to share their top picks for this May's freshest reads. From swoony romances and thrilling mysteries to heartfelt queer YA and buzzy debuts, they’ve got a little something for every reader. Plus, stick around for Joe’s rapid-fire lightning round of even more May titles you won’t want to miss!  Whether you're loading up your Libby shelf or just need help picking your next favorite read, we've got you covered with big book energy and plenty of laughs along the way. 🌸📚  Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the Libby App YouTube channel!  Titles mentioned in this episode:   Rachel’s Picks:   The Tenant - Freida McFadden   The Love Haters - Katherine Center   Problematic Summer Romance - Ali Hazelwood  One Golden Summer - Carley Fortune  Big Dumb Eyes - Nate Bargatze   The Missing Half - Ashley Flowers   Run for the Hills - Kevin Wilson   It's a Love Story - Annabel Monaghan    Joe’s Picks:  The Art of Exile – Andrea Max   Death in the Cards – Mia P. Manansala  When Love Gives You Lemons – Steven Salvatore   The Thrashers – Julie Soto   The Starving Saints – Caitlin Starling   Disco Witches of Fire Island – Blair Fell   The Dark Maestro – Brendan Slocumb   Karen: A Brother Remembers – Kelsey Grammer   Marsha – Tourmaline   Trans History by Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett  Shoutouts section:  Murder Land – Carlyn Greenwald  Everyone Sux But You – K. Wroten   And They Were Roommates – Page Powars   Shampoo Unicorn – Sawyer Lovett   The Rebel’s Guide to Pride – Matthew Hubbard   The Busybody Book Club – Freya Sampson   The Manor of Dreams – Christina Li     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 Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram and TikTok @ProBookNerds. 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

April is here, and with it comes a fresh lineup of must-read new books! Join Joe and Madison as they dive into the most exciting releases of the month. From long-awaited sequels to unexpected gems, our TBRs are taking us on quite the journey—just like the changing season! Whether you're in the mood for something light and breezy or deep and thought-provoking, we've got the perfect springtime read for you. Grab a cozy spot in the sunshine and let’s talk books! 🌿📖✨  You can follow Madison's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/simon.says.read/ Titles mentioned in this episode:  Madison’s Picks:  Gifted and Talented – Olivie Blake   The Amalfi Curse – Sarah Penner   Their Monstrous Hearts – Yigit Turhan   The Page Turner – Viola Shipman   When the Tides Held the Moon - Venessa Vida Kelley   House of Blight - Maxym M. Martineau   Enigma - RuNyx   The Wind Weaver - Julie Johnson   The Book Club for Troublesome Women - Marie Bostwick   Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry   Joe’s Picks:  The Cat Who Saved the Library – Sosuke Natsukawa   A/S/L - Jeanne Thornton   The Staircase in the Woods – Chuck Wendig   The Cut – CJ Dotson   Make Sure You Die Screaming – Zee Carlstrom   The Last Session – Julia Bartz   Polybius – Collin Armstrong   Deadstream – Mar Romasco-Moore  Run Away with Me – Brian Selznick   Boys with Sharp Teeth – Jenni Howell  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 Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram and TikTok @ProBookNerds. 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

In this episode, Joe is joined by Nahomy to recommend books for fans of The Hunger Games, whether you're eagerly awaiting Sunrise on the Reaping or need more dystopian reads after devouring it. From high-stakes competitions and oppressive regimes to survival in broken worlds, these books will keep you on the edge of your seat. Tune in for thrilling recommendations featuring deadly trials, futuristic rebellions, twisted social experiments, and resilient heroes fighting for freedom. Nahomy’s Titles:  Scythe - Neal Shusterman  The Selection - Kiera Cass  The Grace Year - Kim Liggett   Cinder - Marissa Meyer  Joe’s Titles:  Survive the Dome – Kosoko Jackson  Together in a Broken World – Paul Michael Winters   After the Fall – Ellen Parent  The Art Thieves – Andrea L. Rogers    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 Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram and TikTok @ProBookNerds. 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

Spring is in the air, and so are a fresh batch of must-read books! In this episode, Joe is joined by Amy Clark from MomAdvice.com to dive into the most exciting new releases hitting shelves in March 2025. From highly anticipated fiction to captivating nonfiction, they’re sharing the books they can’t wait to read this month. Whether you’re looking for your next page-turner or adding to your never-ending TBR, this episode has something for every book lover. Tune in and get ready to update your reading list! 📚✨ Make sure you follow Amy on Instagram and check out the Book Gang podcast!  Title’s mentioned in this episode:  Amy’s Titles:  Red Dog Farm - Nathaniel Ian Miller  Dream Count - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie   The Jackal's Mistress - Chris Bohjalian  All the Other Mothers Hate Me - Sarah Harman   This Book Will Bury Me - Ashley Winstead   Jane and Dan at the End of the World - Colleen Oakley   Broken Country - Clare Leslie Hall   I Leave It Up to You - Jinwoo Chong   Hot Air - Marcy Dermansky   Promise Me Sunshine - Cara Bastone  Joe’s Titles:  Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert – Bob the Drag Queen   A Wizard of Earthsea  - Ursula K. Le Guin, Fred Fordham   How to Survive a Slasher – Justine Pucela Winans   The Bane Witch – Ava Morgyn   Everything is Tuberculosis – John Green   The Unworthy – Agustina Bazterrica   The Buffalo Hunter Hunter – Stephen Graham Jones   The Keeper of Lonely Spirits – EM Anderson  I’ll Love You Forever – Giaae Kwon  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 Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram and TikTok @ProBookNerds. 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