Book Lounge by Libby

Seasons of Books

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma are joined by their colleague, Tiffany, to chat about seasonal reading! They chat about how they "plan" out their reading year, if the s...

Sipping Tea and Planning Heists with Hafsah Faizal

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Joe is joined by Hafsah Faizal to discuss her new book A Tempest of Tea (out February 20). Hafsah is the New York Times bestselling, ...

Celebrating Valentine's Day with Dominique Raccah and the Sourcebooks Team!

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Romance readers, assemble! This episode is for you. Emma chats with Dominique Raccah, Publisher and CEO, of Sourcebooks, the publisher behind some of ...

Tea, Tales, and Twists: A Cozy Dive into Mysterious Whodunits

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Joe is joined by return guests Claire and Kristin to talk all about cozy mysteries! Whether you're looking for quoziess, foodie title...

A Distraction from Reality with Ali Hazelwood

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by bestselling author, Ali Hazelwood, to discuss her new paranormal romance, Bride. Emma and Ali also manage to discuss fated mates, th...

The One Where We Talk A Lot

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe try something new in this chatty, casual episode. They discuss some recent life updates, new hobbies, books they've been reading lately, ...

February 2024 Book Picks!

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's that magical time again - let's see what books Emma and Joe are most looking forward to in February 2024. Join the Nerds as they talk about the c...

Worldbuilding and Writing with Saara El-Arifi

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emma chats with Saara El-Arifi about her new book, Faebound. They also chat about world-building, writing sex scenes, the book's original title, the p...

PBN's Most Anticipated Books of 2024

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe are back for their first recorded episode of 2024 and it's a BIG one. They share their most anticipated books of the year (as they know i...

Surviving Capitalism with Madeline Pendleton

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today Joe chats with Madeline Pendleton about her new book I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt (out Jan. 16)! They chat about h...

Joe Reads Emily Henry

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Following the fun of Joe Reads a Big Romance and Emma Reads a Horror, on this episode Joe reads Book Lovers by Emily Henry! Emma and Joe talk about th...

The Nerds Talk About Fantastical Fandoms

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe talk with fellow OverDrive book lovers about which bookish fandoms they love to love! Morgan, Sydney, Christina, Laura, Sarah, and Andre...

New Year, New Reads - January 2024 Book Picks!

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New Year, New Reads! Join Joe and Emma as they discuss the books they're most looking forward to in January 2024 🎉 We hope you're enjoying this hol...

Finding a Home Inside Stories with Rebecca Ross

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by author, Rebecca Ross, to chat about the epic conclusion to her Letters of Enchantment duology, Ruthless Vows. They also discuss symm...

Introducing the 2024 PBN Reading Challenge!

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Come and join Emma and Joe as they share results from the 2023 PBN Reading Challenge and introduce the prompts for 2024! You can download the PDF vers...

Talking to Gen Z’s Carrie Bradshaw – Eli Rallo

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Eli Rallo spills the ink on essay escapades, spills the tea on meeting Sarah Jessica Parker, and spills some wisdom on finding your p...

PBN's Best Books of 2023

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe share their favorite books of 2023! Emma’s picks:   For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes  Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Ada...

December Book Picks

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe chat about their most anticipated book releases for December! The final book picks episode featuring 2023 releases is here. Grab your hot...

The Best Juvenile and Young Adult Titles of 2023

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of PBN Joe and Emma are starting to wrap up the year by sharing their favorite juvenile and young adult titles published in 2023. Come...

Dystopian Futures with Naomi Alderman

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast, Joe chats with author Naomi Alderman about her new book The Future (out November 7). Joe and N...

Witchy Reads

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grab your crystal ball, fire up the cauldron, and get ready to get witchy! Today, Joe, Kristin, and Claire share some recommended picks for the witchi...

Rebecca Yarros Believes in Happily Ever Afters

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma spends roughly an hour fangirling at bestselling author, Rebecca Yarros, and chats about the highly-anticipated release of Iron Flame. They also...

Romancelandia Chat with Librarian, Robin Bradford!

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by librarian, Robin Bradford, to chat about her book, The Reader's Advisory Guide to Romance. They also chat all things Romancelandia, ...

Reality and Romantic Tropes with Penny Reid

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma catches up with Penny Reid to discuss the ways Penny innovates in self-publishing/indie publishing, her amazing Kickstarter campaign, the Smarty ...

November Book Picks

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe's favorite episode of the month is here with a roundup of November book releases! Grab a warm beverage and your TBR list! Author Interv...

A Guide to Haunted Houses

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween is fast-approaching, so what better way to get into the spirit 👻 than with some Haunted House reads! Grab your flashlights and EMF detect...

No-Brainer Book Buys

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by Sydney and Tiffany to talk about what makes an author an "always buy." They also discuss the different ways they interact with an a...

High Fantasy and Political Intrigue with Cassandra Clare

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma unbelievably chats with Cassandra Clare about her stunning new adult fantasy book, Sword Catcher. Emma and Cassandra also discuss nobles behavin...

Emma Reads a Horror

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After Joe Read a Big Romance, everyone wanted Emma to do the same - so today, Emma Reads a Horror! Emma read Jackal by Erin E. Adams - one of Joe's fa...

Finding the Bodies with Adam Sass

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Joe is joined by return guest Adam Sass to talk about his new book, Your Lonely Nights are Over. They talk about building and investi...

October Book Picks

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma share what books released in October 2023 that they're MOST excited for. Get your TBRs ready! Emma’s Picks:   Lucky Me by Rich Paul...

Welcome to my White Trash Life with TJ Klune and Daniel Henning

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Joe is freaking out because he gets to talk to TJ Klune and Daniel Henning. TJ wrote one of Joe's all-time favorite books, The House in the Ceru...

Book Hype

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by her friendly OverDrive librarians to chat about all things book hype. They explore questions like " Is it worth the hype?" and "Do y...

Talking True Crime and Bright Young Women with Jessica Knoll

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Joe chats with Jessica Knoll about her new book, Bright Young Women. They talk about her work dissecting and researching the crimes of Ted Bundy...

Celebrate Read an Ebook Day 2023 with Team OverDrive!

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Read an Ebook Day is September 18th! Team OverDrive is particularly fond of this holiday that celebrates digital reading love and wanted to share what...

Redefining Horror with Clay McLeod Chapman & Rachel Harrison

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe are thrilled to chat with incredible horror authors, Clay McLeod Chapman and Rachel Harrison, for a special conversation about their new ...

September Book Picks

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Emma and Joe as they share the September 2023 book releases they're eagerly awaiting. Upcoming author interviews (with September book releases): ...

Joe Reads a Big Romance

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The day has finally arrived - Emma has convinced Joe to read a popular romance title! Join the nerds as they talk about Meet Me at the Lake by Carley ...

Hope and Healing with Kennedy Ryan

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma speaks with award-winning author, Kennedy Ryan, about her books, The Kingmaker, and Long Shot, to celebrate the Bloom Books editions in print. Th...

Highest and Lowest Rated Titles on our TBR

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Emma and Joe are sharing the top 5 highest rated and 5 lowest rated titles from their TBR. They discuss reviewing a title before the book is out...

The One Where We Talk About Final Girls

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma chat about the "final girl" trope and share some general book recommendations that everyone should read if they're looking for a good "fi...

The Stories You've Never Heard Before with Sarah Pekkanen

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, Emma is joined by the #1 NYT bestselling author, Sarah Pekkanen, to discuss her new book, Gone Tonight, out on August 1st. Sarah d...

Summer Camp Reads

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Emma, Joe and Kristin are taking you to summer camp! Whether you want to make friendship bracelets, lay out by the dock, or run from the serial ...

A Five-Star Conversation with Elin Hilderbrand

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Queen of the beach read, Elin Hilderbrand, speaks with Emma about her newest release, The Five-Star Weekend. They also discuss Elin's retirement, her ...

August Book Picks

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Emma and Joe share another big ole list of books they're most excited for in August 2023. Come and catch the vibe for their end of su...

Taking a Glimpse into the Future with Christopher Hartland

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe is joined by Christopher Hartland to talk about his debut novel Against the Stars, an LGBTQIA+, young adult, science fiction romance. Joe and Chri...

Big Library Read Interview with Sierra Godfrey, author of A Very Typical Family

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe are joined by author, Sierra Godfrey, to chat about her book A Very Typical Family, which is our latest Big Library Read (BLR) pick. F...

PBN Reading Challenge 2023 Midyear Check-in

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma share suggested books to complete your PBN 2023 reading challenge! They also discuss how they rate books (mostly based on vibes and mood)...

A Forget Me Not Summer with Julie Soto

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma welcomes debut author, Julie Soto, to the podcast to discuss her novel, Forget Me Not. They also discuss the importance of hometowns, redefining ...

July Book Picks

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe share a huge list of books they're most excited for in July 2023. Today's picks fit the peak summer reading vibes, so grab a snack and a ...

GUESS THAT CLASSIC - Beach Read Edition

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're returning to everyone's favorite game: GUESS THAT CLASSIC: Beach Read Edition! After writing plot summaries of classic novels as gossip, w...

A Gothic Renaissance with Riley Sager

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

PBN favorite, Riley Sager, returns to the podcast to discuss his new book, The Only One Left. Emma and Riley also discuss Duran Duran, "twist overkill...

Hunger Games Retrospective Part 3: Mockingjay!

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Emma, and Jill chat all things Mockingjay in the conclusion to the Hunger Games retrospective series. They share their feelings on the final inst...

Trusting the Creative Process with Claire Legrand

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma welcomes back author, Claire Legrand, to chat about A Crown of Ivy and Glass, writing unlikeable characters, the ballet inspiration behind the st...

2023 Pride Read Recommendations

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grab your water bottles and sunscreen- today, Joe and Holly are sharing some recommended reads for Pride month 🌈 From rom-coms to memoirs, light to...

Vices, Coffee Orders, and Superstitions with Santino Fontana

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's guest is a DREAM come true! It's audiobook narrator, actor, performer, and all around talent, Santino Fontana. Emma and Joe have a lively chat...

June Book Picks

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe share a big list of books they're most excited about for June. They also chat about vacation, book mail, the cultural impact of "Juno," f...

Kanopy Returns to PBN

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grab the popcorn and join Joe and Rachel as Christian from Kanopy returns to share more films to add to your watch list! Come for the films, stay for ...

Talking Complex Relationships with Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Joe chats with Ore Agbaje-Williams about her debut title, The Three of Us (out May 16). Ore shares about her work as an editor and her creative...

Romantasy Reads

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma, Joe, and Maria chat about Romantic Fantasy aka "Romantasy," Queen Sarah J. Maas, reading things when they're trendy or not, and share a bunch of...

Turning into a Teenage Monster with Chloe Spencer

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod, Joe is joined by Chloe Spencer, author of Monstersona. They talk about writing road trip stories, unpacking grief, parental backstor...

Big Library Read interview with Grace M. Cho, author of Tastes Like War

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Joe is joined by author Grace M. Cho to chat about her book Tastes Like War, which is our latest Big Library Read (BLR) pick. From May 3-17, the...

May's Biggest Books

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe chat with podcast regular guest, Kristin, about their most anticipated releases for May 2023! They also discuss Little Mermaid retelling...

Conquering the World with Emily Henry & Julia Whelan

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is delighted to welcome back Emily Henry and Julia Whelan to the podcast today to discuss their involvement with Happy Place, out on April 25th! ...

Hunger Games Retrospective Part 2: Catching Fire

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Jill returns for the second part in our Hunger Games retrospective. This time, the trio discusses Catching Fire. From fake wedding...

Rewriting History with Caroline Kepnes

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma and Joe chat with Caroline Kepnes about FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. They also chat about Joe Goldberg's character growth, how dreamy Santino Fontana's...

Bending Reality with Magical Realism Reads

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod, Emma and Joe are joined by Marissa to talk about one of Joe and Marissa's favorite genres - magical realism. They chat about the his...

The Revival of Romantic Comedies with Curtis Sittenfeld

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma chat with Curtis Sittenfeld about her newest book and the latest Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, Romantic Comedy, and the inspiration behind it...

PBN's Favorite Libby Features

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma mix things up this week and share their favorite features in Libby, the library reading app. There's a lot to enjoy about Libby, but some...

Talking Breakfast Pastries with Megan Miranda

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today Emma and Joe are joined by Megan Miranda, author of The Only Survivors. They talk about finding missing cell phones in the sand, crafting strong...

April's Biggest Books

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe and Emma are back to share the books they're most looking forward to in April 2023. From misleading covers, to West Side Story (the 60s version ON...

Ch-Ch-Changes

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's the end of an era as Jill has decided to retire from PBN (but don't worry, she's not leaving OverDrive so you'll still hear her voice on some epi...

Food Obsessions with Dan Ahdoot, author of Undercooked

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the podcast Joe is joined by actor, writer, and comedian Dan Ahdoot to talk about his new book Undercooked: How I let Food Become My Life Nav...

Young Adult Botanical Books

16 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jill is joined by OverDrive librarian, Claire, to chat about all things delicate and dangerous with this botanical cover trend. While the floral tren...

Getting educated on The Teachers with Alexandra Robbins

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, Jill is joined by investigative journalist Alexandra Robbins to discuss her new book The Teachers. Told over the course of one sch...

Greek Myth Retellings

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Looking for ideas for the "Greek Myth Retellings" category of the Professional Book Nerds 2023 Reading Challenge? Emma, Joe, and Jill share their reco...

GUESS THAT CLASSIC

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, we're trying something new. Join us for everyone's favorite game, GUESS THAT CLASSIC! We wrote up descriptions of classic literatu...

Craft and Complex Characters with Samantha Shannon

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma chats with returning guest, Samantha Shannon, to talk about A Day of Fallen Night, returning to the Roots of Chaos world, crafting complex female...

March's Biggest Books

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe, Emma, and Jill are back to share the books they're most looking forward to in March 2023. They chat about witch trials, séances, and of course, ...

Final Girls, Sequels, and Slasher Films with Stephen Graham Jones

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode, horror writer Stephen Graham Jones comes on to discuss his latest book Don't Fear the Reaper, the sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw...

Books We Can't Stop Recommending

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you think about it, we all have a list of books at the ready to recommend. Very often, these are the same books to new people. Today, we've check...

Hot Girl Con Artists with Rachel Koller Croft

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma is joined by Rachel Koller Croft to discuss her debut novel, Stone Cold Fox! They also chat about villains as main characters, the 1%, found fami...

Diving Into Dystopian Reads

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod, the Nerds are offering up some Dystopian Reads to tickle your fancy. Whether you're brand new to the genre or you've already survive...

The Hunger Games Retrospective (Part 1)

02 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New year, new retrospective! We are back with another deep-dive into a favorite series of the past, starting with Book 1 of the Hunger Games trilogy. ...

Astral Projecting with Mike Albo, author of Another Dimension of Us

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod, Joe talks with Mike Albo about his new book Another Dimension of Us (out January 17). They dive into Mike's process, what it was lik...

February's Biggest Books

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma, Joe, and Jill are back for the monthly round up of books they're most excited for coming out this month! In this episode, they also chat about ...

Finding the Funny with Monica Heisey

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Emma chats with Monica Heisey about her novel, Really Good, Actually. They also discuss divorce at a young age, the triumph of oat milk, writing for t...

Pro Book Nerds Most Anticipated Reads of 2023!

19 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Starting the new year off right with our MOST anticipated books of 2023! This list was so hard to narrow down and we're surely missing a lot of releas...

Learning How to Sell a Haunted House with Grady Hendrix

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Joe for a conversation with Grady Hendrix! They talk about his new book, How to Sell a Haunted House, writing structure, Lemony Snicket, and just...

Pro Book Nerds 2023 Reading Challenge!

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today's episode of the podcast, the Professional Book Nerds are here to share the prompts for 2023's reading challenge! We read some completed entr...

Talking The House in the Pines with Author Ana Reyes

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the pod, Joe chats with Ana Reyes about her debut title (and Reese's Book Club January pick) The House in the Pines. They talk about writing ...

Body positive books for kids and teens

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Jill is joined by Sydney and Jane to share juvenile and young adult titles that showcase body diversity. They share what (if any) ...

Talking myths about fat people with Aubrey Gordon

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Aubrey Gordon, co-host of Maintenance Phase, comes on the Professional Book Nerds to talk about her new book "You Just Need to Lose Weight!" and 19 o...

January's Biggest Books!

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

2023 is almost here, and with it comes a new month of amazing books we can't wait to read! Emma’s Picks  Spare by Prince Harry, The Duke of Susse...

Morally Grey with Scarlett St. Clair

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Emma chats with Scarlett St. Clair about her new book, Queen of Myth and Monsters! They discuss where the action picks up with Adrian and Isolde after...

Pro Book Nerds Best Reads of 2022

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Emma, Joe, and Jill discuss the best books they read this year! Join for a lively conversation about the books the nerds loved the most. We loved thes...

Talking Weightless with Evette Dionne

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's guest is Evette Dion, author of the new book Weightless. Jill and Evette discuss navigating the world in a fat body, medical fatphobia, realit...

Best audiobooks of the year with Robin Whitten from AudioFile!

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Robin from AudioFile is back again to share some of the best audiobooks of the year! Visit AudioFile's website for the full list of best audiobooks of...

Winter Atmospheric Reads with Amy Clark from MomAdvice.com

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the podcast, Joe talks with Amy Clark from MomAdvice.com. Amy shares about her career as a blogger, her book club, and her brand-new podcast-...

December's Biggest Books!

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

December is upon us, and with that are many amazing releases (most on the same day)! Join Emma, Jill and Joe as they share their December books to wat...