Book Lounge by Libby is your cozy reading corner of the internet. Hosted by Joe Skelley, each episode invites you into candid and thoughtful conversations about books, writing, publishing and the trends shaping what we read (plus reading recommendations you won't want to miss).
Brought to you by Libby, the library app.
Find more at: https://pages.libbylife.com/BL-Links
Book Lounge airs year-round, with two 10-week seasons each year, featuring publishing conversations on Mondays and paired book recommendations on Thursdays- plus monthly Book Release Radar episodes. We release 1–3 episodes per month between seasons.
Reach out to us at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. Happy Reading!
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The Secrets to a Great Book Club (According to People Who Run Them)
Season 4 · Episode 3
Monday, September 28, 2026 • Duration 01:09:55
What actually makes a book club GOOD? And how do you get people to come back month after month without turning it into homework?
This week on Book Lounge by Libby, we're going behind the scenes of the book club. Joe is joined by Amy Allen Clark of Book Gang Podcast and book club, Dave McNally, Adult Services Supervisor at Cuyahoga County Public Library, and Meara of (@mearaisreading) to talk about what makes a great book club, how groups choose what to read, the biggest barriers that keep people from joining and what happens when a book club meeting goes completely off the rails.
We're talking book club tips, discussion drama, choosing books, reading outside your comfort zone, building community and, naturally, some very important book club gossip.
Whether you're already a devoted book club person, thinking about joining one or wondering if you should finally start your own, this conversation has something for you.
And yes, we get into the books that brought people together, the ones that divided them and the stories that have become legendary around the book club table.
If you're watching or listening on Spotify, comment and let us know: If you're part of a book club, tell us about it! How big is your group? How often do you meet? What's the best book you've ever read together? And, perhaps most importantly, what's the book that nearly started a civil war?
OR come comment on today's post over on Instagram at @bookloungepod.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Book recommendations:
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
Slaughterhouse-Five – Kurt Vonnegut
Heart the Lover – Lily King
Daughters of Shandong – Eve J. Chung
Woodworking – Emily St. James
The Rachel Incident – Caroline O’Donoghue
Sula – Toni Morrison
The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison
I See You’ve Called in Dead – John Kenney
Into Thin Air – Jon Krakauer
Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer
The Art Thief – Michael Finkel
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev – Dawnie Walton
Big Swiss – Jen Beagin
Death in Her Hands – Ottessa Moshfegh
The End of Men – Christina Sweeney-Baird
Tuesdays With Morrie – Mitch Albom
Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Guillotine – Delilah S. Dawson
Who’s in this episode:
Amy Allen Clark - Links
Meara - Links
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:19 Welcome and intro 00:12:10 Different styles and sizes of Book Clubs 00:21:48 Preparing for Discussion 00:47:24 Do you always finish the book? 01:01:57 What should you know before you walk into book club the first time? 01:05:52 Comment Question and Outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378
Happy Reading!
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Librarians Spill the Tea: Wild Patron Stories, Book Hot Takes & Library Secrets
Season 4 · Episode 2
Thursday, September 24, 2026 • Duration 01:03:16
What REALLY happens behind the reference desk? On this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, host Joe Skelley is joined by Becky Cameron and Kate Merlene from Cuyahoga County Public Library and Morgan Schultz from Lutheran West School for a very candid, very fun conversation about life as a librarian.
We're spilling the librarian tea on wild patron questions, unexpected library requests, book recommendations, overhyped authors, underrated reads and the services your library offers that you might not even know about.
Plus, we're getting into librarian superpowers, memorable library moments, favorite programs and the realities of working with readers of all ages.
Whether you're a lifelong library lover, a curious reader or someone who has ever wondered what librarians REALLY think, this is your invitation behind the scenes.
Get ready for library secrets, bookish hot takes, hilarious stories and plenty of reasons to visit your local library. Grab your library card and join the conversation!
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:20 Intro 00:01:03 Getting to know our guests 00:05:12 Assumptions about librarians 00:15:55 The most checked-out authors 00:25:07 Let’s get shady 00:32:40 Strangest patron questions 00:55:06 What’s a favorite program or service? 00:59:27 Outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378
Happy Reading!
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Blind Date with a (Library) Book
Season 4 · Episode 1
Monday, September 21, 2026 • Duration 01:08:18
What happens when you let your local library surprise you? For the Season 4 premiere of Book Lounge by Libby, we're celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month with a little literary mystery, a few unexpected projects and a whole lot of library love.
Joe is joined by Meara (@mearaisreading) for a Blind Date with a (Library) Book! We each head to our local libraries with three missions: get a book recommendation from a librarian, choose a book from a library display and discover a third surprise in the form of a unique activity, craft or project.
Then we come back together to reveal our picks, share what we got up to and compare notes on our library adventures. Expect book recommendations, library discoveries, creative chaos and a lil vlog moment because apparently talking about books wasn't enough.
Whether you're a lifelong library lover or haven't stepped into your local branch in a while, this episode is your invitation to explore, get curious and let your library surprise you.
Grab your library card and come hang out in the Book Lounge!
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Book recommendations:
We – Yevgeny Zamyatin
West with Giraffes – Lynda Rutledge
The Unfortunates – JK Chukwu
Checked Out – Katie Fricas
Who’s in this episode:
Meara - Links
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:20 Intro 00:02:06 Vlogging to the Library 00:04:40 Diving into our library prompts and experience 01:04:41 What’s next and outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378
Happy Reading!
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Jeneva Rose Is Ready to Scare You
Thursday, September 17, 2026 • Duration 55:41
What scares you? For bestselling author Jeneva Rose, the answer might be… literally anything. 👀
Jeneva joins Book Lounge by Libby to talk about her new horror collection, Sometimes I Scare Myself, a trio of twisted stories filled with séances gone wrong, creepy houses, cursed objects and the kind of decisions that make you want to yell at a character through the page.
We’re getting into what makes a horror story actually scary, why familiar settings can make the best nightmares and what happens when you take classic horror tropes and give them a Jeneva Rose twist. Plus, Jeneva reveals what scares her — because apparently even the person writing the nightmares has nightmares.
If you’re looking for your next horror book, spooky-season read or thriller to keep you up way too late, consider this your sign to add Sometimes I Scare Myself to your TBR.
Sometimes I Scare Myself is out September 22, 2026.
Book Lounge by Libby is your place for book conversations, recommendations and the people behind the stories. Grab your favorite drink, get cozy and meet us in the Lounge.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Who’s in this episode:
Jeneva Rose – links
Books by Jeneva:
Sometimes I Scare Myself (out September 22, 2026)
The Perfect Marriage
The Perfect Divorce
One of Us is Dead
You Shouldn’t Have Come Here
#CrimeTime
Home is Where the Bodies Are
The Girl I Was
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:07 Getting to know Jeneva Rose 00:02:01 Scaring Yourself 00:26:37 A trope you’re determined to reinvent 00:49:52 Horror Lightning Round 00:52:19 Outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel.
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378
Today's featured books: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41555
Happy Reading!
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Reimagining Virginia Woolf: Adapting Night & Day with Justine Waddell
Thursday, September 3, 2026 • Duration 53:39
Virginia Woolf has inspired generations of readers, but what happens when you take one of her novels and bring it to a modern audience?
This week, Joe is joined by Justine Waddell, writer and producer of Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, to talk about her love of Woolf, the process of adapting a classic novel and the changes that have to be made when bringing an older story into the present day.
They dig into what makes Woolf’s work so enduring, the challenges of translating a classic for contemporary audiences and the decisions that come with adapting a beloved novel while staying true to its spirit. And yes, there are spoilers! Spoilers begin around 26:10 and run through 32:36.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Book recommendations:
Night and Day – Virginia Woolf (ebook)
Night and Day – Virginia Woolf (audiobook)
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Welcome and Intro 00:00:45 Conversation with Justine Waddell 00:50:18 Outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378
Happy Reading!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
September 2026 Book Releases We Can’t Wait to Read
Thursday, August 27, 2026 • Duration 01:34:10
September is bringing some SERIOUS TBR temptation. This week, Joe is joined by Madison (@simon.says.read) to dive into the September 2026 book releases they’re most excited to read.
From gothic romantasy and fantasy to thrillers, romance, historical fiction and spooky season reads, there are way too many new books fighting for a spot on the TBR.
Plus, Joe and Madison reveal the books they’re already counting down the days to read, the titles they almost included and which September releases might become your next obsession.
What September 2026 book are you most excited to read? Add it to your TBR and let us know!
Book Lounge by Libby is your place for book conversations, recommendations and the people behind the stories.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Follow Madison on Instagram!
Books Recommendations:
Madison's Picks:
The Knave and the Moon – Rachel Gillig
Taipei Story – RF Kuang
The Thoroughbreds – Elin Hilderbrand
Grim Tidings – BK Borison
The Pirate Queen – Ariel Lawhon
Tempest – Victoria Aveyard
Threshing Day – Rebecca Yarros
The Witches of Cambridge – Alice Hoffman
A Time of Witches – Madeline Martin
Fallow – Sarah Anderson
Joe’s Picks: Honorable mentions:
The Most Dangerous Games – MrBeast, James Patterson
Building 903 – Lois Lowry
Hollywood, Ending – John Green
Incarnate – Alma Katsu
Sometimes I Scare Myself – Jeneva Rose
Kiss Slay Replay – Rachel Harrison
The Dating Game – Ally Zetterberg
Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist – Justine Pucella Winans
Scion – James Islington
Asmodeus – Rita Indiana (tr. Achy Obejas)
Mischief Girls – Aashna Avachat
Feeling Like an ADHD Alien – Pina Varnel
Pretty Evil – Rebekah McKendry, David Ian McKendry
The House of Gardenias – Isabel Cañas
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:05:51 Our September 2026 Book Picks 01:30:42 Outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on https://pages.libbylife.com/BL-Links
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378 Today's featured books: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41379
Happy Reading!
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We Read the Wildest Reviews of Books We Love
Thursday, August 13, 2026 • Duration 01:34:07
What happens when you take the Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet approach to books? Absolute chaos.
Joe is joined by Meara to dig through reviews of books they love and discover what happens when readers have opinions. From hilarious hot takes to reviews that make absolutely no sense, this episode is full of laughs, nonsense and some truly unforgettable book commentary.
Want us to do this again? Tell us what books we should hunt for or send us random reviews to react to!
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Who’s in this episode:
Meara – link
Check out Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet here: https://www.beachtoosandy.com/
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:02:22 What’s your relationship with book reviews? 00:06:00 How do you write your reviews? 00:09:50 A conversation about negative reviews 00:13:50 We dive into reading reviews! 01:30:03 Wrapping up and outro
Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge
Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com.
Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.
Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.
Happy Reading!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
August 2026 Book Releases We're Adding to Our TBRs
Thursday, July 30, 2026 • Duration 01:42:18
August 2026 books are here, and Joe is joined by Bre (@locd_booktician_) to share the new releases they're most excited to add to their TBRs. Covering everything from horror, thrillers, romance, fantasy, literary fiction, and beyond, they're highlighting some of the month's biggest releases alongside a few books that deserve more attention.
As always, the recommendations are only part of the fun. Expect plenty of laughs, bookish tangents, and chaotic energy as Joe and Bre count down the August titles they can't stop thinking about.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Book Recommendations
Bre’s Picks:
Clean Slate – Brianna Labuskes
Ghost in the Night – Tiffany D. Jackson
Murder at University Park – Cheryl Miller Dellasega
Death Card – Jasmine Smith
The Secrets We Hide – Karin Slaughter
Stay Buried – Jennifer McMahon
The Butcher Legacy – Alaina Urquhart
Bound by Fury – Noelle Monet
These Walls Remember – Del Sandeen
Joe’s Picks:
Barbie: Dreamscape – Alex Aster
Queens of the Crypt, Vol 1 – Dom & Ink
Devil Inside – Clay McLeod Chapman
Survival Show – Juno Dawson
My Killer Family Reunion – Dinesh Thiru
(Mostly) Human Resources – Grace Viall
Killing Sadie – Rachel Peterson
Summer Coven – Kat Killis, Rosiee Thor
Who’s in this episode:
Bre - Links
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:11 Welcome and catchup with Bre! 00:13:27 August 2026 Book Picks 01:38:28 Thanks and 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
Plot Twists & Playlists: Audiobooks, Romance Reads & 2026 Book Talk with Destinee
Thursday, July 16, 2026 • Duration 01:07:57
What's better than talking about great books? Talking about all the great books.
This week, Joe is joined by romance novel matchmaker, bookseller, and creator Destinee for a delightfully bookish conversation that bounces around bookish things everyone can't stop talking about.
Grab your headphones, your library card, and maybe a notebook—you'll definitely leave with a longer TBR.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Who’s in this episode:
Destinee - links
Time stamps:
00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Welcome and Introductions 00:01:52 A chatty episode with Destinee 01:03:55 Wrapping up and 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.
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
Summerween 2026: The Best Horror Books to Kick Off Spooky Season Early
Thursday, July 9, 2026 • Duration 01:33:16
Summer is heating up... so naturally it's time for ghosts, monsters, haunted camps, cursed lakes, and things that go bump in the night.
Joe is joined by Bre to celebrate Summerween 2026, the growing tradition of bringing spooky season into the middle of summer. Whether horror readers are looking for gothic classics, unsettling literary horror, creepy middle grade adventures, camp slashers, psychological thrillers, or terrifying short story collections, this episode is packed with recommendations to fill every Summerween TBR.
From vampires and haunted campgrounds to folk horror, cosmic dread, ghost stories, and nostalgic Halloween favorites, this conversation explores horror across every age and subgenre. Along the way, Bre also shares details about her July Noir 2026 reading weekend and Discord community for readers looking to celebrate all month long.
Whether Summerween is already an annual tradition, or this is the first spooky-season celebration in July, this episode is full of horror book recommendations perfect for every kind of reader.
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Links:
Bre’s links
July Noir 2026 Announcement
July Noir Discord
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locd_booktician_/
Titles mentioned:
Bre’s Picks:
Carmilla – Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Dead First – Johnny Compton
On Sundays She Picked Flowers – Yah Yah Scholfield
Gyo – Junji Ito
You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight – Kalynn Bayron
The Jumbies & Rise of the Jumbies – Tracey Baptiste
Why I Love Horror – ed. Becky Siegel Spratford
Joe’s Picks:
How to Survive Camping Series (Book 1: How to Survive Camping) - Bonnie Quinn
The Lady in Chains
The Ancient Things (September 2026)
The Unmothers – Leslie J. Anderson
The Bog Wife – Kay Chronister
Smothermoss – Alisa Alering
Don’t Turn Out the Lights – ed. Jonathan Maberry
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – Alvin Schwartz
Our Shadows Have Claws – ed. Yamile Saied Méndez, Amparo Ortiz
The Lake House – Sarah Beth Durst
Tastes Like Candy – Jessica Lacy
Camp Scare – Delilah S. Dawson
Summer’s Never Over – Darby Bozeman
A Murder Most Camp – Nicolas DiDomizio
13 Months Haunted – Jimmy Juliano
Chasing the Boogeyman – Richard Chizmar
80s Ghosts – VS Lawrence
Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro & Seasonal Update 00:01:40 Thoughts on Summerween 00:07:24 Our Summerween 2026 picks! 01:28:46 Thank you to Bre and 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
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