Book Lounge by Libby

As Season 1 of Book Lounge by Libby comes to a close, we’re getting you ready to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with thoughtful conversations featuring Ann Dávila Cardinal, Isabel Cañas, Cleyvis Natera, Isabel Ibañez, and Tamara Yajía. 🌎 Together, they explore how heritage and identity shape their writing and the stories they share with the world.  In Segment 2, Bre, Carmen, and Cece return with their top book recommendations to keep your shelves stacked with incredible Hispanic voices. 📚✨  ✨ Season 2 of Book Lounge by Libby arrives at the end of September!  Want to watch the show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel.  Articles Mentioned and referenced in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/hispanic-heritage-month.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAbout%20National%20Hispanic%20Heritage%20Month,and%20Central%20and%20South%20America.  https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/why-fiction-from-latin-america-is-growing-in-popularity  https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/english/community/blog/posts/the-obscured-roots-of-magical-realism/#:~:text=Magical%20Realism%20is%20a%20genre,those%20that%20were%20not%20literate.  https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-magical-realism   https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/english/community/blog/posts/the-obscured-roots-of-magical-realism/   https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2022/10/latin-american-literary-traditions-through-time  https://www.fountaindale.org/magical-realism-and-the-latin-american-boom/  https://bookriot.com/new-latino-boom/  https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/features/why-fiction-from-latin-america-is-growing-in-popularity  https://coughtibridge.medium.com/alejo-carpentier-surrealism-and-the-birth-of-magical-realism-ca87f029040c    Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  The Cemetery Boys - Aiden Thomas  The Spy - Paulo Coelho  Vampires of El Norte - Isabel Cañas  The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina - Zoraida Cordova  Carmen  Saints of the Household - Ari Tison  Children of the Land - Marcelo Hernandez Castillo  Magical/Realism - Vanessa Angelica Villarreal  The Bewitching - Silvia Moreno-Garcia  Cece  The Poet X - Elizabeth Acevedo  Cantoras - Caro de Robertis  Wild Beauty - Anna-Marie McLemore  Fever Dream - Samanta Schweblin   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Ann Dávila Cardinal - Website  Isabel Cañas - Website  Cleyvis Natera - Website  Isabel Ibañez - Website  Tamara Yajía - Instagram  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Carmen – Links  Cece – Links   Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:12:29 Segment 1- Part 1: Ann Dávila Cardinal & Isabel Cañas  00:48:31 Segment 1 – Part 2: Cleyvis Natera, Isabel Ibañez & Tamara Yajía  01:33:18 BREAK – Libby Tip: Creating & Using Tags!  01:39:05 Segment 2 – Book Recs with Bre, Carmen & Cece!  02:32:08 Outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to 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

Romantasy is everywhere right now — and we’re diving deep into the magic, monsters, and swoon-worthy romance fueling its meteoric rise. In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe sits down with three of the biggest names in the genre — Jennifer L. Armentrout, Olivia Rose Darling, and Katee Robert — to talk about how romantasy took over bookshelves, why it resonates with readers, and where it’s headed next.  Then Meara shares romantasy recommendations to load up your TBR.   Plus, in a Libby Life exclusive, our guests play a rapid-fire round of Romantasy Trope: Love It or Hate It — with some delightfully unexpected answers.   Want to watch the show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel.  Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/what-is-romantasy-anyway   Guest Host Recommendations:  Meara  Metal Slinger - Rachel Schneider  Lore of the Wilds - Analeigh Sbrana  Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson  Bring Me Your Midnight - Rachel Griffin   Devils Like Us - L.T. Thompson  Joe   Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon – Ann Mare  Captive Prince – CS Pascat  Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Jennifer L. Armentrout - Website  Olivia Rose Darling - Website  Katee Robert - Website  Segment 2:   Meara - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:06:12 Segment 1 – Jennifer L. Armentrout, Olivia Rose Darling & Katee Robert  01:14:47 BREAK – Libby Tip: Early Return Reward!  01:18:04 Segment 2 – Romantasy Recs with Meara  01:49:01 Outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to 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

In this special episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we’re joined by celebrated Indigenous authors Angeline Boulley (Firekeeper’s Daughter, Warrior Girl Unearthed) and Carole Lindstrom (We Are Water Protectors, Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior) for a powerful conversation on legacy, language, and literature. Together, we discuss what it means to write from and for their communities, the responsibility of storytelling, and how their work connects generations past, present, and future.  This episode is a celebration of Indigenous identity, survival, and the resilience of story — and an invitation to listen, learn, and uplift.  Plus, Bre and Cece stop by with a few incredible book recs from Indigenous voices you won't want to miss.  📲 Libby Life Exclusive: Head to LibbyLife.com for a bonus moment from the Lounge, where Angeline and Carole share how their ancestors live on through their words.  Want the video episode? Check it out now on the Libby Life YouTube channel! Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  https://www.un.org/en/observances/indigenous-day https://indigenousreadsrising.com/   Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  Never Whistle at Night - ed. Shane Hawk  The Marrow Thieves - Cherie Dimaline  White Horse - Erika T. Wurth  The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - Stephen Graham Jones   Cece  #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women - ed. Lisa Charleyboy & Mary Beth Leatherdale  The Break - Katherena Vermette  Sabrina & Corina - Kali Fajardo-Anstine  Ready When You Are - Gary Lonesborough  Joe   Métis Like Me – Tasha Hilderman  My Life: Growing Up Native in America – ed. IllumiNative  Fierce Aunties! - Laurel Goodluck, Ill. Steph Littlebird   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Angeline Boulley - Website  Carole Lindstrom - Website  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Cece - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:04:51 Segment 1 – Angeline Boulley & Carole Lindstrom  00:58:09 BREAK – Libby Tip: Audiobook Tips & Tricks  01:00:58 Segment 2 – Indigenous Recs with Bre & Cece  01:46:52 Outro    Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to 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

Book bans are rising at an alarming rate—but librarians, authors, and publishers are fighting back. In this powerful episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by librarian and intellectual freedom advocate Amanda Jones, bestselling author Kalynn Bayron (This Poison Heart), veteran librarian and censorship expert Pat R. Scales, and Skip Dye, SVP at Penguin Random House. Together, they dive into the impact of censorship on libraries, communities, and the future of publishing.  Plus, stick around for a banned books spotlight featuring Joe, Bre, and Meara, where they share a few of their must-read titles that have faced bans or challenges.  📚 Let’s talk about what it means to protect the freedom to read.  Want the video version of the show? Visit the Libby App YouTube channel! Articles Mentioned in the Intro & Episode:  What's a book ban anyway? Depends on who you ask  Manuscripts Don’t Burn: a Timeline of Literary Censorship, Destruction, and Liberation  American Library Association Names Skip Dye Honorary Member  The Persistent Problem of Colorism: Skin Tone, Status, and Inequality  Under fire from state, Hillsborough’s Ayres pledges to pull more books  Guest Host Recommendations:  Bre  The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison  Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison  Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston  Meara  Pet - Akwaeke Emezi  The Midnight Lie - Marie Rutkoski  Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury  Joe  Flamer – Mike Curato  The Magic Fish – Trung Le Nguyen  All Boys Aren’t Blue - George M. Johnson   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Amanda Jones - Links  Kalynn Bayron - Website  Pat R. Scales - LinkedIn  Skip Dye – Penguin Random House  Segment 2:   Bre - Links  Meara - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:05:54 Segment 1, Part 1: Amanda Jones, Kalynn Bayron, Pat R. Scales  00:50:33 Segment 1, Part 2: Skip Dye  01:17:54 BREAK  01:19:01 Segment 2: Book Recommendations with Bre, Meara & Joe  02:11:38 Outro    Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to 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

In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, we explore the powerful world of graphic novels. In our first segment, Joe is joined by a brilliant panel of creators—mother-daughter duo Hallie Bateman & Suzy Hopkins, Maia Kobabe, and Mattie Lubchansky—to discuss how graphic novels have evolved, the importance of accessibility, the unique creative process behind visual storytelling, and the lasting impact of their work.  Then in segment two, guest hosts Bre, Carmen, and Cece stop by with stellar graphic novel recommendations for your TBR—whether you’re a long-time fan or just getting started.  Articles Mentioned in the Intro:  The rise of the graphic novel: Mainstream and small screen, they're not just for kids anymore  History of Graphic Novels: Ancient Times to 1920  Guest Host Recommendations:  Carmen  Tales from La Vida edited by Frederick Luis Aldama  Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo  Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler  On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder  Cece  Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer  On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden  Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (author) & Lisa Sterle (illustrator)  Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu  Bre  Monster by Naoki Urasawa  Bitterroot by Walker, Brown, Greene, Renzi, and Cowles  Earthdivers by Stephen Graham Jones  The Best we Could Do by Thi Bui  Joe  Animorphs vol. 1 – KA Applegate, Michael Grant  Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Hallie Bateman - Website  Suzy Hopkins - Instagram  Maia Kobabe - Website  Mattie Lubchansky - Website  Segment 2:  Bre – Links  Carmen – Links  Cece - Links  Time Stamps:  00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:05:52 Segment 1 – Hallie Bateman & Suzy Hopkins, Maia Kobabe & Mattie Lubchansky  00:54:50 BREAK – Check out PlotThreadsShop.com & a Libby Tip – Deep Search!  00:57:55 Segment 2 – Bre, Carmen & Cece  01:43:11 Outro    Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to 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

What makes a book the perfect beach read? In this sunny episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by authors Clémence Michallon, Jonathan Parks-Ramage, Megan Miranda, and Sara Hamdan for a lively conversation about the art of crafting a summer page-turner. From thrillers to romances and everything in between, they unpack what “beach read” really means, how they keep readers hooked, and—crucially—their go-to writing snacks.  Then in segment two, Amy, Bre, Cece, Jananie, and Kayla stop by with top-tier book recommendations to toss in your tote bag, whether you're headed to the coast or just catching rays on your lunch break.  Pack your sunscreen and press play!  Check out the video version of this episode on the Libby App YouTube Channel. Article mentioned in the intro: What Makes a Book a Beach Read? Guest Host Recommendations:  Amy Allen Clark   Sister, Sinner by Claire Hoffman (biography)  Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje  Bre  The Oath – TM Richardson   The Wishing Pool – Tananarive Due  Jananie  Never Been Better – Leanne Toshiko Simpson  The Bandit Queens – Parini Shroff  Cece  Cleat Cute – Meryl Wilsner  Guillotine – Delilah S. Dawson  Drowning – TJ Newman  Kayla  Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies - Catherine Mack  Sweethand- N.G. Peltier  A House on the Bottom of the Lake – Josh Mallerman    Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1  Clémence Michallon - Website  Jonathan Parks-Ramage - Website  Megan Miranda - Website  Sara Hamdan - Website  Segment 2  Amy Allen Clark - Links  Bre - Links  Cece - Links  Jananie K. Velu - Links  Kayla - Links  Time Stamps:   00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:08:18 Segment 1 - Clémence Michallon, Jonathan Parks-Ramage, Megan Miranda, Sara Hamdan  00:54:57 BREAK – Check out Plot Threads Shop!  00:56:10 Segment 2 – Book Recommendations with Amy, Bre and Jananie!  01:30:24 Segment 2 – Book Recommendations with Cece and Kayla!  01:44:46 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

What makes a summer read unforgettable for kids and teens? In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by authors Jamie Sumner, Kelsey Impicciche, and Julie Soto for a sunny conversation all about Summer Reading Magic.   They explore what defines a great summer book across different age groups, how they tailor their writing to young readers, and the power of stories to inspire, comfort, and reflect today’s youth.   The group also shares nostalgic memories of library reading programs, talks about trends and representation in current kidlit and YA, and offers insight into helping young readers fall in love with books—this summer and beyond.  Want to watch the video version of our show? Watch now on the Libby App YouTube channel!  Guest Host Recommendations:    Part 1:  Carmen  Canto Contigo by Jonny Garza Villa  A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya  Ballad & Dagger-An Outlaw Saints Novel by Daniel José Older  Cece  To Night Owl from Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer  This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow   Fireborne by Rosaria Munda   Joe  Witchlings – Claribel A. Ortega  Scepter of Memories – Claribel A. Ortega  The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers – Adam Sass  Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts – Adam Sass  Surrender Your Sons – Adam Sass  Your Lonely Nights Are Over – Adam Sass  Part 2:  Bre  The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen  Hide and Seeker by Daka Harmon  Root Magic by Eden Royce  Meara  The Girl Who Kept the Castle by Ryan Graudin  The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron   We Are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride   Follow the Guests & Guest Hosts:  Segment 1:  Jamie Sumner - Website  Julie Soto - Website  Kelsey Impicciche - Website  Segment 2:  Bre - Links  Carmen - Links  Cece - Links  Meara - Links  Time Stamps:   00:00:00 Title  00:00:16 Intro  00:05:09 Segment 1 – Jamie Sumner & Kelsey Impicciche   00:55:47 Segment 1 – Julie Soto  01:25:30 BREAK – Libby Tip: Read Alongs, Filters and more!  01:31:01 Segment 2 – Book Recommendations with Carmen & Cece  02:00:36 Segment 2 – Book Recommendations with Bre & Meara!  02:43:21 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

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 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

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 ⁠bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com⁠. 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: https://plotthreadsshop.com/!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices