Book Lounge by Libby

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Latest Episodes:

The Secrets to a Great Book Club (According to People Who Run Them) Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

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 Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

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.

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 Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

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.

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 Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

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.

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 Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

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.

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 Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

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.

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!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We Read the Wildest Reviews of Books We Love Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

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.

Happy Reading!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

August 2026 Book Releases We're Adding to Our TBRs Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

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!

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Plot Twists & Playlists: Audiobooks, Romance Reads & 2026 Book Talk with Destinee Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

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!

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 Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

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

Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!

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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