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Book Lounge by Libby

Book Lounge by Libby

Written by: Book Lounge by Libby
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 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!All rights reserved 2026 Art Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Mental Health Awareness Month Reading Recommendations with Jananie K. Velu

    Mental Health Awareness Month Reading Recommendations with Jananie K. Velu
    May 14 2026
    Continuing our celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month episode, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu to share some of their favorite books that center mental health, healing, growth, and emotional honesty. Together, they talk about the stories that stay with us, the comfort books can provide during difficult seasons and the powerful role reading can play in helping people feel understood and less alone. The conversation also explores Jananie’s Anti-Brain Rot reading challenge, the idea of mindful reading, and the challenge of staying intentional with our habits, goals, and attention spans in a world full of distractions. This episode is packed with recommendations, from emotional contemporary stories to hopeful, comforting reads, and the full episode description includes an even bigger list of titles that didn’t make it into the conversation. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! Book recommendations: (Includes picks not mentioned but picked for this episode) Jananie’s Picks: Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead - Mai Nguyen An Academy for Liars - Alexis Henderson Alone With You in the Ether - Olivie Blake Haldol and Hyacinths - Melody Moezzi An Unquiet Mind - Kay Redfield Jamison How to Keep House While Drowning – KC Davis Challenger Deep - Neal Shusterman Darius the Great is Not Okay – Adib Khorram My Year of Rest and Relaxation – Ottessa Moshfegh Turtles All the Way Down - John Green What My Bones Know – Stephanie Foo Evil Eye - Etaf Rum The Secret World of Briar Rose - Cindy Pham Between Friends and Lovers - Shirlene Obuobi Before I Let Go - Kennedy Ryan Cleopatra and Frankenstein - Coco Mellors Big Swiss - Jen Beagin Joe’s Picks: Puzzled – Pan Cooke What’s Wrong? - Erin Williams Anxietyland – Gemma Correll Past Tense – Sacha Mardou Dear Scarlet – Teresa Wong In. - Will McPhail Everything is OK – Debbie Tung Verona Comics – Jennifer Dugan Sunflowers – Keezy Young Who’s in this episode: Jananie K. Velu - Links Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:52 Catching up with Jananie & Mental Health Awareness Month 00:01:10 What role does reading play in your mental health journey? 00:02:15 Anti-Brain Rot Reading Challenge and Mindful Reading 00:04:48 When you’re going through it mentally, it’s hard to stick to goals and plans 00:07:36 Mental Health Awareness Month Reading Recs 01:07:27 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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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Reading as Healing: Mental Health, Self-Care & the Power of Libraries

    Reading as Healing: Mental Health, Self-Care & the Power of Libraries
    May 11 2026
    This week, we’re reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month. Today, Joe sits down with two mental health professionals to explore the powerful connection between reading, emotional well-being, and community. Split into two thoughtful segments, this episode invites listeners to reflect on how books, libraries, and small daily habits can support healing, growth, and a sense of stability in an often-overwhelming world. In the first segment, Joe is joined by Monica Hobson (aka: @thebookeduptherapist), a therapist and licensed clinical social worker whose work centers on the role of reading in our healing journeys. Together, they explore the idea that distraction isn’t avoidance; it's a meaningful part of processing and recovery. They discuss the importance of self-care, how books can act as connectors between people and experiences, and how to quiet the pressure of “what should I read” in favor of what truly serves you. In the second segment, Joe speaks with Dr. Suzan Song, MD, PhD, about the broader impact of reading on both individuals and communities. Their conversation touches on personal and collective agency, building stability in uncertain times, and what Dr. Song wishes more people understood about mental health. She also shares why one of her first priorities in any new place is getting a library card and what that represents beyond just access to books. This episode is an invitation to slow down, reflect, and consider the role stories play in our lives; not just as entertainment, but as tools for connection, understanding, and healing. We hope this conversation offers a sense of comfort and possibility. You are not alone. If you are seeking support, please find a list of resources below: Psychology Today Find a Therapist tool: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org Maternal Mental Health: call or text 1-833-852-6262 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations: call or text 1-800-985-5990 The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ Youth: Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678 Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Who’s in this episode: Segment 1: Monica Hobson – Instagram, Psychology Today Segment 2: Dr. Suzan Song – Website, Instagram, book: Why We Suffer and How We Heal Link to our full book list: Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro – Welcome to Mental Health Awareness Month 00:00:43 Segment 1 with Monica Hobson, LCSW 00:06:37 Distraction is an important part of our healing process 00:08:22 Making time and giving power to self-care 00:19:55 Books are a connector 00:35:39 What are the immediate benefits to reading for mental health? 00:38:30 How can you make a more stress-free reading life? 00:43:53 How can we contribute to our JOY while reading? 00:48:12 Segment 2 with Dr. Suzan Song, MD, PhD 00:49:07 How does reading help heal communities? 00:52:58 Personal and collective agency 00:53:58 How can you build your own sense of agency? 00:57:48 Escapism versus alignment 00:59:05 What does Dr. Song wish more people understood about mental health? 01:05:46 Resilience is not just enduring 1:09:03 Book club is an experience of connection 01:11:16 We’re missing a lot of shared spaces 01:13:36 Getting a library card 01:14:15 Where do stories and reading fit within a healing journey? 01:15:26 Privatized suffering and healing 01:19:02 Thinking about death and dying 01:23:36 Through reading, we feel more safe and understood 01:27:17 How can someone start reflecting through the day (easily) 01:29:36 The emotional GPS 01:31:04 What’s a message you hope readers carry with them? 01:32:21 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! 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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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Your AAPI Month TBR Starts Here | Must-Read Books with Jananie K. Velu

    Your AAPI Month TBR Starts Here | Must-Read Books with Jananie K. Velu
    May 7 2026
    In this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu of thisstoryaintover to celebrate AAPI Month with a stack of incredible Asian lit you’ll want to add to your TBR immediately. Together, they dive into a wide range of must-read books highlighting stories that span genres, perspectives, and lived experiences. From deeply personal narratives to sweeping, unforgettable storytelling, this conversation is all about discovering books that stay with you and expanding your reading list to celebrate these voices all year long. Whether you’re looking to build out your AAPI Month reading list, discover new favorite authors, or simply find your next great read, this episode is packed with recommendations that bring heart, perspective, and unforgettable storytelling. Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! Book recommendations: Jananie’s Picks: We Dance Upon Demons - Vaishnavi Patel Burn the Sea - Mona Tewari Capitalists Must Starve - Park Seolyeon Natural Beauty & Immaculate Conception - Ling Ling Huang Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead - Mai Nguyen A Kiss of Crimson Ash - Anuja Varghese Breasts and Eggs – Mieko Kawakami Tall Water – SJ Sindu Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop - Hwang Bo-reum Joe’s Picks: Counterattacks at Thirty & Almond – Won-Pyung Sohn Séance Tea Party – Reimena Yee What You Are Looking For is in the Library – Michiko Aoyama The Midnight Taxi – Yosha Gunasekera Convenience Store Woman & Earthlings - Sayaka Murata Detective Aunty & Moonlight Murder - Uzma Jalaluddin Shoutout: Strange Pictures, Strange Houses & Strange Buildings - Uketsu Who’s in this episode: Jananie K. Velu - Links Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:06 Catching up with Jananie K. Velu! 00:02:20 What are Jananie’s guiding lights when choosing for her imprint 00:03:57 Starting the reading recs 01:03:46 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
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    1 hr and 7 mins
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