Book Lounge by Libby

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 [email protected]. 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, Joe celebrates Asian Heritage Month by spotlighting the global impact of Asian voices in storytelling. Joined by bestselling authors Lisa See and Zoulfa Katouh, the conversation explores how heritage, identity, and lived experience shape the stories we read and why those stories resonate far beyond any one place or perspective. 

From the influence of cultural traditions to the responsibility of telling stories rooted in personal and collective history, Lisa and Zoulfa share how their backgrounds inform their writing and connect with readers around the world. This episode highlights the power of global storytelling, the importance of representation in literature, and the way deeply personal narratives can feel universal. 

If you’re looking to celebrate Asian Heritage Month through books, discover globally resonant stories, or better understand how culture shapes the stories that stay with us, this conversation is a meaningful place to start. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Who’s in this episode:  

Lisa See - Website Daughters of the Sun and Moon – coming June 9, 2026 Lady Tan’s Circle of Women 

 

Zoulfa Katouh - Website The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue - coming June 2, 2026 As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:57 Welcome to Lisa See and Zoulfa Katouh 00:02:22 A conversation on Asian heritage, culture and the impact on writing 00:23:41 Being Authentic and Intentional 00:29:02 Lisa See reflects on conversations about racism with her father 00:40:47 What does home mean to you in your work?  00:47:07 What do you hope readers take with you from your work?  00:51:51 Thank you 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! 

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 [email protected]. 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

Be honest, how many books have you borrowed purely because the cover looked amazing? 

This week on Book Lounge, Joe is joined by Bre for a very honest, slightly chaotic, and deeply relatable conversation about judging books by their covers. Before diving into our recommendations, we get into what Bre loves in a cover design. 

We also talk about the covers that live rent-free in for Bre, and how special editions have completely changed the way readers collect (and display) books. Plus, a love-filled detour into The Diviners series and why its design continues to stand out. 

Then, we get to recommending books we only read BECAUSE of the cover. 

We didn’t read the synopsis. 

We didn’t check reviews. 

We saw the cover… and that was enough. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Book recommendations: 

Bre’s Picks: 


How to Solve Your Own Murder – Kristen Perrin 


The Jumbies - Tracey Baptiste  


To Steal a Throne - Gabi Burton 


On Sundays She Picked Flowers - Yah Yah Scholfield  

Joe’s Picks:  


Sky Daddy – Kate Folk 


Just Like Mother – Anne Heltzel 


Dollface – Lindy Ryan 


Butter – Asako Yuzuki 

 Who’s in this episode:  


Bre - Links 

Time stamps: 

00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:40 Welcome to Bre The Loc’d Booktician 00:01:02 What are some of your favorite cover designs? 00:05:56 Do you have a book cover that comes to mind when you think of a good design? 00:06:57 Thoughts on special editions 00:19:11 Here’s our recommendations! 01:17:35 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 [email protected]. 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

Your TBR is about to get longer. 

In this episode of Book Lounge, Joe is joined by Rachel to break down the most exciting book releases coming in May 2026 by sharing what they’re adding to their to-be-read piles. From buzzy debuts and fan-favorite authors to under-the-radar titles you’ll want to grab early, they’re sorting through the chaos of new releases so you don’t have to. 

Expect strong opinions, a few surprises, and plenty of “place hold now” energy as they build their May reading lists. 

Whether you’re planning your next great read or just love staying ahead of the book buzz, this episode is your go-to guide for what’s hitting shelves this May. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Book recommendations: 

Rachel’s Titles:  


Our Perfect Storm - Carley Fortune 


A Parade of Horribles – Matt Dinniman 


The Final Target – Nora Roberts 


Caller Unknown – Gillian McAllister 


The Shippers  - Katherine Center 


Good Joy, Bad Joy – Mikki Brammer 


The Last Page – Katie Holt 


The Midnight Train – Matt Haig 

Joe’s Titles: 


Homebound – Portia Elan 


Bromantasy – Maire Roche 


Opting Out – Maia Kobabe, Lucky Srikumar 


Until Death – Mary Berman 


Murder Most Delicious - Danielle Postel-Vinay 


Landing in Place – Sherine Hamdy, art by Myra El Mir 


Gay Mormon Dad – Chad Anderson 


Body Count – Codie Crowley 


Not Your Final Girl – Mikayla Randolph 


Femme Feral – Sam Beckbessinger 

Time stamps: 

00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:48 A warm welcome to Rachel! 00:01:23 Breaking out of a bit of a slump 00:06:10 Our May 2026 Book Picks! 01:05:06 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 [email protected]. 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, Joe goes behind the scenes of one of the most important—and most misunderstood—parts of publishing: book cover design. 

In the first segment, Erin Fitzsimmons (Sourcebooks) and Karina Granda (Hachette Book Group) join Joe to talk about how they got their start in design, what their creative process looks like today, and how book covers have evolved alongside trends, formats, and reader expectations. 

Then, in the second segment, Kathryn G. English (Blackstone Publishing) and Ryan Willwerscheid (Podium Audio) dive into how design shifts across formats, from print to audio, and share some of the biggest surprises that go into creating a cover that connects with readers. 

From concept to final product, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the art, strategy, and collaboration behind the covers you can’t stop staring at. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Who’s in this episode:  

Segment 1: 


Erin Fitzsimmons - Instagram 


Karina Granda – Instagram  

Segment 2:  


Kathryn G. English - Instagram 


Ryan Willwerscheid – Instagram  

Time stamps: 

00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro with Karina Granda and Erin Fitzsimmons 00:03:50 How did you get into this space?  00:09:09 What does on the job training look like for a cover designer?  00:27:54 When do you start desiging covers?  00:39:57 What is a trendy cover vs. A timeless cover?  00:47:07 Thank you to Karina and Erin! 00:47:19 Intro with Ryan Willwerscheid and Kathryn G. English 00:51:03 How do you approach cover design? 01:02:39 Where do you find inspiration when creating covers?  01:06:45 How often do you push comps and trends over author wants?  01:18:11 Do you ever have to change covers right before print? 01:37:50 What would you want people to take away from creating book covers? 01:39:46 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! 

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 [email protected]. 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