Professional Book Nerds

Grab your crystal ball, fire up the cauldron, and get ready to get witchy! Today, Joe, Kristin, and Claire share some recommended picks for the witching season. There's something magical in the air as you transition from Halloween horrors but before you get too cozy for the winter season. Titles mentioned in this episode: Kristin’s Titles:   Hex Life edited by Rachel Autumn Deering  In the House in the Dark of the Wood by Laird Hunt  The Witchery by Sophie Isabelle  The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth  Kiss and Spell by Celestine Martin  The Good House by Tananarieve Due    Claire’s Titles:  The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman  Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue  The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec  A Season with the Witch by J.W. Ocker  Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt  Slewfoot by Brom  Into the Forest edited by Lindy Ryan    Joe’s Titles:  Cackle by Rachel Harrison  Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore  After the Forest by Kell Woods  Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch

Emma spends roughly an hour fangirling at bestselling author, Rebecca Yarros, and chats about the highly-anticipated release of Iron Flame. They also discuss work-life balance, the biggest obstacles facing Xaden and Violet, Rebecca's favorite dragon and go-to coffee order, being a Dain apologist, and so much more in this casual, chatty interview. Books mentioned in this episode: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros Undelivered by Jeff Nussbaum Kindred by Octavia Butler Legendborn by Tracy Deonn The History of a Difficult Child by Mihret Sibhat Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spo

Emma is joined by librarian, Robin Bradford, to chat about her book, The Reader's Advisory Guide to Romance. They also chat all things Romancelandia, how to talk about spice levels, the cyclical nature of romance trends and tropes, libraries, and a bunch of recommendations! You can find Robin on Twitter @Tuphlos.  Authors mentioned in this episode: Katee Robert Jill Shalvis Tasha Harrison D.L. White Naima Simone Tracey Livesay Eva Leigh Rosie Danan Samantha Chase Dylan Allen Rachel Howzell Hall Books mentioned in this episode: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall Bride by Ali Hazelwood The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan Ana Maria and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or 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 t

Emma catches up with Penny Reid to discuss the ways Penny innovates in self-publishing/indie publishing, her amazing Kickstarter campaign, the Smarty Pants Romance imprint, what happens when you add reality to romance tropes, and the Charles Dickens retelling you didn't know you needed. Plus, hear some scoop on what books you can expect next, news about the Winston Brothers tv show, and which characters still speak to Penny the loudest, even after their books are "done." Books mentioned in this episode: Truth or Beard Prom King (coming soon) Drama King Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend Marriage and Murder Beard Science Beard in Hiding Totally Folked Folk Around and Find Out Marriage of Inconvenience All Folked Up (coming July 2024) Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Library friends can shop these titles in OverDrive Marketplace. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review

Emma and Joe's favorite episode of the month is here with a roundup of November book releases! Grab a warm beverage and your TBR list! Author Interviews this month:  Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros  The Future by Naomi Alderman  Emma’s Picks  Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood   Betting on You by Lynn Painter   Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan   Powerless by Lauren Roberts   Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry   Enchanted Hill by Emily Bain Murphy   Endgame by Omid Scobie   Welcome to the O.C. by Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, Alan Sepinwall   Wish of the Wicked by Danielle Paige     Joe’s Picks  The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor  The Core of an Onion by Mark Kurlansky  Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree  The Manor House by Gilly Macmillan  Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison  No One Left But You by Tash McAdam  Wren Martin Ruins it All by Amanda DeWitt  Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng  Dolls of Our Lives by Mary Mahoney (audio only currently)  Data Baby by S

Halloween is fast-approaching, so what better way to get into the spirit

Emma is joined by Sydney and Tiffany to talk about what makes an author an "always buy." They also discuss the different ways they interact with an author or their titles, including placing holds at the library, using Libby tags, reading in print versus digital versus audiobook, personal connections to books, and go on a slight tangent to recommend some horror reads. It's a grab bag book-ish chat with a very long list of recommended authors and titles! Books mentioned: The Korean Vegan Cookbook  by Joanne Lee Molinaro Joshua Weissman   Molly Wizenberg Happy Place by Emily Henry  Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison   The Return by Rachel Harrison   Yellowface by RF Kuang  Babel by RF Kuang  The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir  Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Laura Vanderkam Jenny Odell Cackle by Rachel Harrison 11/22/6

Emma unbelievably chats with Cassandra Clare about her stunning new adult fantasy book, Sword Catcher. Emma and Cassandra also discuss nobles behaving badly, the surprising inspiration behind this story and the characters, romance, found family, and what we can expect next in Castellane. Listen to the end to hear the title of Book 2 in this series and Cassandra's preferred method of organizing her book collection at home. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Library friends can shop these titles in OverDrive Marketplace. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to reach out? Send an email to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Joe Read a Big Romance, everyone wanted Emma to do the same - so today, Emma Reads a Horror! Emma read Jackal by Erin E. Adams - one of Joe's favorite reads of 2022. The Nerds get into a spoilery discussion of the book, talking about folklore, horror, and dive in deep in the book's topics. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to reach out? Send an email to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com. We’ve got merch! Check out our two shirts in The OverDrive Shop (all profits are donated to the ALA Literacy Clearinghouse). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho

On this episode, Joe is joined by return guest Adam Sass to talk about his new book, Your Lonely Nights are Over. They talk about building and investing in a community, dual POV writing, beautiful, dreamy pondering, and Adam answers the question - what's your favorite scary movie? Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to reach out? Send an email to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com. We’ve got merch! Check out our two shirts in The OverDrive Shop (all profits are donated to the ALA Literacy Clearinghouse). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Emma share what books released in October 2023 that they're MOST excited for. Get your TBRs ready! Emma’s Picks:   Lucky Me by Rich Paul   The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young  Wildfire by Hannah Grace  A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber  A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone (Snow Place Like LA) Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead   The Sun Sets in Singapore by Kehinde Fadipe   Making It So by Patrick Stewart     Joe’s Picks: The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson  Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward  Brooms by Jasmine Walls  The List by Yomi Adegoke  The Woman in Me by Britney Spears  Family Meal by Bryan Washington  Mary and the Birth of Frankestein by Anne Eekhout  The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub  Author interviews upcoming: Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare   Your Lonely Nights are Over by Adam Sass Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDr

Today Joe is freaking out because he gets to talk to TJ Klune and Daniel Henning. TJ wrote one of Joe's all-time favorite books, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and his newest book, In the Lives of Puppets, released in April 2023. Daniel has been the voice for both of these audiobooks and over 200 others (The House in the Cerulean Sea (audio), In the Lives of Puppets(audio)). They talk about writing, narrating audiobooks, what advice they'd give to their younger selves, post-apocalyptic queer puppets, and gas station beef jerky. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to

Emma is joined by her friendly OverDrive librarians to chat about all things book hype. They explore questions like " Is it worth the hype?" and "Do you pay attention to hype?" and how it impacts personal reading tastes or not! They also have a respectful conversation about books that did not quite live up to their expectations and then share some books they're REALLY looking forward to for the fall. Books mentioned in this episode:   The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune  Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle  Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldry (Bookshops & Bonedust coming soon)   Emily Henry  A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson   The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han  Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston  Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon  Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens  Death Valley by Melissa Broder  Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison  System Collapse by Martha Wells  Unreliable Narrator by Aparna Nancherla  What About Men? By Caitlin Moran  Sword Catcher by Cassandra Cl

Today Joe chats with Jessica Knoll about her new book, Bright Young Women. They talk about her work dissecting and researching the crimes of Ted Bundy as she crafted her novel from the perspective of two victims. Jessica also shares about her organization and process, where she finds inspiration while writing, and just how spicy she likes her Pad See Ew. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to reach out? Send an email to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com. We’ve got merch! Check out our two shirts in The OverDrive Shop (all profits are donated to the ALA Literacy Cle

Read an Ebook Day is September 18th! Team OverDrive is particularly fond of this holiday that celebrates digital reading love and wanted to share what they plan to read. Let us know what you add to your TBR and how you plan to celebrate Read an Ebook Day with #ebookLove. You can also visit https://readanebookday.com/ to learn more! Books mentioned in this episode: The Only One Left by Riley Sager Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson The Eighth Life by Nino Haratischvili After That Night by Karin Slaughter 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann Tom Lake by Ann Patchett An Immense World by Ed Yong Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells Holly by Stephen King The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner None of This is True by Lisa Jewell  The Pallbearer's Club by Paul Tremblay Readers can sample and borrow the

Emma and Joe are thrilled to chat with incredible horror authors, Clay McLeod Chapman and Rachel Harrison, for a special conversation about their new books, What Kind of Mother (out September 12th), and Black Sheep (out September 19th). Listen in to hear about finding inspiration in the strangest of places (Nicholas Sparks and insurance commercials), nature vs. nurture, not turning into our parents, struggling with parenthood, being fans of each others' work, the horror author community, and their friendship! We also get a tiny glimpse into what they're working on next. Books mentioned in this episode: Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison (Listen to our chat with Rachel about Such Sharp Teeth here!) Cackle by Rachel Harrison The Return by Rachel Harrison Nestlings by Nat Cassidy Edenville by Sam Rebelein The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins Find Clay at his book tour e

Join Emma and Joe as they share the September 2023 book releases they're eagerly awaiting. Upcoming author interviews (with September book releases): What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman (out 9/12)  Black Sheep by Rachel harrison (out 9/19)  Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass (out 9/12)  Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll (out 9/28)  Emma’s Titles:   Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L Armentrout   The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab   The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary   A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid   The September House by Carissa Orlando  The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin     Joe’s Titles:  Mall Goth by Kate Leth The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell’Antonia  The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin Evil Eye by Etaf Rum There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Library f

The day has finally arrived - Emma has convinced Joe to read a popular romance title! Join the nerds as they talk about Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune. They talk about what Joe loved (and maybe didn't love) most about the book, key romance tropes, if Joe would read another romance, and of course vibes ✨ Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode on OverDrive.com or 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 the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can follow the Professional Book Nerds on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @ProBookNerds. Want to reach out? Send an email to professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com. We’ve got merch! Check out our two shirts in The OverDrive Shop (all profits are donated to the ALA Literacy Clearinghouse). Learn more about your ad choices

Emma speaks with award-winning author, Kennedy Ryan, about her books, The Kingmaker, and Long Shot, to celebrate the Bloom Books editions in print. They also discuss Kennedy's research that goes into her writing, centering women, writing with conviction, belief, her journalism background, motherhood, romance, allllll the tropes, and so much more. CONTENT WARNINGS: Long Shot discusses issues that may be sensitive to readers. Please read all content warnings about the book beforehand. Kennedy does address these topics in broad terms in this interview. Books mentioned in this episode: The Kingmaker The Rebel King Queen Move Long Shot Block Shot Hook Shot Reel Before I Let Go This Could Be Us Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Library friends can shop these titles in OverDrive Marketplace. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever y

Today Emma and Joe are sharing the top 5 highest rated and 5 lowest rated titles from their TBR. They discuss reviewing a title before the book is out, review bombing, and the different ways they keep track of books they want to read. Share how you track your TBR with us on social media - we're @probooknerds on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok! Emma's Titles: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros  All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir  Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir  The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson  Legendborn by Tracy Deonn  The Body Double by Emily Beyda  Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey  How Could She by Lauren Mechling  Looker by Laura Sims  The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward  Joe's Titles: Tweakerworld by Jason Yamas  A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales by Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz  City of Bones by Cassandra Clare  The Boys vol. 1: The Name of the Game by Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson Before We Disappear by Shaun David Hutchinso