Book Lounge by Libby

June is STACKED with incredible new releases, and this month’s Book Picks episode is here to help you build your summer TBR. Joe is joined by Kieran, founder of the Queer Liberation Library, to talk about the most exciting June 2026 book releases across genres — from buzzy literary fiction and swoony romances to twisty thrillers, queer stories, fantasy adventures, and everything in between. 

Along the way, Kieran also shares more about the mission behind the Queer Liberation Library, a digital library working to increase access to LGBTQIA+ books for readers across the United States. If you’re looking for more queer stories to add to your reading life, it’s an incredible resource worth exploring. 

Whether you’re planning beach reads, book club picks, or simply trying to stay ahead of the biggest releases of the month, this episode is packed with recommendations to keep your TBR thriving all summer long. 

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

Who’s in this episode:  

Check out the Queer Liberation Library (website)! You can show your support with a donation here (donation link) or just by supporting them on social media (Instagram). 

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)! 

Book recommendations: 

Kieran’s Picks:  


Honorable Mention: The Fake Divination Offense – Sara Raasch 


Puck – Samantha Allen 


25 Days in Athens – Jack Strange 


Supergay! - Frankie Grande 


Double Dutch Fuss – Phill Branch 


Red X – David Demchuk  


Tillinghast – Clare Cavenagh 


Grief Eater – Emma Osborne  

 Joe’s Picks:  


Slasher Summer – E.L. Chen 


Mister Magic: The Graphic Novel – Kiersten White, Illustrated by Veronica & Andy Fish 


The Disaster Gay Detective Agency – Lev AC Rosen 


The Disco at the End of the World – Nathan Tavares 


We Hexed the Moon – Mollyhall Seeley 


Girl’s Girl – Sonia Feldman 


Valley of the Moms – Hannah Selinger 


Marion – Leah Rowan 


I am not a Vampire (Anymore) - Darcy Miller 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:03 Welcome Kieran and the Queer Liberation Library 00:01:27 What is the Queer Liberation Library (QLL)?  00:03:24 Supporting QLL and the Pride month donation drive 00:04:44 June 2026 Book Picks 00:58:48 Thanks to Kieran 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 [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

If your TBR is looking a little too well-behaved, consider this your official invitation to cause some chaos. 

Joe is joined by Abby from @crimebythebook to dive headfirst into a stack of mystery and thriller recommendations that are twisty, chilling, and completely unputdownable. From locked-room tension and atmospheric horror-leaning suspense to darkly clever whodunits and cult-favorite thrillers, this episode is packed with reads guaranteed to keep you guessing long after “just one more chapter.” 

If you’re searching for the best mystery books, psychological thrillers, dark academia vibes, or hidden gem crime fiction to add to your reading list, this episode is your next obsession.  

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!  Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! 

Book recommendations: 

Abby’s Picks:  


Nightwatching – Tracy Sierra 


You Are Fatally Invited  & The Library After Dark  – Ande Pliego 


The Treasure Hunters Club – Tom Ryan  


The Anniversary – Alex Finlay  


Hide & Seek - Søren Sveistrup  


The Possession of Alba Díaz - Isabel Cañas  

 Joe’s Picks:  


The Mill House Murders – Yukito Ayatsuji 


Dead & Breakfast & Summer Coven  - Kat Hillis & Rosiee Thor (Aug. 25) 


Murder in the Dressing Room & Missing in Soho – Holly Stars (Jun. 2) 


With My Little Eye – Joshilyn Jackson 


The Sister Holiday Series (Book 1: Scorched Grace, Book 3: Divine Ruin) - Margot Douaihy 

Who’s in this episode:  

Abby (Crime by the Book) - Links 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:44 Welcome to Abby from CrimebytheBook! 00:01:06 Getting to know Abby and Crime by the Book 00:11:11 Our Mystery & Mayhem Recommendations 00:51:54 Thanks to Abby 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 [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

What makes readers gasp out loud at the end of a thriller? How do authors plant clues without giving everything away? And why do some plot twists stay with us forever? 

This week on Book Lounge, Joe is joined by three powerhouse thriller writers — Clare Mackintosh, Jo Piazza, and Lisa Gardner — for an exciting conversation all about The Anatomy of a Twist. Together, they unpack the art of suspense, the challenge of surprising modern readers, and the careful balance between foreshadowing and deception. 

From unreliable narrators and shocking endings to pacing, character secrets, and the emotional impact of a perfectly executed reveal, this episode is a must-listen for thriller readers, mystery lovers, and aspiring writers alike. The group also discusses some of their favorite twists in fiction, the pressure of “outsmarting” readers in the age of online theories, and what they believe makes psychological thrillers so addictive. 

If you love mystery books, crime fiction, suspense novels, plot twists, and behind-the-scenes conversations with bestselling authors, this episode delivers plenty of intrigue, insight, and mayhem. 

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!  Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! 

Who’s in this episode:  

Clare Mackintosh - website Jo Piazza - website Lisa Gardner - website 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:11 Get to know today’s guests 00:02:51 Writing by the seat of your pants 00:03:31 Figuring as you go vs. Planning 00:06:53 The Architect vs. The Builder 00:08:48 Working backwards 00:15:48 Do you want the reader to have the chance to figure out the mystery?  00:22:17 Twists at the top of the book 00:39:14 Do they track body bags?  00:42:33 Do readers want to be surprised?  00:50:10 How do you balance plot + pacing with your twist?  00:57:35 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! 

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

This week on Book Lounge, Joe is joined by Meara for a celebration of all things adventure as they talk about adult books that perfectly capture the feeling of reading The Magic Tree House. Whether it’s characters being pulled into another time and place, epic quests across strange worlds, hidden mysteries, or stories filled with wonder and discovery, these are the books that recreate that unforgettable reading experience for grown-up readers. 

From fantasy adventures and historical twists to books that feel immersive, magical, and impossible to put down, Joe and Meara share the titles giving them major Magic Tree House energy and explain why these stories still tap into the same excitement that made so many readers fall in love with books in the first place. If you’ve ever wanted stories that make you feel like you’ve stepped through a portal into another world, this episode is for you. 

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!  Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! 

Book recommendations: 

Meara’s Picks: 


These Immortal Truths – R. Raeta 


How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America – Clint Smith 


The Keeper of Night - Kylie Lee Baker 


The Scarlet Throne - Amy Leow 


The Dead Cat Tail Assassins - P. Djèlí Clark 


In Universes - Emet North 


The Time Traveler’s Passport Collection 

Joe’s Picks: 


Vampires in the Lemon Grove – Karen Russell 


Found Audio – NJ Campbell 


Peaces – Helen Oyeyemi  


Under the Whispering Door – TJ Klune 


The Elsewhere Express – Samantha Sotto Yambao 


Sheets – Brenna Thummler 

Who’s in this episode:  

Meara - Links 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:00:50 Welcome Meara! 00:01:06 What was your relationship to the Magic Tree House? 00:02:11 Reading Magic Tree House as an adult 00:11:57 Instilling recognition of cultures 00:19:40 Do you see similarities between your regular reads and the MTH books you enjoyed?  00:24:09 Our reading recommendations! 00:53:58 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

This week, Joe sits down with legendary children’s author Mary Pope Osborne to celebrate the legacy of the Magic Tree House books and the generations of readers who grew up with Jack and Annie’s adventures. 

Together, they discuss the original spark that inspired the series, how the personalities of Jack and Annie developed over time and the early days of writing for young readers during the rise of early chapter books. Mary also shares behind-the-scenes stories about adapting the series into graphic novels, audiobooks, musicals, and animation, along with the process of designing some of the most recognizable covers in children’s literature. 

The conversation also explores Mary’s writing routine, the books that challenged her most creatively, the incredible memories she’s collected from readers over the years and what it means to see The Magic Tree House continue to connect with new generations of kids today. 

Filled with nostalgia, creativity, laughter, and heartfelt reflection, this episode is a celebration of storytelling, imagination, and one of the most beloved children’s series of all time. 

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!  Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! 

Who’s in this episode:  

Mary Pope Osborne – YouTube, Website, Instagram 

Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:15 What was the spark that lead to the Magic Tree House?  00:03:48 The idea of writing for younger readers and inspiration in the classroom 00:07:35 How did Jack & Annie’s personalities take shape?  00:09:00 How has change happened over the years?  00:13:21 The start of Early Chapter Books 00:22:09 Animating the Magic Tree House 00:25:47 Designing the cover 00:30:25 The Magic Tree House Graphic Novels 00:35:30 What is your process for writing? 00:41:06 Kids informed titles and covers live! 00:42:48 Magic Tree House: History Heroes  00:47:25 What book pushed you most while writing?  00:50:00 Recording the Magic Tree House audiobooks 00:51:26 Magic Tree House Musicals 00:52:58 What memories over the years have truly stuck with you?  00:57:54 Lightning Round! 00:59:59 What do you hope your readers take with them?  01:00:10 What does the series mean to you now?  01:00:31 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