Professional Book Nerds

Emma, Joe, and Maria chat about Romantic Fantasy aka "Romantasy," Queen Sarah J. Maas, reading things when they're trendy or not, and share a bunch of recommendations. Book's Mentioned: Emma’s Picks:   From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout  A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas  Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross    Maria’s Picks:   Throne of Glass series by SJM  The Bright and Breaking Sea and A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill  The Foxglove King by Hannah Witten  A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland  A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske    Joe’s Picks:   The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley  Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell  Song of Scarabs and Fallen Stars by Lindsey Sparks  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 Ap

Today on the pod, Joe is joined by Chloe Spencer, author of Monstersona. They talk about writing road trip stories, unpacking grief, parental backstories, and Supernatural. Books mentioned in this episode: Against the Stars by Christopher Hartland Out of Character by Jenna Miller 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/adc

Today Joe is joined by author Grace M. Cho to chat about her book Tastes Like War, which is our latest Big Library Read (BLR) pick. From May 3-17, the ebook and audiobook of Tastes Like War will be available to readers all over the world without waitlists or holds. In Tastes Like War, Grace shares stories of her and her mother's lives, the impact of food, small town life, war, and mental illness. 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 here. 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

Emma and Joe chat with podcast regular guest, Kristin, about their most anticipated releases for May 2023! They also discuss Little Mermaid retellings, their book buzzwords that signal immediate interest in a title, Jessica Fletcher, mall kid nostalgia, urban legends, the Winchester brothers, and more. Books mentioned in this episode: Emma’s picks:   The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis   Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune   Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul   The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren  The Guest by Emma Cline  A Shadow Crown by Melissa Blair  A Taste of London by John Donohue     Joe’s picks:   Witch King by Martha Wells  Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards  Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway  The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer  I Like Me Better by Robby Webber  We Don’t Swim Here by Vincent Tirado  The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence  Kristin’s picks:   The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw  Surprisingly Sarah by Terr

Emma is delighted to welcome back Emily Henry and Julia Whelan to the podcast today to discuss their involvement with Happy Place, out on April 25th! They have lively conversation about the book, their favorite romance tropes, conquering every industry, their happy places, and more. Books mentioned in today's episode: Beach Read by Emily Henry (audiobook here) People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (audiobook here) Book Lovers by Emily Henry (audiobook here) My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (audiobook here) Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan (audiobook here) Happy Place by Emily Henry (audiobook) 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 here. 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 

In today's episode, Jill returns for the second part in our Hunger Games retrospective. This time, the trio discusses Catching Fire. From fake weddings to very real relationships, new alliances, and more, it's no wonder Catching Fire is PBN's favorite book in the series. 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

Emma and Joe chat with Caroline Kepnes about FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. They also chat about Joe Goldberg's character growth, how dreamy Santino Fontana's narration is, what Caroline's go-to coffee order is at Dunkin' and Starbucks, and so much more. Books mentioned in this episode: You by Caroline Kepnes Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes Providence by Caroline Kepnes What Kind of Mother by Clay McCleod Chapman 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. Visi

Today on the pod, Emma and Joe are joined by Marissa to talk about one of Joe and Marissa's favorite genres - magical realism. They chat about the history of the genre, what they love most about it, and the CW hit, Jane the Virgin. Books mentioned in this episode: Vapor by Amanda Filipacchi The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger Marissa’s Titles:   Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore  The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova  Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani  Notes From My Captivity by Kathy Parks    Emma’s Titles:  The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab   The Charmed Wife by Olga Grushin  Awayland by Ramona Ausubel  Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young     Joe’s Titles:  The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender  When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo  The Night Shift by Natalka Burian  The Change by Kirsten Miller  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Library friends ca

Emma chat with Curtis Sittenfeld about her newest book and the latest Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, Romantic Comedy, and the inspiration behind it, including Saturday Night Live, and the hope that this book would be lighthearted and fun. Spoiler alert: It is! They also chat about how personal Google search history can be, how the book acknowledges the unattractive elements of life and dating, "The Danny Horst Rule," and the design process for the cover art in the US and the UK. Books mentioned in this episode: Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld Live from New York by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales 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 here. We hope you enjoy this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherev

Joe and Emma mix things up this week and share their favorite features in Libby, the library reading app. There's a lot to enjoy about Libby, but some of their favorite features include: Tags Navigation bar labels Multi-library search Deep search Notify Me tags Customizing your notifications Sending to Kindle (US only) Filter cloud Patrons can sign up for a Libby training with Joe and Marissa here. Watch our Libby how-to videos here.  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby.  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

Today Emma and Joe are joined by Megan Miranda, author of The Only Survivors. They talk about finding missing cell phones in the sand, crafting strong casts of characters, setting stories in small towns, and what Pop Tart flavors are key to Megan's writing process. 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. 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 are back to share the books they're most looking forward to in April 2023. From misleading covers, to West Side Story (the 60s version ONLY), to adding to your never-ending TBR, this episode has it all! Books mentioned in this episode: Joe’s Titles:  With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson  Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman  Camp Zero by Michelle Min Sterling  Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina  We Love to Entertain by Sarah Strohmeyer  Chita: A Memoir by Chita Rivera  The Big Reveal by Sasha Velour  Spell Bound by FT Lukens  Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying    Emma’s Titles:  The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth  Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal   You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith  For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes   This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs  Never Vacation with Your Ex by Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund-Broka  Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline  House of Cotton by Monica Brashe

It's the end of an era as Jill has decided to retire from PBN (but don't worry, she's not leaving OverDrive so you'll still hear her voice on some episodes!). Emma and Joe announce some big and exciting changes to the podcast! This episode also contains some nostalgia, reflection, and book recommendations based on what they've read recently. Emma’s recent reads:   The Five Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand   Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld  Joe’s recent reads:   The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro  The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williams  Jill’s recent reads:   The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz  The Only One Left by Riley Sager  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

Today on the podcast Joe is joined by actor, writer, and comedian Dan Ahdoot to talk about his new book Undercooked: How I let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live. They talk about what cuisine Dan would live off of for the rest of his life, pitch podcast ideas to Shark Tank, and discuss what it's like to meet your word count when you thought you were already finished writing. 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. We’ve got merch! Check out our two shirts in The OverDrive Shop (all profits are donated to the ALA Literacy Clearinghou

Jill is joined by OverDrive librarian, Claire, to chat about all things delicate and dangerous with this botanical cover trend. While the floral trend has been around for awhile, there's been an uptick in covers that have botanical elements that look more alluring and dangerous. They discuss what is it about these covers, what genres seem to use this style, and a whole host of book recs if you've been meaning to check out something creepy and covered in flowers. Emma was unable to join but Jill calls out some of her favorite picks, too! Jill’s Picks:   Horrid by Katrina Leno  The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco  Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah  Claire’s Picks:   Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury  This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron  House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland  Emma’s Picks:  Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty   Foxglove by Adalyn Grace   The Depths by Nicole Lesperance   Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Li

On today's episode, Jill is joined by investigative journalist Alexandra Robbins to discuss her new book The Teachers. Told over the course of one school year, The Teachers follows three teachers from across the United States as they navigate the classroom. Alexandra discusses the challenges face in the classroom -- and speaks from her own experience as a substitute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking for ideas for the "Greek Myth Retellings" category of the Professional Book Nerds 2023 Reading Challenge? Emma, Joe, and Jill share their recommendations if you're in the mood for a classic Greek myth with a twist. They also chat about Sailor Moon, Hadestown, the influence of BookTok, the Clytemnestra fire, and more. Emma’s Picks:   Atalanta by Jennifer Saint  The Shadow of Perseus by Claire Hollywood  Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters by Emily Roberson   We Can Be Heroes by Kyrie McCauley   Joe’s Picks:   Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood  Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman  Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews  Elektra by Jennifer Saint  Jill’s Picks:   Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes  Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood  A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes  Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera  Other books mentioned in this episode: Mythology by Edith Hamilton Dark Olympus series by Katee Roberts The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Circe by Madeline Miller C

On today's episode, we're trying something new. Join us for everyone's favorite game, GUESS THAT CLASSIC! We wrote up descriptions of classic literature in modern day gossip, and then we quizzed each other. Guess along with us or sit back and enjoy the hot tea! (To avoid spoilers, titles are not included in the episode description) 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. 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

Emma chats with returning guest, Samantha Shannon, to talk about A Day of Fallen Night, returning to the Roots of Chaos world, crafting complex female characters, immortality, dragons, and Katniss Everdeen. Books mentioned in this episode: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon The Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon Inferno by Catherine Cho The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi 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 here. 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

Joe, Emma, and Jill are back to share the books they're most looking forward to in March 2023. They chat about witch trials, séances, and of course, quote Twilight. Come for the books, stay for the silly goofy moods.   Books Mentioned in This Episode: Emma’s Picks:  Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati   Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson   The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten   Paris by Paris Hilton   Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu   Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai   Thirst for Salt by Madelaine Lucas   The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland     Jill’s Picks:  Weyward by Emilia Hart  What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez  The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner  Flux by Jinwoo Chong  Woman of the Year by Darcey Bell  The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave  The Teachers by Alexandra Robbins  Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls    Joe’s Picks:   Community Board by Tara Conklin  The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell  The Jump by Brittney Morris  The Memory Eater by Rebecca