On today's episode Jill is joined by Kathleen West to discuss her new book Home or Away. Kathleen is a hockey mom herself and discusses how her own experiences raising two hockey players played a role in her book, along with writing complicated female friendships and one character with zero redeeming qualities.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview with Kathleen West

We're not just book nerds. We're professional book nerds! We are staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks from public libraries and schools. It's our job to discuss books all day long so we thought, "Why not share the conversation!" Hear about the best books we've read, get recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. Titles discussed are available to borrow through public libraries. Get started reading at overdrive.com and subscribe to our podcast today!

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Emma and Joe are joined by Andrea and Meghan to discuss a new era of vampire reads! We've seen a huge increase in books featuring vampires in the last few years and wanted to share some recent books and upcoming releases we're most excited about to usher in a new era. Emma’s Picks:  

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft  

To You Shall All Flesh Come by Lumen Reese  

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro  

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White 
  Joe’s Picks:  

This Ravenous Fate by Hayley Dennings

Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco and book 2 Court of Wanderers came out in April 

The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland 

My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine 

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

 Andrea’s Picks:  

The Scarlet Veil #2 by Shelby Mahurin 
Book 1: The Scarlet Veil 

The Madness by Dawn Kurtagich 

Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen 
Book 2: Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen 
The Songbird & The Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent
Book 1: The Serpent & the Wings of Night 
Book 2: The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King 


 Meghan’s Picks:  

A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley  

Sign of the Slayer by Sharina Harris 

Bloodline by Jenn Alexander  

Filthy Rich Vampire by Geneva Lee  

Vampires Never Say Die by Gloria Duke 

 Other books and things mentioned: 
Kathy Reichs new book, Fire and Bones


Dawn Kurtagich interview and Dawn’s return to the podcast 

 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

Books with Bite: A New Era of Vampire Reads

In this episode, Joe sits down for a live conversation with Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket, for the release of his memoir And Then? And Then? What Else?, hosted at Cuyahoga County Public Library! Joe and Daniel talk about Tim Curry, sharing your personal life publicly, and what it's like being Lemony Snicket. 
 Special thanks to Cuyahoga County Public Library for hosting this incredible event. The live event was hosted and recorded on Thursday, May 23, 2024 at the Parma-Snow Library Branch to a sold-out auditorium. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode 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

Live Interview with Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket

Emma and Joe's monthly round-up of books is back with June picks! Grab a beverage and get ready for a long-list of summer-y picks! For Emma and Joe that usually means mystery and romance, but there's also a dash of cooking, graphic novels, YA, and family sagas. 
 Author Interviews:  

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center 

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay 
  Joe’s Picks:  
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager 

Willie, Waylon, and the Boys by Brian Fairbanks 

Birds Aren’t Real by Peter McIndoe, Connor Gaydos 

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller 

The Salad Lab by Darlene Schrijver (TikTok Tie In) 

Annie LeBlanc is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris 

Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez 

One Killer Problem by Justine Pucella Winans 

Now, Conjurers by Freddie Kolsch 

Brownstone by Samuel Teer 

One of our Kind by Nicola Yoon 
  Emma’s Picks:  

Swan Song by Elin Hilderbrand 

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver 

A Novel Love Story by Ashely Poston 

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson 

Blood in the Cut by Alejandro Nodarse 

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle 

Such a Bad Influence by Olivia Muenter  

A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd 

The Unwedding by Ally Condie 

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson 

 Need a refresher on what our most anticipated books of the year are? Listen here: PBN’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024 episode  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

June 2024 Book Picks

On today's episode, Emma sits down for a live conversation with the #1 New York Times bestselling author, Harlan Coben, for the release of Think Twice. Hosted at Cuyahoga County Public Library, Emma and Harlan chat about the writing process, his plans for Myron, being the "twist guy," his Netflix adaptations, Stephen King, and Queen Camilla. Special thanks to Cuyahoga County Public Library for hosting this amazing event. The live event was recorded on Monday, May 20, 2024 at the Parma-Snow Library Branch to a sold-out auditorium of 400 fantastic readers. 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

Live Interview with Harlan Coben, author of Think Twice

Join us as we dive into the captivating world of cults! We're recommending both fiction and nonfiction titles that explore that mysterious and chilling allure... From gripping thrillers to eye-opening accounts, we've got recommendations that will keep you on the edge of your seat. We'll wax poetic on cult dynamics and discuss the enduring fascination with these enigmatic communities. 
 Titles mentioned in this episode: Jill’s Titles:  

The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn 

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead 

The Sullivanians by Alexander Stille 

The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi 
Joe’s Titles: 

Member of the Family by Dianne Lake 

Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett 

The Project by Courtney Summers 

Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones 
Emma’s Titles:  

The Girls by Emma Cline  

Say You’re Sorry by Karen Rose 

The Lightness by Emily Temple 

Heartbreaker by Claudia Dey  
Meredith’s Titles:  

Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life by Sarah Edmondson 

Fierce Little Thing by Miranda Beverly-Whittmore  

A Billion Years by Mike Rinder  

Don’t Call It a Cult by Sarah Berman 

Cults & Exteme Belief - A&E; (Kanopy)  

 Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode 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

Interview with Kathleen West

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