Emma is joined by author, Rebecca Ross, to chat about the epic conclusion to her Letters of Enchantment duology, Ruthless Vows. They also discuss symmetry in duologies, the book's original title, finding inspiration from Bronte, Austen, and Tolkien, and more. For more info on Rebecca's book tour, check out her website. 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 mor...
Dec 18, 2023•49 min
Come and join Emma and Joe as they share results from the 2023 PBN Reading Challenge and introduce the prompts for 2024! You can download the PDF version of our challenge here and the social sharing size here. This year's challenge includes: A genre you don’t normally read The Humans – Matt Haig A book with main characters that are a different age than you The Marlow Murder Club – Robert Thorogood A book on your TBR longer than 1 year To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han Fangirl by Rai...
Dec 14, 2023•40 min
In this episode, Eli Rallo spills the ink on essay escapades, spills the tea on meeting Sarah Jessica Parker, and spills some wisdom on finding your people. Join Eli and Joe, as they talk about all this, Eli's new book (I Didn't Know I Needed This - out December 12), and more! 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...
Dec 11, 2023•43 min
Emma and Joe share their favorite books of 2023! Emma’s picks: For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams None of This is True by Lisa Jewell Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros The Woman in Me by Britney Spears The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth The September House by Carissa Orlando The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll Happy Place by Emily Henry Joe’s picks: Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes The Body...
Dec 07, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Emma and Joe chat about their most anticipated book releases for December! The final book picks episode featuring 2023 releases is here. Grab your hot cocoa and get ready to add a few more things to your TBR as we close out another great year. Books mentioned in this episode: December Author Interviews: I Didn’t Know I Needed This by Eli Rallo Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross Emma’s Picks: Here in the Dark by Alexis Soloski The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson #Cri...
Nov 30, 2023•44 min
On this episode of PBN Joe and Emma are starting to wrap up the year by sharing their favorite juvenile and young adult titles published in 2023. Come and hear what made the cut and why these nerds enjoyed it so much. Titles mentioned in this episode: Emma’s Titles: Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood Betting on You by Lynn Painter House of Marionne by J. Elle The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid The Scarle...
Nov 16, 2023•49 min
On this episode of the Professional Book Nerds podcast, Joe chats with author Naomi Alderman about her new book The Future (out November 7). Joe and Naomi talk about how an actual pandemic happening can really change how you write about a pandemic, buying $23 hand sanitizer, and what exactly would happen if the elite had private bunkers to escape to. 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 OverDr...
Nov 13, 2023•44 min
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...
Nov 09, 2023•1 hr 10 min
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 N...
Nov 06, 2023•51 min
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 B...
Nov 02, 2023•52 min
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 ...
Oct 30, 2023•1 hr 7 min
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, Steph...
Oct 26, 2023•53 min
Halloween is fast-approaching, so what better way to get into the spirit 👻 than with some Haunted House reads! Grab your flashlights and EMF detectors and join the Nerds as they give you a guide to books about haunted houses. Titles mentioned in this episode: Emma’s Titles: Starling House by Alix E Harrow Home Before Dark by Riley Sager The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe Charnel House by Graham Masterton Nothing B...
Oct 19, 2023•41 min
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 ...
Oct 12, 2023•59 min
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 O...
Oct 09, 2023•44 min
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...
Oct 05, 2023•57 min
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 ...
Oct 02, 2023•56 min
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 Du...
Sep 28, 2023•43 min
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 pup...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 8 min
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 Chuc...
Sep 21, 2023•51 min
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 Ov...
Sep 18, 2023•44 min
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...
Sep 14, 2023•55 min
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 the...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 5 min
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 Drow...
Aug 31, 2023•34 min
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...
Aug 24, 2023•53 min
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...
Aug 21, 2023•57 min
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 Tr...
Aug 17, 2023•1 hr 20 min
Joe and Emma chat about the "final girl" trope and share some general book recommendations that everyone should read if they're looking for a good "final girl" pick. They share their personal picks that touch on that trope. This episode is filled with book recommendations galore, but they also chat about Tuesday the 17th, Psych, the Y2K panic, Blockbuster, Stephen Graham Jones and his chat with Jill, and so much more. Books mentioned in this episode: General recs: Final Girls by Riley Sager You’...
Aug 10, 2023•47 min
On today's episode, Emma is joined by the #1 NYT bestselling author, Sarah Pekkanen, to discuss her new book, Gone Tonight, out on August 1st. Sarah dives into how much this book was a gift to write, the tightknit author community she's a part of, her connection to Colleen Hoover, the ideal writing setup, the audiobook's narrator, Kate Mara, the working title of her next book, and so much more. Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today's episode on OverDrive.com or in Libby. Li...
Aug 07, 2023•51 min
Today Emma, Joe and Kristin are taking you to summer camp! Whether you want to make friendship bracelets, lay out by the dock, or run from the serial killer through the mess hall, they've got the recommendations for you. Want to know which of us went to summer camp? Listen to this ep and find out the answer plus catch a great list of summer camp books and books that match the summertime vibes. Kristin’s Titles: You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron Really Truly by Heather Vogel Fre...
Aug 03, 2023•46 min
