Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
New year, new books, and SO many reasons to freak out (in the best way).
In this bonus episode of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu and Meara to kick off 2026 with a full-on Book Release Radar—highlighting the upcoming titles they’re most excited to read this year.
From buzzy new releases to books that already feel like future favorites, they're sharing what’s climbing to the very top of the TBRs and why 2026 is shaping up to be an exceptional year for readers. Consider this your official permission slip to start planning your holds early.
Season 3 is coming in April but make sure you’re following us so you don’t miss out on our monthly episodes while you wait!
Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!
Book recommendations:
Jananie’s Picks:
A Kiss of Crimson Ash – Anuja Varghese
We Dance Upon Demons – Vaishnavi Patel
TRAD WIFE – Saratoga Schaefer
The Rise of the Celestials – Kritika H. Rao
Read Between the Lies – Jesse Q. Sutanto
Aicha – Soraya Bouazzaoui
Burn the Sea – Mona Tewari
Seasons of Glass and Iron – Amal El-Mohtar
Meara’s Picks:
A Vow in Vengeance - Jaclyn Rodriguez
Yesteryear - Caro Claire Burke
She Haunts Me Still - De Elizabeth
Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It – Brooke Averick
The Wretched Divine – Adalyn Grace
Clara & the Devil – Olivie Blake & Little Chmura
Dead Beat - Leigh Bardugo
Light Wielder - Rachel Schneider
Victorious – VE Schwab
Joe’s Picks:
Nothing Tastes as Good – Luke Dumas
Japanese Gothic – Kylie Lee Baker
We Burned so Bright – TJ Klune
Spoiled Milk – Avery Curran
Plastic, Prism, Void – Violet Allen
Fruitcake – Rex Ogle
Missing in Soho – Holly Stars
Lights! Camera! Frendo! - Adam Cesare
Who's in this episode:
Jananie K. Velu – Links
Meara - Links
Time stamps:
00:00:00 Title
00:00:23 Intro
00:01:55 Gettin’ chatty with Jananie & Meara
00:03:14 Relationships with book releases
00:07:54 2026 Book Release Radar
01:04:59 Final thoughts 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 bookloungebylibby@overdrive.com. 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
