Descriptions:
Looking for great books to read this Pride Month?
Joe is joined by Jananie K. Velu for a conversation filled with LGBTQ+ book recommendations, reflections on queer joy, and thoughts on what it means to carry Pride with us throughout the year. Along the way, they discuss the books they’re recommending this June while exploring the importance of community, remembrance, rest, and finding moments of hope.
If you’re searching for queer books to add to your TBR or looking for meaningful Pride Month reading recommendations, this episode has plenty of suggestions and inspiration waiting for you.
What books are you reading this Pride Month?
#PrideMonth #BookRecommendations #LGBTQBooks #BookTube #ReadingRecommendations #BookLoungebyLibby
Link to our full book list:
Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life! (https://www.libbylife.com/blog/season-3-recommended-reads-book-lounge-by-libby)
Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026) (https://www.libbylife.com/blog/january—may-2026-book-release-radar-book-lounge-by-libby) and June – October 2026 (https://www.libbylife.com/blog/june—october-2026-book-release-radar-book-lounge-by-libby)!
Book recommendations:
Jananie’s Picks:
Comedic Timing – Upasna Barath (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11197723)
Tall Water – SJ Sindu (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11107776)
Meeting Millie – Clare Ashton (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9821320)
Honey Girl – Morgan Roges (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/5547012)
Perfume and Pain – Anna Dorn (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/10217006)
Fundamentally – Nussaibah Younis (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/10784833)
Big Swiss – Jen Beagin (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9062409)
Local Heavens – K. M. Fajardo (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11804062)
Devil of the Deep – Falencia Jean Francois (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/12161743)
House of Hunger – Alexis Henderson (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/8677911)
Joe’s Picks:
Stag Dance & Detransition Baby – Torrey Peters (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/10967854) (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/5089541)
Tell Me I’m Worthless – Alison Rumfitt (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/8906344)
Northranger – Rey Terciero (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9160744)
Jackson Alone – Jose Ando (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11807019)
Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous – Autumn K. England (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/12229452)
We Burned So Bright – TJ Klune (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11858908)
Patricia Wants to Cuddle – Samantha Allen (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9020727)
You Weren’t Meant to Be Human – Andrew Joseph White (https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11565138)
Who’s in this episode:
Jananie K. Velu @thisstoryaintover – (https://linktr.ee/jananie?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAae6BLZavAfuGW6MVVB-c7E_hWVtwvf-bGlTCeJ4UOQj37Ho5tyafKkG5FrVaw_aem_aCS1Xl8z-B6pQae9xJ8WEA)
Glad Day Lit, Toronto – (https://www.gladday.ca/)
Time stamps:
00:00:00 Title
00:00:23 Intro
00:00:54 Welcome to Jananie K. Velu
00:01:26 What are your pride practices?
00:07:50 Our Pride Reading Recommendations
01:00:10 Thanks to Jananie 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 (https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/35800), or this list for today’s episode (https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/40246)
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!
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