EPISODE · Dec 4, 2025 · 1H 46M
Festive Fiction: Talking Holiday Reads for Cozy Winter Nights
from Book Lounge by Libby · host Book Lounge by Libby
Season 2 is wrapping up with a bow! In this festive finale of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe gathers holiday-lit icons Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso, and Matthew Norman for a lively conversation about writing wintery stories across genres—from heartfelt romance to twisty mystery to big-hearted contemporary fiction. Then in Segment 2, our guest hosts slide down the chimney with their best holiday reading recommendations to keep your TBR merry and bright. Pour a mug of something warm, cozy up under your favorite blanket, and celebrate the end of another incredible season with us. And don’t forget—more great content is coming your way in the new year, so make sure you're subscribed! Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books by our guests and mentioned in this episode here: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/festive-fiction-talking-holiday-reads-for-cozy-winter-nights-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-10 Guest host recommendations: Cece Make My Wish Come True - Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology - ed. Ellen Datlow Jananie A Little Holiday Fling – Farah Heron The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year – Ally Carter Meara The Afterlife of Holly Chase - Cynthia Hand The Christmas Murder Game - Alexandra Benedict Joe You Better Watch Out – James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth Season of Love – Helena Greer Follow the guests & guest hosts: Segment 1: Alexandra Benedict – Instagram Jenny Bayliss - Instagram Maisha Oso - Website Matthew Norman – Website Segment 2: Cece - link Jananie K. Velu – link Meara - link Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:22 Intro 00:01:53 Writing for the Season with Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso & Matthew Norman! 01:01:29 BREAK – Some holiday reads from Kensington Books 01:04:22 Holiday Reads with Cece, Jananie & Meara! 01:41:22 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 [email protected]. 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
What this episode covers
Season 2 is wrapping up with a bow! In this festive finale of Book Lounge by Libby, Joe gathers holiday-lit icons Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso, and Matthew Norman for a lively conversation about writing wintery stories across genres—from heartfelt romance to twisty mystery to big-hearted contemporary fiction. Then in Segment 2, our guest hosts slide down the chimney with their best holiday reading recommendations to keep your TBR merry and bright. Pour a mug of something warm, cozy up under your favorite blanket, and celebrate the end of another incredible season with us. And don’t forget—more great content is coming your way in the new year, so make sure you're subscribed! Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! Link to our full book list: Find all the books by our guests and mentioned in this episode here: https://www.libbylife.com/blog/festive-fiction-talking-holiday-reads-for-cozy-winter-nights-book-lounge-by-libby-season-2-episode-10 Guest host recommendations: Cece Make My Wish Come True - Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology - ed. Ellen Datlow Jananie A Little Holiday Fling – Farah Heron The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year – Ally Carter Meara The Afterlife of Holly Chase - Cynthia Hand The Christmas Murder Game - Alexandra Benedict Joe You Better Watch Out – James S. Murray, Darren Wearmouth Season of Love – Helena Greer Follow the guests & guest hosts: Segment 1: Alexandra Benedict – Instagram Jenny Bayliss - Instagram Maisha Oso - Website Matthew Norman – Website Segment 2: Cece - link Jananie K. Velu – link Meara - link Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:22 Intro 00:01:53 Writing for the Season with Alexandra Benedict, Jenny Bayliss, Maisha Oso & Matthew Norman! 01:01:29 BREAK – Some holiday reads from Kensington Books 01:04:22 Holiday Reads with Cece, Jananie & Meara! 01:41:22 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 [email protected]. 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
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Festive Fiction: Talking Holiday Reads for Cozy Winter Nights
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