Books and Bites JCPL librarians bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them.
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
We're halfway through the Summer Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge, and this episode, we discuss books set on islands. Island settings are about more than sipping cocktails on the beach. Sometimes, as with Agatha Christie's classic mystery And Then There Were None , the primary goal is to get off the island while you still can. Whether you're into thrillers, horror, historical fiction, or…
This episode, we mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with books about American history, one of the prompts on the Summer Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge. Carrie and Michael share nonfiction about people and events that are often left out of the historical record, while Jacqueline discusses a teen novel about the more recent past. Listen below! Our Picks Wild Girls: How the…
On this episode, Carrie, Michael, and guest-host Charlotte discuss So Far Gone by Jess Walter , one of the prompts on the Spring Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . This witty, suspenseful, and timely novel follows a reclusive journalist who goes on a quest to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren. It not only features a road trip, the audiobook makes a great pick for a road trip thanks to…
May is abloom thanks to these books with flowers on the cover, our latest prompt from the Spring Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . This prompt is more versatile than you might think, with plenty of options beyond gardening books. (Yes, there’s even horror, as Michael shows!) Our Picks Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher paired with North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Inciting Joy by Ross Gay paired with…
Give your reading a fresh start with the Spring Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . From now through June 30, 2026, keep track of books you read or listen to on the Spring Books & Bites Bingo Card. Complete all 9 squares for a chance to win a $50 Joseph-Beth gift card. On this episode, we visit fictional small-towns from Mississippi to Northern Ireland. Our picks include an emotional YA novel…
This month, we discuss books where the weather plays a major role, one of the prompts on the Winter Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . From hurricanes to snowstorms, this episode has all the major weather events covered! If you’re participating in Winter Books & Bites Bingo, don’t forget to turn in your bingo card by the end of March. Turn your card in at the Customer Service Desk to receive…
This month, we discuss books set on trains or ships, a prompt on the Winter Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . Travel the high seas with our recommendations: a graphic novel horror story about a mermaid-like creature; a lyrical, suspenseful novel about a woman following what might be the Arctic Tern’s final migration; and a YA novel about a young artist who is slowly disconnecting from…
We're kicking off the Winter Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge with audiobooks read by multiple narrators! These multi-voiced productions make audiobooks even more engaging. Tune into our action-packed choices: a YA dystopian novel, a horror/thriller hybrid, and a sweeping, historical Western. Jacqueline's Pick The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey Pairing: Homemade bread Michael's Pick Spider to the…
We're saying goodbye to 2025 with this episode, and with it our Summer-Fall Books & Bites bingo card! What better way to ring out the old year than with some of our favorite books published in 2025? Our picks include a darkly comic adventure story, a YA fantasy-mystery, and a novel that reinvents the werewolf story. Carrie's Pick So Far Gone by Jess Walter Pairing: Turkey Pot Pie Jacqueline's Pick…
On this episode, we discuss books with dragons. It’s one of the prompts on the Summer-Fall Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge . Our picks include a slow-burn romantasy, a speculative fantasy that takes place during the 1950s and 1960s, and a YA sci-fi and fantasy mashup. Michael’s Pick Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame by Neon Yang Pairing: Dragon’s Milk Ice Cream Float Carrie's Pick When…
