Book Riot - The Podcast - podcast cover

Book Riot - The Podcast

Book Riotbookriot.com
News in the world of books and reading, including hot industry releases, adaptations, publishing industry events, and more with Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Shinsky. Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America and home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original content, all designed around diverse readers and across all genres.

Episodes

So...Is it Good?: BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V.E. Schwab

Rebecca Schinksy, Vanessa Diaz, and Danika Ellis go deep on V.E. Schwab's highly anticipated new book to answer the question: So, is it good? Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $1...

Jun 11, 20251 hr 4 min

AI Disasters, Amazon's Best Books of the Year So Far, and More Book News

Danika Ellis joins Jeff to talk about a spate of book-related AI disasters, Amazon's list of the best books of the year, Michelle Obama's recently-announced book, and much more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day...

Jun 09, 202559 min

Jeff’s “I Wish I Could Read All Day” Books of June 2025

This episode comes over from the First Edition feed: Jeff solos his way through listing a bunch of books coming in June that, were time and space no object, would go on the TBR for sure. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podca...

Jun 06, 202538 min

The Beach Read Episode

Jeff is joined by Book Riot editors Danika Ellis and Erica Ezeifedi to talk about what makes a beach read, beach reads picks, and memorable beach reading moments. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR toda...

Jun 04, 202559 min

Recent Reading and Some Media Diet Updates [Teaser]

This is a bonus preview of the Book Riot Podcast's most recent Patreon-only episode. Jeff and Rebecca catch up with each other's recent reading and give some non-book media takes. For example: Fountain of Youth. Woof. To listen to the full episode and get access to literally every Patreon-only thing we have done over the last three years, go to Patreon to sign up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 03, 20256 min

Talking Audiobooks with Spotify & FLASHLIGHT by Susan Choi

Jeff and Rebecca talk to Spotify's Associate Director for Audiobooks Editorial Katie del Rosario about curating audiobooks for Spotify, getting people to try audiobooks, spotlighting special titles, and more. Then, Jeff and Sharifah talk about Flashlight by Susan Choi, one of the most anticipated releases of the summer. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news w...

Jun 02, 202558 min

The It Books of June 2025

Jeff and Rebecca consider a loaded roster of June books to pick the It Book of the month. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get st...

May 28, 202558 min

Deals Deals Deals for May 2025 [Teaser]

Time again to look at interesting, lucrative, exciting, strange, or otherwise notable book deal announcements. Always a good time. This is a bonus preview of our most recent Patreon-only episode. To listen to the full episode and our entire back catalog of bonus content, sign-up for the Book Riot podcast Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 23, 20257 min

Power Ranking the Books of 2005

Jeff and Rebecca look back a couple of decades to power-rank the books of 2005. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for ...

May 21, 20251 hr 5 min

The Latest BookTok Conspiracy, What the Library of Congress Actually Does, and More Book News

Book Riot's managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca for a conversation about the latest romantasy BookTok conspiracy, what's going on with the Trump administration firing the Librarian of Congress, the NYT's best books of the year so far, recent reading, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Become a Book...

May 19, 202553 min

The 2025 Book Riot Fantasy League Book Draft

Jeff and Rebecca are joined by Sharifah Williams and Prof. Laura McGrath to conduct the first ever Book Riot fantasy book draft. We explain the rules, talk about strategy, and then engage in some fairly chaotic literary team building. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tail...

May 14, 20251 hr 28 min

The JeffCore Books of May 2025 [Teaser]

This is a bonus preview of the our most recent Patreon-only episode, The JeffCore Books of May 2025. To listen to the full episode and get access to the complete back catalog of bonus content, sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Patreon here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 13, 20257 min

The Pulitzer Drama Was Real and Other Book News PLUS: A Mini-Book Club for RUN FOR THE HILLS by Kevin Wilson

Jeff and Rebecca continue to lap up with extreme interest scuttlebutt about James's Pulitzer win before talking about Lithgow's underwhelming reaction to Rowling's transphobia, a new publisher focused on dudes (initially. they swear) and more book news. Then Sharifah Williams hops on to talk about Kevin Wilson's new novel, Run for the Hills. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Ge...

May 12, 20251 hr 29 min

The Summer 2025 Draft [Teaser]

Jeff and Rebecca each select 10 books to win your vote in our Summer Preview draft. To listen to the full episode and all of the bonus content from The Book Riot podcast, join the Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 08, 20256 min

JAMES Wins the Pulitzer & Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations Part 2

First, Jeff and Rebecca digest Percival Everett's Pulitzer win (including a little palace intrigue of the literary variety). Then, they conclude this go-round of reader recommendation requests. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recomm...

May 07, 20251 hr 26 min

2025 Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendation Show, Part 1

Jeff and Rebecca respond to a range of listener recommendation requests, including, but not exclusively, for moms, dads, and grads. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR matc...

May 05, 202558 min

The It Books of May 2025

Jeff and Rebecca try to determine what the It Book of May 2025 will be. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18...

Apr 30, 202548 min

Celebrity Book Clubs GO IRL, Literary Grudges, and more book news

Jeff and Rebecca talk about still being pissed off about the 2012 non-pulitzer, Gaiman seemingly throwing in the image rehab towel, legal challenges and defenses, and more before talking about their recent reading. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommenda...

Apr 28, 202554 min

The 10 Best Winners of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction of the Century So Far

Jeff and Rebecca continue to get mileage out of the "Of the Century so Far" framing, this time by ranking the fiction winners of the Pulitzer prize. Tough. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of...

Apr 23, 202554 min

NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro, the book and the movie [Teaser]

It's the 20th anniversary of the publication of Kazuo Ishiguro's modern classic, Never Let Me Go. Jeff and Rebecca recorded this episode diving into the book and movie in 2022. To listen to the whole episode, sign up to become a member of The Book Riot podcast Patreon. You'll get new bonus episodes as they publish, as well as access to all the bonus stuff we've done so far. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more ab...

Apr 22, 20259 min

Study Shows Book Bans Lead to Increased Readership, the "Shadow Daddies" of Romantasy, and More

Rebecca sits down with Vanessa Diaz to discuss a new study that shows book bans lead to increased readership of inclusive content, the men cashing in big on romantasy, PEN Awards finalists, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have ...

Apr 21, 202557 min

Talking Bibliotherapy with Emely Rumble

Rebecca talks with Emely Rumble, author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, about using books as a tool for individual and collective healing, social justice, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to re...

Apr 16, 202546 min

Americans Want To Read More Books. Or Do They?

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a big new survey of Americans' feelings about reading, before talking about a small but interesting change at PW, recent reading, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books t...

Apr 14, 202559 min

AUDITION by Katie Kitamura & and the Documentary BANNED TOGETHER

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Katie Kitamura's new novel, Audition. Then, Rebecca talks to Allyson Rice and Tom Wiggins, producers of the new documentary, Banned Together. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to...

Apr 09, 20251 hr 12 min

National Book Critics Circle Winners, Censorship Cases on a Collision Course with the Supreme Court, and more of the week's book news

Jeff is back from vacation and joins Rebecca to talk NBCC winners, escalating legal challenges to book bans, Penguin Random House sales info, recent reading, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books t...

Apr 07, 20251 hr 5 min

The It Books of April

Jeff and Rebecca consider contenders for the It Book of April, 2025. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at...

Apr 02, 202546 min

The Reading Life of Stephen Graham Jones

Jeff is out this week reading on a beach, so we are sharing this rerun from the First Edition podcast in which Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher. His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify...

Mar 31, 202558 min

5 Fascinating Stats About Modern Reading Habits, with Laura McGrath

Author, literary historian, and data scientist Laura McGrath joins Jeff and Rebecca to share some of the most interesting, surprising, and curious stats about modern reading habits. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations, who have recommended over ...

Mar 26, 20251 hr 12 min

Which Classics Should You Read to Be "Well-Read"? [Teaser]

In this bonus preview of the most recent Patreon-only episode of The Book Riot Podcast, Jeff and Rebecca tackle an impossible question. To listen to the full episode and get access to all previous Patreon-only episodes, consider joining The Book Riot Podcast Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 25, 20259 min
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