Book Riot - The Podcast-logo

Book Riot - The Podcast

Arts & Culture Podcasts

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.

Location:

United States

Description:

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.

Language:

English


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Most Recommendable Books of the Century (So Far)

6/18/2025
We are bringing our special live recording of The Most Recommendable Books of the Century So Far out from behind the Patreon wall for all listeners to try to entice you to come to our next live recording at Powell's on July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far). 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 $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell’s July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:19:49

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

E. Lockhart on the WE WERE LIARS Adaptation

6/17/2025
It's a Book Riot podiverse crossover event! The adaptation of E. Lockhart's YA sensation We Were Liars debuts later this week. Kelly Jensen sat down with Lockhart for a recent episode of the Hey YA! podcast. Enjoy! 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. Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart Family of Liars by E. Lockhart We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart Hey YA Interview with Gayle Forman We Were Liars on Prime Instagram My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han Again, Again by E. Lockhart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:38:32

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Late Show Book Clubs, An Anti-Book Ban Lawsuit Wins, and More Book News. PLUS: How You Make a Best Books of the Year So Far List

6/16/2025
Jeff and Rebecca talk about recent reading, why late night talk shows might be interested in doing book clubs, a victory in court against book bans, and more book news. Then, Jeff talks to Al Woodworth, Managing Editor of the Amazon Books team, about their picks for the Best Books of 2025 so far and how their team makes those selections. 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 $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: St. Francis, MN school district drops book banning policy & returns books to shelves in respond to lawsuit Carla Hayden speaks out about firing Stephen Colbert launches the Late Show Book Club The Book Riot Live at Powell’s July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy The Book of Alchemy of Suleika Jaouad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:20:36

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

6/11/2025
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 $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell’s July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:04:24

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

6/8/2025
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. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell’s July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) Book Riot’s In the Club, In Reading Color, and Our Queerest Shelves Newsletters Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge Salman Rushdie’s attacker sentenced to 25 years Chicago Sun-Times runs AI-generated summer reading list w/ fake books And business insider thing too AI clone books showing up on amazon: Amazon’s Best Books of the Year & Goodreads most popular books of the year so far Michelle Obama’s new book The Two Kinds of Book Auctions James Cameron to adapt THE DEVILS 13 Signs You Used ChatGPT to Write Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:58:52

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

6/6/2025
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 Podcast The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:38:11

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Beach Read Episode

6/4/2025
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 today starting at just $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Live at Powell's July 9th: The Best Books of the Year (so far) The Best Beach Reads of All Time The Hey YA Podcast Book Riot's In the Club, In Reading Color, and Our Queerest Shelves Newsletters Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:58:30

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Recent Reading and Some Media Diet Updates [Teaser]

6/3/2025
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

Duration:00:05:40

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Talking Audiobooks with Spotify & FLASHLIGHT by Susan Choi

6/1/2025
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 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 $18! Check out Strong Sense of Place wherever you get your podcasts, or visit strongsenseofplace.com This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Spotify Audiobooks Flashlight by Susan Choi The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:56:43

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The It Books of June 2025

5/28/2025
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 started for only $18 at mytbr.co! Discussed in This Episode: The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:56:34

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Deals Deals Deals for May 2025 [Teaser]

5/23/2025
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

Duration:00:06:33

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Power Ranking the Books of 2005

5/21/2025
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 only $18 at mytbr.co! The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Discussed in This Episode: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:04:50

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

5/18/2025
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 Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: Trump administration abruptly fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden What is the Library of Congress, and What Does the Librarian of Congress Do? Firing comes on the heals of major report about AI and copyright Trump names his former defense attorney as acting Librarian of Congress Massive victory in lawsuit against Trump’s dismantling of IMLS The NYT’s best books of the year so far Romantasy BookTok’s latest conspiracy Edinburgh-based tour company to replace Harry Potter tours w/ LGBTQ+ history walks for Pride Month The Dry Season by Melissa Febos So Many Stars by Caro de Robertis Detective Aunty by Uzma Jalaluddin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:53:07

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The 2025 Book Riot Fantasy League Book Draft

5/14/2025
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 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 mytbr.co! Discussed in This Episode: The Book Riot Fantasy League Scoring Sheet - Make a copy to keep your own. The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:27:45

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The JeffCore Books of May 2025 [Teaser]

5/13/2025
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

Duration:00:07:02

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

5/11/2025
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. 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 mytbr.co! Discussed in This Episode: This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Alexandra Alter confirms JAMES Pulitzer speculation (LitHub piece with the speculation) John Lithgow surprised by backlash to J.K. Rowling New imprint will focus on literary fiction by men Agatha Christie’s estate authorizes writing course taught by AI deepfake You can now buy books in the Kindle iOS app Run for The Hills by Kevin Wilson The Book Riot Podcast Patreon The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:29:14

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The Summer 2025 Draft [Teaser]

5/8/2025
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

Duration:00:05:46

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

5/7/2025
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 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 mytbr.co! Discussed in This Episode: The The Pulitzer Board Overrule The Jury? The Book Riot Podcast Patreon The Book Riot Podcast on Instagram The Book Riot Podcast Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:01:26:17

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

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

5/5/2025
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 match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:58:05

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

The It Books of May 2025

4/30/2025
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 at mytbr.co! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Duration:00:48:27