

Book Riot - The Podcast
Book Riot
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 Schinsky.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
Mentioned books

Jun 4, 2025 • 59min
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.
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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!
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

Jun 3, 2025 • 6min
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 2, 2025 • 58min
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 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!
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

May 28, 2025 • 58min
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 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

May 23, 2025 • 7min
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 21, 2025 • 1h 5min
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 only $18 at mytbr.co!
The Book Riot Podcast Patreon
Discussed in This Episode: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 19, 2025 • 53min
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 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

May 14, 2025 • 1h 28min
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 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

May 13, 2025 • 7min
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 12, 2025 • 1h 29min
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.
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