

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

Apr 14, 2025 • 56min
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 to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonThe Book Riot Podcast on InstagramThe Book Riot Podcast NewsletterEmail your Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations to podcast (at) bookriot (dot) com.New NPR/Ipsos poll shows most Americans want to read more…and just don’tPW now charging for review considerationLaura McGrath on how publishing industry demographics compare to US population Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 9, 2025 • 1h 9min
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 readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonEmail your Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations to podcast (at) bookriot (dot) com.Audition by Katie KitamuraBanned Together Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 7, 2025 • 1h 2min
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 to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonEmail your Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations to podcast (at) bookriot (dot) com.NBCC Award winnersIowa’s book ban bill blocked again by federal judgeThe biggest book censorship stories of the year so farBishop who urged Trump to “have mercy” will publish 2 books for kidsPRH sales up 8.5% in 2024James Patterson is teaming up with…Mr. BeastRIP NaNoWriMo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 2, 2025 • 43min
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 mytbr.co!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonEmail your Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations to podcast (at) bookriot (dot) com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 31, 2025 • 55min
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.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 26, 2025 • 1h 9min
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 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!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:Laura's Substack textCrunchPhilippa Chong, Inside the Critics CircleChristine Larson, Love in the Time of Self-PublishingJanice Radway, A Feeling for BooksJanice Radway, Reading the RomanceChong and Kim, "Writing By Women or For Women? Either Way, You're Less Likely to be Reviewed."Inman Berens and Noorda, Immersive Media 2020Inman Berens and Noorda, "Gen Z and Millennials: How they Use Public Libraries and Identify through Media Use."Porter, Eimannsberger, English, et. al. "Genre Juggernaut: Measuring 'Romance'"Lucy, Li, et al. "Racial and Ethnic Representation in Literature Taught in US High Schools" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 25, 2025 • 9min
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 24, 2025 • 56min
The Long Odds of the Slushpile, Adaptation News, and Picking Vacation Reading
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the stunning reality of getting published from the slushpile, noodle about being well-read, and try to figure out what Jeff is going to read on vacation. He is genuinely stumped.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!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:Laura McGrath on the math of the slush pileTrump’s new executive order targets libraries & museums…and what you can do about itKeira Knightley Pride & Prejudice to be re-released 4/20 for 20th anniversary Call your reps and get out there to protect the Dept of EducationFrontlist Foyer, sponsored by ThriftbooksHunchbackBeautyland Everything I Never Told YouWhite LightThe Buffalo Hunter Hunter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 19, 2025 • 1h 21min
Things We Love and Things We Hate About Talking About Books Online with Traci Thomas
Traci Thomas of The Stacks podcast joins Jeff and Rebecca to talk about things we love (and hate) about talking about books online. Mostly it is really great! Mostly!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.Discussed in this episode:Aardvark Box Giveaway!The Stacks PodcastThe Stacks on InstagramUnstacked by Traci ThomasThe Book Riot Podcast PatreonThe Book Riot Podcast NewsletterThe Book Riot Podcast on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 18, 2025 • 7min
The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's! [Teaser]
This is a preview of our live recording of the Most Recommendable Books of the Century (so far) at Powell's in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon. If you aren't already a Patreon member, you can listen to the full recording when you sign up. Thanks to Powell's, our family and friends, and everyone who came out (or told someone else to). Hope to do it again sometime in the not-too-distant future.Listen to the rest by becoming a member of The Book Riot Podcast Patreon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices