
Book Riot - The Podcast
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.
Latest episodes

Feb 25, 2019 • 56min
#301: Bibliographic Rigor
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the incredible legacy of Betty Ballantine, a few book-collecting related stories, listener feedback about listening to pucks, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Book Riot's Read Harder Journal
Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Great Courses
Links discussed in this episode:
RIP Betty Ballantine
A bot wrote a scary-good LoTR scene
Dozens of Indie Bookstores to Host Well-Read Black Girl Book Clubs
HMH to (finally) start publishing their own audiobooks
Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize
Master Magician’s Library
Blaze in Michigan will sell you books and “gift” you weed
Hero of the Week: 5-year-old couldn’t find a library nearby, so he opened one
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Feb 18, 2019 • 49min
#300: Notional Confetti Cannon
In episode 300, we talk a couple of knotty Amazon stories, a UK university decolonizing the canon, good news from Kansas, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Audible
The Umbrella Academy
The Night Tiger by Yangze Choo
Zola
Links discussed in this episode:
Business Fingers commemorative gear!
Happy follow-up: Andover, KS library will keep children’s books about trans characters in the kids section
Amazon pulls plan for HQ2 in New York
Audible emerging playwrights commissions
Swansea University in the UK calls for “decolonized” English curriculum
First trailer for the Tolkien biopic is alive
And trailer for Clooney’s Catch-22 mini-series on Hulu
Heroes of the week: this couple driving across India to give away poetry books
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Feb 11, 2019 • 54min
#299: Vamp a Euphemism
This week, Jeff and Rebecca follow-up on defamation, try to wrap their heads around the Dan Mallory/A.J. Finn story, eulogize the Ancient Lore Village, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Suspense Reads from BookClubbish
$100 Amazon Giveaway
EveryPlate (use offer code BOOKRIOT6)
TBR
Links discussed in this episode:
Follow-up on Jay Asher
“Ancient Lore” land of the Nobbins is on hold due to concerns about noise, traffic, environmental impact
Writer who publishes as AJ Finn is a bonkers-big liar
And his publisher is...keeping his books on plan
This important piece about what it’s like to be a woman of color in publishing
Choose Your Own Adventure audiobooks on Alexa
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Feb 4, 2019 • 57min
#298: The Ideal Turkey-to-Hero Ratio
This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about Jay Asher suing for defamation, the un-Manning of the Booker Prize, a couple of heroes of the week, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
TBR
The Great Courses Plus
The Plotters by Un-Su Kim
Links discussed in this episode:
Jay Asher files defamation suit over #metoo allegations
Armed man disrupts library Drag Queen Storytime
Man Booker Prize loses Man Group as sponsor
Scribd has crossed 1 million subscribers
Hero of the week: 9-year-old Maryland girl publishes book of poetry tackling politics, feminism, and more
And an Arkansas schoolbus driver with a ‘bucket of books’
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Jan 28, 2019 • 59min
#297: The Most Whimsical Whatever
Jeff and Rebecca talk about another case of harassment against LGBTQ titles in libraries, the rising sales of mental health books, a new E.L. James book on the horizon, a hero of the week, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Golden State by Ben Winters
The Great Courses Plus
Blinkist
The Read Harder Journal
Links discussed in this episode:
Iowa man pleads not-guilty to book burning, trial begins March 26
A new EL James book is coming
WattPad to launch publishing division
Books about mental health outsell diet & exercise books at Barnes & Noble
Harlequin “Feel Good Project” launches creator fund
Heroes of the week: women creating a Black Feminist Bookmobile
Hallmark to publish audiobooks
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Jan 20, 2019 • 53min
#296: Orcs, Leprechauns, and All That Stuff
Jeff and Rebecca offer their appreciation for Mary Oliver, wonder at the continued strength of BECOMING, hope for the failure of another attempt to marginalize transgender kids books, appreciate Drag Queen story hour, and more.
This episode is sponsored by:
The Read Harder Journal
The Last Woman Standing by Amy Gentry
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
Blinkist
Links discussed in this episode:
RIP Mary Oliver
Becoming has longest run atop Amazon sales charts since 50 Shades
KS library considers moving transgender kids’ books to separate area
ACLU sues Louisiana library over Drag Queen Story Hour ban
Tennessee man planning $40million “ancient lore” resort that is basically The Shire behind a Walmart
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Jan 14, 2019 • 1h 9min
#295: A Basket of Fraught
Jeff and Rebecca take much longer than they supposed talking about Publisher's Weekly acquiring The Millions and the state of book blogging.
This episode is sponsored by:
The Read Harder Journal by Book Riot
The Great Courses Plus
The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg
Links discussed in this episode:
Vulture article on The Millions Being Acquired
Barnes & Noble reports holiday numbers
Bad job, publishing: author who admitted to stalking a Goodreads user gets a book deal about it
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Jan 7, 2019 • 46min
#294: Rebecca is Not People
Jeff and Rebecca talk about books coming into the public domain, Obama's 2018 reading list, Amazon's best-selling books of 2018 and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
The Great Courses Plus
The Read Harder Journal
Links discussed in this episode:
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD becomes highest-grossing American play in Broadway history
Barack Obama’s best-of-2018 reading list
Highlights from what’s hitting public domain this year
Tweet thread breaking down the bestselling (UK) books of 2018
Amazon’s 2018 bestsellers
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Jan 2, 2019 • 19min
#293: Recommended
While Jeff and Rebecca take a week off, Jeff presents an episode of Book Riot's Recommended podcast series that he produced.
This episode is sponsored by:
The One You Fight For by Roni Loren
Links discussed in this episode:
Book Riot's Recommended Podcast
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Dec 24, 2018 • 1h 1min
#292: Our Favorite non-Bookish Things of 2018
Jeff and Rebecca talk about their favorite non-bookish things of 2018.
This episode is sponsored by:
G.H. Mumm
The Great Courses Plus
Zola
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