Book Riot - The Podcast

Book Riot

3.3 (4)
BOOKS
UPDATED WEEKLY

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.

6 HR AGO

Spring 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendation Show, Part 1

Part 1 of our Spring 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads recommendations extravaganza. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Emma Straub Taylor Jenkins Reid The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Go Gentle by Maria Semple Marie Helene Bertino God of the Woods by Liz Moore Abby Jimenez Sarah McLean The Hacienda by Isabel Canas Claire Lombardo The Fraud by Zadie Smith A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead Percival Everett. Maybe also Matrix by Lauren Groff. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller I, Claudius by Robert Graves The Road by Cormac McCarthy Small World by Jonathan Evison, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese Behind the Bedroom Wall by Larry Woiwode Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicol Alone Time by Stephanie Rosenbloom This Land is Your Land by Beverly Gage The Women I Think About at Night by Mia Kankimaki James by Percival Everett Han Kang Katie Kitamura The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood Palaver by Bryan Washington Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood I Heard Her Call My Name by Lucy Sante Light Years by James Salter Splinters by Leslie Jamison Literary Theory by Terry Eagleton Professing Literature by Gerald Graff Playing in the Dark by Toni Morrison No One Tells You This by Glynnis MacNicol Selfish, Shallow, and Self-Absorbed edited by Megan Daum This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks to our sponsor, Merit Beauty. Right now, Merit Beauty is offering our listeners their Signature Makeup Bag with your first order at meritbeauty.com. Head to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1hr 2min
4 DAYS AGO

Why Literary Agents Matter with Laura McGrath

Prof. Laura McGrath joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction. Literary agents try to stay out of the spotlight, but they shape what you read. We talk about why agents came into being, how they have developed over time, and how American fiction wouldn't be the same without them. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

48 min
27 APR

People Know Reading is Good and Still Don't Do It.

Vanessa Diaz sits in for Rebecca to talk with Jeff about The Women's Prize shortlist, Practical Magic 2, the most banned books of 2025, how human it is for people to know that reading is good for them and still not do it, recent reading, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Women’s Prize Shortlist World Book Day Study aka nothing means anything 2026 Hugo Awards finalists top 11 banned books of 2025 (ALA) The Crystal Light collab, because sure, why not (wider trend of ‘interesting’ collabs - Hellmans’ Mayo, Yankee Candle, Prego - see block in flagship ) Practical Magic 2 trailer (vanessa hyperventilating) The Pitt’s Dr Abbott (Shawn Hatosy) voicing audio erotica on Quinn app This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

44 min
22 APR

Ranking the Fiction Pultizer Prize Winners of the Century So Far.

Jeff and Rebecca look at the Pulitzer-prize winning books of the century so far and rank them. Some surprises at the top. Discussed in this episode: Klara and the Sun release date Latest Pew research on Americans’ reading habits Spotify launches option to purchase physical books Tayari Jones, Freida McFadden, and Yiyun Li named to TIME 100 Character.ai Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. 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

1hr 6min
20 APR

Surprising (Maybe) Data About American Reading Habits

Jeff and Rebecca mull over Pew's most recent data about American reading habits, Spotify launches physical book buying, authors on the TIME100 list, listener feedback, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Klara and the Sun release date Latest Pew research on Americans’ reading habits Spotify launches option to purchase physical books Tayari Jones, Freida McFadden, and Yiyun Li named to TIME 100 Character.ai This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 hr
15 APR

The Hot List: April 2026

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the books that have the heat this month. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

40 min
13 APR

MCD Shutters, Audible's Story House, and More of the Week's Book News.

Jeff and Rebecca note the closing of MCD, talk about The Correspondent's rise, Paramount gets back into books, scratch their heads over Audible's Story House, recent reading, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Discussed in this episode: Shout-out to The Millions spring preview Pour one out for MCD The Correspondent wins inaugural James Patterson/Bookshop debut novel prize Indies Choice Book Awards winners Audible launches Story House listening lounge Paramount is getting back into the books business Warner Brothers developing House in the Cerulean Sea animated series Parable of the Sower adaptation is coming Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. 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

1hr 20min
8 APR

You Have Heard of Lord Byron. But You Have No Idea.

Vanessa Diaz is back to walk Jeff and Rebecca through the turbulent, wild, and saucy times of one George Gordon, Lord Byron. They don't make them like this anymore. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot Podcast Patreon for bonus content and ad-free listening. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life. The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. 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

46 min

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TRAILER

Welcome to the Book Riot Podcast!

The Book Riot Podcast is a bi-weekly news and talk show about what's new, cool, and worth talking about in the world of books and reading, brought to you by Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky of Book Riot. Listen as we break down industry news, lists, recommendations, power rankings, and more. Plus, bonus episodes air regularly on Patreon, digging into everything from adaptations to book clubs to interviews and more: https://www.patreon.com/bookriotpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11/04/2020

•

2 min

Jeff O'Neal

Host
Rebecca Schinsky

Host

3.3

out of 5

4 Ratings

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.