Podcast: Book Riot

Jeff and Rebecca try to figure out what the It Books of July 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.

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!

The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th!

Discussed in this episode:
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danika Ellis joins Rebecca to talk about NetGalley's new consumer marketing platform, the latest decision in an AI copyright lawsuit, BookTok's obsession with marginalia, 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.

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!

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.

Discussed in this Episode:

Netgalley launches consumer marketing platform Booktrovert

Sarah J. Maas signs major licensing deal

Judge rules use of copyrighted materials to train AI without authors’ permission is fair use, but using pirated copies violates copyright law

Let’s talk about marginalia and the latest BookTok trend

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

So Many Stars by Caro de Robertis

Sympathy for Wild Girls by Demree McGhee

Awakened by A.E. Osworth

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel

Among Friends by Hal Ebbott

The Original by Nell Stevens

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca compare their lists of the biggest, buzziest, most newsworthy books of 2025 so far. Looking for the best books of the year so far? Join us Powell's on July 9th.

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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca talk about their shared love for Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight).

This is a bonus preview of a Patreon-only episode of the Book Riot Podcast. To get the whole episode and every single other Patreon-exclusive thing ever posted by the BR Pod, go here to sign up.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca to discuss the demise of 8th Note Press, the resurrection of BookCon, a recent win in the fight against book bans, and more.

Get your tickets to join us at Powell's on July 9th for a conversation about the best books of the year so far.

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:

BookCon is coming back

ByteDance is closing 8th Note Press

Voters reject book bans in MAGA-heavy California county

Right-wing “See You at the Library” event returns in 2025, partnered with US Dept of Education

Reese’s Book Club launching companion podcast

Ali Hazelwood run off Instagram for having an opinion about Peeta and Gale from the Hunger Games
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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