Riot Headline Book Riot’s 2025 Read Harder Challenge

First Edition

BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O'Neal explores the wide bookish world. Interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books.

How the Publishing Phenomenon of the Year Was Made

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is the first book out from the new imprint Red Tower, and Molly Majumder and Stacy Abrams talk to me about how it came to be, what it was like to be a part of the book's amazing success, and what they've learned.

September 2023 It Book Knockout & The History of Women’s Words

Rebecca Schinsky helps me decide on the "it" book of the month. Then, Professor Jenni Nuttall discusses her new book, Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words.

Modern Indie Bookselling with Josh Cook

On the occasion of his new book, The Art of Libromancy: Selling Books and Reading Books in the 21st Century, Josh Cook of Porter Square books joins Jeff for a conversation about modern indie bookselling.

How to Make an Anthology & Reading Shakespeare in the Context of Race

In this episode, Jenn Northington and Sharifah Williams share what it is like to make an anthology, and Professor Karim Farah-Cooper talks about reading Shakespeare through in the context of race.

The Reading Life of James McBride

On the occasion of the publication of his new novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, James McBride comes on to talk about his life as a reader, what books can do, and what writing means to him.

“It” Book Knockout For August 2023

Rebecca Schinsky is back to help Jeff pick the "it" book for August 2023.

15 Ways of Talking to an Author

Liberty Hardy helps Jeff workshop some ideas for talking to authors, because interviewing authors is hard. Or at least Jeff thinks so.

July It-Book Knockout

Rebecca and Jeff consider ten finalists for the "It Book" of July and pick a winner.

15 Years of the Audiobook Boom & Science Fiction & Fantasy “Insta-Buys”

Kendra Winchester comes on to commemorate the 15th anniversary of two events that heralded the modern audiobook boom: Amazon buying Audible and Apple allowing third-party apps on the iPhone. Then, Sharifah Williams, Book Riot's Director of Content and co-host of our SFF Yeah! podcast, joins me to debut a new segment: The Insta-Buys.

June “It” Book Knockout & Reading Stories with S.A. Cosby

Rebecca Schinsky is back to help Jeff pick the "it" book of June, and S.A. Cosby, author of the forthcoming All the Sinners Bleed, tells a reading story.