This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode: Deals Deals Deals for August 2025, in which Jeff presents interesting book deals for Rebecca's consideration.

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Jeff, Rebecca, and Vanessa talk about Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. Spoiler-free discussion for the first bit, with warning when we wade into deeper plot waters.

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Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

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Jeff and Rebecca talk about a big new survey of American reading habits, the Polari Prize closing up shop for the year, Katabasis getting an adaptation, ghost-written vanity memoirs, and more.

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Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot

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Discussed in this episode:

Update: Polari Prizes canceled in response to protest

Katabasis set for TV adaptation

Study shows 40% decline in Americans who read for pleasure 2004-2023

BookTok is boosting sales at romance bookstores

Wealthy retirees are commissioning ghost-written memoirs

Church Camp by Cara Meredith

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Abundance by Klein and Thompson

Endling by Maria Reva

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Jeff and Rebecca preview a huge season of literary adaptations.

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Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

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An encouraging court win, thoughts on book reviews, direct to Kanopy films, and more of the week's book news.

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Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

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Discussed in this episode:

Judge strikes down much of Florida’s book banning bill

Associated Press to end weekly book reviews

Charlie Kaufman’s new short film will be distributed by Kanopy

Authors withdraw from consideration 

for queer book prize in protest of John Boyne’s inclusion

Emerald Fennell’s new Jane Eyre adaptation sounds wild

People Like Us by Jason Mott

It's Only Drowning by David Litt

Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin

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Jeff and Rebecca process some public comments about the idea of being "well-read," a big influencer book club, a study on the gender of animals in kids books, and more book news of the week.

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Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot

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Discussed in this episode:

BookTok celeb Jack Edwards launches Inklings book club to “elevate” online reading culture

Obamas’ production company picks up All the Sinners Bleed

National Association of Black Bookstores launches

Study shows gender bias in animal characters in children’s books

Frontlist Foyer, brought to you by Thriftbooks: 

The Book of Alchemy

Clam Down by Anelise Chen

How to Be a Living Thing by Mari Andrew

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Jeff and Rebecca break down the 2025 longlist for the Booker Prize, digest the news of a new book from Kamala Harris, lament the demise of class (behavior, not socio-economic status), and much more.

Jeff and Rebecca decide what the It Book of August will be.

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Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Discussed in this episode:

Kamala Harris to publish memoir about presidential race in September

The 2025 Booker Prize longlist

And a possible conflict of interest on the Booker panel

We’re getting a new George Saunders novel in January

Maggie by Katie Yee

The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

The Feather Detective by Chris Sweeney 

The Brain at Rest by Joseph Jebelli

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Jeff and Rebecca decide what the It Book of August will be.

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Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

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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!

Discussed in this episode:

We are hiring.

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Vanessa Diaz joins Jeff as he workshops a couple of takes, before they dive into IMAX scalping, way early award longlists, and more of the week's book news.

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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:

The Odyssey IMAX Showtimes Sell Out Instantly as Scalpers List Resales Higher Than $200

The Center For Fiction Releases the Longlist for 2025 First Fiction Prize in July, because sure 

The Book Industry Study Group conducting survey on how AI is changing publishing 

Spotify expanding audiobooks plans, language is confusing

Audiobook walking clubs?

Deep Historical Survey on Gender Split of Who Writes Fiction

The Bewitching by Silvia Morreno-Garcia

Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan

Algospeak by Adam Aleksic

Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart

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It's as far back as we go with these historical rankings--30 years to 1995. Strange year, that sees Jeff pick a single copy of an individual book in his top 10. Christian dystopias, fairy tale retellings, genre-changing memoirs: there are spots for all of them in our top 10s.

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.

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