Book Riot - The Podcast
Book Riot - The Podcast covers news in the world of books and reading, including hot industry releases, adaptations, publishing industry events, and more. Hosted by Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky, the show is produced by Book Riot, the largest independent editorial book site in North America, which also offers a range of media from podcasts to newsletters.
Episodes
Amazon's 50 Best-Selling Books of All-Time, a New FOURTH WING (sorta), a Fierce AI Lawsuit, and much more.
Jeff gets off some takes before the show gets going to talk about Amazon's best-selling books of all-time, a formidable new AI lawsuit, sales of THE ODYSSEY editions, recent reading, and much more.
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The Hot List for July 2026
Jeff and Rebecca go over what books are selling, being talked about, and otherwise generating a little heat this month.
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Book Sales Down so Far in 2026, THE ODYSSEY Hype is Peaking, and more.
Jeff and Rebecca note the fever-pitch buzz for Nolan's The Odyssey, before talking about the state of book sales, mention some new book announcements, discuss recent reading, and much more.
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THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER
Nolan's The Odyssey looms. Today we are sharing the episode we did on The Odyssey for Zero to Well-Read. Be careful out there on the wine-dark sea.
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Big Time Book Announcements, PW's Fall Preview, the AI State of Play, and More.
Jeff and Rebecca rejoice over new Ishiguro and Everett announcements, have our concerns partially confirmed by the Klara & the Sun trailer, note PW's fall preview, and acknowledge the AI muck we are all going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future.
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The It Books of July 2026
Jeff and Rebecca run through the candidates for the It Book of July 2026. Then, they take a quick look back at their other monthly picks from the first half of the year to see how they did.
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How Reading Became Sexy (but We're Doing Less of It)
Vanessa and Sharifah discuss the latest in American reading habits, another exciting 2027 book release, a batch of buzzy trailers and adaptation news, and an update to an AI scandal linked to a literary prize.
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The Best Books of 2026 So Far
Jeff and Rebecca do a mid-year check-in about their favorite books of 2026 so far.
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This con
What 20,000 AI-Generated Stories Have in Common
Rebecca and Vanessa discuss recent research that reveals surprising commonalities between 20,000 AI-generated stories, the winners of the Lambda Literary Awards and the Women's Prize for Fiction, and the most exciting 2027 book announcement so far.
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The Hot List for June 2026
Rebecca and Vanessa break down the books topping the best-of and bestseller lists as we near the halfway point of the year.
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The Publishing Pie is Getting Bigger, But Not Enough to Keep Up with The Slices
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the growth of the number of books (and authors) vying for reader dollars, continue to lament the long 2025 award season, wonder about the expansion of PRH's audio initiatives, talk about recent reading, and more.
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The Messy Power Couple of the Harlem Renaissance
Vanessa Diaz returns to regale Rebecca with the messy tale of the marriage between a well-known Harlem Renaissance poet and the daughter of a famous public thinker.
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Best Books of the Year So Far Lists Have Begun. PLUS: Dr. Maria McCauley of the ALA
Jeff and Rebecca talk about some new best books of the year so far lists, adaptation news, recent reading, and more before talking with the new President of the American Library Association, Dr. Maria McCauley.
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The It Books of June 2026
Jeff and Rebecca select the It Book of June 2026.
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The Summer Slowdown is Here
Jeff and Rebecca talk about a relatively sleepy week in book news, but James Daunt bails us out by not shutting up about AI books that don't exist.
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2026 Summer Adaptation Preview
Jeff and Rebecca preview summer adaptations to check out this year.
As we move through 2026, we want to make sure Book Riot remains your go-to destination for all things bookish. Whether you’re here for the curated recommendations, the latest industry news, or our deep dives into reading culture, your feedback informs our media kit and how we represent this community. It will also shape our conte
AI is Making Reading Really Messy.
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the full Guardian Best Novels of All-Time List, The International Book Prize Winner, a whole rat's nest of AI-related stories, recent reading, and more.
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The Hot List for May 2026
Jeff and Rebecca talk about what books are making waves as summer gets rolling.
As we move through 2026, we want to make sure Book Riot remains your go-to destination for all things bookish. Whether you’re here for the curated recommendations, the latest industry news, or our deep dives into reading culture, your feedback informs our media kit and how we represent this community. It will also sha
A New Best Novels of All-Time List, PRH's "Strong Business Performance, and More.
Jeff and Rebecca note The Guardian's new collaborative list of the 100 greatest novels of all time, ponder PRH's delivery of "a strong business performance, updated our Fourth Wing Ever Gets Adapted odds, and more.
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2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendation Show, Part 2
Jeff and Rebecca wrap up recommendation season.
Discussed in this episode:
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Julie Otsuka
Susan Choi
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu
The Hike by Drew Magary
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy
Kin by Tayari Jones, go back to
Fates & Furies by Groff
Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The 2026 Pulitzer Prizes
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the 2026 Pulitzer prizes, best books of the year so far, summer book previews, and more of the week's book news.
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The Book Riot Podcast i
The It Books of May 2026
Jeff and Rebecca try to pick the It Book of May 2026.
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Spring 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendation Show, Part 1
Part 1 of our Spring 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads recommendations extravaganza.
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Discussed in
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.
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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.
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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
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.
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The Hot List: April 2026
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the books that have the heat this month.
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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.
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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.
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Book Sales Are Softening, NBCC Winners, and More Book News.
Jeff and Rebecca talk about a transitional moment in book sales, National Book Critics Circle Winners, National Black Bookstore Day, recent reading, and much more.
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The It Books of April 2026
Jeff and Rebecca really get themselves tied up trying to pick the It Book of April.
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Go to q
The Lambda Literary Awards, Messy Internet Discourse, the Latest A.I. Panic, and More
Managing Editor Vanessa Diaz is joined by Associate Editor Erica Ezeifedi to discuss the Lambda Literary Award finalists, the latest A.I. publishing freakout, messy internet discourse, and more.
Moms, Dads, Grads season is coming up! Send your recommendation requests for gifts–or reads for yourself!—to podcast@bookriot.comFollow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Join The Book Riot
Alien Jazz Hands for PROJECT HAIL MARY
Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca for a conversation about the new adaptation of Project Hail Mary. They talk about what the filmmakers kept from the book and what they cut, how the science translated from page to screen, and the magic of an interstellar, interspecies bromance.
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Wait, How Many Books Were Published in 2025? PLUS: Louise Erdrich!
Jeff and Rebecca talk about book-adjacent Oscar news, the staggering number of books published in 2025, adaptation news, and more. Then, they are joined by Louise Erdrich to talk about her new short story collection, Python's Kiss.
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The Hot List March 2026
We bring the Hot List out to the main feed to talk about what books are trending, selling, being talked about, being awarded, and in other ways have some heat.
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The
Blume is a Big "No Comment" on her biography, ACOTAR adaptation takes a step backward, and more.
Jeff and Rebecca try to read the tea-leaves from Judy Blume's biography silence, ACOTAR rights reversion, and more of the week's book news.
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The Book Riot Podcast is
Markus Zusak on THE BOOK THIEF at 20
Book Riot Senior Editor Kelly Jensen talks to author Markus Zusak on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of The Book Thief.
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UPDATED The Audiobook Wars Rage On, Big ACOTAR Announcement, and More
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the big ACOTAR update, Audible dropping the price on its standard product, market trends, recent reading, and much more.
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The B
The It Books of March 2026
Jeff and Rebecca dive in to uncover the It Book of March 2026.
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A Proposed Nationwide Book Ban, The NYPL's Most Checked Out Books of All-Time, and more
Jeff and Sharifah talk about a new sweeping federal book ban law that was introduced in Congress, The New York Public Library's 10 Most Checked-Out Books of All-Time, bookstores buying their buildings, recent reading, and more.
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How Much Are You Like The Characters You Read About?
Prof. Laura McGrath returns to talk with Jeff and Rebecca about statistics that show just how much readers read what they are. Mostly. For some readers. Most readers. But not all. It's complicated.
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DNF Shelves Coming to Goodreads and The War For Your Ears Continues
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the news that Goodreads is rumored to be launching an official Did Not Finish category, Audible and Spotify innovations, recent reading, and more book news.
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Ranking Amazon's Best Books of the Century
Jeff and Rebecca power rank the top 10 of Amazon's 25 Book of the Year picks from the last 25 years.
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Another Book Section Bites the Dust and A Romance Writer Dances with the AI Devil
Jeff and Rebecca talk about The Washington Post Books section shutting down, a NYT profile of a romance writer diving into AI with both feet, recent reading, and more. Then Rebecca and Vanessa talk about seeing Wuthering Heights.
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The Book R
Power Ranking the Books of 2016
Jeff and Rebecca power rank the 10 most important, influential, and otherwise impactful books of 2016.
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read!
The Bo
Librarians on the Front Lines
Vanessa sits down with director Kim A. Snyder and librarians Martha Hickson and Carolyn Foote to discuss the film The Librarians: how it came to be, where to watch it, and why its message is such an urgent one for our times.
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The It Books of February 2026
Jeff and Rebecca consider 10 finalists for the title It Book of February.
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Check out Zero to Well-Read!
The Book Riot Podcast Patreon
Learn
Making Sense of Franchise Adaptation News
Jeff and Rebecca try to make sense of a bunch of adaptation news before talking about recent reads, Don DeLillo's hockey smut, and more.
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read and its brand new companion news
VIGIL by George Saunders
Jeff and Rebecca talk about George Saunders' new novel, Vigil.
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read and its brand new companion newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The Book Riot
The Best-Selling Publishers of the Year, NBCC Finalists, Adapted Screenplay Oscar Noms, and more.
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the National Book Critics Circle Award Finalists, which publishers had the most best-sellers in 2025, Katie Couric's book club, and usher in the era of The Big 6.
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Discussed in this episode:
Check
Lit History Corner: Christopher Marlowe
Vanessa returns with another surprise topic from literary history: Christopher Marlowe: Playwright, lover, thinker, spy (?).
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read and its brand new companion newsletter, and
How Are We Feeling About Book Sales Right Now?
Jeff and Rebecca look at some 2025 sales numbers, are astounded by the rise of Heated Rivalry, applaud a new subscription box, have some harsh words for Oreo, and more.
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2026 Adaptation Preview
Jeff and Rebecca run through the notable adaptations coming this year (at least the ones we know about).
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read and it
The Latest in American Reading Habits, 2026 Adaptations, and More
Vanessa and Sharifah sit in for Jeff and Rebecca to discuss a poll on American reading habits, this year's most anticipated books and adaptations, and more.
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Discussed
The Winter 2026 New Release Draft [Teaser]
This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode in which Rebecca and Jeff compete to compile the best basket of 10 new releases for the season.
To listen to the full episode and all previous bonus content, become a Patreon member here.
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The It Books of January 2026
Jeff and Rebecca consider 10 finalists for the title It Book of January.
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Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read!
The Book Riot Podcast Patreon
Learn
Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026
Jeff and Rebecca look at what we know of the 2026 publishing calendar to pick 10 books we are most excited about (with some quibbling and caveats). Lots to like this year.
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Zero to Well-Read's 2025 Canon Contenders
Jeff and Rebecca discuss the award-winning books, pop culture phenomena, book club picks, and crossover hits of 2025 and attempt to identify the ones that might someday join the canon.
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Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com
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AI Was The Story of the Year
Jeff and Rebecca talk about how the story of the year in books was that there really wasn't a story. Except the big one. AI. Plus, NBCC longlists, getting boomers off slop, recent reading, and more.
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The Books We Missed in 2025 [Teaser]
This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode in which Jeff and Rebecca talked about the books they wanted to read but didn't, they want to read and might still, they definitely are OK not reading, and other subtleties of which books went unread in 2025.
To listen to the full episode and all previous bonus content, become a Patreon member here.
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The Best of the Rest of 2025 [Teaser]
This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode in which Jeff and Rebecca talk about their favorite non-book things of 2025.
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UPDATED - Our Favorite Books of 2025
Jeff and Rebecca list their favorite books of the year, and then are joined by a series of Book Riot editors to share their picks: Kelly Jensen, Danika Ellis, Erica Ezefedi, Sharifah Williams, and Vanessa Diaz.
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The 2025 Read Harder Challenge, How Publishing People Feel about Publishing, and more
Jeff and Rebecca talk about Book Riot's 2025 Read Harder Challenge, PW's 2025 Salary & Job Survey, a new Gen Z book club, and resurrect the spirit of Annotated for a very cool story about the women who invented the audiobook.
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The Book Riot
So, How's the Hamnet Adaptation?
Rebecca sits down with Vanessa Diaz to discuss the adaptation of Hamnet, in wide theatrical release this week. They talk about the film as a standalone piece of art, how it works as an adaptation, the key differences between the book and the movie, and how to tell if it's for you.
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Goodreads Choice Winners, NYT 10 Best, and Spotify Wrapped for Audiobooks
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Goodreads Choice Winners, the NYT's 10 Best of the Year, NPR's excellent year-end round-up before talking to Katie del Rosario of Spotify about the year in audiobooks and Spotify's Audiobooks Wrapped.
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The Boo
2025 It Books Scorekeeping and December New Releases
Jeff and Rebecca look back on their It Books selections from 2025 to see what they got right and wrong. But first, take a look at a pretty uninspiring slate of December new releases.
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The 2025 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 2
Jeff and Rebecca wrap up the 2025 Holiday Recommendations.
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In the Time of Butt
The 2025 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 1
Jeff and Rebecca are back with another holiday recommendation show. Part 2 coming on Monday.
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Books Of The Year Season Peaks
Jeff and Rebecca inhale a slew of best books of the year lists.
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Book Riot’s Be
What is Magical Realism?
Vanessa Diaz is back to talk with Jeff and Rebecca about what magical realism is, where it comes from, and how to talk about it.
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On Putting Together a Best Books of the Year List
Vanessa Diaz sits in for Rebecca this week and talks to Jeff about the challenges of making a best books of the year list before getting into the news of the week.
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Fall Media Diet Check-In (Plus Other Life Pursuits) [Teaser]
This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode in which Jeff and Rebecca talk about what they've been doing with their lives recently, outside of the world of books.
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The Books We Still Want to Read in 2025
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the books they still want to get to before 2026 gets here.
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Speculating on The Book of the Year and the Impacts of AI on Writing
We're in a lull of current publishing industry news, so Jeff and Rebecca speculate about upcoming book awards, year-end announcements, and the book of the year, as well as touch on the impact of AI on writing.
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What We Want from Essays: DEAD & ALIVE by Zadie Smith
Jeff and Rebecca talk Zadie Smith's Dead & Alive.
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Checking in with We Need Diverse Books
Jeff talks to Dhonielle Clayton and Caroline Richmond of We Need Diverse Books about censorship, book bannings, and the ongoing drive to diversify books and reading in the U.S.
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The It Books of November 2025
Jeff and Rebecca consider 10 contenders for the title of It Book of November.
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The Eye of the Best Books of the Year Storm Approaches
Jeff and Rebecca put on their rain gear as the best books of the year storm approaches.
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Deep into that Darkness Peering
Book Riot's managing editor, Vanessa Diaz, returns to re-examine the strange and influential life of Edgar Allan Poe.
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