Podcast Summary
Podcast: Book Riot – The Podcast
Episode: DNF Shelves Coming to Goodreads and The War For Your Ears Continues
Hosts: Jeff O’Neill & Rebecca Schinsky
Date: February 23, 2026
Overview
This lively episode features Jeff and Rebecca discussing recent tech and industry news in the book world, particularly the escalating "format wars" between Audible and Spotify and a long-awaited Goodreads feature: a DNF ("Did Not Finish") shelf. The hosts break down the implications of new audiobook sync functionalities, what the expansion of audiobooks means for readers and publishers, and what the new “official” DNF shelf signals both for data gathering and for readers. They close with frontlist book recommendations and an exploration of broader shifts in reading culture and book discovery.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Audiobook & Print/Ebook Sync: The Format War Intensifies (06:48–27:35)
- Spotify’s ‘Page Match’ vs. Audible’s ‘Read and Listen’
- Spotify launches “Page Match” for seamless switching between audio and text (print/ebook), designed for readers who bounce between formats.
- Audible releases “Read and Listen,” an immersion reading feature that highlights text in the ebook as the audio plays, aiming to increase focus, comprehension, and accessibility (notably for neurodiverse listeners).
- Both features aim to break down barriers between reading experiences but serve slightly different purposes.
“Both of them are trying to collapse, combine or otherwise de-wall different forms of reading, right? All things converge into one. I don’t know how many people actually do one or either, but the technology is there and available.” – Jeff (08:46)
- Market Impact & Accessibility
- These features aren’t likely to transform the reading habits of the average reader—most people rarely switch formats.
- Audible’s immersion feature is read as a defensive response to Spotify’s move, especially as Spotify includes many audiobooks for “free” with its Premium membership, making audiobooks more accessible and potentially cheaper than Audible’s ecosystem, which requires separate purchases of ebooks and audiobooks.
“The average reader… is not going to do this… Very few people move between formats. Very, very, very few in the American population.” – Rebecca (14:18)
- Business & Ecosystem Maneuvers
- Audible’s lack of bundling discounts means this feature could be costly to the user.
- Amazon, with control over Audible, Kindle, and print, could theoretically offer true format bundling but doesn’t—likely due to licensing and internal siloes.
- The conversation pivots to Bookshop.org partnering with Spotify, and speculation about future audiobook offerings, given the independent bookstores’ existing relationship with Libro.fm.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the end games here is that Bookshop [dot] org acquires Libro.fm. I have no sense of the relative sales. It would make a ton of sense.” – Jeff (22:04)
- “Half-baked Ideas” Segment: What’s Next?
- Jeff floats (an intentionally “half-baked”) idea about Spotify integrating Libby to be the all-in-one audio platform; Rebecca points out the business and user complexities.
2. The “Video-fication” of Audio Content: Apple & Others (30:47–34:48)
- Apple announces adding video to Apple Books/audiobooks—hosts riff on whether “video audiobooks” could become a thing.
- Discussion about the mystique of watching podcasts and the barriers to producing video versions of audiobooks.
3. Goodreads Finally Adds a DNF (“Did Not Finish”) Shelf (35:04–41:06)
- Goodreads users will soon have an official DNF shelf, auto-converting user-created shelves.
- Speculation on why this is being implemented now, after 20 years of “roll-your-own” workarounds.
- Data implications: with one unified DNF shelf, Goodreads could actually track what people don’t finish, offering rich (albeit potentially author-unfriendly) data:
“This will be an interesting opportunity for data collection… Goodreads could theoretically do a ‘most DNF’d books’ of the month or the century. I’d love to see it, but I don’t think they’re bold enough.” – Rebecca (37:55)
- Ethics of reviewing/rating DNFs:
- Jeff and Rebecca propose that users who DNF a book shouldn’t be able to rate it, only tag it as "DNF" and perhaps comment.
4. The Evolving Landscape of Digital Publishing and Book Discovery (41:06–50:52)
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Bindery Books & The Bookfluencer Boom
- Bindery partners with influencers to select and market titles, but there’s no substantial data yet to prove its success.
- BookTok/Bookstagram “fatigue” and possible shift away from phone-centric/algorithm-driven book discovery discussed.
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Macro Trends: Phone and Social Media Fatigue
- Anecdotes and observations about readers (and people in general) actively seeking to reduce device and social media time.
- Comparison to past fads (TV, radio) and speculation that our phone obsession may not be “the new normal” forever.
“Everyone I know is spending less time on their phone, on social media… maybe we’re just learning to use these things as tools, which they are, and make them work for us.” – Rebecca (48:11)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Book World Politics
“I got one, maybe two emails about ‘why do you have to make the show political?’ And for that I say: Welcome to the show. That’s what we do.” – Jeff (03:27) -
The Press-Release Cynicism
“Both of these exist primarily to have a cool sounding press release.” – Jeff (14:08)
“I totally agree.” – Rebecca -
On Watching Podcasts “It is mystifying to me that people want to watch podcasts.” – Rebecca (31:29)
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On Phone & Platform Fatigue “No one we know is trying to spend more time on their phone except for 14 year olds who don’t know any better.” – Jeff (47:45)
Timestamps for Major Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------------------------- |------------ | | Episode main theme/web housekeeping | 01:04–03:27 | | Format war (Spotify vs. Audible), audiobook/ebook sync | 06:48–27:35 | | Video-fication (Apple, audiobooks as video, watching podcasts) | 30:47–34:48 | | Goodreads DNF shelf announcement | 35:04–41:06 | | Bindery books, BookTok fatigue & changing book discovery | 41:06–50:52 | | Reflections on social media & technology fatigue | 46:27–50:52 | | Recent reading: Frontlist foyer | 51:51–67:28 |
Frontlist Foyer: Recent Book Recommendations (53:21–67:28)
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Kin by Tayari Jones
- Epic, ambitious novel following two Black women friends from Louisiana through divergent life journeys in the Jim Crow South.
- “This will be one of my books of the year. All the awards for her.” – Rebecca (55:53)
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Light and Thread by Han Kang
- Nobel lecture and meditative nonfiction essays.
- “It was like a Mike Tyson boxing match. It was quick and it hit you real hard, and then it was out.” – Jeff (58:58)
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A Hymn to Life by Giselle Péllico
- Shattering memoir by a woman who publicly exposed her husband’s abuse, sparking legal and cultural waves in France.
- “If you can read something like this, I felt like I owe it to her to bear witness. That’s not to say everyone should. I’m finding it remarkable and brave.” – Rebecca (63:07)
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Across the Universe by Natan Last
- Hybrid memoir/cultural history of the crossword puzzle world—fun and full of trivia (“cruciverbalist” is the term for a crossword enthusiast).
- Audio format “not ideal,” better in print/ebook for the visuals. – Jeff (64:51)
Conclusion
The episode blends humor, industry insights, and passionate readerly advocacy. Jeff and Rebecca illuminate why format innovations from tech giants may matter more to marketers than to most readers, celebrate a long overdue feature from Goodreads, and speculate on the changing landscape of book discovery as social media and phone fatigue rise. Their recommendations offer a mix of profound new releases for both fiction and non-fiction lovers.
Find More
- Show notes & links: Book Riot Listen
- Upcoming episodes: Deep-dive on “The Warmth of Other Suns” with Laura McGrath
- Send feedback: podcast at bookriot dot com
(Adverts, sponsor messages, intros/outros omitted as per instructions.)