Book Riot – The Podcast

Episode: How Are We Feeling About Book Sales Right Now?
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal & Rebecca Schinsky
Date: January 19, 2026

Episode Overview

Jeff and Rebecca kick off their first in-depth episode of the year by analyzing the latest book sales data, discussing trends and diversity in the publishing industry, and diving into current releases, adaptations, and notable picks for “best fantasy of the century so far.” The conversation is a candid, insightful look into how the world of books is shifting post-pandemic, with thoughtful points on algorithmic influence, genre trends, author-led initiatives, and cultural moments in adaptations.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Book Sales: The “New Normal”

Segment Start: 13:08

• Print book sales slightly rose by 0.3% in 2025—a modest increase after a pandemic-era boom and subsequent plateau.

  • Rebecca: "We're settling at a new normal for publishing… it’s retracted, but there is still a little bit of growth."

• There's a feeling of leveling off rather than decline or rapid growth.

• Both hosts agree the industry should be satisfied, given inflation and cultural distractions.

  “We just didn’t know where we would settle…and there is still a little bit of growth… I think I would take this, especially as you said, in a year where affordability has been generally very high.” – Rebecca [15:18]

2. The Top 20 Bestsellers: Troubling Lack of Diversity

Segment Start: 16:15

• For the third year in a row, all 20 best-selling authors are white. Michelle Obama was the last author of color in the top 20 (2022).
• Algorithmic dominance is cited as a primary driver of this:

  "The predominance of the algorithm has been an enemy to inclusivity and diversity… It’s just true. I don’t think there’s any counter-argument to that." – Jeff [16:47]

• Romantasy dominates the list, with a quarter of titles from this genre (Fourth Wing series, Sarah J. Maas, etc.).
• Other huge sellers: Mel Robbins’s "Let Them Theory" (2.8M copies); “Sunrise at the Reaping”; recurring household names in self-help (James Clear, “Atomic Habits”) and illustrated kids’ books (“Oh, The Places You’ll Go”, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”).
  • “Three illustrated kids books… there should be kids books on here.” – Jeff [18:58]

3. Genre & Trend Spotlights

Segment Start: 13:08 & 31:54

• Romantasy is established as the “apex predator” of genres, but few breakouts outside the biggest names.
• Subscription book boxes: Author Julia Quinn is launching JQ Editions—a curated, special-edition historical romance box, capitalizing on the "Bridgerton" brand and fan interest in exclusive merchandise. This points to the power of author-brand curation and direct-to-reader models.
  • Rebecca: “If anybody is positioned to do this right now, it’s Julia Quinn… But there are many other romance authors who could do this.” [33:35]

4. Adaptations: The Era of Romantasy & Queer Books on Screen

Segment Start: 21:16 & 23:48

• Movie/TV ties are having outsized influence:
  • “The Housemaid” adaptation is a box-office hit ($150M on a $35M budget).
  • "Heated Rivalry" (hockey romance adaptation) exploded in cultural reach upon HBO streaming, with rapid fandom growth.
• Heated Rivalry triggers a discussion of sports romance, especially the “stickiness” of hockey romance for readers/viewers.
  • Memorable Moment: “Oh my God, the butts.” – Rebecca [25:17]
  • Rebecca notes its viral momentum is even quicker than "The Bear,” with sports romance poised for expansion into new genres.

5. Diversity, Algorithms, and Industry Concerns

Segment Start: 16:33 & 31:54

• Despite some sales success stories “down the list,” the hosts highlight deep concerns about ongoing exclusivity at the very top.
• Industry attention remains focused on large, algorithm-driven sales—possibly limiting pathways for marginalized voices.
• Book boxes and direct-to-consumer models could become new avenues for boosting underrepresented authors, if picked up by big names.

6. Best Fantasy of the Century (So Far)

Segment Start: 33:35

• Book Riot’s selections for best fantasy novels of the last 25 years are out, with picks like "A Game of Thrones," "A Darker Shade of Magic," "Black Leopard, Red Wolf," "Children of Blood and Bone," "Babel," and "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell."
  • Jeff: "What I realize in looking at any of these lists is how long 25 years is because some of these books...feel like they've been out for a million years." [34:50]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the lack of diversity in bestsellers:

  “If we wanted to do the old, well we’ll know it when we see it for how things are going, you kind of would like the any group of high performing people to kind of roughly mirror the country. And the country is sort of 40ish percent not white. So we would need eight here and we have zero. So we’re a long way to go.” – Jeff [16:47]

• On the algorithm's impact:

  “The predominance of the algorithm has been an enemy to inclusivity and diversity and expanding the kinds of voices that sell a bunch of books. It’s just true.” – Jeff [16:47]

• On Romantasy book box economics:

  “I would love to see somebody like Jasmine Guillory curate contemporary romances by authors of color. If this does well, I hope it opens the door and becomes another way that folks…can do that.” – Rebecca [33:35]

• On the “Heated Rivalry” adaptation craze:

  “I don’t do the fandom thing, but it’s well made. It was really fun to watch, and it’s just an affirming, exciting story… Also, they’re just hot. Like, one of the texts that I sent somebody was just, oh, my God, the butts.” – Rebecca [25:17]

• On sports romance “hockey” stickiness:

  “There is something really sticky about the hockey romance… I don’t know what it is about the hockey, but it really seems to work for people.” – Rebecca [27:00]

Segment Timestamps

• Housekeeping, Adaptations, Patreon: 00:49–03:49
• Fun tangent on podcast merch & snacks: 04:24–09:47
• Book sales & bestseller analysis: 13:08–23:48
• Heated Rivalry adaptation & sports romance: 23:48–29:56
• Author-branded book boxes (Julia Quinn): 31:54–33:35
• Best Fantasy of the Century picks: 33:35–37:44
• Hamnet stage adaptation news: 38:45–40:15
• Upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation & merch: 40:15–41:08
• George Saunders interview: 41:08–42:33
• Recent Reads (Frontlist/Backlist recs): 43:10–53:16

Recent Reads Segment Highlights

• Rebecca:

  • How to Cook a Coyote (Betty Fussell): Memoir about late life, humor, and mortality.
  • Crux (Gabriel Tallant): Friendship novel set in New Mexico, high schoolers, rock climbing, potential book club pick.
  • Two Women Living Together (Kim Hana & Wang Sun Woo): Two single Korean women share a home in their 40s; focus is more practical than philosophical.

• Jeff:

  • Expensive Basketball (Shea Serrano): Essays celebrating NBA & WNBA players; great as a gift.
  • Football (Chuck Klosterman): Deep, big-picture essay collection on football as American culture, its TV-friendly structure, future decline, and identity politics.

Resources & Recommendations

• Zero to Well Read Podcast: Deep dives and literary analysis
• Book Riot Patreon: New release drafts, hot list check-ins, community picks
• Book Riot’s Best Fantasy Books of the Century List: [Link in show notes]

Tone & Style

Cheerful, wry, and deeply knowledgeable, Jeff and Rebecca keep the tone witty and inquisitive. The episode blends big-picture industry observations with personal anecdotes and pop culture savvy, welcoming readers and publishing-watchers alike to step into the “bookiverse” and make sense of its latest swings.

For Further Listening/Action

• Read Book Riot’s best fantasy picks and join the Patreon hot list.
• Check tour dates for the "Hamnet" stage adaptation.
• Listen to the NYT George Saunders interview for literary inspiration.
• Watch/read “Heated Rivalry” for a taste of the latest romance craze.

Questions or thoughts? Email podcast@bookriot.com