More of Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025

Summary

Book Riot - The Podcast: More of Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025

Release Date: January 7, 2025

In the latest episode of Book Riot's Jeff O'Neill and Rebecca Schinsky discuss the latest news in the world of books and reading, titled "More of Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025," the hosts delve deep into their upcoming literary favorites for the year ahead. This episode features a special guest, Jason Blitman from the Gays Reading Podcast, who brings a fresh perspective to the conversation. The trio navigates through a diverse array of genres, highlighting both mainstream and under-the-radar releases, while infusing the discussion with humor and personal anecdotes.

Introduction of Guest: Jason Blitman

The episode kicks off with a lighthearted interaction between Jeff, Rebecca, and guest Jason Blitman. They engage in playful banter about Jeff's impeccably made bed, setting a relaxed and engaging tone for the discussion. Jason reveals his journey into the world of podcasting and reading, sharing intimate details about his late start as a reader and his passion for amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices in literature.

Main Discussion: Anticipated Books for 2025

The core of the episode revolves around the hosts and Jason sharing their top anticipated books for 2025. Each participant presents a curated list, providing insightful descriptions and personal reasons for their excitement.

Jason Blitman's Picks

1. "Northern Boy" by Iqbal Hussein

   • Release Date: January 28, 2025 (US), already available in the UK
   • Description: Described as "Billy Elliot meets Bollywood," this novel follows Rafi Aziz, a northern boy with dreams of stardom. The joyful and defiant story is set against a vibrant backdrop reminiscent of musical theater's exuberance.
   • Notable Quote: "The cover is just joy. It is so joyful." (10:16)

2. "The Lamb" by Lucy Rose

   • Release Date: February 4, 2025
   • Description: A Gothic coming-of-age tale that explores the complex emotions between mother and daughter. This contemporary queer folktale is perfect for fans of Angela Carter and Margaret Atwood.
   • Notable Quote: "It looks like a raw lamb chop slab of meat." (16:23)

3. "Lilac People" by Milo Todd

   • Release Date: April 29, 2025
   • Description: A debut novel set in the Bronx, it narrates the struggles of young people living on the edge of their patience and desires. Inspired by personal loss, the story delves into themes of migration and friendship.
   • Notable Quote: "An In Memoriam, a moving and deeply humane story." (27:03)

4. "Hot Girls with Balls" by Dwin

   • Release Date: July 1, 2025
   • Description: A satire centered around two star indoor volleyball players navigating their off-court romance amidst team rivalries. The book promises a blend of outrageous humor and serious undertones.
   • Notable Quote: "No one could think straight because everyone was actually gay." (33:13)

Rebecca Schinsky's Picks

1. "Actress of a Certain Age: My 20-Year Trail to Overnight Success" by Jeff Hiller

   • Release Date: June 2025
   • Description: A collection of autobiographical essays by comedian and actor Jeff Hiller, exploring his journey from a social worker to an acclaimed actor. The memoir delves into growing up gay in Texas during the 1980s.
   • Notable Quote: "I cannot wait to listen to Jeff Hiller tell me about his life." (11:16)

2. "Friends, Bonds that Change Us and the World" by Priya Vulci

   • Release Date: April 8, 2025
   • Description: An exploration of the essence of friendships, this book combines Western philosophy with contemporary insights to discuss how to create and maintain meaningful relationships in today's fast-paced world.
   • Notable Quote: "My friendships are so central and so important in my life." (18:01)

3. "Sucker Punch" by Sachi Kuhl

   • Release Date: March 4, 2025
   • Description: A poignant collection of essays addressing personal struggles such as marriage breakdowns and health crises, all interwoven with Kuhl's sharp wit and humor.
   • Notable Quote: "These are essays about all of those things which are hard and difficult." (34:10)

4. "Flashlight" by Susan Choi

   • Release Date: June 3, 2025
   • Description: Tracing a father's disappearance across time and memory, this novel offers a deep dive into messy family dynamics and the symbolic significance of a flashlight in a pivotal childhood event.
   • Notable Quote: "Where does the father go? What's up? What does the flashlight even mean?" (29:22)

Jeff O'Neill's Picks

1. "On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR" by Steve Oni

   • Release Date: March 11, 2025
   • Description: A comprehensive history of NPR, exploring its rise, challenges, and impact on public media. Jeff expresses his enthusiasm for the deep dive into the behind-the-scenes workings of public radio.
   • Notable Quote: "I like a business history story." (11:05)

2. "Raising Hair" by CLO Dalton

   • Release Date: TBD
   • Description: A tender memoir about adopting and raising a rabbit, exploring themes of impermanence and the unique challenges of caring for such a pet.
   • Notable Quote: "Each time the hair leaves, she knows she may never see it again." (24:47)

3. "Defy the Power of No in a World that Demands Yes" by Sunita Saw

   • Release Date: January 14, 2025
   • Description: A personal development book outlining five stages of defiance, encouraging readers to assert their boundaries in various aspects of life.
   • Notable Quote: "Make sure that the animal-loving kids who live in your house don't find out that this is an option for addressing your personal issues." (25:50)

4. "How You Lose the Time War" by Amal El Mohtar

   • Release Date: March 4, 2025
   • Description: Amal El Mohtar’s solo debut offering a poetic and experimental take on time travel and personal connections, marking a standout entry in the fantasy genre.
   • Notable Quote: "It's an experimental piece, which I'm also looking forward to." (37:16)

Honorable Mentions

Both Jason and Rebecca share additional titles that didn't make their top lists but are still worth noting:

• Sarah Slager's "Succession meets Megan Abbott": A suspense thriller about a powerful family's dramatic downfall.
• Charlotte Wood's "Stonyard Devotional": Shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2024, exploring complex narratives across nations.
• Adam Ross's "Play World": A poignant novel addressing the dark realities of child acting and abuse.
• Emma Petit’s "Tilt": Set in Portland, Oregon, this novel captures a pregnant woman's existential journey amidst an earthquake.

Guest Promotions and Upcoming Episodes

Jason Blitman promotes his upcoming guests on the Gays Reading Podcast, including Kate Fagan, nnedi okorafor, and Daniel Black, each bringing unique narratives and perspectives to the literary world. Jeff and Rebecca reciprocate by highlighting their own shows and encouraging listeners to engage with their various platforms, such as their Patreon and Substack newsletter.

Humorous Interactions and Closing Remarks

Throughout the episode, the hosts and Jason engage in humorous exchanges, discussing everything from kidney stones to the intricacies of book covers. These light moments add a personal touch, making the podcast both informative and entertaining.

Notable Quote: Jeff humorously remarks, "I need his laugh as a ringtone. Can I sign up for that somewhere?" when discussing Jeff Hiller's upcoming memoir. (13:17)

Conclusion

This episode of Book Riot - The Podcast offers a comprehensive look at the most anticipated literary works of 2025. Through engaging discussions, personal anecdotes, and thoughtful insights, Jeff, Rebecca, and Jason provide listeners with a curated roadmap of books to watch out for in the coming year. Whether you're a fan of memoirs, thrillers, historical fiction, or personal development, this episode promises something for every avid reader.

For more details on the books discussed and to stay updated with future episodes, visit BookRiot.com and tune into their various platforms.

Transcript

[Jeff O'Neill]

This is the Book Riot podcast. I'm Jeff O'Neill.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I'm Rebecca Schinsky.

[Jeff O'Neill]

And today we have a special guest. Jason Blitman from the Gays Reading Podcast is here with us. Jason, what are we talking about today? What are we doing? Remind me again what we're doing here.

[Jason Blitman]

What are we doing? I mean, there's a lot that I want to talk about, but probably books.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yes.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

What else do you want to talk about? Let's just.

[Jason Blitman]

I want to talk about the fact that Jeff's bed is made today.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh, is it?

[Jason Blitman]

Jeff's bed is not made when we record the Gays Reading Podcast with. With the two of.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And you razzed him right off the bat.

[Jason Blitman]

I did.

[Jeff O'Neill]

You did.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

He's like, this man is my new best friend. You've been on here for two minutes on this zoom. You're already giving Jeff crap.

[Jason Blitman]

It's perfect stuff. I have some, like, insider info for your listeners because I am also a new listener of the Book Riot Podcast, and I have some, like, intel.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh.

[Jason Blitman]

So at some point, you talk about asking, saying, maybe Percival Everett should write a musical adaptation, but you don't know his stance on musicals, and I can't believe that I know his stance on musicals.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh, what is it?

[Jason Blitman]

Well, Danzy Senna, his wife, was on Gay's Reading, talking to me about her new book, Colored Television.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Fantastic.

[Jason Blitman]

We, like, get to talking about musicals because she reminded me of a musical theater performer. It doesn't really matter, but she said, I love musicals, and I always bring my kids, but I leave my husband at home because he's not a fan.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Well, now we know.

[Jason Blitman]

Now we know.

[Jeff O'Neill]

We know.

[Jason Blitman]

I never thought that fact would ever.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Be necessary, adding value to this podcast from the first minute.

[Jeff O'Neill]

See, here's the thing, Jason. The thing about Purcell Everett, who I don't know from Adam, is you can't trust anything. He could be the. He's at home right now listening to various Guys and Dolls performances, and he's going to come out next year with a metamusical set on a pleasure yacht or something. We don't know what's gonna happen. You don't know? I guess his wife would probably know, but maybe he told her to say that.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

What if she's in on it?

[Jeff O'Neill]

What if she's in on it?

[Jason Blitman]

That's what magicians call misdirection.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, the trickster goddess, that is Everett. We have to be careful. Maybe that's what he wants us to think. Jason, tell us about your show and what people should come check Out Gay's.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Reading for besides this delightful array of content, right.

[Jason Blitman]

Like, this is. This is basically what my show is. Host the book podcast Gays Reading. Very often it is to amplify lgbtqia, diverse and Ally voices. I've had some incredible guests on the show. My most recent, my season finale of last year was the one, the only, Ann Patchett talking to me about her annotated Bel Canto. I've had some fantastic queer authors like T.J. klune and Gregory Maguire. Oh, gee, I like this. Is that Roxane Gay was in this immediately. I know Roxane Gay. So I also have a guest gay reader on every episode. Episode. So I've had Roxane Gay on and Margaret Cho and Jonathan Adler. It's been really special to hear from all of these people who are not necessarily known for books talking about their love of books. So that's been super cool, too.

[Jeff O'Neill]

There's so many people out there that love books and don't get a chance to talk about it or, you know, because there's not as many places really cool. And that Bel Canto special edition. Canny timing. And then you got McGuire. That was like a November 20 episode dropped, like, right as Wicked was coming out. So what a hell of a thing.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Very good.

[Jason Blitman]

Look at you.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I'm going to put that somewhere, like, right on the spot, Jason, because when we recorded the episode where we should tell listeners this is only like half of our most anticipated books of the season because we were on Gay's reading this week. And the link will be in the show notes. You can hear the rest of the books that we're looking forward to. But Jason told us during that recording that he's a relatively new reader. And like, you're a relatively new reader who has also started a podcast and is getting Ann Patchett. So tell our folks a little bit.

[Jeff O'Neill]

About Takes it nice and slow. Jason doesn't jump in with both feet. Just kind of lets it build and come to him over time.

[Jason Blitman]

My husband may or may not love this about me, but I'm that person who, like, I can't do something just a little bit. If I'm gonna do it, I need to do it at an 11. But yeah, I was working for an arts and culture organization, and that was the first time that I was producing book events. And so I was like, well, if I'm producing these book events, I should maybe read some of the books that are coming in. And I put two and two together when I was recently at the Texas Book Festival. When someone asked me sort of how I came into reading, and then they also talked how reading is this real communal experience. Sort of, as we were saying earlier, how it's so fun to talk to people about books. I think I'd always loved reading. I'd always loved. Or I loved the concept of reading. I loved being in bookstores, I loved smelling books. Right. But I think that I always felt a little behind. All of the things in the zeitgeist were it was too impossible to catch up. And so when I was working for this arts and culture company, it was the first time I ever got a galley. And getting the galley, I was like, wait a minute, you know, in advance reader copy, I could. I could read this and then be ahead of the game. So I was able to have a conversation while the conversation was being had rather than years before that. And so that was sort of the beginning of it for me. I was like, wow, this is really special. And then I was. The company that I was working for had a podcast. It was in the hands of the marketing person. When the marketing person left, he passed it on to the arts and culture people. And I took it on. I was like, I don't know what I want to do with this, but I suddenly, I like reading. I've read five books now. Let me.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

This is truly no zealot, like the convert that really is.

[Jeff O'Neill]

It's like, you know, you get your wand, your lightsaber, you bond with your dragon, suddenly you're just part of that world now there.

[Jason Blitman]

Yeah, I mean, truly. Well, and it was sort of amazing because I would just do some outreach because these publicists had worked with me for these in person events that I was doing. And I started making asks of things that excited me. Little did I realize that they'd become big. Like, I talked to Gabrielle Zevin about Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow before it got published, so no one even knew what it was. I was in conversation with Emily St. John Mandel about Sea of Tranquility, Jenny Jackson about Pineapple Street. So, like, all of these sort of great things. And then once I left that organization, I missed it. I missed doing that. I missed talking to authors and I missed sort of having a reason to do some deeper, closer reading. And then one thing led to another. There were all sorts of things that happened. But then gays reading was born. So. Yeah.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And your taste speaks for itself.

[Jeff O'Neill]

The link will be in the show notes. You can find it wherever you get your podcast as well. So what's going to happen now? We already did some most anticipated on Jason's show. You can hear Rebecca and I over on Gay's Reading. We're going to go. We're going to round robin. We have a handful. I think I remember mostly what I said last time. I don't think I'm going to repeat. We're going to do a sponsor break in a minute. Before we do that, a couple of in house reminders. IT Books is out in the main feed now for January. You can hear Rebecca and I there. Also, the winter draft is in Patreon. So that's one of our big events of the year, our seasonal draft, where if you're new to the VR podcast, that's where Becca and I try. We each pick a bundle of 10 books and then have listeners vote on theoretically, what's the best basket book for the general interested reader. It becomes a popularity contest of a kind. Some of us may have been more pandry than others and it might have blown up in our faces. We'll have to see. We don't know what's happening at this point. The other thing to look for is that on First Edition it went in the feed. Last week I talked to Adam Vitkavage of Debutiful, who his website highlights debut authors in his podcast interviews day by Debut authors. Tougher beat. A tougher beat even than just covering books in general, covering debut authors. But Adam does a great job. Talk about the best debuts of 2024, some to look forward in 2025 and then also what it's like to work with and cover debut author. So if that's something you're interested in as a writer, a reader, that's over at First Edition, anywhere your podcast or in the show Notes, Here's a sponsor break.

[Sponsor Voice]

Today's episode is brought to you by underlined publisher of the party by Natasha Preston. Number one best selling author Natasha Preston is back with another pulse pounding, twisty read in the heart of the English countryside, which is such a great setting for a thriller mystery, I have to say. So. In the countryside, Bessie and her closest friends gather at a remote castle for a secret party destined to make this the best spring break ever. But when the first of them dies, the party takes a lethal turn. And as the body count continues to rise, Bessie and her friends must contend with a deadly storm and growing internal suspicion, all while trapped inside with a killer. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat until the party's over. The audiobook is read by Hannah van der Vesthesen and it is available now wherever Books and audiobooks are sold. Make sure to check it out. And thanks again to underlined sponsor of the party by Natasha Preston for sponsoring this episode.

[Jeff O'Neill]

All right, Jason, since you're the guest, you have honors, and that includes deferring to Rebecca. If you'd like to defer to Rebecca, you can't defer to me. That's not how this works.

[Jason Blitman]

I'm very happy to start. I just. How do I'm. Should we do this by pub day or by last name of author? Does it matter? Do we care?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

We do it by feel.

[Jason Blitman]

It's so funny because I. For some reason, I'm so particular and sensitive to people's emotions, and I was like, I don't want to put an order. Like, I don't do a top 10 of the year. I do like the 10 that stayed with me. Right. There's no. There's no numerical order. I'll do pub day because that seems to be most relevant.

[Jeff O'Neill]

We will not be doing that. So you have to come back on your own recognizance to work.

[Jason Blitman]

Coming out. Okay, so let me also preface by saying I very specifically picked queer books that I'm. That I doubt or not doubt, but I think might be under the radar a little bit. Love that, because that's important to me. So. And I know that this is not a visual medium, but I have things to show off to you, so I'm gonna hold them up for you.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I will. Ooh and ah. Is that's the thing that you're very.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Impressed all the time? Like a golden.

[Jason Blitman]

Okay, so coming out on January 28th in the United States. It's already out in the UK is Northern Boy by Iqbal Hussein. It is. The logline is a joyful, defiant and dazzling or joyful, defiant and dazzling. This is the story of Rafi Aziz, a northern boy dreaming of his name up in lights. It is billed as Billy Elliot meets Bollywood. And I. I'm like, literally already crying.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I did a big excited face for Billy Elliot meets Bollywood.

[Jason Blitman]

I mean, this cover, it is just joy. It is so joyful. Anyway, I'm so excited.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

That's January.

[Jeff O'Neill]

What's the imprint, Jason?

[Jason Blitman]

The imprint. I know it's underrepresented. It's unbound firsts.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Okay. All right, Rebecca, you're up now.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Okay. My first one. This doesn't come out until June, so I'm cheating a little bit. Welcome to the book riot.

[Jason Blitman]

You're on your journey. It's okay.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Do it.

[Jason Blitman]

That's not cheating.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Do what you're going to do.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Actress of a certain age. My 20 year trail to overnight success by Jeff Hiller, one of the co stars of Somebody Somewhere. I think mine and Jeff O'Neill's shared favorite show of the last couple.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I can't believe they made that show just for us. Rebecca. I know we are both from the Midwest. I am from a place, what, 25 minutes from Manhattan, Kansas, where this is set. We both grew up in sort of vaguely denominational church settings. It's unbelievable.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

It is.

[Jeff O'Neill]

So glad he's getting a book.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Yeah. This is a collection of autobiographical essays. Hiller is a comedian. He's been a working actor for decades and had this kind of overnight success with hbo, but as he talks about, it's like you don't realize that you're not actually going to like become super famous overnight when you're the indie darling of hbo, which Somebody Somewhere certainly was. And he grew up, as he describes it, quote, profoundly gay in the 1980s in Texas, became a social worker and like clawed his way way into the acting world. I, I don't know Jeff Hiller, but I'm pretty sure I know Jeff Hiller, having watched Somebody Somewhere, like heard him on a few podcasts. Just seems like a really thoughtful, creative, sensitive, funny guy who had what is unfortunately a pretty common experience if you were growing up queer in the 80s and the 90s in the south or the Midwest and then moving his way into a creative career. I cannot wait. I'm gonna listen to this on audio. I like, I am just so ready for all the things. I'm gonna ignore the week that it comes out so that like I will willingly do dishes so that I can listen to Jeff Hiller tell me about his life.

[Jason Blitman]

When I first moved to New York City, he was in his very first Broadway show, Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson. And it was like Bloody walked so that Hamilton could run. And Jeff Hiller was a huge standout and I am so excited that the world is now getting to know him a little bit.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

It's such a revelation. I need like a Jeff Hiller newsletter so that they can email me and tell me like the next thing he get cast in.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I need his laugh as a ringtone. Can I sign up for that somewhere that he does in somebody somewhere? It's unbelievable.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

It's an unbelievable, wonderful, just warm and funny and sharp and also like has that edge to him that's kind of surprising for somebody coming out of the south or the Midwest. I cannot wait.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Since this is our show, I really get to be me Jason and with my picks Here, some of it, I.

[Jason Blitman]

Got a glimpse of it. I'm very excited.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I kind of can't remember what we picked for your show. So that'll be a journey for me to listen to as well. But I'm pretty sure I didn't pick this because I would never go on someone else's podcast and talk about a 576 page book about the history of NPR, which is what I'm picking right now. It's called on air the Triumph and Tumult of NPR by Steve Oni, coming out from avid reader press on my birthday, March 11, actually a big new release day, my birthday, March 11 this year. So for those of you who don't know, public radio is kind of a hot mess behind the scenes most of the time. There's personality, there's funding. You know, Ray Kroc's widow Joan gave them a quarter of a billion dollars and that went great. Everything was fine. They handled it. No. And then also the early what I really got interested in pr, frankly is from behind the scenes was when I started getting into podcasts listening, especially this American Life and Radio Lab, because how those deals are put together is super interesting. The early days, the juggernaut NPR had and then people who start out NPR that go on to do a whole bunch of other things. I'm really interested. I like a business history story. This one is nonprofit public media ideas and a medium I'm really interested in. I guess I'll have to listen to an audio. That's probably the only way to do it. But apparently the author's been researching this for about a decade. And it's, that's, that's the kind of guy only a Jeff could love who's like, you know what I'm going to spend the next decade doing? Writing a definitive history of npr. God love book nerds, God love journalists, because and I hope this one does well enough that it earns out for avid reader press. And we get other stuff like this. But I'm so excited, I'm fit to be tied.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I cannot wait for a front list foyer the week you listen to that so I can get the headlines of the NPR book instead of the 550 pages.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, you can. You know, I'll save you 574 pages. All right, Jason, I believe the carousel has rotated back to you. Which horse would you like to jump on?

[Jason Blitman]

It has though I will say, like, I feel like a book about NPR feels so sacrilegious. It seems like a six episode podcast.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Series, a true crime series about npr, right?

[Jason Blitman]

Exactly. It feels very counterintuitive. Okay, my next one is the Lamb by Lucy Rose, coming from Harper on February 4th. With this Gothic coming of age tale, debut novelist Lucy Rose explores how women swallow their anger, desire and animal instincts and rings the relationship between mother and daughter until blood drips from it. The Lamb is a contemporary queer folktale about a mother and daughter living in the woods for fans of Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood and Julia Armfield.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And that's a hell of a cover. I wish the folks could see it. It looks like a raw lamb chop slab of meat.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Hmm. All right. Sometimes I'm kind of trying to read the room here about picks that are related. So if you hear me humming and scrolling, that's because I'm trying to see what's next. But Rebecca, luckily you get to go next and I don't have to.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

All right, we're going to go right to the center of my wheelhouse. This is good Friends, Bonds that Change Us and the World by Priya Vulci. It comes out from Legacy lit on April 8. Longtime listeners of the show know this is one of my favorite topics. The log line here is friendship is good for your health. And we are not taught how to have good friendships. You know, like we cancel our plans, we bail on stuff. Technology gets in the way. The book industry and like psychology, self help is full of how to stay married to that person. Maybe you should not stay married to. But we have nothing really. There's like no body of work about how do you develop new friendships, how do you maintain friendships, how do you keep them vibrant? And I feel like this is a great follow on or hoping it'll be a great follow on to the Other Significant Others by Raina Cohen, which I really, really loved last year. So the book is an exploration of the meanings of friendships. How do we make them, how do we maintain them? She's also diving into like Western philosophy with stuff from Plato and Aristotle and Cicero and Martin Luther King Jr. And Toni Morrison and all kinds of thinkers exploring the value of friendship and the role that it can play in our lives. The importance of Platonic Ties, my forever hobby horse. I'm so glad to have another book to recommend about it.

[Jason Blitman]

I hope they go into making friends as adults.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I think that's the whole idea.

[Jason Blitman]

Yeah, I find it impossible or very difficult.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

It's tough, especially like, you know, people who do the jobs that we all do where you're a knowledge worker, you work at home, you talk to your co workers through a computer like Getting out and meeting people is really challenging as an adult. And then we all have 900, you know, competing things, things competing for our time. And it's so easy to, like, I'm too tired to go out and, like, actually have that dinner with that person or join that club or whatever. So I'm just really very pleased that this is becoming a topic of popular conversation and that it's, you know, we have, like, Vivek Murthy, who out as his outgoing message as the Surgeon General, wrote a big treatise about the epidemic of loneliness and how we really need connection, but having folks not just calling attention to the problem, but talking to us about how we can solve it. Like, my friendships are so central and so important in my life, and I don't know how to talk to people about, like. All I can say is this is so important and I hope you find it. And so I'm glad that these books exist that can hopefully provide some tools.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah. While we're on the personal development, make your life better living through books.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

There we go. Somebody should write a newsletter.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah.

[Jason Blitman]

You're skipping over the raw meat.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I'm listening to. This is my first listen of the year. It's a. It's a preview copy from PR Age. It's called Defy the Power of no in a World that Demands yes by Sunita Saw. She's a researcher that's looking at the uses and deployments of defiance. This five stages of defiance. That's the only phrase I needed to read on this book that got me interested in it. I saw Rebecca's eyebrows go up there as well. It's out from One world next week, January 14th. I'm so early into it, it's hard to say, but Rebecca and I do a lot of these kinds of books, and it's rare that I see one that feels a lot different. And this one seems a little different. I really am not sure. I really wasn't sure what to expect coming into it. A tidy 320 pages. You love to see it there. Yeah. I don't really know. It's got quotes from all the people that you might expect. Daniel Pink, Adam Grant and the like. Kind of the Mount Rushmore of. I would like to talk to your corporate overlords about speaking opportunities, names that appear on the fronts of books like these. And I hope for her sake that she gets big fat checks from intel or Pfizer, whoever to come tell their employees how to tell their bosses to stick it where the sun don't shine. But that's Defy by Sunita Saw. Jason, I think the ball returns to your court.

[Jason Blitman]

It's true. It's true. It's here. I see it bouncing. It's right here. Suddenly, I was on a pickleball court in my imagination. Then I wanted to be on a kickball court. I don't know. It's. It's my court. I'm gonna make it. Whatever.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, that's fine.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Anyway, you're in charge now.

[Jason Blitman]

Coming February 11th from Simon and Schuster is Loca by Alejandro Heredia. Loca follows one daring year in the lives of young people living at the edge of their own patience and desires. With expansive grace, it reveals both the grueling conditions that force people to migrate and the possibility of friendship as home when family, nations, and identity groups fall short. It is a debut novel. Alejandro was inspired to write it after the death of his cousin. It just, it, it. The COVID is gorgeous. Everything about it has me very excited. It takes place in the Bronx. That's all I got.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Excellent Date is February, you say?

[Jason Blitman]

February 11th.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Okay, let's see. Simon and Schuster. All right, Rebecca, where do you want to go next?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Well, talking about, like, people living at the edges of their capacities, maybe changing some things up. I don't know that anything has been more factory made for me than a change of habit. Leaving behind my husband, career, and everything I owned to become a nun by Sister Monica Claire.

[Jason Blitman]

Not a change of habit. Oh, my God.

[Jeff O'Neill]

And for you is great because nuns are like your God friends. So it's really. That works for you?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Yeah, I mean, because I've watched Sister Act 2 back in the habit a billion times. That's why nuns are my godfriend. Normally I read this book Going in the other direction. Normally I like I cannot resist a why I lost my religion or how I got out of this cult kind of memoir. This will be the first time I think I've read a story about someone giving up their life as a layperson to go into the clergy. A soulful, hilarious memoir of a chronic people pleaser who surprised everyone in her life by abandoning an unfulfilling career and marriage to join a convent and learned how much we stand to gain when we fully embrace our authentic selves. This is a decision I cannot fathom making for approximately 1 million different reasons. And I can't wait to hear about it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Start a podcast like the rest of us when we're going through a midlife crisis that's a little much a change of habit.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

So good. Like, this is in the running for.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Book Title get me to a nunnery would have been better. But that's a different. That's a different.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

It's too bad name isn't Maria because then they could have done. How do you solve a problem like Maria?

[Jeff O'Neill]

That's really good, Stu. I we there is probably. Have you done like a roundup of your favorite. I got out of a cult and I'm still here.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And here's what probably in like early book riot days, I did like I. I was on this tip way before Tara Westover made the like getting out of a fringe religion thing into a big bestseller. I could certainly do that. Maybe that's a bonus episode sometimes.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah. If people. If Rebecca staffing the revolving door of your local monastery isn't wheelhouse enough for you, me reading a memoir of something that seems extremely boring and tame is also right there. So I'm going with Raising Hair, a memoir by CLO Dalton. Hair without an I. This is H A R E. Okay. H is for hair was right there. But I guess that may be some kind of McDonald trademark situation. Clue Dalton things aren't going well and adopts a rabbit and writes a whole book about it. And it is tender and meaningful and bittersweet. And I like to read about people who do something strange and find meaning it that I have no interest in what to do. I. You know, if. So if a hair showed up in my house today, I wouldn't know what to do. So this is all undiscovered territory for me here. She feared the hair would be preyed upon by foxes, stoats, feral cats, raptors, and even people. But then she let it run around outside. And each time the hair leaves, she knows she may never see it again. That's a really.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Everything is impermanent tenderness.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I guess so that's how Buddhists take care of their pets. I'm not sure what's going on here.

[Jason Blitman]

I will say I'm 20 pages into it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

You are?

[Jason Blitman]

I am.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Okay.

[Jason Blitman]

And it's very sweet.

[Jeff O'Neill]

What.

[Jason Blitman]

What you don't know is that apparently hairs are very, very, very difficult to raise without their mothers. So like, it's sort of this impossible task that she rises to.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Yeah, I saw you get excited when he mentioned this one, Jason, but I thought this was just general hair related excitement.

[Jason Blitman]

No, it's very. It's very, very sweet.

[Jeff O'Neill]

From Knopf, which is a fairly big publisher and imprint for a book of this nature. So I don't know what this. When I saw this. I will be listening to that.

[Jason Blitman]

And I believe it's imprinte pantheon as as part of the Knoff umbrella, which makes more sense when that does make more sense.

[Jeff O'Neill]

And a blurb from Angelina Jolie on the COVID So I don't know if she optioned this. We're going to see Angelina Jolie.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

So many questions.

[Jeff O'Neill]

With some pelts and some rabbit feet. I don't know what's going on here, but I. I'm very excited.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

You just need to make sure that the animal loving kids who live in your house don't find out that this is an option for addressing your personal issues.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh, no. They'll know. Or read a book about a pet. But. But nary one shall enter the threshold of my abode. That's not happening. They know that as well as they know anything. They may not know my actual full legal name, but they know we will not have pets.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I know it, but I'm not telling our listeners.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, that's right. That's right.

[Jason Blitman]

But you could just tell them it's only in the UK and they're not British, so that's. They can't do it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

And a rabbit is different than a hare. That's one thing I learned in just reading the blurb. So I'm a better man already.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Is that in your book about distinctions and differences too?

[Jeff O'Neill]

The dictionary of Fine Distinctions? You know, it might be. I don't remember. My memory isn't what it was 25 years. So I can read that book every day and come up with something new. Let's do we know. We better do another sponsor break, Rebecca, because we're having too much fun and I'm going to forget. If we don't do it right now and we come back, Jason will be up again. All right, Jason, how many do we have? How many more do you have that we need to get through? We can.

[Jason Blitman]

That's a good question. I have two more.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Two more. We can do that, Rebecca.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

That sounds good.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Maybe some honorable mentions. If you've got any leftovers. We want to make mop up.

[Jason Blitman]

I mean, the problem. I could like, I have an endless amount, but let me. This is very, very different.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh, you think you've got more book titles to recommend than I do?

[Jason Blitman]

No. No.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And Jason has had the paper galleys of all the books he's talked about so far. He's holding them up. You're doing like the whole Vanna situation.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I'm just going to wear you out. Eventually your biceps are going to go once we're at book like 300. So eventually you're going to Say uncle.

[Jason Blitman]

Honestly, if it also means I get to clear out things and clean up my office whilst doing it. Perfect. My next one is very different than raising hair, but on the COVID there is like a cornfield or some sort of wheat field or something, which I guess you could find a hair in, but it's called the Lilac People. It is coming out on April 29th from Counterpoint. The Lilac People is a debut novel from Milo Todd. It is for readers of all the light we cannot see. An In Memoriam, a moving and deeply humane story about a trans man who must relinquish the freedoms of pre war ber to survive first the Nazis and then the Allies while protecting the ones he loves. And not only is it like. Does it sound like a beautiful historical fiction that we've never heard of before, it is 303 pages, so it's not this, like, laborious situation. It just sounds really beautiful. All the light we cannot see. In memoriam. Come on.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Sounds good, Rebecca, how many do you have left?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I've got a couple and, like a few honorable mentions. And also I can't remember if one of these was one that you talked.

[Jeff O'Neill]

About when we were on Jason's show. I was thinking about this.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Jason, did Jeff talk about Flashlight by Susan Choi when you were editing? Do you remember?

[Jeff O'Neill]

I don't think so.

[Jason Blitman]

I don't think so.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Okay, great. Well, then that's what I'm going to talk about. This is like the fifth thing we've recorded about 20, 25 titles and all my notes are like, I don't know what's going on.

[Jason Blitman]

I've also listened to a lot of your content, so it's possible that I could tell you.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, because I've got a couple I need to make sure we've mentioned and maybe Jason be like, yeah, you talked about that one.

[Jason Blitman]

You know, we haven't talked about Onyx Storm yet.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Well, as a teaser for readers, I did read 4th Wing this weekend, so tune in to Monday's episode to hear me talk about that.

[Jason Blitman]

Oh, my God, that's so funny. I'm only joking. I may have read it too.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Did you?

[Jeff O'Neill]

We'll have to see on Thursday's Frontless.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

For you, Jeff O'Neill. You and your secrets. I still don't know how Jeff felt about all fours. And this has been torturing me for like, three weeks.

[Jeff O'Neill]

You gotta save it for the POD report, Becca. I can't blast off the best in text. I've only got a couple takes here. It's your turn. You're distracting.

[Jason Blitman]

I know. It's your turn.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Okay. June 3rd. Flashlight. Susan Choi for FSG. One of my favorite imprints. A novel tracing a father's disappearance across time, nations and memory. From the author of Trust Exercise. Folks were really split on Trust Exercise.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I was split on one.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Yeah. And I was in neither the loved it nor hated it camp. I think I enjoyed it. I appreciated what she was doing. It was interesting. That was my first time reading Susan Choi. So mostly I'm excited to get another, like, taste of what Susan Choi is all about. But the setup here is that one night Louisa and her father take a walk on the beach. He is carrying a flashlight. He cannot swim. Later, Louisa is found washed up by the tide, barely alive. Her father is gone and she is 10 years old. And the chapters, like, move between members of the family. So we're maybe trying to, like, figure out what happened here. But we're also getting into messy family dynamics. Where did the father go? What's up? What does the flashlight even mean? I'm sure it's a symbol for something.

[Jeff O'Neill]

What if it was just nothing? Just complete non sequitur? That'd be great because Trust Exercise. Was that four, five years ago now? How long has it been since it.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Exists in that weird zone of. I don't remember if I read it right before COVID or like in early Covid, where everything has run together. I think it was maybe 20. 2019.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, because it won the Pulitzer or the national one. One of the big ones right in there somewhere. I was talking to some people at Powell's the other day. One nugget is that the number one bestselling books at my local Pals right now is the Vegetarian by Hong Kong. So if you don't think the Hong Kong is hive isn't ready to be unleashed here when that new book comes out, we're going to be surprised there. But one of the buyers over at Pals is very excited about a debut novel that I hadn't. I didn't have on my radar at all. But they're excited about it. It's 240 pages. The author's name. I don't quite know how to say it. I looked it up. It's Emma is the first name. I do not say that. But it's Patti, I believe. P A T T E E. The book is called Tilt. It's set in Portland, Oregon. So a pregnant woman is at Ikea and the big earthquake all of us at Portland are worried about. Ever since Katherine Schultz wrote this article in New Yorker about how Portland will basically turn into, you know, a bunch of frosted flakes dust at some point in the future whenever it happens. She's ikea. The earthquake hits and she's got a walk to get home. And if you know where the IKEA is in Portland, you got some walking to do if you live on the west side of town and it becomes a Not quite Station 11, not quite the road. But she has encounters with people as she's walking and has some realizations about her life and her career and marriage. And let's just not say it was all going great before the earthquake, but this becomes a literal breaking point point for her. It's supposed to be fun. It's called it's fun and not fun exactly, but like kind of strange but dark and bleak and powerful. A primal scream of a novel is the blurb, which I think I've read that one before, but I always take it. And at 240 pages it'll be over in three hours whether I like it or not, which I always like. So that is Tilt by Emma Petit that is coming out, I believe March 20th. Yes, March 25th, from Mary Sue Rucci Books, which is a sub imprint over.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

At S and S. Right, Jason, Bring it home.

[Jason Blitman]

Tilt is sitting on my shelf and it's been like staring at me to read. And I've been excited about it already, but now I'm even more excited about it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I'm really looking forward to it.

[Jason Blitman]

Okay, this one, I think I'm most disappointed that this is not a visual medium, but everyone should go Google the book cover of this. But it is called coming on July 1st, which I can't believe. I'm talking about a book coming out in July. Hot Girls with Balls.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I saw this.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

What a good. That is a great cover by Benedict.

[Jason Blitman]

Dwin coming from Catapult. In this outrageous and deeply serious satire, two star indoor volleyball players juggle unspoken jealousies in their off court romance ahead of their team, their rival team's first rematch in a year. And the very first sentence in the book is no one could think straight because everyone was actually gay.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Well done. Good work.

[Jason Blitman]

Say less. I'm so excited. And again, the COVID is absurd.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

That's fantastic. It's purple and it looks like there's like little, I can't quite tell what.

[Jason Blitman]

They'Re like purple and green and purple.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

And there's some pink and some blue.

[Jason Blitman]

Yeah.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Now it's naming colors. It has balls on it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I don't know where you go from there. That's Your transition, Rebecca.

[Jason Blitman]

Sorry, Rebecca.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I know awards in book design. Let's see. I'm gonna wrap up, I think, with Sucker Punch, a collection of essays by Sachi Kuhl. I first encountered her writing when buzzfeed was a thing that people regularly read. And she would write great long pieces on BuzzFeed. She had an essay collection several years back called One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of this Will Matter. And that was about sort of like race and body image and falling in love. Meeting her partner, she got married. She expected her follow up book to be, you know, sort of about like that next phase of her life. But then Covid happened and her marriage fell apart and she lost her job and her mom got very sick. And so these are essays about all of those things which are hard and difficult. But Saatchi is really sharp and really funny. And so the essays will invariably be laced with that, like, acerbic wit that makes her really fun to read. I've heard her talk about this a little bit already on a podcast. I'm really looking forward to it. It's probably one I should do on audio, but I will get. I'll be able to like, take it down faster if I just sit down and read them all. So I think that's the way I'm gonna go. It's March 4th from St. Martin's Press. That's Sucker Punch, that also a great cover. Has brass knuckles on the front.

[Jason Blitman]

Oh, yeah.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Do I think I remember. Did we. Did any of us talk about the new Rebecca Kuang on the last episode?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I did. I did.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I want to make sure. And did we talk about death of the author?

[Jason Blitman]

Yes.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Okay. I want to make sure we shouted those out if we didn't get it. I think. God, I can't remember if I picked this anywhere else. It wasn't for your show, Jason, so at least it won't be a repeat there. I don't think the river has Roots by Amal El Mohtar. We didn't talk about that on Jason.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I think you talked about that in the draft.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, I think I'm talking about the draft. So I'll get it out from behind the paywall here, I guess. So for those of you who don't know or may not remember, this is how you lose. The Time War was not indeed written by one Bigelas Dicklas. It was just hyped by one big list dicklist. Amal El Mohtar was one of the co authors of that. This is her book, her solo debut, which you don't see very often. But her most famous book is co authored and it is about a place. You know, it's a magical fantasy world where they the rivers are super important. I haven't read that too much about it because for generally for fantasy and sci fi books the plot matters to me less than if I like the author. I like the vibe. And there's something else. She is a political or it's not political. A writer of ideas and I'm super interested. She sounds like kind of climate oriented but also about sisters and really well written on the sentence level which makes it especially interesting. And with this how you lose the time war it's going to be be I'd expect it to be experimental which I'm also looking forward to. So this is as I said the draft probably my own personal for the full year. One of the five or ten personally most excited about for the whole year and it's coming out. I don't know. I said March 4th from Tor.com and it according to the metadata here is 0 by 0 inches and weighs 0.0 pounds. So you know, light one very short, slight book.

[Jason Blitman]

Perfect.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, it's gonna be great.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

All right, some honorable mentions.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Honorable mentions. Jason, Anything that you, you know, want to shout out or you have other.

[Jason Blitman]

Since I'm here, I might as well plug my upcoming guests on Gays Reading.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah, let's do it.

[Jason Blitman]

This is. This is an exclusive. I am super stoked. So next week on Gays Reading I have Kate Fagan who wrote the Three Lives of Kate K. Again, such a super fun book. Very like twisty. The Logline is an electric, unputdownable debut novel that explores the cost of ambition, the longings of Sapphic love, and the power that comes from embracing your true self. And then the following week on Gays Reading. Of course, we've talked about her many times. You've talked about her many times. But nnedi okorafor death of the author. The book is so unique and interesting, but she I would follow her to the ends of the earth. FYI, like incredible, incredible human. And then my last episode of January is with Daniel Black and his book Isaac's Song. His book Don't Cry for Me came out a couple of years ago and this is a companion book to that. Don't Cry for Me is the story of a dying father writing letters to his son. And this is the son's story again. Really beautiful. So those are my little honorable mentions you can catch this month over on Gay's Reading.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Rebecca honorable mentions for you. What else is on your kind of vantage point?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

By Sarah Slager, which I keep. I keep like almost picking it for stuff. It comes out January 14th and it is billed as Succession meets Megan Abbott. So some kind of suspense thriller situation about a very wealthy powerful family having a dramatic downfall. Just shoot that right into my veins. Stonyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood, which was shortlisted for the Booker in 2024. It's been out in the UK for quite a while. It comes out here in the US on February 11 for the couple folks who were emailing us wondering why it wasn't one of the it books of January.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I want to shine for that book from our listeners wondering where that was. So I'm glad to see that getting some pickup there as well.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I'm looking forward to that. And then out today or yesterday as you're listening to the show Play World by Adam Ross, his first novel since Mr. Peanut in 2010. This is a big novel. It's 528 pages set in the 80s about a child actor who when he is 14 gets seduced, preyed upon. You pick your verb into a relationship with a 36 year old woman who is a friend of his mother's and about his experiences as a child actor and assorted other things. I really loved Mr. Peanut. It came out in a pre Me too world that I'm like Adam Ross is willing to talk about thorny things and this is certainly a thorny topic. The reviews have been some really positive and some kind of lukewarm and so I'm really curious curious especially to find out for myself how that's going to go.

[Jeff O'Neill]

It could be that this, what I'm about to say is my most anticipated 15 to 25 pages that I'm going to read this year because I just found out about this today when I was doing a little research. October 28, 2025. Is that do I win the award for the latest mention we haven't mentioned?

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Yes you do.

[Jeff O'Neill]

So there's a book, there's a collection called the Anthony Bourdain Reader coming out, which I read most of it I'm you know, I'll probably have this, but the introduction is written by Patrick Radden Keefe and I never knew that I wanted Patrick Radden Keefe on Anthony Bourdain, but I will read the snot out of that one. I'm gonna buy just to have. I don't know how much reading I'm gonna do in it actually, but 2025 is the 100th anniversary of the New Yorker and they're releasing several collections. There's a poetry one. The fiction one is the one that I'm especially interested in seeing just historically to see that I hope I haven't seen, but I hope there might be some like, I don't know, the New Yorker canon collection. Like here are the 50 long pieces that.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

That's what I best define.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I'd really like that. But I'll take the. I'll certainly take the fiction one as well. But I would expect a lot of interesting stuff around the New Yorker at 100 because it's. It feels like it's been around for a billion years. But the early days were very touch and go. An unusual publication. You know, so many of us who care about ideas and books and thinking and writing. It's. It's the most popular home for stuff of that. And so it's worth taking a look back and some there and a bunch of other stuff we talked about. Go listen to us over on gays reading. Go listen to the draft. Go listen to it books. Go listen to our most anticipated. We've gotten like nine episodes and frankly, the truth is we really haven't talked about fall and most of the summer. There's going to be books that come on and come on and come on. Jason, you have to come back. We'll do a mid year check in. Maybe we'll do some winners and losers. We'll have to figure out something else. Else. You and I can compare rabbit notes. How do rabbits do that we clearly both adopted after reading this book.

[Jason Blitman]

Yes. I have to say there's something else we have to compare notes on and I'm very sorry about it.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yes.

[Jason Blitman]

I also have had kidney stones.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Oh, yes.

[Jason Blitman]

And I have to say this is my PSA to a fellow kidney stone person. Be mindful of gout. Oh, that is a thing. Uric acid. Their cousins. It is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. This is my psa.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Yeah. Me. It's us and Ben Franklin. We got to worry about Ben Franklin Diseases. That's how good of a shape I'm in.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

I mean, that's an interesting club to be in.

[Jason Blitman]

At least I was a young man. This is not happening to me.

[Jeff O'Neill]

Franklin falling apart so bad he had to invent bifocals. That's how bad things were going for me.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

We're not knocking bifocals, she says, wearing her transitional lenses.

[Jeff O'Neill]

No, I'm like bifocals.

[Jason Blitman]

We're all wearing glasses.

[Jeff O'Neill]

I'm just saying I'm just saying Ben Franklin is not who you're looking for. Your model. Model of physical well being, generally speaking.

[Jason Blitman]

Very, very, very.

[Jeff O'Neill]

This was a delight. Go listen. You can find the books we talked about there. Go listen to the rest of the books we talked about. I don't think I spoiled it too much by just saying a couple of titles. That's what we call a tease. That's more of a. An entre. Anything over there? Podcast BookRiot.com Check out the Patreon the Substack newsletter. Rebecca wrote one with some questions about how people track their reading. Got a lot of good responses over there. 2025, baby.

[Rebecca Schinsky]

Here we are.

[Jeff O'Neill]

It's real now. It's gonna be so something. We'll talk to everyone later.

[Jason Blitman]

Thanks you both.