Book Riot – The Podcast
Episode: The It Books of October 2025
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky
Date: October 1, 2025
Overview
In this wide-ranging episode, Jeff and Rebecca break down the “It Books” of October 2025—the buzziest, most anticipated, and potentially most impactful book releases of the month. Using their signature knockout-round format, the hosts analyze literary fiction, buzzy nonfiction, genre hits, and posthumous works, weighing factors like artistic merit, critical acclaim, bookstore buzz, and award potential. The episode captures the shifting landscape of fall publishing and the complexities of predicting what will truly resonate.
Episode Flow & Format ([01:07]–[02:38])
- Jeff explains their “knockout round” process: a bracket where each new book is compared to the last; Rebecca usually decides which advances, with Jeff occasionally weighing in.
- Criteria include: artistic merit, buzz, sales potential, and “IP lifeform” potential.
- Their lens is shaped by taste, critical response, cultural trends, and, occasionally, personal bias.
1. The Deep Fall List: No “Generational” Picks, but Plenty of Depth
[01:07]–[02:18]
- Discussion opens with both hosts noting there’s a deep pool of strong releases this fall, even if there isn’t an obvious blockbuster.
- September was hotter than usual; October is loaded with big names and long-anticipated titles.
Quote
- Jeff: “There’s not like...generational picks, but it’s a deep draft.” [01:09]
- Rebecca: “October has some names. November looks pretty quiet, and then December tends to be a little bit of a desert.” [01:51]
2. The Knockout Round: Book-by-Book Breakdown
Adam Johnson, The Wayfinder ([06:09]–[09:14])
- Pulitzer and NBA winner Adam Johnson returns with a massive, genre-bending historical epic set on a Tongan island: “Talking corpses, poetic parrots, and a fan that wafts the breath of life.” 736 pages.
- Both hosts debate Johnson’s under-the-radar status and what critical/literary cachet means in 2025.
Quotes
- Jeff: “He may have to snatch from Barbara Kingsolver for you. Underrated. Who knows?” [06:47]
- Rebecca: “Historically, it’s very consistent for someone to win the NBA or the Pulitzer or both and still not be a big name.” [07:53]
Erin Summers, The Ten Year Affair ([09:14]–[12:25])
- Contemporary novel of infidelity with a dual timeline—one where the affair happens, one where it doesn’t.
- Praised for sharp dialogue (“Effron-esque in their concision”), humor, and relatable themes.
- Rebecca is very enthusiastic: “I’m so excited for this one...few things are more banal than somebody cheats on their partner. And yet...to make that feel fresh is really hard.” [11:15]
Advances past The Wayfinder:
- More accessible, potentially wider mainstream (“it book”) appeal.
Joe Hill, King Sorrow ([12:25]–[14:26])
- 896-page “Dragon Academy” dark fantasy from Stephen King’s son; huge 200,000-copy print run.
- Discussed as a potential genre juggernaut but unlikely to break big outside established fan circles due to length and niche.
Quote:
- Jeff: “896 pages is not something that is going to [cause] mainstream readers to dip into high fantasy like this.” [14:26]
Ten Year Affair moves on—deemed more mainstream.
Harper Lee, The Land of Sweet Forever ([14:26]–[18:48])
- Posthumous, “hodgepodge” collection of stories and essays; 1 million print run, expected to be pushed hard in stores.
- Both hosts are skeptical of its importance beyond the front-table bookstore placement.
Quote:
- Rebecca: “There will be reviews in the Times...probably a lot more people will buy it than will read it.” [18:17]
- Jeff: “It’s a cash grab assembled by the Harper Lee estate.” [18:26]
Ten Year Affair advances again.
Megha Majumdar, A Guardian and a Thief ([19:05]–[21:57])
- Near-future Kolkata ravaged by climate change and scarcity; family drama meets dystopia.
- Finalist for both the Kirkus Prize and the National Book Award.
- Hosts note that awards recognition gives it crucial “it book” potential, even if it’s dark or challenging.
Quote:
- Rebecca: “By virtue of being a finalist for two major awards, it’s going to knock out Aaron Summers.” [20:53]
A Guardian and a Thief becomes the new frontrunner.
Cory Doctorow, Shitification ([25:22]–[29:00])
- Nonfiction on the decline of the Internet (and society) via algorithmic manipulation.
- Hosts debate whether the idea’s cultural permeation will overshadow the book itself.
Quote:
- Rebecca: “I think this book will land...But I also don’t know that I need this book; I am the choir to which Cory Doctorow is preaching.” [26:13]
- “This has the possibility of being a kind of revolutionary idea...Will [it] do it by itself? Probably not.” [27:44]
A Guardian and a Thief moves on.
Quan Barry, The Unveiling ([30:14]–[31:47])
- Literary horror set in Antarctica—race, guilt, survival blend with genre tropes.
- Rebecca: “This book...could go some places. I think it’s going to have a hard time competing with an awards contender like A Guardian and a Thief unless we get big news about an adaptation.” [31:47]
Majumdar’s novel wins the round.
Susan Orlean, Joyride ([31:47]–[34:13])
- Memoir from the beloved New Yorker writer, reflecting on her creative journey.
- Both hosts highlight Orlean’s status as a “literary person” and suggest this will be a moment of giving her flowers via positive press.
Quotes:
- Jeff: “This will be a chance for people to give Susan Orlean her flowers because it’s about her.” [33:27]
- Rebecca agrees and advances Joyride.
Thomas Pynchon, Shadow Ticket ([34:13]–[38:54])
- Crime/noir set in Great Depression Milwaukee, 304 pages—remarkably short for Pynchon.
- Context: Recent surge of Pynchon interest (including “One Battle After Another,” 2025 Nobel Prize speculation).
- Pynchon’s mystique and event status, even beyond mainstream fame or awards.
Quotes:
- Rebecca: “As a literary event, which is what the it book is meant to capture, we have to go with Pynchon.” [38:54]
- Jeff: “[Pynchon is] sort of beyond good and evil when it comes to awards...he’s a made man.” [38:14]
Shadow Ticket outpaces Joyride.
Zadie Smith, Dead and Alive: Essays ([38:54]–[41:22])
- Collected essays from Smith, covering everything from Morrison to contemporary politics.
- Both hosts are euphoric but acknowledge collected essays don’t often become “it books” on the scale of a new Pynchon novel.
Mark Z. Danielewski, Tom’s Crossing ([41:22]–[43:03])
- 1232-page western from the cult author of House of Leaves.
- More of a niche phenomenon; high anticipation among superfans, but unlikely mass impact compared to Pynchon.
- Rebecca: “There are not as many of those people as there are Pynchon people. Thomas Pynchon wins the month. Shadow Ticket.” [43:03]
3. Honorable Mentions & Wildcards ([43:03]–[46:47])
Brief spotlights and zany pairings:
- Ali Hazelwood, Mate (paranormal romance; sequel to viral hit)
- Kristen Miller, The Women of Wild Hill (feminist commercial fiction)
- Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon, Gone Before Goodbye (audio book co-narrated by Witherspoon; hosts unsure what to make of this phenomenon)
- Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan, Remain: A Supernatural Love Story—hosts are floored and amused by this unlikely pairing.
- Rebecca: “I like gasped so hard I rolled my desk chair halfway back through my office.” [46:38]
4. Winner: October 2025 It Book
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
- The event book, selected for literary significance, zeitgeist impact, and genuine event status, even in an era when Pynchon outsizes many contemporary categories.
Quote:
- Rebecca: “Shadow Ticket, it’s the one.” [47:01]
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Jeff on book selection: “There’s nothing I’m having to hide...I’m not worried it’s going to nuke everything out.” [01:07]
- Rebecca on new Harper Lee: “This is a hodgepodge of stuff that somebody found in the attic and wanted to make some money off of Harper Lee.” [18:04]
- On Cory Doctorow’s title: “The term [‘Shitification’] is wonder—I mean, the term is amazing.” [28:25]
Timeline of Key Segments
| Timestamp | Segment | Books Featured | |-----------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 01:07 | Knockout round intro, criteria | All upcoming | | 06:09 | Book 1: The Wayfinder | Adam Johnson | | 09:14 | Book 2: The Ten Year Affair | Erin Summers | | 12:25 | Book 3: King Sorrow | Joe Hill | | 14:26 | Book 4: The Land of Sweet Forever | Harper Lee | | 19:05 | Book 5: A Guardian and a Thief | Megha Majumdar | | 25:22 | Book 6: Shitification | Cory Doctorow | | 30:14 | Book 7: The Unveiling | Quan Barry | | 31:47 | Book 8: Joyride | Susan Orlean | | 34:13 | Book 9: Shadow Ticket | Thomas Pynchon | | 38:54 | Book 10: Dead and Alive: Essays | Zadie Smith | | 41:22 | Book 11: Tom’s Crossing | Mark Z. Danielewski | | 43:03 | Honorable mentions & wildcards | Hazelwood, Miller, Coben/Witherspoon, Sparks/Shyamalan | | 47:01 | Winner selected/closing thoughts | Shadow Ticket |
Final Takeaways
- October 2025 is a deep, if not banner, season for major releases.
- Thomas Pynchon’s Shadow Ticket is the clear “It Book of the Month”—a true literary event with wide-reaching media, critical, and cultural interest.
- Other contenders reflect the richness of contemporary publishing: major nonfiction ideas, celebrated literary returns, sequels, posthumous works, and unexpected genre crossovers.
- The hosts’ banter highlights the challenges of forecasting an “It Book” in a fragmented, trend-driven landscape, but their blend of industry knowledge and enthusiasm offers a thorough guide for readers looking for the fall’s most important releases.