

Feminist Book Club: The Podcast
www.feministbookclub.com
Feminist Book Club is the premier online hub for intersectional readers and anyone who wants to infuse their bookshelves with social justice. We encourage resistance through reading with our blog, podcast, events, and our signature monthly subscription box.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 5, 2025 • 40min
Nostalgic Summers and Prophetic Dystopia
Our feminisms contain multitudes. First, Jordy shares some books and tv shows to ingest if you don’t want to watch The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon but still want the sweet nostalgic summer vibes. Then, Kenesma chats with Idrys Creed about her forthcoming book 14 Flags, a dystopian novel inspired by current events in the spirit of Octavia Butler. The Summer I Turned Pretty, minus the Bezos (0:22) Join Jordy for a jam-packed episode of book and TV show recommendations that give The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes without supporting Amazon. If you’re craving summer swoons, emotional drama, and a sprinkle of teen angst (minus the Prime subscription), she’s got you covered with stories full of romance, nostalgia, and self-discovery. 14 Flags with Idrys Creed (7:06) In this episode, Kenesma sits down with writer Idrys Creed for an intimate conversation about her forthcoming novel, 14 Flags. Set in a near-future America marked by fear, surveillance, and silence, 14 Flags is a political thriller that doubles as a timely mirror to our world. Idrys shares her inspiration for the story, her thoughts on truth-telling in dangerous times, and why she believes resistance can be found in the smallest choices. It’s a powerful preview of a book that’s sure to challenge, provoke, and spark conversation. If you’d like to be a beta reader for this book, email Idrys at idryscreed@gmail.com and let her know Feminist Book Club sent you! Books Mentioned: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han Every Summer After by Carley Fortune Happy Place by Emily Henry The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren Heartstopper by Alice Oseman Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler TV shows mentioned: Heartstopper on Netflix XO, Kitty on Netflix Never Have I Ever on Netflix The Sex Lives of College Girls on Max Movie mentioned: To All of the Boys I Loved Before on Netflix Resources: Happy Place Discussion The Seven Year Slip Interview Support and follow our hosts and guest! Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Idrys: Instagram // Substack Follow Kenesma: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jul 29, 2025 • 46min
Libraries Get It Right While We Get It Wrong
In today’s two-part episode, you’ll hear some of our contributors take a deep dive into a smattering of library systems across the United States. It’s fascinating to compare and contrast different regions, especially in light of funding threats. Libraries certainly do it right. Then hear from a woman who did it all wrong–Rax King–as she discusses her new book Sloppy. Libraries Across America (0:22) Join Jordy, Shoshana, and Mariquita as they explore the contrasts between funding and accessibility to teen summer reading lists in urban and rural libraries across the U.S. This episode is packed with insights, book recommendations, questions about equity, and a deep dive into what public libraries really offer their communities. Doing It All Wrong with Rax King (29:53) Rax King, author of Sloppy Or: Doing It All Wrong, joins Ashley to discuss what it means to do it all wrong. They also discuss themes including privilege, power, and recovery. A great point of note is when Rax discussed what pop culture does well about bad behavior. Books/Resources Mentioned: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao A Pho Love Story by Loan Le The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta The Last Session by Jasmine Walls Queen of Tiles by Hanna Alkaf The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants by Rebecca E. Hirsch American Royals by Katharine McGee Dread Nation by Justina Ireland Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia A Self-Defense Study Guide for Transwomen & Gender Non-Conforming/Nonbinary AMAB Folks by Transfighters Our Voice of Fire by Brandi Morin Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle If I had Only Told Her by Laura Nowlin Adventures in the Northwoods by Lois Walfrid Johnson Sloppy Or Doing It All Wrong by Rax King References Seminole County Public Library Homepage Orange County Summer Teen Recommendations Glades County Public Library Homepage Suffolk County Public Library Homepage Boston Public Library Summer Reading List for Grades 9-12 Berkshire County Library Homepage Dixon Public Library Reading List Dixon Public Library Homepage Chicago Public Library Homepage Chicago Public Library Reading List (fiction) Chicago Public Library Reading List (non-fiction) Madison County Public Library Homepage Madison County Public Library Reading List Louisville Free Public Library Homepage Louisville Free Public Library Reading List Multnomah County Public Library Homepage Multnomah County Public Library – As My Librarian Josephine Community Library District Milwaukee County Public Library Homepage Sawyer County – Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library Homepage Support and follow our hosts and guest! Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads Follow Ashley: Instagram Follow Rax King: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jul 8, 2025 • 22min
Favorite Books of 2025 So Far (Mariquita and Kenesma's version)
Mariquita and Kenesma dive into their top 5 favorite books of 2025 (so far—with six months of reading still ahead!). In this spoiler-free conversation, they highlight memorable quotes, unpack recurring themes, and explore what makes each of these reads so unforgettable. From powerful storytelling to characters that linger long after the last page, this chat is a celebration of books that moved, challenged, and inspired them. Whether you're looking for your next great read or just love hearing people geek out about books, this episode is for you. Books/Resources Mentioned: Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global by Laura Spinney So Many Stars: An Oral History of Non-Binary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color by Caro De Robertis Curious History of Sex by Dr. Kate Lister Life Hack for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin Big Girl Small Town by Michelle Gallen The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler This Could be Us by Kennedy Ryan The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson Moonrise over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin by Dr. Rhoda Arrindell 14 Flags by Idrys Creed- reach out to Idrys at idryscreed[at]gmail.com to be a Beta Reader Support and follow our hosts! Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads Follow Kenesma: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jul 1, 2025 • 32min
The Best and the Best of the Best
We’re continuing our series of our team’s top five books of the year… and we won’t judge one of our contributors for misreading the prompt and sharing her top five books of all time. In fact, it made for an even richer conversation! Join FBC contributors Jordy and Casey as they share their all-time favorite reads and standout books of the year. From thrillers to non-fiction, it's a fun, heartfelt chat for anyone who loves great books, meaningful conversations, and a detour into the Hunger Games universe. Books/Resources Mentioned: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole The Red Tent by Anita Diamant The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster As Long as Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner Enchantra by Kaylie Smith Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose Support and follow our hosts! Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Casey: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jun 24, 2025 • 47min
Righteous Vengeance, Haunting Yet Hopeful
It’s no surprise that the FBC Team is incredibly well-read across multiple genres, but this episode especially feels like a testament to that! Join Mariquita and Jordy as they discuss righteous vengeance in two young adult novels. Then stick around for Shoshana and Nox’s top five books of 2025 so far to get a taste of haunting yet hopeful books for your TBR. Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (0:22) Mariquita and Jordy are diving into revenge narratives featuring the justifiable rage of teenage girls as they discuss Kill Creatures by Rory Power and Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh. They also touch on some other titles granting women the power to be angry and discuss how all of this is nothing new. Shoshana and Nox’s top five books of 2025 so far (20:55) Shoshana and Nox discuss their top five books from the first 5 months of 2025. A brief overview and their thoughts on each title is shared, without spoilers, these include: graphic novels, romance, middle grade, non-fiction, poetry and memoirs. Books/Resources Mentioned and Recommended: Kill Creatures by Rory Power Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite Bochica by Carolina Florez-Cerchiaro Hear Her Howl by Kim DeRose Something Cheeky by Thien-Kim Lam The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams Textbook Defense by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James Check Please # 1 and Check Please #2 by Ngozi Ukazu The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, Translated by Jesse Kirkwood The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy Sharks Don't Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist by Jasmin Graham Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom What Happened to Belén: The Unjust Imprisonment That Sparked a Women's Rights Movement by Ana Elena Correa, Translated by Julia Sanches Meta stops ex-director from promoting critical memoir Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) The Weather & Climate Livestream Support and follow our hosts! Follow Jordy: Instagram// TikTok Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads // Bluesky Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky Follow Nox: Instagram // TikTok // Threads // YouTube This episode is sponsored by I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent, published by HarperCollins. Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jun 17, 2025 • 29min
Pride Picks and Ambitious Women
We have a double header for you today! First, you’ll hear some of our team’s favorite LGBTQIA+ books from the last few years with diverse recommendations from all different genres. Then, get inspired through an interview with Amber Oliver, author of When the Music Hits, as she shares personal insights on ambition and how she wrote ambition into her novel. Queerly Beloved (0:22) Join FBC contributors Jordy, Shoshana, and Nox as they celebrate Pride Month with a lively conversation about their favorite queer books. From joyful romances to powerful memoirs and boundary-pushing fiction, it's a heartfelt and fun chat filled with recommendations and love for queer storytelling. The Notes and Roots of Ambition (9:55) Ashley sits down with Amber Oliver, author of When the Music Hits, to talk about the challenges of being an ambitious woman. Amber shares her personal experience being an ambitious Black woman in the publishing industry and how she wrote ambition into her debut novel. Books/Resources Mentioned and Recommended: The Glass Scientist by S. H. Cotugno Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell The Fiancee Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur Triple Sec by TJ Alexander Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack Illustrated by Stevie Lewis (picture book) A Costume for Charly by C.K. Malone Illustrated by Alejandra Barajas (picture book) A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Tristan Jimerson and Archie Bongiovanni Edge of Glory by Rachel Spangler Game Changer by Rachel Reid A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Venom and Vow by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliot McLemore XOXY: A Memoir by Kimberly M. Zieselman The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa This Poison Heart duology by Kalynn Bayron Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Falling Back in Love with Being Human by Kai Cheng Thom The Guncle by Steven Rowley The Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper When the Music Hits by Amber Oliver Support and follow our hosts and guest! Follow Amber Oliver: Instagram Follow Ashley: Instagram Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky Follow Nox: Instagram // TikTok // Threads Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jun 10, 2025 • 30min
Favorite Books of 2025 So Far (Ashley and Mhairie’s version)
Our contributors have paired up to tell one another about their favorite books of the year so far. You’ll hear these segments over the next few weeks! Today, Ashley and Mhairie share their top five of 2025. If you’re a fan of memoirs or horror, this episode is for you. Books/Resources Mentioned: Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito The Rules of Fortune by Danielle Prescod Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene The Possession of Alba Diaz by Isabel Cañas Black in Blues by Imani Perry What Hunger by Catherine Dang Matriarch by Tina Knowles Support and follow our hosts! Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky Follow Ashley: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Jun 3, 2025 • 30min
Favorite Books + Met Gala Looks
Our contributors have paired up to tell one another about their favorite books of the year so far. You’ll hear these segments over the next few weeks! Today, Renee and Yasi share their top five of 2025. Then Ashley reflects on this year’s Met Gala, the inspiration behind it, and why it matters. Renee and Yasi’s Favorite Books of the Year (so far) (0:21) Renee and Yasi share their favorite books they’ve read so far this year, from off-beat contemporary fiction to memoirs of women in tech. You’ll want to get your TBRs ready for this segment! A Bookmark in Fashion: Literature and This Year’s Met Gala (21:42) Ashley discusses the book Slaves to Fashion by Monica L. Miller, which inspired this year’s Met Gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. She also talks about modern dandies, ways in which literature has inspired Met Gala themes, and better thoughtfulness on criticism of the outfits. Books/Resources Mentioned: All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor Uncanny Valley by Anna Wiener Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis Adult’s Play: The Upsides of Growing Up by Yasi Agah Slaves to Fashion by Monica L. Miller Support and follow our hosts! Follow Renee: Instagram // The StoryGraph Follow Yasi: Instagram // Website // Adult’s Play by Yasi Agah Follow Ashley: Instagram Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

May 20, 2025 • 41min
International Booker Prize Shortlist 2025
The International Booker Prize celebrates translated literature from across the world that have been published in the UK or Ireland in the last year. In this episode, Mhairie and Nox split the six shortlisted titles, read them, and share their thoughts with one another. If reading more translated lit is on your bookish bucket list, get your TBRs ready! Books/Resources Mentioned: The International Booker Prize Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico Heartlamp by Banu Mushtaq Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre On the Calculation of Volume: Book 1 by Solvej Balle Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami Also translated by Sophie Hughes: The Remainder by Alia Trabucco Zerán Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor Support and follow our hosts! Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky Follow Nox: Instagram // TikTok // Threads Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.

Apr 29, 2025 • 31min
Back on Our Reality TV Soapbox
The Amazing Race. Cooking competitions. Bachelor Nation. We touch on a little bit of everything in this episode! Nox, Rah, and Shoshana discuss reality TV’s impact on society, considering questions such as what draws viewers to reality TV? What are the ramifications (positive and negative) to the dominance of reality TV? What is the relationship between viewing reality TV and empathy? Join us on a deep dive into the world of unscripted television. Books/Resources Mentioned: Cue the Rising Sun! By Emily Nussbaum True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us by Danielle J Lindemann Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV by Jennifer L. Pozner Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley Being Jazz by Jazz Jennings Miss Me with That by Rachel Lindsey Real Love by Rachel Lindsey How to Win the Bachelor by Chad Kultgen and Lizzy Pace Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Podcast Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not by Judy Berman - Time Magazine Article Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky Follow Nox: Instagram // TikTok // Threads // YouTube Follow Rah: Storygraph // Instagram // TikTok Check out our online community here! This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people. Original music by Amarissa Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.