Feminist Book Club: The Podcast

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.  

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.

We’re chatting about Black wealth, Black joy, and happy Black endings in today’s episode. Tune in to hear Ashley discuss why she loves the soap opera Beyond the Gates, then stick around for Jordy and Mhairie’s discussion of Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron, a Black, queer retelling of Cinderella.   Beyond the Gates: Wealth and Escapism (0:22) Ashley talks about “Beyond the Gates”, a soap opera about a wealthy Black family in Maryland. She talks about how escapism has a bigger purpose. She also talks about wealth onscreen despite the mostly disdain for it in real life. .   Cinderella Is Dead: Book Bans and Bold Stories (05:34) Join FBC contributors Jordy and Mhairie as they dive into the banning of Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron and what it reveals about the power of diverse storytelling. They discuss why books with LGBTQ+ representation and feminist themes are frequently challenged and how this connects to the broader attacks on libraries, education, and free expression. If you’re passionate about fighting book bans and protecting inclusive stories, this conversation is for you!    Books and Resources Mentioned: The Davenports by Krystal Marquis The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap by Mehrsa Baradaran A Silver Lining for HBCUs in Affirmative Actions’ Demise from Insider Higher Ed Black wealth is increasing, but so is the racial wealth gap from Brookings Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo ALA statement on White House assault on the Institute of Museum and Library Services from the American Library Association (ALA)  Tracking the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Libraries from American Libraries Magazine  Trump’s Attack on the Department of Education Explained from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)  How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students from National Education Association (NEA)  Learn more about book bans and take action from PEN America   Support this episode’s host and guest: Follow Ashley: Instagram Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky  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.  

Sometimes we just wanna gush about the things we love. For Renee and Margot, it’s hardboiled fiction. For Ashley and Nox, it’s Lady Gaga’s new album. Tune in for two conversations around why we love the things we love.   What Is Hardboiled Fiction? with Margot Douihy (0:23) Renee has been reading a lot of books described as “hardboiled” but what does that actually mean? Thank goodness author Margo Douihy is a friend of FBC, because she’s a literal expert on this topic. Margot shares some of the hallmarks of hardboiled fiction, some suggestions for authors queering the genre, and some examples of popular hardboiled media that you may not have realized is hardboiled.   The Measures of MAYHEM (21:47) Lady Gaga’s latest album Mayhem released on March 7, 2025 and that’s all Ashley and Nox have been listening to. In this conversation, they share their favorite songs from the album and discuss their admiration for the promotion surrounding the release, plus some thoughts on the impact of fandoms on mental health.   Books and Resources Mentioned: Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy The Simple Art of Murder by Raymond Chandler The Woman in White by Wilkie White Sara Peretsky’s V.I. Warshawski series Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone series Cheryl A. Head’s Charlie Mack series Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series Ellen Hart’s Jane Lawless series Brokeback Mountain by Anne Proulx   Further reading on the FBC Blog:  The Necessity of Music Videos When Fans Push Back Against Celebrity Boundaries   Support this episode’s host and guest: Follow Renee: Instagram // The StoryGraph Follow Margot Douaihy: Website // Instagram Follow Ashley: Instagram 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.