Feminist Book Club: The Podcast

MINI POD! This short episode is a quick hit of memoirs by former and current women's basketball players in celebration of the current WNBA Play-Offs. Books mentioned: They Better Call Me Sugar by Sugar Rodgers (cw: family death and incarceration) Catch a Star by Tamika Catchings Dear Black Girls by A'ja Wilson Love & Justice by Maya Moore Irons and Jonathan Irons (cw: incarceration) You Let Some Girl Beat You? by Ann Meyers Drysdale (cw: miscarriage and family death) My Shot by Elena Delle Donne Hoop Muses by Seimone Augustus and Kate Fagan Inaugural Ballers by Andrew Maraniss Coming Home by Brittney Griner Sum It Up by Pat Summitt Uncommon Favor by Dawn Staley Support and follow our host! Follow Ashley: Instagram // Substack 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 romance genre is what keeps the book industry afloat, but where do you start if you're not typically a romance reader? Join Renee, Mhairie, and Shoshana for a quick introduction to some of the terms used in the romance genre, plus recommendations for folks who don't typically read romance. This episode is perfect for readers new to romance, confused by romance, or long-time romance readers looking for some fresh recommendations! Books mentioned: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Happy Place by Emily Henry Psyche and Eros by Lucy McNamara The Cottage Around the Corner by DL Soria A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J Penna Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti Out on the Ice by Kelly Farmer Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown Big Bad Wolf by Suleikha Snyder The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake Circe by Madeline Miller Naked Coffee Guy by Crissi Langwell To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins Indigo by Beverly Jenkins Born in Fire by Nora Roberts The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole The Duke Who Didn't by Courtney Milan Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha Resources mentioned: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books book finder Love's Sweet Arrow (Tinley Park, IL) The Ripped Bodice (Brooklyn and Los Angeles) The Velvet Chapter (Petaluma, CA) Steamy Lit (FL) Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Renee: Instagram // The StoryGraph Follow Shoshana: Storygraph // Instagram // Bluesky 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.

The 'ber months are here, so that means we're reading horror. You know we read horror all year round, but we brought in the expert - Mother Horror herself! Tune in to hear Mhairie chat about horror books, women in horror, becoming an accidental author, and good old fashioned vibes reading. Books mentioned: Feral and Hysterical Mother Horror's Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women- Sadie Hartmann Ghost Story- Peter Straub 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered- Sadie Hartmann Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil- V. E. Schwab This House is Haunted- John Boyne The Doll Factory- Elizabeth Macneal (Audio) The Red Knot- Monique Asher (Audio) Born a Crime- Trevor Noah (Audiobook is an Audible exclusive so we won't link it, screw you Amazon!) The Bewitching- Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Audio) The Buffalo Hunter Hunter- Stephen Graham Jones (Audio) The Salvage- Anbara Salam The Hounding- Xenobe Purvis Resources mentioned: Nightworms The StorygraphNoveList Plus (Through your library, search: novelist library) FBC's Vampires of El Norte discussion Other authors mentioned: Anne Rice Stephen King John Sandford Patricia Cornwell Agatha ChristieGrady Hendrix Isabel Cañas Alexis Henderson Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky Mother Horror: Instagram // Nightworms 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.

In this episode, Mhairie, Ashley, and Nox dive into the bold and provocative album art for Sabrina Carpenter's Man's Best Friend. The conversation explores the layered imagery, the cultural reception, and how it intersects with themes of power, desire, and kink. From feminist critique to playful banter, the hosts unpack how art can spark dialogue around pleasure, performance, and pushing boundaries. Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Ashley: Instagram // Substack 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.

Join hosts Ashley, Mhairie, and Mariquita as they return for the much-anticipated follow-up to their deep dive into Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert. In this episode, the conversation moves beyond pop culture's impact on women and digs into the murky intersection of porn, commodification, and the market's influence on sexual agency. Prepare for a thoughtful and candid exploration of what it means to possess—and reclaim—real agency in a world that often packages sex and desire as products. Books Mentioned: Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Ashley: Instagram // Substack Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky Follow Mariquita: Instagram // 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.

Ashley sits down with Jacob Tobia to discuss their book Before They Were Men. Together, they explore why Jacob avoids the phrase "toxic masculinity," what healthier models of masculinity could look like, and how the different places Jacob has lived have shaped their views on gender and gender nonconformity. Books Mentioned: Before They Were Men: Essays on Manhood, Compassion, and What Went Wrong by Jacob Tobia Support and follow our guest and host! Follow Jacob: Instagram Follow Ashley: Instagram // Substack 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.

Mariquita, Mhairie, and Ashley dive into Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert, unpacking its most thought-provoking themes. In Part I, they explore how reality TV and social media have shaped generational beauty standards, question the pitfalls of so-called "empowerment" movements, and discuss how media literacy can equip the next generation to be both powerful and protected. Books Mentioned: Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves by Sophie Gilbert Support and follow our hosts! Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads Follow Mhairie: Instagram // Bluesky Follow Ashley: Instagram // Substack 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.

Looking for your next beloved memoir? Rah and Ashley dive into The Hollow Half: A Memoir of Bodies and Borders by Sarah Aziza—a lyrical, layered exploration of queerness, family, conflict, and the passage of time. They unpack how Aziza weaves these themes into a deeply personal yet universally resonant narrative, and why savoring the book slowly made all the difference. Content Warnings: disordered eating, sexual assault, self-harm, social justice conflict Books Mentioned: All the Parts We Exile by Roza Nozari Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad Support and follow our hosts and guest! Follow Ashley: Instagram Follow Rah: Instagram // TikTok // The StoryGraph 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 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.

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.