Feminist Book Club: The Podcast

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...

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 (...

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, ch...

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...

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)...

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 contrib...

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...

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...

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 Internation...

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...

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...

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...

Dive into the enchanting and eerie world of selkies, sirens, and mermaids with author and literary agent Rachel Ekstrom Courage and FBC contributor, Jordy! In this episode, we explore the origins of these mythical women, their ties to patriarchal narratives, and why their stories continue to captivate us today. Jordy also shares some mermaid and siren inspired novels that are on her TBR (to be rea...

The unhinged woman trope is undoubtedly one of our favorites, but what kind of woman gets to be unhinged and who gets a redemption arc? In this episode, Mariquita and Mhairie tackle those questions in a discussion about All of the Other Mothers Hate Me, then Yasi and Nox discuss two memoirs from former Playboy bunnies.   All the Other Mothers Hate Me (0:21) Mariquita and Mhairie discuss the debut...

Get those TBRs ready because we're about to melt your library card. In this episode, romance lovers will hear Jordy's review of the new Ali Hazelwood novel, Deep End. Then stick around for Shoshana's podcast debut as she chats with Nox about this year's Audie Award winners. Stick around for some excellent insight into the audiobook industry as a whole.   Diving into the Deep End (0:23) Jordy dives...

Mhairie and Nox, both avid e-reader users, talk about what devices they use and their storied problems with the Kindle Fire breaking down. If you're looking to get out of the Amazon ecosystem, Mhairie raves about her new Kobo e-reader, and Nox talks about using the Kindle app on devices that aren't a Kindle. They also talk about refurbished and second-hand options for sustainability and affordabil...

Mhairie and Nox both LOVE the library, and in this segment, they're talking about how much they love libraries and audiobooks. Nox gushes about a program with her local library that delivers books to her because of her disabilities while Mhairie shares all of the things libraries can do besides sharing books. The two also talk about the accessibility that audiobooks provide, and how supporting you...

The title of this episode is a nod to the Bread and Roses strike at textile mill in 1912, where women banded together to demand bread aka money as well as roses aka art and beauty. In a time where working conditions were abysmal, the strike and poem/song of the same name were a rallying cry for decent wages and better conditions. Your podcast producer Renee was reminded of this when she was puttin...

With the current administration actively trying to whitewash Black History Month, Nox and Ashley sat down to share their Black history recommendations. They provide books, authors, and movies for various age ranges and topics in Black history, as well as a reminder to celebrate and uplift Black history all year round, not just in February. Content warnings: This episode and the recommendations in...

In this episode, Jordy and Nox dive deep into Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley, a dark romantasy brimming with Fae politics, perilous trials, and a fierce rebellion against a sadistic faerie king. From the brutal magic of the underground Fae realm to Kenna Heron's journey of courage, resilience, and unexpected love, we're exploring what makes this tale both gripping and unforgettable. *some spoile...

We love messy family dramas and today our podcasters are talking about two newer releases, The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha and Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong. These two contemporary fiction novels tackle big families with big drama, from handing over the family business to momfluencers ignoring their kids' consent. Tune in for thoughtful and nuanced discussions of the books and these themes.  ...

The podcast is back with a quick review of The Jewel of the Isle from Jordy for all our adventure-loving romcom fans. But the bulk of this episode is dedicated to Nox and Mhairie's conversation regarding how online communities tend to respond to natural disasters. While this episode was recorded in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the conversation rings true as we watch the wildfires i...

The holiday season is full of ups and downs and we've wrapped up all of those feelings in one episode. Whether you're falling in love this season, alternating between grief and rage, or channeling your inner Ina Garten, we've got books to recommend!   Christmas Bops and Flops (0:22) Jordy shares her thoughts on two holiday romances–one that fell flat and another that truly delivered. From small-to...

This one is for the Swifties and the Swifties only. In this special episode, Jordy sits down with Kristie Frederick Daugherty, bonafide Taylor Swift scholar, poet, and literary critic. They discuss their favorite eras, but more importantly, why we ought to take Taylor Swift seriously as a poet. Daugherty's new book Invisible Strings: 113 Poets Respond to the Songs of Taylor Swift is out now.   Men...

Books matter, even the weird ones. This episode kicks off with some of Sally's favorite "WTF" books so get your TBRs ready. Then Ashley and Jordy share their thoughts on the genre-bending novel Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris. Finally, Nox discusses the importance of books and why book bans are terrible for everyone and stick around for some excellent diverse children's book recommendations!   W...