KATE:
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
This historical fantasy is full of mystery and African American folk magic. Penelope weaves together real pieces of history and gives the reader a glimpse into 1920's Black Washington society full of fancy soirees, bootleggers, lady gangster bosses and jazz musicians.
Old Babes in the Woods by Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is my favorite author. I read Handmaid's Tale when I was in high school and have been devouring her books ever since. This new collection of short stories is classic Atwood - it's beautifully written and showcases deep relationships with a thread of humor and humility throughout.
ANG:
The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray
This is a beautifully written domestic fiction told from multiple perspectives. Gray develops characters that are complex, sympathetic and frustrating against the back drop of the the matriarch’s trial for defrauding the community she claimed to be helping.
NICOLE:
Shrill by Lindy West
Shrill is a collection of essays that are also the memoir of Lindy West in which she focuses on modern feminism, politics, body image, learning to take up space and use your voice, choosing how you want to show up in the world and how to take care of the people who are often left behind by society.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I stayed away from this book for a long time because it was so popular and I was skeptical about all of the hype. But my curiosity won and I must say I am really enjoying reading it (I am just over half way through). Untamed is also a memoir that consists of a collection of musings by Glennon Doyle in which she uses her life experience to show what it takes to unlearn everything that society tells you in terms of how to act (especially for women) and how to show up and live your life from an authentic space.
BASIA:
Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett. Quote: "A quirky, lush little novel that's perfect for readers who love a stream-of-consciousness style."
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey. Quote: "A great resource for unpacking the problems of grind culture and finding alternatives."
BANKSTON:
Farthing by Jo Walton- speculative fiction murder mystery set in an alternate timeline where WWII ended in a peace accord between Britain and Nazi Germany.
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez- nonfiction about the relationship between conservative masculinity and white Christian evangelism.
SAVANNAH:
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler - dystopian sci-fi that takes place in 2025 and eerily relatable to today's society.
The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest - YA fantasy. 2nd book in the black witch chronicles. The magic school has opened up to a full fledged rebellion/war.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal - YA middle-eastern fantasy about a girl who's an assassin.
ANG:
French Lieutenants Woman by John Fowles - Written in 1969, this is the story of a Victorian love triangle as well as a critique of the Victorian and modern time period or mores.
KATE:
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult - This page-turner "tackles race, privilege and prejudice" in a court-room drama.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar - Time travel, sci-fi, fantasy with queer love. I wish I understood more about each character's world and why they were fighting the time war. But as soon as I finished, I wanted to re-read to find all the things I missed the first time!
KATE & ANG'S BOOK CLUB:
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Kate didn't finish this one. She struggles to read books that aren't plot-driven. Ang, on the other hand, really enjoyed the rich characters and writing style of this one.
Tongue Party by Sarah Rose Etter - Collection of quirky short stories. Etter has an incredible ability to unapologetically immerse the reader into an absurd world. Her stories are imaginative and delightfully disturbing. This is a MUST READ.
