June 2020 Book Reviews

An informal solo series reviewing everything FBC founder Renee reads each month.
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Mentioned in this episode:

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West

Genres: Contemporary fiction
Read if you like: multigenerational family sagas, complicated Black father-daughter relationships, unconditional female friendships
Also of note: Tune into our interview with Catherine Adel West here!
FBC rating: 4 stars

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Genres: Contemporary YA queer fiction
Read if you like: Black joy, a million references to the Indianapolis area, incredibly likeable teenagers
Also of note: Tune into our interview with Leah Johnson here!
FBC rating: 5 stars

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Genres: Contemporary fiction with a flair of historical fiction
Read if you like: learning how race is socially constructed, multigenerational family sagas, Toni Morrison
Also of note: Hear Renee’s comments on this book read on The Nerdette’s book club episode here!
FBC rating: 5 stars

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

Genres: Poetry
Read if you like: Danez Smith (poet), Zora Neale Hurston (author), experimental prose
Also of note: Remember when a badass woman was filmed reading this book behind Trump at one of his 2015 rallies? A+ trolling.
FBC rating: 5 stars

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory

Genres: Romantic comedy
Read if you like: Scandal (TV show) without the scandalous parts, Beto O’Rourke if he were single and ready to mingle, pie/cake/dessert in general
Also of note: Look out for our interview with Jasmine Guillory next month!
FBC rating: 4 stars

F*ckface: And Other Stories by Leah Hampton

Genres: Contemporary, short stories
Read if you like: films from the Coen brothers, short stories with a strong sense of place, Useful Phrases for Immigrants: Stories by May-Lee Chai
Also of note: If graphic medical/body horror bothers you, this book may not be for you.
FBC rating: 3 stars

Proposals for the Feminine Economy by Jennifer Armbrust

Genres: Business
Read if you like: Gretchen Rubin (author), Jen Sincero (author), glossy magazines, being intentional about how you spend your money
Also of note: While this isn’t a substantial book about feminism and capitalism, it’s full of good reminders about how to approach business from a healthy perspective.
FBC rating: 3 stars

Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby

Genres: Essays, Comedy
Read if you like: Lindy West (author), gross-out humor, feeling better about your messy house/life/choices.
Also of note: This was our June book of the month! You’ll either love it or feel indifferent but you can’t deny that Irby’s explicit discussion of bodily functions is subversive and important.
FBC rating: 4 stars

Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements by Charlene A. Carruthers

Genres: Non-fiction with elements of memoir
Read if you like: Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown, leveling up your understanding of grassroots organizing, radical political movements
Also of note: If you feel fairly well-versed in the anti-racist movement, this book is a great way to take your understanding a step further.
FBC rating: 4 stars

Renee Powers

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Renee Powers founded Feminist Book Club in 2018 to provide a space for intersectional feminists to learn, grow, and connect. When not reading or running the biz, you can find her drinking coffee and trying unsuccessfully to teach her retired racing greyhound how to fetch. Favorite genres: feminist thrillers, contemporary literary fiction, short stories, and anything that might be described as "irreverent"