Medusa, Ina Garten, and Holiday Love

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-town charm to heartfelt second chances, we're unwrapping what worked and what didn't in these festive reads!   Becoming Medusa: Mariquita Reviews Mad Wife (4:55) Mariquita reviews Kate Hamilton's memoir, Mad Wife, and explores what it means to live denying the patriarchal demand for a perfect victim, how to escape a violent marriage, and why it is important sometimes to become a monster.    Parallels of Time through Memoir (11:09) Ashley and Sam discuss Ina Garten's memoir Be Ready When the Luck Happens. They explore the themes that resonated, what drew them to the memoir, and the way the present reflects the past in many ways.   Books/Resources Mentioned:  How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Megan Quinn Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun  Mad Wife: A Memoir by Kate Hamilton   The Awakening and Selected Stories by Kate Chopin Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten  Online chat: hotline.rainn.org/online - immediate emotional support or practical help for sexual assault  Call 800-656-HOPE – RAINN  www.RAINN.org  Online chat: www.thehotline.org - immediate emotional support or practical help for domestic violence  Call 800-799-SAFE  Batteredmotherscustodyconference.com - Provides educational material, resources, support and networking opportunities for mothers attempting to use family court to protect their children and themselves from abusive situations  Support this episode's host and guest: Follow Jordy: Instagram // TikTok Follow Mariquita: Instagram // Threads Follow Ashley: Instagram // Twitter // Website Follow Sam: Twitter // Instagram  Get our weekly round-up of blog and podcast content delivered directly to your inbox every Friday here.   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 @iam.onyxrose   Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.