Category: Catcall Reads

Female Rage Books for Fall

By Spencer Margaret 

Ah, fall. The leaves are changing, the morning air has a crisp bite to it, and so do those apples you happily paid $35 for at the orchard with your friends/partner. Your sweaters are fully in rotation, boots are ready for walking, and pine-scented candles have been lit.

Right around now, you’re probably also digging around to find your Halloween decorations. Ghosts and pumpkins, skeletons, and my favorite of all—witches. This is the time of year that we’re able to lean into our fascination with witches in a way the public (*cough*, patriarchy) deems seasonal and appropriate. It’s the perfect time to cozy up with an atmospheric, spooky read, or my favorite new genre: female rage books.

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Valeria Eden’s Tender Teeth Explores Grief, Identity, and Healing

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Kelcie McKenney

Valeria Eden is passionate, and it shines through her words and actions. She follows a vegan lifestyle, adores her pups, and loves to read whenever she gets the chance. And she funnels all that passion into her writing—both fiction and poetry. With a BA in psychology, Valeria is also pursuing an MFA in poetry and creative writing in colorful Colorado.

Tender Teeth is Valeria’s newest poetry book, and it’s packed with gripping poems inspired by the aches and pains found in death, grief, identity, love and survival. We spoke with Valeria about the journey life has taken her on thus far and got the scoop on her must-read poetry book.

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Learning to Heal from Heartbreak in Blindsided, a Time Travel Novel About Lessons from Your Past Self

By Stephanie Carey
Photos by Travis Young

What if you could sit down with your younger self? What would you say? What warnings would you give? After an agonizing break-up, I found myself wishing I could do just that—give myself all the wisdom I learned the hard way. Since time travel gummies don’t exist, I did the next best thing: I wrote a novel about it. 

Writing this story was a personal journey of distraction and healing after a rough breakup. Yes, I, a 46-year-old woman who has been married and divorced twice, found myself boo-hooing over a man I wasn’t even married to. I did not have “monumental heartbreak” on my 2024 BINGO card, but that’s where I found myself in March of last year. I honestly dismissed the validity of “just dating” breakups, thinking I had my battle scars from two divorces. Nothing could touch me. 

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What was second-wave feminism really like? Explore the era with feminist author Clara Bringham during her live talk on March 20

By Emily Laptad

The 1960s and 70s marked a significant era of progress for women in the United States. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was the first nationwide legislation for eliminating wage disparities based on sex. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Women’s Educational Equity Act of 1972 guaranteed equal access to education for women and girls. Roe v. Wade legalized abortion across the US in 1973. The Equal Opportunity Credit Act of 1974 enabled women to open bank accounts and apply for credit cards with their own names. And other court cases and legislation further expanded women’s rights to employment, education, financial independence, and reproductive health during this time too. 

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Take a Peek Inside the World of Trope Bookshop: a Romance Reader’s Dream

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell

What’s cooler than smutty books on wheels? Trope Bookshop stands out as a romance focused mobile bookstore operating in Charlotte, NC. 

Founder Katie wasn’t always a romance book-slinging bus driver. She grew up in Arkansas and moved to Charlotte after graduating from the University of Arkansas. Katie worked some corporate jobs before getting COVID and experiencing burnout. This weight encouraged her to kick the corporate scene to the curb and find her way to the world of bookstore ownership. 

Katie’s been enjoying the ride, and she recently announced her plans to put down roots with a brick and mortar location—Trope HQ opening March 1. The green gal on wheels will still continue to bop around Charlotte once the new location opens. We spoke with Katie about her journey so far and the love she carries for the genre. Maybe we can convince her to take a road trip to Kansas City? 

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