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

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This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people.

Original music by @iam.onyxrose

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