Explore 2019 #225: September reads

It was so fun sharing my summer reads and chatting with people about books so I think I'm going to try to do a monthly reading share! I have two things to say about what I read in September.

First, please support women of color writers! Reality = women of color deserve and need intentional literary support, and the talent is OFF THE HOOK. If you're wondering how to find them: 1) use Google; 2) here’s a blog post from 2018 on 35 novels by women of color; 3) I literally just scan new release books at the bookstore or library for names that might indicate an author of color, then look at the bio to confirm. It's not hard!

Second, open your mind to modern romance! I will admit, the idea of reading a romance novel of the traditional (cheesy) persuasion has always seemed unfathomable but then I saw a lot of chatter about Helen Hoang's work and ordered her books. When I saw they were labeled "contemporary romance" I was like OMG WHAT? (I just thought they were regular novels), but I am now totally open to this genre thanks to Hoang. Her plot lines are legit and beautifully written, and hey, why not enjoy a little steaminess along the way!

Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world Helen Hoang, Joanne Ramos, and Regina Porter.