I’ve been listening and learning this week. I know that so many people have done so much more, by taking to the streets and risking their lives to protest against police brutality and systematic racism in America. This blog will always support Black Lives Matter and will do so through supporting Black and diverse romance authors. I just wanted to share some of the books I’ve bought or have been reading and will continue to read. And where I’ve donated. Please continue to support Black authors not just now but in the upcoming months and years. The more Black and diverse authors are supported, the more of their books will be published. As a blogger and reviewer, I want to make a commitment to reading, reviewing, and sharing more Black and diverse romances.

I wanted to feature Black Romance authors on my Instagram and went through my bookcases and pulled books by Black authors. I have hundreds of books in my bookcases and exactly 21 by Black Authors. I wasn’t surprised but I was ashamed. I do have more books by Black Authors on my Kindle but I wanted to do more to show publishers that this stories are important and need to be published. One of the things I did was order books by Alyssa Cole, Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson, Reese Ryan, and Sharina Harris from a Black owned bookstore, Loyalty Bookstore.

Check out this list of other Black owned bookstores.

Loyalty Bookstore has been a great supporter of romance and have an ongoing virtual event called Date Night with Alyssa Cole that I absolutely adore.

Some of the books I bought this week (note, all the links are to Loyalty Bookstore):

• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
• The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
• Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis and Frank Barat
• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
• The A.I. Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole
• Pink Slip by Katrina Jackson
• Awaken the Dragon by A.C. Arthur
• A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole
• Breathless by Beverly Jenkins
• Imperfectly Happy by Sharina Harris
• In Tune by JN Welsh
• Forget Me Not by Brenda Jackson
• Secret Heir Seduction by Reese Ryan

I’ve also been going through my TBR list and moved Black Romance Authors up to the top:

I’m currently reading Sweet Talkin’ Lover by Tracey Livesay and I have an ARC of the sequel, Like Lovers Do, that I’m excited to start. I also read Grumpy Jake by Melissa Blue this week and totally recommend it!

Donate

Finally, I want to highlight some organizations to donate. I personally donated to Black Lives Matter and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-for-black-lives-matter.html

• Justice for Breonna Taylor
• The Bail Out Project
• National Bail Out
• Act Blue Bail Out – Allows you to split donations between different bail out funds
• Black Table Arts – I donated to this organization too!
• Black Feminist Project
• Girl Trek
• Black Girls Code
• Reclaim the Block
• Color of Change
• National Police Accountability Project NPAP
• Prison Book Program
• Equal Justice Initiative
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• Homeless Black Trans Women Fund
• The Audre Lorde Project – Donated here as well!
• Black Emotional and Mental Health

Published by SomewhereLostInBooks

I’m Melisa! I’m an avid reader. I love romance novels and decided, hey, why not write about what I love and hate about the genre. And my favorite books. And when I get to meet authors. And all round why romance novels are awesome. Expect a lot of fan-girling, laughter, and some tears. View all posts by SomewhereLostInBooks