As riots break out across the country, I am quickly reminded of my white privilege. I am reminded that I have never once been fearful to have contact with police officers. I am reminded that I don’t have to teach my son how to behave if he should come in contact with police officers. I am reminded that people judge me and my children based on our character, long before they notice the color of our skin.
When planning my reading for June, I was focused on books for Pride Month, but it also became evident quite quickly that I needed to expand that focus to books about race, anti-racism, and white privilege, as well as books that celebrate Black authors and experiences.
While this is an intentional focus right now, it’s also going to extend beyond the month of June. I’m committed to learning and growing and becoming a better ally to my Black and Brown communities. ✊🏿✊🏾
Before moving onto some #minibookreviews, here are the top posts from May:
- Top 5 Tuesday – Cute Romances
- May 2020 TBR
- Top 5 Tuesday: Summer Reads
- My Week in Books {5/20/20}
- My Week in Books {5/7/20}
What have you been reading (and loving) this week?
Last Week’s Reads:
📖 Rodham by: Curtis Sittenfeld
Speculative fiction is one of my favorite sub-genres and Sittenfeld’s latest book plays around with the idea of what Hillary Rodham’s life would look like had she not married Bill Clinton. Throughout the book, I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction and not a memoir. Sittenfeld wrote Hillary’s character with such depth that it totally had that tell-all feel to it. I enjoyed the feminist issues that carried throughout the story – how women candidates are criticized far more than their male counterparts, how a man’s past isn’t nearly as detrimental to his political aspirations as a woman’s is, and how quickly women can be vilified in the media if they don’t properly conform to society’s expectations. I felt like there were parts of the book that drug on a little unnecessarily so, and I was a little disappointed that Bill Clinton continually showed up throughout the book. That particular part of the story started distracting the overall message and felt a little forced to me. Overall, an immersive and satisfying read – perfect for your summer beach bag! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Currently Reading:
📱 *** The Vanishing Half by: Brit Bennett
The timing for Brit Bennett’s sophomore novel could not be more perfect. As I slowly read through White Fragility (see below), I see the parallels to Bennett’s ficitonal story. Exploring race and identity, I’m really enjoying Bennett’s writing and story.
📖 White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by: Robin DiAngelo
Maybe the most important book I’ve picked up so far this year, I think it’s important to check my privilege and suss out my blind spots – not just today – but every day moving forward. I have a list a mile long of further reading and educating, as well as a list of articles and books to discuss with my children. I want to do this right – and by saying that, I know I’m going to get it wrong. But I’m committed, I’m ready, and I won’t give up!
Happiest When Reading 
I think we all, as bloggers, have the opportunity to do more to amplify the voices of the unheard. I did a quick count of all the books I owned written by black authors and was shocked to see the number is 4. Yes, I’ve read and reviewed far more than that from books I’ve borrowed from my library, but I think that is pretty illustrative of the privilege I’ve enjoyed.
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What a great list! I’ve been thinking about picking up White Fragility as well. Rodham and Vanishing Half are on my most anticipated reads of the year list!
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