In the era of BookTok, there’s no doubt that “spicy” books are seemingly everywhere. Whether it’s romcoms, romantasy, historical romance, and more, spicy titles often reign supreme on many readers’ FYPs.
Of course, spicy (or sexually graphic) books have existed way before TikTok was a thing; older generations can likely recall “bodice-rippers” and mass market paperbacks that could be purchased at the drugstore. But in the digital age, access to book recommendations is easier than ever for all of us — and that includes teens.
If you’re a parent or caregiver of a teen reader, they may have come across spicy novels either on their social media feed (ones like “Heated Rivalry” are hard to miss) or right in the bookstore. They very well could be reading them, too. There’s a variety of reactions parents might find themselves having to this scenario, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are many reasons teens could be drawn to these types of books. (And, if we’re being honest, many of us can probably remember reading “spicy” books in secret as teens ourselves.)
We turned to some experts to learn more about how to talk to teens about their reading choices, what questions to ask and how to approach these discussions with a sense of compassion, rather than shame.
