Remembering D'Angelo

 

We lost a giant in the music world yesterday, y’all. And I don’t even know if I have the words to express how saddened I, along with many others, are over the loss of D’Angelo. 

Every now and then you encounter musicians that are so enmeshed in the music, their aura becomes the art. D’Angelo was one of them ones. 

He felt like soul. Felt like sneaking in your aunt’s bedroom to watch that new “Cruisin” video and being serenaded by the saccharine smooth voice belting from the TV screen. Felt like listening to Voodoo for the first time with your cousin, completely transfixed by the melodies hours after the CD stops whirring in your Play Station. Felt like having a mini concert in another cousin’s living room each time the “Send It On” video played on cable TV. 

Experiencing D’Angelo’s music through many pivotal moments in my life feels like a sensual dance some days. Plays out like a spiritual encounter on other days. That’s why every time I hear “One Mo’ Gin,” I mourn a heartbreak from 20+ years ago, but when I hear “I Found My Smile Again,” I’m embraced by a ten-year friendship that comforts me like a wool blanket on crisp winter nights. I will pour libations, set a mood, and get cozy in my beloved plant space playing Black Messiah with no interruptions, lingering in booming instrumentation and larger-than-life sociopolitical rhetoric. I feel the heaviness of the times and consider solutions within my grasp. And still, after all these years, I still choose D’Angelo’s “Cruisin” over the original. Nothing has ever held me quite like that rendition. 

D'Angelo’s music is truly a gift, wrapped in the most intricate bow and ribbons, that lovers of soul music drink deeply from. I never had the opportunity to see him perform live, but I'm grateful to experience his art in this lifetime. As I shared with another neo-soul artist today, soul music like D’Angelo’s transcends space and time. It touches people he may never meet but will feel his essence all the same. I’m glad to have memories of discovering his music, how it feels to indulge in his music now, and to know the genius that was D’Angelo. I send prayers to his family, friends, and all who have been touched by his life in some way. May he rest in peace 🕊👑

I’ll be spinning his music until further notice. 

BOOK RECOMMENDATION | Positive Obsession by Susana M. Morris

Positive Obsession by Susana M. Morris | Pub. Date: August 19, 2025

I loved Positive Obsession by Susana M. Morris so much! As a fan of Octavia E. Butler and her works, I could not wait to get my hands on this read. I finished it in a manner of days! The author did an amazing job of writing in a way that the reader could see the love + care she had for Octavia E. Butler and her life's work.

Positive Obsession chronicles Octavia E. Butler's life from the child who found solace in the local library to the award-winning author gone way too soon. Readers get a glimpse into the highs and lows of Butler's life, including times she felt like an outcast among peers, fellow authors, and the world around her. Finding a home in literature, and (soon after) the many writings she immersed herself in, Octavia E. Butler learned to write the black woman into the world she wanted to see herself in.

Eventually penning short stories and novels that read more like prophecy than warning, Butler found her place in the literary world. Morris so beautifully weaves stories of her personal life and writing life. As someone who saw Octavia E. Butler as larger than life, the author humanizes Butler, sharing her hopes, fears, and dreams alike. While reading, I found myself leaning in to Butler's idea of "positive obsession," in which she persisted with writing, whether inspired or not. I was in awe of her discipline and determination to write the worlds forming in her mind. 

I finished this book inspired and excited to read more from Octavia E. Butler. And though the author admits she hadn't had the chance to meet Butler before her passing in 2006, I believe Butler would be proud of Morris and this book. It reads as if Morris knew Butler personally and was paying her homage. 

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Octavia E. Butler and those curious about her work. Many thanks to Netgalley, Amistad, and the author for the copies of Positive Obsession. I thoroughly enjoyed!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Will you be adding Positive Obsession by Susana M. Morris to your reading list?

Book Recommendation | Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan | Pub. Date: May 13, 2025

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan was the perfect bow to wrap up the Skyland series.  This has become a favorite series of mine and Hendrix did not disappoint!

I connected with Yasmen early in Before I Let Go as she ventured back to love in a place she thought she lost it. I saw myself in Soledad throughout the pages of This Could Be Us as she learned self-love was just as important as loving others. So, even before opening Can't Get Enough, I had high expectations for Hendrix. She was the best friend who cheered both Yas and Sole on, supporting them in any way possible. I could not wait to see her story unfold. 

Can't Get Enough gives us a glimpse into the life of Hendrix. She's an entertainment executive who is relentless when it comes to her ambitions. Her high-profile career takes precedence over everything, until she finds herself caring for her aging mother, and falling in love with a handsome tech mogul. 

Watching Hendrix juggle work, friendships, love, and caring for her mother really made me feel for her. She was no longer a supporting character in the lives of Yas and Sole. She had her own hardships and hang-ups. I identified with her pain and empathized with her as her mother's Alzheimer's began to progress. Losing a parent with dementia and a grandparent with Alzheimer's, I felt the same fears Hendrix had as I read along. Not knowing if your parent will recognize you from one day to the next makes one grieve said parent before he or she ever leaves us physically. Kennedy Ryan illustrates this so beautifully and with such care in Can't Get Enough.

And the love interest? Maverick was a dream! I loved the chemistry between Maverick and Hendrix. When they connected, fireworks jumped from the pages. I rooted for them throughout the read. As you can imagine, each love story comes with a bit of conflict. But I'm glad that the factors that could have separated Hendrix and Maverick somehow brought them together even closer. 

Overall, I enjoyed Can't Get Enough! This small-town North Carolina girl loved getting to know Hendrix and seeing things from her perspective. Kennedy Ryan is becoming one of my favorite authors and she did her thing with this one! Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Have you read Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan yet?

What was your favorite book in the Skyland Series?

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Bibliotherapy in the Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW

Bibliotherapy: a therapeutic approach that uses literature to support mental health, often alongside other therapy methods.

I became fascinated with the idea of bibliotherapy since following Emely Rumble, LCSW on TikTok a year or so ago. As an avid reader since pre-school and a social work major, I knew one could find healing in books. I had no idea, however, that bibliotherapy was a thing! 

Being a mood reader meant I would rarely read new releases as soon as they dropped. I would hardly ever pick up the latest book everyone was swooning over via social media. But I would find myself knee deep in a random book at 1 AM losing valuable sleep that somehow spoke to whatever I was dealing with in my personal life. Could it be a romance novel? Most likely. Historical fiction? Maybe. Fantasy? Lately, quite possibly. Somehow whatever book I found myself immersed in would be just what the "doctor" ordered. I've always felt that books find us at the right time, and after learning more about bibliotherapy, I realize I could have been subconsciously picking fiction reads that helped me navigate life's problems without the risk of having to show my vulnerabilities to anyone. Perhaps I wasn't a mood reader at all. Perhaps I am still looking for myself in books as I did as a kid. Maybe I'm not only looking to my books as an escape, I'm looking to my books for answers I'm afraid to ask anyone out loud. 

Reading Bibliotherapy in the Bronx by Emely Rumble, LCSW made me more familiar with the process of bibliotherapy. Not only was I educated on how bibliotherapists make book prescriptions for clients, assessing their needs during intake, I also learned how beneficial bibliotherapy can be! I smiled when I saw mention of some of my favorite books being used in practice and how clients were able to navigate their trauma through the lens of fictional characters. My inner child, who loves Alice In Wonderland and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings rejoiced! The icing on the cake for me was the reflection questions at the end of each chapter that really made me think about the books I've read and how they've impacted the way I view the world around me.

I'm so thankful I found Emely Rumble, LCSW on social media that night. Through the valuable information she has shared online and in Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, she awakened something in me. She affirmed how important literature can be for the emotional growth and healing of people like me. Something clicked when I began pouring over Bibliotherapy in the Bronx-- the book recommendations I've given and received have not been in vain. The sharing of literature can save lives, if we allow it to. Thank you so much dear sister for an ARC with me + for sharing your work with the world. You are a light and a force! You threw me a lifeline and you didn't even know it! Congratulations on publishing such an important book in the fields of literature and psychology. 🥳❤️

If Bibliotherapy in the Bronx has not been on your radar, please get familiar. If you are a lover of books or know someone who is, you definitely want to get your hands on a copy (or three) of this book. Purchase yours wherever books are sold. I can't wait until my physical copy gets here. 🙌🏽

15 Things I'm Looking Forward to This Spring

SPRING IS FINALLY UPON US, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! We are officially two days into my favorite season, and I am welcoming it with open arms!  Though the Carolina weather is still temperamental, warm days have been playing us close lately. All that's left to anticipate is the blooming flowers and the dreaded pollen that seems to cover everything. 

Experiencing nature do its thing reminds me of all the things I admire about Spring-- flowers in bloom, birds chirping in the early morning, brighter colors in the wardrobe, and the longer-lasting sunny horizon. The weather is warm and beautiful, but not overwhelmingly so. Everything just feels so right about the Spring season, and perhaps that's why it's always been my favorite. Spring starts to feel like I'm in bloom, too.

While updating upcoming posts about beauty, fashion, reading, music and upcoming events, I thought it would be cool to once again share a list of the things I'm most looking forward to this season. Read after the jump to check out the 15 things I'm most hype about.

Cinematic Soul | Sparkle

 Listening to the Sparkle soundtrack reminds me of watching the movie at my aunt's house on VHS, while getting my hair pressed on Saturday night. As the hot comb sat on the stove, I relaxed into the Blue Magic grease-down my aunt administered to my soft curls. The movie played and I pretended to fall into the musical cast, antsy and literally scared of the heat.