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!

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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.

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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.

Recommended Reading | Gather Me by Glory Edim

Gather Me by Glory Edim was one of my favorite reads of 2024!

In Gather Me, Glory welcomed me into her world from the very start-- describing a kitchen filled with rich spices and Nigerian delicacies. She gave me a written tour of her home and community, filled with books, books, and more books.  My eyes grew wide at all the discoveries and vivid descriptions. I was in awe of the way her father weaved stories from the objects around their home and grew sad when he left suddenly for Nigeria.

And as I continued to read, I learned that Glory and I had a few things in common. We both owned the same yellow bible story book that materialized from thin air one day. We both found safety and comfort in the library. And most importantly, we both grew a habit of seeking solace in the written word. Like Glory, I was often reading novels as a kid, hoping to find direction and instruction within the paragraphs. 

I found it endearing to read the story of a woman I admired with similar experiences to mine. She too, was trying to find her place in the world around her so often. She was also making room for herself in the books she devoured at the local library. I find it so beautiful that she references the books she was reading during pivotal moments in her life as well. I always say that books find us at just the right time and each instance was a testament to that. The magic of words carry so many of us through the good times as well as the bad and Gather Me was a poignant reminder of that.

Glory champions for those of us who found safe spaces in libraries, novels, short stories and poems. 

Glory, thank you for all the love, honesty and transparency you poured into this book. For all the books you've seen yourself in, I'm grateful you've allowed me to see myself in parts of yours.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 💫

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of Gather Me.

HAVE YOU ADDED GATHER ME TO YOUR READING LIST YET?