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The Vibe Archive — Curated Reads & Must-Listen Books
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items This is a curated mix of my recent book club reads and a few of my forever favorites—stories that stay with you, shift your perspective, or give you exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
This isn’t just a reading list—it’s an archive.
It include...
Sections
5
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STORIES THAT STAY WITH YOU
CULTURE, HISTORY & PERSPECTIVE
LIGHTNESS, JOY & RESET
THE LISTENING ARCHIVE
START HERE
Top Picks & Fan Favorites
This is a heavy one.
Not heavy in a way that makes you want to stop—but heavy in a way where some of what you’re taking in just isn’t easy to sit with.
It’s a story of survival, of overcoming, of grace, and honestly, of forgiveness—especially when ...
Finding Me — Viola Davis
This is one of those books that challenges you.
It puts you in situations that are uncomfortable, but necessary—and forces you to really think about perspective, bias, and humanity.
It’s emotional, thought-provoking, and definitely one that stays w...
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
This one is intense.
It’s gritty, emotional, and pulls you in from the beginning. It deals with grief, pain, and redemption in a way that’s raw but still very human.
Definitely a page-turner—you’ll find it hard to put down.
Razorblade Tears: A Novel by S. A. Cosby
I didn’t read this—I listened to it on Audible.
And I’ll say this: if you’re from Maryland, especially Baltimore, you may want to read it instead. The accents are part of the culture, and that doesn’t fully come through in the audio.
That said… the...
Only For The Week — Natasha Bishop
STORIES THAT STAY WITH YOU
Fiction that lingers long after the final page.
This one is completely different from your typical “Brooklyn” story you might expect.
It leans more into urban fiction, with real-life situations, relationships, and choices that feel raw and very much grounded in reality.
It’s one of those reads t...
Brooklyn — Tracy Brown
I actually discovered this one in the airport—one of those “judge a book by its cover” moments that worked out.
It’s a really good read, but what stayed with me is learning that the orphan train system was real—and government-funded.
It’s one of th...
Orphan Train — Christina Baker Kline
This one has a warmth to it.
It blends family, identity, and personal growth in a way that feels layered but still easy to get into.
It’s the kind of story that feels rich without being heavy.
Dollbaby — Laura Lane McNeal
CULTURE, HISTORY & PERSPECTIVE
Stories that deepen understanding and broaden perspective.
This is one of those books that has stayed with me over the years.
It’s a period piece set during slavery, and it gives a perspective you don’t always see told this way.
It’s layered, emotional, and not something you just move on from.
This isn’t ...
Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
This one hit close to home for me.
Growing up in Maryland, “Crownsville” was always referenced—but I never really knew the history behind it.
This book breaks that open in a way that’s eye-opening and honestly unsettling.
It connects race, mental ...
Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton
This is a fascinating and deeply human story.
It explores mental health, family dynamics, and resilience in a way that feels both personal and informative.
You learn a lot from this one without it ever feeling like a textbook.
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of Family
This one really makes you sit with it.
It explores love, loyalty, and what happens when life interrupts everything you thought was solid.
It’s emotional without being overly dramatic, and it raises a lot of questions about relationships, timing, an...
Kin — Tayari Jones
LIGHTNESS, JOY & RESET
Easy reads that soothe, uplift, and reset your mood.
This was our January book club read—and my first book after brain surgery.
So this one hit differently for me.
It’s a lighter, more positive read, but full of those lines you want to highlight and come back to.
If you’re someone who loves quotes a...
Jump and Find Joy — Hoda Kotb
THE LISTENING ARCHIVE
AUDIO EXPERIENCE 🎶🎵
This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve experienced.
It’s not just narration—it’s a full experience. You hear the emotion, the storytelling, even moments where the music pulls you in.
It feels personal and real in a way that only works because he’s...
Will — Will Smith
If you love music—especially that New Jack Swing era—this is for you.
It’s not just a story, it’s a time machine.
It takes you back to a sound and a moment that instantly transports you.
The storytelling is so good, you’ll find yourself recommendi...
Jacked — Podcasts on Audible
This is not one I read—this is one I experienced.
Hearing Viola Davis tell her own story in her own voice adds a layer that you just can’t get from the page. You feel it. Every word lands differently.
This is one of those listens that stays with yo...
Finding Me — Viola Davis