Unhustled Archives Hey Reader, Time for our February book list, in honor of Black History Month in the United States. This isn’t a list of books you should read. This is a list of books I have read. And they hit me hard. I didn’t choose them because they were “required reading” for Black History Month. I chose them because they had something to say—and they said it loud. Some I read this month. Some, years ago. But together, they taught me something about history, identity, and—most of...
7 days ago • 3 min read
Unhustled Archives Hey Reader, Hope you're enjoying Saturday. It's a beautiful day here in Western Arkansas. Question: What are you afraid to read? You know the one. It’s sitting on your shelf, staring back at you. Or maybe you walked past it in a bookstore, picked it up for a moment, and then put it down. Why? Because books that make us uncomfortable force us to face things we’d rather not feel. They demand we step out of ourselves and into someone else’s story. And that’s terrifying, isn’t...
28 days ago • 4 min read
Unhustled Archives Hello Reader, TikTok is probably going dark in the next several hours, but BookTok’s light is harder to extinguish. As I write on this Saturday morning, the platform that revolutionized how millions discover and discuss books expects to be offline in the U.S. in just a few hours. I haven't spent much time on TikTok. Every now and then I check up on kerri_okie and her mom—they're absolutely delightful. 😎 Plus, I have a BFF who sends me screen recordings of posts I really...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Unhustled Archives Hello Reader, How many books did you read last year just because you wanted to? With no pressure, no book club, no “everyone says this is a must-read.” In 2024, I read more than 100 books—a goal I set only after I’d read 40 or 50 books half-way through the year. But that's not what I'm most proud of from my reading last year. My biggest accomplishment was broadening my scope. For instance, during my Cold War spy spree, I sought out female authors, and even found a Black...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
A Weekly Newsletter Celebrating the joy of reading without the pressure—exploring books that entertain, inspire, and enrich your life. Happy New Year! 🤦🏼♀️Yikes! Apologies for the email earlier today. Was supposed to have been the version I sent myself for proofing. Ugh. The only thing different from this one? Correctly formatted. You probably haven’t been hitting refresh a dozen times a day waiting for my list of favorite 2024 books—and if you have, bless you. But let’s be honest, the...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Unhustled Archives Hello Reader, Sometimes, you’re just not feeling a book. It’s not the book’s fault (well, sometimes it is), but more often, it’s you. Your brain isn’t cooperating. Life is doing its thing. And the idea of forcing another chapter feels like eating steamed broccoli when you could be having a chocolate chip cookie. That’s why I have a pause stack—it feels less permanent than my “Did Not Finish” folder. This year, I’ve gotten very good at recognizing my “good book, bad timing”...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Unhustled Archives Hello Reader, Sometimes a book is so bad, it’s almost… entertaining. Whether it’s absurd plotlines, cringe-worthy dialogue, or over-the-top drama, these “hate reads” somehow kept me turning the pages—if only for the snark factor. This week, I’m diving into the worst books I read in 2024, complete with the highlights (or lowlights) that had me rolling my eyes and laughing out loud. Featured Book: Never by Ken Follett This book promised a gripping political thriller. What I...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, What's already on your 2025 reading list? Are you heavy in a particular genre or author? A few of the 30ish titles in my 2025 reading folder My 2025 book folder is a mix of biographies, fiction, and an ambitious literary classic or two. Some are about personal growth, but most of what I read next year will be just for fun—because I've learned that a lot of growth happens when I stop trying so hard. Especially when it comes to reading. Studies show that reading for pleasure reduces...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Links may be affiliate links which might earn me a percentage if you buy. At no additional cost to you. Hello Reader, Today’s my birthday! And since I was about 12 or 13, I’ve kept a small but meaningful tradition: every year, I read about JFK. I was born in a small Northeast Arkansas town — less than 24 hours after President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. I think about that a lot—the timing, the strange closeness to history. The events of that day were enough to send my mom into...
3 months ago • 2 min read