Q1 in Books, Music and Everything Else

A lots of recommendations from the quarter. How did your Q1 trend?

Erin Ashley

Mar 31, 2026

Hi friends,

It’s hard to believe Q1 is already over. So much has happened these past few months, so let’s dive in.

Things I Read

This quarter, I read 23 books, averaging about four days per book. 57% were fiction and 43% nonfiction. I read Kin by Tayari Jones twice—more on that below. I also did my yearly rereads of two Jocelyn K. Glei books. Below are the ones I rated 4 stars or higher.

My full list is on Storygraph. If you’re on there, add me! I still haven’t figured out how to add people.

Truly — Lionel Richie
I was really pressed to read this, and it quickly became one of my favorites this quarter. This memoir shows how Lionel Richie stayed relevant across different eras of music, which is harder than it sounds. The stories are funny, the career retrospective is fascinating, and Blair Underwood’s narration adds something special. Full thoughts here.

Little One — Olivia Muenter
I’ve wanted to read this ever since Olivia mentioned it on her podcast, Bad on Paper, and I devoured it. This is Olivia’s second novel, following Catharine West, whose perfect-looking childhood on a Florida wellness commune hid a much darker truth. When a journalist digs into her past ten years later, the life she rebuilt starts to unravel. The book is atmospheric and tense, with a timely look at wellness culture and what we give up chasing perfection.

With Love From Harlem — ReShonda Tate
I couldn’t stop recommending this book, leading me to interview ReShonda Tate. She summarized the story well:

“It’s a historical novel about Hazel Scott, one of the most brilliant and groundbreaking entertainers of the 20th century, and her high-profile, deeply complicated relationship with Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. The book is set against the backdrop of 1940s and 50s Harlem and explores what happens when two ambitious, larger-than-life Black icons collide at the height of their power. At its heart, the story is about fame, love, ambition, and sacrifice. It asks what it costs to be a trailblazer when the world is applauding your talent but still trying to control your voice.”

Watch/Listen to the full interview here.

I Hope You Find What You’re Looking For — Bsrat Mezghebe
This was another favorite of mine this quarter, and I even got to talk with the author, Bsrat Mezghebe. This is Bsrat’s debut novel, published in the Well-Read Black Girl series. It follows three women in an Eritrean-American family as they figure out what peace means while Eritrea moves toward independence from Ethiopia in 1991. The characters are vivid, the writing is beautiful, and this story has really stuck with me.

Watch/Listen to the full interview here.

Keeper of Lost Children — Sadeqa Johnson
After loving House of Eve, I was excited to read this one. Keeper of Lost Children weaves together three storylines set in Occupied Germany (1948) and Maryland in 1965. They all come together around one woman’s vision and the power of love in its many forms. Sadeqa Johnson writes with warmth and detail. If you enjoyed House of Eve, you’ll want to pick this up next.

Kin — Tayari Jones
I loved this book so much I read it twice—first as a digital ARC, then again when it was released in print and audio. Kin tells the story of Vernice and Annie, two motherless women raised together in Louisiana who end up living very different lives. One finds stability and sisterhood at Spelman, while the other searches for the mother who left her, facing danger and unexpected love. The praise for this book is well deserved—the writing is beautiful, and it’s a story that stays with you. I also got to talk about it with my friend Kate of Bookwild, and you can watch our conversation here.

It’s No Wonder: The Life and Times of Motown's Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy — Margena A. Christian
Before reading this, I didn’t know much about Sylvia Moy, but now I want to keep learning about her legacy. It’s No Wonder tells the story of Motown’s first certified female in-house songwriter and producer, a Detroit native who saved Stevie Wonder’s early career and wrote classics like “I Was Made to Love Her” and “It Takes Two.” This book is a much-needed historical correction and a reminder that without Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder’s music wouldn’t be the same. Imagine a world without Songs in the Key of Life—it would honestly be so sad. Please give this book a read.

Black.Single.Mother. Real Life Tales of Longing & Belonging — Jamilah Lemieux
I’ve followed Jamilah since her days at Ebony, so her new book was a big deal for me. The fact that it’s about Black single motherhood made it even more special. Black.Single.Mother. mixes personal stories, cultural analysis, and honest interviews. It gives a real, unapologetic look at Black single mothers and the world they move through. Lemieux doesn’t hold back. The book is both a celebration and a much-needed correction.

Big Girl Blitz — Danielle Allen (out 4/14)
I loved this book—even though romance isn’t usually my go-to, this one had me blushing and flipping pages the whole time. Big Girl Blitz is about Jazmyn, who leaves her hometown for a fresh start, only to be pushed back into dating by her Aunt Addison and a charming guy named Lamar she meets at a sports bar. It’s fun, warm, and handles body image with a gentle touch. I listened to the audiobook, which was the perfect way to experience it. Highly recommend.

Arsenio — Arsenio Hall with Alan Eisenstock
I was so excited when I heard Arsenio Hall was releasing a memoir. My parents say I was so obsessed with his show as a baby that I learned to walk just to watch it. I grew up as part of the Dog Pound. I loved reading about his beginnings in magic, the story behind his show, and Coming to America. I also enjoyed how he spoke about the people he looked up to. The book feels like he’s talking right to you, which made it a really fun read. I’m glad he got to share his story.

Additionally, here a few pieces I read and saved this quarter:

If You Quit Social Media, Will You Read More Books? — The New Yorker
This article came out in December, but I read it in January. Since I work in social media and read a lot, my answer to the question is: not really. The author met his book goal but didn’t actually read more. The stats about kids reading less were especially sad.

Thelma Golden on The Literature of Harlem — The New Yorker
Thelma Golden’s work at The Studio Museum of Harlem makes her one of the best people to ask for Harlem reading recommendations. Period.

Book Date No. 19 — Tembe Denton-Hurst ’s Extracurricular
Speaking of Thelma Golden, I liked her conversation with Tembe about her reading habits. They talked about the first book that changed her and how she would describe her taste in books.

For Tayari Jones, All Roads and All Novels Lead to Atlanta — The New York Times
Just a heads up: Kin is mentioned a lot in this newsletter. This profile by Elisabeth Egan covers Tayari’s background as a writer and the story of her return home that inspired the book. It’s worth reading.

On ‘Shrinking,’ Jessica Williams Moves the Needle — The New York Times.
Pretty pictures. Good profile. I love Jessica’s role in Shrinking.

Exclusive: The Jay-Z Interview — GQ
This was a great interview, both in print and video. I took notes on a lot of Jay-Z’s thoughts about blessings, wealth, and managing relationships. The companion piece with his friends—Kevin Hart, Pharrell, Chris Martin, and Alicia Keys—is a fun extra.

A’ja Wilson Is Just Getting Started — Vogue
I absolutely loved this profile. It was so good.

Things I Listened To:

This quarter brought some great musical milestones.

Two of my favorite albums, Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled debut and India Arie’s Acoustic Soul, celebrated big anniversaries—Corinne’s turned 20 and India’s turned 25. I talked about Corinne’s album before, here, but wanted to share a few notes on India’s.

I can remember the first time I heard “Video”—it was at Great America after a dance recital and a girl was singing it at karaoke at this little town square thing. I immediately felt like someone had finally put my feelings into words. I went home, begged my mom to buy me the album, and sang every word in my room like it meant everything. Acoustic Soul gave me words for feelings I’d have later and things I wanted to understand. Not every album does that. It came out in 2001, went double platinum, got seven Grammy nominations, but didn’t win any. The Grammys missed it, but the culture didn’t.

Besides those two albums, I spent a lot of this quarter blasting Guapdad 4000’s “Champagne Showers” and perfecting my gym playlist, which you can listen to via Spotify or Apple Music.

Other favorites from the quarter:

Big K.R.I.T - Cadalee Biarritz - Duh, this would be on my list. K.R.I.T is my guy and this album sounds perfect now that the weather is getting a little better.
Alex Isley - When The City Sleeps - This album is beautiful and truthfully, only has one skip for me. Sorry, not a fan of “Hands,” but love this album a lot.
Samm Henshaw — It Could Be Worse — I listen to some version of this album almost every day, especially the song “Wait Forever.”
Jay-Z — In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 — I’ve had this on repeat lately, though I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s the weather. Either way, it’s been playing a lot.
Jill Scott — The Real Thing, Words & Sounds Vol. 3 — I revisited this because of Jill’s new album. I still need to listen to the new one more, but this album is my favorite.
Maggie Rogers — Heard It In A Past Life — This album is always on my list. Also, Maggie moved her newsletter to Substack, so subscribe if you haven’t already.

FX’s Love Story — I finished this show and have quite a few bones to pick with it. I do think though, while there were definitely cringy things that happened in the show, and most of it is unverifiable, the saving grace was the music and the fashion. The last episode was really sad though, and again, I only believe about 15% of that episode.
Shrinking - This is one of my favorite shows, and I’m so happy it’s back. This season, again the character development is good. Last week’s episode did make me cry though.
Amy Poehler’s Good Hang — There were so many great episodes this quarter. My favorites were Steve Carell (he’s really in his silver fox era), Viola Davis (it was so fun hearing her curse), Ryan Coogler, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The Oprah Podcast — The Tayari Jones episode was excellent. Oprah asked really thoughtful questions. I also loved the Jennifer Wallace and Ina Garten episode about what it means to matter to yourself and others. Also enjoyed Oprah’s conversation on the Wild Card podcast.
The Pivot Podcast — It was a strong quarter for this show. My favorite episodes featured Jayson Tatum, Aldis Hodge, Breanna Stewart, and Jeezy.
Aspire with Emma Grede - Emma has so many great conversations on her podcast throughout the quarter and some of my favorites were her conversations with James Clear, Angelica Nwandu and Issa Rae just to name a few.

That wraps up Q1.

Looking ahead, I’m excited for Brandy’s memoir Phases (out today), Jesse Ware’s new album Superbloom, finally seeing Big K.R.I.T. live again, both WNBA drafts, and hopefully some good weather.

That’s all for this week. In the meantime, here are a few newsletters from this quarter you might have missed: