Category: Book Club

December Book Club: Saying “Yes” to Courage, Creativity, and Growth
Book Club

December Book Club: Saying “Yes” to Courage, Creativity, and Growth

Lulu LeeLeave a comment

This month, I’ve been deep into Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes — and let me tell you, this book could not have arrived at a better time. It’s honest, funny, bold, and full of the kind of energy that nudges you out of your comfort zone in the best way possible.

I’m almost done with it as this post goes live, and I already know it’s one of those books I’ll revisit whenever I need a reminder to choose myself, to stretch, to be brave, and to embrace opportunities even when they feel intimidating. Shonda writes with a voice that feels familiar — like a friend sitting across from you telling the truth you’ve been avoiding. And this month, I needed that voice.

Interested in Reading Along?

If you’re interested in reading along with me, here are the versions I recommend:

What “Yes” Has Meant for Me This Month

Reading Year of Yes during the holiday season has felt surprisingly grounding. It’s pushed me to think about what I want next, what I’m afraid of, and where I’ve been shrinking myself out of habit rather than choice.

And it’s reminded me how important it is to say “yes” to the things that bring me joy — including my writing.

Which brings me to the second half of this month’s update…

Tidewalker Series Update: Book Two Is Taking Shape

Book Two has been a steady work in progress these last few weeks, and Year of Yes has absolutely inspired the way I’m approaching the deeper emotional layers of this story.

Here’s what I’ve been working on:

🔹 Tweaking Ezra’s Internal Conflicts

Ezra is growing, stepping into responsibility, and feeling torn between his father’s expectations, his own dreams, and the love he shares with Neri. I’ve been sharpening the moments where he questions himself, struggles to find balance, or wants to belong in both worlds. His emotional journey is becoming richer and more nuanced.

🔹 Deepening Grandmother Fatu’s Backstory

Her presence is becoming more powerful. I’ve been exploring:

  • how she shaped Ezra’s childhood,
  • her connection to the tidewalker world,
  • the truth behind the shell she gave him,
  • and how her story ties both worlds together in ways Ezra is only beginning to understand.

🔹 Building Tension Between the Two Worlds

This has been one of my favorite parts to develop. The differences and misunderstandings between Neri’s world and Ezra’s — the traditions, expectations, and pressures — are all becoming clearer and more dramatic. This tension will shape much of Book Two’s conflict.

What’s Coming in Early 2026

Writing this book feels like saying “yes” to myself — yes to imagination, yes to creativity, yes to finishing something that matters deeply to me.

In early 2026, I’ll be sharing:

  • sneak peeks of new characters,
  • more world-building details,
  • and updates as the story evolves and the two worlds collide.

If December has taught me anything, it’s that growth happens when we stop waiting for fear to settle — and move forward anyway.

October Book Club | Reflections on The Untethered Soul by Lulu Lee
Book Club

October Book Club | Reflections on The Untethered Soul by Lulu Lee

Lulu LeeLeave a comment

📚 October Book Club: Reflections on The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

🌸 Discovering The Untethered Soul

Every so often, a book finds you exactly when you need it most. For me, that book was The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer. I picked it up during a season when I was craving peace — not the kind that comes from everything being perfect, but the kind that comes from acceptance, presence, and release.

This book isn’t about fixing yourself; it’s about learning to let go — to release old pain, quiet the constant noise of the mind, and step into a state of inner freedom. Singer invites us to see our thoughts and emotions as passing experiences, not permanent truths. The more we allow them to flow without resistance, the more peace we uncover within ourselves.

📖 A Brief Summary

In The Untethered Soul, Michael A. Singer explores what it means to truly be free — not just externally, but internally. Through gentle wisdom and practical insight, he guides readers to recognize the voice inside their head, observe it without judgment, and stop identifying with it as their “self.”

He teaches that true peace doesn’t come from controlling life, but from surrendering to it. By loosening our grip on pain, fear, and expectation, we can begin to live with open hearts and unshakable calm — no matter what’s happening around us.

You can find the book here:
👉 The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer on Amazon
🎧 Also available as an audiobook on Audible for those who prefer to listen.

🌿 My Reflection: Learning to Let Go

Reading this book has been a turning point in my healing journey. It’s helped me see that holding onto old pain only keeps me stuck in the same patterns — replaying stories that no longer serve me. Singer’s words reminded me that peace isn’t something to chase; it’s something we uncover once we stop resisting life as it unfolds.

I’ve started noticing my thoughts more — catching myself before getting swept away by worry or judgment. When I feel tension rising, I pause, breathe, and remind myself to soften, to let it pass through.

This practice has changed how I move through each day. Whether I’m journaling before bed, running in the early morning light, or tending to my garden, I carry this quiet awareness:
I am not my thoughts. I am the one who observes them.

That realization alone has brought me so much freedom.

🌼 How It’s Helping Me Grow

Healing is not about erasing the past; it’s about learning to hold it gently, without letting it define who you are now. The Untethered Soul has helped me make peace with what once felt heavy.

I’m learning that growth isn’t always about doing more — it’s often about releasing what no longer belongs. Just like in my garden, I’ve learned to prune back what’s overgrown, to make room for new life.

The more I release, the lighter I feel — and the more space I have for joy, creativity, and stillness.

💭 Reflection Prompt for Readers

Have you ever read a book that arrived in your life at just the right time?
What lesson or truth from it helped you let go, grow, or find peace within yourself?

Share your reflections in the comments — I’d love to hear what stories are helping you heal and bloom. 🌿

Book Club

Spotlight on a Poem: Together

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The power of words

When I write, I am not alone. My words are carried by voices that came before me—the ancestors, the marchers, the mothers, the dreamers. Every poem I create is born out of this truth: we do not endure in isolation, but together.

One of the poems in my upcoming collection is titled “Together.” It’s a piece that reminds me how survival has never been the story of one, but of many. It weaves memory, history, and the shared strength that has allowed us to move forward as a people.

An Excerpt from “Together”

From the villages of our ancestors,
from the ships that tried to swallow us,
from the fields and the cities,
the marches and the prayers—
we have endured.

The Story Behind the Poem

I wrote “Together” while reflecting on the continuity of struggle and resilience. I thought about how the past lives in us. The journey from the shores of Africa to the present day has been marked by unimaginable trials. It has also been marked by courage and faith.

This poem came to me as a chorus of voices, echoing across time. It’s about remembering that our strength is collective, that we’ve always leaned on one another, even in the darkest moments.

Why This Poem Matters

“Proud” marked the beginning of my journey into poetry. “Together” represents what I’ve come to understand more deeply over time. Survival is not just individual. It is communal. We are bound by shared memory, and it is in that binding that we find resilience.

In my collection of 40 poems, each piece speaks to a different facet of that legacy—pain, defiance, beauty, survival. But “Together” is one of the poems that most clearly says: we are still here.

A Journey Shared

This poem, like the others, is part of a larger journey toward wholeness. It reminds me that writing is not only a personal act. It is also a communal offering. It serves as an invitation to remember, to heal, and to celebrate resilience.

I hope “Together” resonates with you as much as it does with me. I invite you to stay with me. I will continue sharing these poems. One story, one heartbeat, at a time.

Book Club

The Stories That Shaped Me: Books That Continue to Inspire My Writing

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Affiliate Disclosure:
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my writing and this blog.

When reading a book, it is important to remember that one is not just looking at words. They are looking at a time capsule in print. The author creates an image of a specific place in time. The reader is able to travel either to the future or the past through the writer’s lens.

The same can be said of cooking and gardening. When you make a meal from a recipe, you reach back into memory. You shape something from the past. This creation can be experienced by others in the future. When you plant seeds you’ve saved, you carry forward stories of survival and lineage. Books, recipes, and gardens—all are living vessels of heritage.

Books That Shape My Cooking and Creativity

Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food is a cookbook that deeply resonates with me. It offers inventive ways to nourish through hidden veggies. The approach is gentle, creative, and playful. What I love about it is how it invents ways to nourish through hidden veggies—gentle, creative, and playful. I’ve returned to its pages many times. It’s not just for guidance. It serves as a reminder that adaptation is at the heart of tradition.

I often take her recipes and transform them with African ingredients—adding, subtracting, or substituting to make them sing in ways that feel like home. Deceptively Delicious reminds me that creativity in the kitchen isn’t about following every rule. It’s about making something your own. At the same time, it’s about honoring what came before.

Books That Preserve Love and History

Another book that left a deep impression on me was My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams. Their words to one another are tender, passionate, and grounded in both love and duty. Reading those letters felt like holding a time capsule in my hands. They offered a glimpse into their daily lives. I could see the strength of their bond during a turbulent period in history.

Just like recipes passed down in families, these letters carried their love into the future. Like seeds planted in soil, they carried their faith and story as well. They reminded me that writing is not just about recording events, but about preserving connection.

My Bookshelf Essentials

Here are two books I continue to carry with me:

Closing Reflections

Books shape us in ways big and small. They remind us where we’ve come from. They inspire who we are becoming. They carry stories forward for those who come after us.

👉 What books have shaped your life or inspired your creativity? Share your favorites in the comments—I’d love to build a community reading list together.

📚 Book Club Chat: When the Sea Remembers 🌊❤️
Book Club

📚 Book Club Chat: When the Sea Remembers 🌊❤️

Lulu LeeLeave a comment

Hi friends,

I’m so excited to share a little about Book Two in my three-part series — When the Sea Remembers. This story follows the intertwined destinies of Ezra, a Land walker, and Neri, a Sea walker. Their love was written in the stars, but the path ahead is anything but simple.

In Book One, fate brought them together. In Book Two, we see just how many forces will rise to pull them apart. Powerful beings — some ancient, some cunning — have their own reasons for keeping the land and sea divided. Ezra and Neri must decide how much they’re willing to risk. They also need to consider what they’re willing to lose to stay together.

This installment dives deeper into the spirit realm, the old ways, and the fragile balance between two worlds. It’s a story about love under pressure, and the cost of defying destiny.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts once you meet these new challenges alongside Ezra and Neri. If you’ve read Book One, what do you hope happens for them in this next chapter? And what do you fear happen?

Your turn — let’s chat. 📖💬

Book Club

Empowering Children Through Literature

Lulu LeeLeave a comment

I have always loved reading, my grandmother taught me to read before I started grade school. She was big on education and that is probably because she was not formally educated. She learned to read and write after she married my grandfather. She fell in love with learning and did her best to share that with me. I believe the first book I read was “My Book of Bible Stories”…this is a book published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Organization. I was raised in the organization and was a practicing member up till about 2020. I left for personal reasons but I learned a lot about the importance of using critical thinking skills. My critical thinking skills were sharpen because of the books I was exposed to in my formative years.

One of the most formative books I read was “Their Eyes Were Watching God” By Zora Neale Hurston. The writing style was done in a conversational manner and it was raw in nature. Ms. Hurston use of colloquial dialect and standard English was unique and this was seen as controversial by some. The main character, Janine was strong and independent. She was not afraid to challenge the status quo. For a black woman in those days, this was considered a taboo.

I fell in love with this book in my senior year of high school. This also the book that led to me taking a break from writing regularly. My English teacher, assigned this book and we were also asked to complete an in class essay. I was her student teaching assistant that year. I took that role very seriously and I helped my peers who struggled with understanding some of the dialogue. I took pride in helping my peers while also working on my essay during class. It was one of my favorite experiences in high school. Everything changed when that same teacher accused me of cheating on the essay. She had asked me to be her teaching assistant. She accused me despite the essay being done in class. I never took it home with me. She reported me to the principal for cheating and was going to give me an F for the assignment. Thankfully, though my mom fought with me to get the grade I had earned.

The principal sided with me and my mom and I was given the grade I deserved. When asked why she believed I cheated. My English teacher noted that she did not believe I was smart enough. She doubted a girl like me understood the nuances of the material. Because I was an ESOL student, she did not believe I truly understood English. She assumed I must have copied my analysis from an outside source. That incident shock my confidence and for years I shied away from writing for fun. It took years of work on my self esteem for me to feel safe again as a writer.

I decided to share this. Educators must remember the type of influence they have on the students. This influence extends to both the classrooms and school hallways. I still love reading and I have passed the baton to my children. They all love reading and writing. We once had a family book club. It was a wonderful time for us as a family.

Reading is not only fun, it is a necessity that we must keep encouraging. Below, is a list of books I have read and shared with my kids.

Othello, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Gift, Midnight Library, The Bible, The Stranger, The Contender. A Streetcar Named Desire, The Great Gatsby, and The Glass Menagerie.

The above list is simply a small sample of books I have read and enjoyed. I have a much longer list. My children are into fantasy books, historical fiction novels, and non-fictional novels. We love to have discussions about the themes of books we have read.