Hey, Friends! How are things with you? It’s the last week of the semester and we’re prepping for graduation – life is busy. I’ve spent the last four days taking, editing, and posting photos of our soon-to-be graduates. I love this time of year, but ohmygosh is it exhausting. I have one more set of pictures to take on Monday and then I’m finished until next semester. This is the first year since I started working at the college that I won’t be taking the graduation photos… It’s gonna be weird, but I’m happy for the break. Trust me, I love taking the pictures, but editing and posting can take hours. Sometimes I don’t finish the graduation photos until 1 or 2 in the morning. I know I don’t have to get them posted immediately, but I know the graduates are waiting so I like to get everything posted ASAP. Anyway, the point is I’m not taking the pictures and I plan to rest and reset the day after graduation.

WHAT I WORE

A cardigan is a librarian’s lab coat.

I’m not sure who said that or where I read it, but that is one of my favorite quotes. I love a good cardigan; make it animal print, and it’s a winner in my book. I wear this cardigan with just about everything because animal print is a neutral. I thought it’d look cute with the shirt because the white is a neutral and the blue is a color pop. The prints are just this side of clashy, so it works. And the dark denim jeans and brown flats ground the whole look.

WHERE I WORE IT

I wore this to work at the library. I think, on this particular day, I had a several online meetings in a row and wanted something with a little visual interest at the top. Do you do that? Dress up your top for online meetings?

GET MY LOOK

Earrings: Similar | Animal Print Cardi: Similar | Blue Toile Blouse: Similar  | Dark Denim Jeans: Similar | Shoes: Similar

Sizing: I’m 5’4″ and a dress size 12 to 14 {L, XL}. I wear a size 8.5 shoe.

Side note wherever you see words in bold italics and a different color, those are clickable links. Those links will either take you to related posts or links for purchase. If you decide to purchase something using those links, I’ll earn a commission at no extra charge to you.

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}.

Come back soon,

AFFILIATE INFORMATION

As the blogger and photographer behind Living Outside the Stacks, I independently select and write about stuff I love and things I think you’ll enjoy too. Living Outside the Stacks has affiliate and advertising partnerships so I get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase. Thank you for your support.

How are we in May already? I feel like this April was simultaneously the slowest and fastest month of my life. Work was crazy busy. I had the privilege of serving on an off-site reaccreditation committee for three community colleges and it was quite the learning experience. TLDR, the committee reads over documents to ensure that the college is meeting its responsibilities to its students by meeting educational standards, providing the services advertised, and ensuring that facilities are safe and appropriate for the course offerings. I’m responsible for the library section. This was my first time serving on an off-site committee, which means that my committee read over the documents provided by the college for clarity and determined the compliance of the college in meeting the required standard. If the college didn’t meet the standard, we made note and then the on-site committee meets with the appropriate college staff to ensure compliance. I’ve learned so much from serving on both on-site and off-site committees, like how the different parts of the college work {administrative, instructional, support, finance, facilities, etc.}. Some people think that their jobs don’t impact students because they may not have direct contact with students, but it all works together — like a machine.

And, on a personal note, I haven’t been sleeping well. I went to the doctor’s and they adjusted my Levothyroxine, so hopefully that will help. I’m telling you, not having a thyroid sucks. So much of my life is controlled by that absent gland. I had Thyroid Cancer a million years ago and, like many people, I’m dealing with the aftermath. You can read about my cancer story here.

Anyway, on to today’s post…

THE PROMPT: My Favorite Things About Me

My Sense of Fairness

I don’t know that “fairness” is the right word in so much as that I strive to do what is right and best for those in my circle, be they coworker, student, friend, or stranger. My goal is always to build a community of trust because I know what it feels like to:

• not have people around me that I can lean on
• be betrayed by someone you should be able to trust with your life

I want people to know they can talk to me without fear of ridicule or concern that their business will be spread. I firmly believe that everyone needs someone and it makes my heart happy when people tell others they can trust me.

My Style

I’ve always had a unique sense of style. I was heavily influenced by my life in Italy, Lisa Bonet {the person} and her character “Denise” on The Cosby Show, as well as my desire to just be “different.” Colors and patterns speak to me and play a key role in how my day plays out – if I’m having a good style day and feel comfortable in my outfit, I know it’s going to be a good day, but if my outfit doesn’t feel right, my day doesn’t go well. If you’d like to see my #OOTD posts, follow me on Instagram. Around town, I’m known as the librarian with a great sense of style. Coworkers, friends, and colleagues from other colleges are always asking me how much I’d charge to style them.

My Eye for Photography

One of my favorite books when I was a kid was Message from Nam by Danielle Steel. After reading that novel, I wanted to become a war correspondent — I wanted to tell stories that changed the world. I didn’t know about documentaries and such, but I knew the power of imagery {the Civil Rights Movement’s success can be traced back to the images that put America’s racism in full view} and I wanted that to be my legacy. Obviously, I never became a war correspondent or a documentarian, but I did become a photographer. I love that I get to tell people’s stories in images for both work and play. If you’d like to see my photography, feel free to follow my photography account on Instagram.

So, yeah, those are a few of things I like about me, but if I could change one thing about myself it’d be that I’m an overthinker. I analyze every conversation, look, gesture to the nth degree; and will make myself sick if I think I’ve hurt someone’s feelings. I like to think the positive side of my overthinking is that I own up to mistakes, and you can trust that if someone is slighted, it’s never intentional.

ABOUT WHERE BLOGGERS LIVE

Welcome to the monthly edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes? Over the next few months, we’ll share about our work spaces, home towns, and more!

I should note – because this is super important – the creative brain behind this project is Bettye at Fashion Schlub! Love her!

The Celebrity Bloggers

Bettye at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Dog Hair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own

Make sure you visit everyone to see where the magic happens!

IT’S YOUR TURN

What’s something you like about you?

BOOKISH THINGS

Bookshop.org – Shop for books selected by me, for you!

NetGalley Professional Reader – I receive free ARCs from NetGalley to review on my blog and share on Instagram.

The StoryGraph – A reading app that shares all the nerdy details of my bookish life.

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook or Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}. If you’d like to connect on a more regular basis, I’m on Facebook and Instagram.

Come back soon,

LET’S CONNECT

Click Here to See Where I Link Up

AFFILIATE INFORMATION

As the blogger and photographer behind Living Outside the Stacks, I independently select and write about stuff I love and things I think you’ll enjoy too. Living Outside the Stacks has affiliate and advertising partnerships so I get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase. Thank you for your support.

Reading and reviewing books brings me a great deal of happiness. If you’re a reader, I’d love for you to visit my online bookstore, Living Outside the Stacks, to make your purchase. If you purchase from my shop, I’ll receive a small commission and you’ll also support indie bookstores. If you need help staying organized, but want to keep it pretty, I invite you to give Artful Agenda a try. It’s a digital planner inspired by paper planners. Use my code: RD1191716. Artful Agenda connects effortlessly to your Google and Outlook calendars and works across devices.

I want to thank NetGalley for gifting me an advanced copy of this book for review.

BOOK REVIEW

In my graphic, I stated that I enjoyed reading this book, but I think that may be a little too “happy.” I enjoyed the honesty, realness, and grace with which the story was written. In reflecting on her sexual past, Dionne was honest, scared, and analytical. She was even judgmental, but there was a clear point where she released the shame and accepted her past for what it was: emotional and psychological survival. I thought the characters were realistic and showed growth through tough circumstances. Their emotions were believable; these are people you encounter in your day-to-day {which goes back to my motto of treat people with kindness because you never know what they’re going through}. I appreciated that the ending was satisfactory without being tied up in a pretty little package. There was a bit of ambiguity in the outcome of some relationships, but that’s how life is. Finally, the length of the book was just right.

3 Questions

1. Did the book raise any moral questions or dilemmas? If so, what were they, and how did you feel about them?
   {SPOILER ALERT} This book is built on moral and ethical questions: how much of your sexual history do you have to share with your partners? Do you owe people forgiveness and access? How do you relate to parents who did not {and continue not to} support and protect you the way you needed them to? Of course, we all know that when it comes to our sexual history, we owe each other complete honesty, especially since our pasts can impact our futures and those of our partners. However, there’s always that fear of judgement, especially for women. The same goes for men who are living on the DL; they owe their partners honesty, but there’s that fear of judgement. We don’t get to pick our parents, however, there are minimum things that we should expect from them — protection is the biggest one. No partner should ever come before your children, especially when those children are underaged. There’s no room for discussion.
2. What did you learn from reading this book?
   I learned forgiveness does not mean access, nor does it mean absolution from punishment. Too often, we see people who’ve committed sexual crimes against children say they asked God for forgiveness, therefore, they’re forgiven. Yes, you may be, however, you still have to pay the penalty for your crime. Forgiveness from Christ does not grant you a get out of jail free card, and I think too many people are leaning on that crutch. If you hurt a child, you deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of how or where you sought absolution.
3. Would you read another book by this author?
   I’d read another book by Mara Brock Akil; I’ve been a fan of her television work for years, so this is just an extension of that fandom.

Favorite Quote(s)

We don’t need to excuse people who’ve treated us badly, or make room in our lives for people who are likely to continue to withhold love, but I suspect that part of the impulse from your grandmother was truly to protect your mother.

The Cover Art

Love the cover. The fragmented picture of Dionne shows how she’s been broken and scarred by her past. And, speaking of past, you see her looking over her shoulder like she’s looking back at what has happened to her, but her gaze is strong, like she’s ready to confront the hurt.

The colors are both soothing and jarring at the same time — like life. Blues tend to be relaxing or reflective of the sky and moving forward, while the reds and deep browns make me think of pain, while the soft beiges and pinks can either symbolize wounds that are healing or softness/femininity.

Companion Listening 

• LL Cool J – Around the Way Girl
• Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation

Recommended For

Fans of women’s literature and emotionally tight writing. This novel can definitely present some interesting topics for book club discussions.

Trigger Warnings

Child abuse. Death. Sexual Abuse.

IT’S YOUR TURN

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? Let’s discuss in the comments below. If you haven’t, feel free to purchase the book using the link below.

BOOK DETAILS

Title: The Revelation of Dionne Daphne

Author: Mara Brock Akil

Cover Art: YoYo Lander

Publisher: Storehouse Voices

Publication Date: 30 June 2026

Genre: Popular Fiction, Women’s Lit

Format: eBook

Print Length: 288 pages

ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from the book)

Mara Brock Akilis an award-winning writer, producer, director, and showrunner, known for her groundbreaking body of work including Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, Love Is, and Forever. Mara is the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television from the Producers Guild of America and the Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award from the NATPE, among other accolades. In 2021, Mara expanded her commitment to nonprofit work by launching her own Los Angeles based writing residency, The Writers Colony, which supports underrepresented writers to strengthen their craft.

ABOUT THE BOOK (from the book)

Mara Brock Akil, the award-winning creator of Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane, Love Is, and Forever, pens an emotionally enthralling debut novel about enduring love, world-shattering secrets, and self-awakening.

What happens when one knock at your door sends your entire world into chaos? When a stranger becomes a lifeline? When the reality you’ve meticulously curated seems to be a mirage?

From the outside looking in, one might say that Dionne Daphne had it all: being the beauty editor at a prestigious New York magazine, a boyfriend who could have been plucked out of its model pages, the social life of the upper echelon, and a girlhood steeped in debutant balls.

But that is from the outside. When the now ex-boyfriend arrives at her Brooklyn doorstep Dionne imagines reconciliation, going back to the good life brimming with the possibility of marriage; the life her mother always wanted for her. Instead, he delivers life-threatening news that creates a crack in her picture-perfect world. A crack that grows legs and runs her right into her past, unearthing a secret that she has hidden since childhood.

In an effort to run toward the truth and away from a lie, Dionne sets out on a spur-of-the-moment road trip with an unlikely stranger to confront the long-buried darkness of her past and the family who made it so. As Dionne comes to a final reckoning, she begins to unravel new layers of herself and fresh possibilities for her life, her family, and even her love.

The Revelation of Dionne Daphne is at once a deeply moving and provocatively gripping novel that shows when you dig deep enough into the shadows of your life, light can be revealed. It’s a novel of broken lovers, a fractured family, and distant friendships all making their way back to one another.

PURCHASING OPTIONS

If you purchase any book using this link from Bookshop.org, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

BOOKISH THINGS

Bookshop.org – Shop for books selected by me, for you!

NetGalley Professional Reader – I receive free ARCs from NetGalley to review on my blog and share on Instagram.

The StoryGraph – A reading app that shares all the nerdy details of my bookish life.

THANK YOU

Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new. If you like what you read, please consider sharing this post on Facebook. You can also share on Pinterest. While I pay for many of the items I share on this blog out of my own pocket, some items are gifted to me {I always disclose those items}.

Affiliate Information

Reading and reviewing books brings me a great deal of happiness. If you’re a reader, I’d love for you to visit my online bookstore, Living Outside the Stacks, to make your purchase. If you purchase from my shop, I’ll receive a small commission, but you’ll also support indie bookstores. If you need help staying organized and want to keep it pretty, I invite you to give Artful Agenda a try. Artful Agenda is a digital planner inspired by paper planners. Use my code: RD1028912. To learn more, read my review here.

Happy Reading,

LET’S CONNECT