Drew is incredible. I read this book at a time when I really needed to hear everything she says. It’s like having your most real bestie tell you exactly the advice you needed. If I could give it more than five stars, I would.

4.5⭐️ for this quotable and annotation-worthy memoir. Drew serves humility and humor in equal measure as she takes readers through different eras of her life. She has a fresh voice that gives language to common female/femme experiences. I found myself wanting to highlight and share quotes and sections with my teenage daughters. Her perspective and understanding have encouraged me to find more resources and dig even further into an understanding of the patriarchy, misogyny, fat-phobia, and racism that underpins our experiences.

Love Drew so much and I'm so proud of her. This is such a solid debut! I really enjoyed the way it's written!!! She's such an inspiration and honestly I'd love to have her as my best friend!

I'll admit I was only a casual viewer of Drew's content, but I enjoyed her book. Drew has a good head on her shoulders and intertwines her own life experiences with sort of a "big sister life advice" vibe. Granted I'm a bit older than her target audience but I think her "love yourself more" attitude is one that a lot of women and girls would do well to listen to.

Heeeey!

I feel the need to clarify that I am a fan and social media follower of Drew. I have been since the beginnings of lockdown and was in desperate need of positivity. Drew Afualo is a source of positivity. Once I discovered she was writing a book, I knew I had to check it out. I requested this advanced copy not knowing what would be in the pages, but I trusted the author to be honest and conversational.

Loud has become one of my favorite memoirs because I enjoyed reading every page and, eventually, listening to parts of the audiobook (narrated by Drew!) as I went over my notes. I enjoyed her honesty when she revealed her regrets when her sister first came out to her and she felt she wasn't able to show support in the moment. I appreciated that she didn't try to sugarcoat the experience or explain it away. She owned up to it, knowing the vulnerability would be exposed to a multitude of readers. This book is about her. From cover to cover, the reader learns about her experiences, her love for family and friends, her relationship with Pili, and her inspiration to talk back to toxic people (mostly men) online. This is an excellent read and one many readers, whether they follow her or not, will enjoy.

Loud
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love love love!
THANK YOU #netgalley for this #arc . I am so in love with this woman. I was so. Impressed, that EVERY time she referred to women, she MADE A POINT to include all femmes as well. It’s so easy to hold space for EVERYONE (except shitty men 🤭), and she does it so well…

The audiobook was *chefs kiss*. Full stop.

I truly wish I had this to read when I was growing up. Things would have been so much…. healthier for me lol.

I wish she laughed more in the audiobook 🤭 It’s so contagious 💜.

Drew Afualo is incredibly vulnerable & insightful on the nuance experiences of women, specifically BIPOC women experience in this country. I appreciate her honest feedback on self-love, relationships, and the male gaze. I will read anything she writes!

I love Drew Afualo's humor, so I was excited to read Loud. Those who also appreciate the author's signature cutting and creative style of comedy (for example, "unfunny men with heads shaped like Abraham Lincoln's hat") will not be disappointed! Afualo weaves jokes throughout her stories about everything from being a "pick me" in high school to how she reacted when her sister came out. This book is also a good introduction to concepts like intersectionality and the male gaze. I would recommend this book!

Whilst it's not the best written book in the world, Drew's personality shines throughout this book. If you know her, watch her content, follow her, this is undoubtedly entirely and fully her.

Drew is “the unofficial watchdog of misogyny” as the blurb says and I love her on til too. This book brings her message to the people in a different medium but it is no less important. There is advice here that I know the young girls I teach need to hear and her delivery makes them more likely to listen! Can’t wait to get it in my classroom!!

Ah, this book. Who hasn't watched and cheered on Drew on TikTok at this point? I know I have, so when I saw she had a book coming out, I was here for it. I liked that the "don't take anything from anyone" attitude could translate to written work, and I know I'll be referring to this when I want to feel empowered and shrug off imposing ANYTHING by ANYONE. I can't say that about very many titles. Solid 4.5, rounded.

*Loud* by Drew Afualo is a bold and empowering read that blends humor, wit, and unapologetic confidence. Afualo's candid voice and sharp insights make for a refreshing and inspiring narrative that encourages readers to embrace their authenticity. It's a fierce and entertaining celebration of self-love and resilience.

Drew is an absolute QUEEN and I deeply enjoyed this book!

I have been a fan of Drew’s for a long time now and I was so excited to hear that she was releasing a book. This book was full of so much wisdom, but also a lot of laughs. I loved it so much!

This should be required reading!

I was very fortunate to receive an advanced reader copy from NetGalley but all thoughts are unbiased and my own!

I love Drew and have become so fond of her and her TikToks. When I saw she was writing I book I was so excited to read it!

I found that the book was focused on at the start the foundations of sexism and the patriarchy, but around half way I found she was sharing more and more personal experiences. In college I was very into my gender studies classes so I found this information wasn’t necessarily new or mind blowing to me.

HOWEVER I LOVED HER STORIES! The parts of the book I enjoyed the most was relating of these topics to her lived experiences through childhood and who she is now. So I totally understand why at the start of the book doing a deep dive on these topics would help readers not as familiar with social systems that give privilege to others. I also liked her snippets of advice through the book about building confidence and not taking shit.

Overall, really enjoyed the read!

DNF at 59% - I really like Drew and I love what she stands for. And while this book was like listening to her on any of her podcasts or TikTok - I couldn’t get into it. And I tried, it just didn’t stick - I think it’s probably due to the fact that non-fiction is rough for me in any capacity, and my DNF is not on her part but fully on me.

I’m so proud of Drew and all that she stands for and the representation she brings to the table in all facets. I’m rooting for her and can’t wait to see how far she goes.

“Because that’s the hallmark of being a woman in this world. Soldiering on even when the unfathomable happens to you … because the world doesn’t give you a chance to patch yourself up.”

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic debut from TikTok sensation Drew Afualo. This was part memoir, part self-help book, & part feminist manifesto all rolled into one powerful book.

As much as this book was doing, it worked. Each piece felt like a necessary cog in the whole—without one the others wouldn’t be as strong. This was raw, honest, and downright relatable. I especially loved how you could hear Afualo’s voice through the page. She kept her voice to tell her story, and I’m glad she did.

My one qualm, which may seem a bit nit-picky, would be that there were certain statement/definitions used without a source. I agreed with what Afualo wrote wholeheartedly and I have seen statistics that back up her claims—I just feel including them to back up her claims would’ve only solidified her comments.

Afualo’s commentary on privilege, intersectionality, race, sexuality, gender, etc. really stood out and I really appreciate how she wove her commentary into her real-life experiences. I cannot wait to see everything else she is yet to do!

Highly recommend!

🌟ARC Review🌟

Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Drew is one of my favorite internet personalities and I love her podcast with her sister so I was thrilled to read her debut novel!

Drew mixes stories from her personal life and advice for young women about self-love, self confidence, and removing male approval from the center of your life. As a woman in her late thirties, this is a book I wish I had read in my early twenties.

She gives some insight into her family dynamic and how close knit and supportive the Afualo family is. Hearing Drew speak about her sister makes me want to ugly cry and makes me devastated I don't have a sister to have that kind of bond with.

This is one of the best book cover designs ever! Kudos to the designer!

If you've seen Drew's content on TikTok, then I think you know what to expect from this book: Refreshing, real, and no pulled punches commentary on family, body neutrality, relationships, and self-worth.

Drew read the audiobook and it felt like an older, much wiser, and yet relatable sister was giving me sage advice. I highly recommend this book for everyone, but I think it's essential for teenage and young adult women to read. Drew's voice is refreshingly supportive and positive towards other women in a world where many tear one another down. I LOVED this.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Much thanks to Drew Afualo, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Knowing Drew and her content from Tiktok, I went into Loud expecting some funny and entertaining things, but it ended up being even better than expected! Her candid voice is refreshing, especially in a world where women are constantly told to tone it down.

I'm sure for people with more experience consuming feminist content, a lot of this won't be new, but as someone who's not gone out of my way to educate myself on the topic much, I found it educational and enlightening. Hearing about her personal experiences was moving, and I found quite a few quotes that stuck out to me:

"This is your life. Don't waste one second of it living for anyone but yourself."

"Learning how to love yourself - like, truly love yourself - is not easy. In fact, it might be one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do. But look, there's only one person you'll be with from the moment you are born until the moment you die - yourself. Give yourself a chance."

"Some people may say I'm being contrarian, but I say better to be a contrarian than die a thousand little deaths of disrespect."

"Love and support from women is a gift. It's a resource where you can not only find community, but empowerment. It's a place you go to recharge and remind yourself that you are loved, important, and valid in this world."

"When you let go of male validation, you not only take away all of their power, but you also have the opportunity to redirect that power to yourself and others."

I really enjoyed this book! There were some repetitive sections, which is why it's a 4/5 but overall, if you are a fan of Drew, you will enjoy this book. I felt this was a thoughtfully written book that provided more background into Drew and provided the "why" behind her videos.