Words can not express how much of a gift Drew Afualo is to the world. I can't tell you how many times, as a woman, advice is thrown to me about how to be a "better woman" or how to be "happier" but all of those things--all the "self help" advice I've been gived is always rooted in misogyny. Drew is one of the first people who approaches looking at life and reclaiming it on your own terms and unabashadly laughing in the face of all the ways women have been taught to be women for so long. I was deeply moved by her words and I can not wait to talk about how much this book has changed my outlook.

TikTok star Drew Afualo’s book is part memoir and part “manual” on how she became the “Crusader for Women”. I wasn’t familiar with Drew’s content, though I recognized her name and I enjoy a good Feminist comedienne targeting misogynistic trolls on the internet, so this looked promising.

I think the target audience for this book is late teens to early twenties — young women learning how to navigate the world full of misogyny and needing the confidence to stand up for themselves. As a (I can’t believe I’m calling myself this) middle-aged woman, I appreciated some of the content and can relate to her experiences, but I didn’t feel connected to it in the way a younger audience may. I certainly could’ve benefited from someone reminding me that I didn’t need to dim my light to be less “intimidating” or desirable to my male peers at that stage of my life. I even benefited from the reminder listening to Afualo now.

However, a couple things about Afualo’s approach rub me the wrong way. Her bullying the bullies attitude followed by the “it’s not my job to teach them” perspective is counterproductive to progress. It is not about teaching tools on the internet that saying fat phobic and sexist things is not okay. It is absolutely the right thing to call out this behavior of keyboard warriors and the real life scenarios in which this occurs. But dragging these people just perpetuates the problem by causing defensiveness and a cycle of hate. It’s a culture of taking things too far and widening the divide, and I think the positive message gets lost. It’s a fine line to walk.

I did enjoy Afualo’s narration of the audio book. Her personality shines through her storytelling. I am tempted to checkout her podcast after listening to her read her book.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love love loved drew narrating her own book! It was super interesting to learn about Samoan culture, her family dynamics and her life. I would read a memoir of hers for sure in the future.

I think this book would’ve been better suited to a younger crowd though, one that is dabbling in the dating scene, friendships and feminism. For me who has been around the bend with these topics it was a bit too common knowledge for me. But ones common knowledge is someone else’s revelation!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Drew is definitely one of the good things that have come out of TikTok, and when it goes she will definitely be here to stay.

This book touched on a bit of everything when it comes to Drew’s life before and after TikTok fame. Reflecting on her pick me self, and the growth she has done as an individual, Her place within samoan culture, Decentering men in society, and letting us into more of her personal life when it came to her relationship with her boyfriend, her mom, and older sister.

Some parts were repetitive, but within the content it was good to bring up again.

I was hoping to hear that contagious laugh in the audiobook!!!

But overall I absolutely enjoyed learning more about one of my favorite influencers!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the e-arc!

This was such a great listen. It interwove Drew’s lived experiences with why she’s the woman she is today but also touched on lots of societal things that affect women and why we need to speak up on them. This was a really good listen and I wasn’t too sure what to expect but this exceeded anything I could’ve imagined.

This is a good book for people who aren't well versed in feminism/intersectionality to read. It was fun listening to Drew narrate her story and learning more about her!

Drew Afualo narrates her own audiobook with gusto and energy that really brings her message to heart. This is a lot for a quieter person like me but I agree wholeheartedly with her message and she really makes you think about things from a different perspective. I so appreciate strong women becoming role models for my daughters and imploring us all to do better.

I’m only a little familiar with Drew’s TikToks but everything she came up on my FYP, she earned my respect. This audiobook is the feminist big sisterly advice every 20-something needs. I’m so glad this next generation has Drew in their corner.

“You can’t feel emasculated if your self validation doesn’t come from over powering your partner.” 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

“It’s what happens when you start living according to your desires and not men’s.”

“Give yourself a chance.”

“The word no is a complete sentence.”

“There is no right way to be a woman, only your way.”

Drew truly wrote the most empowering book I have ever read. I found myself gaining the strength and courage to move through my daily life in a new found way.

What an amazing and unexpected read.

A lot sadder and more heartfelt than I was expecting. I knew very little about Drew coming in (I’ve come across her videos on TikTok but never dived in depth) and I think for fans this is a must listen/read. For others it’s an interesting look into a successful young woman of color’s life and it was super interesting hearing about her family. It really helps you understand the strive and drive for equality in relationships she has in her videos.

First, I am so lucky to get to experience this book, read by Drew, before it released. Drew is a queen and what an absolute joy Loud was to read.

From learning who you are to sticking up to others to what it means to effectively battle against oppressive, patriarchal standards, Loud is a book that hit form start to finish.

I requested the ARC for this book because a dear friend raved about Drew’s narrative around intersectional feminism, dismantling the patriarchy, and most importantly her chapter on being child-free by choice. As a firm believer of “If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no”, Drew’s explanations of her thoughts and feelings around parenthood and choosing to be child-free, this chapter had me in my FEELINGS. As a pro-abortion femme, the way she discussed abortion and the Reproductive Justice tenets of IF AND WHEN you become a parent was beautiful and free from judgement.

I cannot wait for a generation of young women and femmes to read this book - the way Drew approaches self worth, respect and feminism is so incredible and I am so grateful to her for using her platform in this way.

4.5 Stars - I was thrilled to receive the opportunity to listen to this audio ARC early, thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing it in exchange for an honest review! I have long enjoyed Drew’s content on TikTok and her podcast, so I was curious to see how her memoir would turn out. What I discovered was a foundation that explains why Drew has such a strong platform. Her insights and personal reflections on her behavior and the impact of the patriarchy on our world were exceptional. While this isn’t exactly a self-help book, it offers valuable advice for younger girls, much like a wise older sister would.

The narration was good overall, though there were moments when it felt more like Drew was reading a book rather than sharing her story directly. This was a bit jarring since I’m accustomed to her natural speech patterns and commentary style on TikTok and her podcast. However, I still believe that having her narrate the book herself brought more authenticity to it than a professional narrator could have achieved.

I love that Drew was given a platform to connect with more women and help them recognize their worth beyond the male gaze.

I wasn't familiar with Drew before reading this, and wasn't sure what to expect, but I appreciate what Drew is trying to do, breaking down the patriarchy and trolling the trolls. This is a very well read audiobook, and the tone is like chatting with a friend or sister who always has your back.

I really love Drew on Tik Tok so I was very excited to get early access to her book. Hearing her story was really eye opening and enlightened me to who she is as a person. One thing I really loved about Drew's writing was that she also discussed her mistakes, not just her victories. It made her more relatable and honestly made her content more real to me. The only downside I had to this audiobook was it lacked Drew's enthusiasm. I didn't really hear her voice shine through and instead it felt like she was reading from a script. Reading the book itself without narration, I felt that I could insert the Drew's voice that I knew and loved. Overall this book was a fun memoir that helped me learn more about someone I find to be hilarious and entertaining.

This book is a gem. It's more than a memoir, it's a message of love and solidarity to anyone that has ever had to pivot in life and didn't know where to start. It's a story encouraging everyone to love themselves despite where they are in their journey and to surround yourself with a healthy support system.

I finished this book in two days. I could not put it down and will probably ready it again in the near future. Amazing job Ms. Afualo!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and Drew Afualo for allowing me to read this ARC.

I absolutely love Drew Afualo and have followed her on Tik Tok for years. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this audio ARC. There were many chapters of this book that made me feel so seen and I truly appreciated Drew's vulnerability talking about "sensitive" topics. The way that she articulates her thoughts on being parent resonated with me so much. I also loved her chapters on Pick-Me girls and also how she reacted to her sister coming out. Although my views are the very similar to hers I found myself learning and connecting the dots and feeling even more confident in myself. This was a great listen, and I love that she narrates her book. I'd highly recommend this.

I loved this so much ♥️

This book explores so many topics ranging from self love, intersectional feminism, culture, etc.
It gives insight into Drew’s life and shows how she became the badass we all know her to be on social media.

Thank you to NetGalley/Publisher &Author for the eARC!

If you love Drew’s content, you’ll love this. Very glad I did the audio, as she narrates. Drew’s feminist ideas are the same as my own, and I always appreciate a conversation on how terrible men are. This book gives some background on Drew’s life I didn’t know just by following her on tiktok, which I enjoyed.

I love Drew. The fact that she narrates this makes it even better. So funny and smart! Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this audiobook!

4.5/5

I believe all young men and women need to read this book. Drew does a great job of voicing the issues that everyone struggles with because of the patriarchy. My only disappointment with this book is that unfortunately the people that need to read it will be the ones that avoid it.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.