i am not a memoir girlie, and i think that really dampened my experience. it’s not super long, i didn’t MIND listening to it, it just wasn’t as engaging as i wanted it to me. i was expecting (hoping for) something more like her podcast, but this seemed more formal (it’s a book, though, so obviously).

one part that really stood out to me was when she talked about her own journey towards accepting that she doesn’t want to have children/be a mom. i think it really hit home for me, and i appreciated her being so vulnerable!

🎧 listened to audiobook (read by drew herself!)
#netgalley

Narration: A-
Content/Memoir: B+
Story Telling/Writing: A-
Best Aspect: Strong female who speaks the truth.
Worst Aspect: Best for younger, still dating people, but insightful regardless.
Recommend: Yes.

I knew I was going to love this book because I love everything Drew says. What I wasn't expecting was the raw emotion and honesty Drew gave us. I thought I was going to laugh throughout this book, not cry lmaooo.

This book gave everything it set out to give, and I truly didn't know it was possible for me to love Drew more. But I've already decided once this is published, it is going to be a gift for every woman close to me.

Her realness really shone through here and Drew is someone I needed when I was younger. I hope young women and girls can live their lives by Drew's rules, not the Patriarchy's.

There were so many good parts but here's a few that stood out to me that I saved:

"I think the universe has a really funny way of giving us what we want, not when we want it, but when we're ready to receive it. And I know now with the utmost confidence that I found my person because I was ready to. My self confidence was at a point where, with or without a partner, I was going to be okay. I was going to live a long, fulfilling, and beautiful life regardless of my relationship status and because I arrived at that state of mind, I was finally ready to be with my soulmate."

"No matter how many women you try to step on to be seen by the world's most mediocre men, you will never be taller than any man. You will always be one step below. And how can they respect you when they're always looking down at you?"

"He won't stop if you're not interested. It's within his power to get you to change your mind, that you don't know what you really want. But he does. If you don't like him, he intends to make you feel guilty to the point of acquiescence. How dare you not even give him a chance? But your succumbing to this coercion is his goal. DO NOT CAVE."

Having seen Drew on tiktok, I immediately knew I needed to read her book! Her amazing laugh brought me in and the content made me an instant follow.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy!

Heading in I expected memoir but it was more so a self help book - not my typical genre to reach for but I'm so glad I did. I listened to this audiobook with my 17 year old daughter and we wholeheartedly enjoyed it. Drew is confident, funny, and unashamed. I needed this book in my teens, 20's, hell even my 30's and of course now. With chapters like Confessions of a Teenage Pick Me, and I'd Rather Die Alone, we found this book so encouraging and relatable - reminding us to be our authentic selves and to always, always F the patriarchy.

Drew Afualo is an impressive young woman with a no-nonsense POV: woman and femmes need to stand up to misogyny in all its forms, and call out the fragile and despicable men who troll us online and IRL.

I was not familiar with this Tik-Tok influencer prior to listening to the audiobook. I simply saw the bright, colorful cover and the title, LOUD: Accept Nothing Less than the Life You Deserve, and requested it from #NetGalley. And I’m glad I did.

The author has built a nice living calling out men for their bad behavior, clapping back at them, and holding their actions up for ridicule. The situation means she has received no shortage of insults and even death threats. Yet, She Persists. And fortunately for women everywhere, she helps point out unacceptable behavior directed towards women and, even more important, points out the negative thoughts that women often have about ourselves, and why this also is unacceptable.

Ms. Afualo shares details about her upbringing in a strong Samoan family where she received unconditional love and support. Her parents demonstrated a practical equality. There was no “woman’s work,” just things that needed to be done for the family. And while it would have been more “on brand” for Afualo to eschew the company of men, she is in a committed relationship with a man (so trolls should stop calling her a man-hater).

I looked up her Instagram feed and don’t think I’m going to be following her. But I will strongly support her messaging and her advocating for women to support and love each other. I’m from a generation that experienced (and was held back by) the men who allowed only one (token) woman at the table. It took decades for my colleagues and me to create our own “girls club” to support and promote each other. We can never go back.

As for LOUD, the author reads the audiobook and does an excellent job. It’s an inspiring book with a focus on unpacking societal expectations, self acceptance and body positivity. Be who you are, not who others expect you to be. It will be difficult for girls in middle school and HS to understand, so it’s very important that their parents (yes, men too) become familiar with the ways we limit our daughters and granddaughters so we can be more encouraging and supportive of their needs.

My thanks to the author, @Dreamscape_Media and #NetGalley for the advance copy of this audiobook for review purposes. It is now available for pre-ordering!

Drew’s fans, especially younger ones who may be encountering feminist ideas for the first time, will find this really relatable. Her advice is solid, and I think people will be able to actually implement some of it in their lives. An empowering book from an inspirational tiktok star.

In a fun and friendly voice, the author mixes personal and social science facts and experiences to encourage listeners to be loudly themselves despite living in a culture that encourages them to be meek. The author came to fame through social media but the book will appeal to people who have never heard of her just as much as it will to fans

Definitely not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a humorous memoir with some heartfelt life lessons. This was kind of like Beginner’s Feminism 101 told incredibly earnestly from someone with the exact same viewpoints as me.

If you had a healthy childhood led by a powerful mom, this will probably just repeat the phrases you’ve heard your whole life.

TY to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook.

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me listen to the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I love Drew! I've followed her on TikTok forever and love her takes. This book was fantastic, self help, self love with a little information about her family and her life. A few parts were repetitive, but overall it was great. Hearing Drew read this book was like having a chat. She gave some great points and ideas on how to do better, be better and grow as a person within the partiarchal society.

This was fantastic. I love Drew but she's still fairly young so I wasn't sure what to expect from a memoir. I'm several years older than her, but this is written like a big sister offering advice on life, dating, finding your voice, being true to yourself, and what to do when you mess up. Sprinkled in with pieces of her life. It's something I would hand to young women in their late teens and twenties quite readily. The feminism is intersectional in terms of race, sexuality, and gender identity and she talks about being Samoan throughout the book. The standout thing to me that I think applies when you're looking at criticisms of the content she makes is this- misogynistic men are afraid of being made fun of while women are afraid of being sexually assaulted or killed. These things are not the same and I find what Drew does to be incredibly empowering. Well worth a read and she reads the audiobook herself which is fun. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an early audiobook copy!

I found Drew’s TikTok during the Pandemic and was instantly a fan. I loved the fact she didn’t hold back in tearing into awful, misogynistic men and put them in their place. So when I got this early copy of her book I was ecstatic.

As a 33 year old woman who has learned over the years not to take any 💩 from men and be confident in myself, I wish I could have given this book to my younger self. I really enjoyed her touching on growing up around a close knit family and how close of a bond she has with her sister. But ultimately I feel this book is meant for teenagers and those in college that are just starting to grow their confidence and come into their own. She gives great advice on how to not let men break your spirit and how to remind yourself you’re worthy of great friends, a great partner, and a great career.

My only qualm with this is I felt it was too long. Sometimes I felt like she would say the same thing but just in multiple ways. Could it be she was really driving her point home? Perhaps. But ultimately there were times where I felt she was repeating herself and I’d start to zone out.

This an excellent book and exactly what we’ve come to expect from TikTok sensation Drew Afualo. Part memoir and part instruction manual on navigating the perils of the patriarchy, Loud reminds women and femmes of their power and gives realistic and actionable advice on how to reclaim the power we think we lost or don’t have. Afualo’s deep heart and passion bleed through the pages of this book. She also did a fantastic job narrating, and I was SO happy that the final seconds of the audiobook included Drew letting loose one of her signature laughs! This is essential reading for young people and a book that will be enjoyed by all and leave everyone with something to think about.

I love Drew Afualo! This book was half memoir/half self help book but not in an annoying. I love how much she sticks up for women and femmes and the whole queer community.
My favorite chapter was the one where she talked about her sister’s coming out journey.
I highly recommend the audiobook because Drew’s personality shines through.

Drew is one of the most realest and baddest woman I have ever read about. I loved her vulnerability in this and it turned my confidence high!

Drew Afualo deserves all of the love, kindness, and success in the world. I was so moved by her story - I am sure that they girls/gays/theys who choose to embark on this read with find things to relate to within the pages. I especially loved Drew's uncomplicated way of explaining internalized misogyny and what can be done to fight it. 5 stars, she's a queen, and I would pay taxes to her.

I’ve been following Drew Afualo’s TikTok for a few years now and I love seeing her pop up on my for you page! When I saw that she wrote a book, I immediately requested to review it on NetGalley because I could not wait to get my hands on it!

Drew is so well spoken, so wise and someone I truly look up to. I loved learning a bit about where she comes from, how she became who she is and all the advice she has throughout this book. I aspire to have the confidence she has in herself!

Ok, I listened to half of this absent-mindedly before deciding to turn it off. It's extremely feminism 101, which a lot of young women need to hear. Afualo does a good job of knowing she is not only writing for cis women, and she critiques her own past misogynistic and non-ally-like behavior. A good listen for younger readers.

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

I absolutely loved the vulnerability and honesty that Drew portrayed in this book a lot. We’ve all seen at least one of Drew’s clap backs on TikTok by now, but this book offers some insight into what and why Drew became the internet personality we all know and (most of us) love today. Narrated by Drew herself, the audiobook felt like Drew was sitting here with me just telling me about herself and letting me get to know her. I teared up hearing her talk about her parents, and then again when she talked about her false pregnancy test and how it solidified her child free wishes for herself. As a parent, I felt empowered hearing how her parents influenced who she is. If my children ever speak about me the way Drew speaks about her parents, I'd feel so accomplished. I'm also someone who grew up without the family support she had, and I loved hearing about what a family could look like. As a woman I felt, I felt empowerment hearing her talk about body neutrality and getting to the point where you don't put value in your physical appearance, positive of negative. I think Drew did an excellent job not just writing this book but narrating it so well.

thank you to netgalley, macmillan audio, and drew afualo for the arc!

as someone who has followed along with drew’s journey from the beginning of her tiktok career, i was absolutely thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this one. just like she never misses when she targets misogynistic men on the internet, she didn’t miss with this book either. it was incredibly enlightening to see how the challenges she has faced throughout her life are what shaped her into the bold, confident woman we all know and love. as she walks her readers through her own coming of age through personal anecdotes, drew also laces in the lessons that she has learned, and advice for women and femmes to strive for what they deserve. the result is an uplifting memoir that also serves as a self-help letter encouraging women and femmes to find their voices and take control of their lives.

while this is definitely an intro-level text on understanding the patriarchy and its consequences, drew writes in an intellectual yet entertaining manner that makes it an enjoyable read for beginners and those well-versed in the topic alike. i would definitely recommend this one to fans of the author, or anyone interested in gaining some unique insight on their path to self-love and confidence!

“It’s not our fault if we are born ignorant but it is our fault if we die that way.”

As much as I love to sit down and read a memoir, I truly believe that the best way to consume this piece of complete ART is to listen to the audio version. No one can capture Drew the way Drew can capture Drew.

That being said, she not only takes us on a journey throughout her life in this book but she gives INCREDIBLE encouragement, advice, and support in the most wholesome but brutal way imaginable. From giving insight into her Samoan culture and heritage, the struggles she faced due to being different growing up, and the obstacles that she absolutely obliterated along the way.

There are so many parts in this book where I was, of course, simply cackling to the ends of the earth (especially at the end credits, SO thankful they kept in a cackle for us 😭) but there were also parts where my brain was working overtime like “oh… Oh… OHHHHH OKAY” because I have never felt so truly seen or heard in a memoir/self-help type of book before.

And while self-help books aren’t my typical cup of tea, I knew as soon as I saw that Drew was an author queen now?? I already knew that my socks were gonna be blown across the room. I also knew that I would be educated as I always am when I watch her content and I am forever thankful to her and others like her who speak about these topics and explain it in gentle but honest ways.

I was absolutely, by no means disappointed in this book. Her honesty about her past mistakes with her family and her absolute love and adoration for Pili had me bawling in the fetal position. Her humor in the advice and wisdom she is giving, as stated above, had me in cackle central. As a bisexual female, I related to being on the receiving end of Drew’s reaction and it was insightful to see it from a different perspective.

I can’t wait to get my own physical copy for my bookshelf!!

Thank you Drew Afualo, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this amazing audiobook. This review is voluntary and all opinions are entirely my own 🫶