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 🫶

Thank you Net Galley for this bookish opportunity!
I may be biased here because I absolutely love Drew and have watched almost all of her content online but this book was so good! I really appreciated Drew’s voice in the audio book, it was like I was listening to an extended version of her podcast. It reflects her personal life experiences, her online presence and the wisdom she has acquired along the way. I think this book affirms a lot of what she speaks about and for online and brings it into context within the readers life, or at least it did for me.

Okay so I know Drew from tiktok and knew I'd enjoy this book, but she got me immediately in her opener when she talked about being a tangible consequence for terrible men. This is why we love Drew.

I appreciate her being vulnerable about her learning moments, and the finale focuses on self advocacy. We (women/fems) are absolutely socialized to shy away from asking for let alone demanding what we want or deserve.

The only thing missing in this audio version is her signature laugh, oh that would've been a treat to start off or end the book!

This was such a great read — surprisingly it's probably one of the best contemporary feminist books I've experienced. I was expecting something more memoir-y and got a guidebook on advocating for myself, body neutrality, divesting myself from the cisheteropatriarchy and more. Specifically, I enjoyed and appreciated the chapter on Drew's experience as a child-free by choice woman — it resonated deeply with me in a way that other books on the subject of being child-free could not. I'm glad she took the time to narrate her book herself, because it made the experience of listening to it that much greater. Her voice lends a sense of familiarity to the text, and you can hear her vulnerability and humor shining through. It feels like your big sister is giving you advice and telling you stories — it's comforting and empowering.

I can't wait to buy a physical copy and highlight the shit out of it.

I need to pick up a physical copy of this book asap. I enjoyed so many things about this book. So many things resonated with me and I did a lot of reflecting while listening to it. I highly recommend it!

I received this audiobook as an arc from NetGalley

I follow Drew on social media, but that wasn't why I wanted to read this. I knew from the title that this book would be empowering and inspiring, and I was absolutely correct. I loved really hearing Drew's perspective on life, love, feminism, culture, etc for longer than a minute long video. She is truly an inspiring voice, and I hope even those who don't agree with her ideas will give this a chance with an openness to learn.

Drew Afualo, the woman that you are!

I was absolutely kicking my feet and screaming when I got the email approving this arc request. Even though biographies/memoirs are definitely out of my norm when it comes to reading, I knew that this book would be the exception. Obviously, I was biased when I started this book because Drew is one of my favorite content creators. However, that did not affect the overall enjoyment that I felt while listening. I have dnf'd many attempts at genre with other public figures that I look up to but this book.... it's different.

This book singlehanded rewired my brain in a way that will create lasting changes in my perception of the world. Drew conveys such an authentic and vulnerable look into her life, her ideals, and her call to action for all of us. I learned so much about misogyny and generationally gendered expectations, some of which I never noticed or considered before. Her determination for the reader to feel encouraged as their venture through their individual journey of self-discovery and unlearning the patriarchy in this crazy society made me feel so seen. I have so much respect for Drew and her ability to make this 11 hour audiobook feel like a facetime session with my bestie.

I enjoyed Drew's narration in this. Her infliction at certain points of the book was so necessary to get her point across! I do wish that she would have been a bit less rigid at times but overall it was done well. The whole time I couldn't get over how much she sounded like her sister, Deison.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this amazing audiobook arc!

Thank you, Net Galley and MacMillian Audio for the e-arc.
Loud by Dre Afualo was more than just a funny memoir teaching women how to tell men how to fuck off. Afualo used her own and friends' personal experiences to help women and femmes find self-confidence, self-reflection, and most importantly to look at the bigger picture, I thoroughly enjoyed the thought and care Afualo used to explain intersectionality as well as ways women especially BIPOC women are oppressed. Afualo humor was woven throughout the book but the main message of women and femme finding their voice was never lost. Also, Afualo reading her book brought emotion and care to the story making it feel like you are talking to an old friend. I would suggest this book to anyone, especially the audiobook.

I already enjoy Drew's TikTok's, so was very pleasantly surprised to see this pop up on NG. It's something of a philosophical memoir (some life stories but all centered around how she arrived at the opinions, philosophies, and platform she's famous for) with some of her characteristic humor/snark and I love that she narrated the audiobook herself. Would definitely recommend, especially to younger readers finding their way and coming into their own. There are beautiful messages of self worth and standing up for oneself.

My only quibble is that I think the "once I was ready, the universe sent me my soulmate" bit undermines the point about being okay with singleness and being willing to be solo rather than settle.

But overall top marks.

I loved this book! It was a perfect mix of great writing while also being informal enough to feel like you’re having a conversation with Drew.

I read about half this book physically, and half via audio. Drew did a great job narrating and I found myself far more engaged when I picked up the audiobook. If you decide to read this, I recommend the audiobook version, as the written version can be repetitive and somewhat dry. Overall, the book covers important, intriguing, and well-articulated content, and I believe it's definitely worth a read.

This was PHENOMENAL! I highly recommend this to all women and femmes, especially those of us who have accepted less than what we deserve in the past out of guilt or obligation. I enjoy Drew's online presence, but this book gave me so much more respect for her - she's certainly funny, but now I know how much work she's put in to understand the state of the world and the way we treat women and femmes. This book was inspiring, encouraging, and interesting from beginning to end.

I was granted access to the audio ARC by NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and AUWA and I am so grateful. You're going to need to add this to your TBR ASAP!

I am not usually a memoir reader but this was told in an exact way I love to listen.

I love that Drew herself narrated. I also enjoyed the in depth look at some of her life.
Lots of great affirmations to go back to after annotating as well.

I LOVE DREW AFUALO!!!!!

I am such a huge fan of Drew and her movement on TikTok. Standing up to misogyny and toxic societal norms has been her goal for quite some time, stitching shitty men and their invalid opinions of women. When I saw she was publishing a book with FSG/AUWA, I SCREAMED. I am so thankful to the publishers, Macmillan Audio, Drew Afualo, and Netgalley for granting me advanced digital and audio access to this gem before it hits shelves on July 30, 2024.

In her memoir, Drew walks us through the values she embodies in her day to day, paying homage to her Samoan upbringing, and how she works to educate those who've been harboring internalized misogynistic virtues, working to break that pattern.

There are some laughable moments, and there are definitely some *facepalm* moments, as Afualo recounts the hateful instances both she and those she knows have encountered at the hand/mouth of small, small, infantile men.

Drew provides a reflective history of her life and how learning to accept herself and supporting others has positioned her to where she is now. She is bold and direct with her choices especially when it comes to misogynists. Though many of the topics regarding womanism are well known I liked how she provided her personal experiences with them.

4.5/5 Although Drew isn't reinventing the wheel, I absolutely adore her tone, her power, her confidence, and even her vulnerability in sharing aspects of her life that we- as her fans (of which I proudly am)- have no right to know, but she felt that she could trust this audience with these stories. As I mentioned, many feminists and terrible men haters that read this book are likely to know much of the information that Drew gives us, but where I think this book shined the most, is in its focus on family. As a woman of color and a child and grandchild of immigrants, there is nothing I love more than the upholding of found and blood family bonds. Drew has a very unique and personal way of writing, and I loved all of it. Sometimes, in our very busy world, you need to be reminded of the greatness you can achieve, in whatever, whenever, and wherever that may be. Thank you Drew, and NetGalley for this ARC, it was an absolute pleasure.

I love Drew. She’s fighting misogyny in a way that truly works for this generation. Also a great boon about self worth as well! Love that she was the narrator.

This was a stellar memoir, particularly by someone as young as Drew. It was personal, but it also educated readers about dismantling the patriarchy in a way that is relevant to women and femmes in 2024 navigating the misogynistic world of our time. It was of course infused with Drew's signature sense of humor, but it also gave great context for her videos & platform.

Not only has Drew made us laugh countless times, but she’s brought me to tears with her beautifully written memoir. I’ve watched Drew’s career bloom over the last few years and it was so nice to learn about how she got to where she is which heavily involved her family dynamic. I loved learning about her culture and how strong each person surrounding her is resulting in the confident, protective, and strong individual she is today. She didn’t just run with it, she wants everyone else to feel that way too. She is so inspiring and I hope to be able to implement some of these thought processes in my life!

This audiobook was narrated by the author and I loved getting to hear it in her voice. I did miss the cackling but I’ll listen to anything she reads!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Drew Afualo, and Macmillan Audio for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This publishes on July 30th!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will be making a TikTok about this within a week of the publishing date!