A review by ebbiebooks
Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve by Drew Afualo

hopeful informative inspiring

5.0

I came in with little to no expectation, as I've had not so great luck with online famous memoir in the recent past. I do love Drew a lot, but being a good entertainer doesn't always translate that well on paper.

After just a few minutes, I knew I was listening to a great book. It's not too much "cathphrasy", but just enough to recognize Drew's personality through the words.

I wouldn't say I've learned new things exactly regarding feminism or self worth, but the way Drew speaks through this book really helps transform things I know intellectually into more heartfelt belief and core foundation. I wish I could make a few of my friends read it so it could drive home things I tell them myself to support them. Reading the book feels like a big sister loving embrace, word of affirmation to hype you up and protective stance against the people trying to bring you down. As someone who's often the big-sister-support or angry-mama-bear to her friends, it felt nice to have someone play that role for me.

It might be a "right moment" book, to be fair, though I do feel like the lived experiences Drew picks to talk about the points she's making are effective. 

Now, I would say it still has a few minor flaws. It sometimes can be bit repetitive, though not to the point I was feeling like it was stalling. And I did feel like the belief that "you are destined to get to where you're supposed to be" that comes up a bunch can become tiring for some of us. As much is I like to believe about luck, karma, and things happening for reasons, I'm also cautious about this mindset since, to me, it often sits on privileges some people will never have. And sometimes, things are just hard or shitty for no reason, with no silver lining. But I'd say it didn't feel like something to was force-fed or throat-pushy, so I'm giving it a pass.

All in all, it's a great book and it does what it sets to accomplish nicely.