Black Girls Must Die Exhausted audiobook

Slice of life stories don’t always work for me, but I really really enjoyed this book! The writing is fantastic and I absolutely loved the characters. Tabby is our protagonist and she’s feeling the pressure to get married and have kids now that she’s thirty-three. She also works as a TV news reporter, which is soooooo cool and I’d love to read more books about this career because I find it absolutely fascinating. But I’m so glad to hear this will be the first book in a series because I love this authors writing! I just immediately connected to the story and I felt so much for Tabby and everything she was going through. I appreciate all the discussion about race in this book too, and the talk about the unique struggles Black women face in society today, and I thought it was all very well done. I loved the discussions Tabby had with her grandmother in this book, she’s such a wise woman and a really great character and I adore their relationship. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

The following review first appeared on Sunday 11/18/2018: http://blerdybingereader.blogspot.com...There is a substantive distinction between BLACK fiction and fiction written about characters who happen to be black, among other traits, that’s difficult to quantify. Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, the first entry in a scheduled trilogy, falls into the latter category. It is integrated in ways that mainstream contemporary fiction rarely is beyond ethnicity, including socioeconomic class, geographic region, age, and gender. Blend a 21st-century New Adult version of Waiting to Exhale and “Girlfriends” with candid revelations about traumatic injuries of the spirit reminiscent of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf. Toss in the caustic wisdom of seasoned women a la “Golden Girls” or “Grace and Frankie” into a sometimes exclamatory narrative style familiar to fans of Sophie Kinsella to create this endearing tale that’s provocative, funny, and emotionally satisfying. Of its many thematic layers about 33-year-old Tabitha’s professional and personal struggles, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted portrays the challenges of women to maintain their integrity of self and exert agency from multiple angles: career opportunities, proactive medical and mental health advocacy, family obligations, and romantic relationships. Tabitha’s, Alexis’s, and Laila’s complicated man troubles each qualify for their own “Ask Steve Harvey” segment. Tabitha broods about single, thirty-something men’s attitudes toward monogamy on page 10: They treated love like a disease you catch, and if real adult commitment was the incurable version of it, then for them family was basically death. The ensuing relationship drama practically screams validation of Dr. Maya Angelou’s quote about believing people the first time they reveal who they really are. Inclusive representation is also addressed from multiple points of view. Seeds for a less fraught variation of themes from The Hate U Give are planted on page 27 when Tabitha thinks, “Communities that were underrepresented in the newsroom were underrepresented in the news.” The words newsroom and news are easily substituted for words like innovators and innovations or executive suites and workplaces. Tabitha’s rude awakening regarding her fertility options resonates as a timely call for proactive self-advocacy consistent with revelations shared by former first lady Michelle Obama in Becoming, the #startasking campaign started by 2018 Mrs. North Carolina, and the series by Nicole Ellis for The Washington Post. The level of reading enjoyment provided by Black Girls Must Die Exhausted bodes well for the release of And Baby Makes Two in September 2019. [Proofing note: In the NetGalley ARC offsetting commas for directly addressing a person by name are frequently missing as on page 48, “Hi Nate,” and throughout the text, a pattern that was probably corrected in the final galley.]

I love a book with strong female characters. I love reading about women at their best, supporting each other emotionally, financially, psychologically and culturally and this book just served me a whole series of “Girlfriends!”Tabitha is career focused. She’s got her sights set on being a Senior Reporter, but there’s also Marc, he’s educated, intelligent, sexy- but for one a half years they have been dating and when she gets a verdict from the doctor, she starts evaluating her life, priorities and relationships based on that.I loved her friendship with her girlfriends, Laila and Alexis. They each have their own battles and are as bold as they come. I could use a Laila in my life, especially when she tells Tabby:“Do you want me to go key his car?..Because I will- just say the word and I will light that Porsche right up!”The author’s tone of writing is simple and each character’s voice is undeniably strong. You cannot help but also appreciate the diversity of women from age, race to social status and they all influence Tabby in one way or the other. I found her relationship with her grandmother most interesting and there’s this point where in relation to the title of the book, Gretchen, her grandmother’s friend tells her “I say, don’t ever die of exhaustion on somebody else’s terms!” I could sing praises of this book all day long, because it I could relate to it. I see myself in Tabby, Laila, Alexis, her mother, grandmother and I see myself in her career struggles, however the ending was not a reader’s paradise. I know there’s a second book, but come on…why exhaust my emotions over this?I got to read this book courtesy of the Publisher and Netgalley and that eARC was so worth it! How else would I have felt so drawn to a character like this?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I loved the different characters and thought the narrator did a great job. I loved the author’s writing style and I’m excited for the next few books in the series.Tabby is a 33 year old black woman with a life checklist. She’s crossed nearly everything off. Tabby is told she is unable to have children. This comes as a shock to her. She always thought she would have them at some point in the future. Now, she didn’t realize how badly she wanted them until the choice was taken from her.Suddenly her picture perfect life is turned upside down. With support from her family and friends turns to modern medicine for help. This process puts stress on her relationships as she struggles to have the future she’s always wanted.

**3.5 Stars*Tabitha is a thirty-three year old Black woman who is on track to have it all when her train veers a little. I enjoyed Tabitha's relationships with her best friends. I laughed out loud at their foolishness. This book isn't all laughter and lightness though. It goes deep and touches on the BLM movement, Black Women and promotions, as well as mental illness. I didn't love the love story in this one. I still rooted for Tabitha though. I can't wait to see what is next for her!

Why can’t we have more books like this!? I LOVED IT. Contemporary fiction by a Black woman with all Black women at the lead. Dealing with race head on, in a “slice of life” way that allows for a nuanced view. Jayne Allen is at the top of my list of new favorite authors.

This was a reread for me and I will say it made a difference reading it a few years later when I'm closer in age to the main character as I could better relate to what she was going through. This time I definitely have more thoughts about it. I could relate to her being in a place where some of her friends and colleagues have settled down and started families. Ideally she would like to find a nice house and start having children but she experiences some roadblocks. Like her boyfriend Marc who despite being together for years isn't ready to finally settling down and get married and have children. She's also at a place in her career where she wants to advance to the next level. Just like in my first read I do feel like this book tries to tackle too many topics at once and doesn't have the space to cover them all. I thought the police brutality part could've been cut out completely. I did appreciate her reconnecting with her father and trying to form a relationship with her siblings.3.5

I really enjoyed this book!I was uncertain in approaching it, as it appears to be aimed at younger, professional women of color (none of which describe me). Yet the magic of good fiction for me is that it transports me into other lives and realities than my own, and this title delivered.Tabitha Walker and her best friends Laila and Alexis are well-drawn characters who I came to care about. And I loved Granny Tab! The male characters are a little thinner, but Jayne Allen resists making them two-dimensional. They are complex and human, as are the conflicts in work and romance which arise here.The plot moves right along. It nods to current cultural issues (me too, police violence) but does not allow the issues to hijack the characters (a big pet peeve of mine). I particularly appreciated the work issue that arises between Tabitha and her boss for its nuance and complexity. I'm already hoping for more from Jayne Allen.Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 This is what I was hoping Wahala would be more like. Loved it. Can’t wait for the next book. Thanks to Harper Perennial for the gifted arc in exchange for an honest review. Review Date: Publication Date: 09/28/2021

I've always been told that you should never judge a book by its cover, but it was the beautiful cover that caught my interest with this one. Fortunately, what was inside certainly lived up to that cover.The idea that both women and black people have to work much harder to get the recognition that they deserve is certainly not a new one. Of course being a black woman means therefore that you have to work even harder again, which is why the title of this book proclaims that Black Girls Must Die Exhausted. For the lead character in this book, Tabatha Walker, that is certainly true. She has to constantly fight to get ahead, without wanting to be seen as too pushy or too aggressive. Everything is a struggle and even her body is turning against her in her attempts to succeed in her career, her personal life and the dream of one day being a wife and mother. This book is not just about race, although it is an important theme in the book, it is also about relationships. Tabby has a number of strong women in her life, from her best friends Leila and Lexi to her grandmother, who is also called Tabatha. Added to this is her complex relationship with her father, less than ideal relationship with her boyfriend Marc and a long distance relationship with her mother. It is all of these relationships that add to the rich and complex mix that make this story. This isn't a fairy tale with clearly defined goodies and baddies. Although there are people that are not so good at points, there are also explanations and reasons given for the way that they act. Not that you can excuse everything, but somehow giving reasons makes people seem more real and human.I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The added bonus is that it was actually the first in a trilogy (which I didn't realise until the very end) and I'm really keen to read the next instalment. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I don't know if it's because I'm just getting back into reading or if it was really that good. The story was good and I liked the writing. It was a quick read and I felt like Tabby, the main character, and some of her other characters were relatable to people I know in my life, even me in some aspects, so I was reading every night to see what happened. I am curious to see how the sequel book goes. To be continued.....

This book is now on my favorites list. I was able to relate to so much being discussed. I could really see some of myself in these characters. Everything was so relevant to current headlines we currently find ourselves dealing with now. I can't wait to see what Tabby and her friends have in store for this next phase of her life.

For a book which didn't have the strongest start, I am amazed at its pull factor.Tabitha was the usual trope we've all seen paraded to exhaustion in Tyler Perry's movies. We've seen her as "Mary Jane" and I was a lil' disappointed at how her story started given the sheer power of the title.The story revolves around three friends who have to face their individual challenges but always show up for each other. Tabitha, who waits anxiously for her boyfriend to take their relationship to the next level. A questionable "relationship" at best and "what relationship?" at worst. Alexis, who married her high school sweetheart and is now at crossroads and Laila who reaches breaking point but has always maintained an air of great strength. If you know "Waiting to Exhale", you'll figure out the basic story very early on but 46% into the plot, the narrative takes a very sharp turn and YOU. WILL. PAY. ATTENTION. Because Jayne Allen begins to interrogate the issues that REALLY matter to black women and their navigation thereof like reproductive rights and the cost of infertility treatments, the price one pays in the corporate world for being black and female, the complexities of step families, colourism, mixed-race families in America, ageing and assisted living, the constant feeling of being unworthy, unseen and overlooked amongst many others.The first third of this BGMDE requires patience because the narrating becomes very sharp, pointed and interrogates the intersectionality of race, gender, class, sexuality and their navigation after the first hundred pages. I guess Jayne found her groove and decided to give us more than superficial characters because there's more to a black woman than hair, nails, weight related issues and snagging a fine black brother with good prospects!Highly recommended.

Black Girls Must Die Exhausted was a good reveal on the travails of Black womanhood. It included familial struggles, the bonds we have with other women, our mothers and fathers. And of course the standard man-woman conundrum with biological clocks and fertility issues to boot. It was at turns, oh so real and other times, laugh out loud funny. Read up Black Girls, this ones for you.

This book did take me sometime to read but it was worth it. It kept me interested. It’s about Tabitha Walker; a 33 year old reporter. The book starts off with her finding out that she has a very small window to take action if she plans on having children in the future. She has to go though many personal challenges and emotional issues in order get what she wants, if that is even what she wants. I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait for the sequel.

The story rotates around three companions who need to comfort their difficulties however consistently appear and stand up for one another. Tabitha stands by restlessly for her sweetheart to take their relationship to a higher level, however, this was a problematic relationship and people can question its existence. Alexis, who wedded her secondary school darling and is presently at crossroads, and Laila who breaks down easily but has consistently kept a dreamer of extraordinary strength. The story moves on at a fast pace and by halfway through the story, the account takes an exceptionally sharp turn. The author starts to investigate the issues that make a difference to individuals of color, like reproductive rights and infertility treatments, which are unseen and overlooked amongst many others.The first part of the book requires tolerance because the description turns out to be exceptionally sharp, pointed, and grills the multifaceted of race, sex, class, sexuality after the initial hundred pages. The possibility that the two ladies and individuals of color need to work a lot harder to get the acknowledgment that they have merit for, this is the reason that the title of this book announces that Black Girls Must Die Exhausted. For the lead character in this book, Tabitha Walker, that is unquestionably evident. She needs to continually battle to excel, without aiming to be viewed as excessively pushy or excessively forceful. Everything is a battle and surprisingly her body is betraying her in her endeavors to prevail in her profession, her own life, and the fantasy of one day being a spouse and mother.This book isn’t just about race, it is additionally about connections. Tabitha has a few resilient ladies in her day-to-day existence, from her closest companions Leila and Lexi to her grandma, who is called Tabatha. Added to this is her unpredictable relationship with her dad, not exactly ideal relationship with her sweetheart Marc, and a significant relationship with her mom. It is these connections that add to the rich and complex blend that makes this story. Even though some individuals are not all that great are aiming in life, there are likewise clarifications and reasons given for the way they act. The author has amazingly caught significant components for the intricacy of being a fruitful, single person of color in this day and age. There were countless minutes I needed to pause and absorb what was going on in the book. This book is so unique and an encouraging sign that one day, more writing will mirror the real-life factors of women of color.

”I originally wrote Black Girls Must Die Exhausted to show that—when you strip away the divides, barriers, categories, and all of the various ways we’ve learned to separate ourselves, one from another at our foundation, love is the language that we speak and the very lifeblood of our existence. Love comes in many forms—self-love, love between friends, familial love, and romantic love among them.”—Authors Note.In Jayne Allen’s, Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, we meet Tabitha. A thirty-something black journalist who is at a critical stage in her life. From the outside looking in, she has it all: a career (with the hopes of being promoted soon), a year and a half year-long relationship with Marc who she thinks she could settle down with, friends who have her back, and a family who loves her. But it’s not all that it seems for Tabitha. After what she thought would be a routine casual visit to her doctor reveals a diagnosis she knows she cannot run from. It is from there we begin to see Tabitha unravel as she struggles with asserting herself at work, has difficulty expressing her true feels to Marc, and finds herself losing sight of her friendships. One of my favorite parts of the book was this reflective moment Tabitha is having after learning of her health crisis and having a less than favorable interaction with a white police officer. Speaking to the careful construction of the character by the author we see Tabitha go from anxious and frustrated to clear on who and what she wants in her life.”It’s not like I forgot I was single or forgot to have children. Not possible. It hummer in the background on every night with my girls, every trip to the supermarket, and every other solo tax return. And once I turned thirty, no matter my accomplishment; educational or professional, there was no chance of escaping l the question, “So how come you’re not married yet?” —TabithaThis book I enjoyed on several fronts but especially in its ability to shine a light on many of the issues and struggles that Black Women face, day in and day out. How we can come to embrace and love ourselves even in the midst of all of our experiences and continue to breathe life into our relationships and all that we do. Easily 4.5 stars! Ps: do you see how gorgeous this cover is???Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this amazing e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. I also won a goodreads giveaway copy of this book in print.