The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

I absolutely adored this book! I added it to my list after deciding to read as many books by black authors as I could this coming month (black history month). Something about it sitting, waiting in my kindle account didn’t sit right with me so I “cheated” my own rule and read it early! So glad I did. Issa Rae is incredibly likable as she presents herself, her childhood, her family, her culture and her collective experience for all to enjoy. This book has it all! Wit, humor ( at times self deprecating-my go to type!), emotion, reflection, growth, self introspection, cultural appreciation - - the list could go on and on. Finishing it felt like staying up late to catch up with an old friend. Can’t wait for more from the incredible Issa Rae. Highly recommend this one!!

This memoir was very thought proving for me. After finishing reading To All The Boys I've Loved Before, I realized I do not read enough books written by or starring a person of color. I don't have any particular reason for this; it didn't even cross my mind until recently. I'm now making it my mission to read and watch more inclusive material. I have been a fan of Issa's HBO show Insecure for the last couple of years (I was late to the game) and when I found out she had this book, I knew I needed to pick it up.Personally, I'm a fan of Issa's writing style. That may be because I know how she talks and read her words in her voice.In The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, author Issa Rae details her upbringing in a Senegalese household and navigating the rough waters of impressing your peers when having semi-strict parents. This I was able to relate to as my single mother was semi struck as well. I was allowed to watch R-rated movies before I was seventeen years old but that parental advisory sticker on CDs I wanted deterred my mother from buying them for me. I remember begging my mother to buy Good Charlotte's Young and the Hopeless album. She insisted she needed to hear a song before making the purchase. At Border's, you could scan a CD's bar code and a snippet of a song would play. "The Anthem" did not convince my mother to make the purchase. I ended up buying it behind her back with no regrets.Also, my mother often wouldn't let me do the same things my friends were allowed. In early junior high my friends were allowed to stay home alone with company over or go to the mall alone. I was to have adult supervision at all times which prevented me from being invited to various activities.The chapter African Dad made my heart hurt. The lack of communication Issa had with her father is definitely something I can identify with and I was hanging on to every word until I reached the end of the essay."Whether you're an awkward black girl or an irritated disabled stripper, everyone should have the opportunity to feel represented in some way."The above quote resonated with me. While my race and background is more than represented in entertainment and media, I do feel as though my body type is rarely portrayed. One thing I have always wanted to see in TV & movies is an over-weight female main character in a romantic comedy. It's rarely featured; mostly thin women who are perfect in appearance. This is discouraging, as though girls who carry more weight aren't worthy of the affection of men.Ultimately, this book was a quick and easy read. I was sucked into Issa's story and loved getting her perspective growing up as a person of color.

Review for The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.I was first introduced to Issa Rae through a coworker who turned me on to her YouTube series “Awkward Black Girl” and I was immediately HOOKED!!!! I was like “who is this girl… she needs to be on TV”. So I knew that she would make it big because TALENT that funny and raw and original had to be on the big screen. Just look at the HBO series Insecure (PLUG: If you have not watched this series it is a much see. Please check it out before the next season comes on).This was a great read!!!!! As expected, I found myself gasping and bursting out laughing on numerous occasions. Issa Rae is a trip and half and I LOVED every second of it! I can totally relate to her because I was/ kinda still am awkward and “geeky” in my own way and she is letting us know that it is PERFECTLY FINE to be who you are. She had me at the Introduction when she is talking about how people butcher her name. Considering I had an English professor name Dr. Diop and how much the students butchered his name, I couldn’t help but crack up laughing when Issa described how often she had to correct people to the point of frustration.Her other chapters go on to talk about all kinds of life journeys from an introvert and what some may call a “socially awkward” perspective. Some of my favorite chapters are A/S/L where she talks about her first “online dating” experience using none other than AOL chat room. This was the beginning of “cybersexting” before we even really knew what it was or had any business on the Internet let alone in a chat room. We know what kinda lies have been floated around in those chat rooms (lol). My other favorites are her ABG Guides; especially the “Connecting with Other Blacks” and “The Hair Advantage”. I promise that you will find humor in ABG Guide: Connecting with Other Blacks as you try to figure out which category you and your friends or associates fall in to (lol). In the other chapters, she talks about being “fat”, her family, growing up bi-coastal/ continental, relationships, short lived raps careers (lol), fashion (or lack thereof) and love.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could totally relate to many of Issa’s scenarios. She gets nothing but love from me. Soooo looking forward to the next season of Insecure as well as all her other projects and hopefully another book.

This book was a page turner and had many funny moments and was hella relatable. I rate it an 8/10, definitely reccomend .

I had no idea what to expect with this book, I really enjoyed it. An easy read about a young lady navigating life with various obstacles. It was a quick, comical read and I would recommend it to others.

Hilariously awkward! I loved learning more about Issa Rae -- she is painfully open at times. Very real.

Amazing book! Great delivery time!

Great product and swift delivery.

I love Issa rae’s Show, Insecure, and hoped that I’d get a deeper insight into this impressive writer, director, actress and go-getter. But i was underwhelmed. It was a flat, sometimes tedious, replay of adolescent events with very little retrospective insight or depth. It felt self indulgent and left me wondering what was the point? I didn’t really learn anything ...but I’m a 50 something white woman so maybe I’m not the target audience?