In this highly anticipated second installment in the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series, Tabitha Walker copes with more of life's challenges and a happy surprise--a baby--with a little help and lots of love from friends old and new.
For Tabitha Walker, her grandmother's old adage, "Black girls must die exhausted" is becoming all too true. Discovering she's pregnant--after she was told she may not be able to have biological children--Tabitha throws herself headfirst into the world of "single mothers by choice." Between her job, doctor's appointments, and preparing for the baby, she's worn out. And that's before her boss at the local news station starts getting complaints from viewers about Tabitha's natural hair.
When an unexpected turn of events draws Marc--her on and off-again ex-boyfriend--back into her world with surprising demands, and the situation at work begins to threaten her livelihood and her identity, Tabitha must make some tough decisions about her and her baby's future. It takes a village to raise a child, and Tabitha turns to the women who have always been there for her.
Bolstered by the fierce support of Ms. Gretchen, her grandmother's best friend, the counsel of her closest friends Laila and Alexis, and the calming presence of her doula Andouele, Tabitha must find a way to navigate motherhood on her own terms. Will she harness the bravery, strength, and self-love she'll need to keep "the village" together, find her voice at work, and settle things with Marc before the baby arrives?
The Sexy Nerd's Review. . .
What I loved about this story is how true it is that women feel guilty for having changed their minds especially when they feel they’re going against the “rules.” But to whom do these rules apply and who made them? Tabitha Walker was soon about to find out the many layers it takes to being a woman, and even more so, a black woman navigating the world.
She’s young and very pregnant, and not pregnant by accident, but on purpose. Tab’s pregnancy was purposely done so much so that she went through with IVF treatments. The man in her life was no longer in the picture and she made a conscious decision to start a family on her own and become a single mother. But, with all good plans, life sometimes gets in the way.
Tabitha is on the verge of getting a promotion at her news station and she’s a bit concerned what her pregnancy will do to her changes. And factor in that her ex-boyfriend, Marc, comes back into the picture, sort of, and complicates Tabitha’s life even further. Tab’s happily ever after is a bit cloudy and she’s beginning to question her own ideas of happy and everything she thought she wanted. As she advances through her pregnancy, Tabitha begins to view her decisions and wonders if she’s doing the right thing for her unborn child and for her.
I genuinely loved this story. As I began my review, it was nice to see Tabitha’s growth and to learn so much about herself and what makes her happy. It’s quite all right to change your mind and do what you need to do and when life throws you a curve, you have to sometimes alter the course. Happiness is defined differently by each individual person. As the reader goes through Tab’s pregnancy, it soon becomes clear that she has many life altering changes and huge decisions to make. Just because the “rules” of life are invisible for some, it stands front and center for others, as Tabitha realizes.
The Sexy Nerd gives Black Girls Must Be Magic five extra magicians to guide them along. I’ve never read this author before and I didn’t read this series in order. This novel is the second installment. Perhaps when I get time, I’ll go back and read the first book. This was an awesome read for Black History Month and for any reader that enjoys heartfelt stories. Until next time, Nerds, you know what to do.
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