This was an excellent follow up to her first memoir. I absolutely loved this book and found it to be incredibly relatable, inspiring and funny. This one felt more open and vulnerable than the first. She delves into her infertility issues, realizations of mistakes she made in trying to offer good representation as a mother and an actress, and different pitfalls and funny stories. I think audio is the best way to read this book, but each story has a message that is relatable (even if it’s an uncomfortable relation). 

I am so glad that she wrote this follow up!

Oh wow. I laughed, I cried, I learned. I admire Union and feel deeply grateful she has shared so much personal insight with us.

3.5 stars

I liked her first memoir/ set of essays a bit better than this one. I enjoyed Gabrielle expanding on both the funny & the meaningful of book 1. The chapter about her daughter Zaya was my favorite. In this chapter she gives a nearly perfect example of being the parent of a trans child. I also really enjoyed the Isis/ Bring it on chapter. It was a really interesting discussion of how she felt she didn't go far enough, that I had not previously thought of.  The chapter talking about the lasting affects of her SA were really meaningful and I am thankful she felt comfortable discussing. 

There were also chapters I didn't love. I just struggled with referring to herself as failing as a woman and a wife for not being able to have a baby (this coming after being such a trans ally for her daughter was hard). There were also some other little details in this section that just gave me a pause. She again leaves gaps where I wish she would have expanded (Wade having another daughter? being absent for most of his children's school events & basically the whole surrogacy?)

The chapter about her mental health in perimenopause was very interesting. That was something I was unaware of in general and really has given me something to think about and another reason to check in on some of my loved ones. Gabrielle is also a strong supporter of therapy and I appreciate her being so loud about it. 

I loved hearing her stories about being a black woman in Hollywood. These were the moments where her discussion of race really shine. The last chapter felt disconnected from her story. While I agree with the chapter, I started not to feel like her voice, but like a  3rd person scholarly article. 

Overall, I would still recommend this memoir, but maybe as a slower read, not a binge read like I did it.

I really enjoyed listening to Union's essays. She covers the gamut, from her struggles with IVR and surrogacy to her epic dance battle with Bruno Mars to the appropriation of Black culture, lives, and bodies for entertainment. I especially liked the chapter she did exploring her approach to Isis in Bring It On. There were many moments when I was laughing out loud while walking alone down the street. My eyes were opened to some important topics, like the use of Black Face in current pop culture. 

Title: You Got Anything Stronger?: Stories
Author: Gabrielle Union
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: September 14, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Vulnerable • Empowering • Witty

📖 S Y N O P S I S

A lot has changed in the four years since Gabrielle Union published her first book We're Going to Need More Wine, so she's back with all new stories to inspire, encourage, empower, and to offer hope to those who struggle. She shares about her journey with surrogacy and on becoming a mom, and delves into tackling racist institutions and practices in the entertainment industry.

💭 T H O U G H T S

After reading We're Going to Need More Wine, I knew I needed to pick up Gabrielle Union's second book You Got Anything Stronger? to see what else she had to say. These new stories and conversations go even deeper touching on suicidal thoughts, becoming a mom via surrogacy, being a working mom, raising a LGBTQIA+ child, aging as a Black woman, racism within the industry, among other things.

I commend Union for digging deep and exposing the most vulnerable aspects of her life with the hope of making others experiencing similar things feel less alone. Knowing you are not alone can be one of the most healing ways to move through life's most difficult moments. Written with both humour and sincerity, this book isn't all heavy. She mixes in some lighthearted stories to create a nice balance. It's great on audio, read by the author herself which makes the experience that more genuine.

Again with this one, I struggled with the normalization of drinking culture and the references of turning to alcohol when things get hard. I do think the titles of both her books were chosen with distaste. And yet, these books open up some much needed dialogue on important topics, so I had to look past the titles.

Both books are worth reading, but I would definitely recommend reading her earlier publication first simply for context as some topics are a continuation while others are completely new. There's a little something for everyone in each, although I think I gravitated towards this one a tad more. For me, it just hit harder.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who want to be empowered
• Gabrielle Union fans

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"The right thing to do is, as usual, the hard thing to do."

"I let her tell me who she was. I listened to her, even before she had words."