This book? Phenomenal. I seriously cannot recommend it enough. It was such a thoughtful, well-researched deep dive into the way Black women show up in pop culture, and I learned so much while reading it. It wasn’t always an easy read—Blay doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff—but it was absolutely necessary.

Her voice is what really made this book stand out and I am so glad I chose to listen to it on audio. She weaves in personal experiences with larger cultural analysis in a way that makes everything hit even harder.