Make Black Girls Must Die Exhausted a Netflix series already! (Or HBO since Netflix wanna be funny about account sharing)

𝑩𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑲 𝑮𝑰𝑹𝑳𝑺 𝑴𝑼𝑺𝑻 𝑫𝑰𝑬 𝑬𝑿𝑯𝑨𝑼𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑫 is the darling first book of an incomplete trilogy written by Harvard trained attorney and engineer, Jayne Allen. I read the first book via hard copy. I had to listen to the second book, Black Girls Must Be Magic, on audiobook since I can’t be lugging books all around Central America. This post combines both books. I’m so invested in discovering what happens next in the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series. I can’t wait for the last book to be published! This series focuses on the thirty-three-year-old broadcast news reporter Tabitha “Tabby” Walker.

It’s A Romance, Kinda. 

I love a good romance. But this is a millennial love story. So… you know the struggle. Unfortunately, Tabby has a reproductive disorder. So, instead of waiting for her flakey lawyer/Sanford Alum situationship, Marc, to put a ring on it, she decides to put motherhood into her own hands via insemination. Her non-committal dude reminds me of Lawrence from the HBO series “Insecure”… he’s super annoying with all the excuses.  

Without giving too much away, there’s one scene in the second book where Tabby’s boyfriend’s mama gets on my nerves. I’m even more annoyed at how gracefully Tabby tolerated what I consider disrespectful. And how her boyfriend sat back and allowed it to happen. If in the same situation, I would have either a) just removed myself from the table without speaking or b) been just as rude back.

Y’all got to read this book and let me know how you would have handled this situation. If you’ve read this book, let me know what you think. I need someone to discuss this with.

While the primary “kinda” love story focuses on a guy who won’t commit, the real love story is Tabby’s bond with her grandmother. “Granny Tab” (who is white) and her Black granddaughter, Tabitha (whom Granny Tab calls “Two”), is warm and endearing. The book series gets its name from an observation Granny Tab makes while having a chat about their different identities and how they move differently in the world.

It’s Modern-Day Millennial Life

There are typical millennial work stressors, family obligations, and ride-or-die besties. There’s confidence struggles. Adn of course, some unique professional issues Black women have to navigate. It tells a believable story of what it is like being a young, Black, female professional in the 21st century. And that’s what resonated most with me. I can see parts of my own experiences sprinkled throughout — it’s unique because I’ve never read the story in print before. 

We all understand the complexities of “situationships” I’ve had conversations surrounding artificial insemination with friends. One of my friends recently took motherhood into her own hands instead of waiting to see if the universe would make motherhood happen for her in time. And apparently, the author has had those convos too. 

Both books can be read as stand-alones. Tabby is a likable, relatable character. Overall, it’s a light-hearted, realistic read that I looked forward to continuing each time I took a break (and honestly, I read both within a day). I’d recommend both for vacation reading. 

For similar titles on young Black women navigating professional life, check out The Other Black Girl