Publisher's Weekly Review
Ajayi, the voice behind the pop culture blog Awesomely Luvvie and the cofounder of the Red Pump project, an HIV/AIDS awareness nonprofit, writes with humor and intelligence about a range of topics, including personal hygiene, social media etiquette, racism, sex tapes, rape culture, plastic surgery, weight, homophobia, reality television, feminism, and even the Comic Sans font. The book is a light, 21st-century discussion of manners and morals, with Ajayi taking people to task for oversharing on social media or for being casually bigoted. The the book has a strong social message and is funny-Ajayi includes footnotes explaining her made-up words and expressions-but the material is a little too familiar and far reaching. Ajayi is at her best when she delves into her personal experiences as a Nigerian immigrant in the U.S. and combines humor with pathos; this honesty makes the book worth reading. Agent: Michael Harriot, Folio Literary Agency. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Ajayi, known in the social-media sphere as Awesomely Luvvie after her blog, which attracts 500,000 readers a month, has crafted a smart, vividly humorous handbook for the social-media generation, which is all of us. Bold strokes make up her takes on acting right in life, culture, social media, and fame. Facebook, Instagram, and especially Twitter have granted everyone instant expression. Ajayi turns the mirror around so that we see the reflection of how these forms of instant, public expression affect us. It isn't pretty. Throughout the book, Ajayi seamlessly references news stories, pop-culture highlights, and phraseology made prominent on Twitter in order to explore their broader impact on a range of topics, including self-esteem and personal appearance, love relationships, racial attitudes, rape culture, and the misuse of religion to dehumanize the LGBTQ community. Ajayi, who emigrated from Nigeria as a child, also takes on America's shallow and dismissive perceptions of the African continent. And she calls out clickbait and hashtag abuse. Overall, her do-better calls for us to reclaim common sense, compassion, and critical thinking, in both personal and online interactions. Astute and timely advice, wittily presented.--Hawkins, Valerie Copyright 2016 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Aptly titled, this first book by blogger and pop culture critic Ajayi (AwesomelyLuvvie.com) examines some of the major problems threatening America today. From bad manners (online and otherwise) to racism and violence, Ajayi doesn't shy away from difficult topics. Rather, she takes them head-on, giving the "side-eye" or "throwing shade" whenever it is required. Born in Nigeria but raised mostly in the United States, the author uniquely frames and looks at these issues from both an insider's and outsider's perspective, giving voice to points of view that are often underrepresented (or not represented at all) in mainstream media conversations. She challenges assumptions and, in doing so, offers a much more complete picture of America to consider. Though at times readers may feel themselves shirking from her judgmental gaze, Ajayi doesn't hesitate to point the finger at herself as well, and she mostly succeeds at balancing criticism with wit and humor. Verdict As a cultural observer, Ajayi calls to mind Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist. Although Gay is a more seasoned writer and meticulous researcher, Ajayi's voice is just as compelling. [See Prepub Alert, 3/14/16.]-Meagan Lacy, Guttman Community Coll., CUNY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
