Great graphic novel. It showed how friends could be there for each other through whatever comes along. This graphic novel deals with depressions, stalking, struggles with natural hair in a workplace and even a love triangle.

But it also shows the many ways that African Americans deal with wash day and hairstyles.

These feel like women that I know! Wash day is well you know. The fact that we have to name it says it all, the rest of the story highlights all the other aspects of lifes highs and lows that seems representative of the journey of our hair too. I loved this read!

Received arc from netgalley

All I was thinking while reading this graphic novel was “I feel so seen.” Kimana, Davene, Cookie and Nisha are literally me and my friends. This is perfect compilation of short stories that showcase every aspect of being a Black or POC woman. These stories seamlessly showcases the ups and downs of their lives but also shows how their friendship makes them stronger. The only con I would have is that I would love to see more. I was so invested with each characters’ story. I would be really excited to see more of these comics so I can learn more about each woman.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing to read the ARC of this amazing story.

The worst thing about this book was that it ended! This slice of life graphic novel hit the absolute spot for indulgence: gorgeous artwork with moody colors, cute outfits and apartments, and cool-ass women you wanna be friends with. I loved how the creators showcased the steps in each girl’s hair routine with such detail: you get to follow the twist and turns of hair, the application of products, and every routine is as unique as their personalities.

I wanted more though. Not in a bad way but ugh, it was too short! More of these characters and their stories, more of this style of easy, relatable writing. Just MORE! It felt like there was a lot left unsaid and much more going on that we need to be a part of. Here’s hoping we get a whole series of these girls because I feel sad I was only a part of their lives for the one hour I read this.

Thank you to the publisher Chronicle Books for providing an eARC of this graphic novel for review!

*reviewed from uncorrected eARC*

teen/adult graphic fiction - a short but lovely ode to Black hair beauty and body positivity, and female friends (het and pan) whom you can count on to help you through relationship issues and other life situations.

This book in my opinion is just plain out revolutionary. i throughly enjoyed this title and would recommended it to any other woman of color. The wash day stories depict thing that even myself have done and love it. I absolutely love this title and can't wait to read more from the lovely women who wrote this book.

Enjoyable snapshots from the lives of each member of a friend group and their hair. I liked the art style as well.

Wow. That's how I would describe Wash Day Diaries in one word.

Even with more words, I can't convey how good this book is. It's an exemplary slice of life work that hits all the points I look for in a good book. The stories and characters are so poignant, so genuine, that I can't help but wonder if these women are real and that these stories are a documentation of their lives.

As a feminine-presenting individual, some themes are instantly recognizable: the stark reality of a woman wielding her keys as a tool of self-defense at night, random men cat-calling a woman with an entitled mindset that leads them to insulting her when she doesn't respond, always carrying mace, knowing what parts of an outfit can dual as a weapon. All of these little details really spoke to me about how each of these characters are women, not just "black women" as though that made them different from other women, how utterly wrong it is for them to be viewed as something different. At the same time, their black identities are important as well, and I absolutely love how the book shows us details about what it means to be a black woman. As a BIPOC but not one of the black and Latino communities, I'm no foreigner to institutionalized racism, but I always felt that my black and Latino peers have it harder than I do, and I've always wanted to know what forms my privilege takes. I've never been one to care what my hair looks like, and while this has certainly had negative side effects, it's nothing like what a black woman might experience going out with her hair natural. Th way that it's mentioned as just a fact of life is a necessarily painful reminder that it shouldn't be like that, that all women should be able to go out with their hair natural without repercussions. I love the inclusion of mental illness and LGBT+ themes, and although it was painful, the inclusion of how our friends and families may not understand is so important too.

This book does not shy away from portraying the sometimes very harsh and very grim reality, but nonetheless manages to be a positive and encouraging work. The celebration of self-care and self-love, as well as friends who will do anything for each other, instills a sense of inspiration and aspiration rather than envy. There are so many little background details that tell of the character's lives, like the Mexican ice cream vendor cart in one of the neighborhood scenes. I want more books like Wash Day Diaries, and I think that our society needs more books like it.

Loved it! At its core it is a story about beautiful, strong black women and their friendship. With the framework of wash day, we see each girl dealing with their own daily issues - everything from work, to relationships, to mental health struggles. When they come together though, they make each other stronger and it is really lovely to see.

Wash Day Diaries is a beautiful graphic novel that centers on a week in the lives of four friends. We experience the stories of each woman’s day in a different chapter, usually starting with how she’d style her hair, down to relationships, career, and mental health. In the last chapter, all the friends come together and I enjoyed the ending. The art is colorful and the panels create the story is a very fluid way.

A lot of graphic novels tend to be a for a younger audience but there is some mature content so I’d recommend this one for 18+.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review! Wash Day Diaries is a cute graphic novel about four Black women and their friendship and connection through their hair. Each character has a short story about whatever they’re dealing with at the moment and this book beautifully depicts a lot of issues. Relationship struggles, family issues, depression, abusive relationships, etc. I loved how, even when some of the girls didn’t fully understand or relate to what the other was going through, they still tried to help, and that just showed how beautiful these characters are. Not to mention the art style! The coloring and illustration was gorgeous and I devoured each page of this book. The only negative thing is I just wish there was more! I’d love to read more about each of the girls and get to truly know them.

I loved this slice of life (lives)! The format really lent itself to making the reader feel like they're a member of this friend group, and there was so much detail put into this book that added beautifully to its realism. I wish I didn't read it at work since I def teared up a few times.

** SPOILER **
One thing that I didn't like was Cookie's reaction to Davene's struggle with her mental health. I wish at the least it had been addressed how invalidating her response was, though I did appreciate her gesture at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a great representation of friendship among Black women. It's so relatable! I felt like I was really in the group chat. I especially appreciate the amount of detail allowed for each individual hair care routine.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC for free.

I'm on the fence on this one. I liked the art style and the underlying theme of the book but there were some things that just aren't my think, like the drug use and some of the language used in the story. However I loved how all the girls stuck together and were there for each other in their times of need. Even though I can't relate much to the hair struggles that many African American women have, I appreciate that this book included struggles that everyone can relate to no matter who they are. The first girl afraid of her safety really stood out to me. The scene in the beginning where she was walking home and had a key between each finger for protection is something I think every woman has experienced in their life or will experience in the future. Another issue I can relate to is the anxiety and depression one of the other ladies was going through. I was really disappointed though that Cookie wasn't more supportive of her wanting to get on antidepressants. There is a terrible assumption that being on mental health medication is a bad thing when it's really not and it's something a lot of people experience including myself. I've been on anti anxiety medication for many years and while things aren't perfect, the medicine has really helped make things easier for me.
If you are ok with the language and drug use then I think you will enjoy this one a lot.

I loved this compulsively readable graphic novel that explored and handled such a beautiful friendship through four of their perspectives. I read it in one sitting and absolutely adored it. Definitely a preorder for anyone searching for a graphic novel to fall into!

I absolutely adored this graphic novel. I loved the focus on black women and black hair. It had beautiful illustrations. It also talked about mental health because it talked about depression. Overall it was amazing and I would highly recommend this to everyone.

Wash Day is a glorious demonstration of black joy and black hair. This is a slice of life story featuring four friends who love and support each other through different phases of their lives: career and mental health hardships, family drama, and relationship troubles. Each has a unique personality and style that is emphasized by the amazing color schemes that change throughout the book depending on the main character of each chapter. The art and colors in the book are spectacular. A great feel good read!

Very seldomly do I reach for graphic novels, but the title and the cover alone made me want to pick this one up expeditiously!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wash Day Diaries consists of 4 different short interconnected stories that follow 4 best friends, Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie, and their everyday lives. I loved this friend group so much; they remind me of how my friends/cousins interact with one another and it made me all warm and fuzzy! What I loved the most, is that each story includes what each woman's hair routine looks like. As a black woman who has a legit day-long wash day, I felt so seen, and I know I won't be the only one!!

The art in this was absolutely beautiful and I will most definitely be picking up a physical copy on release day!

I loved this graphic novel! While it was filled with a fair share of drama, the overall vibe of this book was so cozy and filled with love, an absolute joy to read. I loved the art and the vibrancy held within these pages, and I thought the vignette story-telling style felt like a summer montage in the best way.

Wash day Diaries is a slice of life graphic novel that follows four best friends: Kim, Tanesha, Davene, and Cookie. It’s made up of short stories that covers what all of the women were doing over the course of their wash days, and ends with the entire friend group supporting Kim at an event that’s important to her. It shows their joys and their struggles throughout the day, and of course, it shows their processes while going through a wash day.

This was such a gorgeous and heartwarming book! The characters’ conversations felt so genuine and heartfelt both when they were going through difficult times, and when they were giggling together about silly things. It was a cute depiction of a loving, solid friend group. Of course I loved seeing the images of all of the women taking care of their hair in the beautiful ways that only black women do. It manages to be cute and lighthearted while also touching on a couple of more difficult topics. I highly recommend picking this up.