Book Stats:
304 pages
Genre: Biographies and Memoirs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Format: ebook (Kindle) ARC

Themes:
Culture representation
Sexism, racism and politics
Black history/fashion/entertainment


Synopsis:
Michaela Angela Davis captivating memoir delves into her upbringing, personal struggles and rise in the entertainment industry. As VIBE’s founding fashion editor and shift towards a CNN correspondent, her memoir explores themes of identity, culture and representation that has empowered a generation.

My thoughts:
Growing up as a 90’s kid, I was heavily impacted by Davis’ contribution to the culture. I was that kid consuming the pages of Vibe and Honey magazine. It was so cool to read the flip side of the creative process and explore the behind-the-scenes moments in entertainment that influenced my teen years. Michaela was the forefront of some of the important cultural shifts and iconic fashion movements. She plunges deep into how her hair held such a strong place in her identity, complexities, and validity as a black woman. Michaela takes us through the journey of her coming of age, intricate family dynamics and personal struggles all while advocating for Black woman. Her writing is whole, vulnerable and honest. She’s carved a space and representation where we have a sense of belonging. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending this for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Expected publication date is Oct 14, 2025.

“To be apart from Black girls was, and is, my fear ; to be a part of black girls was, is and will always be my desire”

Michaela angela davis, recounts her life from being a black girl coming of age, moving to DC & NYC. She discusses her experiences as a black woman in fashion & I was engaging thru every moment of her story.

I loved her story! Thank you for the eARC.

This book made me think (in a good way!). I appreciated that the author approached topics like these with care and with ease. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

As she negotiates the complexity of racism, sexism, and identity politics in the media industry, her journey is one of self-discovery and emancipation. From the busy streets of New York City in the 1980s to the exotic markets of Morocco, her career has been a tapestry of spectacular escapades, all while styling some of the most significant individuals in music and entertainment. However, there is a moving story of adversity and perseverance hidden beneath the surface of this glittering society.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster, for providing the copy of Tenderheaded by Michaela angela Davis. The best thing about memoirs is reading about people whose lives are unlike mine. This book was quite the eye-opener, and parts made me cry while others made my jaw drop in surprise. I’m not a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but the descriptions of how Davis styled people made me want to see pictures! I also like the insider view of celebrities! 4 stars

This isn’t just a memoir—it’s a love letter to Black media, identity, and the stories that deserve to be told.

In Tenderheaded, Michaela Angela Davis reflects on her life in fashion, music, and media with both style and substance. From styling Beyoncé to challenging systemic erasure, her story is as powerful as it is personal.
Bold, beautiful, and necessary.

Reading Tenderheaded by Michaela Angela Davis felt like both a homecoming and an invocation. As an '80s baby who collected VIBE magazine religiously, I saw firsthand how Michaela Angela Davis helped shape cultural representation, especially for Black girls like me. Her memoir is more than a recounting of her professional career. This book is a testament of Black media’s power and an unflinching look at the erasure it has faced.

Davis reflects on her early years as a light-skinned Black girl with blond hair and the racial identity wounds she carried. In doing so she offers readers a vulnerable and necessary meditation on belonging, beauty, and internalized racism. Her home life, filled with the grounding presence of her grandmother and the intentional love of her parents, reads like a blueprint for becoming: a lesson in how rootedness sparks self-possession and it starts at home.

From the pages of VIBE to the hallways of CNN, Davis’s voice is fierce and loving. Her reflections on working with cultural icons like Prince, Mariah, and Regina King provide insight into her impact as a stylist, image activist, and journalist. It was her reporting on Black death—particularly the murder of Trayvon Martin and her support of Sybrina Fulton—that moved me most. Her line, “I do not feel safe in places where Black girls are a whisper,” brought tears to my eyes.

Davis does not whisper. She honors, affirms, and elevates. I am grateful for Tenderheaded. This is a memoir, a cultural history, and a love letter to Black women who dare to be loud, stylish, brilliant, and free.