I adored this book so much! It has interwoven stories of four best friends who are there for each other until the end. Immediately you can tell how powerful their friendship is and each woman springs to life on the page while they deal with struggles, romance, self-care, and triumphs.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Wash Day Diaries is set to be published on 14 June 2022.

It was relatable, real, and fun! I loved how the author incorporated each woman’s hair routine or styling into their day to day lives and issues. Each woman had their own life problems and I loved how supportive the friends were to each other. It was real and even raw in some forms. I enjoyed it, great to see a graphic novel with characters that look like me.

A series of vignettes which captures a lot of emotions. There are a lot of relatable day things, like dudes hitting on you, or getting dirty looks on the bus. The brevity of each scene, by necessity of the format, also captures how you can't always dwell on everything. Your friends not understanding your mental health issues, or a family member not accepting who you are, There are some things you just have to live with, that you can do nothing about.

I loved this story! It was so good! I've been looking for a slice of life story about Black friends like this one. Even though it was short it did a great job setting up little bit's of everyone's background and situation. I could definitely see it expanded into a series in the future.

This story follows 4 Black friends who live in the Bronx it starts with wash day and styling their hair and expands to different stories about their current situations. Dating, mental health, careers are just some of the topic touched upon in this short space. These felt like real life women to me.

So many funny and true to life moments. I screamed when Davene pulled that Jamaican flag out of her bra!

This was such a heartwarming comic.

In this we are following 4 different friends who are dealing with different things in their own lives but are also able to come together and provide each other with support and love.

Jamila Rowser does a good job of showing the therapeutic process for Black women of just getting their hair done, the bonding that comes between the person getting their hair done and the person doing their hair; the sisterhood and intimacy behind the whole process.

There was such an accurate description of depression in one scene that literally took my breath away because it was so beyond relatable for me. I really appreciated seeing how the friends rallied together to make sure the girl who was suffering was ok.

This was such a heartwarming portrayal of Black sisterhood and friendship. I loved the friend group in this comic and how they always had each others backs through everything.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

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

Wash Day Diaries by Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith is an #ownvoices graphic novel that tells the story of four best friends and their lives in the Bronx. According to the description, the book "takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair." Through interconnected stories about their hair routines, the reader gets a window into each character's life.

Overall, Wash Day Diaries is an interesting look into the lives of black women. I've been trying to read more diverse books lately, and I definitely learned a lot from reading this graphic novel. I also love that this book is #ownvoices and is based on the creators' own experiences. There definitely needs to be more graphic novels featuring black voices. I did take off 1 star though, because I wasn't a huge fan of the art. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of #ownvoices graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

When the original Wash Day came out, I gobbled it up. And the funny thing is, it was just the story of taking care of your hair when you are a black woman. But it was so sweet, so tenderly told, that it made it into this set of stories, as the first one.

The rest of the stories follow the other friends. Friends of all shapes and sizes. Friends that discuss their love life, and their life in group chats. Friends that sleep around and accidentally run into the two men they slept with at the same event. And friend that keep a nasty "ex" away when he shouldn't be there.

It is a wonderful collection of stories, and funny.

Highly recommend it.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley and Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

4.5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This comic was so delightful. I sat down intending to read for a few minutes and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. Way day diaries follows four best friends over each of their individual hair wash days and then ends with a chapter about them all going out together.

Each girl had her own color scheme that just perfectly matched her character. I don't know how the author was able to showcase each girl's personality so clearly in only a few pages, but I felt like I genuinely knew each one.

I loved seeing the friendships and it's always great to see a story about Black joy! (But take this with a grain of salt since I'm a white reviewer).

Overall this comic was absolutely fantastic. My one qualm that took this down a half star for me had to do with a scene between Cookie and Davena. Davena is suffering from depression and is telling Cookie about how she's been struggling and had started seeing a therapist. She and her therapist are talking about the possibility of antidepressants. At this point, Cookie tells her not to do it since she looks fine (red flag!), you don't know what it will do to your body and mind (red flag!), and offers her a crystal instead. There's already so much stigma around getting professional help and it's disappointing to see this handled so poorly in the text. This did knock the book down a half star for me, but I would still highly recommend it for comic readers since the overall story and art style were so fabulous.

How wonderful is it to read a graphic novel that celebrates Black women! How we all come in all shapes and sizes. The beauty of our hair and the love and care is put in to make sure they poppin'. I loved how it showed Black women from all walks of life. This shows Black queer women, Black women that struggle with mental health, Black women walking away from what could be a toxic relationship, and Black women putting themselves first before any man!!! We absolutely love to see it.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was great! I loved the theme of friendship, the queer representation and the mental health representation.

This graphic novel does a great job at showing how hair is extremely important to black women. It connects us and can bring us together. I highly recommend for a good quick read.

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie told thought five selections. The four friends share a story of life, unity, community, love, and depression. This was a delight to read as the story touched me in places I have experienced personally and with my friends. The story starts with wash day which for most naturals is a whole story all unto itself (I literally felt the all day nature of wash day and getting my hair braided).
This is the story we all needed and experiences in our every day life. This was simply a delight to experience!
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Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' everyday lives and how they care for each other.

This was a cute little interconnected short story connection about four black friends just living their day to day lives. I love how we gotten to see how each of the girls gotten their hair done and how it connected to their own stories. I would say that my stand out favorites were ride or die, and La bendición. I did wished that it was longer though but overall this was good short story collection.

A realistic look into this colorful friend group as well as the members themselves. Wash Day Diaries is heartwarming and reflective and I felt like I could and was watching it on tv. The illustration left a little to be desired in my personal opinion but overall enjoyed reading this graphic novel.

With stunning illustrations, a wonderfully empowering message that encourages readers to embrace who they are, this is a charming and joyful story for everyone to read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters' everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser's own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx—as the book's first chapter and expands into a graphic novel with short stories about these vibrant and relatable new characters.

In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.- Goodreads

As a 30 something-year-old Black woman, I wish I had a close-knit of Black women friends. This book hit close to home. Not just because of that need but because of Davene. Her story is me. In every sense of the story that was told is me.

But beyond this, I loved everything about this book. I loved every woman, all their stories, how wash day shapes their day, their week. This book is genuine, heartwarming, funny, emotional and just damn good.

It should have been longer and no it should not be a 35 chapters book but a graphic novel series for sure.

5 Pickles

I NEED MORE!! I finally understand the fascination with comics. I not into this thinking I’ll relate to the characters because I, too, have an extended Was Day Routine on Sundays. What I got was a telling of my life, my family’s and friends’ experiences. I would purchase multiple of this book and the rest of the series. Everything in this, I ADORED!! The side stories, the moment with Granny, and the mental health awareness all poke to my soul, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to have read this.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my very first adult graphic novel and it did not disappoint. This story is one of friendship, womanhood, and Blackness. I loved everything about it. Even in this short tale, I learned so much about the characters and really cared about their stories. The structure, the color scheme, the drawings, everything was perfect. 5 stars!

This is such a great book. It's got gorgeous, joyous art, a lovely focus on Black friendship and Black hair, astoundingly well-developed characters for a series of connected vignettes, and some effective but brief things to say about mental health, toxic positivity and depression, and stalkers. I cannot wait for this to come out in hard copy, and I hope we'll get to see more of these awesome characters in other forms one day, too.

This story was an ode to Black women and sisterhood. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it. If you read this and like it, I highly recommend watching Harlem on Amazon Prime! It has very similar vibes and is a great way to follow the lives of a different group of four Black women navigating life and love in New York.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Wash Day Diaries! I thought this was a great graphic novel and I flew through it! I enjoyed the friendship of all the characters and the real life issues they were each facing. I’d recommend this graphic novel to everyone!

I read Wash Day years ago and wished that it was longer. Now that this is here I am so happy to see it! Reading this story of friendship and the positive interactions with other black women was so so well done! Wash Day diaries in compulsively readable. I hope the series continues for many more volumes!

A wonderfully written and illustrated collaboration, and a beautiful book. I will gladly share this title with young readers and friends who enjoy graphic novels.

This was so beautiful! A slice of life story about 4 black women, their hair, and their friendship. In a short book it discusses mental health, careers, dating and familial relationships, and more.

Beautiful artwork, a cute set of interweaving storylines, and characters with distinct, familiar personalities. This is such a pleasurable read and makes you feel like you're part of their friend group and their group chat. I really appreciate the care that went into highlighting how each woman has a different approach to their relationship with their hair and that each one is valid.

I'll have to keep an eye out for more from this writing duo!

I don’t think I’ve ever liked a book as much as I love this book. This is the first time and I see myself in a graphic novel. This was so relatable down to the group chat and the drama. It shows the character and differences of every friend while knowing at the end of the day I’ve got your back. You also can’t forget the importance of hair and diversity! This is a must buy.

I absolutely loved reading this graphic novel. Black joy is something we don't see very often and I was really excited to get a peek into what that looks like for a group of best friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for this book!

3.5!

This was a sweet, quick read that highlighted female friendship in a lovely way. You meet each of the girls as they navigate their lives, starting with their hair appointments. Though this isn't something I have any experience with, it's that sense of identity that each girl portrays that I can relate to. The art style was nicely done. I enjoyed this!

A great story that reflects the everyday life of black women in America. I felt that each character was unique and gave a lot to the story.

Wash Day Diaries is a short, beautifully illustrated graphic novel following four young, Black women and their lives, friendships, and gorgeous hair.
The illustration in this book is beautiful. I absolutely loved the depiction of our hair! Whether it’s the braids, the twist outs, or even just our bonnets, it was all magnificent to see depicted in such a celebratory way! I also loved that the artist showed real bodies! Not everyone had curves, not everyone was perfect, and I love that!
This book tackled a couple hard topics, such as depression, in a way that didn’t make you sad, but just made you see life as it is for different types of Black women. I also enjoyed seeing the casual sapphic representation.
My only problem with this book is that I wish it was longer. It could’ve went more in depth and answered some questions I had toward the end. If this ever becomes a series, I’ll be very happy!
This graphic novel shows the connection that Black women have with our hair and with each other in a way that celebrates us and shows us unconditional love! I’d recommend this graphic novel to every Black woman that is looking for a graphic novel that shows us in such a unapologetically Black light!

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

TW: nudity; sexual situations; depression; dementia; violent ex-boyfriend (all trigger warnings are very mild)

Wash Day Diaries was a brilliant read. I love the way it tells an each character story with different ways of getting their hair done. I'm hoping there is more to tell, and I'll be waiting for it to come out.

This was an absolute delight in every possible way. I loved the interwoven stories and depiction of friendship. The portrayal of mental health struggle from one character was so relatable and honestly portrayed. I deeply appreciated that. The art was a GIFT. This was one of the best graphic novels I’ve read from an artistic standpoint.

I also laughed out loud in several places. I loved this book and will reread it.

I loved this book. It’s a perfect easy read especially for graphic novel lovers like myself! I found myself really relating to the some of the characters. This book touched base on things like culture, mental health, new careers, and family issues. 4.75/5 stars for me and a great first read for 2022!!
Thank you to Chronicle Books and Netgalley for sending this ARC!!

First read of the year and it started with a BANG!

Amazing storyline following the lives of four best friends, all from different backgrounds, cultures and situations.. all the girls grow on you and I found myself completely submerged by the end of each chapter.

Will be buying as soon as it’s released and I’ll be keeping an eye on Rowser, she’s going places.


thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This graphic novel was a delight. The different short stories of all the ladies in this squad getting their hair washed or doing someone else’s hair for them all tied together for the last short story. These ladies obviously love each other a lot.

I liked the accurate depiction of depression that Davene’s story showed. Especially that she felt like her friend didn’t understand at all and then later we see that she does understand better than we thought.

I loved Cookie. She’s a fun character who had a lovely heartbreaking story with her Abuela.

One of the things I really liked was the way that they showed one of them sitting in a salon chair and reading their group chat. The way it did the flashbacks during that story with the group text messages was just great.

Really enjoyed this comic. I love the depth of each character is shown and how quickly we get to know each of them. As people are in reality, they are each so different--different clothing styles, different personalities, different issues--and yet they are so bonded together. Their friendship was my favorite part. The art is beautiful and captures each of their styles and personalities so well. I love that it took the time and pages to show each of the girl's wash day routines that reflected their styles as well. The story and writing also captured me. So real and raw. While the smoking and nudity wasn't my style, and would have preferred the comic without it, I think a lot of readers and "new adult" fans will really enjoy this graphic novel.

I really loved this graphic novel which read as a love letter to Black sisterhood and self care rituals. The book links five short stories that feature four friends in the Bronx, using hair care / wash day rituals to bind the stories together. The beautiful illustrations are colorful and eye-catching and it kept me engaged from beginning to end. Highly recommend!

Wash Day Chronicles is a refreshingly honest celebration of Black and Brown womanhood! I was in love with the hilarious text messages and conversations to the textures Smith illustrates. I almost felt as if I was a part of this group of friends. Rowser did a wonderful job keeping the text authentic to each character, their beliefs, and feelings. This was an absolute joy to read and I look forward to more works by these creators.

Major thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this advanced copy of Wash Day Diaries in exchange for an honest review. Wash Day Diaries is scheduled to hit shelves on June 14th, 2022 and is currently available for preorder.

I. Love. This. The characters are complex, the stories are relatable, and the art itself is so fun and beautiful and clever (there is one specific panel in “Group Chat” that I just adore you’ll know it when you see it)!

This story follows four twenty-something best friends living in New York City (a genre I will never get tired of), specifically they live in the Bronx. Kim is super excited for her upcoming show, except for the nagging feeling in her brain that the ex- she’s been dodging is going to show up. Nisha is embracing her hoe phase, but once her love life and her work life cross paths it sends her running for the hills. Davene is severely depressed and trying to call out for help, but her friends can’t see the signs. Last but not least, Cookie goes to visit her estranged abuela and they reconcile, even if abuela doesn’t remember it.

Wash Day Diaries is Sex & the City for the next generation and for all the non-white women in the audience. This graphic novel is a character-heavy, slice-of-life story which I absolutely love; it has so much room for growth and continuation with potential for a series and even for television adaptation and I hope that everyone who reads can understand that. The representation of depression is very well done and true to life and the artist’s ability to show us what Davene is going through with next to no words is just beautiful. The story has a great balance of light and heavy subject matter; it evokes all kinds of emotions in the audience in all the right ways; and the actual friendship between these four women is so heartfelt and it’s just so easy to fall in love with them all.

I really really loved this graphic novel! I felt so many emotions while reading this but namely JOY. I was laughing, cheering, cringing, and lamenting the triumphs and hardships of these friends throughout the book. The colors, textures, and patterns were the first things that caught my attention, and they continued to provide depth to the story as it progressed. The background imagery even created its own story with nods to various intertwined cultures and the gentrification that plagues the city. I loved how this comic broke the fourth wall in the Group Chat chapter (my favorite chapter)—a character pushes up the panel like a movie theater curtain! And, I really enjoyed how the friends were interposed into the memory as they added their commentary via texts!

I very much appreciated this love letter to Black girls, their friendships, and their hair, and I can’t recommend it enough. Be sure to look out for it this June!

The illustrations in this graphic novel is absolutely STUNNING! 😍
I just read this with my sister and we couldn’t shut up about how beautiful the artwork was and how relatable every character was!

The story was funny & heartwarming!
It explored the beauty of friendship, love, mental health, and of course gorgeous Black hair care! 🖤👏🏿

This was a quick fun read and I can’t wait for it to come out so I can have it on my shelf! I loved it!

This book was well written and illustrated. Several things were highly relatable. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Actual rating: 5/5 star

This graphic novel was a beautiful slice of life story that follows four different friends. There are 5 shorter stories in the graphic novel, one for each woman, and then one that celebrates their friendship.

This graphic novel showed the diversity and connections between black women from hair to their love lives to mental health. I loved how each woman was so different and there was so much representation in this short graphic novel. We saw a toxic ex, depression and mental health struggles, queer representation, trying to reconnect with family, and love life struggles.

This honestly had everything I could ever want and more and don't even get me started on the art style! It was absolutely so stunning and one of my favorite art styles I've ever seen in a graphic novel.

Thank you to Chronicle Books, Jamila Rowser, Robyn Smith, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wash Day Diaries is a beautiful book. It's visually stunning, dynamic, and evocative, and a glowing tribute to ride-or-die female friendship. This is something special, and I hope to see much more from these characters! I will be recommending to friends and library patrons far and wide.

Many thanks to the creators, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

The cover draws you in, but it’s the depiction of this friendship and the thread of the each person’s relationship with their hair that keeps you pulled in.

My favorite section was the Group Chat - I love how the panels pulled you into the chat, showing friends reacting to various high points in Tanisha’s story. I also liked how the writing/art depicted Tanisha getting her hair done and looping her best friends into her love-ish triangle.

The art and style of the book is beautiful and I just loved seeing these three and how they bonded while also honoring each pers

I loved this graphic novel so much! From the storyline to the beautiful illustrations, I was completely hooked. It revolves around four best friends who each have their own story, but all get tied together through bonding, self-care, and their hair care routine. I believe the way friendship, mental health, family, and culture is represented is well-executed. I would love to read more about these characters!

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story starts a bit slow paced for my taste, but after the second story it starts getting interesting. It revolves around four women and hair care. It was very fun to take a peek into the life of these women and their relationship with hair and the world. You can tell this story was made with a lot of love and care. Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have only read one other graphic novel before. I have been challenging myself to read more out of my comfort zone lately and I am so glad I read this one! I will definitely be on the lookout for more diverse graphic novels. I loved the story of these friends. I want more from these friends. I have 3 best friends and that scene at the show was so funny because I could see my friends doing the same thing. I highly recommend this book.

Books I get from netgalley are either a hit or a miss. Wash Day Diaries was immaculate though. I loved every page in this! First off the artwork was amazing, lved the color scheme. The plot was simple but I enjoyed the friendship dynamic between the women. All four women are different but they also mesh together real well. I would love ride or die friends like these. I can't wait to see what else Jamila Rowser comes out with!

I loved this book! 11/10 stars !!
The graphic novel does get to a bit of a slow start, but I ended up more than appreciating my decision to stick around. Set in New York City, this story follows four black girl best friends as the bond over their hair and life in general. It made me laugh out loud, cry and kept me engaged all the way through to the last page.
This short read manages to touch on so many topics including depression, dating, familial ties, domestic violence, policing and friendship. Some are covered in passing and some make up a larger part of the story, but I felt like all were done well.
With a group of friends, its often easy to skip over the stories of one or two of them, but I appreciated that we got to spend time with each of the girls and get to know them. Even better, this did not feel like so many Black stories that are marketed for representation, but end up telling the story of Black pain. I felt so represented and related to so many of the girls' experiences. The only inaccurate thing was one of the characters keeping in her glasses while getting her hair done!
In conclusion, get this, read this YOU WILL LOVE T

This was cute graphic novel. Friendship, hair care, depression, etc. It was nice to see the differences between the girls on their days and them all cumulatively coming together in the end. I think the realness is the kind of friendship I think every gal strives for.