Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

163 reviews

unlyke_li's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Child abuse

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

bonnie_bee's review against another edition

emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 Enchanted is a seventeen-year-old girl with a passion for swimming and a greater aspiration for singing. The writing is refreshingly to the point, simple but in an appreciated way that doesn’t dance around what is unfolding. It has a message, speaks to the barriers in place for black women in America just to be heard. It doesn't shy away from giving the women personalities either, they have unique approaches to the events that happen, they have feelings that are completely understandable.

Chapter 44 for me had a profound impact, it was beautifully written.
 
I would recommend this book.

Spoiler

The only drawback from my own personal read was that towards the end of the book, some choices  that are made are frustrating to read knowing that Enchanted was putting trust into the wrong people and taking action that could and would have made her look incredibly guilty.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Gaslighting

kaerene's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow. Grown was so good, super heartbreaking and sad but so goos. Tiffany D. Jackson is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her writing is amazing and just hits you so hard in the face with her stories and the character’s journey. Grown sucks you in with the murder of a famous rockstar and then transforms into a story about the music industry and how men with power take advantage of girls and women. I highly recommend reading this but definitely check out the trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Sexual violence

angelacher's review

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Violence, Drug abuse, Rape, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship

hapikohw's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Damn, Tiffany Jackson and her unwell, unbelieved Black girls. So far I am 3 for 3 with her books. They hurt and are beautiful.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Sexual violence, Stalking, Drug use, Classism, Sexual content, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Bullying, and Child abuse

ruinedbyreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Stalking, Mental illness, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Physical abuse

emily_mh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Tiffany D. Jackson just knows how to write contemporaries!! She has a true talent. Every one of the four books I’ve read of hers have been astonishing, including this one. 

This book will boil your blood. It shows in detail how Black women are harmed, exploited, devalued, and disbelieved. This happens in all areas in life, but Grown focussed on this occurring in the music industry, following Enchanted’s story. What struck me especially in relation to this topic was that people in the book (as in real life) were so desperate to put the blame on anyone but the perpetrator of harm. 

This book is heartbreaking. What Enchanted goes through is horrendous. Jackson doesn’t shy away from exactly how Black girls are exploited in the music industry. Acknowledging this reality is so important, as it provides visibility on an issue that doesn’t get any in mainstream media. 

Jackson crafted this story so well. The book starts out with the morning after the murder, then goes back in time, focussing on how Enchanted got to that point. The result is this well-executed looming sense of foreboding. The incredibly short chapters match the pace at which Enchanted’s life is snatched out of her control. We are presented with certain small details early on that then become super important later, giving that click of understanding. As I said, Jackson is one hell of a writer!! 

One thing I did think was odd was that Jackson didn’t take the stance that a 17 year old getting with a 14 year old is weird, as is a 20 year old getting with a 16 year old, when those are weird age gapes considering the relative life stages of the people involved. But I also could have been reading these sections too literally and be completely wrong about what her stance is! I just wanted to flag that in case. 

Rep: Black MC, Black SCs, Latina SC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Drug use, Sexism, Racism, Rape, Addiction, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Murder, Confinement, Blood, Violence, Gaslighting, Stalking, and Death

Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Vomit, Alcohol, Ableism, Body shaming, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Mental illness, Lesbophobia, and Police brutality

Major: grooming Minor: hoarding

welldressedpickle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

unfxckwhittable's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Characters: 4.5

Plot: 4.0

Theme: 3.5

Cover: 5.0 

17 yo Enchanted Jones’ dreams of becoming a singer seem within reach when she encounters 28 yo superstar Korey Fields. But soon her dreams turn into a living nightmare. 

Tiffany Jackson was one of my favorite authors of 2022. And reading this in 2023 did not disappoint. Jackson has a gift for evoking emotion from me through her words. I utterly detested KF and everyone who supported him and his lifestyle, he gave me the ick from the first touch. But I really enjoyed how this story was written—from the plot twists to the ending. 
This story touches on many important and timely topics, and certainly made me reflect on my own views. I found I was annoyed by Enchanted’s attitude about “being grown” at 17 and wanting to be treated like an adult, even though I was the same way at her age. I caught myself falling into the “fast girls” narrative and had to reflect on why I was judging a child with an adult lens. This book also made me really think about how to build my own children up and communicate with them so they don’t need to find love and value externally, but also so they don’t feel the need to deliberately keep things from their parents like Enchanted did. 
I also appreciated the inclusion of the social media comments on how society forms their opinions on situations like this with BM/BW, because every single comment was one I had seen when talking about R. Kelly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Stalking, Kidnapping, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

haddie's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

tiffany d. jackson always writes amazing novels 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Trafficking, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Blood