Reviews tagging 'Infidelity'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

18 reviews

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

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

aformeracceleratedreader's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

Tiffany D Jackson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is a heavy book. Read the content warnings in reviews and at the beginning of the book. 
I don't know what to say. This books shows how power dynamics of famous people are used/abused to target vulnerable people, especially young girls, and how people are so quick to blame the victims and/or gaslight the victims. Like I've stopped listening to some bands once I found out members of them targeted teens and manipulated/groomed them. Also shows how black girls in particular are seen as "more adult" or "knew what they were doing" than their non-black peers in situations of sexual violence. 
Believe victims. And if you are a victim of sexual assault, you aren't alone or at fault.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Confinement

abbiestowe's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

alyssaarch's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Rape

belleden's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-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? Yes

4.25

I did not expect to devour this book in one day! It was so different than what I expected, but I couldn’t put it down. The alternating narration, voicemails, and police reports truly kept it a mystery until the final page.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This book had me holding my breath the whole time I was reading it. While predictable in a lot of ways, it is still a story that demands to be told. I couldn’t even get emotional until the very end. Loosely based on R. Kelly’s abuse of young Black women, this book is a devastating portrayal of all the ways money and power allows men to get away with whatever they want to do to women, especially Black ones. This book is an homage to all the women who’ve been abused and haven’t been believed. Believe them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Trafficking

jessicaludden's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

“My wounds are invisible, weeping invisible blood. Can anyone see the black-and-blue marks painted on my heart?”

I really enjoyed this. It was really hard to read at times, but I also couldn’t stop reading it. It’s such an important book and it was really interesting to read from the perspective of a character who has been a victim of abuse and other trauma. I loved the commentary on believing survivors. I loved the inclusion of mental health and how that plays a role in believing survivors. This book made me sad and angry and that’s what it was supposed to do. The part where her dad was cutting her hair and she broke down crying thinking everything was her fault really got me. It was one of those moments where you just want everything to be okay for a character. At the end of the book Enchanted saved herself and too many times in our society survivors are forced to save themselves too. I loved the side comments from outside characters. I feel like it really accurately portrayed the discourse that occurs around situations like this. Overall, this story broke my heart, but I’m glad I read it.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Murder, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

kaitlynnnng's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

3.0

It’s difficult for me to rate this book.

I read the entire thing in roughly 24 hours, which I’ve never done before. It was incredibly fast-paced and I was hooked on every page.

Korey Fields is a walking red flag adorned with even more red flags. He’s abusive, he’s manipulative, he’s predatory, he’s a liar. Even though Korey himself is fictional, everything about him is painfully real.

Even though it was a quick read, it was a heavy read. I was forced to reflect not only on my own experiences as a young woman, but also to reflect on the bigger issues: the systemic disregard for and discrediting of black women, the disgusting abuse of power by wealthy men, etc. It was uncomfortable! But it was meant to be, and it was well-done.

There were a few moments and plot points that confused me and took me out of the story (at least the parts of the story that truly mattered).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Sexual assault, Addiction, Infidelity, and Mental illness

zombiezami's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? N/A

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Stalking, Dementia, Trafficking, Confinement, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Vomit

Minor: Abandonment, Infidelity, and Medical content

Saneism, Misogynoir, Police Presence