Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

45 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.

---

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

---

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

kendal_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Sexual violence

sarahreads2222's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

Okay, the ending though.....This book was TOUGH to get through. triggers up the wazoo. But such an important story that so many people need to read. Enchanted was such a strong character but reading from her POV you can see how even strong personalities can get brainwashed and end up in the horrific things that she went through. I don't feel qualified to review this one but wow. Amazingly written again by Jackson. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Cursing, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Blood, Drug use, Murder, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Violence, and Sexual content

jessicafacchinigould's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Trafficking

Moderate: Alcohol, Racism, and Gaslighting

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.

---

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

haleyp898's review

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Addiction, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Classism, and Alcohol

Minor: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Murder

ghosttown's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.5

this was a heavy, heartbreaking, shattering book but also extremely important. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug use, Murder, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Torture, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Child abuse

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

vcxviii's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Spoiler

this book was absolutely heart wrenching. but it’s stories like these that need to be told more often, you see the parents side and the victims side in cases like these. it’s so easy to push blame when your favorite person is accused of something like this. and this book hits EXTREMELY hard on the topic of race. the malcolm x quote was extremely needed. since enchanted was a darkskinned BLACK woman, the police took no time to accuse her of murder and ignore the fact she was beaten, stalked and raped. but if gabriella (or olivia) did it, korey would have been in jail in five seconds. the author did another amazing job of writing a book having to deal with a very real situation, mondays not coming was an amazing read. i believe everyone should read this book. especially if you still believe r kelly didn’t do it. even thought the author says it isn’t about r kelly, it’s heavily inspired.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis

books_xoxo's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This book is not a joke, it deals with more than just "Singing"
Check TW before reading..

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment