I love me some Tiffany D. Jackson!! This one did not disappoint. It had the usual twists and turns that you've come to expect from her, but not quite at the level where you end up throwing your book across the room, like with some of her previous books. While this story was NOT based on R. Kelly, and Tiffany makes that very clear in the note at the beginning, there were a lot of similarities to what his victims went through, and I was glad to have watched the Surviving R. Kelly series so that this wouldn't be too newly shocking for me. Tiffany has said that this story was inspired by some of her own experiences, and I hope she'll share more of that as time goes on. This isn't a story that's been told before in YA literature as far as I know, and I'm really glad that it was, and by an author as skilled as Tiffany. This story brings up a lot of issues worth talking about - abuse of power, grooming, brainwashing, manipulation, mental, emotional and physical abuse, mental illness, the lack of belief in Black women's experiences... disrespect of Black women, and viewing them as adults when they're still only teenagers. And of course the fact that a white woman going through this experience would be heard and helped much more quickly by those in positions of power. An important read!

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

Grown is the story of Enchanted, a 17-year-old aspiring singer, and the dangerous relationship she gets into with an older, famous mentor in the business. This is loosely based upon the real-life story of R. Kelly and his pattern of abusing and manipulating young black girls. There are a lot of story elements that might be considered triggering: sexual abuse, rape, brainwashing, drug addiction, and the way police and adults respond when black women speak out.

I was not a fan of Jackson's Monday is Not Coming because I felt the alternating timelines were quite hard to follow and certain plot elements were unbelievable. That has all been resolved in Grown. We open knowing that there has been a crime committed and then flash back. I found the timelines easy to understand. The pace flew, and Jackson does an incredible job of making readers see just how a young girl (and her parents) would find themselves in a situation like this. I think this is an important book for young adults to read to understand the plight of survivors who are not believed, black women in particular.

Whew. Tiffany Jackson knows how to impact my emotions and get me at my core. Her last book I read made me sob. This one was hard to read at times, because of how real it felt. Because of how easily I could see girls getting trapped in a relationship with a Korey. That’s terrifying. I can’t think of many characters if any I’ve detested more than him. But I had to finish. I had to let Enchanted finish her story. We have to listen to and believe the painful stories women come forward with. And that’s why even though they bring me pain, I’ll keep reading Jackson’s books. She shines a light on injustices and truths in regards to race, gender, and criminal justice/systems.

ARC provided by publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books via NetGalley.

Holy moly. This book left me thinking about it for days.

Tiffany D. Jackson does it again. She leaves you thinking, wondering, questioning until the very last page.

This story follows Enchanted, a 17 year old aspiring singer who meets her celebrity crush. From the moment they meet, the reader can feel the energy between the two.

This book was very tough to read, seeing how the celebrity singer groomed Enchanted and the conditions in which he put her through.

One thing I enjoyed about the book is truly hearing Enchanted inner monologue and seeing her fight between her head and her heart. I also loved the moments of “then” and “now”.

This book was so good! At times, it was hard to read. At times, I had to step away because I was shouting at the main character. There are definite trigger warnings and adult content. (Sexual assault, human trafficking, drug abuse, pedophilia, etc)

Enchanted is a 17 year old girl who dreams of becoming a star. She’s a typical teen who is on the swim team at her high school, in an African American club in her community and someone her family adores. She has a best friend, Gab, who pushes her to pursue her singing career when her parents are only pushing college. Enchanted doesn’t want to go to college, she wants to be famous.

Enchanted (Chanty) auditions for a talent show and meets Korey Fields, a famous and powerful 28 year old man. Of course she is drawn to him— who wouldn’t be?! He’s attractive and tells her she’s an amazing singer and is going places.

Korey offers to mentor her and help her become famous— but there’s a huge problem. He’s 28! She’s 17. Even though her parents aren’t 100% on board, he convinces them to be able to take her on tour with him and a lot occurs. (Enter the trigger warnings)

This is a story of a man in power who takes advantage of a child.

But this is also a story of a powerful young woman who overcomes a lot of brutality.

I believe this is an important story for our youth. It shows how easy it can be to become victim to pedophiles and how blinding toxic love can be. It is a must read!

Thank you, Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

The story of 17 year old Enchanted is going to sound familiar. Enchanted Jones has dreams of being a professional singer. At a contest, reminiscent of an American Idol tryout, Enchanted catches the eye of the famous Korey Fields. Promising her the world, Enchanted is swept away into Korey’s world; isolated from family and friends. The author notes this story is not based on R. Kelley, but you will definitely see many connections. Controlled, scared, and stuck Enchanted doesn’t know how to escape. But there is one morning where Enchanted wakes with blood on her hands and a dead Korey Field’s. Who has killed him? Enchanted insists she didn’t kill Korey. Victims of Korey’s are now coming forward shedding light on how one gets caught up in these inappropriate and abusive relationships.

Ultimately, this book is all over the place; is it a psychological thriller, a mental health tale, a murder mystery, and/or a social commentary? It touches upon several different areas, which may be too much for some readers when determining the overall message.

It's difficult to watch Enchanted go through what she does, but Jackson makes her story so compelling it's hard to put down. And regardless of your comfort level with this book, it's an incredibly important read. Plus, that cover. Dang. Kudos to Rachelle Baker, the designer.

Tiffany Jackson has done it again, with a powerful story that blends mystery with a coming of age story that seems ripped from the headlines.

Enchanted Jones is a 17-year old who dreams of becoming a singer, and when R&B artist, Korey Fields, takes notice of her and promises to help her reach her dreams, she thinks she's got it made. With the support of her parents, Enchanted set out to make her mark, but in doing so she's quickly exposed to the horrific secrets that hide behind the scenes and threaten to destroy her life and the lives of other young women like her who will do almost anything to achieve their dreams.

Social Justice Topics:
▪️#metoo Movement
▪️Sexual Assault
▪️Mental Health

Grade Level: 9 and up

Wow...I knew Tiffany D. Jackson was a great writer, but this book still Blew. My. Mind. READ THIS BOOK if you crave books based on real criminal cases, Black Lives Matter, and the #metoo movement. Without a doubt, you will go through your day thinking about this book...that is, if you can put it down.

This book comes out September 15th, and I cannot wait to add it to my classroom library! However, due to the content, it will be in the ‘parent permission slip’ section of my 7th grade classroom.

Tiffany D. Jackson does it yet again. I rarely read unreliable narrators, particularly high stakes, convoluted plots until all is revealed (or at least some). But I stumbled on "Allegedly" and couldn't put it down and now I devour everything Jackson publishes. This was by far my favorite of her work so far because it was so frighteningly realistic. I completely understood our protagonist's journey being pulled into the clutches of a serial abuser. I was conflicted and uncomfortable as I confronted my own internalized judgments towards survivors. And that cover! It is a striking work of art that perfectly captures the energy and pressure of this novel. Her thrilling realistic fiction will do me in and I keep coming back for more.

*I received an eARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Katherine Tegen Books for the opportunity to read and review in advance of publication.

This book is incredibly important and also difficult to read at times. TWs for child trafficking, sexual assault, child predators, drug use.

Enchanted dreams of being a singer, but there’s no way her parents will ever let her. Not as a career, at least. It’s too risky and only a tiny fraction of a percent make a living out of it. But when she meets Korey Fields - mega-popular r&b artist - even her mom has a hard time saying no to the free singing lessons he’s offering.

Uh, red flag #1.

Did I mention Enchanted is 17, and Korey is 28?

What follows is some serious manipulation and creepiness that gave me all the heebeegeebees - as it should.

This is Jackson’s take on the R. Kelly story, the story of a man in power who lures teenage girls into an abusive, manipulative relationship with promises of a music career. But it’s also about all the men who silence women, about how black women in particular are ignored and silenced.

We must do better. We must listen to the women who are brave enough to speak their truths, especially when they unearth dirty truths about our favorite celebrities.

Fame, money, talent - these things don’t make a person immune to being a good person.

This book is fast-paced; I read it in a little over a day (despite having to put it down for a phone break every so often because I couldn’t take the gross factor of it all), and the ending is an absolute question-everything page turner.

Overall, I gave it a 4/5 because at times I thought it rushed things a bit too much, but I think it’s a very important book and will be adding it to my classroom library.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of this book.

This was a really interesting novel. I enjoyed the narrative structure and it also shed a lot of light on how the media treats cases like this.

Through NetGalley I was able to secure an advanced copy of Grown! WOW! This is now my favorite book from Tiffany Jackson! It covered so many current topics: abuse, the constant disproving of girls, friendship, family, acceptance, shame talking about hard situations and reaching for your dreams! The friendship between Enchanted and Gabby was relatable. They each had their own goals and knew what they were good at. There also came a point when Enchanted thought maybe she was losing it and felt a little crazy. This is something I think most can relate to especially when experiencing difficult situations.

What do you do when you’ve gone too far down a dark road and can’t turn back?

Tiffany D. Jackson has been on my radar for years, but I've never read her books. Her stories sounded interesting to me, but not enough to pick one up. However, when the book announcement of GROWN and its subject matter was brought to my attention, it struck a deep nerve within me. I'm a Black child sexual abuse survivor. Child sexual abuse is brushed off in the Black community and reframed to point the blame at young girls who are labeled as acting too GROWN or too FAST. Not the predatory GROWN MEN who prey on these girls. Some even have a reputation within our families that is passed off as a joke or tiptoed around because "blood is blood."

In the Black community, we've always known about R. Kelly and other celebrity child predators, but its common practice to blame the child and the parents, but not the actual predator. Jackson weaves a difficult subject into a captivating heartbreaking tale that can be consumed by teenagers and appreciated by adults. It has the capacity and power to stir conversations and break down barriers much like The Hate U Give did with police brutality.

My only issue was Enchanted didn't act 17-18. She acted much younger than her age. Her choices were fine, but her way of thinking that led to those choices made me forget she was 17-18 on many occasions. However, that won't affect my rating.

This is a necessary story that needs to be told and embraced.

After reading GROWN, I'm upset I've missed out on such a talented author and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

5/5 stars

Wow! Incredible book from an incredible author. Such a powerful story. Definitely one that stays with you long after you've finished reading it. Heart-wrenching at times. Powerful throughout. Content and format will definitely be appealing to teen readers. Asks tough questions about power, innocence, who's worth saving, who's story becomes the dominant narrative. Will be strongly recommending to students and colleagues. (Grades 8+)

Grown opens with Enchanted waking up to find herself covered in “beet juice” and Korey Fields dead.

Flashback: Enchanted is a 17 year old senior in a predominately white high school on the swim team with dreams of a singing career. She goes to a swimming competition, doesn’t make it, but is noticed by 28 year old superstar Korey Fields. As Korey inhales Enchanted into his life, it is easy to understand why Enchanted makes the choices she does. Unfortunately she never imagined the nightmare ahead of her.

In an age when women are raising their voices, this is an extremely important book. It is timely and hits all the important points. This powerful book will make you weep, rage, lose sleep, and decide to fight harder for our young women, especially our Black young women. Let this be a conversation starter.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be buying this book for my high school library. I wish I could have it for the first days of school.

Grown was my first book by author Tiffany D. Jackson, and I will be reading anything else she publishes. The story centers on Enchanted Jones, a high school student who balances her dreams of becoming a singer with her duties on her swim team and helping to take care of her younger siblings. Her life is turned upside down when she meets superstar Korey Fields.

I loved the focus story of this book, and its message that it sends to young people everywhere: your voice matters. Jackson's writing style was engaging, and her development of characters, especially Enchanted, kept me engaged throughout the entire book.

Thoughts on Grown- Tiffany D. Jackson
We are not ready for this novel. We are not ready for Enchanted. Why? Because we, as an American society, are not ready or willing to believe women. To believe girls. To believe BLACK women and BLACK girls. However, like Elie Wiesel states, “we must bear witness,” no matter how difficult and uncomfortable. Grown is the most important book you’ll read this year, perhaps even ever.
- Through Grown, Jackson forces the reader to stare into the abyss with Enchanted. But the thing about the abyss?? It stares back. The darkness shows you the deepest fears and insecurities and then exploits them mercilessly.
- Korey’s manipulation tactics work because like the biologically-honed predator that he is, Korey zeroes in on his prey’s weaknesses to make the hunt as thrilling as it is successful. His celebrity, his money, his access, and his enablers prevent Enchanted and the dozens of other victims from breaking their silence and breaking their abuser’s hold on them.
- My ability and willingness to be sucked into the “fairy tale” of it all. Poor, talented “average” girl is “rescued” from mediocrity by the rich, well connected “savior.” It’s a tale as old as time. The Prince Charming will lift his love above her station and make all her dreams come true. All she has to give up is her tail. Her voice. Her friends. Her family. Her credibility. Her sense of self. Her life.
- Chanty is every single woman that has wilted under the oppressive weight of power and authority men effortlessly wield as a weapon. She is not alone. We are not alone.
- The name Enchanted and all the Disney princesses referenced (Ariel, Belle, Pocahontas) is not an accident. Jackson offers stringent commentary on the manipulative media girls consume and how fairy tales, with their damsels in distress and prince charmings, lay the foundation that abusers can latch onto and build their castles of torment with walls so high...Walls meant to keep someone in, not to keep someone out.

The first thing I loved about this book was the cover, it is absolutely gorgeous. It catches your eye with its beautiful design and colors, and after reading the book I feel like it was the perfect cover for the story that unfolded behind it.

The characterization of Enchanted and Korey was what really brought this book to life. Seeing Enchanted long to be wanted, valued, appreciated...and subsequently seeing Korey enter into her life (avoiding detail on purpose) led to a series of plot points that truly kept me on the edge of my seat.

What unfolded between Enchanted and Korey was extremely real and often painful to read. From a young age women don’t recognize their self worth, will attach it to men, and ultimately fall prey to those men who claim to care for them. This book did a fantastic job of painting a real one picture of that. It also put into perspective the real struggle black women face their entire lives...how society fails them instead of lifting them up and placing value on them as human beings.

The only downfall is that I wish there was more to the book! It felt short, and a bit rushed at the end. I had to go back and re-read to make sure I fully understood what happened.

This book is yet another standout in a long line of Tiffany D. Jackson books! While I would put a trigger warning on it for those who have shared Enchanted’s experiences, I do believe this book should be read (and really thought about) by everyone.

I have been waiting for access to this book. I am happy to report how this book 100% meets the hype. I met Tiffany Jackson a few years ago when I lived in Greenville, SC- she was a speaker at a local YA conference called Read Up Greenville. I was one of the moderators and escorted both her and other authors to the different panels. I remember she was promoting Monday's Not Coming and talking to the panel and guests about how thrillers play out when the main character is black (in particular a girl). The level of distrust between the main character and the police- the police never willing to listen.

This thriller will be a killer in the YA business. It is both heartbreaking and important. I both devoured the book and continuously had to put it down and take breaks so that I would not throw my phone across the room. The situations the main character, Enchanted, gets put in is truly appalling and horribly realistic.

This book will set the precedent for other thrillers like this one. It draws not on outlandish twists and turns that could never happen in real life that you sometimes see in thrillers. This book instead draws on terrifyingly realistic situations- the ones every girl has worried about at some point, but hopes to never fall into involving abuse. This book burrows deep into your soul and the ending is perfect! I don't want to give away much of this book, because I think it will be important for so many to read.

Grown by Tiffany Jackson comes out September 15th, 2020- no doubt I will be buying multiple copies for my library. http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/grown-by-tiffany-jackson