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

A story relevant to our times and will beg to be read from cover to cover because you won’t want to put it down!
The topic is engaging and the characters make you feel as if you personally know them. You will feel hope, shock, despair, frustration, worry, relief and joy among many other emotions as Enchanted’s story unfolds.

😱 this book! Tiffany Jackson has done it again! She has left me with my jaw on the floor. I am still processing everything that happened.

At first I thought “I want all teens to read this to help them learn to identify abusive relationships!” And then I was like “Wow this is about the Harvey Weinstein and the men’s club culture.” And THEN Tiffany Jackson masterfully intertwines the #metoo movement, the psychological effects of mental and physical abuse. And how our society, law enforcement and legal system casts doubt on victims, especially BIPOC women. This is an intense read... I highly recommend for YA readers.

At the beginning of this book, Enchanted Jones wakes up covered in blood, which she insists on calling beet juice because there just couldn't be THAT much blood, could there?

So begins the story of teenage Enchanted Jones, a girl who wants to be a singer, but who needs to focus on swimming and taking care of her younger siblings, which she resents. When she meets hip hop star Korey Fields, it seems like she has met someone who can take her to the top of the charts.

A good read that goes back and forth between then and now, you'll see every aspect of Enchanted's life and choices for a few months, And in true Tiffany Jackson style,, there is an ending that you might not see coming.

“Your voice ain’t just for singing, you know? You gotta speak up. If not for you, then for the next you…” – Tiffany Jackson, Grown

Grown by Tiffany Jackson was both utterly page-turning and extremely difficult to read. In this YA novel, we learn the story of Enchanted Jones, a 17-year-old aspiring singer who is seduced by the legendary Korey Fields. The novel begins in the present-day (“now”) with Enchanted in the room with Korey’s dead body. The novel flashes back to the beginning (“then”), and we learn how Enchanted became star-struck and manipulated by the famous R&B singer and exactly how he ended up dead. Grown deals with issues of race, classism, sexual abuse, grooming, rape, and drug-abuse, all of which are heavy but also important for students. Highly recommended for high school and up; for fans of Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, and Laurie Halse Anderson.

Enchanted Jones was born to be a singer. After meeting star Korey Fields, she is convinced that he is her ticket to fulfilling her dreams. Korey not only loves her singing; it seems like he may be the guy of her dreams, too. But Korey is definitely not what he seems, and when he ends up dead, Enchanted is the main suspect. Will she be able to convince the world of who he really was?

I have been looking forward to this one since it was announced, and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. This novel parallels the R. Kelly story A LOT, so some parts will sound familiar. In all of her novels, Tiffany switches between timelines, which can be confusing but it definitely worked for this one. She also loves an unreliable narrator, and there were definitely points when I was worried about Enchanted and her truthfulness. I really don't have the words to describe how much I enjoyed it, so I'm just going to tell you to pick it up. The real message: Protect Black girls. BELIEVE Black girls.

"Why are we blaming/shaming little black girls/women for being "fast" when they're simply being themselves? For just being?"

"Why don't people EVER believe women?"

Grown tells the story of Enchanted Jones, a 17-year-old aspiring singer who comes under the influence of 28-year-old superstar Korey Fields. Enchanted is young and naive, and believes that Korey truly wants to help her make her dream come true. But what initially seems like a dream or a fairy tale, quickly turns into a nightmare as Korey becomes abusive, controlling, and violent. The novel shifts back and forth between the present and the discovery of Korey's body, to the past where we see just how all of these events came to pass.

This was a really hard novel to read, mostly because it was so real. Major TW/CW for rape, abuse (physical/emotional), drug use, sexual assault, and suicide. The slow build and progression of abuse and gaslighting depicted here are very real, and there were so many moments when I just wanted to call out to Enchanted and to tell her to run. There were many moments when I was afraid of how the novel would end and whether certain characters would get what was coming to them. This novel is important, critically important, in the wake of #MeToo and other movements. As a society, we still look at teenagers and girls as young women, often treating them as adults and not children. Jackson calls out the culture of pretending that young women are adults and not girls, and the exceptions that so many are willing to make for men with power. Especially when the girls in question are young Black girls, so often the story is ignored. Jackson's writing is bold and striking; she does not flinch away from telling this story but faces it head-on. The characters here feel like real people and Jackson uses those characters to illustrate just how dangerous it is to treat teenagers as "grown". This book is an absolute must-read for EVERYONE.

Oof this was hard to read (in an important way). A story about a predatory man grooming a young woman and abusing her. Some of the twists felt a little implausible but all-in-all a harrowing, tense read. Important as well for children who are also caught in Enchanted's situation (albeit maybe not as intense but still abusive/inappropriate). This shows that Tiffany D. Jackson is still at the top of her game in YA hard-hitting fiction.

(trigger warnings for: rape, abuse, grooming)

Plot-
Enchanted is a seventeen-year-old girl whose dream is to become a famous singer. She has a beautiful singing voice, but often her wants are pushed to the side so that she can watch her younger siblings. Enchanted meets the well-known R&B artist Korey Fields backstage at a singing competition. Korey and Enchanted start having a relationship that she keeps secret from her parents, and it only continues to get more and more dangerous.

The story starts with Enchanted waking up in a room full of blood, but having no recollection of what happened. This novel is told through alternating timelines and much like many other Tiffany D. Jackson books, readers are taken on a journey full of unexpected twists and turns.

Personal opinion-

Tiffany D. Jackson does an amazing job at bringing to light how men in power groom and manipulate young women. While this novel does compel the reader to turn page after page, it creates a pit in your stomach that doesn’t go away. This novel will stick with readers much past closing the back cover. I personally loved it but it often feels wrong to say that I loved a book that discusses child abuse, grooming, abuse of power, etc. I would recommend this book to mature middle school readers and high school students.

This was such an interesting concept and I loved it. It is a one of a kind book where it's part mystery and part romance. I loved every second of it from getting to know Enchanted and her siblings, her parents, Korey, his lifestyle, and all of the people that help her discover what's really going on. You can tell that Tiffany Jackson really put so much time and effort into this and it shows. I can't recommend this book enough.

While Enchanted Jones dreams of a singing and songwriting career, her help is needed with the littles - her four siblings, in order for her parents to fulfill the dream of owning their own home and putting their kids in good schools. Between singing and swimming, she has always related to Ariel from The Little Mermaid and longs for her childhood home on the beach with her grandmother.

When the opportunity of a lifetime comes in the form of an audition for a reality music show, Enchanted doesn’t win a spot, but she does catch the eye of a major music legend. The power that comes with fame and fortune proves to be more than she can handle as she is caught up in a web of deception that makes her doubt her sanity and the love of her parents.

Because Grown, like all of Tiffany D. Jackson’s thrillers, is inspired by a true story, it is all the more terrifying to consider the insidious nature of power that comes with wealth.

At the beginning of the book, we know that Korey Fields ends up dead. What we don't know is why and who killed him.

Enchanted Jones, a 17 year old high school student is an aspiring singer, swimmer, and big sister. When she catches Korey's eye at an open audition, she thinks all her dreams are about to come true. He's going to make her a star. Instead she finds herself trapped in an unthinkable situation and when he turns up dead, she becomes suspect number 1.

I'd really rate this a 3.75 if it were possible. I think that Tiffany Jackson did a good job with Chanty, for the most part. I know teen girls like her who think they are more mature than they really are. Girls who would absolutely believe the lines that Korey is feeding her as their relationship develops throughout the story. Although, I think that she reads as much younger than 17 for vast portions of the book. But this could be purposeful by Jackson.

I also think that Jackson tries to incorporate too much into the storyline. We have a YA appropriate version of the R. Kelly case which turns into a murder mystery which also involves a psychological thriller sub plot.

I liked the book and will recommend the book, but I didn't love the book.