This book is so introspective and forces you to confront your own prejudices around teen moms, sex education, socio-economic class, and so much more. For such a young author, Leila Mottley has a really advanced grasp on society and how it's treatment of women of color bleeds into every other aspect of life.

I found all of the characters really compelling, disturbing, and encouraging at the same time.

Unfortunately, I DNFed this book at 49%. I started it over a month ago and it has been putting me into the biggest slump. I couldn’t push through. Too many characters, not enough plot.

I loved this story. Leila has such a lyrical and poetic way of writing that makes you feel all of the things! I can't even begin to imagine being pushed out of the safety of family and having to deal with pregnancy and parenting on your own. These young girls found a circle they could count on when the world turned their back on them. I wish we could see the future and what happens after the last page, but I guess we can only hope that their dreams come true!

Wow! "The Girls Who Grew Big" by Leila Mottley was a raw, honest, painful and beautiful story of teen pregnancy in a non-supportive world of their struggles. A bonded group of young mothers, in deep poverty, shaky relationships and with little to no adult assistance making the best they can. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is such a fantastic book. A group of pregnant teens create their own community of support and friendship. Life is hard for these young girls, bad decisions are made, and they're just trying to do right for their children. The story manages to be both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. While I'm sure this will be a hit to some, it just wasn't as engaging to me as Leila's debut. Her prose is as beautiful (and purple) as ever. It's slow to start and start to get more interesting towards the end but I just wasn't that invest in any of the girls - and for a book about "the girls", it's only actually three of them, when I wanted to know more about everyone. There's little growth and the whole thing just feels a bit underdeveloped. I'll be interested to see what Leila does next.

When I started this book, I thought to myself, "What could I possibly have in common with a group of teenage mothers in a small town on the Florida panhandle?" Turns out A LOT. This book is exquisite and made me feel so deeply. It's about friendship and family and love and motherhood and girlhood and I just loved every page.

Leila Mottley is just a fantastic writer. This book follows the lives of three teen mothers living in a small Florida coastal town. They are part of a group of teen moms who are looked down on by everyone in town, but have formed a sisterhood of support as they navigate pregnancy and motherhood. This is a hard, gritty story but full of so much strength and ultimately a story of the tight bonds of friendship and motherhood.

I loved Nightcrawling and I loved this.

The writing was so beautiful, just stunning. You could feel every part of this novel from beginning to end, and the narrators were fantastic. And it takes place in Florida. The story is heavy, but it’s a great listen. Adding to my top books list for the year.

Thank you @netgalley and @aaknopf for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

An engrossing story of young, teenage mothers, some who have been abandoned by their families, who bond together to raise their children. This is a poignant story of survival. These young ladies come together and rely on one another for so many things that most of us take for granted. Lovely writing and character development take us on a journey with these women that is worth reading. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This book was so good. It was incredibly well-written; these characters had so much depth to each of them and the stories were woven together so well. The author mentions in the beginning that teenage mothers are usually dismissed as all being young and naive, each having made the same mistake to get there. But each mother’s story was different and felt raw and real. I’m really itching to read something else by Mottley.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A group of girls, all marginalized teenage moms, form their own little tribe, where they can offer the support and companionship to each other that they no longer get from their real families.
Things get complicated when a new girl moves to town and joins their small group, upsetting the status quo.
This was pretty good; closer to three and a half stars.
Thanks to #netgalley and #knopf for this #arc of #thegirlswhogrewbig in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible story!
This one took me by complete surprise.
“The Girls Who Grew Big,” is about three young girls who find themselves pregnant and with children in their teens. They come from a small town in Panhandle Florida. Pudua Beach is so small it’s not even on a map. Simone, being the first to have babies at 16 takes the girls that come after her under her wing. These girls come from underprivileged backgrounds and are pushed out when they find themselves pregnant. These women are resilient and full of grit despite the many hardships they face. They are young and still so full of life, but they aren’t perfect. They show up for one another and they support each other.

This felt like a raw and true depiction of what a teenager girl would/could possibly face. I really enjoyed this one. I’ll definitely e recommending to everyone and reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf books for an early copy.

Leila Mottley has a way with words. I loved Nightcrawling and her follow up was not a disappointment. First of all, I appreciated the uniqueness of her plot and characters. There just aren’t many books about the challenges faced by teenage mothers. This captured well the stigma, loneliness, fear and longing that they face and also did a great job portraying the deep friendships that connected them and enabled them to grow and persevere. The growth the main Girls experienced was inspiring and realistic. I loved seeing each of them struggle to come into their own and accept who they were. I continue to look forward to Mottley’s future work!

Loved it. Sometimes the style of prose felt a little...overwrought? But The characters were distinct and they all made me think about perception, society, and girlhood.

A novel about teenage girls who are single pregnant, have babies but have nowhere to live. The author covers relationships good and bad. Covering how these girls survived on their own in a community of just themselves.

"Sometimes happiness feels like a snake in the grass." WHEWWW this book broke my heart and knit it back together. Leila perfectly captured girlhood, friendship, heartache, and the at times cosmic cruelty of existing on this floating rock. I waited to impatiently for this book and it was well worth it.

Leila Mottley’s The Girls Who Grew Big is a novel that redefines what it means to grow up fast—and grow strong. Set in the town of Padua Beach, Florida, the story follows a group of teenage mothers who refuse to be reduced to statistics or shame. Instead, they build a sisterhood in the back of a red pickup truck, raising babies, defending each other, and daring to dream beyond the limits placed on them.
Mottley crafts a narrative that’s both gritty and poetic. Each girl is beautifully flawed, achingly real, and unforgettable. Their stories—of exile, ambition, heartbreak, and resilience—are woven with compassion and defiance.

The Girls Who Grew Big is a moving story about three teen moms—Simone, Emory, and Adela—who find strength in each other after being pushed to the margins of society. Set in the heat of coastal Florida, the novel follows them through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood, all while they live out of a truck and try to hold onto hope. Leila Mottley’s writing is incredibly powerful, giving each girl a distinct voice and making their struggles feel both personal and relatable.

While the novel is full of heart and beautifully written, some moments are super intense, which can help tie the relatability to the story. Mottley captures the emotional intensity of young motherhood with care and compassion. This is a story about survival, sisterhood, and growing up too fast.

I ended up listening to The Girl Who Grew Big and I really enjoyed itt. It was a touching story about friendship, love, motherhood and resilience.