Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

19 reviews

ap153057's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Wow just Wow! This book touched on a lot of heavy topics. It is closely related to what a famous R&B star that we all know did. The thoughts and emotions that you feel while reading this is just ...WOW.

Please check content warnings before readimg.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, Vomit, Rape, Child abuse, and Kidnapping

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

mollieweitzman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.75

I didn’t realize this was loosely based on R Kelly because I added it to my tbr so long ago. Really powerful message but also hard to read. The audiobook is incredible as Jackson’s books always are.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Murder, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Vomit

readwithtae's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, and Murder

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Vomit

mhakayla's review

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Stalking, Drug use, Physical abuse, Rape, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Vomit

trashboatwinter's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, and Vomit

lynxpardinus's review

dark emotional sad tense

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Trafficking, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Stalking, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide, Vomit, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual content

Also includes graphic depictions of victim blaming, and frames a relationship with a smaller yet still notable age gap as misunderstood. There is also a scene where the main character narrates that she forgives somebody who attempted to sexually assault her.

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

semi's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

3.75

Spolier Warning!
 

What I liked/Highlights: 
1. For starters, I love that this book is in the YA genre because I really do think this is something YA's should be aware of and bring attention to how society and media play a part in rape culture and how society fails to protect young girls, especially young black girls.
2. Near the end of the book when the media gets involved and it shows the discourse between Corey's cult followers and people who believe Enchanted's side of the story. I'm not saying I liked the victim shaming, but I liked the fact that it was realistic because the theme of this book wouldn't been lost if everyone believed the victim since sadly in real life that's not always how it unfolds, especially when the predator has a significant amount of influence and power. Plus I appreciated how the victim blaming was blatantly called out within this book by some characters.

What I disliked:
1. Making the reader wonder if she has a mental illness that made her hallucinate. Adding the mental health scare just to confirm her not seeing hallucinations or having a mental illness in a chapter or two was unnecessary. Perhaps it was a way to reflect how young black girls are made to question their sanity but it could've been executed better.
2. How rushed some parts of Corey's relationship was with Enchanted. Especially during the tour, Corey just automatically turned abusive, possessive, and  stalkery. While reading the book, it felt like pieces were taken out at times because Corey's behavior didn't line up or it came so out of left field. I also wished that Corey's character was more developed even if his character is supposed to be a symbol of what men in power can do to vulnerable young, women.
3. The ending was a little confusing so I had to search up the explanation to understand what happened.
4. How Corey's friends knew exactly what he was doing to Enchanted and chose to look the other way.
My Key Takeaway(s):
1. This book felt like a novelization of the R. Kelly case. This book is about the abuse of power that happens behind the scenes in the music industry. It's about how society will ignore the stories of women to continue to keep men in power, but this book didn't handle it in a way that was men-bashing. 
2. Overall I have some mixed feelings in regards to where some characters stand, like Corey's assistant, but I think this is a book that will lead to crucial discussions and serve as a lesson on empathy.

Who wouldn’t like this book: People who don't want to read books with the content warnings, there's a lot of them. (Also I would recommend to take breaks while reading this book as some of the topics and situations can be too much sometimes)

Favorite quotes: 
“Our daughter was stalked, preyed upon, and assaulted by a grown man. This is when we need our village the most.”
“I'm so sorry, Daddy."
None of this is your fault. Not one drop of it. No child should ever take the blame for a man's actions.”
“Yo, Malcolm X said it best. “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”
“What a woman wears or doesn’t wear doesn’t give anyone the right to touch them. Well, you know he’s had a rough childhood. Abandoned by his mom, didn’t know his father, raised by his grandma who passed. We’ve all BEEN through a lot but that don’t give you no excuse to abuse girls.”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Drug abuse and Physical abuse

Minor: Rape, Death, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Sexual content

rebeccajost's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Trafficking, Rape, and Vomit