Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

65 reviews

aveneg's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Trafficking, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Drug abuse

Minor: Body shaming

unifrost_8824's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual assault, Addiction, Child abuse, Murder, Sexual content, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

5.0

********** I don’t consider these spoilers, but you may *********



This may be an extreme and even glamour filled version of a reality that happens everyday to millions of women, especially BIPoC women and young women. Millions of us have been/are being assaulted (myself included), and probably just as many or more of us are beaten and brutalized and victimized and gaslighted by men, especially men with power, money, and influence. It doesn’t even have to be a lot of any of the three - so long as it’s just a little more than what we have. This story is my story. It’s an exaggerated version, but it happened to me under different circumstances. I also suspect the entertainment industry is probably as toxic as written. Bravo to Tiffany Jackson for writing with courage and gentleness and for killing off a character who should’ve been raised differently and could’ve brought so much beauty into the world if he had.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Violence, Bullying, Confinement, Infidelity, Stalking, Classism, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Gore, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Torture, Rape, and Sexual harassment

crybabybea's review

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Basically a cautionary tale wrapped up in a murder-mystery thriller. The story really only focuses on one character, Enchanted, a 17-year-old aspiring singer, and her toxic relationship with a powerful older singer named Korey Fields. Even though there are other characters, they don't play a huge part in the story and therefore aren't as fleshed out as Enchanted. It didn't affect my experience but might be a deal-breaker for some.

Since this is YA, it's definitely dark and does get pretty graphic. I did find some of the twists a little silly, but I think the point of the story was more the warning to young readers and exploration of rape culture, especially the silencing of Black women. Because of this, it felt a bit like a literary fiction with a murder-mystery thrown in.

I think Tiffany D. Jackson did a great job showing what it looks and feels like to be groomed and taken advantage of, and how quickly a toxic relationship can spiral out of control into violence. Definitely an important read for (teens and young adults especially) people who might be experiencing the same thing. I especially liked how the author captured the intense feelings of self-doubt and justification that goes through a victim's mind, without romanticizing the "good" moments, and the confusion that comes from manipulation and gaslighting. There was always a looming sense of danger in Enchanted's narration, which I appreciated. Also, she included content warnings in the beginning of the book and a list of resources for anyone struggling at the end, which I think should be done more often, especially in YA.

The pace is lightning fast and the simple prose makes it easy to breeze through. Overall an anxiety-inducing murder-mystery with a satisfying enough ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Pedophilia, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Addiction, Sexual violence, Stalking, Body shaming, Blood, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Murder

khb08's review

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Blood, Rape, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

gen_wolfhailstorm's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Blended reading with this title!

The Details: 
Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Unabridged 

This was heartbreaking. I had to slow down half way through and read a little at a time because it was so upsetting.

The suddenness of how quickly Enchanted was able to go on tour with Korey and how quickly she began to see the cracks in the supposed fairytale was devastating.

This was such a genuinely difficult read, especially knowing how much this happens in the mudlsic industry and how compliant those within it are. Its either they ignore it or are blatantly actively taken advantage of these young people that are supposedly under their wing.

The power dynamic between Korey and Enchanted was messed up from the start, but I find it hard to feel some sort of way about the parents as I feel like they were blindsided just by allowing their daughter to follow her dreams... it just so happened those dreams were within the power of a cruel, predatory man.

The scenes with Enchanted at the mansion were really difficult to read and when she began to doubt her sanity I just near enough broke down because how many times is a young Black girl going to be told she's crazy for speaking up. Simultaneously I was second guessing her reality too, feeling guilty for it, be because of what she was being subject to, what she was being fed (literally and metaphorically).

Tiffany D. Jackson portrayed a dark and deeply upsetting narrative, giving voice to the many young women who have lived this, trusting in the goodness of people and their love, in the act of chasing their dreams. This was a sad perspective, but one I'm glad I have finally read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Grief, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Excrement, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Trafficking, Violence, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Stalking, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Blood, Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Classism

caughtbetweenpages's review

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

Tiffany D Jackson doesn't miss. I read this book basically in one sitting; when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it, and then I kept thinking about it long after I turned the last page. Enchanted is one of the most sympathetic characters I can remember reading in a long time. Not because she made perfect decisions or had an eternally sparkling wit. Because she was a child who should have been protected and was failed, time and again, by a man who groomed her into believing she was only worthy of anything if it was given to her by him. And then, when the justice system theoretically put in place to help victims failed her time and again, she had to maintain her strength through that, too. There is so much more I'd like to say about this book but I don't want to spoil it, because the magic of a Tiffany D Jackson book is the one-two-three-infinity punch of her reveals and the complexity of the webs she weaves for her characters to navigate. Let it suffice to say that Enchanted's strength in surviving Absuer McGee, and the scars left by him, and the aftermath she had to live through again and again to appease a justice system against her for every reason, hit closer to home than I'm willing to elaborate on. Check the trigger warnings first, and then go read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Child abuse, and Sexual harassment

kaynova's review against another edition

DNF @ 69%

now i did not dnf because this book wasn't good; i actually love the way tiffany d jackson writes and the audiobook of this is unsettling (in a good way). i just thought i had the emotional capacity to read this book, after heeding to the trigger warnings, but that was not the case. this book is HEAVY and TRIGGERING, especially if you are a dv survivor. i suggest only reading this book if you have the stomach and heart to endure it to the end. i wanted to see who ended up actually k!lling korey fields, so i did look it up, so i felt some award for getting through as much as i could.

again, tiffany d jackson's book deserves to be read, but please always be mindful of the trigger warnings because they are there to protect you. though i failed myself thinking i would be fine, a lot of others have enjoyed this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Body shaming

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.

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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

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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