Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

65 reviews

unfxckwhittable's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Characters: 4.5

Plot: 4.0

Theme: 3.5

Cover: 5.0 

17 yo Enchanted Jones’ dreams of becoming a singer seem within reach when she encounters 28 yo superstar Korey Fields. But soon her dreams turn into a living nightmare. 

Tiffany Jackson was one of my favorite authors of 2022. And reading this in 2023 did not disappoint. Jackson has a gift for evoking emotion from me through her words. I utterly detested KF and everyone who supported him and his lifestyle, he gave me the ick from the first touch. But I really enjoyed how this story was written—from the plot twists to the ending. 
This story touches on many important and timely topics, and certainly made me reflect on my own views. I found I was annoyed by Enchanted’s attitude about “being grown” at 17 and wanting to be treated like an adult, even though I was the same way at her age. I caught myself falling into the “fast girls” narrative and had to reflect on why I was judging a child with an adult lens. This book also made me really think about how to build my own children up and communicate with them so they don’t need to find love and value externally, but also so they don’t feel the need to deliberately keep things from their parents like Enchanted did. 
I also appreciated the inclusion of the social media comments on how society forms their opinions on situations like this with BM/BW, because every single comment was one I had seen when talking about R. Kelly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Stalking, Kidnapping, Torture, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Sexual violence, Gaslighting, and Mental illness

happynessheals's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

WARNING! this book can be triggering for some. It’s a great read, but in the middle I stopped reading because it was triggering me. the plots are great and the ending did not feel rushed! The ending was actually extremely unexpected and this book was a thrill ride!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Violence, Stalking, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Addiction, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Murder and Adult/minor relationship

nytephoenyx's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

This book was exceptionally hard to read. The themes are dark, and the constant gaslighting and abuse are hard to stomach. I cannot recommend enough that potential readers review the trigger warnings before proceeding. That said, it is amazingly well written and impactful. It’s an important story to tell, particularly when black women are so easily disregarded in these situations. It’s an incredible book, but it is devastating.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Racism, Kidnapping, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

The protagonist is a Black female-identifying teenager. Her best friend is LatinX, passing. The villain is a Black male. There are numerous Black supporting and minor characters.

aformeracceleratedreader's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

Tiffany D Jackson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. This is a heavy book. Read the content warnings in reviews and at the beginning of the book. 
I don't know what to say. This books shows how power dynamics of famous people are used/abused to target vulnerable people, especially young girls, and how people are so quick to blame the victims and/or gaslight the victims. Like I've stopped listening to some bands once I found out members of them targeted teens and manipulated/groomed them. Also shows how black girls in particular are seen as "more adult" or "knew what they were doing" than their non-black peers in situations of sexual violence. 
Believe victims. And if you are a victim of sexual assault, you aren't alone or at fault.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual violence, Violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Confinement

pun1sher's review

5.0

This was a tough one definitely wouldn't recommend if you have any sort of trauma related to grooming or relationship abuse. It reminded me a lot of Tina Turner and her husband. Solid work, not sure if it should be marketed fully as ya because it felt heavy topic wise. Also perfect chapter lengths, very fast and easy to read without being rushed

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Grooming, abuse of power

abbiestowe's review

dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

mackinseyjoy's review

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Classism, Racism, and Body shaming

sarahlovesbooks's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

A tough read but so well done. Intense and pulls you in. It has more than the usual thriller. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, and Toxic relationship

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This book had me holding my breath the whole time I was reading it. While predictable in a lot of ways, it is still a story that demands to be told. I couldn’t even get emotional until the very end. Loosely based on R. Kelly’s abuse of young Black women, this book is a devastating portrayal of all the ways money and power allows men to get away with whatever they want to do to women, especially Black ones. This book is an homage to all the women who’ve been abused and haven’t been believed. Believe them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Classism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Trafficking

elthechameleon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

I went into this book without knowing what it was about. I think that's the best way to experience it because I truly did not see any of the twists coming. 

I really enjoyed how Enchanted critiqued the unhealthy relationship in Twilight and still didn't see the troublesome dynamic of her own relationship. I also appreciated the "A Star is Born" reference because I thought this was going to be a romance book about her falling in love with Korey Fields and then him committing suicide after she was successful. I fell into the same trap as Enchanted did when thinking about what was to come next. Brilliantly done, Tiffany D. Jackson..

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This book is important, and I wish I'd read it in high school. It is dealing with heavy themes, but I wish someone had explained to me and my friends that being called "mature for your age" is never a good thing. I think every school library should have multiple copies of this book. It could save young people, truly. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

Inspired by the events with R. Kelly