"He knew better." That's the one singular, blazing, brilliant message of this book, and in Grown, Tiffany Jackson drives that message home. By telling 17-year-old Enchanted's story through her eyes, we see every decision she makes and every decision that the world will hold against her in the face of trauma, but we also see the terror of a teenager facing impossible and horrifying situations.

Jackson took me on a journey where I'll admit I started off reading Enchanted's character as "grown." I was lured into that characterization both from her proud adult-like appearance on the cover and her confidence on the page, but as the story goes on, Enchanted's grown appearance cracks and her youth is revealed in heart-breaking ways. This story will stay with me and has changed the way I read "romance" with YA characters and adult romantic interests forever.

** e-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

I devoured GROWN in a single sitting, up past two in the morning because I couldn't put it down. An absolute masterpiece and everyone should read it. This book meant so much to me as a survivor. I can’t imagine how much more it will mean to Black women survivors. Absolutely gutwrenching and poetic and beautiful. It’s been so long since a book made me cry.


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Grown is ripped-from-the-headlines Young Adult fiction from Tiffany D. Jackson.

Seventeen-year-old high school student, Enchanted Jones, awakens covered in blood with no memory of what has occurred. Her dream of being a professional singer has gone all wrong. She was ecstatic when esteemed R&B singer, Korey Fields, acknowledged her and became her mentor, that is, until she met the other Korey. Her role model has a “dark” side. Now, Korey is dead and the police are banging at the door. Her hopes and dreams are dead too. Her promising life has imploded.

Grown is my introduction to Tiffany D. Jackson, and I am impressed with her social commentary. The story alternates between the present and the recent past: Now and Then. This writing technique is especially impactful here. Enchanted is every Black girl with a dream. She is the embodiment of many societal ills. Her story is the hidden burden placed upon many women, but is even more prevalent and devastating for women of color, especially young women and girls. Those without a voice, at least without one that’s heard and believed. Serious issues are explored in this novel. Reality is exposed. Eyes and minds will be opened. I was shattered but couldn’t put it down. I am compelled to rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to all readers of Young Adult fiction and anyone who enjoys a good suspense novel.

My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Grown gave me all the feels. It made me feel,the pain of all the young girls out there forced to grow up faster than they should, made me feel the judgment of society passing verdict on the victim, and it made me feel hope that how we treat girls and women will change for the better.

Enchanted Jones, is an aspiring 17 year old singer who is groomed, victimized, and preyed upon by megastar singer Korey Fields who is 28 years old. But as Tiffany D. Jackson says in her preface, this book is not about R. Kelly. And it is not. It is about the early sexualization of Black girls (and Brown girls), race and class, predatory grooming, domestic violence, and so much more.

After Korey discovers Enchanted at a local city-wide audition, he slowly slides into her DMs (well, starts texting her), and Enchanted, of course, being 17 years is old, is ecstatic that her dreams of becoming an R&B singer will come true. Korey starts out sweet, presenting himself as a mentor to Enchanted’s parents, and persuades them to let him take her under his wing… what follows is every parent’s horror story…

This is my first Tiffany D. Jackson book and I can see why she has become a favorite, go-to author. The story is riveting, fast-paced, and engrossing. This book reads like a thriller and open with Korey’s murder. From the get-go, the reader is taken on a trip, with the narratives switching from past to present. All the characters are fully fleshed out and we even get a Greek chorus-like commentary on Enchanted’s story from the teens in Will and Willow (a Black youth group that Enchanted is a member of). It is a wild ride from start to finish, and you feel Enchanted’s pain and what she goes through.

It is hard to write this review because it won’t do the book any justice. In one word, this book is powerful --it voices the frustration of young Black females who feel invisible and also reflects how society as a whole, still has a tendency to make sexual abuse, assault, or domestic violence a “he-said/she-said” situation, when it is not. I spent many years working as a prosecutor in Special Victims Unit --so what Enchanted feels, does, and goes through is authentic. How the community reacts is authentic and reflects the society we live in -in that we are quick to judge the victim versus turning our lens directly at the perpetrator and who is actually responsible.

This is a must-read. I blazed through this book in just a few hours and I’m sure you will too. My one critique here is in regards to the character of Gabriela -- I like her, but without revealing spoilers, I think Enchanted has been through enough without that added drama about her friend.

Thank you Net Galley, Tiffany D. Jackson, and HarperCollins for the advanced reader's copy!

This book was heart-wrenching. Tiffany Jackson weaves a story that captures the readers attention and keeps that attention all while teaching a valuable lesson.

Tiffany D. Jackson’s best work yet in my humble opinion.
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that sliced me with every word and yet I still had to finish. Enchanted’s story was specific but universal to Women but specifically Black Women everywhere.

As Malcolm X says and Jackson includes in her book “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.”

It wasn’t an easy read for it took me but Jackson also allowed me to cut away the edges and slay the monsters that exist everywhere. I highly recommend this book especially for the boys who turn into the monsters this book warns us about.

The Men of the book, and Men who let these predators exist.

This is TOUGH to read. In the tradition of her other books, Jackson chooses to portray another young, POC to give voice to stories that are not always told or heard. If you watched the docuseries “Surviving R Kelly” or read about what happened to the women Kelly abused you are familiar with the story. Jackson does an amazing job of putting the reader in Enchanted’a head and watching her fall for Korey even as the reader can see the warning signs where she cannot. While this is not as much of a page-turner as her other two books— probably because you know the end game in a way you really didn’t with either Monday’s Not Coming or Allegedly— it’s extremely readable and well-paced. Jackson highlights how difficult it is for Black women and girls to be heard. Jackson continues to be an auto buy author for me and I will recommend her book to students.

Ohhhhh Tiffany Jackson does it AGAIN! She is a masterful storyteller, and her latest, Grown. is no different. This book addresses so many things, I can't even list them out! Like all of Jackson’s books, this packs a solid gut punch and will make your blood boil. I could not stop reading & listening to Grown, because I needed to know what would happen to Chanted. This is not a ‘poor, black girl’ story, but a realistic story that addresses real life issues, ones that can happen everywhere, but are very much overlooked and glossed over when they happen to Black girls. I would love to see this book in all HS libraries, and on ELA reading lists with books like Speak, The Poet X, Long Way Down, and Parachutes.

TW: kidnapping & brainwashing, sexual, physical & mental abuse, pedophilia.

Jesus. This book. Jesus.

I read it, literally, in one sitting. It is now 1:45 a.m. and I don’t feel even a little bit tired or regretful for staying up to finish it. Because, goddamn. I have never felt more and understood better about something I can’t fathom in my life. Tiffany Jackson is ridiculously smart and writes with such conviction and intelligence that I am left with a deep sense of the injustice of this world and a desire never to allow my daughter, especially, and my son to experience the types of horrors of which she writes. But, then I feel stupid because, of course, we’re white. So I get a pass. How fucked up is that? Jesus. 💜📚

Tiffany D. Jackson NEVER disappoints. Grown was a haunting story, about the exploitation of black girls by men. It was earth shattering, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Also, Jackson found a way to weave in her signature plot twists. Always leaving the reader scratching their heads at the end. She truly is a queen of unreliable narrators!

This book makes you want to hide your daughters. The content in this book is heartbreaking, necessary, and scary. We were all kids once, and we all did things we hid from our parents, which makes it even more terrifying because even though we try to prepare our kids for things like this, we can't prevent everything from happening. You may even want to say, "not my child! My child will never..." - wrong. You do not know what your child will do because they are their own person and they have desires, wants, and needs as well. You can raise them to be the best person in the world, but if they get lured down a path that seems like their wildest dreams are about to come true, there is no telling what they will do to get there. Kids lie, kids pretend, kids manipulate, kids play their parents against one another, kids are deceitful, kids bully, kids are mean, kids love, and kids are real people! As good of a job you think you've done raising them, at the end of the day, people are going to do what they want to get ahead, and that includes your children.

This book discusses how even a two-parent family, kids in private school, kids in a "Jack & Jill" type organization for affluent families, who live in the suburbs can even have something like this happen to one of their children. Fame and fortune + dreams coming true is pretty hard for anyone to turn away from, and no amount of home training (in this author's opinion) will deter a teenager away from accomplishing their goals, especially if someone famous is paying them attention and offering to financially ease their parents burdens.

*One word of caution though, if you want to be surprised by this book, do not read the "Dear Reader" letter. If you read that letter, your thoughts may be clouded and prejudge the book before you even get a chance to develop your own opinions about what you read.

However, the author does a tremendous job at showcasing how a teenager, who has a gift of singing get caught up being preyed upon by a grown man, who is a famous celebrity. We see how Enchanted, tries to figure how she can have it all, help her parents financially, and not let her parents find out or her friends. We also see how this "secret relationship" traps Enchanted in this precarious situation where she is unable to reach out for help until it's too late. This book made me fear for my daughters. I remember what it was like to have older guys like you, be into you, try to date you, and me try to hide it from my parents. There is nothing that can prepare the parents for this from happening. You can raise your child in church, be strict, be understanding/flexible, be best friends with your kids, it doesn't matter... Grown men are not supposed to prey on children. They know better. However, since they know better, they try to treat these teenagers like this "secret love affair" and make it all special and pretty and just for them, that the child's judgment is incapable of seeing how disgusting these men are being. I feel like the best thing you can do is talk to your children about grown men like this, and impress upon them that men are not supposed to like children. That you are worth it to wait for. That even though what these men say sounds like gold, everything that glitters ain't gold.

There is some obvious triggers in this book:
- Rape
- Molestation
- Abuse
- Drugs/Alcohol
- Manipulation
- Murder
- Exploitation

Topics discussed in this book:
- Race
- Mental illness
- Statutory rape
- Age of consent
- Power/abuse
- Fear
- Rape Culture
- Misogynoir
- Vulnerability of young Black girls

Although some teens want to make grown decisions, present themselves as grown women, they are still minors. They are still children. These grown ass men KNOW BETTER. Also, believe Black women! When women come forward with these allegations, the authorities need to believe Black women. Also, friends, parents, acquaintances, etc. all need to be able to believe Black women. When women don't feel like they will be believed, or get attacked because they came out with allegations, their lives shouldn't feel threatened. This distrust allows these men to wield abuse and power over them even longer because no one is helping or believing them until someone gets massively abused or killed.

I couldn't really decide on what to rate this book. A 4 is not sufficient and a 5 is too much. This book is a 4.5. I really would have liked a backstory on Jessica and Richie. I wish we could flush out more of Korey Fields' backstory. I wish I knew more about Enchanted's grandmother, her best friend Gab, and Derrick.

I highly recommend this book to all parents, but especially those who have daughters. This book is more geared towards a high school student or 1st or 2nd year college student, but the messaging in this book is highly important for them to learn: Stay away/Run away from grown ass men, period.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Tiffany Jackson for providing me with this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Full review can found in link in bio.

I was hooked from the very first page. I think young and older readers alike will enjoy the writing and benefit from the lessons on sexual abuse, misogyny and race relations embedded within the book.

It's hard to say I "love" a book that is so brutally honest and raw. Lots of triggers in this one and the author puts those right up front so you know what you're getting into. Even knowing that and knowing it's inspired by the R. Kelly cases, this was hard to read. Jackson is a master at writing teen girls and Enchanted's POV is so real and true and harsh. This book is heartbreaking but so important and necessary.

I was able to review Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson for free from Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing me with an advanced ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book that I've read by Tiffany D. Jackson, it was difficult to read but was able to read it.
Tiffany Jackson gives a voice to young black women and validates their struggles and strengths. It was heartbreaking how no one listened to her, but it was great that she found the confidence to stand up to Korey and all of his enablers. This was a difficult subject matter that she was able to expertly navigate in a way that is realistic and appropriate for a YA audience.

This is the kind of book where I got actively furious when I had to put it down. SUCH a page turner. I feel like all of Tiffany Jackson's books have that hugely compelling page turner quality and yet also at least one extra plot twist where if you did put the book down and stop to think about it for a second you'd be like, wait, what, that doesn't make sense? But you don't actually need to think about it because you just have to keep reading baby!!!!!!

Anyway, the "ripped from the headlines" R. Kelly-ish vibe here is obviously upsetting, and there's some really interesting explicit textual criticism here where the main character, Enchanted, loves Disney movies and Twilight and justifies a lot of Korey's bad behavior by thinking it's romantic like Edward Cullen or that it's okay that she's only 17 because Ariel the Little Mermaid was only 16 when she got married. It's interesting commentary but also having Enchanted explicitly think lines like that makes her sound extremely young. Which I guess is the point, she is!

This is a great one for fans of thrillers/mysteries.

The events that take place in this story are an absolute nightmare. And I mean truly, truly horrific. As a parent I think I felt the pain of them even more acutely than I might have otherwise.

But the story itself is masterfully woven and told. I don’t want to give too much away but it will have you on the edge of your seat, dying to know how it ends while simultaneously screaming at the main character to get out, get away, to save herself.

The book opens with a horrific murder scene—blood everywhere—and our leading lady, Enchanted Jones, waking up and having no idea what happened. We then go back to the beginning and watch the whole horror story unfold.

In the author’s note Jackson states that this book is not a true story, but loosely based on pieces of her own life and inspired in-part by a court case. She does specifically call out that it’s not about R. Kelly, but rather, it is about the abuse of power and how grown men never seem to be held accountable for their actions, but young girls are always discounted, not believed, or victim-shamed in these situations. It’s also about corporations covering up horrific crimes if it means the cash keeps rolling in.

Anyway, back to the book. I couldn’t put it down. The characters were wonderfully developed, the emotions real and complex, and the story was fast-paced and gripping.

Jackson is adept at capturing young adult insecurities and dreams. Just as she did in her earlier novel, Allegedly, here a teen has gotten in over her head. Caught up in a whirlwind of celebrity life, Enchanted Jones is pursuing her dream of making it as a singer. She is easily ensnared in the glitter and romance of her new rock star boyfriend’s life. But as with realistic portrayals of glamorous lives, there is an underbelly that Enchanted is becoming enmeshed in.

This is a story of a teenager who is easily seduced with the promise of a music career and the love of an older man. Her naivete is typical for girls her age. The music world beckons, so she becomes enchanted with the idea of getting a record deal and being promoted by a superstar. There are many instances where the reader will question Enchanted’s reliability as she presents facts. That adds to the mystery of the novel. Plus, Jackson starts the book off with a bloody scene and a dead body and as the story unfolds, one will put together the pieces of the mysterious crime. Periodically, the initial bloody scene is brought back to the narrative and a few small details are revealed. This jumping from the current time back to the past is an effective way to build tension for a crime that has already taken place.

The action is intense and the situation Enchanted has gotten involved in is reminiscent of recent celebrity cases like R. Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. Jackson makes the point that for years women have been ignored when they reported sexual abuse – especially young Black girls. This is a timely book and also a cautionary tale for young innocents who can be easily lured with promises almost too good to be true. It also highlights some of the obstacles facing girls and women who step forward as part of the Me Too movement. A riveting, powerful book for the times.

Tiffany D. Jackson did it again! This book is the definition of a puching-in-the-gut. I felt many emotions with this one; from sadness to happiness.
Grown is huge, Grown is beyond a book; it is the importance of telling your truth, no matter what!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for this incredible book!

Enchanted Jones just a regular teenage girl. She's a doting sister and daughter, a promising swimmer, and an aspiring singer. When she meets R&B superstar Korey Fields he offers her the chance for her dream to become a reality, opening doors she’d thought impossible and taking her on amazing little adventures. Then Korey is murdered, and Enchanted is the #1 suspect.

This book opens fast and heavy and stays that way until the very end. This isn’t a light read by any means, but I was still so captivated that I finished reading it in hours. My heart bleeds for Enchanted. I felt her desperation. I raged for her. I felt her dread in the pit of my stomach. I’ve known girls like her, I’ve been her. What little black didn’t grow up being told they were to cover up, that she was being too fast or too grown? All while being expected to play the role of a parent to her siblings or cousins? For the boys she meets? “Girls mature faster.” right? And “Boys will be boys!” right? Different levels for sure, but this is how it starts.

This is a very fast-paced book, it jumps back and forth between the present and Korey’s murder and the past and how his and Enchanted's relationship progressed. Jackson does a pretty good job of showing how insidious abusive relationships occur. The subtleties in her and Korey’s early interactions can easily be overlooked if you didn’t know what to look for. I’m eager to reread for the sole purpose of highlighting every red flag.

The single issue I have with this book is [the plot twist of Gab and how the author makes it seem like Enchanted’s mental illness made her delusional. It was unnecessary and after everything she’d been through, felt like an extra helping of gaslighting.

I do worry that the content and trigger warnings of the books will turn off the younger scope of it's target audience, which would be a shame since it's such a great book.

"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."
--Malcolm X and quoted by Jackson

This is a tough book, one that will prove difficult for much of the YA audience. But, nonetheless, it has an important message carried by engaging characters and a suspenseful plot.

Enchanted Jones wants nothing more than to be famous enough. She is talented vocalist, so when her best friend, Gab, tells her about a singing competition nearby, she jumps at the chance to audition. There she meets everyone's favorite R&B idol, Korey Fields, who presents her the opportunity of a lifetime. Lured by his fame, his attention, and his promises, Enchanted quickly finds herself in a risky situation. But this story is made even more complicated by the fact that Korey Fields was found murdered, and Enchanted was the only one at the crime scene. Throughout the story, the reader wonders how Korey was killed, if Enchanted had any involvement in his murder, and how we got there in the first place.

As with her other books, Jackson knows how to keep a reader engaged in a story. What better way to hook someone in than putting your main character at the scene of the crime and pulling them through the entire book to figure out what happened. Sure, there were moments in between that were engaging and interesting and suspenseful, but let's be honest. I was here to figure out what went down in that room.

But most importantly, this story brings an accessible and honest portrayal of a very real problem in the world: the denigration and distrust of women who have been sexually abused, especially black (and women of color more generally). These are issues the younger generation is being forced to grapple with, and many are not given reliable tools and resources to become better educated about them. And what resources are available may not always address an intersectional lens. I'm glad that this book, which has such an alluring narrative for teens will be a resource where they can begin to learn more about rape culture and its impact on the most disparaged group in this country.