Monday, August 31, 2020

#BookReview: Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson






Synopsis: Korey Fields is dead.

When Enchanted Jones wakes with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night, no one—the police and Korey’s fans included—has more questions than she does. All she really knows is that this isn't how things are supposed to be. Korey was Enchanted’s ticket to stardom.

Before there was a dead body, Enchanted was an aspiring singer, struggling with her tight knit family’s recent move to the suburbs while trying to find her place as the lone Black girl in high school. But then legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots her at an audition. And suddenly her dream of being a professional singer takes flight.

Enchanted is dazzled by Korey’s luxurious life but soon her dream turns into a nightmare. Behind Korey’s charm and star power hides a dark side, one that wants to control her every move, with rage and consequences. Except now he’s dead and the police are at the door. Who killed Korey Fields?

All signs point to Enchanted.
 

This title will be released on September 15, 2020. 

Goodreads
Amazon

Rating: ⭐
My Review: I have tried one other book from this author and I didn't care for it. But I decided to go ahead and check this one out.  I have to say that sadly this book felt like it was a little all over the place.  The main character acts stupidly and immature, she's supposed to be 17 years old, baby sitting her younger siblings, etc.  But she acts like she is a 12 year old little girl that knows nothing of the world.  I grew up in a low income family and still low income. I took care of other people's kids from the age of 11 to help out and pay bills.  So you grow up a lot faster than normal.  So I have a hard time believing how this story is told.   


Overall, it felt badly put together and it just didn't work out at all.  



Go Into This One Knowing: MC acts younger than she is, Undeveloped Characters







From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Seventeen-year-old Enchanted Jones occupies many roles. She's the responsible older sister who helps out her overworked parents, but she's still the little girl who loves Disney movies. She's quiet and uncertain, but longs to step into the spotlight-and at an open call for aspiring singers, she gets her chance when pop star Korey Fields convinces her parents to let her tour with him. Enchanted becomes the victim of the manipulative Korey, who keeps her a prisoner and preys on her sexually. When Korey winds up dead, Enchanted becomes a prime suspect. While Jackson keeps readers in her thrall as she weaves back and forth in time, some of her plot twists feel implausible. Still, her arresting use of figurative language evokes an authentic portrait of a vulnerable teenager torn between infatuation and terror, convinced that there's no way out. Borrowing heavily from the case of singer R. Kelly, who has long faced accusations of rape and abuse, Jackson urges readers to question why our culture is so quick to excuse powerful men and so eager to depict Black women and girls as complicit in their own abuse. VERDICT A thought-provoking, immersive thriller that will spark discussion.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library JournalĪ±(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

"Gripping in both its content and format... Jackson's writing some of the best thrillers for teens these days." (Booklist (starred review))

"Compelling; Jackson excels in writing books steeped in social commentary." (Kirkus Reviews)

"In another ripped-from-the-headlines novel, Jackson takes readers through a heart-pounding thriller exploring physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, misogynoir, and rape culture... this novel is sure to initiate important conversations while delivering an engrossing story." (Horn Book Magazine)

"Tiffany D. Jackson has penned a riveting, powerful love story to Black girlhood and a haunting reminder of the ways in which their innocence is often stolen. Remarkable, suspenseful, and gut-wrenching, Grown is a masterfully told story that stays with you long after you put it down." (Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give and On the Come Up)

“With a gripping plot and punch-to-the-heart stakes, Tiffany D. Jackson’s Grown exposes the underbelly of a tough conversation—the seductive abuse of older men who prey on teen girls—providing a searing examination of misogynoir, rape culture, and the vulnerability of young black girls. Groundbreaking, heart wrenching, and essential reading for all in the #MeToo era.”  (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles )

“Never have I read a story that so flawlessly hits the highest high and lowest low notes of Black girlhood in pursuit of the American Dream. Tiffany D. Jackson has done it again.” (Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Jackpot)

“This heart-pounding, powerful story about a young girl trapped in a predator’s web holds up a devastating mirror to our society’s refusal to care about all victims. A call-out and condemnation of the celebrity-besotted culture that allows evil people to destroy lives.”  (Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Shout)

Grown is equal parts riveting and alarming. It asks hard questions about power, innocence, and who we, as a society, see as worth saving. A captivating and cautionary page-turner." (Ashely Woodfolk, author of When You Were Everything )

Praise for Let Me Hear a Rhyme: * “Exceptional storytelling, well-crafted, true-to-life dialogue, and the richly drawn Brooklyn landscape will draw readers into this fast-paced blend of mystery, budding romance, and social commentary...Thoroughly engrossing and as infectious as Steph’s lyrics.”
(Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

* “Jackson repeatedly proves that she is a titan among her peers, and her latest novel is no exception...  Jackson weaves the three points of view together seamlessly, creating richly drawn and authentically real teen characters.” (ALA Booklist (starred review))









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