If you’re looking for a relaxing audiobook to chill out with after a busy day, then don’t choose Grown. BUT if you’re looking for a powerful, twisty thriller which looks into the importance of believing Black women, speaks out against men in power abusing that power, AND will raise your blood pressure an unhealthy amount, please give Grown a read! I also highly recommend the audiobook. It’s narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt and her voice is PERFECT as Enchanted Jones!

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This book is by no means an easy read (please check the content warnings on @the.storygraph before diving in!), it will have you gnashing your teeth, tearing your hair out, wanting to punch Korey Fields right where it hurts. But I thought it was very impactful, Tiffany D. Jones paints a scarily accurate picture of a young girl being groomed by a man who knows exactly how to abuse his power and how to get away with it. What’s also scary is how society is primed to believe these men in power over the girls and women they’re abusing.

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At one point, I did think it was getting a little far-fetched, but I definitely think had I been the intended audience (it’s YA) I’d have loved it. (It reminded me of a certain book I loved as a teen but would definitely roll my eyes at now - I can’t say which or it will spoil both, ha!) Jackson works the thriller angle of it well, I love the flashbacks and inclusion of texts, group chats, investigation transcripts. These types of books work so well on audio because you just can’t stop listening!

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This was my first Jackson and my library also has audiobooks of lots of her other books, so I’m looking forward to listening to those too!