Starred review from July 13, 2020
Jackson (Let Me Hear a Rhyme) preaches the word of young women eager to be grown before their time in this story of talent, ambition beyond opportunity, forbidden attraction, and the deadly consequences thereof. Seventeen-year-old Enchanted Jones is a responsible big sister, gifted swimmer, and dedicated student who dreams of a singing career. When she auditions for a national singing competition—“BET’s version of American Idol”—she catches the eye of notorious singer Korey Fields, a handsome, worldly-seeming 28-year-old whose attention flatters her. Their relationship begins in secret, under the guise of voice lessons, but soon draws her into a dangerous situation, far from home with no one to rely on. Jackson outdoes herself depicting Enchanted’s gradual entrenchment into Korey’s influence and the insidiousness of his abusive behavior as it transforms Enchanted from a studious, reliable oldest daughter to the distant, isolated image of his desire. Expertly juxtaposing the glamour of Enchanted’s potential fame against the harshness of her private moments with Korey, Jackson builds the story gradually and painfully to an astonishing, chilling climax. Ages 13–up. Agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary.

July 15, 2020
An aspiring singer is taken advantage of by a superstar. Since moving to the suburbs from Queens, 17-year-old Enchanted has been suffering. Although her Grandma's apartment was cramped with everyone all together, Enchanted got to do the things she loves the most--swimming in the ocean, hanging out with her Grandma, and singing. Now, neither her new neighborhood nor her new private school is diverse, and she has to spend her free time watching her siblings. However, she does join the school swim team, and water is used as a powerful metaphor throughout the book. When Enchanted catches the eye of a 28-year-old music superstar at a singing competition, she pushes doubt and her parents' misgivings aside and goes on tour with him. Enchanted is a na�ve protagonist, but the decisions she makes in order to launch her career are plausible. As the relationship turns abusive, Enchanted must find the courage to escape. The narrative unfolds in nonchronological order, and toward the end, as the timelines merge, it feels a bit clunky, but the storytelling overall is captivating. The novel shines light on biases against young Black women and the victim-blaming that so often occurs when a predator has power, fame, and money. Major characters are Black. Compelling; Jackson excels in writing books steeped in social commentary. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 13-18)

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Starred review from July 1, 2020
Grades 8-11 *Starred Review* Enchanted wants to sing more than anything else in the world, but it's hard to make her dreams a reality when she's the oldest of five and helping her parents to take care of the kids. So when an opportunity to work, record, and have a romance with the legendary and kind Korey Fields pops up, of course she wants to take it. Touring with Korey would not only boost her career; financially, it could be life-changing for her family. That is, if things were actually what they seemed. After spiraling into a toxic cycle of abuse and narrowly escaping the wrath of her abuser, Enchanted is left to pick up the pieces of her life?including charges for the murder of Korey Fields. This title is gripping in both its content and format, as Jackson moves back and forth through time, using the fractured time line alongside related text threads and social media conversations to stir up questions surrounding what happened to Enchanted and who murdered Korey Fields. Jackson addresses the story's discussion of sexual abuse, rape, assault, kidnapping, and addiction to opioids in a content warning, and ultimately sheds light and perspective on men's abusive behaviors and the power that excuses them through the lens of the abused?in this case, an underaged Black girl.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Jackson's writing some of the best thrillers for teens these days. Expect a long hold list for her latest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

August 1, 2020

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 Journal

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2020
Enchanted Jones wants to be a star, but her life is ordinary, until a real-life fantasy unfolds when superstar Korey Fields sees her sing at an audition. It seems her dreams of stardom are within reach, but the dream gradually turns into a nightmare, and one morning, she wakes up with blood on her hands next to Korey's dead body. Enchanted has to endure the character assassination (and victim blaming) that ensues with Korey's death. In another ripped-from-the-headlines novel, Jackson (Monday's Not Coming, rev. 7/18; Let Me Hear a Rhyme, rev. 7/19) takes readers through a heart-pounding thriller exploring physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, misogynoir, and rape culture. Enchanted's first-person narration shuttles between the past and the present, commanding readers' attention with its nonlinear structure. The story also taps into the adultification of Black girls, who are often seen as older than they are (see the book's title, Grown). In light of the #MeToo movement and of the many Black girls whose stories of abuse and assault are not told or not believed, this novel is sure to initiate important conversations while delivering an engrossing story. Monique Harris

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

"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

"This is a book that is filled to the brim with shocking twists and turns, but in 'Grown,' Jackson also centers Black girls in conversations about abuse, discussions they are so often erased from." — The New York Times Book Review

"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

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

"Expertly juxtaposing the glamour of Enchanted's potential fame against the harshness of her private moments with Korey, Jackson builds the story gradually and painfully to an astonishing, chilling climax." — Publishers Weekly (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

"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." — Ashley Woodfolk, author of When You Were Everything

"Jackson draws on the R. Kelly case to effectively depict the tightening noose of an abusive relationship, enhanced here by Korey's wealth and fame...A grim tale that shows how thin a glossy exterior can be." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

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...