“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
Tiffany D. Jackson is one of my favorite YA authors. She consistently writes riveting mystery novels featuring black teen girls. The mystery usually revolves around a particular social issue facing black women, and I’m continually impressed with how her writing immensely satisfies both the mystery component and the social one. I will never pass up a book with her name on it!
Trigger warnings up front: abuse and grooming of a minor. This is a tough one to read. It is about Enchanted Jones, a 17 year old who wants nothing more than to become the next singing sensation. When auditioning for a reality vocal competition in the city, she impresses 29 year old RnB mogul Korey Fields. She is star-struck and flattered, and he is persistent and calculating. It unravels quickly into a horror show of abuse, with the terrifying power of celebrity covering up the truth.
So when Enchanted is found present at the bloody scene of Korey Field’s murder, all eyes are on her.
Jackson does her trademark dance over timelines to increase tension and keep readers guessing. The reader both fully sympathizes with Enchanted as she is pulled toward the allure of this relationship, and hears the constant alarm bells as Korey’s claws sink further in and drag her down. And Jackson also includes a couple of her epic twists.
Her next book is a horror one inspired by The Haunting of Hill House and Get Out and uh you can preorder it now, just do it!