Last month’s book was EVERYTHING!!! Thanks to the women who showed up, who read along and who came out to hold space for the other women in the group.
For our second book of Season 8, baby… this one is about growing pains, growing up, and growing through it.
March BOTM Pick: The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
This is tender and raw, but still funny in that “whew, life is really lifing” way. It’s messy in the most human sense, full of girls trying to survive what they didn’t choose, trying to love themselves through shame, and trying to find a version of home that actually holds them.
If you love stories that feel like real life, where the characters might frustrate you, break your heart, and make you want to reach through the pages and hug somebody, this one is for you.
Why this book?
Because we’re starting the spring with something that doesn’t flinch.
TBGR doesn’t do surface-level, and The Girls Who Grew Big feels like the kind of book that asks real questions:
- What happens when girlhood is interrupted?
- What does it mean to “grow big” when the world keeps trying to make you smaller?
- How do you rebuild a future when you’re still grieving the life you thought you’d have?
This book explores:
- girlhood, motherhood, and the in-between spaces nobody prepares you for
- friendship and community as survival
- shame, tenderness, and the complicated ways we learn to forgive ourselves
- what it looks like to be seen fully, without being “fixed” or judged
- the truth that healing isn’t pretty, but it can still be sacred
A quick note on content
Please read with care, loves. This book may include heavy themes (especially around young motherhood, trauma, and emotional harm).
Take your time. Pause when you need to. Skip a section if it’s too close to the bone. You’re allowed to protect your peace and stay in community.
Two ways to join TBGR this March
Because we’re making space for real life. Choose what fits your season.
1) In-Person (Toronto East)
📍 Friday, March 27 at 7pm Eastern
Toronto East vibes: cozy, intimate, and the kind of room where you can exhale because everybody gets it. If you’d like to join the in-person circle, reach out to Lalaa at thisblackgirlreadsca@gmail.com.
2) Virtual (Online)
💻 Thursday, March 26 at 7 pm Eastern.
Come as you are, bonnet, tea, couch corner, soft life. Same TBGR energy, just through a screen.
The vibe
Think: bookish baddie meets healing circle.
We’re here to talk about the plot, yes, but also the feelings underneath it.
Expect:
- real conversation (no “right answers” required)
- laughter, some deep sighs, and a couple “mmm…” moments that hit you in the chest
- honest reflections on girlhood, choice, love, and what it costs to keep going
Bring:
- your book (tabs encouraged)
- a warm drink
- a pen if you’re a note-taker or journal girly
- your full self, soft, complicated, brilliant
How to get ready
Start reading when you can (no pressure to finish “perfectly” life is lifing).
As you read, notice the moments that made you:
- laugh out loud
- get quiet
- feel seen
- feel activated/triggered (and what support you might need)
A few TBGR-style discussion questions to sit with
- What does it mean to “grow big” in this story—emotionally, physically, spiritually?
- Where do you see tenderness show up in places you didn’t expect?
- How do the girls hold each other up—and where do they fall short?
- What does judgment look like in this book (from others, from society, from self)?
- Which character did you feel most protective of… and why?
- What line, scene, or moment stayed with you after you closed the book?
Come read with us 💛
If you’ve been craving a reading space that feels like community (not performance), this is it.
March is our second TBGR read of 2026, and I would love to have you in the circle, online or in Toronto East.
Drop a 🖤 in the comments if you’re joining, and tell me: what do you hope this book gives you right now?
