This was voraciously consumed by my sixth grade daughter, who has a processing disorder that makes reading a challenge. Highly relevant to the middle school experience, and will surely be a hit.

This was a super cute graphic novel that took me back to my middle school years. It handled the things a 12 year old goes through perfectly, like friendship conflicts, first crush’s, and starting to wear makeup and bras. I loved that there wasn’t really any homophobia, and that it wasn’t treated any differently then a straight crush. I also loved the main characters supportive relationship with her dad. The formate is what adds to how cute it is, I really felt like I was reading a diary someone the main characters age would have written. My only issues with this is the ending felt a bit a abrupt, and I would have liked some more of the conflict to be resolved. Overall definitely recommend if you are looking for a feel good sapphic story.

Not my thing, but definitely someone's. This was very childish (even though it's a middle grade) and I struggled to get along with it.

Our main character Tuva is 12 years old and beginning seventh grade. Plans have been made all summer what the new school year would be like with her best friends. But lo and behold, things have changed. One of the friends started a relationship over the summer and now has a boyfriend. Of course, this changes everything. Tuva decides she wants to fall in love also, but it's not as easy as she might think. Tuva begins a path of self discovery which can be confusing at times. This book is good to support the emotional growth for tweens who are going through that age were they think they are alone and the only person feeling these confusing emotions and feelings. Fights with friends, liking boys, liking girls, burying your head under a pillow, it's all part of growing up.

Thank you netgalley for providing this arc.

2.5 stars. I guess I’m a little disappointed, because I expected more of Tuva and Miriam¿ the description made it sound like they had more scenes together, but it was primarily friend drama. I also don’t rlly like that lesbian was described as girls who like girls, because it’s not that linear. I get that gender may be a little confusing to explain to a younger audience, but I feel like that could’ve been worded differently. Enbies exist. And I feel like it was so tomboy girls vs girly girls and didn’t spend enough time breaking down the stigma between those two. The girly girls had bfs, wore makeup, and started wearing bras. The tomboy girls had messy hair, acted more nerdy/sporty, and were ‘immature’. The friendships were toxic and they never actually put in the work to fix what made them have a falling out. Idk I think this story had a big idea and tried to write it, but failed to include a lot of important points and resolutions. Tuva and Miriam never progressed and the friendships reconnected even though they never worked out their issues. It just gives me a bit of an icky feeling inside. This could’ve been portrayed a lot better.

THIS IS THE MOST WHOLESOME COMING OF AGE STORY I'VE EVER READ 😭😭😭✨🫶🏽

I LOVE IT SO MUCH?!!!

In love with the story, the point of view, the art style!!!

It captured perfectly how moving from being a child to being a ✨teenager✨ is about.

It's everything. The clumsy, the TYPOS, the friendship.

Big giant LOVE I finished it in one sitting 💖💖💖

This is a quiet and cozy graphic novel that explores the first attractions that the main character has, and how she navigates this through her writing. I enjoyed the artwork as much as I enjoyed the story, and this would be a great story to hand to any preteen/teen to give them a sense of themselves, whatever that happens to be.

3.75 stars rounded up. This coming of age graphic novel highlights the awkward middle school transition when some friends are ready for boyfriends, makeup and training bras while others remain anchored in playground make believe. In addition to being caught in between two friends maturing at different rates, MC Tuva discovers she has feelings for a new female classmate. There’s plenty of cringe-inducing moments in this book, which features the best Dad figure (he gets five stars!). The book itself is in diary form with handwritten script and wonky but colorful art. I appreciate this book but was a bit on the fence about its ultimate rating. I’m grateful to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy for review.

I really enjoyed this story of friendship and growing up. The Diary was a great way to share Tuva's thoughts and feelings about her situation.
The playlists were such a great touch! Loved them!!
The art is great and believable!

This story is relatable and appealing to anyone who may or already have felt the stirrings of new love at any age. Understanding emotions and trying to navigate friendships that alter over time can lead to some real confusion. The main character relates well to readers via that young love, changing friendships and through her relationship with her caring father. A positive ending helps any reader feel hopeful for the characters and for ourselves!

Our main character, Tulva is writing a diary that will record her experiences with 7th grade. Little does she know this year will bring a lot of revelations and new feelings about how her life is changing as she's growing up.

A cute and inclusive story that most any kid in that awkward in-between stage can relate with, Cross My Heart and Never Lie reflects what everyone has felt when suddenly growing taller; being expected to start like-liking someone; or growing apart from friends, as everyone finds their place as teenagers.
I appreciate that Tulva can be in love with Mariam without it being the main focus of the story, it sits nicely along side every other topic of importance without overshadowing or being overshadowed by the other challenges Tulva and her friends are facing. I think that's important as the main demographic for this book can learn that while queerness is a subject to be handled with care, i.e. not outing someone (which is at least vaguely touched on when seeing how Tulva is feeling after the incident at the sleepover and how Martin reacted after.), it's also just something that happens in life and doesn't have to be the sole focal point of anyone's story. Easy 5/5 stars for well balanced, good representation!

this was such a cute story! i loved that it feels very young and i definitely wished i could have read this when i was younger. i didn't find out i was into women until i was older but i feel like this would have made me feel so much better about being a teenager.

Cross My Heart and Never Lie was super cute! It reminded me of the series The Popularity Papers. The artwork was perfect for this age. I have some kids in mind at my job that I know will love this story. The 10-11-year-olds will relate to all the drama and pressure of growing up and becoming teenagers in the next few years. The 12-13-year-olds will be able to see you don't have to be something you're not just because you're getting to a certain age. I do have to say there are conversations about makeup and bras. The kids at my job already know about all of this stuff. The 7-year-olds can probably tell me how to do makeup than I could.

I love graphic novels, and this was no exception! Right away, the format of the novel drew me in. It's set up like a diary, and includes a super cute mix of doodles, written entries, graphic novel panels, and text conversations between the characters (with a couple of playlists thrown in). The art is incredibly charming and engaging, and the writing is just plain fun - it captures the tween spirit well! From subtle details like words being misspelled, crossed out, and corrected, to the goals Tuva (the main character) has for seventh grade (first sleepover!), it's incredibly relatable and downright nostalgic. I really enjoyed all of the characters, and the setting, while in a country not my own, felt familiar all the same.

This graphic novel addresses so many issues that tweens are concerned with, and manages to sweetly capture the awkward transition many go through from child to teenager. Some of the themes covered are: changing friendships and navigating conflict, identity and self-discovery, differing rates and means of maturity, and budding interest in relationships (or lack thereof). So much change is depicted, and is a great reminder for adults on how tumultuous this time of life can be. It offers a gentle, age-appropriate look into the transition for tweens, and can provide reassurance that everything will turn out ok in the end - no matter how bad things may seem in the moment.

If I had to provide any complaint, it would be that I feel the novel could be longer - I read it in about an hour. I would have loved to see the plot explored in more depth and detail. There are certainly some good bones to work with, the story just needed more fleshing out. However, I understand that longer books can be daunting for some (especially the younger crowd), so the length makes it more accessible to a wider range of readers.

TLDR: A fun, charming, easy read for tweens depicting change and how you don't have to fit into a box to be accepted - just be you!

Thank you to NetGalley & Astra Publishing House for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This is my first introduction to this author, and I fell in love with her work and words. That would probably put me at odds with Tuva's friend Bao, who thinks that love is dumb and shouldn't take the place of friendship. Not helping is that Bao and Tuva's friend Linnea is getting into boys, and under the pressure from her friends insults Bao for wanting to play in the woods beside their school.

Seventh grade is a tough year; I speak from experience. For Tuva, she is dealing with what it means to fall in love, but not wanting to choose between her friends. When she finally calls out Bao and Linnea for splitting their school in two, and wanting her to pick a side, it is cathartic and saddening. Fortunately, friendships can outlast many hardships in this graphic novel.

I love the graphic novel within a diary format. It is easy to read and follow along, actually putting the reading inside of Tuva’s world.
It is heartwarming that the relationship between Tuva and her father is portrayed as positive and loving and yet realistic. This isn’t always the case in the teenage and preteen years. Throughout the novel Tuva struggles with growing up. Is she? Isn’t she? Why are others seeming more or less mature than she is? She finds advice from one expected and one unexpected source then sets out to figure out what is right for her.

For an added twist, download the songs in “Dad’s Playlists” and let them play in the background while you read this fun, real coming-of-age book.

Check it out when it publishes on September 19, 2023 and thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the ARC e-book copy.

@Nora_Dåsnes #CrossMyHeartandNeverLie @AstraPublishingHouse #StorytimeWithGrammy #GrammyLovesBooks #netgalley #netgalleyreads #arcreadersofinstagram #arcreads
#readinggoals2023📚 #readingforfun #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #kidlit

Such a realistic portrayal of the changes relationships go through during the tween years. The fact that Tuva gets a crush on another girl is amazing for other kids in the same situation but can 100% be related to by anyone who's ever had a young crush. Also great for kids navigating what to do when their friends start coupling off.

This is an adorable graphic novel, told in the form of a hand-written diary, chronicling the confusion over impending teen life that seventh-grader Tuva is experiencing. Nothing is working out quite as she thought, not least because of the sudden falling out between her two best friends.

As they resume school after summer, Tuva and Bao are shocked to discover that the third member of the trio, Linnea now has a boyfriend! While Bao thinks this is ridiculous, and Tuva herself is not quite ready to let go of childhood pleasures in favour of mascara and cool clothes just yet, the latter also feels the pressure of being made to choose between her best friends.

Because while Tuva is not in a hurry to join the group that believes girls should certainly fall in love, and the sooner the better, she is also not sure she agrees with Bao and those who seem to feel that girls should never fall in love. This is an impossible choice for Tuva to make. Or that, at least, is the way that it appears to her.

Until...Tuva begins to worry that maybe she is in love with the new girl at their school, Mariam. Because even if Mariam doesn't know that Tuva is falling in love with her, it feels wonderful. So why is everything so complicated?!

This is a terrific depiction of the confusions and challenges of being a young teenager, particularly one who might be gay. Tuva is a sweet character, and her predicament in terms of needing to navigate the complications of adolescence will be relatable to many.

Such a cute story about a girl starting seventh grade and learning how to navigate her first crush and her friends growing apart.

We need more stories like this in the world!

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The illustrative style and format were very lovely. I loved that the book is told through Tuva's diary!

There were some great characters including Tuva's father. He was really supportive and honestly had a lot of charm for a minor character. I really did not care for any of Tuva's friends. They were just mean and I don't think they were all that great even towards the end. I wish there was a better resolution and better apologies but I suppose that's just like real life.

I think a lot of kids can relate to Tuva and her story! I am only giving this book 3 stars because it wasn't entirely life changing for me personally. However, I can recognize the importance of the story! I will be sure to recommend this one to fans of other graphic novels like Witch Boy or The Girl from the Sea!