"In this delighfully hand-lettered coming-of-age graphic diary, Tuva gets caught between feeling like a kid and wanting to know HOW to become a teenager. Then Miriam shows up and suddenly Tuva feels as if she’s met her soulmate. Can you fall in love with a girl, keep it from your friends, and survive? For Tuva, it may be possible, but it's defintely not easy."

Man... this was so cute!!! It reminded me a bit of Heartstopper! I love the art style, the diary/POV, the setting. It was a wonderful coming-of-age story that deals with heavier/awkward topics that comes with becoming a teenager (eg. identity crisis, puberty, crushes!!!, and coming out). Loved this book and would love to have it in my work library <3.

Thank you NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for a copy of Cross My Heart and Never Lie!

A sweet middle-grade graphic novel about growing up and friendship. As someone with a significant amount of friend-trouble in middle school, I found myself relating to a lot of what Tuva was experiencing. It's hard when your friend's start to change but you're not ready. Or when fights happen that don't feel like they were your fault.

I really appreciated the soft easy way this represented a queer crush. I liked how quickly Tuva accepted it--was only shocked that she had a crush period, not that it was on a girl. And her dad had displayed previous activism, so she knew she was safe in that regard. And then further, her friends being anti-homophobia. If this book were published even five years ago, the plotline would be very different. But also, Norway is a different continent and country, so it may just be a bit more accepted compared to the US.

Thanks for the digital ARC!

This story made me so nostalgic for Marissa Moss' Amelia's Notebook series. I felt very connected to Tuva as she experienced 7th grade drama, changing relationships with best friends, and exploring her own identity. The illustrations effectively created the format of a diary while still progressing the plot. Loved the author's message at the end, amplifying the universal experience of youth and how regardless of country of origin, people have so many shared stories. I would highly recommend to parents and youth preparing for adolescence! Tuva's Dad is truly a gem and he cooks amazing lasagna!

This was such a delightful queer graphic novel! I loved the diary-style format and all the cute and hilarious drawings. It truly felt like a look into the life of a 12 year-old girl and I enjoyed the themes the story explored, such as being true to yourself and being honest with your friends.

It was also cool seeing some bits of Norwegian culture, since this story was translated from Norwegian and set in Norway. The story felt very grounded in its setting and characters, which I always appreciate.

Thank you to Astra Publishing House and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is the kind of book I would have wanted to read when I was little.

When I finished reading it my heart was full of emotions but above all I was proud that there is finally a space for this type of children's literature. If this book had existed when I was Tuva's age, it would have saved me a lot of doubts and hard times.

Crossing my heart and never lie is about Tuva's life, her resolutions for the new school year, her friends and differences, her diary and the discovery of her first love.

I loved the art because it seems to be done by a girl, you can feel like you're reading a girl's diary and it easily takes you into the story, incredible.

There were behaviors of her friends that I didn't like at all but then I remembered that they are girls, they are discovering the world, I can't judge them that much.

Tuva had high hopes for seventh grade - in Norway, it is the last year of primary school before junior high. She thought she and her friends would finally be the top class and would rule the bog where they played at school. But suddenly, there is a divide - 'mature' kids who are obsessed with love, and the 'immature' ones who are still kids. Tuva is torn, and friends take different sides. Can Tuva be both? Not just for her friends, but for herself?

I will never think there’s enough queer middle grade literature, especially in graphic novel form. It heals a piece of me every time I’m able to read literature I didn’t have access to growing up. It’s like for a moment I can be young again and be learning what the world means.

Cross my heart and never lie was lovely to read. I loved the balance of childhood innocence and starting to be a teenager. Having friends change and yourself change as well is a part of getting older and I liked how the story showcased that aspect.

I enjoyed this being in a diary format because it felt more personal. It was a more detailed personal view of everything that was happening in Tuva’s life. Her dad was lovely and we need more wholesome parents in queer literature. He was the supportive parent everyone deserves to have.

Overall, this was a lovely read and I enjoyed the short time I had with it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of her friends but everything else was done well. The BTS reference had me giggling for at least ten minutes.

This is a coming of age story about a girl named Tuva presented as she writes in her diary. Tuva is excited to enter 7th Grade, but once at school she starts to find that her two best friends don't quite see eye-to-eye anymore. One of them is starting to become obsessed with boys and fashion, while the other one thinks those things are stupid and just wants to keep playing in the woods the same way they always have. Then you have Tuva in the middle, who is somewhere in between, and is much more interested in the new girl at school than any of the boys in her grade. This graphic novel is beautifully illustrated and does a great job of showcasing that awkward in-between of growing up when you're not sure if you're quite a "kid" anymore, but you don't know if you're quite ready to be a teen yet either. A great graphic novel for anyone who likes coming-of-age stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Available September 19, 2023

Cross My Heart and Never Lie was such a nice read. It tells a story about growing up, discovering who you want to be, and how it can feel like everyone is at different stages. Told both between regular panels and through diary entries with cute little illustrations that feel real and unique as if you're actually getting a peak into Tuva's life. On top of a nicely written story the art style and colouring were a delight to the eyes and had me soaking in every page.

A relatable story I wish I could have read when I was younger.

Review: 5 billion stars!

A delightfully charming story of Tuva, a 12yr old girl who just started 7th grade and is struggling to understand the drastic changes in herself, school, and friends. The focus of the book is on the pressures of society to make young girls grow up too fast, especially on topics surrounding dating, the body, social media, and maturity. But "maturing" proves to be difficult for Tuva as it means taking away all the things she loves surrounding imagination, fun, and being herself. Pressured to be "mature" Tuva seeks to find love and surprising herself gains a crush...on the new girl.

Tuva's story felt so real and reminded me so much of my own experience, being a kid is hard due to all the expectations of others and trying so hard to fit in. This novel was wildly creative, especially since the format of the book is meant to be like Tuva's diary. The drawings and narration are meant to be her own creation, giving us a glimpse into her emotions and perspective. The art was STUNNING, and the little details made me feel so many emotions at once. The novel made me laugh out loud and sob at the same time!

I loved that Tuva's family was her single father, a super cool metalhead dad who loves showing her old music. I highly appreciated that the novel wasn't focused on the trauma of being a queer kid but instead was sweet and the father was supportive. As someone who was a gay pre-teen, I screamed with joy as Tuva felt more comfortable with her crush being a girl. I will always appreciate any author that writes about queer kids in such a way that shows how natural, harmless, innocent, and beautiful non-heterosexual identities are. I highly recommend this novel for all ages, as it is a stunning depiction of growing up while still being true to yourself.

What more can I say, thank you. Thank you Nora Dåsnes for writing the story all of us awkward, weird, shy, queer kids needed. Wow, I wish I had this as a kid, but it is here now and it was pure perfection.

I think what bugs me about so many graphic novels aimed at the middle grade market is how they skew so heavily towards plot, often neglecting character development. CROSS MY HEART AND NEVER LIE is the antidote! It's got reams of character details and inner monologue galore, all centred on 12-year-old Tuva's dilemma when one of her best friends gets "mature" and starts dating, while the other is still set on playing forts in the Bog. Complicating matters is Tuva's developing feelings for her classmate Miriam. This is a book about fitting in and breaking moulds, about how friendships grow and change as we do too. The artwork is lovely, and different from the usual graphic novel fare. I think it will be a hit in my classroom this fall!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital copy of the book. Publishes Sept 19/23!

This is a sweet story about a young girl learning about friends, changes, and new big crushes. The way the story is told through her diary entries is very well done and I loved the queer representation throughout. The love of her father and the support of those around her is lovely and I look forward to reading more from this author!

(3.5 Stars) This is hybrid style book mixing pages which look like journal entires with traditional graphic novel panels. It is also translated from Norwegian and the author notes a few differences readers may notice from other countries. Tuva is starting 7th grade but her threesome friend group isn’t the same. One of her best friends Linnea now has a boyfriend, wants to wear make up and have cool clothes. Her other friend Bao wants to play in their forest fort like they always have. Tuva is caught in the middle. And it is extra confusing that when she tries to figure out who she can have a crush on it is a new girl in band that comes to mind.

This is more about friendship, the awkwardness of navigating puberty and wanting to fit in. But I didn’t like the outing at the sleepover and how limitedly it is resolved. But I do understand that friends can be mean to each other. The father/daughter relationship is very loving. I thought the ending was rushed and could have been expanded a little more. The romance aspect is very middle school with holding hands, no kissing. For middle school and up and the emphasis is on girls. Boys are seen as side characters and not part of the friendship group.

Thank you to Astra Publishing House, Hippo Park for the temporary ARC via NetGalley. My ARC did not format well with Kindle app but was great on the NG. I assume formatting will be fixed for general release. I am leaving a voluntary review.

I really enjoyed this book's writing style! The graphic novel style was really cute and well done and I enjoyed reading it. I also loved Tuva's journey and how we got to see her grow. It was a great book!

A refreshing and sweet story perfect for fans of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman following a girl who is just starting seventh grade and who might be falling for the new girl. From friendship drama, navigating puberty, and discovering crushes and more, this was a really cute coming of age story. Tuva is starting seventh grade and she can't be more excited to do so with her two best friends. Her goals are to : complete a diary, get a trendy look, build a fort with her best friends, go to a sleep over and maybe fall in love! But things are not as she thought when she comes back because friendship drama, rivalries, and the possibility of first love are all in the books for Tuva. This was a really charming read and I found it to be cute and fun. It's about puberty, discovering romance and makeup and just growing up.

*Thanks Netgalley and Astra Publishing House, Hippo Park for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for this copy of Cross My Heart and Never Lie! I love how fresh, realistic, and relatable this novel is. I remember feeling and thinking the same emotions about friendship, relationships, and fitting in when I was the protagonists age. When Tuva was caught in the middle of her friends' fight (Team Bao or Team Linnea), it reminded me of myself in middle school because I remember that struggle of wanting to fit in and seem cool and mature, but also trying not to lose sight of my own interests and personality. When Tuva struggled with comparing herself to others in regards to make-up and dating, I felt like that was not only relatable for that age but also something that many people still struggle with as an adult.
Tuva experiencing love for the first time was so cute and it totally reminded me of when I had my first crush. I loved that her friends accepted that she likes girls, and I loved how accepting her dad was; Tuva knew she would be loved and accepted for her choice no matter what.
I think the drawings and pictures throughout the pages of the diary made it feel authentic and very fun and lighthearted to read. I also liked the addition of Malene and how she is an influencer, as well as Tuva's dad's playlists for the months of August and October. Those tiny details fit into the novel so well and gave it such a rich personality as well as let the reader know that this novel is set in present day.
Overall, this novel did such a great job of portraying what it's like to be a girl in middle school. You experience so much change day to day, whether it be your friend getting a new boyfriend or if you start wearing lipgloss and mascara for the first time. This novel lets the reader know that they are not alone and that it's okay to feel confused, sad, happy, and lonely all at the same time.

this was such a cute a graphic novel. I loved this coming of age story this is something I can share with my tween daughter

This book represents Tuva’s diary and life when she started 7th grade. Everything was not the same. Her friends changed, rules changed, everything that was once simple is now complicated.

Her two best friends stop seeing eye to eye because of love and Tuva doesn’t know where she should be. Should she choose one of them? What if she doesn’t want? What if she is just in the middle?

Growing up sucks.

This is a coming-of-age graphic novel where the main character, Tuva just came from her summer holidays to feel everything change before her eyes. She feels the same as in 6th grade, but the majority of the girls don’t, including one of her best friends, Linnea.

Love, relationships, the prospect of finally being mature enough to have a boyfriend, changes people. Your interests, your time, they expand to accommodate mutual activities with your partner.

But not everyone is into love, and that’s the case with Tuva’s other best friend Bao. She doesn’t understand wanting to change and wanting to be in love. She wants to be just like before, like in 6th grade. She wants to go play outside with sticks and rocks and have battles with classmates. Tuva also wants that, but she also wants what Linnea has.

This story also includes LGBT like the synopsis says. Tuva finds herself in love with the new girl. But she is confused by it. While she knows it can happen, she is afraid of telling/showing it to others.

It’s already awkward, the transition from kid to teenager, but joining that to the fact that she likes a girl makes it harder.

Another thing. Really enjoyed Tuva’s father! He is so supportive and cool! He really tries to help Tuva express her feelings/hopes/fears. It was beautiful to see their relationship.

Overall this is a really sweet story. It’s quite quick to read and I really liked how the colors of the graphic novel changed according to Tuva’s mood too – the drawings were also really cute and warm-hearted.

I would recommend this especially for young audiences who are themselves trying to figure out who they are. Or if you just need a push to follow your heart and a warm read. I gave it 3.5 stars.

This book is something I'm definitely going to gift my niece.

I am impressed by the author and the way she has written the book from the point of view of a 7th-grade girl, Tuva.

Nowhere it seemed to get boring or out of track! It was sweet and full of life lessons.

Also, the father-daughter relationship was ❤

And the playlists made by Tuva's father were all hearts!!

A very sweet, charming book about growing up, sapphic love and friendships and how it all plays together. It's told as diary entries of a 12 year old with cute illustrations throughout. As it is a middle grade book, some characters do end up saying hurtful things here and there, something to keep in mind. There's a certain nostalgic feeling if you read this when you are older.
Also I loved the BTS references :)

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this book, all opinions are my own.