I enjoyed reading this graphic novel. I think it would made a great addition to anyone's graphic novel collection.

This was just a enjoyable as the first installation in the series. It's adapted from Tegan and Sara's real life experiences of growing up and discovering music, but inserted into contemporary times. I would absolutely hand these books to younger teens and tweens reckoning with sexual identity, friendships, early relationships, and general life drama. All of these themes are tracked with tact and humor and supportive family.

This graphic novel PERFECTLY captures the excruciating angst of 8th grade. Starting with complaining about the summer, a time most adults would love to have off again, these girls bring the readers right into that age. As an adult reader, I hated that feeling, but I also know that this will resonate with middle schoolers. While being in a band, try-outs, and gaining a manager may not match the experience of all readers, the angst, crushes, self-doubt, and other strong emotions will bring in readers.

Add this title to your elementary library, give it to a middle schooler, or send yourself right back into the horror show that is middle school and read it for yourself!

Thank you to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Net Galley for the eARC!

Another fun time with Tegan and Sara! They are in 8th grade now after a different summer, and things are changing with their friends and also with their music. While there is some friendship drama and blooming relationships, the main focus of the plot is on the girls entering a competition then finding a manager, but the manager pushes them to focus on their music in a way that creates a rift between them. Will the band survive the pressure? Tilllie Walden's artwork was just perfect, fitting the cutesy, messy, colorful middle school vibes. I especially loved the scenes where Tegan and Sara have conversations with one another with their dialogue in different colors. I also loved the photos from Tegan and Sara's actual middle school days at the end! This was a good follow-up to the previous volume, and it has me interested in their high school memoir and the Freevee show now!

A good follow up to the first book in the series. I don't think it can stand alone, so would definitely recommend reading the first book before diving into the second in this graphic novel collection. I want to call it a memoir, but it's not quite that, although it is definitely based heavily on fact. I initially picked up the first book because I was intrigued by the story of Tegan and Sara whose music I like. The secondary characters who are new get a bit more page time than some of the characters who were introduced in book 1, and that works, because we didn't need as much of their back story - see note about not being a stand alone.

The mom and dad kind of irritated me a bit because they seem to be very hands off, letting the girls figure out some very big things on their own. I get why, but I truly felt like they should have been more involved or taken on more as parents of these two bright stars sooner than they did. And the manager stepped back way too quickly once mom got more involved. I also think that the social media obsession could have been dealt with if mom or dad had taken a bit more interest in what the girls were doing. Again, they were involved, but just not in a way that felt like they cared.

The friendships and the girls figuring out their sexuality and gender identities was well done. Also how they were sorting through all of the aspects of their careers. Interested to see where the series goes. If you haven't read the first book, suggest going back and doing that before taking up Crush.

Crush by Tegan and Sara is a charming graphic novel that picks up where Junior High left off, but could stand alone for new readers. As Tegan and Sara Quin begin eighth grade, their music career takes off, bringing new challenges and excitement.

The book beautifully illustrates their early teen experiences, focusing on crushes and their passion for music. Tillie Walden's artwork vividly brings the story to life, capturing both the fun and serious aspects of growing up. It's a quick, fulfilling read perfect for fans and young readers exploring their identities.

Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) and Netgalley for a copy of this graphic novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

The title sounded good, and so I requested it. The book is about twins that have a band. I thought this was pretty good, especially for middle school kids. The book was about relationships, friendships, family and having time to do the things you love. The book was o.k. It seemed like lots of controversy in each chapter. For me, it was a bit too much drama. The book did end with a happy ending and that is something I do enjoy.

Crush is a great follow up to Junior High. Further exploring how to balance friends, school, and a new music career Tegan and Sara take it in stride. Love the art style and a cute addition to their coming of age.

Welcome Back!

I am back with another graphic novel read! I had no idea that the Tegan and Sara wrote graphic novels (and that this was the second one). When I saw this on Netgalley I wanted to read it so badly (I am a pretty big fan of Tegan and Sara’s music), so I requested it and luckily the publisher granted my request. So a massive thank you to the publisher for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Tegan and Sara are kind of enjoying their summer but it does not really matter as summer is about to end and they are both about to start 8th grade. They are not super excited but, they are ready to head into next year and have their friends back from summer camp and being away. Outside of school, Tegan and Sara also make up the band Gunk. Together they write and perform songs and they sneakily sent in a song to a contest one of their favorite artists was having (the rules said you had to be 18 but they are 13 and totally lied on the application). They believed they would never be chosen but they were! However, now they have to tell their mom and confess to the contest runners that they are not 18. The prize was going to be the chance to open for Nite (one of their favorite artists). They confess to their mom when she gets off of work, and while she is not super thrilled she explains everything to the contest runners and they agree to allow Gunk to do the tryout for the next phase of the contest. Nite loved them but they were not chosen for the tour, instead, they are asked to meet Nite’s manager and maybe even Nite! This could totally catapult them to fame but they also need to make sure they complete 8th grade.

I absolutely adored every single page of this graphic novel. I loved seeing young Tegan and Sara, I loved meeting their friends and seeing their lives. After reading this, I immediately went over to Amazon and grabbed a Kindle copy of book 1 (I have already started to read it and I am so excited. I really hope Tegan and Sara write more of these in the future but in the meantime, I highly recommend checking this graphic novel out when it hits shelves on October 1st, 2024.

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

This was a gorgeous comic; the art was so pretty and I loved the characters’ development throughout it. I love Tegan & Sara; so glad to hear they’re coming out with this and to have the chance to read it! Tysm NetGalley!

This was an ARC from Netgalley.

I liked the themes of sisterhood and navigating life as a young adult, but for some reason it didn’t really fully click with me. I really liked the “twinspace” where they were color coded and had discussions (and sometimes arguments) between each other. It wasn’t for me, but I think that others would definitely like it a lot!

I just recently read Junior High for the first time, so I was ecstatic to get approved for Crush. Crush blew Junior High out of the water entirely. I love how Tegan and Sara handled their newfound stardom along with dealing with friends, school, and, obviously, crushes! I wish I had books like Junior High and Crush when I was that age; it would've made growing up LGBT feel way more normal.

Did I know that this was the second volume in this series when I requested it? No, no I did not. I like Tegan and Sara's music so I decided it would be cool to pick it up. To be honest, I didn't really need the context of the first volume to enjoy this one. I was nice to get some perspective into Tegan and Sara's semi-autobiographical up-bringing. I loved the crayon-like art style. I think, even if kids reading this have no clue who Tegan and Sara are, they will appreciate the themes smattered throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. This book was such a fun and relatable read (even though I was unfortunately not a famous musician in 8th grade). Middle school was not my favorite experience but Tegan and Sara made friendship drama and crushes and sisterhood drama feel relatable and funny.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through Netgalley.)

After a rather boring and underwhelming summer, eighth grade is about to start for identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin. Naturally, this is precisely when their fledgling music career begins to take off: as it just so happens, the girls' band, Gunk, was chosen as a finalist in the contest Tegan surreptitiously entered them in at the beginning of the season. Although - spoiler alert! - they don't win, they do gain the attention of their favorite singer, Nite Fever, as well as her manager, Ramona Keys - and of course Chloe's cousin, DJ Kukumber. Now, in addition to navigating the normal perils of junior high - unrequited crushes, homework, and sometimes-fraught friendships - the Quins also have to decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to make it in the music industry.

CRUSH is the second and final installment in Tegan and Sara's middle grade duology. I just happened to grab of a copy of JUNIOR HIGH from my local library last month, thoroughly enjoyed it, and jumped at the sequel when it came up on Netgalley. I suspect I'm not the target demographic, since I approached the series as a Tillie Walden fangirl, as opposed to a Tegan and Sara fan. I absolutely adore her illustrations and storytelling style; she single-handedly managed to pull me back into Robert Kirkman's THE WALKING DEAD 'verse with CLEMENTINE (like many fans, it's a love-hate relationship I have with TWD tbh).

So, not knowing much/anything about Tegan and Sara, CRUSH (and JUNIOR HIGH) is shockingly adept at creating characters who are extremely relateable, even though their life circumstances are anything but. (Let's be honest, how many child prodigies are in the audience?) Tegan and Sara have different ideas about what their band should look like, and struggle to remain true to themselves even as their manager tries to repackage them as a salable commodity. In their personal lives, Sara explores her feelings for the elusive (or not?) Roshini, while Tegan nurses the broken heart that comes with crushing on an older girl. Lucky them: they get to live out their growing pains in front of a live audience, in the form of BTS snippets.

In the afterward, Tegan and Sara describe the tween girls as their "fictional doppelgängers." Whereas the Quins grew up in the '80s and '90s, the world here is set firmly in the present day, complete with smart phones, livestreaming, and wifi. It's kind of interesting trying to figure out which bits are true (or not), although I guess this is less of an issue for the non- (or casual) fan, like me. Some of the details did feel a little unrealistic; for example, I cannot for the life of me imagine a manager taking her firing so well. (Idk, maybe they're a little more laid back in Canada, even the show biz types.)

As a vegan, I took a special interest in Sara's burgeoning veganism. (I believe she went vegetarian in JUNIOR HIGH, possibly to impress Roshini?) Tegan is initially annoyed at her twin's efforts to catch her crush's eye, but Sara's veganism becomes a bigger issue when managers and stylists keep pushing leather on her. (Ramona's objection that she's not EATING the dead animal, so just what is the problem? - I'm paraphrasing - is kind of perfect. We vegans have heard it all, folks.)

Naturally, immediately after finishing CRUSH, I feverishly googled different variations of "Tegan and Sara" + "vegan." Disappointingly, the top result was (always!) a Livejournal article from 2009, "Tegan and Sara--not vegan, and actually pretty obnoxious about it." (lolz) Sara did write a forward to VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD, but it is curiously devoid of the word "vegan." And then I ... kind of lost interest?

But yeah, I am left wondering whether Sara went through a vegan "phase" in junior high, or whether this was just one of the fictionalized bits, perhaps meant to illustrate the clash between Sara's beliefs and self-identity and the pressures of stardom. I suppose it doesn't really matter, since the representation wasn't bad and I quite like how Nite Fever stepped in to save the day. There's definitely a commentary about the perils of child stardom lurking in there.

CRUSH and JUNIOR HIGH are middle grade graphic novels that have appeal well beyond its tween demographic. Walden's artwork is captivating as usual, and the Quins' story is as engaging as it is unusual.

A cute review about growing up queer in more ways than just sexuality. It’s sweet and relatable. Also shows a real sister relationship

This was a really great sequel! While it did slow down in some places, I think the story, humor, and portrayal of struggles in adolescent fame were wonderful. I also really loved seeing Tegan and Sara navigating love and friendship, and the ways it coincided with their rise. The art is incredible, and I love the usage of color as an addition to telling the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC in exchange for my review!

This graphic novel is a great addition to Tegan and Sara's other literary works. The illustrations are fun and adorable. Though there is a lot of dialogue on many of the pages, the readability is still there. It's really cool to see stories the twins have been telling for years come to life in a book. This graphic novel presents the whole story with all the details the two cannot possibly include in their set time. We also get insight into Tegan and Sara's inner feelings during this time in their adolescence. If you enjoy hearing artists' stories and are a fan of Tegan and Sara, this is a good book to pick up.

Gosh these graphic novels are just the best.

Tegan and Sara: Crush is all about the twins's eighth grade adventures into ~crush land~ and the devastating reality that crushes can sometimes crush you. I loved the way the girls went at each other, as someone with a sister, I can confirm that that is how sisters get sometimes. Their sisterly bond is so real though; they always come back to each other.

A huge positive for this book (and the first one, Junior High) is that the adults are REAL and INVOLVED. There can be no complaints about missing parents in this book. Not only are the parents involved, but they act like normal, healthy parents. They prioritize their kids, look out for them, try and help them, and most importantly, embarrass them. Just so heartwarming and great to see.

I think if you want a blast from the past experience you should read these books. Especially because Tillie Walden does the artwork and she is amaaaaazing (I love her work so much).

This graphic novel is so cute and so important for tweens this age. I loved seeing Tegan and Sara's relationships ebb and flow with each other and everyone around them. Not only is this a great representation for those middle school years, but we also get to see them work through their musical dreams too. This is definitely going to be a go-to recommendation for me.