| Title | : | Tegan and Sara: Crush (Tegan and Sara #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0374313032 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780374313036 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | Expected publication October 1, 2024 |
Tegan and Sara: Crush (Tegan and Sara #2) Reviews
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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. -
I think I enjoyed this installment more than junior high; I liked the shift from friendship drama to more focus on navigating a music career while also being in grade 8. I felt the storyline with Noa wrapped up a little too conveniently for my taste, but I also enjoyed the lack of drama and focus on the friend group together. I feel like this one also simply had less text that junior high, which made it easier to read and I felt this book overall had more of a focus. Besides music, this book focuses a lot of the girls have crushes, and I liked the add of having a crush on an older girl (isn't that so many queer girls' experience??). The way this wrapped up, it could be the conclusion or the series could continue. I'd love to read more, and I'm hopeful this isn't the end of Tegan and Sara's graphic novels.
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thanks Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this cute graphic novel.
this one is out October 1st, 2024.
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as expected, this was a real winner for me. i love tegan & sara and i can't recommend their stuff enough (music and writing, both).
crush is a cute follow up to junior high, the first graphic novel in their middle school series that is loosely based on their life, upbringing, and the formation of their band and journey as a musical duo.
high school was largely autobiographical (the audiobook is great for that one and includes snippets of them performing as kids) and junior high and crush take a LOT of liberties. events align differently than they happened in reality in this series and different things have changed. this isn't 90's set and includes aspects of social media and cellphones, but the messages here are all pretty much the same: music is hard and music is work.
in junior high, i feel like a lot of the focus was on relationships between tegan and sara and friends and various romances which was cool. crush focused more on the relationship between tegan and sara themselves and how they navigated burgeoning fame. very quickly, they acquire a manager named ramona and are divided down the middle about how she works. tegan's focused on practice and writing, sara just wants to have a personal life. personally, this story was much more interesting to me than that of the first entry into this series.
as always, tillie walden's illustrations just do it for me. tillie walden is the one. i think for younger readers this is a pretty great intro into the world of tegan and sara as well as themes of sisterhood, friendship, learning that life is a balance of hard work AND fun, but also the importance of passion and standing up for yourself.
loved this one very much. -
4 stars
I really enjoy Tegan and Sara's music, and it's such a huge treat to get to encounter all of this great added multimedia content from them!
This is a follow up to _Junior High_, though this book can easily be read in isolation, especially but not exclusively by fans of their work in any format.
In this latest graphic novel, the sisters dig into their music further. They're continuing to explore their early teen lives, this time in the format of crushes (hence the title) and the passionate songs they drive some people to write and perform. The duo participates in a small competition; the prize is a pretty awesome performance opportunity. Through the experience, they learn more about themselves and each other, but they also - of course - expand their music careers.
These books continue to be wholesome (and age appropriate), and both explore the lives of exceptional kids in this age range and also offer opportunities to dig further into a fictionalized but inspired account of the authors' experiences.
This is a quick and fulfilling read, and I look forward to more!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. -
(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. -
I had no idea this was a sequel until I looked on Goodreads so I read the first book in the series before I read this one. I previously read High Schools by Tegan and Sara as well. It was fun to read a prequel of sorts to their memoir. I was thrown off by the story being set during current times rather than in the early 90s when the twins were in middle and high school but I think setting the book in the present helps reach an entirely new audience of young readers and music lovers. I really liked that their mom didn’t pressure either of the girls to do something they weren’t comfortable or happy with.
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers for the ARC! -
A cute graphic novel exploring growing up queer in more than one way
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Arc from NetGalley.
Not as interesting as the first collection. Felt like this one dragged a bit. -
Tegan and Sara is a two women group of singers, famous in Canada. Apparently they started out as teens, and so this graphic novel is a fictionalization of their life as teen singers. This is the second book in the series, but you don’t need to have read the first. In fact, I would recommend not reading the frist one, as it wasn’t as good as this one was.
The first book was just typical middle grade stuff, while this one gets into more of the music and how music should be fun, rather than work, or what is the point.
They get the chance to have a manager, and they find that this makes music unfun. That it is hard work, And while they like where the manager is taking them, they dont’ like being told how to be themselves.
And while this is loosely based on their life, I like how they empahsize how important it is to love the music making process, or it just isn’t right.There is not point in trying to fit into a mold if that isn’t you.
So, good story, and good points all around. I enjoyed this quite a bit. A different a look at the music industry.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out the 1st of October. -
Really loved "Tegan and Sara: Crush" with gorgeous drawings by Tillie Walden which really bring the story to life. This compelling graphic novel captures both the ups and downs of adolescence with the excitement and challenges of their budding music career. I loved how the book captures going from the fun to the work / business of making music, along with the support of Tegan and Sara's family, friends and several people in the music industry. I like how they adapted their story from the 1990s to more contemporary times. I also appreciated their continued exploration of their identities and crushes. This book will be appealing to fans of Tegan and Sara and also to younger readers exploring their identities. Thanks to Macmillan and Netgalley for the eARC.
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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. As fans of Tegan and Sara’s music for well over 10 years, I have loved watching their journey into writing books and tv shows. It’s fun and interesting to see what may be based on their own experiences and what is more fictional. I absolutely love the art in this series, especially the use of various art styles and colors to represent different conversations. So creative and thematic. I wish I had these kinds of books as a middle grade reader, as I’m sure both Tegan and Sara would say, too! 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up, only for the little angst present which you can’t really blame for being about 8th graders 😉
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Thanks to Net Galley for the digital ARC!
This queer coming of age graphic novel is incredible. Beautiful art with realistic dialogue and great pacing. The main conflicts come from believable sister drama, crushes, and critiques of the music industry. Would love to gift this to a young person figuring out who they are.
Being a fan of the iconic pop duo is not necessary for enjoying it, either. To be honest I didn't know much about Tegan and Sara before reading this-- I hadn't even read the comic that proceeds it. But the more I learn the more I appreciate and respect their messages and values. I am definitely going to go back and read the first one. -
This graphic novel series is so cute, it's got the same vibe as heart stopper. It follows a set of music artist twins and their young journey towards stardom. Though this book is a graphic novel it still showed lots of character growth. The illustrations in this book are also amazing, the specific use of color coordinating with each specific twin. Overall I enjoyed the simplicity and wholesomeness of this graphic novel!
There's lots of queer representation in the book including the main characters Tegan and Sara!
I received an ARC through NetGalley! -
Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!!
Ah I love gay people!
This is such a sweet series! I always get a little emotional when I read queer stories about kids. I could read books like this endlessly. I did find the way they brought their story into current time a little silly, like I couldn’t help but giggle when they referenced a current artist. That definitely didn’t stop me from enjoying the books though! Also I love lesbians
Also Tillie Walden’s art always slays -
Absolutely adorable! We've been fans of Tegan and Sara for years and it was such a fun experience to see how their career took off at such a young age. Crush perfectly encapsulates what it's like to be young, passionate, and scared all at once! The illustrations were so well done and engaging. It's the perfect story for all the feels! Would love to see a screen adaptation in the future (fingers crossed!).
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Tegan and Sara are a good bit younger than I am and I had the pleasure of watching their careers over the decades. One of my middle school students is obsessed with Junior High and on his first day back to school this year asked when Crush was coming out. He will not be disappointed. I love the story and Tillie Walden's art. Tegan and Sara capture the angst and emotions of 8th grade friendships and crushes.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Thank you Net Galley for this e arc. Tegan and Sara : Crush #2 is and adorable sapphic graphic novel. We follow Tegan and Sara as they are exploring middle school and the music industry. The graphic novel is beautifully illustrated and the story is relatable to many people. I love the authentic dialogue of Tegan and Sara at this age. Also, the discussion of the music industry is chef kisses.
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Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an ebook copy of this beautiful book.
i’ve been a fan of Tegan and Sara for a while now and was so excited to read this! also been in a huge graphic novel phase so when i saw this i knew i had to read it! Coming of age/ lesbians and first crushes so cute!! also love the illustration in it and the COVERRRR!!! -
I adored the first graphic novel, and this one is just as cute! It explores first crushes and changing feelings and pressures in the music industry. It did take me a little bit to remember who everyone was since I read the first one 8 months ago, but the story is cute and the artwork is lovely.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review! -
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.
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For fans of Hope Larson’s Eagle Rock series and Raina Telgemeier’s graphic memoirs. It deals with Tegan and Sara’s time in middle school with battle of the bands and a first crush.
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As a big fan of Tegan and Sara's music, I have really enjoyed reading these graphic novels. Crush is the second book in the duology and follows Tegan and Sara's journey as they begin to navigate their music career and adolescence. These are books that I wish I had had when I was younger and I absolutely recommend them to readers of any age. I love that these books are set in modern times but written with an autobiographical influence making them a new and creative way to tell stories. I definitely recommend for both fans of Tegan and Sara as well as those looking for a fun, graphic memoir.
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc. -
4.5/5
I loved this conclusion to the Tegan & Sara Junior High-Crush duology! For those who have not read the first graphic novel, Junior High, I highly recommend reading that one first, as the story in Crush builds on the events of the first book.
I appreciated the direction of Crush. It felt like the story really ran with the relationships that were established in the first book, as well as the complicated feelings associated with these relationships. From broken friendships to sisterhood to first crushes and first kisses, the book really explores the complicated inner lives of middle grade students. I also enjoyed seeing the next steps in (fictionalized) Tegan and Sara's music career. I'm looking forward to adding Crush to my classroom library next to Junior High!
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy. -
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. -
I really enjoyed this sequel to Junior High. The story was great, and as always, Tillie Walden's illustrations were wonderful.
Thanks to NetGalley for sending this book for review. I read the ebook and look forward to seeing this book in print. -
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!
(thanks to the publisher on netgalley for the arc!)
