To survive where I live, you have two options.You can be a Normal—a cheerleader, jock, member of the debate team, or on the yearbook committee. You pretend everything is normal.Or you can be crew.You insult us? We hurt you.You hurt us? We really hurt you.And if you f*ck with us, we will end you.My name is Bren.I’m the only female in the Wolf Crew—the best, fiercest, and most dangerous crew there … Crew—the best, fiercest, and most dangerous crew there is—and we have a rule: There’s no falling in love.
Well… too late.
**Full-length novel. First book in a series.**
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Crew is a spin-off to the Fallen Crest High series by the talented, Tijan. I know for a fact that you can read this as a standalone. It’s exactly what I did. I didn’t feel lost but it did make me want to read the series. One day it will happen. But until then, it’s all about the crews in Roussou High School.
Bren is the only girl in her crew of four. And only one of two girls in a crew at all. Pretty much…she is a badass. It’s not easy being in a crew. They have their own set of rules. Understandings with other crews. It’s all about respect.
I can’t really get into the story but I will say that it was addicting. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. What the next plan of action was going to be. Who was with who. Who was against who.
Overall…it’s an addictive read. It’s a Mature YA full of action, family, and heart.
Quotes:
“You go after one, you go after all. You know the rules.”
“We’re the fiercest in Roussou, and half our crew are giggling like schoolgirls over cat videos.”
It took me a minute to get into this book. Once I did, though, I consumed it voraciously. When I finally finished I was glad that the first part of the book took so long to take off; there was a lot of information to digest and if it had been glossed over at all the end of the book wouldn’t have reached the intense climax it did. Tijan did a fabulous job of constructing this new world and the premise of crews and Normals in Crew, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the series.
Crew is a VERY slow-burn romance, and for a little while, I wasn’t sure which direction Bren was going to head. There were two definite possibilities for her and I was on board with both of them. Tijan did a great job of constructing two compelling suitors in Cross and Race. As the story developed it was apparent Bren could only tear down her walls and be comfortable with one of those boys, and he was only able to be vulnerable with her, too. The book was never a love triangle but giving that little pull of the other man gave Crew an extra layer of interest.
The premise of Crew is completely new to me. Sure, I’ve read tons of gangs/motorcycle club/mafia/etc. books, but the crew and Normals idea was fascinating and original. I found myself engrossed in the system they set up and the way the crews interacted both with other crews and with Normals. I loved how loyal they were to one another and the dynamics within the group, especially that Bren – the only female in her crew – was viewed and treated as completely equal to her male counterparts. In truth, she may have been the most terrifying member of her group because of her affinity for violence.
Bren was a badass; there’s no other way to put it. She was independent, strong – mentally and physically, and fearless. Despite all that, there was still something profoundly broken about her, and when we found out about her past, it made her persona that much more impressive. Bren was intriguing and damaged, and I wanted nothing more, while I was reading than for her to find true love and happiness.
My only wish for this book would have been to get into Bren’s love interest’s head. He seemed just as compelling as Bren, and I would have loved to see what was going on in that beautiful head of his.
Panty Scorching-2
Storyline-5
Angst-4
Tissues-1
Overall Rating-5
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Stephanie
I loved everything about this book. Everything. The blurb, the cover, the first sentence that just grabs you and yanks you right in to a world that only Tijan can give us. I have loved and reread so many of her books countless times and this one is at the top of that list. Gah, this book was just so damn good. Full of amazing characters, a shitload of drama and everything and anything else we have come to love about a Tijan book.
“Even though we look like the bad guys right now, things aren’t always as they seem.”
A crew is family, a loyal trusted few that would do anything for you and The Wolf Crew is the most respected and feared of them all. Bren is the only female in her crew and so she is sort of a legend for it. She is by far one of my favorite characters ever. Strong, fierce and loyal she was willing to do anything to protect those she held closest to her heart. The crew has rules, but what happens when one of those rules are broken and there’s no going back?
There were so many amazing characters in this book that I fell in love with, some a bit more then others. I loved the crew. I loved the drama, the craziness, the loyalty, the love and the angst. I just loved this whole book. I can’t say much more about it as I am determined to keep this a spoiler free review. I highly recommend you just grab it and read it ASAP. I cannot wait until the next ones comes out!!
“This. This is what set us apart. This made us stupid, but it made us dangerous too. And though we shouldn’t-we knew we shouldn’t-we loved it. We hungered for it.”
I’ve had read many of Tijan’s books and I just knew this one would be good and she did not disappoint! At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. What exactly is a “crew”? A crew is almost like a family – loyalty to each other, always backing each other up, and deeper than “normal” friendships.
This book is told from the POV of Bren, one of 4 members of the Wolves crew. Bren is a unique heroine. She is strong and fiercely loyal, but she hides behind a tough exterior. She stands up for herself, stands up for her crew, and stands up for her friend. She had something happen in her past and she is still struggling to work her way through it.
In the first few chapters, I wasn’t sure if I would truly like her, but as I learned more about her, she really grew on me and there were times when I just wanted to hug her. In some parts of the book, my heart broke for her. The other members of the Crew – Jordan, Cross, and Zellman were well developed and likable characters – all with their own strengths and thoughts, thus making them seem real. There are also a few other intersting secondary characters that really contributed to the storyline.
This book has some dark scenes, angst, and humor. Crew moves at a good pace and keeps you entertained the entire time. There were no parts that dragged and I love how the author always throws in those little (or big) twists. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and I am really looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received this book as an ARC and I voluntarily leave this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“We took care of our own, and unlike normal friendships, we went to bat for each other. Sometimes literally. That was the basic rule of being in a crew: you backed each other up. No matter what.”
CREW is so damn good. I have been anxiously waiting for this book since it was first announced. I was automatically hooked and within the first few pages one part actually made me squeal!!!
“This was my crew. My guys. Mine.”
Bren is hardcore, mysterious and an all around badass character. She is always down to fight and protect her family. I officially have a huge girl crush on her and when you add her boys to the equation…sigh…I’m in love. Cross is everything and I mean everything!! Their crew is a tight knit group of four who are not afraid to get down and dirty. They all bring something different to the table and their loyalty, connection and love for each other runs deep.
“You snarl. You bite. You fight back. That’s how you operate in life and with others.”
This book was phenomenal! There was never a dull moment and it is definitely a must read. I can tell this is going to be another amazing series. I’m patiently impatiently waiting for Book 2. If you are new to Tijan or already Tijanette you need to read this book!!!
“I was excited. I was terrified. I was confused. I was still angry, and I was aroused.”
~ Read on behalf of Two Darlin Dolls and a Book Review Blog
This book is like coming home for all of us who rode the long and beautiful waves of Fallen Crest – specifically the Fearsome Threesome. Crew is like a younger cousin to Fallen Crest (and I won’t say anything more than that because you need to enjoy every page of it, just like I did).
Let’s talk about what makes the writing so amazing…
1. It’s Tijan. If you’ve ever read one of her books, you know what it’s like. You don’t just read her books…you fall into her books. You become one of them.
2. The writing…there is such a depth to the story. Many stories begin and just when you want to know more, the story concludes. Not Tijan, not her word world. Just when you believe you’ve scratched the surface, you find out so much more and dive even deeper.
3. The characters…they’re RAW. R.A.W. You see the beautiful, the ugly, the kind, the mean, and glimpse the underlying hurt. And not one second is awful…you’re completely sucked into the story by all of the beautiful rage and utter beauty of life.
I could keep going, but I am not going to risk spoiling the story. What I can say with certainty is that I need to reread this book and fall farther into this world. I love Tijan. I love the way she weaves world and phrases so that you feel bereft when the story is completed. That’s easily why she is one of my favorite authors. I believe she has a signature, almost watermark, on everything she writes, making her books addictive.
Needless to say, this book gets a 5/5 for me. I hope you’ll find her writing as entrancing as I always do.
Tijan once again brings out all the angst and the drama of teenage adolescence in a way that is riveting and page turning.
Bren is a teenager with a crew she will do anything for and who would do anything for her in turn.
She has to deal with a lot of unwarranted prejudice for simply being a female in a crew. But, she is fierce and loyal. She shows this in how she defends and stands up for her crew and in the way she forgives transgressions against her from the very crew she so loves.
The crew mentality itself is much like the “One for all and all for one” motto.
I loved the angst and the ratcheting tension between the crews. I was also on tenterhooks with the mounting desire and attraction between Bren and Cross. It was a slow burn.
I also liked everyone in Bren’s crew. I loved getting insight into all their characters and hope to see more in upcoming books.
I think a definition or glossary of terms would be useful in the beginning to differentiate the difference between “gangs” and “crews” and maybe even their respective rules.
This book ends on a small cliff-hanger but I, for one, am all too excited to read the next instalment in what is gearing up to be another amazing series.
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tijan did what she does best…penned a compelling Young Adult book. The drama and angst are provided by beautifully flawed and complex characters.
Here’s what you get:
An amazing start
Slowburn love story
Amazing chemistry
Complex characters
A dramatic storyline
The blurb and cover are to die for
The main characters are intricately constructed. Bren is such an enigma. A glorious question mark mired in unspoken grief. Peeling back her layers was such a treat. The psychology of the characters was AMAZING. Her inner thoughts and issues subtly take on a shape of their own. I was fascinated and completely invested in her story. Cross is one word – PERFECTION! Gah, I couldn’t love him or his connection to Bren more. ASTOUNDING!
The secondary characters, storyline and writing are all what you’d expect from this phenomenal author. My only issue was a slight lag in the middle. I have to admit, the slowburn got to me. I wanted to get to the main action, so it felt a little slow in places. Other than that, I had no issues. I’m looking forward to seeing what else is in store!
Once again Tijan has come at us from left field and knocked it straight outta the park!
There was so much more to this book than what you would expect!
I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed and inspired by the backbone of this story as we rode the rollercoaster with Bren and her ‘Crew’.
For me, this book revolved around the importance and implicit need for loyalty amongst those closest to you.
I was so quickly drawn into Brens Crew’s world of chaos with their fierce level of allegiance and support for one another – 4 high school friends in this Crew of motley individuals with the strongest bond of all.
With a secret to rival the best of them and more grit than any one person should ever have to have, Bren, our female lead, whose perspective this one is told from, is like this modern day warrior with all the badass of Thelma and Louise rolled in to one seriously tough as fuck chick!
I can’t even begin to find the right words that would remotely do this story justice!
Just know this…
Tijan wrote it so it’s going to be awesome!
The essence of this story lingers long after you turn the last page
You can never truly experience the impact of this book until you take the journey yourself
Do not miss the chance to read this book!!!
I gave this one 5 stars that were sharpened with the edge of a hand held knife!
” Blood makes you related, But it´s loyalty that makes you family. ” they say.
This sums up Crew pretty precisely.
Every time Tijan releases a new book I´m giddy to get my hands on it. I had high expectations for Crew and what can I say, I was so not disappointed.
Crew is the first book in a new series, but I love to tell, you´ll meet characters from previous´ ones.
Bren is a girl who yearns. She´s the only girl in the Wolf Crew and she´s more than able to stand her ground. Their crew is a small but feared one.
I started reading and I wasn´t captivated, I was hooked from page one. Tijan writes YA and NA like no other author. She perfectly “gets ” the characters and the storyline every single time. I connected with the hero and the heroine on a deep level.
Crew is dark and violent and not for the faint of heart. It deals with sensitive subjects, consider you warned.
Bren´s story is raw and gritty and simply gutted me. My heart was bleeding for her and I wished wholeheartedly a HEA for her. I highly, highly recommend Crew and can´t wait for the next book in this series.
Holy hell! I don’t know where to start. Fallen Crest on steroids, maybe that’s where my mind is at. I have no clue. I have so many emotions and so many questions running through my head at the moment. Have I just met a new fbbf (forever book boyfriend)? I’m collecting them like trophies (pretty much all of them Tijan’s). Tijan has the best heroes, and Cross and Bren are right up there with the best of them. The Wolf Crew, comprising of Jordan, Zellman, Cross and Bren (the solitary female), all have their issues, personal as well as Crew, but one thing is for sure. They face them together. Young adult at its very best, dealing with high school, family, friendship and love. I think Bren may be one of the strongest female characters I’ve read about (with the exception of Marvel heroes, and X-Men), she holds nothing back and it’s refreshing to have a female who can hold her own in a physical fight, and believe me she can. The story follows the Wolf Crew as they navigate their final year of high school, a compelling story, lots of action, angst and toe curling touchy-feely moments. I loved the story, the characters (a few little surprises in there), and of course the perfect writing). Oh, and on a final note, that cover. Wow! I love it, just perfect. I was provided with an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Gahhh!!! Reading a Tijan book is akin to opening a present on Christmas – everything she writes is a gift!! Crew brought me back to the feelings I got when I first experienced Tijan. The consuming need to devour every page along with the desire to slow down and
savor. I.LOVED.THIS.BOOK!!!! HOLY CRAP IT WAS EVERYTHING.
Without giving any spoilers I can honestly say this book was one of the BEST books Tijan has ever written. IT WAS FULL OF AMAZING SURPRISES and a storyline that was just mindblowing. The only thing I will say about plot is that this book is an answer to all the questions we had when we wanted a better picture and then she gave us a window and I am in awe over it. This story was sexy and exhilerating and just phenomenal. Bren gave me all the feels. She was a pure badass that just wanted to protect her crew and family. I seriously loved EVERY WORD and every character and could not turn the pages fast enough. One thing I really loved was that we see a transformation of Bren in a way from being a lone wolf in a pack to realizing that she needs the people she loves around her.
All in all, Crew was so goddamn glorious and once again is a standard of excellence we will be comparing all future Tijan books to. This author did the damn thing and proves why she is one of the best. 5 Brilliant Stars! ~Ratula