Crew (Crew Series, #1)

I had to skip paragrahs and even chapters of this book and I didn’t find it interesting nor entertaining.

I just can’t get the concept of “cre”‘. I only see four teeagers that are good friends but all the repeating that they’re “crew” but not a gang is beyond me. The four friends seemed to me like they were playing to be adults but failing.

I’m sorry but the plot didn’t keep me going and the main characters weren’t enough interesting for me. It has good writing though.

• •

: Crew
: Tijan
: 5/5

Let me start out by saying you do not need to read the Fallen Crest series to read Crew. However, there are some characters in this book you will recognize from the Fallen Crest series. Anyway, this book revolves around the Wolf Crew. I loved the main character, Bren, since she is such a badass. I won’t say too much, since I am afraid to spoil the book. What I can say is that this is a story of loss, love, pain, fights and laughs. I felt like the characters were developed really well and even though the book can be considered as slow in the romance department, it was still a page turner for me.

My reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld

Having no internet recently allowed for me to reread books that I’d not read in a year or more, and Crew was one of the first I selected. It comes as no surprise to me because from the moment I first read a story by Tijan, I’ve been obsessed. And while my blogging keeps me jumping from ARC to ARC as a rule, the minute I have time to squeeze something in from my wish list or a reread, I definitely lean first towards her stories.

Tijan writes angsty, sexy, and exceptional romances that stick with me long after I’ve turned the final pages. Crew is the first book in a coming of age, best friends to lovers, contemporary romance trilogy. This series is everything I expect from Tijan’s writing. The characters—Bren Monroe and Cross Shaw—have an almost tangible chemistry that’s well developed and intricately woven into a story that exhibits all. the. feels! Crew is a slow burn romance that I found richly rewarding because as readers we grow to love the characters individually and deeply as their budding relationship changes from best friends to lovers. Bren and Cross are brilliantly written characters. They have expertly crafted depths and a fabulous story arc that truly allows readers to see a character that grow and progresses in a very real manner. This, IMO is often missing in modern storytelling. And while many readers now find slow burn romances unfulfilling, the time and patience that Cross put into his developing his relationship with the upmost care exactly what I look for in my favorite book boyfriends. I found it richly rewarding, very realistic, and indicative of the types of relationships that last the test of time.

Tijan crafts stories which offer a true richness of characters, complete unpredictability, epic entertainment, and she does all of this without penning a story that feels like we’ve read it a million times over. Her tropes and storylines all vary greatly, and I’ve come to expect total originality in the stories she delivers. While other authors might be known for off-the- charts sex, their asshole heroes, or even true badass heroines, Tijan talents outreach this consistently. Does she offer these traits? Absolutely. Yet, she also releases new and unprecedented stories time and again. And in my opinion, that’s truly exceptional storytelling. I’ve come to expect these as hallmarks of Tijan’s stories but something about Crew just held me extra captivated…extra invested in the story. I have read Crew a total of three times, and still I couldn’t put the book down the third time I picked it up–I read all through the night and dealt with an exhaustion that no parent of small children appreciates. Regardless, the book is incredibly rewarding even with the cliffhanger at the end…Lucky for readers who have just come across this story, the opportunity to read through the trilogy in one fell swoop is at hand with the coming release of Always Crew.

One aspect of the draw I felt initially with Tijan’s earlier crew books is something that I felt its important to touch on in this review. I’ve had the opportunity to read the Fallen Crest books and The Boy Who I Grew Up With, and have therefore, been introduced to the crew system Tijan’s fostered through these stories. Yet, I don’t expect everyone reading my reviews to know what a ‘crew’ is. And while I can’t come close to expressing it with the same skillset as Tijan, the primary takeaway is a crew is not a gang, it’s a group of friends who would do anything and everything to support each other…to have one another’s backs. And that is exactly the types of friendships we all value. So, when you pick-up any of the aforementioned titles, don’t go in with the notion of a gang-esque storyline.

Finally, if you’re looking for your next five star read, then look no farther…you’ve found it!

**This review is new to BookBub as I didn’t post to this site when I originally post my reviews for this book. As I updated my original review on Goodreads August 2018 to offer additional points from my earlier review, I did additional cross posting. However, my rating has stood for two complete rereads and I just wish I could give it more than five stars.

Quotes:
Along with Jordan, there were two others besides myself—Cross Shaw and Zellman Greenly. My name is Bren Monroe

That was the basic rule of being in a crew: you backed each other up. No matter what.

“We don’t fight like you do.” I started for the door, saying over my shoulder, “And just remember, you declared war first.”

“In every situation, against every person, it’s you. Your first loyalty is to the crew, but mine is to you. It’s always been like that.”

Something’s going to happen.” He turned back to Jordan and Zellman. “I don’t know if they’ll be on our side or against us, but you have to know…” He swung those piercing eyes my way. “Everything I do is for you.”

“If they weren’t here, if you were ready, I would take you inside. I would strip you naked. I would lay you down, and I would worship every goddamn inch of your body because that’s just the beginning of what you deserve.”

I loved the start of the crew series. I am a lot behind and I had to back track after reading another book. I am so happy I did. I am hooked and obsessed. I love Cross! I love Bren! I love them even more together. Just an amazing book!

So I have finally read Tijan’s Crew and I don’t know what took me so long to read the book. Once I started I could not put the book down. Bren’s has been through so much in her young life but Cross was by her side along with the rest of Crew every step of the way. You can tell Bren and Cross had feelings for each other by how they are in tune with each other’s thoughts and body language. I knew it was going to be Drake that comes by because it’s like him and Bren has unfinished business but how will that affect her relationship with Cross?

My fave

This is book 2 in the Crew series, and in order to read this book you need to read Crew (book 1). Otherwise you can’t follow this book and enjoy it.

So, Crew Princess picks right up where Crew ended.
There’s still so much going on, and to see who’s doing what and why, and all these twisted things in between. Fantastic. You really don’t know what’s going to happen until you are in that specific scene. Tijan keeps you on the edge. Page after page!

Absolutely fantastic book / series. Can’t wait for book 3!

I kindly received an arc for an honest review

This book nearly broke me. Literally.

At first, I had a love/hate relationship with it. I wasn’t sure how or if I would relate to Bren, having experienced her almost childish ways from Channing’s perspective. Then we meet her. I mean, we really meet her. We see what makes her tick, why she carries a knife, why she joined her crew, why her relationship with Channing is so fragile, why she relies on Cross, and why she became the Bren she is today. I cried for her when she couldn’t shed the tears herself. I wanted to fight with her, for the future she lost thanks to her father. And, I wanted to protect her, from herself and those intent on causing her harm.

This book really had it all. Yes, the crew life may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and yes, the whole book is set around Bren and her crew but it is so much more than just violence and scrapping. The story shows how four dysfunctional people became friends and why their loyalty to each other means more than life itself.

This book is poignant and heartbreaking in the way the story is portrayed. I was frustrated with the characters at times but that just made me more invested in the storyline. I really disagreed with Cross’s decision to put retribution before Bren towards the end of the story, and that point had me almost tearing my hair out but then I realised, these are young people shaped in a way that is different to most. They draw their strength from each other and could quite possibly fall apart without each other.

The boys are A-typical for their age group in the way they sleep around but that just makes them more loveable. That said, Cross and Bren’s connection was the complete opposite with them drawing comfort from each other’s presence way before their entanglement became romantic. The whole romance scene between them was extremely well written, thoughtful and tasteful, which I really appreciated.

I am sorry that some people didn’t connect with the story or the characters. For me, they are simply diamonds in the rough. Created from a force so great that makes them shine in their own special way.

This was an audiobook read for me and the narrator really did the story a huge justice in the way she portrayed the characters and brought the story to life. Maybe there’s a difference between the ebook and the audiobook, I don’t know. What I do know is that this story, although it started steadily, is one that will last with me for a very long time. I can’t wait to read/listen on in this series.

I didn’t really know what to expect when reading this book. I had no idea what a crew was or what they stood for. I’m so glad I took a chance on this book. Crew is about family and having each others backs and being loyal. The Crew is made up of four individuals who are each going through their own battles and trying to make in through high school. I really enjoyed each member of the Crew’s story. Bren and Cross were the two who were mainly focused on and I loved getting an in-depth look at their lives and backstories. I loved how they were best friends and had an unbreakable bond. It was beautiful watching their friendship, blossom into a relationship. Cross’s love for Bren was heartwarming. He would literally do anything for her and vice versa. This book will tug at your heartstrings and leave you wanting more. I can’t wait for the next Crew book to come out!

Family…..for some it means having parents that love them. For others…it’s the unit of people that have your back when you need them. As Bren knows too well, her crew is consisted of four individuals that all rely on each other. The ones you call when you find yourself in a sticky situation. The family that will stand by your side when times are tough. This family is Bren’s CREW!

Most people would never expect a female to be a part of a crew, but Bren isn’t exactly your ordinary teen. The Wolf Crew consists of Cross, Jordan, Zellman and Bren. These four keep the other crews in town balanced. All are involved in the last year of high school, and there is no lack of drama in town. The CREW doesn’t always look for trouble….it just manages to follow the CREW regardless of their intent.

The Crew is the latest novel from Tijan. It is nothing like you would expect, and everything that you didn’t realize you were aching to read. Bren leads this interesting cast of characters through a tumultuous string of events. A strong heroine who has led a life full of heartache and sorrow with a determination unlike any female around. The members of Bren’s crew are all such diverse characters. Each adding an element of intrigue to this ever changing world that Tijan has created.

Get ready for a world of lust, romance, crew business, and loyalty that knows no bounds. The plot to this book is riddled with such intensity, intrigue and amazing direction. Simply put….I found that I couldn’t stop reading until I made it from cover to cover. Or until I confess that my eyes were crossing from sleepiness. The action that revolves around the story plot is amazing and packs a definite punch. In fact – I can’t really tell you more than these simple confessions about my thoughts. Why? There are so many twists and surprising parts to the story that you must simply trust me when I tell you that fans of the Fallen Crest series will devour this one!!