I’ve joined up with the IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? kid-lit edition, hosted by Unleashing Readers. This will help me get more reviews posted – I have lots of books I’ve loved lately to share with you!
Today I’m featuring CRUSHING IT by Erin Becker, a heartfelt middle grade contemporary with a focus on friendships, family matters, sports, and crushes.
Read on for my review of the book, and then make sure you also check out the author’s list of top ten addictions to find out more about her!
Crushing It by Erin Becker Published by Penguin Workshop on August 6, 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Middle Grade, Romance
Pages: 240
Source: The Publisher
Cover Artist: Ricardo Bessa
My rating:
On the soccer field, Magic Mel is in her element. She's ready to lead her team to victory at the city championship in her new role as captain. Off the field, however, is a totally different story. Mel can't get a handle on her class presentation, her friend group has completely dissolved, and her ex-friend-current-teammate, Tory, is being the worst. The only place she feels like herself is in her text conversations where she shares her secret poetry with BTtoYouPlease.
Tory McNally, on the other hand, is keeping everything together, thank you very much. So what if her mom is more preoccupied with her craft projects and new husband than her, or that she's down to one IRL friend because of annoying, overly peppy “Magic” Mel? She's perfectly fine, and even when she maybe isn't, she's got NotEmilyD to text with.
As the championships loom closer, everything around Mel and Tory starts to get more and more complicated: the dynamics on the field, the rift between their friend group, and, as they connect anonymously online, maybe even their feelings for each other...
From debut author Erin Becker comes an action-packed but tender novel about first romance, identity, and learning how to be brave when it matters the most.
Buy from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Bookshop.org
When I picked up this book, I was expecting a cute sports romance, but this story went much deeper than that. It does, in fact, focus on soccer (which will appeal to the huge number of MG girls who enjoy sports) and it also features a romance, using one of my favorite YA romance tropes: enemies who fall for each other without knowing it when they correspond anonymously. This is the first time I’ve seen this trope in a middle grade, probably because MG romance is just now becoming more common. The elements of the story that revolve around the broken friendship and the budding romance are all really compelling because I liked both MC’s and I was definitely rooting for them. It was nice to see the fracture in the friendship from both perspectives. But honestly the parts of the book I found most compelling were the subplots that had to do with Tory’s strained family relationships. I felt deeply for Tory–and I even cried at one point in the book when her world was crashing down around her. I wasn’t expecting to find myself so invested in Tory, but the fact that I was made her happy ending that much sweeter for me!
I would definitely recommend this book to kids who like contemporary reads, and it’s a great introduction to romance for those MG readers who aren’t quite ready for YA.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
About the Author
Erin Becker is an author and marketer living in Washington, DC. She grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, studied English and creative writing at UNC-Chapel Hill, and holds her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut novel is Crushing It, an “enemies-to-first-crushes” story for middle grade readers, published by Penguin Random House and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. When she’s not writing, you can find Erin at the gym, or occasionally playing soccer (though not nearly as well as the protagonists of her novel). Learn more and connect with Erin at erinbecker.me.
Erin Becker’s Top Ten Addictions
- Morning walks
I swing by a coffee shop every morning, then take a walk around the neighborhood. It gets my brain working before I sit down to write!- Concerts
Nothing beats the energy of live music and seeing a performer enjoy their craft.- Print media
This is old-school, but I love reading a physical copy of the Sunday Times, and I still have subscriptions to several magazines—there’s something nice about holding them in your hands.- The gym
Writing is a very sedentary job, and I definitely need to sweat off the energy after a long day!- My partner’s cooking
I don’t cook at all, so I am addicted to this in the sense that it is not only delicious, but it’s also literally keeping me alive.- Dancing
I lived in Latin America for a long time, and dancing was such a big part of the culture. Now, I’m back in the US, but I still try to dance whenever I can: Zumba classes, nights out, or just at home with my headphones on!- Novels-in-verse
I love poetry, and so many of my favorite books are novels in verse: Ask Me How I Got Here, Redwood and Ponytail, The Crossover, The Poet X. They all pack a punch in so few words.- Romance
My debut Crushing It is an enemies-to-first-crushes story for middle grade readers, and I really enjoy books about love, romance, and crushes in all their forms. I’m reading Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilson now, which is also a soccer romance, but for the older set!- Podcasts
My friends will tell you that around half my sentences begin with, “So I was listening to this podcast and…”- Writing
This is probably an addiction for most authors! I’ve loved writing ever since I learned how to do it, and I still get butterflies when I get the right words on the page and that sentence, paragraph, or chapter suddenly comes together.
Well, I’m obviously a fan of writing and novels-in-verse, so I can certainly relate to those. And I definitely prefer for someone else to be doing the cooking. LOL!
What I’m currently reading:
Right now I’m listening to The Skeleton Flute by Damara Allen – a perfect read to get me into the spooky season! (I also just finished Accidental Demons by Clare Edge, which I absolutely loved!) I’m reading Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams – I’m not very far into this one yet, but I’ve been told by a friend whose opinion I trust that it’s fantastic!
What are some of your favorite sports reads? I want to know!
I agree with you that a lot of kids like soccer. And I’m seeing some romance in middle grade stories, especially upper grade middle grade. The story must be good if it made you cry.
Hi Nicole, this is a new title to me and I think I have just the granddaughter who will enjoy it! It sounds as if it has so many layers, just like life! Thank you!
I love to see these books with girls who are into sports! My granddaughter loves soccer and gymnastics. Hopefully it will be a while before the friendship woes begin.
I’m now thinking about what my top ten addictions are.
Big fan of verse novels here too! (Just checked Mid Air out from the library; I need to finish a few of the MANY books I’ve got started before I start another one, but I’m so glad to hear a reader you trust highly recommended it.) Adding Crushing It to my TBR as well.
I will definitely add this to my TBR! I love your blog so much! I would love to become book friends, my blog: https://www.thebookdesire.com/
Just posted my thoughts on this one! Totally agree with your opening statement about how the story went a lot deeper than just a cute sports romance. I was impressed by the complexity of both Tory and Mel – they felt so realistic to me.
Totally agree! The book really exceeded my expectations in that way.