ARC, 279 pages
Release Date: July 4, 2017Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Read from: June 27-July 1, 2017Hundred Oaks, #8Source: Netgalley (I recieved this book from the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review.)For fans of: Companions, Sparkly Covers, Hot Literary Guys, Series Enders, Summer Lovin, Contemporary, Romance, YA
Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.
All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic try out, so she feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to lose to win?
*MY THOUGHTS*
Y’all know I have a phobia of reading the last books in series, so when I heard this was the last Hundred Oaks book, I almost put it on the back of my TBR. But this one was about swimmers and I needed to see what the gang was up to one last time.
“I can’t let what other people do affect me.“pg. 201
Maggie’s life has been the same for as long as she can remember: Swim, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s shared this life with her best friend Levi and they make the perfect team. It isn’t until Maggie visits a college camus that she realizes how much she’s really missing out on her life.
“If you spend all your time thinking about how someone is going to one-up you, you can’t put your best foot forward.“pg. 201
As per usual after reading a Miranda Kenneally book I have ANOTHER new book boyfriend. Levi has a super hot swimmer’s body AND he reads and just OMG can I have three please? lol He’s also really sweet and I love how he treated Maggie. He did mess up, but really, who doesn’t? As for Maggie, I loved her too, but I thought she overanalized things too much like her coach. I was glad that someone in the book recognized it. But otherwise I thought she was a perfectly normal teen with anxiety, so I could definitely relate.
“Guys do dumb stuff sometimes.“pg. 241
Then there was the sbuject of swimming. In the acknowledgements, Kenneally mentions that she knew nothing about swimming which surprised me. I assumed she used to be a swimmer by how much she knew. I have a family member who used to swim, but was a lot like Jason. They only did it in high school because they “needed something to do over the summer” and as it turned out, they were really good. They were just like the characters and ate all the time and got some of the same advice from their coaches, and spent all their time in the pool. It was such an accurate description I had to call the family member and tell them to pick it up!
“Do either of you ever stop eating?“pg. 247
Lastly, as usual, I loved her writing style. It swet me to the high school and the pool. And it was SO FUNNY. I spit my water TWICE while reading this. (At Superman undies and at the Quick Pick!) Normally when reading I only crack a small smile. But with this one I flat out laughed out loud. It is absolutely hilarious and exactly what I was in the mood for.
“One more chance.“pg. 270
Although I hated to see this beloved series of mine end, I was so happy to have been on this journey with Kenneally and her books.
Overall, I give this
Dear Miranda Kenneally,
With you I’ve experienced blog tours (TICF, RS, JG, & JG Pt. 2), just regular reviews (CJ, SP, BAB, & DT), and even an invite to dinner lol Thank you for giving me these books featuring sporty girls that showed what it’s really like to be a girl athlete. The offer to sit and pick your brain about your book boys one day still stands and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
P.S. THANK YOU FOR THAT “SECOND” ENDING TO COMING UP FOR AIR!!!!