Hello Everyone,
Today book review is the last Hundred Oak companion ! :( . I have a lot of pent up emotions. This series has a really specail place in my heart.This series has been in my life for six years! That is long time of being dedicated to a young adult contemporary series. I remember the first time I picked up Catching Jordan. I was in grade nine moving to a new city.Moving to new places is not my forte. I cry big ugly tears and form mental images of all the possible ways moving to a new place. Haunted house, having no friends because they can sniff out a person who is new, having a bad rep or having your closets friends from home forget about you. Moving is dauntening, terrifying and a tad bit, adventous. I admit it, my best years was moving to that new city.Moving is a big risk factor. It can take you places or it may not be the best, but you grow as a person. With Catching Jordan, It help me not be feed from that inital fear of moving to a new place. I just felt really grey and losing that seed of happiness that was slipping when I first arrived. The house we were getting was being pulled back and I was living in a Marriot Hotel. Now, it may sound like the Suite Life of Zac and Cody - Haha it was not. I am a homebody. I like having my own space. Before I started school, my mom drove us to one of the many branches in the city. After getting my library card and exlporing the library, I found the Young Adult section. At this point, Young Adult was just rising to be it's own genre. Catching Jordan was the first book I grab just because of the cover. Catching Jordan was my first offical young adult novel and so happy to see how far it has come with its companions.
Coming up for Air was provided by NetGallery. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Coming Up for Air (Hundred Oaks)
Miranda Kenneally
Paperback, 320 pages Expected publication: July 4th 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire
3.9. Stars
Summary
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?
Personal Thoughts
Every time I pick up a hundred Oaks, I think only of summer, love and sports. I’m sad that this is the last book in the Hundred Oaks series. I get teary eyes thinking of Jordan, Sam Henry, Carter, JJ, Tyler, Kate, Will, Corndog, Jessie and many more (Some do make appearance). Totally heartbroken. The books are a lot of fun, light-hearts, and swoon-worthy, not a lot of drama. I like how there are moments in the book that shake you to the core to reflect of relationships with your friends, family, teachers, siblings, and yourself. That it is normal to have conflicts and feel the weight of the world on your shoulder. If there something I learned from the Hundred Oaks series, is that you need to let go of all that build of self-doubt and negativity. Let it go and lean it on the people who care about you. I love the humour, subtle flirting and sports lingo whether its football, baseball or even swimming.
For readers between 15-16, who are stepping into young adult romance, Hundred Oaks series are great books to start. There are fun, sexy and the cast of characters are delightful. Yes, the books are predictable and problematic ... I promise you, you will pick up this book and finished it in one sitting.
Coming Up For Air has reach beyond my expectations. It's Fantastic! I love her storytelling, her wonderful characters and well-research knowledge of sports in the books. Miranda has created a new cast that are just as amusing, quirky and charismatic. I adore Maggie and Levi. Hands down, my third favourite couple of the companion series. They just are comfortable with each other and have a relationship that is natural, never pressure or rushed. They know each other in and out. Even when Maggie pushes the idea of hooking up with Levi for experience before heading off to college, their friendship may have become blurry and the intensity of wanting each other more increases, they always had each other backs.
Maggie has an intense routine. Her whole life has been entirely swimming and hanging out with her best friends.
Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.
Maggie ideal planned is to go to university and trained for the Olympics. Maggie goes to the university for a tour for the weekend and after a disastrous hook-up- more embarrassment- It came to Maggie realization of how much high school experience she is missing and lacking. When she returns home, Maggie is determine to sought out the right person to give her the experience she needs and who better to ask than her thick as thieves best friend, Levi.
"We can start going to your house when you start cleaning your room.
Ugh, okay, Mom.
He chuckles.
You're my best friend.That means you should love me, messes and all.
I do, love you, just not your messy room. I can't walk in there without stepping on something. I could twist my ankle. He points at me. Coach would say going into your room is an unsanctioned activty.
Levi. I warned, making him laugh again. You really don't want to come over because of my room.
No, it's not that. Oma said she was making a Bundt cake today. "
Levi. Levi. My Dutch blonde precious cinnamon bun. Levi is the type of friend who is thoughtful, shy and provides moral support. I think he superman underneath his swimmer body, Levi is the true friend who doesn't place conditions, or limitations on a relationship. He respects you, he will make you laugh and remind you that you can do anything. To Maggie, he loves unconditionally. He also just a regular guy who happens to loathe waking up the at the crack of dawn, works out, have sex in between races to take the edge off, is goofy, shy, and is such a big baby when ill.
" He shifts under my hand on his chest. Don't turn me on. He laughs, but it turns into another cough. "I ill."
I figured a wouldn't let a little cold get in the way of sexytimes.
You 're right. I must be dying.
You're not dying.
Lesson number three: guys always want it. Except for when they are dying."
Did I mention that he loves to read during his free time ?
" I ride the eleavtor to my room. When I get there I find Levi sitting on the floor outside the door, one hand buried in his long hair while the other is holidng a loved,worn copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
He started the series over again. "
Yup.
He has excellent reading choices - The Raven Boys, Divergent, and the Harry Potter series.
Together Levi and Maggie are both so focused and honestly good people. I adore their witty and clever inside jokes and banter like a old married couple. They just click together. I felt like I was on the side line, holding up a sign "SWIMCEST" to cheer them on and be together. I am also completely obsessed with Overboard and I'm ready to play Overboard with them.
“ Tom Brady, Prince Harry, and Elvis.”
Levi groans. He hates it when I don’t give him any girls to consider. Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he considers his options. “ I’d spend one hot night with Tom Brady-maybe some of his good luck from winning all those Super Bowels would rub off me. I’d spent a year with Prince Harry because he’s adventurous. He could get us into any party, and girls would be all over us. I’d throw Elvis overboard because he’s already dead.”
Swimcest.Swimcest. Swimcest. I am dying over this. I am the coach anytime Levi and Maggie are together.
Their friendship is something that is unbreakable. There the type of friendship that many of jealous are at because it so powering of love. That both will take a bullet for each other. In addition, the way that Keneally wrote about sex attitude in the books is great. I think its key especially for teens between 15-17 to understand and talk about sex. That talking about sex is normal. I feel that to be able to ask questions and learn what a not healthy and healthy relationship. How talking to your partner about what you want and not comfortable with is success in the relationship. I think that’s why I like Lucas and Maggie relationship. Not from the chemistry but they can talk it out. When events were getting heated and awkward, they took a step back and respect the other person boundaries.
I highly recommend reading Coming Up For Air or any of the Hundred Oaks Companions. If you are fans of Morgan Matson Since You’ve Been Gone, Jenny Han, To All The Boys I Loved Before and Katie McGarry Crossing The Line (Novella). This is the book for you.
And the epilogue, it's bring back to full circle. A long term fans of the Hundred Oaks will LOVE it and will fall in love with the series again.
Comment, what your favourite Hundred Oak book is ?
Signing out ,
Maddi
