Coming Up for Air (Hundred Oaks Series #8)

by Miranda Kenneally

Overview

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 tryout, so Maggie 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.

No 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 sacrifice in the water to win at love?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492630111
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	07/04/2017
Series:	Hundred Oaks Series , #8
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	679,997
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	HL680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Growing up in Tennessee, MIRANDA KENNEALLY dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead she writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek and her husband. Visit mirandakenneally.com

Editorial Reviews

05/15/2017
Senior Maggie King has spent her life focused on one thing: swimming. Now that she’s been accepted to UC Berkeley and has a real shot at the Olympic trials, Maggie wishes she’d spent a little more time focusing on guys—specifically, how to hook up with them. Her best friend Levi seems to have no problem finding time for girls, even though he’s also a competitive swimmer. Maggie hits on the idea of Levi teaching her the basics of hooking up, but as the lessons start and get steamy, the pressure to perform in the pool mounts for both of them, and her feelings for him deepen. This lighthearted romance has all the trademarks of a Kenneally novel: a strong female lead, a sexy male love interest, and a complicated relationship fraught with sexual tension. Fans of the author’s Hundred Oaks series won’t be disappointed as they watch Maggie’s and Levi’s friendship move in a new direction, and the competitive and uncertain element of Maggie’s future in swimming makes the page turning all the more enjoyable. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Maggie's present-tense narration is rich with the details of elite student athletics, and she is cleareyed in her exploration of her sexuality, including a look at college hookup culture that manages to be very funny. The frank depiction of female teenage sexuality elevates this series entry." — Kirkus Reviews

"This lighthearted romance has all the trademarks of a Kenneally novel: a strong female lead, a sexy male love interest, and a complicated relationship fraught with sexual tension. Fans of the author’s Hundred Oaks series won’t be disappointed as they watch Maggie’s and Levi’s friendship move in a new direction, and the competitive and uncertain element of Maggie’s future in swimming makes the page turning all the more enjoyable." — Publishers Weekly

"The writing and plotting will appeal to the intended audience and perfectly balance intense sports play-by-play with romance. In her quest to explore her sexuality, Maggie prioritizes her desires and needs. She is always in the driver’s seat, which is not often the case for female characters in YA fiction. Kenneally provides readers with a realistic model of sexual behavior that emphasizes safe sex practices. Hand this title to those who enjoy Kasie West, Morgan Matson, and Emery Lord." — School Library Journal

"The latest visit to Hundred Oaks is quite possibly the best of them all! Maggie King is a delightfully layered heroine to whom readers can easily relate, especially student athletes who have also missed out on "normal" teenage experiences as they worked to achieve their dreams. From the close-knit friendships to the intensity of Maggie’s training, the sizzling chemistry and the authentic emotions, the story remains engaging and current throughout. Honest discussions about sex and self-worth add to the novel’s dimension and appeal." — RT Book Reviews

"This novel addresses teen questions about sexuality frankly and openly… The author’s likable characters highlight issues of libido and trust in an even-handed way. Maggie’s coming-of-age journey resolves her quest with the realization that everybody must decide for themselves their personal priorities at this crucial life stage. It is about learning that not everyone fits the same mold, and that is okay. Young readers who are anxious about the road ahead will appreciate this author’s honest approach." — VOYA Magazine

"Readers looking for an authentic teen experience and realistic characters will love COMING UP FOR AIR. Kenneally always makes sure to include some Easter eggs for those who have followed the entire series, and COMING UP FOR AIR is full of them." — TeenReads.com

From the Publisher

06/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—This stand-alone series entry focuses on Maggie, a high school senior and an elite swimmer training to qualify for the Olympics. Her daily schedule includes hours of swim practice, and her weekends are usually spent at competitions, which has contributed to Maggie's lack of dating experience. After realizing that she's increasingly interested in sex yet hesitant to engage in risky behavior, she approaches her best friend and fellow swimmer, Levi, for guidance in navigating a physical relationship with a guy. The proposition threatens to derail their friendship as well as distract them both from their training, but along the way they discover they have feelings for each other. The writing and plotting will appeal to the intended audience and perfectly balance intense sports play-by-play with romance. In her quest to explore her sexuality, Maggie prioritizes her desires and needs. She is always in the driver's seat, which is not often the case for female characters in YA fiction. Kenneally provides readers with a realistic model of sexual behavior that emphasizes safe sex practices. Hand this title to those who enjoy Kasie West, Morgan Matson, and Emery Lord. VERDICT A contemporary sports fiction romance that offers practical, sex-positive advice; recommended for most teen collections.—Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

School Library Journal

2017-05-10
An Olympic-caliber swimmer seeks gold in romance in the latest of Kenneally's interconnected Hundred Oaks series.As a teenage swimmer who's trying desperately to make the cut for the Olympic trials, Maggie's life is swim, eat, sleep, repeat. The white high school senior's only break is Friday nights at Jiffy Burger with her friends, including her childhood friend and teammate Levi, also white. Due to swimming, she's missed a lot of high school experiences—something she feels very keenly when she visits Berkeley, where she will be going in the fall. Her primary swim rival, a white girl with a nose stud named Roxy, is also going to Berkeley, and it seems that Roxy has had plenty of time for romance, unlike Maggie. So she resolves to learn how to make out with a guy before starting college…and who better to teach her than her best friend? After a little coaxing, Levi agrees to show her what to do. As Maggie struggles to both beat Roxy and make the cut for the trials, what was only physical with Levi starts to become something more. Maggie's present-tense narration is rich with the details of elite student athletics, and she is cleareyed in her exploration of her sexuality, including a look at college hookup culture that manages to be very funny. The frank depiction of female teenage sexuality elevates this series entry. (Romance. 16-18)

Kirkus Reviews

Fans of Miranda Kenneally's authentic writing style won't be disappointed by her new audiobook. Narrator Carly Robins gives an authentic tone to high school student Maggie King as she reevaluates her life and goals. A competitive swimmer who is working to secure an Olympic tryout, Maggie is focused, and she loves swimming. But as the end of the school year approaches, she wonders if she’s missing too much to follow her dream. Robins carefully navigates between Maggie's competence in school and swimming and her naïveté in relationships and love. Robins also delivers credible voices for Maggie's friends, family, teammates, and rivals. There are several moments in which sex is explicitly discussed—but appropriately so in the context of the story and the young adult lives it depicts. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2017 - AudioFile