I've always been someone to want to become more fit so this book appealed to me. I found the story slightly slow but in the end, it was.a fun book, I enjoyed it!

This book was really cute! I enjoyed our main character and how much she grew as a character throughout the story. I really enjoyed the fitness and bettering yourself aspect. Overall this was a cute coming-of-age story and I would definitely read from Gina Musa again.

3.5 stars

Boot Camp by Gina Musa was a quick and lovely story that focuses on 18 year old Whitney, who has just graduated from high school. She has put up with resident "mean girl" Willow often enough, and is tired of being the only member of her family who is not super athletic. So she decides that she is going to attend a fitness boot camp over the summer. As she attends and improves her physical strength, Whitney is also improving her mental strength as well. I enjoyed the messages of body positivity and self-acceptance and I really enjoyed the fact that Whitney felt like she could truly be herself with Axel. I really enjoyed this cute debut novel from Gina Musa and look forward to another book by her in the future.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was a sweet story about body positivity and accepting yourself. And...SUMMER CAMP!! Always a win for me.

Wow, what a great book about knowing you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. Whitney decides to attend a five week fitness program because she feels if she were more athletic her dad might spend more time with her. At the camp everyone is given their own personal trainer and Whitney thinks her trainer, Axel, is quite handsome. Trainers and campers cannot date so that’s out, or is it? Whitney finds Willow, someone who bullied her, is at the camp too. As the campers do rope climbing, team challenges, a mud obstacle course, and more Whitney finds she likes the exercise. She and Willow talk about things that were said. Could they become friends now? When the founder of the camp makes an offer to Whitney, what does she say?

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book. The cover is so adorable and I didn't mind the premise when I read it initially. But something about this one just fell a little bit flat for me. I didn't love Whitney as a character in the beginning - but I didn't hate her either. She was kind of lukewarm for me the entire time. I did think she went on a good journey and there were some positive messages in here.

But the names... oof. Whitney... Willow... Axel... Like too many W names that I kept getting confused and the MMC's name made me cringe every time I read it.

Mean girls x Summer Camp

Whitney has always felt like the odd one in her athletic family. Always in her sisters shadow and never fitting in.

After a tragic 5K race that ends badly, she gets the opportunity of Camp Campbell.

But what she does not know is that her arch enemy Willow is also gonna be there as well.

Whitney has never had much luck with men, that changes when she meets her charming trainer Axel.

This book was so cute, fluffy romance.

This book is a bit confusing as the premise seems it would make more sense as a Middle Grade novel. It was hard to believe that the character Whitney would actually go to a fitness camp if she hated excercise as much as she said she does given that she's now a legal adult.
Some of the lines were a bit eyeroll inducing and out of touch:
"...my arms and abdomen vibrating like my phone would be if I were popular"
and at the suggestion of working out in mud a character says "We're not boys" which seems a bit out of touch in the modern YA landscape that is very open to non-binary, non-gendered language.

That being said, the story was light enough to read all the way through and I could see it doing well as a kind of Heavyweights meets Cadet Kelly.

Even 3 stars.

Jen’s BookNook Review

Book: Boot Camp
Author: Gina Musa

First thought: A really well written love letter to all the girls struggling with insecurities and trying to navigate the world. This is a cute coming of age story that shows all sides of growing up: the good, the bad and the scary and how you can conquer and push through to live the life you want.

Whitney has always felt like the she doesn’t fit in with her family. They are all athletes and bond over exercise while she is the valedictorian of her high school class and can’t run a mile without passing out. Her relationship with her dad is stained because she thinks she doesn’t fit the mold he wants her to be, aka a clone of her perfect sister.

So this summer she’s determined to change that and she signs up for a 5 week all girls fitness camp that is about growth physically as well as emotionally. But what she set out to do comes with its own set of challenges when she ends up at camp with her arch nemesis from hs who bullied her endlessly and gave her self esteem issues. Will she let her insecurities ruin this opportunity to become what she always wanted?

To make things worse she’s paired up with a personal trainer she thinks is out to kill her, not only with his workouts but with his looks. How is she suppose to work with him for 5 weeks. But one thing her family had taught her is that she never quits so she will dig deep and give this her all.

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Coming of Age
* Not Giving Up
* Conquering Insecurities
* Bullying
* Parental Pressure
* Summer Camp
* Found Family

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed it. It was also a quick read.

This was a cute YA read. You could probably find yourself relating to the FMC with all her feels in this book. The relationship aspect was lacking for me.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

I am a forever lover of YA and you throw in a summer camp setting…sign me up!

This one takes place at a summer fitness camp. Whitney wants to get fit before college and fit in better with her super athletic family….and it just so happens she has the best (and cutest) trainer. You can what might happen next!

I think there were some fun parts but there were a lot of heavy subjects that could have been handled better. Some of the great points of this story fell a little flat at times. I like a little cheesy with my YAs but most of this was really immature in my opinion. A three star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

Ok first off how cute is this cover?! Unfortunately while I knew this was YA, it was younger than I expected it to be. It has a great message of mental strength along with physical and will definitely empower a lot of young girls. Cute story and well written but not really for adult readers

Cute coming of age story about finding your own space in the world and learning things aren’t always what they seem. I loved the focus on fitness and how skewed our perceptions can be based on what we think other people see. There was also a nice lesson on finding your mental strength along with the physical.

Well wasn't this book just the sweetest YA romance, think mean girls.. meets a summer camp!

Whitney has always felt the odd one out in her super athletic family, never quite fitting in and feeling like she's almost in her sisters shadow.

Following a 5k race that ends in a disaster for her, the opportunity that Whitney's been waiting for drops into her lap in the form of Camp Campbell, little does she know that her arch nemesis Willow is also going to be there.. but maybe there's more to her than quite meets the eye.

Whitney's never had much luck with men, but all that changes in the form of her chiseled and charming trainer Axel, maybe all of Whitney's luck is about to change...

I honestly thought this book was adorable, I sometimes worry with YA romance that it can be written in a cringey style but I didn't get that at all from Boot Camp, I was rooting for Whitney from the start and loved Willows character development.

If you're looking for an easy read and a fluffy romance, this is the book for you!

With a bit of humor, romance, and self-discovery, this is an inviting coming-of-age which leaves a smile on the face.

Whitney has finally finished her last days of high school, which weren't easy thanks to the constant badgering from the mean-girl of her grade. But then, Whitney always struggles with self-imaging issues thanks to her fitness-orientated family and best friend. Fitness isn't exactly Whitney's cup of tea...until a tennis ball causes her more problems than it should. Determined to turn things around, Whitney enrolls in a several week boot camp to amp up her hidden, sporty side. It's tough, but she's determined. That is, until the mean-girl shows up in the camp. As if that doesn't already put everything on edge, there's signs of a romantic interest...and that will flip everything on its head.

This is a sweet romantic read with a good portion of wholesome messages concerning self-imaging, friendship, and love. While the first scenes allow the last moments of high school to settle in just enough for readers to understand her past, the camp hits soon after and sets the main stage. It holds the fun outdoor excitement a camp book should, while sliding into the older end of teen problems and concerns seamlessly. The moments come across naturally, creating an easy read to get lost in, and Whitney is a kind soul, whose determination and doubts win over right away.

While the romance adds the sigh-worthy touch, it's the character development which makes this read work. Whitney enters the camp with fitness goals but doesn't realize that her lack of athletic skill isn't her true problem. While she struggles with burpees and ropes, the important lessons happen in between. Each one is realistic and rings true to life, making Whitney that much more sympathetic. It's an enjoyable read from start to finish and one sweet, high school romance fans won't want to miss.

Whitney was a refreshing main character - relatable, funny, and just real. I loved seeing her personal growth, and the way she learned to enjoy fitness for herself. I enjoyed the plot of the story, with the camp setting and the overall message of how taking measures to improve yourself should ultimately be done for your own self and not because of anyone else. I also really liked the friendships between the girls and the Whitney getting some closure with her bully. Also, the romance subplot was very cute and I adored Whitney and Axel's dynamic !!

I loved this book. I remember reading it years ago on wattpad and falling in love with Axel and Whitney. Reading it again knowing it is being published and becoming something more is so exciting. I am so glad I was able to read this and give a review as this author is incredible and the story told was just as heartwarming as I remember it.

This book follows the fitness and romance journey of Whitney who meets a hot guy named Axel who ends up being her personal trainer at the camp she signed up for. She experiences heartbreak, love and friendships. Overcoming feelings and torment that she never thought she would while making the changes she wants. Following Whitney's journey allows for the readers to embrace and relate to the feelings she is experiencing. It was really heartwarming to see the growth that was shown throughout this book and the mended relationships that came to be.

This book is slow burn and SO worth it.