"From the author of Spontaneous comes a '90s mixtape of a young adult novel that delivers a summer romance with an unearthly twist. Perfect for fans of The Gravity of Us.

One final swim of the summer. Let’s make it last all night...

Summer, 1994. Trevor can barely wrap his mind around the fact that he and his friends have graduated high school. And yet there's no rush to get to college. He's determined to live one night at a time. Riding shotgun from party to party, windows down, music up, his focus is entirely on his crush, the enigmatic girl in the driver's seat. Will things ever go anywhere with Sarah?

Maybe? Because Sarah has proposed a mission: They're going to swim all the pools in town. Before long, they’re sneaking into backyards every night, splashing, floating, and loving every minute of it. But it's still not enough for Trevor. He yearns for Sarah, despite her college boyfriend, despite her "not yet"s, despite the way she keeps pulling away the moment it starts to feel truly magical.

Things finally change when they learn about a natural pool hidden deep in the woods. It seems like just another spot to check off their summer bucket list. But once they get there, they realize that this place has a curious hold on them, and something very strange is happening..."

Ever since I watched The Resort I totally don't trust natural pools hidden deep in anywhere.

This took me straight back to the 90s where I cemented my love for reading. The plot was unique, very unlike anything I've read before except for some Adrienne Young books, it has a bit of magical realism, I think? That's the unique part, it felt very ambiguous and subjective. A 3.5 rounded to 4 purely for the dialed in nostalgia.

This book didn't feel very YA compared to YA from my youth, but would definitely recommend to avid readers that grew up reading in the 90s.

Writing a review for this book is difficult. It was an interesting book that definitely made me read the whole thing and be interested the whole time. But it felt very ambiguous. Giving lord of the flies vibes. Great gatsby vibes. Overall it was enjoyable!

Definitely an interesting book and very unlike something I’ve read before. I loved the 90s references and the feeling of nostalgia it gave me. Besides the main character though, I felt like the other characters weren’t fleshed out enough and the author did a lot of telling who they are as people instead of showing. Also didn’t love the ending but that’s on me! Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read the ARC! I look forward to more from this author.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Night Swimming by Aaron Starmer is a first and third person dual-POV dual-timeline YA speculative set in 1994. Trevor and Sarah have been dancing around each other for a while, so when Sarah suggests that they swim in every single pool in town, Trevor follows along. During the last swim, they learn of another pool in the woods, but they’re in store for more than a quick dip.

Before or after every chapter is a short little first person interlude in the second timeline and you won’t learn who it is until much later. This added a sense of mystery while also enhancing what was happening in the woods with Trevor, Sarah, and their friends. There’s a sense of loss that comes through but also a sense of trying to get something back as the POV character moves about. I’d be curious to see what happens after the book ends for all the characters, but I also felt that everything tied up pretty well.

There are references to popular songs from the 90s and a full discussion around the power of mixtapes versus a studio album. You get a real sense of the 90s and I did get a lot of nostalgia from it, which makes me feel that the book is a perfect fit for Millennials and older Gen Z who still enjoy YA. It does retain the YA themes of growing up, high school relationships, going off to college, exploring first kisses, etc. and will be enjoyable for older teens who are starting to think about college but want something that is both hopeful and delves into the fears of the world moving on without you.

This is a bit on the darker side but never goes full-on horror. The sense of dread is fairly low and there is a bit of suspense, but the overall tone is that there is life after high school but plans don’t always work out how we think they will. I think whether or not it’s hopeful will depend on a lot of factors, but as someone who is not a teen, I did see both hope and fear because growing up is scary.

I would recommend this to fans of YA set in the 90s and readers looking for a bit of a shorter speculative book that explores the feelings of growing up in an honest way

right after high school graduation, you’re feeling that crazy mix of excitement and uncertainty about what’s next. Summer of 1994 with Trevor and his friends. What starts as a spontaneous plan to swim in every pool in town at night soon turns into something way deeper, especially when they stumble upon a hidden natural pool that pulls them in. One of the coolest things about this book is the vivid 90s vibes. It’s not just about the nostalgia ( given my age I really felt some throwbacks,lol) but it really nails the emotions of that time. You know that feeling of wanting to hold onto the present? It's a mix of excitement and fear about the future, and the book captures that perfectly. It makes you think: is nostalgia just about remembering, or is it tied to our current wishes to freeze certain moments?
I don’t know if this book is for everyone. I wouldn’t say there is much going on plot wise but sometimes we need that in a book; just seeing what they are going through and relating to them on a deeper level. There is a little twist which I enjoyed. I think it adds a sense of mystery and is a great element of a 90’s vibe. Wanting to hold on to special moments. Imagine if we could freeze a perfect moment in time; I’ve def wished that as a teen once or twice! It’s all about the emotional ride of facing change and the bittersweet wish to cling to fleeting moments. I am not sure if I’d pick this book up a second time but I def think it’s worth reading at least once!! Excited for this to come out!!!

Title: Night Swimming
Author: Aaron Starmer         
Genre: YA   
Rating: 3 out of 5

It was just one swim… How could they know it would never end?

It's the summer of 1994 and Trevor can barely wrap his mind around the fact that he and his friends have graduated high school. The future is a murky thing, filled with a college experience he feels neutral about at best, endless mixtape relistens, and the growing realization that his crush on the enigmatic Sarah isn't going anywhere.

That is, until Sarah approaches him with a mission: they're going to swim in all the pools in the neighborhood. Soon, their quest leads to them sneaking into backyard pools every night and continuing to get closer. But not close enough for Trevor, who yearns for Sarah despite her college boyfriend, despite her "not yet"s, despite the way she keeps pulling away the moment things feel real.

So when they learn about a natural pool hidden deep in the woods, it starts off as just another spot to check off their summer bucket list. But once they get there, they soon realize the natural pool has a curious hold on them, and something very strange is happening…

Okay, I’m not going to lie: this book seemed really pointless. The pacing was slow, and I felt like nothing happened. Nothing. The only reason I even finished it was because it was a quick read. The characters felt hazy and indistinct. There was basically no action. And I didn’t feel like the characters grew or changed.

Aaron Starmer was born in Northern California. Night Swimming is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Workshop in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/28).

if you know me at all, you know i am deeply nostalgic. not to get too maudlin, but i think nostalgia is a hard emotion to capture perfectly -- for me, it's a blend of wistfulness, sadness, joy, and an unnameable something that leaves me feeling off. NIGHT SWIMMING doesn't get all of it, but i think it's a great encapsulation of the desperation of nostalgia, the overwhelming desire to freeze time and preserve the moments you felt most alive, forever in vibrant color. the book is atmospheric, weird, and feels like a sleepless summer night. i wish the plot had moved more, but i think NIGHT SWIMMING excels in evoking a specific feeling and a specific era of life. for what it is, an emotion pressed between pages, i think it's worth a read.

A rather interesting read. Beautiful cover. Loved the concept and the time period as it brought me back to a lot of things or experienced I had when growing up. The idea of the book was very unique and interesting. I was not a fan of how they immediately dumped all of the characters in the beginning and just ran through everything and he definitely over explained and talked about things that were relevant. I hate that it felt like there was obsession over the girl instead of a good mix of the plot and the love story. It did enjoy the ending and what came of the situation. The long paragraphs could have been spaced out better and some paragraphs could be taken out to simply make room for more of a plot.

A dreamy, atmospheric tale that feels both intimate and expansive. Starmer’s storytelling is poetic and immersive—this one lingers long after the final page.

This book feels like a 90's fever dream but the ending was a bit ambiguous and left me wanting more! The nostalgia factor was lovely but I think I just wanted more in general out of the story. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Pitch perfect story of a group of kids navigating the summer right after their high school graduation in 1994. Deeply nostalgic, not only for the 90’s references, but also how well the author captures the emotions of that memorable and pivotal point in time. It’s a time of freedom mixed with anxiety. A desperate desire to hold on to the known, and to the people we care about, existing alongside the knowledge that change is inevitable. This book is labeled YA – and while that audience can find value in this story, I think this novel is a true gift to adults who have already gone through this experience – particularly Gen X. I loved the creative storytelling, the relatability, and the emotional impact of this novel. This is one of those books that I will think about again.

Aw, the 90's. what a time to be alive. This book gave me all the nostalgia and then some.
It kept me on my toes, kept me guessing and second guessing.
I hadn't read anything by this author before, but they are definitely on my radar now.

It was fun but also not in the most engaging way. I wish it had invoked more emotion from me. I did like the themes that were expressed. There wasn't anything really wrong with the book, just that I was mostly bored/muted with it. Not extremely excited which is what I look for with books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one had a lot of potential, but it fell a little flat for me. I feel like Night Swimming relied heavily on vibes and nostalgia, which left the plot a little stilted and the pacing off. There were unique elements to this book, but ultimately, I don't think I was the target demographic for this particular work.

Their last summer before college, Trevor and Sarah make a secret plan to swim in all the pools in town, under the cover of night. Trevor may use the swim to finally tell Sarah how he feels.

Toward the end of their challenge, some of their friends find out about the swims and sneak into one last backyard pool. To their surprise, they're caught. Not only does the owner not care, she tells them about one last swimming hole. At first, it's like a dream, then strange things begin to happen.

I have recommended this book to a few students and others that I know like young adult romance books.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Night Swimming covers that summer before college / adult life, right after graduation. While it seems like it would be a good young adult, it's actually great for adults, too. There's something mysterious but strangely relatable about wanting to stay in certain moments, with certain people for forever that anyone can understand.

I didn't love the ending. I liked the ambiguity of it, but I could see young readers really struggling with it (hence maybe not YA). This book is thoughtful and weird. It's not a fun, easy read. It's quick (or it was for me), but it's contemplative and strange and uneasy and easy all at once.

This was so captivating, I was fully immersed in this world & read the book in a day. The writing transported me back to the simultaneous carefree & anxiety-ridden time after high school graduation, and had me reliving the excitement and fear of the future/uncertainty about what it would hold.

3.5 stars

This book is really perfect for any young adult who maybe isn’t sure what they’re gonna go with their lives, or if they’re feeling pressure from one area of their lives or another- it gives them a reminder to just.. dive in. I feel like this book is the perfect graduation gift to any senior that loves reading, because it deals a lot with the uncertainty of the future past high school, and it showcases people that maybe aren’t 100% sure what they’re gonna do with their lives.

Night swimming is a fast read, with many twists and turns. The format of the book reminded me of the TV show LOST. It keeps you thinking and engaged throughout the book. A good read for those that like to be kept on their toes.