Tag: Summer camp

REVIEW: Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

REVIEW: Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Beatrice has been in a holding pattern for the last 2 years after finishing high school at the age of 14. Her preference for her own company and her age left her parents feeling like college was an off-in-the-future eventuality. But her acceptance to Oxford changes everything.

But the only way they are willing to consider sending her to Oxford at 16 is if she can learn some interpersonal skills. So they send her to a summer Shakespeare camp with a “Teenager Experience Experiment” bucket list – make a friend, play a prank, take a dare, etc.. Beatrice doesn’t want anything as much as she wants Oxford. But 4 weeks at Shakespeare camp might be a step too far for her.

Review

This was an absolute delight! The author does a magnificent job with Beatrice – she’s awkward and endearing, someone I was pulling for from the beginning. I loved the whole camp experience with Mia and Nolan. Bea’s experience felt honest and reasonable – some false starts, some ups and downs, and also some great progress. And Bea’s parents don’t come off as evil or unreasonable in their quest for Bea to try some new things and learn about herself and others. I absolutely felt like they were doing this out of love with a lot of hope that she will triumph.

I have no complaints – this was fantastic! I would absolutely read this again. Do not miss this one! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

REVIEW: You Have a Match by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Abby takes a DNA test to be supportive of her best friend (and crush) Leo, she never expects it will shake every foundation of her life. But when the results come in, it says she has a sister. A full-blooded, older sister.

When Abby and Savvy meet up in secret, it’s obvious the results are accurate. The questions start piling up – why did Abby’s parents place Savvy for adoption? How are they connected to Savvy’s adoptive family? Why have they kept this secret from Abby her whole life?

Abby decides to meet Savvy at Camp Reynolds for the summer. It meets her parents’ insistence on academic recovery work, but it will also let the girls dig into this mystery and get to know one another for the first time.

Review

Emma Lord is now a must-read author for me. Last year I fell in love with her delightful debut, Tweet Cute. And now I have fallen again for Abby and Leo and Savvy and Mickey and Finn and the rest. This was a start-to-finish read for me. It’s funny, suspenseful, and emotionally touching. It’s everything I want when I sit down with a YA novel. I can’t wait to read it again. And again. (In fact, the minute I finished reading the ARC, I pre-ordered my own copy.)

The family story was the hook for me. There are other things happening in the story – Abby’s feelings for Leo, the pressures from her parents regarding school, the camp, her reluctance to share her photography with others, her grief over the loss of her grandfather, and her questions about the future. And every one of those pieces was beautifully handled and part of the joy that is this book. But I was all in on the relationship between Abby and Savvy and on finding out the truth of their story. And it was so satisfying! There were moments when I couldn’t read fast enough to take in everything as quickly as I wanted to.

“Comfort reads” are a real thing, especially in these weird days. These are the books you know you love and you go back to them over and over to enjoy sinking into a great story with great characters. I have many YA comfort reads – Tweet Cute, 10 Blind Dates, Prince in Disguise and more. And now You Have a Match. The writing, the characters, the story, the humor, the heart – all of it was fantastic. YA fans do not want to miss this one! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: No Place Like Here by Christina June

REVIEW: No Place Like Here by Christina June

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ashlynn has finished her junior year at boarding school – punishment for some trouble she got in the year before. But she’s followed the rules, and her grades have been top notch. Now she’s ready to go home for the summer and to convince her father to let her stay home for her senior year.

But in typical fashion, Ashlynn’s father has his own plan in place. He’s being arrested for tax evasion. He’s going to prison, and Ashlynn’s mom is going into treatment for depression. Ashlynn has to stay with her aunt and uncle and work at a retreat center for the summer. And in the fall, her dad tells her, she will be going back to boarding school. He leaves no room for discussion. And Ashlynn accepts her fate as she always does.

So Ashlynn heads to Sweetwater Overlook Retreat Center with a cousin she barely knows. She only hears from her parents through letters, approved phone calls from the prison or the treatment center, and occasional trips to see her father in person.  She’s working for a careless, disorganized boss who is only too happy to dump tasks on Ashlynn who never speaks up for herself. But maybe a summer at Sweetwater is just what Ashlynn needs for this season in her life.

Review

This was terrific! The author does an amazing job with the descriptions of Ashlynn’s life under her father’s thumb – his ultra critical voice in her ear, his high expectations, and his crippling demands. But the summer away – free in a way she hasn’t experienced even with a year of boarding school – really lets Ashlynn examine her life and her choices in a new way. This thread was my favorite part of the book!

The retreat center pieces and the relationships Ashlynn experiences there are a great context for all of the personal work Ashlynn is doing. I expected the conflict with her boss would be bigger and uglier, but this isn’t that sort of story. This is a look at Ashlynn’s personal journey. The rest is setting and context and support. And it really works well!

I loved the quotes Ashlynn uses for her own comfort, growth and encouragement. It’s a fun angle to the story. It’s a nice contrast for Ashlynn’s quest to find – and use – her own words and her own voice. Fantastic!! Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Archie Drake has been attending Camp Shady Brook for three years. It’s probably the WORST camp in Vermont. The camp director is abrasive and hyper-strict. The cabins are rundown and falling apart. Art supplies are locked away so no one can actually use them. And the grounds look nothing like the flashy brochure that lures families in.

Archie loves Camp Shady Brook. But that’s because Archie has developed a system – a series of cons he can play on the weekly kids that leaves him richer when his six weeks of camp are over. But Archie has never had Vivian at camp before.

Vivian is only at Camp Shady Brook because of some trouble at school last year. Her parents don’t think they can trust her, so she’s stuck at camp for six weeks. She has some ideas to make her summer more pleasant, maybe scam some treats from fellow campers. That sort of thing. But Archie, sensing a rival con artist, tries to psych her out. Now the battle of wills – and cons – has begun.

Review

For me, a heist/con story only works when I feel the characters have a compelling reason for the scheming. Otherwise it’s just dishonest and wrong. The real world has so much of that already. Early on, it was hard for me to like Archie or Vivian. Neither had a good reason for conning. They pretty much did things because they could get away with it and because they wanted to.

When the rivalry blows up in their faces – as it inevitably does – Archie and Vivian are forced to take a closer look at their behavior. They have to decide what kind of people they want to be.

And that’s where the story becomes magic. By the end, I wanted to stand up and cheer. I loved how Archie and Vivian grew up over the summer. And I loved how they decided to use their “powers” for the greater good!

I think this would work for a class read aloud or a book group. There’s a lot to unpack in this story about what it means to be a friend and what you have to do to make and keep friends. Check out this fun summer-themed story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

REVIEW: Not Now, Not Ever by Lily Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Elliot Lawrence Gabaroche is expected to go to either the Air Force Academy (like the Lawrence part of the family) or go into Law like her dad (which means attending a summer mock trial camp).

But “Ever” Lawrence has been accepted to Camp Onward, a camp for genius students where she hopes to win a scholarship to Rayevich College so she can join their science fiction literature program.

While everyone thinks Ellie is doing what THEY want her to do, she hops a train to Oregon as Ever to pursue her own plans for the future.

Ever doesn’t count on her annoying cousin, Isaiah, showing up at the same camp. They have to pretend to be twins so no one at the camp catches on to their secrets – her real name, his real age, and the fact that neither set of parents knows where they are. If their parents find out, both kids will lose their chance at the scholarship and setting their own course for the future. Ever also doesn’t count on meeting a great guy, making terrific friends, or stumbling into a mystery.

Review

This was excellent! The voice was outstanding. Ever is smart and sharp and so funny. I was truly sad when the book ended and there was no more Ever.

This is the second book published by the author, Lily Anderson, and I have loved both of them. The writing is fantastic. Lots of great voice and terrific humor. Anderson is an author I will put on a “must buy” list because I really enjoy her style.

The cast of characters is quirky and fun. The interplay between the kids on Ever’s team was a hoot. There were lots of great geeky moments. I kept reading passages aloud to my family because I was enjoying the book so much. The scene where the team gets together for the first time, and the counselors give them a taste of what is to come, is one of my favorites.

I loved Ever’s quest for her own path while feeling pressure and expectations from her whole family. The camp scholarship contest was a great plot – it brought interesting characters together and threw in some nice twists and a little mystery. Everything clicked perfectly for me in this book. (Some language)

Many, many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for an electronic review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Reading this book was a delight!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥