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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it was okay! i enjoyed it for the summer camp vibes but not what i expected from it… i wanted friday the 13th and got a murder mystery about a character idc about instead :(
dnf at 155 pages.. i really just couldn’t and after reading the ending in reviews, im am so happy i didn’t continue reading + i didn’t even really care for the mystery anymore and the plot was just..something
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I found The Counselors to be an easy and enjoyable read. It has interesting developments that keep the story moving and the summer camp setting adds a nice touch of nostalgia. The plot offers enough intrigue to hold your attention throughout. That said, the pacing occasionally dragged and there are moments where the narrative feels redundant, circling the same emotional beats. The main character's attitude also came across as bratty at times, which made it harder to fully connect with her. Still, if you're into YA thrillers, this one’s a solid pick.
For librarians looking for diverse reads: Goldie (like Goodman herself) is white and reformed Jewish, and her friend Imogen is biracial.
Gr 9 Up. Goldie has been best friends with Ava and Imogen ever since they met at Camp Alpine Lake as children. This summer, all three have returned to work as counselors. You might expect their decade-old friendship to resume as normal…except this year, Goldie is seeing things in a new light.
Camp Alpine Lake caters to the rich, and Goldie, a poor kid from the nearby, rundown town of Roxwood, Vermont, could only attend growing up because her parents worked for the camp. Ava and Imogen are both from wealthy families, and their careless name-brand-dropping ways are now starting to get on Goldie’s nerves. Plus, something bad happened to Goldie at New Year’s, and she’s not even sure if her two friends can begin to empathize with what happened. Tensions in the relationship only heighten when a body is found in the lake, and it quickly becomes apparent to Goldie that she’s not the only one hiding secrets.
My opinion? Not bad, but could have been better. I liked the fact that the story was set in Vermont, a state I know little-to-nothing about, and the author seems to know the setting well. She also uses Camp Alpine Lake and Goldie’s hometown of Roxwood as a microcosm to highlight themes of privilege and wealth. I was worried that this would quickly devolve into a simplistic story of rich vs. poor, but was pleased when it didn’t. The characters aren’t as fleshed out as they could be, but they’re not completely flat, either. The third act and the grand reveal of Whodunnit is a little paint-by-numbers, but overall, this standalone novel functions as an entertaining, if flawed, mystery/thriller. VERDICT: Worth a shot. Recommended for Gr 9 Up for underage teenage shenanigans (read: irresponsible party behavior) and language.
Gr 9 Up. Goldie has been best friends with Ava and Imogen ever since they met at Camp Alpine Lake as children. This summer, all three have returned to work as counselors. You might expect their decade-old friendship to resume as normal…except this year, Goldie is seeing things in a new light.
Camp Alpine Lake caters to the rich, and Goldie, a poor kid from the nearby, rundown town of Roxwood, Vermont, could only attend growing up because her parents worked for the camp. Ava and Imogen are both from wealthy families, and their careless name-brand-dropping ways are now starting to get on Goldie’s nerves. Plus, something bad happened to Goldie at New Year’s, and she’s not even sure if her two friends can begin to empathize with what happened. Tensions in the relationship only heighten when a body is found in the lake, and it quickly becomes apparent to Goldie that she’s not the only one hiding secrets.
My opinion? Not bad, but could have been better. I liked the fact that the story was set in Vermont, a state I know little-to-nothing about, and the author seems to know the setting well. She also uses Camp Alpine Lake and Goldie’s hometown of Roxwood as a microcosm to highlight themes of privilege and wealth. I was worried that this would quickly devolve into a simplistic story of rich vs. poor, but was pleased when it didn’t. The characters aren’t as fleshed out as they could be, but they’re not completely flat, either. The third act and the grand reveal of Whodunnit is a little paint-by-numbers, but overall, this standalone novel functions as an entertaining, if flawed, mystery/thriller. VERDICT: Worth a shot. Recommended for Gr 9 Up for underage teenage shenanigans (read: irresponsible party behavior) and language.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes