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bumblemee's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A lot of things I liked, some things I have mixed feelings about.
I really liked how diverse the cast was. It managed to spread a little awareness for different struggles of different identities, even if it was just a few sentences. That was included easily, which was cool. Everything theater and stage production was great, too! As well as the setting itself, where queer kids can just be themselves in a safer space accompanied by queer adults. It's just great. I would've loved this when I was a teenager. Oh, and I also liked the sex positivity.
Randy was a likeable protagonist, he's funny and very dramatic (a lot of exploding stars inside of him and the world applauding him while having sex or something? .. a man of big words). Sometimes I wanted to shake him, though. I know that him changing and hiding things about himself is the premise of this book, but it was still frustatring sometimes. His stoic determination to continue with this ludicrous plan of his, my god. Especially because he barely knows Hudson at all - yeah, he's an allosexual/alloromantic teenager, so maybe that's just normal, but it seemed so weird to me, because it's very different from what I experience. I don't really get why Randy is so set on Hudson, even though Hudson says and does things that should ring some alarm bells for Randy. Randy explains his reasoning, we get to see scenes from the past that shaped Randys perception of Hudson, but I don't know if I understand how that weighs out the experiences he has when actually getting to know Hudson. (Again, maybe just normal teenager behavior that contradicts how I would've acted as a teenager.)
I don't know how much I want to go into Hudsons character here. He has problematic views of course, which lead him to behave according to them, but since that is the center point of his character arc, I don't think there's much to say other than: prepare for internalised homophobia and some blatant toxic masculinity and infuriating statements as a result. Personally, I had empathy for him and I liked seeing him grow, but I understand everyone who can't look past that, since a lot of queer people have their own traume from people who behaved like Hudson. (Trauma doesn't excuse shitty behavior and so on.)
I really liked how diverse the cast was. It managed to spread a little awareness for different struggles of different identities, even if it was just a few sentences. That was included easily, which was cool. Everything theater and stage production was great, too! As well as the setting itself, where queer kids can just be themselves in a safer space accompanied by queer adults. It's just great. I would've loved this when I was a teenager. Oh, and I also liked the sex positivity.
Randy was a likeable protagonist, he's funny and very dramatic (a lot of exploding stars inside of him and the world applauding him while having sex or something? .. a man of big words). Sometimes I wanted to shake him, though. I know that him changing and hiding things about himself is the premise of this book, but it was still frustatring sometimes. His stoic determination to continue with this ludicrous plan of his, my god. Especially because he barely knows Hudson at all - yeah, he's an allosexual/alloromantic teenager, so maybe that's just normal, but it seemed so weird to me, because it's very different from what I experience. I don't really get why Randy is so set on Hudson, even though Hudson says and does things that should ring some alarm bells for Randy. Randy explains his reasoning, we get to see scenes from the past that shaped Randys perception of Hudson, but I don't know if I understand how that weighs out the experiences he has when actually getting to know Hudson. (Again, maybe just normal teenager behavior that contradicts how I would've acted as a teenager.)
I don't know how much I want to go into Hudsons character here. He has problematic views of course, which lead him to behave according to them, but since that is the center point of his character arc, I don't think there's much to say other than: prepare for internalised homophobia and some blatant toxic masculinity and infuriating statements as a result. Personally, I had empathy for him and I liked seeing him grow, but I understand everyone who can't look past that, since a lot of queer people have their own traume from people who behaved like Hudson. (Trauma doesn't excuse shitty behavior and so on.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Homophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Grief
traceyanderson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Mental illness, Grief, Outing, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Biphobia, Blood, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
fanboyriot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Read For:
Theater Kids
Summer Camp
Everyone is Queer
Wholesome Friendships
Destroying Toxic Masculinity
Absolutely loved the idea of a queer summer camp. This was really wholesome and there was SO much queer rep I can not get over how amazing the setting of this was. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it with the whole plot of being someone you’re not to get a guy but it was actually written really well. The characters were detailed and the character development was done really nicely.
(First Person POV)
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶
Rep: Gay Jewish MC, Gay Half-Korean Jewish LI, Demisexual Lesbian SC, POC characters, Trans characters, queer characters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Transphobia, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
therainbowshelf's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Absurdly adorable. I loved how committed Del is to his absurd plan, and how convinced he is that it’ll work. Things didn’t quite go where I expected, which was fun. This story is incredibly sweet and hilarious, and I loved the characters and LGBTQ+ camp. It was nice having a demi side character too. Maybe not as appropriate for us YA-reading adults due to teen sex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Internalized homophobia, homophobic slurgreenlivingaudioworm's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Transphobia
tinytrashqueen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
- CAMP is one of the most adorable books I've ever read. I loved the setting of a camp for queer kids: a place where they could fully be themselves, even if it's only for a few weeks out of the year.
- I loved that this book tackled toxic masculinity within the gay community, showing clearly how internalized homophobia and misogyny can embed themselves out of fear of being punished by cishet people.
- A few times it felt like it was verging on Very Special Episode territory, but it's YA, so there's room there. The one thing I simply could not get my head around was exactly how big was this camp?? There are like 19 cabins but everyone fits under the tarp to roast s'mores in the rain? Lol.
- I loved that this book tackled toxic masculinity within the gay community, showing clearly how internalized homophobia and misogyny can embed themselves out of fear of being punished by cishet people.
- A few times it felt like it was verging on Very Special Episode territory, but it's YA, so there's room there. The one thing I simply could not get my head around was exactly how big was this camp?? There are like 19 cabins but everyone fits under the tarp to roast s'mores in the rain? Lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Grief and Death
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Transphobia
danicampbell0506's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Homophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexism and Acephobia/Arophobia
mightyola's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Moderate: Transphobia, Bullying, and Sexual content
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia, Death, and Grief
cammiem8's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
What a frustrating book. I see the value in its existence and hope someone saw themselves in it, but I don’t think I’ve related less to a queer story since Jenny’s Wedding. The portrayal of queerness seems stuck in a 2014 tumblr era of representation, and I often found myself agreeing with the character that I wasn’t supposed to agree with, that these characters are all walking stereotypes. The way sapphics are written in this book also didn’t connect with me or ring true at all. I’m not a gay man, so I don’t know if this is an accurate depiction of gay teen boy culture, but from the outside looking in this book was almost offensively out of touch. It’s crazy to me that there’s a whole arc written just to explain what demisexuals are, yet bisexuals get only one mention. Also, what an idiotic plan. I struggled to suspend my disbelief for much of the plot, and I don’t get what the message was supposed to be?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, and Bullying
Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia and Biphobia
There is a long sex scene near the end of the book involving two underage boys that made me feel icky to read (it felt voyeuristic to me)