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dnorwood's review against another edition
5.0
When I began reading this book I had no idea what it was about or if I would even like it but holy shit this book is one of the best I have read in a while. Best friends Esme and Kayla decide to come back to camp after receiving pamphlets with a message basically threatening them to come back to the camp. The girls decide to return to camp as CIT's but what they don't realize is that another pair of best friends Jake and Olly also received the same thing and are going to be joining them as CIT's. What none of them realize is that summer camp is going to end rather abruptly and bloody.
SPOILERS START HERE... and it is literally going to be me retyping my thoughts while reading this book because I wrote them down in my notes.
first of all the initials LC will haunt me in my dreams tonight because she is one fucked up bitch. I get that Kayla and Esme lit the fire which led to her getting burned but to end up going on a crazy hunt to kill Kayla, Olly, Jake, etc.. years later was insane. I'm mad at the fact that Esme is going to get the murders pinned on her because she was holding the gun and was surrounded by dead bodies because Lillian ended up killing herself. And to find out that Olly and Jake were there the night of the fire was mind-blowing my eyes literally widened when he told Esme that part. I cried when Kayla died because the last thing she said to Esme was that she would always choose her. I loved this book more than I thought I would and I wish it had a part two because im dying to find out what happens to Esme after the cops discover her surrounded by dead bodies holding the murder weapon.
SPOILERS START HERE... and it is literally going to be me retyping my thoughts while reading this book because I wrote them down in my notes.
first of all the initials LC will haunt me in my dreams tonight because she is one fucked up bitch. I get that Kayla and Esme lit the fire which led to her getting burned but to end up going on a crazy hunt to kill Kayla, Olly, Jake, etc.. years later was insane. I'm mad at the fact that Esme is going to get the murders pinned on her because she was holding the gun and was surrounded by dead bodies because Lillian ended up killing herself. And to find out that Olly and Jake were there the night of the fire was mind-blowing my eyes literally widened when he told Esme that part. I cried when Kayla died because the last thing she said to Esme was that she would always choose her. I loved this book more than I thought I would and I wish it had a part two because im dying to find out what happens to Esme after the cops discover her surrounded by dead bodies holding the murder weapon.
agiali's review against another edition
3.0
The cliffhanger ending was the best part of this book. Partially because it was finally over and partially because it was the only thrilling part in this entire YA thriller.
Esme and Kayla are back at Camp Pine Lake as counselors (in training) instead of campers. The last time they were here they did something that has haunted them ever since, but have sworn off ever speaking about it. Now 17 and back at the scene of the crime, someone knows, and the lake never forgets.
BORING. YAWNING.
I gave this a three because I was entertained and I read it very quickly, but that doesn't mean this is a god's greatest gift to this Earth. In typical Natasha Preston fashion, the main characters did something shitty, then they tried to reform themselves as they keep the secret, BOYS! SO HOT, and then their past comes up and people die. Taadaa.
I don't want to say my main thought and reasoning for disliking this thriller, mostly because that does spoil the whole plot, but my main takeaway is this was not great. You're basically wondering throughout the whole book if this thing is actually happening or if there is something else and you're just WAITING for the reveal. Basically, The Lake was so dragged out for unnecessary reasons, like when you're writing an essay in English class and instead of "don't" you write "do not" so you hit the word count.
If this book were cut in half or even a novella, it would have been better. I've read three of Preston's works prior to this one and this one felt the worst written of the three. I was in it for a summer slasher or just a summer camp thriller but instead was hit with such silly plot lines to further the main thrill.
Definitely skip this one because she's just mid. My first Preston book, The Haunting is so far still my favorite.
Esme and Kayla are back at Camp Pine Lake as counselors (in training) instead of campers. The last time they were here they did something that has haunted them ever since, but have sworn off ever speaking about it. Now 17 and back at the scene of the crime, someone knows, and the lake never forgets.
BORING. YAWNING.
I gave this a three because I was entertained and I read it very quickly, but that doesn't mean this is a god's greatest gift to this Earth. In typical Natasha Preston fashion, the main characters did something shitty, then they tried to reform themselves as they keep the secret, BOYS! SO HOT, and then their past comes up and people die. Taadaa.
I don't want to say my main thought and reasoning for disliking this thriller, mostly because that does spoil the whole plot, but my main takeaway is this was not great. You're basically wondering throughout the whole book if this thing is actually happening or if there is something else and you're just WAITING for the reveal. Basically, The Lake was so dragged out for unnecessary reasons, like when you're writing an essay in English class and instead of "don't" you write "do not" so you hit the word count.
If this book were cut in half or even a novella, it would have been better. I've read three of Preston's works prior to this one and this one felt the worst written of the three. I was in it for a summer slasher or just a summer camp thriller but instead was hit with such silly plot lines to further the main thrill.
Definitely skip this one because she's just mid. My first Preston book, The Haunting is so far still my favorite.
shinesalot's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
blondie305's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
3.5
botanicalreader's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Animal cruelty, and Fire/Fire injury
julells's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really loved the idea of the book and it was definitely okayish written. However the entire plot turned out to be rather irrational and the ending was just really disappointing to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Torture, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
savannabraylin's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing and definitely a page turner but that ending made me want to throw the book across the room