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I Have a Bad Feeling About This: A Hilarious Novel of Five Boys Surviving Summer Camp
Everything 16-year-old Henry was dreading about survival camp turns out to be true—or even worse. The only thing to help get him through is his equally unathletic best friend Randy and the discovery of a girls' music camp just down the path. But they'll soon have a lot more than obnoxious "drill counselors" and too many push-ups to worry about. The owner of Strongwoods Survival Camp has taken out some loans with very dangerous men to keep himself afloat, and when a trio of them show up to collect, things go bad. Very bad. With a camp now full of armed killers, survival now has a whole new meaning for the campers...
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
513 people are currently reading
2496 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Strand
229 books2,219 followersBram Stoker Award-winning author of a bunch of demented books, including PRESSURE, DWELLER, CLOWNS VS. SPIDERS, AUTUMN BLEEDS INTO WINTER, MY PRETTIES, the official novelization of ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, and lots of others!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
October 20, 2020
"Hut-tennnnnn-SHUN!"
Oh, how I miss Sarge.
"Pri-vates! Run! Run many fast! Run like the enemy is be-crawling you from the be-after!"
English was not his first language, but we wouldn't have dared to laugh at him.
Wow, we are living in such a different world from the one I grew up in. In High School, every Wednesday, for two full periods, we had what they called "Cadets". One of our teachers was a captain in the army (before teaching, of course). In those two periods, we were at the mercy of whatever their sadistic minds could come up with - in hindsight, looking at teenagers, I can't blame them at all.
The very first day I had the 'privilege' to experience it, he had us all standing in formation on the rugby field. He held up a grenade and explained to us exactly how dangerous and deadly they were. Then he shrugged, pulled the pin and threw it in the middle of about 200 boys.
Of course, the panicked screams and running was hilarious to all the teachers, especially when the green smoke started coming out of the smoke-grenade.
Ah, good times.
Well, in this book, Henry Lambert and his best friend Randy gets shipped off to Stongwoods Survival Camp. Their counsellor, Max, will have his hands full for the next two weeks to teach these five boys how to survive in the wild when the sh...crap hits the fan.
And these kids does not know much beyond computer games...
Now, I am not an outdoor person. At all. I love nature, as long as it doesn't directly affect me. I, for one, will not snub all the hard work and advances the human race has made to give us the comforts of things like...for example, flushing toilets. And, with my phobia of spiders, I feel justified when I kill one in my home - we have an understanding, I have my house, they have everything outside.
But, like I mentioned before, I grew up in a very different time. I went on several camps during my school years - it was not like we had any say in it. I also received some survival training, which is why I can tell you that a black ant tastes like pepper - some useful advice if you have an ant problem - and that a grasshopper, whose body is rich in protein, should be de-legged, de-winged and the head turned at about 45 degrees. That way, when you pull it off, all the intestines comes out with the head. Then you place it on a stick and cook it over a fire - like a marshmallow. Believe me, it does not taste anything like chicken.
So, I managed to survive them, but Henry and his friends might not be so lucky. There will be violence, there will be blood and, best of all, there will be a pretty girl...
This book is hilarious - I loved every single page and can recommend it to anybody who enjoys comedy!
Oh, how I miss Sarge.
"Pri-vates! Run! Run many fast! Run like the enemy is be-crawling you from the be-after!"
English was not his first language, but we wouldn't have dared to laugh at him.
Wow, we are living in such a different world from the one I grew up in. In High School, every Wednesday, for two full periods, we had what they called "Cadets". One of our teachers was a captain in the army (before teaching, of course). In those two periods, we were at the mercy of whatever their sadistic minds could come up with - in hindsight, looking at teenagers, I can't blame them at all.
The very first day I had the 'privilege' to experience it, he had us all standing in formation on the rugby field. He held up a grenade and explained to us exactly how dangerous and deadly they were. Then he shrugged, pulled the pin and threw it in the middle of about 200 boys.
Of course, the panicked screams and running was hilarious to all the teachers, especially when the green smoke started coming out of the smoke-grenade.
Ah, good times.
Well, in this book, Henry Lambert and his best friend Randy gets shipped off to Stongwoods Survival Camp. Their counsellor, Max, will have his hands full for the next two weeks to teach these five boys how to survive in the wild when the sh...crap hits the fan.
And these kids does not know much beyond computer games...
Now, I am not an outdoor person. At all. I love nature, as long as it doesn't directly affect me. I, for one, will not snub all the hard work and advances the human race has made to give us the comforts of things like...for example, flushing toilets. And, with my phobia of spiders, I feel justified when I kill one in my home - we have an understanding, I have my house, they have everything outside.
But, like I mentioned before, I grew up in a very different time. I went on several camps during my school years - it was not like we had any say in it. I also received some survival training, which is why I can tell you that a black ant tastes like pepper - some useful advice if you have an ant problem - and that a grasshopper, whose body is rich in protein, should be de-legged, de-winged and the head turned at about 45 degrees. That way, when you pull it off, all the intestines comes out with the head. Then you place it on a stick and cook it over a fire - like a marshmallow. Believe me, it does not taste anything like chicken.
So, I managed to survive them, but Henry and his friends might not be so lucky. There will be violence, there will be blood and, best of all, there will be a pretty girl...
This book is hilarious - I loved every single page and can recommend it to anybody who enjoys comedy!
December 7, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
3.5 Stars
The best thing about being a parent? BOOK FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meet Henry Lambert – a skinny, videogame playing, dork . . . .
who suffers from quite normal fears – like being eaten by a shark or . . . a seahorse????
(^^^^Ewwwww! No wonder he’s afraid!!!!)
Henry’s father has decided it’s high time Henry learn a little something about life and facing his fear of the outdoors, so he finds himself being shipped off to survival camp for a couple of weeks. Once there, Henry meets the camp leader – a guy who may or may not be missing some of his marbles . . .
and discovers the climax of his camp experience will be a (non-deadly) “Hunger Games” style of elimination game . . . .
Little does Henry know, his last worry should be about surviving a game. He and his fellow campers will soon be fighting for their lives. Things Henry thinks might come in handy once he realizes his life is on the line?
“A pitchfork, a pickax, a lightweight lawnmower, a Doberman, a ceiling fan attached to a power source with a corn he wouldn’t trip over, ninja stars, an automobile with iron spikes on the front grille, a voodoo doll of Chad, a cow to use as a shield, three machetes tied together, a wheelbarrow filled with broken glass, Jackie Chan, a fully charged Taser, a shockingly vicious gerbil, a water pistol that contained acid instead of water (but not acid that would eat through the gun itself, which would be inconvenient), an aerodynamic wrench for throwing, a backup wrench for bashing, bottle rockets, a chainsaw that would start on the first three tugs, a gun, rotten eggs, Excalibur, a baseball bat (wooden or aluminum – no preference, a shaken-up can of Mountain Dew, one of those metal things you used to poke at burning firewood, an artificial limb (to use as a bludgeoning device, not for locomotion), better shoes, a bullwhip, a bull to whip, some variety of rocket, Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, Black Widow’s custume for Monica to wear, a reliable flamethrower, a spear, an electric razor (which would do not real damage but might cause Chad to stop and think “why is he running at me with an electric razor?” which could prove to be a deadly lapse of concentration), a potted plant, an orangutan, something with poison on it, a laptop computer that he didn’t mind breaking over somebody’s head, the power to control space and time, a lengthy screwdriver, a totally badass looking piece of wood covered with razor wire and rusty nails, roller skates, a tire iron, a javelin – come to think of it, the roller skates wouldn’t be very helpful on this uneven dirt ground, so he cancelled that wish – a Model 1881 Gatling gun with the Bruce-style feed system (U.S. Patents 247,158 and 343,532), a pocketknife, a shark, and/or a scimitar.”
Things from the above-list Henry actually has????
Nada.
If you have a non-book-loving middle-grader like I do who is a fan of superfuntimes like this . . . .
I Have A Bad Feeling About This might be just the thing to make him get his read on. Plenty of action as well as humor can be found within its pages. It even gives a little reminder that girls kick just as much (if not more) ass than boys sometimes . . .
Go girls! Yay girls!
(Did you hear that in Linda Belcher’s voice???? You know you did.)
Rumor on the streets is this one is even short-listed to be a Truman nominee (a/k/a the recommended reading selections for my kid’s school) next year.
And if you’re a grown-up? Jeff Strand is best known for his horror writing, but I gotta give mad props to a guy who can write in ANY genre and make me want to read it. My favorite book by Strand is Kumquat. If you are a fan of the romcom and/or the road trip - it's a story that shouldn't be missed. I gotta give mad props to a guy who can write in any genre.
3.5 Stars
The best thing about being a parent? BOOK FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meet Henry Lambert – a skinny, videogame playing, dork . . . .
who suffers from quite normal fears – like being eaten by a shark or . . . a seahorse????
(^^^^Ewwwww! No wonder he’s afraid!!!!)
Henry’s father has decided it’s high time Henry learn a little something about life and facing his fear of the outdoors, so he finds himself being shipped off to survival camp for a couple of weeks. Once there, Henry meets the camp leader – a guy who may or may not be missing some of his marbles . . .
and discovers the climax of his camp experience will be a (non-deadly) “Hunger Games” style of elimination game . . . .
Little does Henry know, his last worry should be about surviving a game. He and his fellow campers will soon be fighting for their lives. Things Henry thinks might come in handy once he realizes his life is on the line?
“A pitchfork, a pickax, a lightweight lawnmower, a Doberman, a ceiling fan attached to a power source with a corn he wouldn’t trip over, ninja stars, an automobile with iron spikes on the front grille, a voodoo doll of Chad, a cow to use as a shield, three machetes tied together, a wheelbarrow filled with broken glass, Jackie Chan, a fully charged Taser, a shockingly vicious gerbil, a water pistol that contained acid instead of water (but not acid that would eat through the gun itself, which would be inconvenient), an aerodynamic wrench for throwing, a backup wrench for bashing, bottle rockets, a chainsaw that would start on the first three tugs, a gun, rotten eggs, Excalibur, a baseball bat (wooden or aluminum – no preference, a shaken-up can of Mountain Dew, one of those metal things you used to poke at burning firewood, an artificial limb (to use as a bludgeoning device, not for locomotion), better shoes, a bullwhip, a bull to whip, some variety of rocket, Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, Black Widow’s custume for Monica to wear, a reliable flamethrower, a spear, an electric razor (which would do not real damage but might cause Chad to stop and think “why is he running at me with an electric razor?” which could prove to be a deadly lapse of concentration), a potted plant, an orangutan, something with poison on it, a laptop computer that he didn’t mind breaking over somebody’s head, the power to control space and time, a lengthy screwdriver, a totally badass looking piece of wood covered with razor wire and rusty nails, roller skates, a tire iron, a javelin – come to think of it, the roller skates wouldn’t be very helpful on this uneven dirt ground, so he cancelled that wish – a Model 1881 Gatling gun with the Bruce-style feed system (U.S. Patents 247,158 and 343,532), a pocketknife, a shark, and/or a scimitar.”
Things from the above-list Henry actually has????
Nada.
If you have a non-book-loving middle-grader like I do who is a fan of superfuntimes like this . . . .
I Have A Bad Feeling About This might be just the thing to make him get his read on. Plenty of action as well as humor can be found within its pages. It even gives a little reminder that girls kick just as much (if not more) ass than boys sometimes . . .
Go girls! Yay girls!
(Did you hear that in Linda Belcher’s voice???? You know you did.)
Rumor on the streets is this one is even short-listed to be a Truman nominee (a/k/a the recommended reading selections for my kid’s school) next year.
And if you’re a grown-up? Jeff Strand is best known for his horror writing, but I gotta give mad props to a guy who can write in ANY genre and make me want to read it. My favorite book by Strand is Kumquat. If you are a fan of the romcom and/or the road trip - it's a story that shouldn't be missed. I gotta give mad props to a guy who can write in any genre.
March 17, 2021
"It's gonna be the greatest thing ever! Two weeks of awesome sauce!" -- best friend Randy, dangerously tempting fate, on page 7
Although the GR page is filled with four- and five-star reviews, I found I Have a Bad Feeling About This to be problematic. The story set-up - in which a small group of fifteen or sixteen year-old non-athletic and reserved / socially awkward boys are shipped off to a remote wilderness 'survival' camp by their parents - was okay, if a little boring in the first half of the book. The thrown monkey wrench in the plot when their sole camp counselor / drill instructor is murdered (!), and the boys then have to avoid / defeat a trio of hardened criminals planning to leave no witnesses. It hops between genres - humor (not that cold-blooded homicide by firearm is oh-so funny these days), action, suspense - without quite seeming to settle comfortably or work successfully in ANY of them. I guess it also goes without saying that the teens vs. felons showdown strains credulity, but I give that a pass since the idea wasn't necessarily strict plausibility. Also, it seemed a waste not to have protagonist Henry use first-person narration - he's actually sort of an interesting character, although his cabin-mates aren't a particularly well-defined bunch of guys. But what do I know? The intended YA crowd may love it.
Although the GR page is filled with four- and five-star reviews, I found I Have a Bad Feeling About This to be problematic. The story set-up - in which a small group of fifteen or sixteen year-old non-athletic and reserved / socially awkward boys are shipped off to a remote wilderness 'survival' camp by their parents - was okay, if a little boring in the first half of the book. The thrown monkey wrench in the plot when their sole camp counselor / drill instructor is murdered (!), and the boys then have to avoid / defeat a trio of hardened criminals planning to leave no witnesses. It hops between genres - humor (not that cold-blooded homicide by firearm is oh-so funny these days), action, suspense - without quite seeming to settle comfortably or work successfully in ANY of them. I guess it also goes without saying that the teens vs. felons showdown strains credulity, but I give that a pass since the idea wasn't necessarily strict plausibility. Also, it seemed a waste not to have protagonist Henry use first-person narration - he's actually sort of an interesting character, although his cabin-mates aren't a particularly well-defined bunch of guys. But what do I know? The intended YA crowd may love it.
December 24, 2021
Henry Lambert is being shipped off to Strongwoods Survival Camp. He isn't too happy about that. He rather be playing video games or watching the grass grow. Upon arrival Henry sees things that make him wonder what this camp really is. Wait was that sign written in blood? Soon Henry and other campers will be running for their lives. So yes this is a teen book and no I didn't know until I bought it. However I enjoyed this read. Henry is quirky and hilarious. He really doesn't want to be at camp, especially this camp. All the things that happen and his response to it had me giggling. It was a fun read.
🐱🐱🐱
🐱🐱🐱
August 13, 2025
A total blast of fun!
I laughed constantly 😆
Highly recommended for comedy fans (horror or not)!
---
Hey, I just made my 600th rating on GR with this book 🥳
I laughed constantly 😆
Highly recommended for comedy fans (horror or not)!
---
Hey, I just made my 600th rating on GR with this book 🥳
April 15, 2025
Captivating and hilarious. I can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud while reading a book. I was laughing constantly while also completely hooked by the storyline and tension. Highly recommended. I’ll be on the lookout for more by Strand.
December 29, 2013
How can I give Jeff Strand a less than stellar rating? My own life is over. Surely a man with his genius and twisted mind will come seek me out, dress me up in a clown outfit, and barbeque me alive.
The novel tells the story of teens at a near militant-like camp that is supposed to toughen them up. They prepare for some mock survival games, which then turns very real and deadly. The novel is full of Strand's humor, which I often found hilarious and witty. The problem I had was, this humor seemed to always be of the same vein, and each character seemed to have the same sense of humor. The teens all had different issues, yes, but the observient, dead-pan, making fun of horrific plights of situations was like the same joke throughout. I wanted the training to end and the real survival games to begin. Then I want the real games to end and the book to be over. I found this a hard read and fought the urge to skim (I lost that fight often). It wasn't one of those books that says YA on it but will be enjoyed as much or more by adults. I wonder if a 12 year old would have the same reaction as I did.
There was some amazing plotting skills with the book moving in and out of the story and into talking about the story itself as if we were watching the movie version, and the Wilderness Survival Tips placed in regular intervals throughout were a blast to read. The problem was, I enjoyed them more than the story itself. Jeff will always be a better writer than I, but I would pick up one of his other books first.
I'm going to put on a clown outfit now. Best to get it out of the way and be done with it.
The novel tells the story of teens at a near militant-like camp that is supposed to toughen them up. They prepare for some mock survival games, which then turns very real and deadly. The novel is full of Strand's humor, which I often found hilarious and witty. The problem I had was, this humor seemed to always be of the same vein, and each character seemed to have the same sense of humor. The teens all had different issues, yes, but the observient, dead-pan, making fun of horrific plights of situations was like the same joke throughout. I wanted the training to end and the real survival games to begin. Then I want the real games to end and the book to be over. I found this a hard read and fought the urge to skim (I lost that fight often). It wasn't one of those books that says YA on it but will be enjoyed as much or more by adults. I wonder if a 12 year old would have the same reaction as I did.
There was some amazing plotting skills with the book moving in and out of the story and into talking about the story itself as if we were watching the movie version, and the Wilderness Survival Tips placed in regular intervals throughout were a blast to read. The problem was, I enjoyed them more than the story itself. Jeff will always be a better writer than I, but I would pick up one of his other books first.
I'm going to put on a clown outfit now. Best to get it out of the way and be done with it.
March 17, 2025
A few pages into the book and I was already laughing, I seriously couldn’t stop laughing. Jeff Strand has an amazing talent of blending horror with comedy. I am not sure how he does it but he truly has mastered the art of it.
This book is about Henry who in his parent’s eyes is seen as a nerd that enjoys playing video games. All of that changes when Henry’s dad seen an advertisement for “Strongwoods Survival Camp” this camp is designed to turn your nerdy kid into a fearless survivor. The dialogue between the characters and most of the scenes were pure comedy.
What could go wrong with five kids having to survive summer camp, in the middle of the woods with a drill sergeant of a leader!? Every thing
If you’re someone that enjoys a good read blended with horror and comedy. This is the book for you I assure you will not be disappointed.
This book is about Henry who in his parent’s eyes is seen as a nerd that enjoys playing video games. All of that changes when Henry’s dad seen an advertisement for “Strongwoods Survival Camp” this camp is designed to turn your nerdy kid into a fearless survivor. The dialogue between the characters and most of the scenes were pure comedy.
What could go wrong with five kids having to survive summer camp, in the middle of the woods with a drill sergeant of a leader!? Every thing
If you’re someone that enjoys a good read blended with horror and comedy. This is the book for you I assure you will not be disappointed.
March 24, 2014
What can I add that other reviewers haven't already said? Strand is a top-notch author any way you look at it. I found this one uproarously funny--I can't think of another author other than Jeff Strand that can pull off so much laugh-out-loud humor when mixing hard-boiled killers, and a teenaged survival camp. As with just about every other book I've read from this man, this story is highly recommended. :)
May 13, 2015
Nerds have been treated the same for centuries. None of it good. I can only personally vouch for half of my own current century. However, I feel reasonably certain that Archimedes was familiar with the wedgie. I also feel a little less reasonably sure that Jeff Strand knows something about wedgies. How else could he put so much humor that feels like "I've been there" in his main character Henry Lambert of the very funny Young Adult novel, I Have a Bad Feeling About This?
Henry might best be called a wimpy kid if not a nerd. He is a smart and likeable kid...whatever that gets you in the childhood food chain. He gets picked last in all the playground sports. He is scared of a lot of things including seahorses. "I'm not proud of that one." he says. His father, with clear reluctance from Henry's mother, signs him up in a survival camp to make the proverbial man out of him. What is advertised as a professional boot camp environment is really a barely hanging together camp whose victims include five boys led by a drill sergeant type who,if not the guy from Heavy Metal Jacket, is at least to be trying to emulate him.
I Have a Bad Feeling About This is one of those YA novels that will appeal to children and teens because they can identify with the protagonists. The humor is plenty but grounded in reality and not condescending. The sharp humor is also why this novel will appeal to adults. The first half of the novel deals with the boys' learning, but just barely, the survival skills of the instructor. Some of the funnier moments are derived from these events such as their first time at archery ("That bird shouldn't have been there"). There is also a sweet moment when Henry meets a girl from the Music Camp down the road. As a veteran of teen music camps, I can assure you that we are bad ass! The boys are not placed in danger, which comes from an unexpected chain of events, until the second half of the novel. While is it fun to watch the kids awkwardly defend themselves, I found the real strength of this tale in the first half where we can identify with the teen's reluctance struggles. Yet the entire book is a delightfully fun read. The author also does us a service by adding in helpful survival tips like "Tree bark is not edible, even with peanut butter."
Overall this is one of the funnier and more enjoyable YA novels I have read. I admit I am not an expert in YA books but I have a lifetime of expertise in nerdology, so that has to account for something. It is a truism that in the long run, nerds do better in life than jocks but that is little comfort for the young adults struggling with the fine art of growing up. Books like this are helpful in giving a good perspective. OK. So I may be exaggerating! It is still a funny book!
Henry might best be called a wimpy kid if not a nerd. He is a smart and likeable kid...whatever that gets you in the childhood food chain. He gets picked last in all the playground sports. He is scared of a lot of things including seahorses. "I'm not proud of that one." he says. His father, with clear reluctance from Henry's mother, signs him up in a survival camp to make the proverbial man out of him. What is advertised as a professional boot camp environment is really a barely hanging together camp whose victims include five boys led by a drill sergeant type who,if not the guy from Heavy Metal Jacket, is at least to be trying to emulate him.
I Have a Bad Feeling About This is one of those YA novels that will appeal to children and teens because they can identify with the protagonists. The humor is plenty but grounded in reality and not condescending. The sharp humor is also why this novel will appeal to adults. The first half of the novel deals with the boys' learning, but just barely, the survival skills of the instructor. Some of the funnier moments are derived from these events such as their first time at archery ("That bird shouldn't have been there"). There is also a sweet moment when Henry meets a girl from the Music Camp down the road. As a veteran of teen music camps, I can assure you that we are bad ass! The boys are not placed in danger, which comes from an unexpected chain of events, until the second half of the novel. While is it fun to watch the kids awkwardly defend themselves, I found the real strength of this tale in the first half where we can identify with the teen's reluctance struggles. Yet the entire book is a delightfully fun read. The author also does us a service by adding in helpful survival tips like "Tree bark is not edible, even with peanut butter."
Overall this is one of the funnier and more enjoyable YA novels I have read. I admit I am not an expert in YA books but I have a lifetime of expertise in nerdology, so that has to account for something. It is a truism that in the long run, nerds do better in life than jocks but that is little comfort for the young adults struggling with the fine art of growing up. Books like this are helpful in giving a good perspective. OK. So I may be exaggerating! It is still a funny book!
December 31, 2020
At first I was hesitant about this book. I usually only read horror, and rarely go outside of my comfort zone. That being said, I gave this one a shot, since I’ve heard great things about Mr. Strand’s writing and because this was a coming of age story, and I love those!
So, this story is absolutely hilarious!!! From the camp antics to the survival guide tips at the end of each chapter, this book was darn funny!
I can’t recommend this book enough! Five flipping stars is what I give it! This book had me laughing out loud while I was walking my dog around the neighborhood, and now my neighbors know me as the crazy guy who laughs randomly while walking his dog. Oh, if they only knew what I was listening to!
Oh yeah, that’s right! I listened to this one! The narrator was fantastic and he did a great job! Five stars all the way!!!
So, this story is absolutely hilarious!!! From the camp antics to the survival guide tips at the end of each chapter, this book was darn funny!
I can’t recommend this book enough! Five flipping stars is what I give it! This book had me laughing out loud while I was walking my dog around the neighborhood, and now my neighbors know me as the crazy guy who laughs randomly while walking his dog. Oh, if they only knew what I was listening to!
Oh yeah, that’s right! I listened to this one! The narrator was fantastic and he did a great job! Five stars all the way!!!
February 26, 2025
Strand does it again. Very funny action comedy with mild horror elements. Teens ought to enjoy and find a few giggles in the violent summer camp antics.
December 19, 2013
Two weeks of survival camp is not what Henry had planned for his summer vacation but his parents feel this is what Henry needs. Not being an outdoorsy type of person, Henry prefers his video games over any type of physical exertion. Just like Henry, his best friend Randy prefers relaxing and he gets winded just eating “corn on the cob too quickly”. Randy is also committed to going to camp but he’s excited to attend as he discovers an all-girl’s camp is close by. As the boys meet the other campers they discover that the other attendees are not as numerous as they had hoped for. It’s a small group and as Max the camp leader gets the campers under control, Max means business! Max wants to run a tight ship, yelling ordering and making these two- weeks miserable for the boys. With each boy having their own personality, own expressions and wittiness, you never know what is going to occur. As Max tries to lecture and critique the campers, I was laughing at the boy’s thoughts and responses. I thought the author nailed these, they were perfect. Henry was doing a lot of thinking and I was giggling out loud and shaking my head. Henry, Henry, Henry, it’s a good thing that Max could not hear your thoughts or you’d be doing a lot of push-ups. Boys will be boys and sometimes the humor was dry but it was so perfect for this situation. Max has other issues besides the campers. When the thugs come to collect on the debt, they didn’t expect to run into a bunch of adolescents. This reminded me of Home Alone: its kids against the thugs. Home Alone has great memories for me and I enjoyed this part of the book as the battle rages. Oh, yeah…. the all-girl camp. It’s there and Henry has a story to tell you. It’s only two weeks…. the campers can make it, right?
I really needed a book like this. Something fun, enjoyable and entertaining. What I enjoyed the most was the reality of the book. Henry didn’t want to go to camp, he knew from watching the video what he was walking into but he went because his parents made him. His assessment while there and the actions/remarks made by the other campers made me feel like I was a fly on the wall. I didn’t feel that there was one dominating character in the book; each character had strong and weak traits which supported the other individuals. Sure Henry was the main character but the book is not all about him. To laugh all the way through a book is a great accomplishment and I truly have to commend the author for his ability to carry that speed and endurance. I could tell you some funny parts but there are so many: the shelters was great, the conversations were funny, the boy’s training; words cannot explain this experience, there’s so much more plus you’ll have to read the book to find out how they do in The Strongwoods Survival Camp Survival Games. I will definitely be reading this book again as just thinking about it now, brings a smile to my face.
“Each crack sounded like a cannon going off. Henry suddenly felt significantly less courageous. Crap! He was going to freaking die. Why didn’t life have a restore function so he would take back the last thirty seconds?”
Thanks NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
I really needed a book like this. Something fun, enjoyable and entertaining. What I enjoyed the most was the reality of the book. Henry didn’t want to go to camp, he knew from watching the video what he was walking into but he went because his parents made him. His assessment while there and the actions/remarks made by the other campers made me feel like I was a fly on the wall. I didn’t feel that there was one dominating character in the book; each character had strong and weak traits which supported the other individuals. Sure Henry was the main character but the book is not all about him. To laugh all the way through a book is a great accomplishment and I truly have to commend the author for his ability to carry that speed and endurance. I could tell you some funny parts but there are so many: the shelters was great, the conversations were funny, the boy’s training; words cannot explain this experience, there’s so much more plus you’ll have to read the book to find out how they do in The Strongwoods Survival Camp Survival Games. I will definitely be reading this book again as just thinking about it now, brings a smile to my face.
“Each crack sounded like a cannon going off. Henry suddenly felt significantly less courageous. Crap! He was going to freaking die. Why didn’t life have a restore function so he would take back the last thirty seconds?”
Thanks NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.
February 9, 2015
The first half of this had every bit of humor that I expect from all of Jeff's novels but the second half, the action half, didn't really do it for me. It should be noted that this is a YA book. I am not a YA. I don't own any YA's. Hell, I don't even know what they eat but if I were a YA, perhaps I would have enjoyed the second half more. 4+ stars for the first half. The second half depends on the YA factor.
3.5?
3.5?
March 14, 2017
Jeff Strand! You are quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors!
It's so easy to devour one of his books in one or two sittings. They are so much fun to read and impossible to put down. He manages to blend horror and humor in a way that I've only seen matched by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. Strand finds a way to tap into my morbid side, while constantly surprising me with the humor of it all.
This book finds a group of rather nerdy boys sent to survival camp in the woods of Wisconsin. I love when books are set in Wisconsin and this makes me happy. Of course, things go horribly wrong and our nerds must use some of their learned survival skills and stuff they come up with as they go.
All of the characters, except the bad guys, are endearing in their own way and I found things that I liked about all of them. Strand is very good at writing characters that I tend to love, even if I disagree with them at times. This book seemed to be targeted at a young adult audience, but is enjoyable to any age group.
I need to get my hands on some more Strand books!
It's so easy to devour one of his books in one or two sittings. They are so much fun to read and impossible to put down. He manages to blend horror and humor in a way that I've only seen matched by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright. Strand finds a way to tap into my morbid side, while constantly surprising me with the humor of it all.
This book finds a group of rather nerdy boys sent to survival camp in the woods of Wisconsin. I love when books are set in Wisconsin and this makes me happy. Of course, things go horribly wrong and our nerds must use some of their learned survival skills and stuff they come up with as they go.
All of the characters, except the bad guys, are endearing in their own way and I found things that I liked about all of them. Strand is very good at writing characters that I tend to love, even if I disagree with them at times. This book seemed to be targeted at a young adult audience, but is enjoyable to any age group.
I need to get my hands on some more Strand books!
January 28, 2025
4.5 rounded down
Five teenage boys attend a survivalist camp deep in the woods. Sent to hone their skills in subjects like fishing, archery, shelter building, etc. in hopes they could survive in the wild if the unfortunate opportunity presented itself to them. Shortly after their arrival, a couple of thugs come and kill their camp counselor and now the boys need to figure out a way to escape.
Max is the camp counselor and he was somebody I disliked at the very beginning but quickly grew on me as time went on. He had to deal with some idiotic behavior and I could feel his exasperation through the pages 😂
The interactions and dialogue between characters is so entertaining and really carried the book. From their stupid questions, random ramblings and shockingly dense way of thinking at times, it was just SO funny!
The fight scenes reminded me of a corny family movie as I was reading it. Kinda like Harry and Marv from Home Alone and got funny and ridiculous at times 😂 I don’t read a lot of YA so I had to keep reminding myself the type of book I was reading. This was my second Strand (first YA) and I overall really enjoyed the book and would read some more YA Strand for sure!
Five teenage boys attend a survivalist camp deep in the woods. Sent to hone their skills in subjects like fishing, archery, shelter building, etc. in hopes they could survive in the wild if the unfortunate opportunity presented itself to them. Shortly after their arrival, a couple of thugs come and kill their camp counselor and now the boys need to figure out a way to escape.
Max is the camp counselor and he was somebody I disliked at the very beginning but quickly grew on me as time went on. He had to deal with some idiotic behavior and I could feel his exasperation through the pages 😂
The interactions and dialogue between characters is so entertaining and really carried the book. From their stupid questions, random ramblings and shockingly dense way of thinking at times, it was just SO funny!
The fight scenes reminded me of a corny family movie as I was reading it. Kinda like Harry and Marv from Home Alone and got funny and ridiculous at times 😂 I don’t read a lot of YA so I had to keep reminding myself the type of book I was reading. This was my second Strand (first YA) and I overall really enjoyed the book and would read some more YA Strand for sure!
November 8, 2024
“WILDERNESS SURVIVAL TIP!
If you’re relying on this book for actual survival tips, you’re dead already.”.
If you’re relying on this book for actual survival tips, you’re dead already.”.
December 8, 2024
Omg this was so funny. Honestly after the first chapter I was super wary and thought it might be cringy, but it was hilarious. I laughed out loud numerous times. It was just ridiculous in every way 😂
April 9, 2025
Didn't really enjoy this book as much as I thought. I've read all of his previous books with this one I think was very Bland. The writing was good but the characters were very boring
August 10, 2016
I Have A Good Feeling About This
This book is very funny, but while it's aimed at a middle grade audience it isn't very much like your usual middle grade hero/adventure/comedy. The hook is that Henry and his buddy Randy are sent to a semi-psycho survival camp in order to toughen up. When they get there there are only three other campers, all nerds and geeks, and the owner/operator, who is hilariously over the top as a mental, manic drill instructor. The rest of the plot has the kids settling in as campers, and then fighting off an attack from some criminals, (sort of like "Home Alone" in the woods). (Monica, from the nearby music camp, joins them and is, of course, the most competent of the lot as well as a very funny love interest for besotted Henry.)
Here's the thing - the book is deadpan funny. The dialogue crackles. There are great set pieces, like when the kids first go the archery range, or are served their first survivalist camp lunch. But, there are very sharp, edgy, perceptive throwaway lines and tossed off bits. The writing is crisp and on point. The book feels like a novelization of a very funny stand up comedy act. Think about taking an act based on rambling, shaggy dog stories of youth - say from Bill Cosby or Jean Shepard. Then augment that with observational humor from a Seinfeld or a Paula Poundstone. Then amp that up with the angry comic riffs of a Lewis Black or a Sam Kinison. Mix it together and tone it down to a middle grade "PG" rating, and that's what you have here. It's that good.
There is no fart/booger humor or any of the other cheap laughs or gimmicks you often get in even good middle grade humor. These laughs are carefully built, with some jokes being built up over a page or two, ("this boys, is a grenade..."), and some just rolling out rat-a-tat tat. And get this, each kid is different, with a different personality and a different way of being funny and appealing. I liked our hero Henry, who was a fundamentally sound kid coping with an increasingly weird world. I liked his best buddy Randy, who was a gung-ho slightly unstrung cheerleader. I liked their loyalty to each other, their courage in the face of lunatic adversity, and their gallows humor approach to life.
The book isn't angsty, or emo, or deep. It's more like a service comedy for middle graders. (HUGE HUGE SPOILER: The only weird, unnecessary choice I found was the author's decision to actually have the camp head killed by the gangsters. I guess it ramps up the drama and the stakes, and makes the book edgier and more "grown-up", but it was an out of place and non-essential development that detracted from my enjoyment of the book, was not in sync with the tone of the rest of the book, and left me disappointed in the author's lack of imagination.)
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
This book is very funny, but while it's aimed at a middle grade audience it isn't very much like your usual middle grade hero/adventure/comedy. The hook is that Henry and his buddy Randy are sent to a semi-psycho survival camp in order to toughen up. When they get there there are only three other campers, all nerds and geeks, and the owner/operator, who is hilariously over the top as a mental, manic drill instructor. The rest of the plot has the kids settling in as campers, and then fighting off an attack from some criminals, (sort of like "Home Alone" in the woods). (Monica, from the nearby music camp, joins them and is, of course, the most competent of the lot as well as a very funny love interest for besotted Henry.)
Here's the thing - the book is deadpan funny. The dialogue crackles. There are great set pieces, like when the kids first go the archery range, or are served their first survivalist camp lunch. But, there are very sharp, edgy, perceptive throwaway lines and tossed off bits. The writing is crisp and on point. The book feels like a novelization of a very funny stand up comedy act. Think about taking an act based on rambling, shaggy dog stories of youth - say from Bill Cosby or Jean Shepard. Then augment that with observational humor from a Seinfeld or a Paula Poundstone. Then amp that up with the angry comic riffs of a Lewis Black or a Sam Kinison. Mix it together and tone it down to a middle grade "PG" rating, and that's what you have here. It's that good.
There is no fart/booger humor or any of the other cheap laughs or gimmicks you often get in even good middle grade humor. These laughs are carefully built, with some jokes being built up over a page or two, ("this boys, is a grenade..."), and some just rolling out rat-a-tat tat. And get this, each kid is different, with a different personality and a different way of being funny and appealing. I liked our hero Henry, who was a fundamentally sound kid coping with an increasingly weird world. I liked his best buddy Randy, who was a gung-ho slightly unstrung cheerleader. I liked their loyalty to each other, their courage in the face of lunatic adversity, and their gallows humor approach to life.
The book isn't angsty, or emo, or deep. It's more like a service comedy for middle graders. (HUGE HUGE SPOILER: The only weird, unnecessary choice I found was the author's decision to actually have the camp head killed by the gangsters. I guess it ramps up the drama and the stakes, and makes the book edgier and more "grown-up", but it was an out of place and non-essential development that detracted from my enjoyment of the book, was not in sync with the tone of the rest of the book, and left me disappointed in the author's lack of imagination.)
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
March 5, 2014
I never got to go to any kind of summer camp in the woods when I was a boy. Maybe that's because I practically grew up in the woods, so it would have been kind of redundant. Reading Jeff Strand's I Have a Bad Feeling About This, I wonder if I would have wound up in the "wuss" category that Henry Lambert finds himself in--by decree of his own father no less.
Henry is meek and mild, to the point even that he makes Clark Kent look like Bill O'Reilly. He's sixteen with one real friend in school who is way more psyched about spending a week in the woods to test his burgeoning manliness. There's not a lot he could do to get out of it though, and even less to escape it once he realizes the camp is a little less impressive than advertised. The accommodations are rustic to say the least, and the counselor is about as congenial as Bill O'Reilly when someone messes with his teleprompter--too many O'Reilly references? I'll stop, I swear.
Anyway, it's not all bad for Henry. He's getting better at archery, in so much that he isn't missing by so great a distance any longer, plus he made a new friend while sleeping outside as punishment, a very cute friend from a neighboring camp. But things turn dangerous before long, even more dangerous than teaching clutzy kids how to handle firearms, when a trio of gangsters show up looking for the counselor whom they believe owes a great deal of money.
Jeff Strand writes this fast-paced novel with the quippy forthrightness that you might expect from an angst-ridden and terminally awkward teen boy. The humor permeates through every paragraph, but there are moments where it goes one punchline too many. Some of the jokes are meant to be bad, so there you go. Henry's brain--since it's his story for the vast majority of the novel--is a hornet's nest of hypochondria. One sentence barely finishes before he's worrying about something else in the next. If you find that kind of narrative hard to take at the beginning, it isn't going to go any easier for you for the rest of the story.
If you have a soft spot in your soul for those old 80s movies like Meatballs or Revenge of the Nerds and Adventures in Babysitting, I'm guessing you'll find a fair bit to enjoy with I Have a Bad Feeling About This.
Henry is meek and mild, to the point even that he makes Clark Kent look like Bill O'Reilly. He's sixteen with one real friend in school who is way more psyched about spending a week in the woods to test his burgeoning manliness. There's not a lot he could do to get out of it though, and even less to escape it once he realizes the camp is a little less impressive than advertised. The accommodations are rustic to say the least, and the counselor is about as congenial as Bill O'Reilly when someone messes with his teleprompter--too many O'Reilly references? I'll stop, I swear.
Anyway, it's not all bad for Henry. He's getting better at archery, in so much that he isn't missing by so great a distance any longer, plus he made a new friend while sleeping outside as punishment, a very cute friend from a neighboring camp. But things turn dangerous before long, even more dangerous than teaching clutzy kids how to handle firearms, when a trio of gangsters show up looking for the counselor whom they believe owes a great deal of money.
Jeff Strand writes this fast-paced novel with the quippy forthrightness that you might expect from an angst-ridden and terminally awkward teen boy. The humor permeates through every paragraph, but there are moments where it goes one punchline too many. Some of the jokes are meant to be bad, so there you go. Henry's brain--since it's his story for the vast majority of the novel--is a hornet's nest of hypochondria. One sentence barely finishes before he's worrying about something else in the next. If you find that kind of narrative hard to take at the beginning, it isn't going to go any easier for you for the rest of the story.
If you have a soft spot in your soul for those old 80s movies like Meatballs or Revenge of the Nerds and Adventures in Babysitting, I'm guessing you'll find a fair bit to enjoy with I Have a Bad Feeling About This.
September 29, 2016
If you like to read books that are full of action and comedy, then the book, I Have a Bad Feeling About this is is the book for you. The main character's name is Henry and he is a kid who loves to play video games and has no experience to survive outdoors. The book starts off with Henry in his room watching a video that his dad wanted him to watch. His dad wants him to go to to this camp called strong woods survival camp. Which is a outdoor survival camp. Him and his dad have different opinions on if Henry is going to the camp or not. In the book his Dad thinks he is a woss if he doesn't go the camp. When he got to the camp his consoler was all nice around his parent but, when they left the consoler checked all the luggage and found a phone in a kids bag named Randy and told him to do 50 push ups. Henry told the consoler that he should not do that, then the consoler had told Henry to do 50 push-up to. In the book Henry started to take back to the consoler so when it was time Forbes he had to sleep outside. When he was outside he was looking at the stars, he saw a light in the bushes so he pulled out his bow and pointed it at the bushes. I recommend this book to people who like action and comedy.
May 13, 2014
Henry Lambert loves video games and could be described as your typical nerd. His father thinks it's necessary to send him off to survival camp in order to transform his son into a man. The result is a hilarious experience that Henry has at camp with a drill sergeant counselor. Henry and his camp mates fail horribly at all survival skills training. But what happens when their training is put to the test for real? You must read to find out!
Excerpt:
"Is your son a scrawny little wuss?" asked the man on the YouTube video.
Henry felt like he was getting a sunburn from the eyes glaring at him through the computer. Wuss? Nerd, sure. Geek, yeah. Dork, not since fifth grade. Not always operating at maximum courage levels, he could accept. But wuss was definitely going too far.
Excerpt:
"Is your son a scrawny little wuss?" asked the man on the YouTube video.
Henry felt like he was getting a sunburn from the eyes glaring at him through the computer. Wuss? Nerd, sure. Geek, yeah. Dork, not since fifth grade. Not always operating at maximum courage levels, he could accept. But wuss was definitely going too far.
January 25, 2022
This book was great to read. I especially loved all the mentions to the Hunger Games! Nothing like a little Katniss on your hands.
Five kids...a wilderness camping retreat..one instructor. Nothing can go wrong? Right?
Five kids...a wilderness camping retreat..one instructor. Nothing can go wrong? Right?
July 13, 2014
Possibly the funniest book I ever read. I laughed out loud several times.This may be a YA novel but I enjoyed it immensely.
March 19, 2025
Definitely one of the funniest and most entertaining books I’ve read. Highly recommended!
October 29, 2015
This summer Henry's perfect grades and high scores on his Xbox just wont cut it any more for his parents. So he packs his bags and gets ready for survival camp with his best friend. For some reason Henry's oddly excited for some lame camp that will apparently "turn him into a man". After Henry's first day of camp it's clear to him that survival camp was a big mistake. The food is well, different, the beds are cots, and the activities are push ups and killing squirrels. As everything seemingly goes wrong Henry meets Monica a gorgeous girl approximately his age. Then things start to take a turn for the better, survival camp seems less and less terrible. Finally they have reached the last camp challenge, it's a less deadly version of the hunger games, great. Things don't go as planned for Henry as far as winning the game and Monica's heart goes, but soon none of that matters. Everyone is in the wrong place at the wrong time and Henry is faced with the challenge of his life, save himself, or his friends. This book was great and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good humorous book!
September 23, 2016
Ethan Homiski I have a bad feeling about this
Do you like an action packed story that could happen in reality? Than I Have A Bad Feeling About This is the book for you. In the book, the main character Henery is a skinny kid that is in high school that loves to play video games. But his parents think that he needs to become stronger and become more self-confident. So his parents signed him up for a 3-week survival camp. Henery disagreed. But he eventually decided to go because one of his best friends are going. A couple days after they got to the camp this big strong dude named Max, who is also the only camp instructor and employee. He strives to make these kids stronger. But after awhile at the camp, some random people showed up at the camp while the campers were sleeping. Those people killed max. And they took one of their friends. The campers must find a way to get them back.
Do you like an action packed story that could happen in reality? Than I Have A Bad Feeling About This is the book for you. In the book, the main character Henery is a skinny kid that is in high school that loves to play video games. But his parents think that he needs to become stronger and become more self-confident. So his parents signed him up for a 3-week survival camp. Henery disagreed. But he eventually decided to go because one of his best friends are going. A couple days after they got to the camp this big strong dude named Max, who is also the only camp instructor and employee. He strives to make these kids stronger. But after awhile at the camp, some random people showed up at the camp while the campers were sleeping. Those people killed max. And they took one of their friends. The campers must find a way to get them back.
March 22, 2015
I think it would have been neat if this adventure were experienced by a young Andrew Mayhem! Two weeks at survival camp with his best friend Roger, and a love-at-first-sight meeting with a cutie named Helen from a neighboring camp – tell me that wouldn’t be awesome!!
BONUS...
Share some bonding moments with your spawn - introduce them to Jeff Strand's YA books while you catch-up on some Andrew Mayhem or Dead Clown BBQ.
Full review/discussion posted here.
BONUS...
Share some bonding moments with your spawn - introduce them to Jeff Strand's YA books while you catch-up on some Andrew Mayhem or Dead Clown BBQ.
Full review/discussion posted here.
October 7, 2015
I strongly recommend the book I Have A Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand. It is about a boy named Henry, who is sent to a survival camp. He brings his friend, Randy, and meets Jackie, Erik, Stu, Monica, and Max, camp counselor. Henry is at Strongwood Survival Camp, and failing at learning any type of survival skill. As camp comes to an end, he starts to like it at Strongwood. Then things take a turn for the worst. And Rad Rad Rodger will confront Henry about things to learn every detail of the horrors that happen. I personally loved this book because it was filled with action and plot twists. Like when Henry and his friends are playing the survival games. They have paint guns, paint bombs, and paint knifes to get each other out. Most teenagers will like this. Especially if you enjoy comedies and mysteries. I give this book a five star rating.
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