Friends ForNever

Summer Camp Secrets #3

by Katy Grant

Dear _________,

I spent the last year counting down the seconds until I could come back to Camp Pine Haven and see my BFF Nicole. Every summer we have together at camp is better than the last! Well, except this year. I don't know what's up with Nic, but suddenly I can't say anything right. I thought she'd be happy for me that things at home have gotten better, but it almost seems like she's mad that my life is going so well.

Am I losing my best friend?

XO,
Darcy

Genres: Childrens

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Katy Grant grew up in Tennessee and decided at age eight she wanted to be a writer after reading a biography of Louisa May Alcott. (But for some strange reason she never got around to reading Little Women until she was an adult.) For many years she taught composition and creative writing courses at university and community colleges. She currently lives in Arizona with her husband Eric and enjoys spending time with her two adult sons.

Reviews

[Ludivine Maître · Rating 3 out of 5]

Très bon livre pour ado, je me souviens l’avoir adoré plus jeune.
L’écriture laisse quelque fois à désirer mais ce livre nous emporte quand même très bien dans l’univers

[Hyacinth Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really simple, meant for the target audience. One of the books I'll be sure to put on my future child's shelf

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends Fornever is the third book in Katy Grant's Summer Camp Secrets series. The main character is Darcy, a veteran camper who is coming back for her third year. She loves everything about Camp Pine Haven, but she's mostly looking forward to reuniting with her best friend, Nicole. Two summers ago, the girls really bonded when Nicole helped Darcy get through her parents' divorce. Now, though, Darcy's life is much improved. Her mom got remarried to a great guy named Paul, and they're planning to have a new baby! She can't wait to share this news with her best friend, but when she does, Nicole seems less than impressed. In fact, every time something good happens to Darcy, Nicole seems really upset by it, almost like she would prefer to see Darcy fail. On top of that, Nicole is ignoring her own stepsister, Mary Claire, a Junior camper who keeps coming to her for help dealing with a bully in her cabin. Darcy tries to help Mary Claire herself, but it only leads to more disagreements with Nicole, who has very different ideas about friendship and getting along with others than Darcy does. As the end of the summer approaches, Darcy finds herself wondering two things - will she and Nicole make up? And after they do, will they still be best friends?

I am so impressed by the cast of characters in this series. Darcy is so different from Acting Out's JD, and both of them are, in turn, quite different from Kelly in Pranked, but all are strong, believable protagonists with real-life difficulties and challenges. Darcy's realization that she might be growing apart from Nicole is something I think everyone experiences as they reach middle school age, but I can't name very many books that address that issue with this much honesty. I really appreciate Katy Grant's willingness to explore the realistic outcome of the many conflicts that arise in these books, instead of always trying to give us a happy ending. I also really appreciate the fact that these books are good, clean fun, with minimal foul language and no other mature content - this book, in particular, really bridges that gap between middle grade and YA that so many tween girls get stuck in.

Another thing I continue to love about this series is the interconnectedness of all of the books. For example, Nicole turns out to be the annoyed girl sitting in front of JD on the bus in Acting Out. Reb and Jennifer from Pranked are also mentioned again, and many of the counselors from the first two books figure into the plot of this one as well. I love that there is a Camp Pine Haven world, and that each small moment that happens during the summer contributes to a grander scheme.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

don't get me wrong, it was a great book! i just did NOT like how it ended. it was way to unexped (not in a good way). i better not say anything that might give it away, but i just didn't see how it worked like that. it was all amazing; i was going to give it 5 stars until the third fourth of the book really kicked in. you really should read it because i am NOT saying it was a bad book! plus i am really fond of the auther: Katy Grant. what i am trying to say is that if you are ok with reading about a freindship like that then by all maens do! it teaches you that life is not a fairy tail; almost like a reality check in a book. that is why i like the book, but also don't.

[Trisha Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

the book Friends Fornever is a bout two girls Darcy and Nicole. they are best friends but all of a sudden nicole starts to break the friendship between them. what will happen to their friendship. i like this book because this is how some girls feel like they are best friends but one of the girls gets distant. I have experience because someone was my best friend but all of a sudden she got distant. now she is a trouble maker and barely talks to me. i recommend this book to people that like Realistic Fiction.

[Mursal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed at the end.... Nicole and Darcy didn't become bffs like they were in the beginning, and Nicole turned out kind of mean. But then again, she was just a little jealous, and wanted to be the shoulder that Darcy cried on. She wanted Darcy to be happy of course, but she expressed that in the wrong way, making it seem like she was desperate to be the friend who lends a hand in times of need. It was a great read, really realistic.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!This book is about friendship.It has up's and down's.Some up's were:Darcy got to go to camp and see all of her friends.Darcy climbed to the top of the rock wall.One last up was that Darcy was going to have a baby brother or a baby sister.The down's were:Nichole kept getting mad at Darcy.Blake hit his head against the diving board.I loved this book!

[Candide · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worst ending ever!!!

[Steph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Real life drama. but tweens not teens.

[Farah K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book, but I was wondering what will happen next summer for Nic and Darcy.