What do you think?
Rate this book
Slept Away
Laney Parker is a city girl through and through. For her, summertime means stepping out of her itchy gray school uniform and into a season of tanning at rooftop swimming pools, brunching at sidewalk cafes, and—as soon as the parents leave for the Hamptons—partying at her classmates’ apartments.
But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney. It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp.
Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool?
Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!
From the Trade Paperback edition.
But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney. It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp.
Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool?
Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!
From the Trade Paperback edition.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2009
15 people are currently reading
1609 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 1, 2018
This book was full to the brim of outdated references, but despite that, or possibly because of that, this was a genuinely hilarious read that made me laugh out loud many times.
One of my favorite YA books is Sleepaway Girls ; I've never been to sleepaway camp, and didn't really have the desire, but books set at sleepaway camps are a fan favorite. Maybe because it allows vicarious living and satisfies any tiny desire I might've had when I was younger?
Weirdly enough, I liked Laney, the main character. She was kind of spoiled and a bit of a whiner, but hey, she was thrown into a situation she really, really didn't want to be thrown into and, through many, many embarrassing moments, still managed to handle things gracefully, or so I thought. Like she still maintained some self-respect and some respect for authority and such, so I felt like she never got truly nasty to anyone (who didn't deserve it, that is.) I also enjoyed the fact that, at the end, it's not like she suddenly loved camp and wanted to go back. She made a few good friends and that's that, which is realistically more likely how these things go.
The ending felt slightly abrupt; would've liked to see Laney back home, fighting it out with her mother and facing the social consequences of dating what's-his-name!
A fun read, perfect for reading in the comfort of my air-conditioned home.
One of my favorite YA books is Sleepaway Girls ; I've never been to sleepaway camp, and didn't really have the desire, but books set at sleepaway camps are a fan favorite. Maybe because it allows vicarious living and satisfies any tiny desire I might've had when I was younger?
Weirdly enough, I liked Laney, the main character. She was kind of spoiled and a bit of a whiner, but hey, she was thrown into a situation she really, really didn't want to be thrown into and, through many, many embarrassing moments, still managed to handle things gracefully, or so I thought. Like she still maintained some self-respect and some respect for authority and such, so I felt like she never got truly nasty to anyone (who didn't deserve it, that is.) I also enjoyed the fact that, at the end, it's not like she suddenly loved camp and wanted to go back. She made a few good friends and that's that, which is realistically more likely how these things go.
The ending felt slightly abrupt; would've liked to see Laney back home, fighting it out with her mother and facing the social consequences of dating what's-his-name!
A fun read, perfect for reading in the comfort of my air-conditioned home.
July 17, 2021
Fifteen year old Laney Parker has big plans for summer, which includes floating around a pool in Soho with her best friend Kennedy and attending parties thrown by Kennedy's boyfriend. But her mom has other plans and sends Laney off to summer camp for 6 weeks. Laney is not looking forward to leaving New York City and spending her summer in the woods, having to wear "skorts" and hanging out with a bunch of weird looking kids who all seem to have braces (according to the brochure).
So I will admit when I first started reading this, I hated Laney. Honestly couldn't stand her. She seemed spoiled and stuck up and I was not looking forward to reading this whole book narrated by her and her stupid self-absorbed thoughts. But she grew on me. While she was still pretty awful, her sarcastic thoughts about everything happening at the camp were pretty funny. It wasn't until Sylvie befriended her thought that things got better. Laney even admitted that Sylvie isn't the type of person she'd ever be friends with, what with her frizzy hair, affection for overalls, and the braces and headgear in her mouth (I honestly pictured Missy from Big Mouth as Sylvie). Laney realizes that coolness isn't just surface deep and it's a huge revelation for her. Laney also runs into Ryan, Kennedy's boyfriend's loser of a cousin, and she knows that associating with him would be social suicide but she can't help but be drawn to him and they develop a friendship-turned-crush.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Laney definitely went through huge character growth, which I'm glad because she was pretty atrocious at the start. And honestly, her narration is pretty funny. Her rivalry with the Billboard Butt Trio makes me laugh. I'm glad for her that she found a friendship in Sylvie, and I hope that when she went back to New York that she doesn't fall back into old habits.
I will admit that while reading this, I had flashbacks of my own experience at camp, particularly the final year I attended camp when I was 14 and all the girls in my bunk hated me for no reason. So when Laney was all by herself and it seemed like all of them were against her, I was thrown back to my own summer of '98. Teenaged girls really are the worst.
So I will admit when I first started reading this, I hated Laney. Honestly couldn't stand her. She seemed spoiled and stuck up and I was not looking forward to reading this whole book narrated by her and her stupid self-absorbed thoughts. But she grew on me. While she was still pretty awful, her sarcastic thoughts about everything happening at the camp were pretty funny. It wasn't until Sylvie befriended her thought that things got better. Laney even admitted that Sylvie isn't the type of person she'd ever be friends with, what with her frizzy hair, affection for overalls, and the braces and headgear in her mouth (I honestly pictured Missy from Big Mouth as Sylvie). Laney realizes that coolness isn't just surface deep and it's a huge revelation for her. Laney also runs into Ryan, Kennedy's boyfriend's loser of a cousin, and she knows that associating with him would be social suicide but she can't help but be drawn to him and they develop a friendship-turned-crush.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Laney definitely went through huge character growth, which I'm glad because she was pretty atrocious at the start. And honestly, her narration is pretty funny. Her rivalry with the Billboard Butt Trio makes me laugh. I'm glad for her that she found a friendship in Sylvie, and I hope that when she went back to New York that she doesn't fall back into old habits.
I will admit that while reading this, I had flashbacks of my own experience at camp, particularly the final year I attended camp when I was 14 and all the girls in my bunk hated me for no reason. So when Laney was all by herself and it seemed like all of them were against her, I was thrown back to my own summer of '98. Teenaged girls really are the worst.
October 13, 2014
Julie Kraut
Laney parker is ready to start off her summer with tanning by the pool and hanging out with her bestie, but it turns out her mom has other plans for her at camp. Will Laney be able to survive the whole summer at this unaired-conditioned boot camp? She might fit in in New York, but will she fit in to camp popularity considering it’s based on being athletic?
Slept Away by Julie Kraut is a fantastic, entertaining and relatable book. This book treats you, the reader, as if were standing right there next to her and had every same thought and emotion. When Laney gets the news from her mom that she will be sent to camp for the whole entire summer without any of her friends, she is furious and you can feel her anger and it makes you too angry. There are so many twists and turns in this book it’s almost like an emotional roller coaster when talking to each different character. There are also a lot of lessons in this book almost in every chapter. Like someone might have a whole different personality when they are somewhere else or something new might seem scary, but when you have a friend or make a new one it’s not so scary anymore. Throughout the book Laney actually gives you makeup and hair advice while she’s trying to help her new friend find her camp true love which is just fabulous. This book is like a mix of Mean Girls, (in Laney’s head) Holes, and this also seems like a little bit of a situation you would find in the Winnie diaries like books ten, eleven, and twelve. I found it incredible that Julie is able to create a new personality for each person and for some even double personalities (one for camp and one for home). To be honest there is real nothing terrible in this book that needs work except for the middle part, where the other could have at least let Laney insult or embarrass the mean girls in her cabin who are constantly talk about her right next to her. Besides that this book was great and the end will leave you melting.
This book is advised to possible 7th graders but most likely 8th graders and above because if you are any grade under that it is most likely you won’t understand any of the references and there is a little bit of cursing and some pretty good insults.
Laney parker is ready to start off her summer with tanning by the pool and hanging out with her bestie, but it turns out her mom has other plans for her at camp. Will Laney be able to survive the whole summer at this unaired-conditioned boot camp? She might fit in in New York, but will she fit in to camp popularity considering it’s based on being athletic?
Slept Away by Julie Kraut is a fantastic, entertaining and relatable book. This book treats you, the reader, as if were standing right there next to her and had every same thought and emotion. When Laney gets the news from her mom that she will be sent to camp for the whole entire summer without any of her friends, she is furious and you can feel her anger and it makes you too angry. There are so many twists and turns in this book it’s almost like an emotional roller coaster when talking to each different character. There are also a lot of lessons in this book almost in every chapter. Like someone might have a whole different personality when they are somewhere else or something new might seem scary, but when you have a friend or make a new one it’s not so scary anymore. Throughout the book Laney actually gives you makeup and hair advice while she’s trying to help her new friend find her camp true love which is just fabulous. This book is like a mix of Mean Girls, (in Laney’s head) Holes, and this also seems like a little bit of a situation you would find in the Winnie diaries like books ten, eleven, and twelve. I found it incredible that Julie is able to create a new personality for each person and for some even double personalities (one for camp and one for home). To be honest there is real nothing terrible in this book that needs work except for the middle part, where the other could have at least let Laney insult or embarrass the mean girls in her cabin who are constantly talk about her right next to her. Besides that this book was great and the end will leave you melting.
This book is advised to possible 7th graders but most likely 8th graders and above because if you are any grade under that it is most likely you won’t understand any of the references and there is a little bit of cursing and some pretty good insults.
June 30, 2018
At first I thought it was dumb, but by the middle I was laughing out loud. The dated reference are ridiculous and is definitely isn’t brain food, but it was a fun summer read.
June 12, 2020
Laney is 15 and her summer plans are to have a relaxing summer. Her best friend Kennedy is having surgery and recovering during summer.
Laney's mother and stepfather decide that since she is a city girl, Laney should spend her vacation at rustic Camp Timber Trails .
Of course Laney is crestfallen and downright mad, furious really. She loves the city, coffee, cute clothes and sleeping in.
Since mom surprised Laney with the camping idea at the last minute, she thoughtfully bought clothes and gear and packed for Laney.
Camp is a nightmare, poor conditions and cliques who've been at camp together for 7 years, all Laney wants to do is go home.
I will let y'all join Laney on her camping adventure and not spoil things but
I will say I am glad she changed over the summer.
So this was a quick funny, good summery read perfect for a beach or poolside reading.
=======================
back cover
Slept Away
by Julie Kraut
Laney Parker is a city girl through and through. For her, summertime means stepping out of her itchy gray school uniform and into a season of tanning at rooftop swimming pools, brunching at sidewalk cafes, and—as soon as the parents leave for the Hamptons—partying at her classmates’ apartments.
But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney. It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp.
Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool?
Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!
Laney's mother and stepfather decide that since she is a city girl, Laney should spend her vacation at rustic Camp Timber Trails .
Of course Laney is crestfallen and downright mad, furious really. She loves the city, coffee, cute clothes and sleeping in.
Since mom surprised Laney with the camping idea at the last minute, she thoughtfully bought clothes and gear and packed for Laney.
Camp is a nightmare, poor conditions and cliques who've been at camp together for 7 years, all Laney wants to do is go home.
I will let y'all join Laney on her camping adventure and not spoil things but
I will say I am glad she changed over the summer.
So this was a quick funny, good summery read perfect for a beach or poolside reading.
=======================
back cover
Slept Away
by Julie Kraut
Laney Parker is a city girl through and through. For her, summertime means stepping out of her itchy gray school uniform and into a season of tanning at rooftop swimming pools, brunching at sidewalk cafes, and—as soon as the parents leave for the Hamptons—partying at her classmates’ apartments.
But this summer Laney’s mother has other plans for Laney. It’s called Camp Timber Trails and rustic doesn’t even begin to describe the un-air-conditioned log cabin nightmare. Laney is way out of her element—the in-crowd is anything but cool, popularity seems to be determined by swimming skills, and the activities seem more like boot camp than summer camp.
Splattered with tie dye fall out, stripped of her cell, and going through Diet Coke withdrawal, Laney is barely hanging on. Being declared the biggest loser of the bunk is one thing, but when she realizes her summer crush is untouchably uncrushable in the real world, she starts to wonder, can camp cool possibly translate to cool cool?
Summer camp might just turn this city girl’s world upside down!
August 25, 2009
Happy Summer, everyone! For once, New York One’s terribly wrong 10-day forecast was a good thing, right?
So, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and some people have e-mailed me, wondering A) if I simply stopped writing for the blog or B) had my mom shipped me off to the woods these past few weeks.
Well, no on both counts, but if I could do the latter all over again, this time I’d do it with a smile.
While I was away, however, Julie Kraut’s Slept Away dragged me down Memory Lane’s dirty, rocky path. I was once again forced to weigh the leftover camp mush I could never finish at mealtime; I relived that moment in group swim when I learned what else to shave aside from legs and pits; and I was reintroduced to the strangeness of real life out-of-towners. All this, I remembered with a smile.
But for Slept Away’s Laney Parker, a summer at Camp Timber Trails is nothing to smile about.
Laney’s a city-girl at heart … and not just any city girl: She’s a New York City girl, living a life a bit more tame than Gossip Girl, but complete with friends who are just as parentally unsupervised. Hoping to beat her vegan mom to the punch when it comes to planning her summer, Laney has daydreams of a fabulous fashion internship and renting an apartment in midtown for the summer. But before Laney can make her dream a reality, her mom leaps to rid herself of classic urban parent guilt (that tug-at-the-conscience which comes from not providing your child with enough trees in his or her life) and sends her daughter for three months to sleep away camp.
Slept Away is one instance where the parent/child silent treatment should seriously be reconsidered; with the speed of light, Laney is sulking in her log cabin with triplet Mean Girls, no cell phone, and a tacky neon swimsuit for group swim (If you’re not talking to your mom, you can’t snag the credit card). *Gasp! However will Laney survive?!
Better yet, will Laney actually want to leave at summer’s end?
Slept Away comes out this week and is a read that brings all the excitement of summer with only a touch of puberty’s torture. Also the co-author of Hot Mess, another YA summertime saga, Kraut has mastered the art of angst and is fluid in teen-speak. Count how many pop culture references you actually “get.”
Check out the Slept Away buzz and read what author Julie Kraut had to say in her Neighborbee Author Q&A about the trials of summer camp, herself at age 15, and her female heroes:
Q&A with Slept Away Author, Julie Kraut
RG: How did this story come about?
JK: Because I still want a spot at the Thanksgiving dinner table, I won’t go into too much detail about this, but during a recent trip home, I found myself yelling down the stairs, “I swear I’m like the only person in this family who wears pants on a regular basis.” And then I thought to myself, “What a ridiculous thing to say. I want the main character in my next book to say that.” And that really was the little kernel of the idea that started the book. I outlined my ideas for Laney and her mother and not-at-all-step-father and made sure that the two adults never wore pants.
After I laid out this little trifecta of pantsless family dysfunction, it felt like the perfect set up for sending Laney to camp. After ten years (No wait, more—ah, when did I get this old?) of reminiscing about my summers at camp, I was ready to step back and somehow turn my collection of memories into a story. While Slept Away isn’t the love letter to sleep away camp I’d write if I were telling my own story, writing the book still allowed me to rehash many of my summer experiences and had the added bonus of prompting me to Facebook stalk some of my former camp friends and get in touch.
RG: What were your cringe-worthy moments at camp?
JK: There are so many cringe-worthy moments, it’s hard to pick just one. I’d have to say that one of my tops was when I got disciplined for mooning other campers while they were sleeping. I have no answers as to why otherwise normal twelve-year-old girls would ban together and moon their sleeping peers, but I do have an answer as to how humiliating it is to defend such behavior to the camp director’s wife. Answer: Very.
RG: Would you send your daughter to summer camp?
JK: For future Google-curious blind dates, I do not have a daughter…or a son. But, if I did or do, I would send her to camp if she wanted to go. I adored my summers at camp and would love for my daughter to have similar experiences.
RG: Tell me about your endless Generation Y (or is it Z?) pop culture references and how you jammed so many in so few pages! Do they flow off the tongue for you?
JK: Endless? Really? You mean that in a good way, right?
RG: Of course I mean that in a good way!
JK: Yeah, I guess those kind of references come naturally to me. I keep up on pop culture for the most part, so the info is already on the tip of my fingers when I’m writing.
RG: How would you describe yourself at age 15?
JK: The loud, driven girl with the smart mouth. Not a lot has changed in the past decade, I guess. At least I can drive on the highway now.
RG: What insights did you come to about yourself at age 15 while writing this book?
JK: While I was doing a lot of reminiscing about summer camp during the writing process, I wasn’t digging too deeply into myself at age 15. But, here’s one memory that came back to me while reflecting on my summers and now I understand it differently than I did then.
I was on a teen tour and one of the cool girls on the bus, Laurie, came up to me and said, “Julie, you’d be really pretty if you tried.” At the time, I took this as a compliment. Thinking back on it though, maybe Laurie didn’t have the best intentions when she said that. Plus, I took out my retainer for dress-up days. What more trying did she want?
RG: Your previous novel Hot Mess was a group effort. How was your experience writing this novel alone? Any challenges?
JK: There definitely were times when I missed Shallon, my co-author from Hot Mess. I’d find myself inserting comments like “Shall, funny or too gross? Or both?” And then I’d realize that I wasn’t sending the manuscript to Shallon, so I’d have to make the call myself. (For the most part, I decided there’s no such thing as too gross.)
RG: Laney seems to start out with a girl crush on Sylvie. Who are your girl crushes and/or sheroes (and they can be people you know and/or don’t know)?
JK: A small sampling from my stable of girl crushes:
Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Weiner, Blake Lively, Hilary Clinton, Sarah Haskins, Padma Lakshmi, Mom, Elizabeth Gilbert, Mindy Kaling, Kathy Griffin, and Kate Christensen.
So, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and some people have e-mailed me, wondering A) if I simply stopped writing for the blog or B) had my mom shipped me off to the woods these past few weeks.
Well, no on both counts, but if I could do the latter all over again, this time I’d do it with a smile.
While I was away, however, Julie Kraut’s Slept Away dragged me down Memory Lane’s dirty, rocky path. I was once again forced to weigh the leftover camp mush I could never finish at mealtime; I relived that moment in group swim when I learned what else to shave aside from legs and pits; and I was reintroduced to the strangeness of real life out-of-towners. All this, I remembered with a smile.
But for Slept Away’s Laney Parker, a summer at Camp Timber Trails is nothing to smile about.
Laney’s a city-girl at heart … and not just any city girl: She’s a New York City girl, living a life a bit more tame than Gossip Girl, but complete with friends who are just as parentally unsupervised. Hoping to beat her vegan mom to the punch when it comes to planning her summer, Laney has daydreams of a fabulous fashion internship and renting an apartment in midtown for the summer. But before Laney can make her dream a reality, her mom leaps to rid herself of classic urban parent guilt (that tug-at-the-conscience which comes from not providing your child with enough trees in his or her life) and sends her daughter for three months to sleep away camp.
Slept Away is one instance where the parent/child silent treatment should seriously be reconsidered; with the speed of light, Laney is sulking in her log cabin with triplet Mean Girls, no cell phone, and a tacky neon swimsuit for group swim (If you’re not talking to your mom, you can’t snag the credit card). *Gasp! However will Laney survive?!
Better yet, will Laney actually want to leave at summer’s end?
Slept Away comes out this week and is a read that brings all the excitement of summer with only a touch of puberty’s torture. Also the co-author of Hot Mess, another YA summertime saga, Kraut has mastered the art of angst and is fluid in teen-speak. Count how many pop culture references you actually “get.”
Check out the Slept Away buzz and read what author Julie Kraut had to say in her Neighborbee Author Q&A about the trials of summer camp, herself at age 15, and her female heroes:
Q&A with Slept Away Author, Julie Kraut
RG: How did this story come about?
JK: Because I still want a spot at the Thanksgiving dinner table, I won’t go into too much detail about this, but during a recent trip home, I found myself yelling down the stairs, “I swear I’m like the only person in this family who wears pants on a regular basis.” And then I thought to myself, “What a ridiculous thing to say. I want the main character in my next book to say that.” And that really was the little kernel of the idea that started the book. I outlined my ideas for Laney and her mother and not-at-all-step-father and made sure that the two adults never wore pants.
After I laid out this little trifecta of pantsless family dysfunction, it felt like the perfect set up for sending Laney to camp. After ten years (No wait, more—ah, when did I get this old?) of reminiscing about my summers at camp, I was ready to step back and somehow turn my collection of memories into a story. While Slept Away isn’t the love letter to sleep away camp I’d write if I were telling my own story, writing the book still allowed me to rehash many of my summer experiences and had the added bonus of prompting me to Facebook stalk some of my former camp friends and get in touch.
RG: What were your cringe-worthy moments at camp?
JK: There are so many cringe-worthy moments, it’s hard to pick just one. I’d have to say that one of my tops was when I got disciplined for mooning other campers while they were sleeping. I have no answers as to why otherwise normal twelve-year-old girls would ban together and moon their sleeping peers, but I do have an answer as to how humiliating it is to defend such behavior to the camp director’s wife. Answer: Very.
RG: Would you send your daughter to summer camp?
JK: For future Google-curious blind dates, I do not have a daughter…or a son. But, if I did or do, I would send her to camp if she wanted to go. I adored my summers at camp and would love for my daughter to have similar experiences.
RG: Tell me about your endless Generation Y (or is it Z?) pop culture references and how you jammed so many in so few pages! Do they flow off the tongue for you?
JK: Endless? Really? You mean that in a good way, right?
RG: Of course I mean that in a good way!
JK: Yeah, I guess those kind of references come naturally to me. I keep up on pop culture for the most part, so the info is already on the tip of my fingers when I’m writing.
RG: How would you describe yourself at age 15?
JK: The loud, driven girl with the smart mouth. Not a lot has changed in the past decade, I guess. At least I can drive on the highway now.
RG: What insights did you come to about yourself at age 15 while writing this book?
JK: While I was doing a lot of reminiscing about summer camp during the writing process, I wasn’t digging too deeply into myself at age 15. But, here’s one memory that came back to me while reflecting on my summers and now I understand it differently than I did then.
I was on a teen tour and one of the cool girls on the bus, Laurie, came up to me and said, “Julie, you’d be really pretty if you tried.” At the time, I took this as a compliment. Thinking back on it though, maybe Laurie didn’t have the best intentions when she said that. Plus, I took out my retainer for dress-up days. What more trying did she want?
RG: Your previous novel Hot Mess was a group effort. How was your experience writing this novel alone? Any challenges?
JK: There definitely were times when I missed Shallon, my co-author from Hot Mess. I’d find myself inserting comments like “Shall, funny or too gross? Or both?” And then I’d realize that I wasn’t sending the manuscript to Shallon, so I’d have to make the call myself. (For the most part, I decided there’s no such thing as too gross.)
RG: Laney seems to start out with a girl crush on Sylvie. Who are your girl crushes and/or sheroes (and they can be people you know and/or don’t know)?
JK: A small sampling from my stable of girl crushes:
Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Weiner, Blake Lively, Hilary Clinton, Sarah Haskins, Padma Lakshmi, Mom, Elizabeth Gilbert, Mindy Kaling, Kathy Griffin, and Kate Christensen.
April 11, 2020
At times this book really had me considering giving it a two, and a strong two at that, not a pity one. But holy mother of god was this awful. The back cover advertises a crush, a summer romance at camp. HALFWAY INTO THE BOOK, Laney hasn’t even SEEN a boy. WTF??? As for laney herself, she absolutely sucked. All of her super cliche early 2000s girl talk was unbearable, her references were cringey, and her incessant whining never ceased. The amount of lengthy descriptions of this girl being miserable doing various activities in the wilderness is truly impressive. It’s unfathomable to me how someone could think of so many terrible things to write. Her “flirtationship” with Ryan was pathetic and cringey and overall I’m just filled w rage that there are hours of my life spent on this book I will never get back. Now I know why this was sold for $.25 at the library. I got what I paid for I guess.
December 20, 2019
I mean the plot is not a lot original. But I really fell in love with main characters I mean Laney, yeah maybe she was spoiled at the beginning, but who would not in her position? And honestly that camp was not summer camp that was some bizarre horror. But I liked it I mean it was very funny although ridiculous. And I loved relationship between Laney and . And I have no words for her friendship with Silvie. Especially their humour and their punchlines, it was perfect. I laughed a lot while reading this book.
June 17, 2018
The main character was so insufferable, and there was so much problematic thinking and language it was hard to finish. I hope if the author still writes, she’s fixed her way of thinking when it comes to the LGBTQA+ community, fat and slut shaming and so much more.
April 2, 2024
This is obvi a book for teenage girls, so call me 30 going on 13 because I enjoyed this book so much. The humor was impeccable, and I loved the inner monologuing the main character has throughout. Absolutely enjoyed this hilarious teenybopping novel.
November 6, 2025
Honestly, there are things I would genuinely criticize about this book, such as the rushed romance toward the end (although the scenes leading up to the rushed kiss were still cute), some of the dated references, but it was such a fun read I can't help but love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2022
Summer camp, funny, relatable, romance, teen. It was good.
April 6, 2022
This took me right back to junior Camp Kern. I loved this book so much.
May 28, 2010
Laney Parker is a complete city girl, hoping for a summer of tanning, kissing, partying, and hanging out with her best friend Kennedy. But her vegetarian/yoga obsessed mom has different plans: Camp Timber Trails. Laney automatically thinks it's the end of her life as she knows it, and is furious at her mom. At camp, Laney struggles with everything thrown at her: from dealing with male separation and caffeine withdrawal, to fluorescent colored skorts and mystery meat dinners. After being teased by all the other girls, and not having a friend to cry on, Laney knows it will be the worst summer of her life. But then she meets geeky Slyvie, and dorky yet charming Ryan. Could this summer camp maybe not be the nightmare she thought it was?
This novel was the classic story of spoiled, popular girl living a life outside of her comfort zone - only to learn there's more to life than just materialistic things. There wasn't much creativity in this predictable story, and the plot started to thin halfway through the book. One thing's for sure though: Kraut went the extreme to include references and allusions to pop culture today, on almost every page. For example she incorporated Facebook, iPhones, the Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, and Sarah Jessica Parker into the book. It was kind of weird to read about these things, which I hear about and use everyday. I didn't like it.
I used to go to summer camp every year while in middle school, so it was fun reading about the activities they did at Camp Timber Trails. I got to relive a couple of memories similar to Laney's, and could definitely relate to the sights, sounds, and smells she witnessed there.
Laney's character annoyed me. She was overly sarcastic on each page, and whined way too much. I mean, I understand she was out of her element at camp but after awhile it just got irritating. Sure, there were a few times when I felt sorry for Laney but overall her dramatic self-pity was uncalled for. There are much worse things than going to a sleepaway summer camp! Even after Laney realized that people are more than what they seem, I doubt she's going to go back home as a different person. I'm sure after a few weeks go by, she'll just turn back into the one-sided, gossipy, materialistic girl she was at the beginning. Laney seems like the type easily molded by circumstance and situation - I know the change won't be permanent.
The author put a lot of humor in each page, so I stayed entertained and even chuckled at a few parts. Some of the witty remarks she made sounded like something I would say myself! However, other times it sounded like Kraut was trying too hard to keep a teenage conversation flowing - and ended up making it sound super corny or something an adult says trying to sound "young and hip."
The book as a whole had a feeling of immaturity running through it, that made me question the value and purpose of the novel. But on the surface, Slept Away is a cute and mostly-enjoyable read for summer. I think tweens would like it more than older teenagers because of its lack of substance. It's a light and breezy book, but will quickly fade from my memory.
This novel was the classic story of spoiled, popular girl living a life outside of her comfort zone - only to learn there's more to life than just materialistic things. There wasn't much creativity in this predictable story, and the plot started to thin halfway through the book. One thing's for sure though: Kraut went the extreme to include references and allusions to pop culture today, on almost every page. For example she incorporated Facebook, iPhones, the Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, and Sarah Jessica Parker into the book. It was kind of weird to read about these things, which I hear about and use everyday. I didn't like it.
I used to go to summer camp every year while in middle school, so it was fun reading about the activities they did at Camp Timber Trails. I got to relive a couple of memories similar to Laney's, and could definitely relate to the sights, sounds, and smells she witnessed there.
Laney's character annoyed me. She was overly sarcastic on each page, and whined way too much. I mean, I understand she was out of her element at camp but after awhile it just got irritating. Sure, there were a few times when I felt sorry for Laney but overall her dramatic self-pity was uncalled for. There are much worse things than going to a sleepaway summer camp! Even after Laney realized that people are more than what they seem, I doubt she's going to go back home as a different person. I'm sure after a few weeks go by, she'll just turn back into the one-sided, gossipy, materialistic girl she was at the beginning. Laney seems like the type easily molded by circumstance and situation - I know the change won't be permanent.
The author put a lot of humor in each page, so I stayed entertained and even chuckled at a few parts. Some of the witty remarks she made sounded like something I would say myself! However, other times it sounded like Kraut was trying too hard to keep a teenage conversation flowing - and ended up making it sound super corny or something an adult says trying to sound "young and hip."
The book as a whole had a feeling of immaturity running through it, that made me question the value and purpose of the novel. But on the surface, Slept Away is a cute and mostly-enjoyable read for summer. I think tweens would like it more than older teenagers because of its lack of substance. It's a light and breezy book, but will quickly fade from my memory.
July 19, 2011
Books about summer camps always intrigue me. Not only because they are usually set during summer, one of my favorite seasons, but also they always seem to include lots of hijinks and fun. This is what originally drew me to Julie Kraut’s Slept Away. Sadly enough, I did not end up enjoying it as nearly much as I thought I would, but it was still a quick and fun read.
For Laney Parker, city girl extraordinaire, summer plans involving sleepaway camps are never an option. She would much rather be spending the time partying and hanging out with her friends as well as getting some much needed rest. However, this summer these plans are thrown right out the window, as her mother is sending her to a camp called Timber Trails all the way out in wilderness of Pennsylvania. Shocked and angry, Laney pleads with her mother to allow her not to go. However, before Laney knows it, she’s off to Timber Trails to enjoy one fabulous summer. Along the way, she’ll meet some nasty girls, make some surprising allies, and get a chance at a summer romance. Most importantly, though, will this city girl begin to like the camp experience? Will it change her for better or worse? Only time and more pages can tell.
I felt a mixed bag of emotions about Laney’s character, which was one of the big reasons why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I anticipated it. Laney was in most ways a spoiled brat, and while I can see why she was that way as well as the importance in her being that way in relation to the plot and overall direction of the novel, she continually got on my nerves. You see, she could have had a great camp experience at first, if she would have let herself me happy and not sulked but that didn’t happen until much later. In addition, I disliked how quickly she was to slam people down because of their looks or status. However, she did manage to grow up throughout the novel, and by the end, I did like her character a little more than I did at the beginning.
What saved this novel, in my opinion, were the secondary characters. Sylvie, Laney’s camp friend, was hilarious and never afraid to tell Laney when she was being extreme, which made me like her even more. I also enjoyed the additions of Ryan and Eli. I only wish more was seen of them throughout the novel.
The plot of this was fun in some ways, but in others it felt a bit clichéd, as Julie didn’t really give a new spin to the whole spoiled princess goes to camp and changes her outlook on life storyline. However, I did enjoy the camp setting, as it did bring a laugh or two every once in while due to the different situations. I also enjoyed that before every chapter was a text, letter, etc. between Laney and her mom/dad/friend/etic. It was a cute addition.
In all, while Slept Away is a fun summer read in some ways, it did not contain the spark that I hoped it would. However, I still suggest it to readers who are looking for a fun, quick pool/beach read.
Grade: C
For Laney Parker, city girl extraordinaire, summer plans involving sleepaway camps are never an option. She would much rather be spending the time partying and hanging out with her friends as well as getting some much needed rest. However, this summer these plans are thrown right out the window, as her mother is sending her to a camp called Timber Trails all the way out in wilderness of Pennsylvania. Shocked and angry, Laney pleads with her mother to allow her not to go. However, before Laney knows it, she’s off to Timber Trails to enjoy one fabulous summer. Along the way, she’ll meet some nasty girls, make some surprising allies, and get a chance at a summer romance. Most importantly, though, will this city girl begin to like the camp experience? Will it change her for better or worse? Only time and more pages can tell.
I felt a mixed bag of emotions about Laney’s character, which was one of the big reasons why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I anticipated it. Laney was in most ways a spoiled brat, and while I can see why she was that way as well as the importance in her being that way in relation to the plot and overall direction of the novel, she continually got on my nerves. You see, she could have had a great camp experience at first, if she would have let herself me happy and not sulked but that didn’t happen until much later. In addition, I disliked how quickly she was to slam people down because of their looks or status. However, she did manage to grow up throughout the novel, and by the end, I did like her character a little more than I did at the beginning.
What saved this novel, in my opinion, were the secondary characters. Sylvie, Laney’s camp friend, was hilarious and never afraid to tell Laney when she was being extreme, which made me like her even more. I also enjoyed the additions of Ryan and Eli. I only wish more was seen of them throughout the novel.
The plot of this was fun in some ways, but in others it felt a bit clichéd, as Julie didn’t really give a new spin to the whole spoiled princess goes to camp and changes her outlook on life storyline. However, I did enjoy the camp setting, as it did bring a laugh or two every once in while due to the different situations. I also enjoyed that before every chapter was a text, letter, etc. between Laney and her mom/dad/friend/etic. It was a cute addition.
In all, while Slept Away is a fun summer read in some ways, it did not contain the spark that I hoped it would. However, I still suggest it to readers who are looking for a fun, quick pool/beach read.
Grade: C
September 30, 2009
15 year old Laney Parker’s mom has totally and completely destroyed her summer. Instead of finding an exciting internship, Laney will be going to Camp Timber Trails. Laney has never expressed any interest in summer camp, and she refuses to speak to her mother. She also refuses to pack. Laney’s mother packs for her. Laney is forced to wear day-glow culottes and t-shirt sets all summer, which pretty much sets her up for ridicule. It doesn’t help that most of the girls in Laney’s cabin have been going there for the past seven years, and they’re not looking to make new friends. Laney’s in the lowest swim group (with the six-year-olds), she has no athletic or artistic skills to speak of, and she hates getting up early. Although she’s part of the in-crowd at home, at camp she’s transformed into a complete loser. The only reason Laney isn’t completely miserable is Sylvie, the other outcast in her cabin. When they become friends, Laney makes Sylvie her summer makeover project, and vows to get her together with her camp crush, Eli. Little does Laney know, but she’s about to find her own summer crush – and it’s a boy she already knows!
Laney Parker irritated me immensely. Sometimes she seemed way too sophisticated for her 15 years, and other times she seemed much younger (the culottes probably didn’t help). There was absolutely nothing to like about Laney’s nemeses - the trio of bitchy bunkmates (they were unrelentingly stupid and evil), or their counselor, Mandi (so perky and pink it was scary). The language, too, was a little over the top (some of the teenspeak/slang seemed really unbelievable). I almost put this down several times before Laney even got to Camp Timber Trails, and by the time she did I’d committed myself to finishing it (come hell or high water). There were some tolerable moments, but on the whole I was disappointed in this. Laney’s dilemma – what to do now that she’s fallen for the guy none of her friends can stand back home – is all too easily resolved (‘Oh…whatever, I can deal’). And she’s all too ready to throw away her friendship with Kennedy (who will definitely not understand her crush), but whom she’s been BFF with since forever, and extremely dependent on. I don’t think it’s going to be that simple. So, I’m still looking for the next great summer camp adventure, but this genre may have peaked with Gordon Korman’s I Want to Go Home.
Laney Parker irritated me immensely. Sometimes she seemed way too sophisticated for her 15 years, and other times she seemed much younger (the culottes probably didn’t help). There was absolutely nothing to like about Laney’s nemeses - the trio of bitchy bunkmates (they were unrelentingly stupid and evil), or their counselor, Mandi (so perky and pink it was scary). The language, too, was a little over the top (some of the teenspeak/slang seemed really unbelievable). I almost put this down several times before Laney even got to Camp Timber Trails, and by the time she did I’d committed myself to finishing it (come hell or high water). There were some tolerable moments, but on the whole I was disappointed in this. Laney’s dilemma – what to do now that she’s fallen for the guy none of her friends can stand back home – is all too easily resolved (‘Oh…whatever, I can deal’). And she’s all too ready to throw away her friendship with Kennedy (who will definitely not understand her crush), but whom she’s been BFF with since forever, and extremely dependent on. I don’t think it’s going to be that simple. So, I’m still looking for the next great summer camp adventure, but this genre may have peaked with Gordon Korman’s I Want to Go Home.
June 9, 2009
Laney Parker is a city girl psyched for a summer of tanning, gossiping, and partying with her BFF Kennedy. But when Laney’s mother forcefully ships her off to sleepaway camp in Middle of Nowhere, Pennsylvania of all places, it becomes apparent that you can take the girl out of the Upper East Side, but you can’t take the Upper East Side out of the girl. Laney has no idea how she’s supposed to deal with sex segregation, athletic shorts, and actual sports in place of air conditioning, caffeine, and waking up post-noon. But once denied access to the real world via iPhone, Laney must make the best of the loserdom she’s allotted. But as the summer progresses, Laney begins to see that camp might not be the total nightmares she assumed it to be.
Slept Away is the classic tale of spoiled girl living the life forced out of her element to learn that there’s more to life than just physical stuff. There isn’t anything too original about Kraut’s version of this tale unless you count her remarkable skill for incorporating pop culture allusions and/or sarcasm on nearly every page. While this is a good starter for the novel, it quickly gets old and a little annoying. This whole novel has an undertone of immaturity running through it that makes me question the value and purpose of this novel. I even doubt the permanence of Laney’s realization that people are more than what they look like post-camp since Laney seems the type easily molded by circumstance and location. Three were times that I felt true sympathy for Laney’s plight, but I was more disturbed by the extent of her self-pity and the silliness of how big a deal Laney was making over having to attend camp. On the surface though, Slept Away is a cute and slightly enjoyable summer read.
Slept Away may appeal to younger teen readers who also enjoyed Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab, The Elite series by Jennifer Banash, and The Clique series by Lisi Harrison. This novel is cute enough, but I could not recommend it to readers looking for something more meaningful.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Slept Away is the classic tale of spoiled girl living the life forced out of her element to learn that there’s more to life than just physical stuff. There isn’t anything too original about Kraut’s version of this tale unless you count her remarkable skill for incorporating pop culture allusions and/or sarcasm on nearly every page. While this is a good starter for the novel, it quickly gets old and a little annoying. This whole novel has an undertone of immaturity running through it that makes me question the value and purpose of this novel. I even doubt the permanence of Laney’s realization that people are more than what they look like post-camp since Laney seems the type easily molded by circumstance and location. Three were times that I felt true sympathy for Laney’s plight, but I was more disturbed by the extent of her self-pity and the silliness of how big a deal Laney was making over having to attend camp. On the surface though, Slept Away is a cute and slightly enjoyable summer read.
Slept Away may appeal to younger teen readers who also enjoyed Alive and Well in Prague, New York by Daphne Grab, The Elite series by Jennifer Banash, and The Clique series by Lisi Harrison. This novel is cute enough, but I could not recommend it to readers looking for something more meaningful.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
May 23, 2009
I read Julie’s previous book Hot Mess but was less than blown away, however, Slept Away was much better than I had anticipated. This was Sleepaway Girls done right.
We have almost the same basic plotline, girl goes to summer, mean girls appear, girl befriends some awesome friends, and mean girls get defeated, girl ends summer camp happy and glad she came. So what made me like this book so much better? Almost everything I say!
First off, the characters. Laney was not someone always perky, always happy, never fighting back. Although she never did anything physical, the inner monologues gave enough hints that she isn’t one to suck it all in. Heck they made me laugh.
The mean girls—snobby, completely glittery, and their butts as movable billboards—were great. I could feel the hate, the annoyance, and the fact that their reason to dislike someone aside from jealousy was refreshing. They just hate Laney because they are *itches. I can deal with that, there are people in this world like that.
The friends. Much more relatable, acted more as the side characters to build the main character up rather than trying to shove her aside.
Humor laced with friendship. Comedy intertwined with growth. Did I mention that it was funny? Well it was.
The biggest compliant would have to be the relationship with Ryan and Laney. I wanted to see more of it instead of just a small glimpse and a little peck. On some parts, I wanted a lot of the plot to expand a bit. The thing with the mean girls? It kind of just faded. I do not recall the giant explosion of conflict.
Overall: A cute and fun read. Definitely perfect for the summer!
We have almost the same basic plotline, girl goes to summer, mean girls appear, girl befriends some awesome friends, and mean girls get defeated, girl ends summer camp happy and glad she came. So what made me like this book so much better? Almost everything I say!
First off, the characters. Laney was not someone always perky, always happy, never fighting back. Although she never did anything physical, the inner monologues gave enough hints that she isn’t one to suck it all in. Heck they made me laugh.
The mean girls—snobby, completely glittery, and their butts as movable billboards—were great. I could feel the hate, the annoyance, and the fact that their reason to dislike someone aside from jealousy was refreshing. They just hate Laney because they are *itches. I can deal with that, there are people in this world like that.
The friends. Much more relatable, acted more as the side characters to build the main character up rather than trying to shove her aside.
Humor laced with friendship. Comedy intertwined with growth. Did I mention that it was funny? Well it was.
The biggest compliant would have to be the relationship with Ryan and Laney. I wanted to see more of it instead of just a small glimpse and a little peck. On some parts, I wanted a lot of the plot to expand a bit. The thing with the mean girls? It kind of just faded. I do not recall the giant explosion of conflict.
Overall: A cute and fun read. Definitely perfect for the summer!
June 3, 2009
I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this novel as I am one of those foreigners that has idealised camp due to copious viewings of The Parent Trap (both original and remake). Laney is by all appearances one of those "mean girls" but I really didn't see any evidence of this. Sure she's shallow but her criticisms against her mother and step-kinda-father seem occasionally justified. For instance, if my mother sent me to camp without any warning and had packed my luggage with items she thought were appropriate, I would have a coronary (even at my advanced age). Skorts are never cool. Even a middle aged mother should appreciate that.
Slept Away tells the tale of Laney's burgeoning awareness that people (and herself) are more than their outer shell. She sees the appeal in an old acquaintance, although I do take issue with the fact that a lot of that attraction is due to his popularity in the camp-sphere. That being said, Ryan's a sweetheart. His assistance in pairing up their respective clueless nerdy friends is very fun.
The enemy - or the Billboard Butt Girls - are fun. They allow for some great complications, bitchy interplay and general teen nastiness. Laney's new bestie is the best kind of friend and it's through their interactions that she finds support, humour and a makeover subject in. Brandt and his snot and wee issues got a little old after awhile but I can see a younger audience really relating to the hilarity of his declarations. The comedy's there but at time I wished it weren't so reliant on pop culture references, they could have be scaled back so as not to take the reader out of the story.
A great, fun, summer read!
Slept Away tells the tale of Laney's burgeoning awareness that people (and herself) are more than their outer shell. She sees the appeal in an old acquaintance, although I do take issue with the fact that a lot of that attraction is due to his popularity in the camp-sphere. That being said, Ryan's a sweetheart. His assistance in pairing up their respective clueless nerdy friends is very fun.
The enemy - or the Billboard Butt Girls - are fun. They allow for some great complications, bitchy interplay and general teen nastiness. Laney's new bestie is the best kind of friend and it's through their interactions that she finds support, humour and a makeover subject in. Brandt and his snot and wee issues got a little old after awhile but I can see a younger audience really relating to the hilarity of his declarations. The comedy's there but at time I wished it weren't so reliant on pop culture references, they could have be scaled back so as not to take the reader out of the story.
A great, fun, summer read!
June 21, 2009
I really enjoyed this book! It was light, funny, and a great summer read. Even if you're not heading off to summer camp, Slept Away is a great vacation read.
I'm more of a city girl myself and the only camping I've ever really done was staying in my grandparent's RV which was in their backyard, so we had easy access to indoor plumbing, air-conditioning and snacks. So I totally felt Laney's pain with being stuck at camp for six weeks!
The thing I liked most about this book was that in the beginning, Laney was more of a city girl somewhat snobby character, but that all gets turned upside down when she arrives at Camp Timber Trails. She's the outcast of her bunk, she's mocked by the "billboard butts" (the self proclaimed popular girls at camp), and she's stuck with the pool peers. This really made Laney more empathic and relatable-I wanted to cheer Laney on through her summer.
The dialog is witty and full of pop culture references. At times I thought there were too many pop culture references, and I wonder if some of them will go over the heads of younger readers. Still, there were several moments I laughed out loud! There's even some romance, which anyone who knows me, knows I love romance!:) Laney tries to play matchmaker with one of her bunk mates and the nerd romance that ensues is just too cute!
If you're looking for a book to start your summer reading with, I highly recommend Slept Away.
I'm more of a city girl myself and the only camping I've ever really done was staying in my grandparent's RV which was in their backyard, so we had easy access to indoor plumbing, air-conditioning and snacks. So I totally felt Laney's pain with being stuck at camp for six weeks!
The thing I liked most about this book was that in the beginning, Laney was more of a city girl somewhat snobby character, but that all gets turned upside down when she arrives at Camp Timber Trails. She's the outcast of her bunk, she's mocked by the "billboard butts" (the self proclaimed popular girls at camp), and she's stuck with the pool peers. This really made Laney more empathic and relatable-I wanted to cheer Laney on through her summer.
The dialog is witty and full of pop culture references. At times I thought there were too many pop culture references, and I wonder if some of them will go over the heads of younger readers. Still, there were several moments I laughed out loud! There's even some romance, which anyone who knows me, knows I love romance!:) Laney tries to play matchmaker with one of her bunk mates and the nerd romance that ensues is just too cute!
If you're looking for a book to start your summer reading with, I highly recommend Slept Away.
July 20, 2010
Summary: In Julie Kraut's Slept Away, Laney Parker's summer plans are abruptly interrupted as her yoga, new-age mother ships her off to summer camp. Completely devastated, Laney refuses to go up until the point where her mother hands her a pre-packed duffel bag and drives her to the Camp Timber Trails bus. Missing out on her city summer and her bff Kennedy, Laney finds her mother has packed the most atrocious clothes, no make up, and a too-small swimsuit. Once Miss Popularity and now summer camp newbie, Laney begins her summer with no friends and level one swimming lessons with the little kids. Eventually Laney learns to live without her cell phone and other city necessities, develops a friendship with an unlikely bunk mate, and finds a crush in the most unpopular boy from the city. By the end of the summer, Laney is no longer the petty popular girl and is already looking forward to next summer and Camp Timber Trails.
Review: Julie Kraut's Slept Away is a very funny and entertaining novel about a young city girl's experiences at a summer camp. The novel reflects on the pettiness of teenage girls and overcoming the clique mentality. Individuality and friendship are important ingredients to Laney as she survives camp for six weeks. Learning that you can't judge a book by its cover, Laney develops friendships and crushes as she overcomes her own selfishness.
Review: Julie Kraut's Slept Away is a very funny and entertaining novel about a young city girl's experiences at a summer camp. The novel reflects on the pettiness of teenage girls and overcoming the clique mentality. Individuality and friendship are important ingredients to Laney as she survives camp for six weeks. Learning that you can't judge a book by its cover, Laney develops friendships and crushes as she overcomes her own selfishness.
November 15, 2012
Reviewed by Angela S. for TeensReadToo.com
Laney Parker is a city girl in every way. She's looking forward to the summer so she can spend it at chic boutiques and parties with her friends. Little does she know, her new-age mother has a totally different plan for Laney - she's sending her to summer camp!
Being sent to camp Timber Trail is bad enough, but being there with a group of totally uncool girls who think they run the camp (and automatically take a disliking to Laney!), along with getting stuck doing group activities with the kids who are half her age, is horrible. Laney hates camp and can't see how her summer is going to be any fun.
Eventually, Laney becomes friends with one of the girls in her cabin, and then finds out that someone from back home also goes to the camp. Back in the city, Ryan is the most uncool guy around, but at camp he is the hottest and most popular guy there. Laney has never been happier to see him.
At the end of the summer, Laney is left wondering: Can camp cool equal real world cool? And will Ryan and Laney be able to be friends back home? You'll have to read SLEPT AWAY to find out!
With lots of pop culture references, fun in the sun, and a slight bit of romance, this is a great read for a hot summer day!
Laney Parker is a city girl in every way. She's looking forward to the summer so she can spend it at chic boutiques and parties with her friends. Little does she know, her new-age mother has a totally different plan for Laney - she's sending her to summer camp!
Being sent to camp Timber Trail is bad enough, but being there with a group of totally uncool girls who think they run the camp (and automatically take a disliking to Laney!), along with getting stuck doing group activities with the kids who are half her age, is horrible. Laney hates camp and can't see how her summer is going to be any fun.
Eventually, Laney becomes friends with one of the girls in her cabin, and then finds out that someone from back home also goes to the camp. Back in the city, Ryan is the most uncool guy around, but at camp he is the hottest and most popular guy there. Laney has never been happier to see him.
At the end of the summer, Laney is left wondering: Can camp cool equal real world cool? And will Ryan and Laney be able to be friends back home? You'll have to read SLEPT AWAY to find out!
With lots of pop culture references, fun in the sun, and a slight bit of romance, this is a great read for a hot summer day!
October 19, 2014
Slept Away was not really a great book, but it wasn't awful.
The first issue was that the main characters are unreasonable. Laney is completely spoiled, the only nice girl is the "ugly" one, the "mean girls" are all two dimensional (and while you aren't supposed to like them, you are supposed to have a decent reason not to. Plus, seriously, their names are Hayden, Aiden, and Aidan), etc. It just seemed shallow.
Secondly, book wanted to be witty. It really did. It had a few good moments, but there were not many. It kind of felt like watching a bad comedian (you know, where they keep telling puns but nobody's laughing).
I'll give it this: the writing style was decent. The quality and the {sort of} lighthearted feel were the only reasons why I gave it 2 stars instead of one. I feel like it wasn't so much the writing, but the idea that completely screwed this book over.
Once again, the book didn't completely suck, but I wouldn't really want to revisit it. Ever.
The first issue was that the main characters are unreasonable. Laney is completely spoiled, the only nice girl is the "ugly" one, the "mean girls" are all two dimensional (and while you aren't supposed to like them, you are supposed to have a decent reason not to. Plus, seriously, their names are Hayden, Aiden, and Aidan), etc. It just seemed shallow.
Secondly, book wanted to be witty. It really did. It had a few good moments, but there were not many. It kind of felt like watching a bad comedian (you know, where they keep telling puns but nobody's laughing).
I'll give it this: the writing style was decent. The quality and the {sort of} lighthearted feel were the only reasons why I gave it 2 stars instead of one. I feel like it wasn't so much the writing, but the idea that completely screwed this book over.
Once again, the book didn't completely suck, but I wouldn't really want to revisit it. Ever.
July 20, 2016
I think I was pretty annoyed reading most of this book. Laney was a spoiled brat for almost the whole thing, and yet I still wanted her to out-bitch the bitch trio (she did get some good clapbacks in at least), and get the guy at the end.
I'm thinking she maybe was just too young of a MC for me to relate to at all? idk
As I said in one of my updates, the pop culture references got to be VERY annoying as well. I really wish I'd started counting them at the beginning! But really, there were several on every page it seemed and I was eye rolling pretty hard by the end.
There wasn't an epilogue but to be honest, I doubt Laney would've stayed friends with Sylvie (not just bc of their distance) or stayed with Ryan. She cared too much what her peers thought of her and living in NYC and attending private school most likely didn't make it any easier. I imagine she would've shown up at a party with Ryan, been ostracized, and that would've been the end of it. She seemed too one dimensional I think.
I'm thinking she maybe was just too young of a MC for me to relate to at all? idk
As I said in one of my updates, the pop culture references got to be VERY annoying as well. I really wish I'd started counting them at the beginning! But really, there were several on every page it seemed and I was eye rolling pretty hard by the end.
There wasn't an epilogue but to be honest, I doubt Laney would've stayed friends with Sylvie (not just bc of their distance) or stayed with Ryan. She cared too much what her peers thought of her and living in NYC and attending private school most likely didn't make it any easier. I imagine she would've shown up at a party with Ryan, been ostracized, and that would've been the end of it. She seemed too one dimensional I think.
August 10, 2009
My thoughts: When I received this novel in the mail I was ecstatic. I had been waiting forever to get my hands on a copy of this (thanks again to my contact within the group). I slipped it into my “to be reviewed” pile and plowed through the books before it. I loved this book. Now when you see the B you are probably like “what?” Let me start off by telling you I have been grading books too easy. So sadly this was the first book where I decided to be tougher. It was almost an “A” but there were a couple to many times where I was not being drawn in enough. I loved the differences between the girls and the whole swap of popular to not. So many characters, so many differences.
Recommendation: Because of some major swearing and reference to the boy’s anatomy as the d-word I would say 13 or 14 at least before reading. Remember this is a general recommendation; some people mature at different times. Use your own common sense.
Recommendation: Because of some major swearing and reference to the boy’s anatomy as the d-word I would say 13 or 14 at least before reading. Remember this is a general recommendation; some people mature at different times. Use your own common sense.
August 7, 2014
15 year old laney parker of park avenue is sent to sleepaway camp in pennsylvania against her will. it's 6 weeks of torture: bratty villains in her bunk, neon culottes to wear, sweaty outdoor activities, and no access to the internet. but halfway through laney makes a friend who makes the stint at camp bearable, and sees a geeky boy from home in a new light.
when i was eleven, there was nothing i loved more than a summer camp story, so at least one of the stars is for nostalgia. the others are for snarky hilariousness. laney's got a great sarcastic punny tongue on her that had me cracking up. she's no jess darling, but might get there someday with diligent practice. however, there's not that much plot to be had and most of the characters are flat stereotypes...but the setting and jokes made it fun.
cover complaint: it's cute, but makes no sense. parker very specifically complains that there are no smores at camp, and she forgets all of her nail polish at home.
when i was eleven, there was nothing i loved more than a summer camp story, so at least one of the stars is for nostalgia. the others are for snarky hilariousness. laney's got a great sarcastic punny tongue on her that had me cracking up. she's no jess darling, but might get there someday with diligent practice. however, there's not that much plot to be had and most of the characters are flat stereotypes...but the setting and jokes made it fun.
cover complaint: it's cute, but makes no sense. parker very specifically complains that there are no smores at camp, and she forgets all of her nail polish at home.
May 16, 2009
Laney Parker is the quintessential New York City girl, attached to tanning, texting and shopping. Her summer plans are turned upside down when her mother (once a high-powered lawyer but newly granola-fied by her new-age boyfriend) decides to send her nature-deprived daughter to a rustic summer camp. Laney finds herself at the bottom of the barrel in camp social life, besieged at every turn by such horrors as instructional swimming, arts & crafts, bunk cleanup, and the “no caffeine” rule.
Laney’s view of the world is laugh-out-loud funny and at times a bit cruel, but Laney is basically a thoughtful young woman who doesn’t take herself TOO seriously, so she’s very likable. She’s very clever and eventually does some growing and changing during her summer at Timber Tops. This is a fun summer read — a perfect book to take to the beach, or to send to your sleep-away camper.
Laney’s view of the world is laugh-out-loud funny and at times a bit cruel, but Laney is basically a thoughtful young woman who doesn’t take herself TOO seriously, so she’s very likable. She’s very clever and eventually does some growing and changing during her summer at Timber Tops. This is a fun summer read — a perfect book to take to the beach, or to send to your sleep-away camper.
June 20, 2014
I read this book in a day. Which is actually not usual since it is 300 pages. I couldn't put it down. Not because it was that good, it wasn't bad, just not superb, but I couldn't find a bookmark so nevertheless it was read in a day. I liked all the references to pop culture, it was the pop culture of '09 so lots has changed but they cheered me up anyway and provided lots of the comedic relief in the book. My most positive comment on this book is how accurate the representation of summer camp was. Like, wow, was it accurate. If you've ever been a new-comer in summer camp I almost guarantee youll relate. There was some unnecessary information the author supplied at the beginning that I was hoping they would elaborate more on. But either way it was an alright start for a summer themed summer reading book.
May 11, 2010
, im still in dee process of reaadinq thisss book . buht so faar i liek it : ) onlie becuss i feel assz doe i caan relateee to it alott ! considerinq dee faaCt dhaat it 'sz aboutt ah teen aqee qurl or w.e ' so anywaysss nott onlie is thisss book aboutt ah teenaqe qurl it 'sz aboutt ah 17 yeaar old qurl who still qott seent awaay to ah caamp for ah W H O L E six weeks . mind youh liek i saaid she 1[7) so yeaah sheee dontt liek it buht thaat 'sz really as faar as i caan qo cuss i haventt finished it all im still on liek paqeee 1OO && somethaanq && it qotsss liek 2OO && somethaanq paqe 'sz so yeaah , buht so faar thisss book is qood =:]
June 27, 2016
I didn't like the first couple chapters but gradually got into it once Laney got to camp. I hated how snarky she was about everything. I hated the references to anorexia and how many times the word slut was used. Plus some of the similes used made me cringe so I knew I couldn't give this higher than a three, even though the last 150 pages were so much better than the first half.
Sylvie was by far my favourite character in here. Mandi and her pink obsession was funny at times. I liked the descriptions of Camp Timber Trails and reading this at the end of June made it perfectly timed for summer.
Sylvie was by far my favourite character in here. Mandi and her pink obsession was funny at times. I liked the descriptions of Camp Timber Trails and reading this at the end of June made it perfectly timed for summer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews