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Camp Murderface #1
Camp Murderface
Summer camp turns sinister in Camp Murderface, a spooky middle grade read perfect for fans of scare masters like R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike.
The year: 1983. The place: Ohio. The camp: Scary as heck.
Camp Sweetwater is finally reopening, three decades after it mysteriously shut down. Campers Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones have each had more than enough of their regular lives - they’re so ready to take their summer at Sweetwater by storm.
But before they can so much as toast one marshmallow, strange happenings start... happening. Can they survive the summer? Or will Camp Sweetwater shut down for good this time - with them inside?
The year: 1983. The place: Ohio. The camp: Scary as heck.
Camp Sweetwater is finally reopening, three decades after it mysteriously shut down. Campers Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones have each had more than enough of their regular lives - they’re so ready to take their summer at Sweetwater by storm.
But before they can so much as toast one marshmallow, strange happenings start... happening. Can they survive the summer? Or will Camp Sweetwater shut down for good this time - with them inside?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2020
28 people are currently reading
5078 people want to read
About the author
Josh Berk
9 books147 followersThe Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin will be released on February 9, 2010.
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 18, 2025
**4.5-stars rounded up**
In the summer of 1983, Camp Sweetwater is gearing up for its very special, very grand reopening.
A summer camp in rural Ohio, Sweetwater mysteriously closed its doors 30-years ago, but now it's refreshed, revamped and ready for campers again.
Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones are two such lucky campers.
As frightening as the prospect of summer camp is, being shipped away from home, alone, with no contact with your family, Corryn and Tez are both ready to leave their regular lives behind for a while.
They meet on the bus trip there and its pretty much decided: they will be best camp friends. It's at least decided for Tez. He's taken with Corryn from the very start.
Once at the camp and divided into their respective cabins, the kids go about starting the most epic summer ever. They hope.
It doesn't take long however, before very spooky, scary things start occurring. Sure enough, there's a mystery afoot. One, Corryn and Tez, vow to get to the bottom of.
This story is hilarious. I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. From the very beginning, I was giggling out loud.
The story alternates between Corryn and Tez's perspectives. The narrators did such an incredible job bringing these two to life. The timing of the jokes, the intonation, it was all superb!
As this is Middle Grade, the story itself isn't complicated, or overly dark, but I think it is wildly creative and definitely channels all the spooky vibes that are perfect for young readers.
I loved this, as it gave me such nostalgia for the spooky content I used to enjoy as a kid. I was feeling Scooby-Doo, I was feeling R.L. Stine; it's just a ton of fun.
Camp Murderface leaves off at a great spot for a continuation of the story. I will definitely pick it up if one is published.
I loved Corryn and Tez both so much! They are just the best. Super clever and sincere. I will go on any adventure with them; no matter how scary.
In the summer of 1983, Camp Sweetwater is gearing up for its very special, very grand reopening.
A summer camp in rural Ohio, Sweetwater mysteriously closed its doors 30-years ago, but now it's refreshed, revamped and ready for campers again.
Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones are two such lucky campers.
As frightening as the prospect of summer camp is, being shipped away from home, alone, with no contact with your family, Corryn and Tez are both ready to leave their regular lives behind for a while.
They meet on the bus trip there and its pretty much decided: they will be best camp friends. It's at least decided for Tez. He's taken with Corryn from the very start.
Once at the camp and divided into their respective cabins, the kids go about starting the most epic summer ever. They hope.
It doesn't take long however, before very spooky, scary things start occurring. Sure enough, there's a mystery afoot. One, Corryn and Tez, vow to get to the bottom of.
This story is hilarious. I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. From the very beginning, I was giggling out loud.
The story alternates between Corryn and Tez's perspectives. The narrators did such an incredible job bringing these two to life. The timing of the jokes, the intonation, it was all superb!
As this is Middle Grade, the story itself isn't complicated, or overly dark, but I think it is wildly creative and definitely channels all the spooky vibes that are perfect for young readers.
I loved this, as it gave me such nostalgia for the spooky content I used to enjoy as a kid. I was feeling Scooby-Doo, I was feeling R.L. Stine; it's just a ton of fun.
Camp Murderface leaves off at a great spot for a continuation of the story. I will definitely pick it up if one is published.
I loved Corryn and Tez both so much! They are just the best. Super clever and sincere. I will go on any adventure with them; no matter how scary.
August 3, 2023
Camp Murderface follows Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones as they are heading to Camp Sweetwater for the summer.
Corryn’s parents are officially getting a divorce and decide to send her away for the summer while they sort things out. She is not too excited about it but then she meets Tez.
He, on the contrary, is really excited to be there. Together they will start to discover a very dark secret this summer camp is trying to keep buried.
From rude counselors, a mysterious lifeguard and a camp that seems to be too abandoned to be welcoming children, our main characters are not going to have the summer they expected.
This book was funny and entertaining. The only thing was that for a middle grade it was on the more silly side and I did find some of the jokes and dialogue to be a bit too juvenile for me. But I am not the target audience so this also affects my reading experience.
The two main characters' point of view also read the same to me and it was hard to tell them apart at times since the voices were almost the same.
But I did enjoy the mystery part of it and all the horror elements that were added to the story. Especially when something would happen in the middle of the night it would get creepier and a bit more intense.
Overall I do think this can be a really fun book for middle grade readers.
Corryn’s parents are officially getting a divorce and decide to send her away for the summer while they sort things out. She is not too excited about it but then she meets Tez.
He, on the contrary, is really excited to be there. Together they will start to discover a very dark secret this summer camp is trying to keep buried.
From rude counselors, a mysterious lifeguard and a camp that seems to be too abandoned to be welcoming children, our main characters are not going to have the summer they expected.
This book was funny and entertaining. The only thing was that for a middle grade it was on the more silly side and I did find some of the jokes and dialogue to be a bit too juvenile for me. But I am not the target audience so this also affects my reading experience.
The two main characters' point of view also read the same to me and it was hard to tell them apart at times since the voices were almost the same.
But I did enjoy the mystery part of it and all the horror elements that were added to the story. Especially when something would happen in the middle of the night it would get creepier and a bit more intense.
Overall I do think this can be a really fun book for middle grade readers.
March 16, 2022
Overall, it's a pretty good read (hey, that's the name of this website); nothing super incredible, but it was fun. The protagonists were a little bit of a mixed bag; Tez is a hilarious narrator whose personality is very similar to my own, whereas Corryn comes off as a bit bratty in the beginning but gets better by the end. The dialogue is kind of hit-or-miss, but doesn't have too many glaring cringy moments (unlike some books I've read). Plot was nothing spectacular, but it genuinely felt like an adventure I could have had with some friends at that age, which is a highly underrated aspect I feel like a lot of MG/YA books lack. This hit the R. L. Stine nostalgia spot hard, and while it's not a masterpiece like Thirteens, overall it was still enjoyable and fun, with some great little moments.
(Also, I don't think the cover artist read the book because neither kid on the cover really looks how the leads were described, and it's been bothering me for two days now)
(Also, I don't think the cover artist read the book because neither kid on the cover really looks how the leads were described, and it's been bothering me for two days now)
dnf
March 13, 2023DNF at 40%
August 17, 2022
This book was funny and entertaining. The only thing was that for a middle grade it was on the more immature side of middle grade (and I’m obviously not the target audience. But I did find sone of the jokes and dialogue to be a bit too juvenile for me. Having said that though there were some seriously sinister parts in this one that kept me intrigued. I think over all it was a bit too long and could have been cut down quite a bit but again, it was enjoyable and a definite nice summer horror read. 3 stars
September 1, 2021
Katy rated this 3.5 stars.
August 1, 2020
Wonderful!
July 6, 2023
Fun and creepy.
Loved Tez.
Loved Tez.
June 1, 2022
I read this for a work program where we discuss horror in children's literature. I chose it because Summer was about to kick off and thought it would be a good button on the program. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I knew it would be campy but it was also funny and chock full of nostalgia, too. I found so much to like in Corynn and Tez. They're a very complimentary protagonist duo. There were definitely moments that were quite scary. But there were also moments that felt like The Goonies or Hocus Pocus. This is also the first midgrade book since probably Wildwood by Meloy or Leven Thumps by Skye that I've read in my adulthood and couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
November 14, 2022
What a fun audiobook!
It did read a little mature at times for this being a middle grade book, but the constant one-two punch jokes really brought me back to the humor that comes with childhood 😂 sooo cheesy, but fun overall!
It did read a little mature at times for this being a middle grade book, but the constant one-two punch jokes really brought me back to the humor that comes with childhood 😂 sooo cheesy, but fun overall!
July 1, 2022
FROM THE BLOG:
Camp Murderface follows Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones as they are heading to Camp Sweetwater for the summer. Enthusiastically, at first: Corryn wants to put some distance between her and her soon-to-be-divorced parents; Tez wants a break from his overbearing, overprotective parents. Their enthusiasm soon evaporates into the ether, though, as they quickly find that the macabre myths surrounding the camp may be more than true.
Reading Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell’s foray into the world of middle grade horror was just an absolute blast. Like most of my favorite middle grade novels, it reminded me of the stories I consumed (and was consumed by) from my childhood, while simultaneously feeling thoroughly modern, with witty, whip-smart characters, and incredibly vivid, chilling imagery. Corryn and Tez shine as protagonists, and their budding friendship is one of the most realistically realized portrayals I’ve read in recent memory. It helps that both Berk and Mitchell are great at writing kids: Corryn and Tez read like real, actual tweens — down to being entirely too clever and perceptive for their own good at times.
But I must make special note of the imagery mentioned above. Mitchell and Berk write brilliantly eerie visuals, with some passages being striking enough that it would not feel out of place in, say, one of the more particularly lurid entries in the Fear Street series.
Excellent, creepy goodness all around. Summer Spooks is off to a great start.
Camp Murderface follows Corryn Quinn and Tez Jones as they are heading to Camp Sweetwater for the summer. Enthusiastically, at first: Corryn wants to put some distance between her and her soon-to-be-divorced parents; Tez wants a break from his overbearing, overprotective parents. Their enthusiasm soon evaporates into the ether, though, as they quickly find that the macabre myths surrounding the camp may be more than true.
This place is cursed,” he says, not looking at me. He stares deep into the distance. I waggle my eyebrows. “Look on the bright side. Curse is just another word for magic,” I say.
Reading Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell’s foray into the world of middle grade horror was just an absolute blast. Like most of my favorite middle grade novels, it reminded me of the stories I consumed (and was consumed by) from my childhood, while simultaneously feeling thoroughly modern, with witty, whip-smart characters, and incredibly vivid, chilling imagery. Corryn and Tez shine as protagonists, and their budding friendship is one of the most realistically realized portrayals I’ve read in recent memory. It helps that both Berk and Mitchell are great at writing kids: Corryn and Tez read like real, actual tweens — down to being entirely too clever and perceptive for their own good at times.
But I must make special note of the imagery mentioned above. Mitchell and Berk write brilliantly eerie visuals, with some passages being striking enough that it would not feel out of place in, say, one of the more particularly lurid entries in the Fear Street series.
The nurse stands in front of the sink, frighteningly still. She hunches over it, her shoulder blades so sharp that they look like broken wings. And that's not all that's wrong with her. Her hair is loose and wet. It hangs heavily around her head. Dark, wet beads slip from her hair onto the floor, all the way around her.
Drip-drip-drip-drip-drip.
The drops puddle on the floor around her feet, forming a dark lake. Too dark to be water. It's not water. It's deep red. It's—
Excellent, creepy goodness all around. Summer Spooks is off to a great start.
September 1, 2020
Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell have created a world that is equal parts humor and horror--perfect for Goosebumps fans. Is it silly? Yes, but it is right in that middle grade sweet spot. Be warned, though, not all questions are answered by the end, so young readers will immediately start asking for a sequel!
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
Read more at Bookish Adventures.
June 21, 2021
Honestly, how do you NOT read a book called Camp Murderface? This was great, spooky fun. I loved the two kids (especially Tez) and their friendship. It felt genuine and they made me giggle a lot. There are some excellent unanswered questions at the end that will make you want to continue. I'm definitely reading the next one.
October 6, 2024
Cute middle grade audiobook for the October 2024 spooky season fun plans.
Narration is dual with female and male. Both main characters humorous for all ages. Sometimes my attention drifted but overall enjoyed. And of course we have the simple awesome name, CAMP MURDERFACE.
Narration is dual with female and male. Both main characters humorous for all ages. Sometimes my attention drifted but overall enjoyed. And of course we have the simple awesome name, CAMP MURDERFACE.
June 14, 2022
The book is as amazing as it’s title! Great rec for this summer to any middle schooler who likes scary and doesn’t like romance. Not as scary as Small Spaces, but an excellent story, and I love the friendship between the two main characters. I was very excited at the end to find out there is a book 2!
March 26, 2020
**An ARC of this work was provided by Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
Tez just wants to go to summer camp and be a kid that maybe doesn't have a heart condition.
Corryn just doesn't want to go to summer camp and be a kid whose parents are secretly divorcing.
Regardless, both end up at Camp Sweetwater in June 1983 but camp life very quickly becomes less than idyllic. Sure there are crafts and hikes and swimming in the freezing cold lake and ghost stories, but there is also bullying counselors, a haunted forest, a death trap of a lake, and actual ghosts. Corryn and Tez, probably opposites in their "real life," are quickly pulled together when their campmates start being possessed, voices can be heard from the campfire, and things start appearing. They work to piece the story, the real story, together: 100 years prior three girls were murdered at the camp in a crime (haunting?) that is mysteriously hushed. And it happens every twenty years.
The mystery itself as it relates to the three original missing girls is well-written and Tez and Corryn make for well-rounded characters. They are caught up in a gripping, suspenseful adventure that will leave the reader asking for more. However, more is exactly what the reader needs for this story to be complete. CAMP MURDERFACE ends abruptly without real resolution leaving many questions. For example, the events happen every 20 years, how come no one is asking questions about that? Why does no one find that suspicious? At the end, all of the campers relate that they've had mysterious happenings as well. What are they and why were they then so belligerently negligent of the main characters who were trying to convince others of mysterious events? What is the haunting at the camp and why do the adults who work there disregard it? The story, while engaging, felt incomplete without enough substance to really warrant a sequel.
Tez just wants to go to summer camp and be a kid that maybe doesn't have a heart condition.
Corryn just doesn't want to go to summer camp and be a kid whose parents are secretly divorcing.
Regardless, both end up at Camp Sweetwater in June 1983 but camp life very quickly becomes less than idyllic. Sure there are crafts and hikes and swimming in the freezing cold lake and ghost stories, but there is also bullying counselors, a haunted forest, a death trap of a lake, and actual ghosts. Corryn and Tez, probably opposites in their "real life," are quickly pulled together when their campmates start being possessed, voices can be heard from the campfire, and things start appearing. They work to piece the story, the real story, together: 100 years prior three girls were murdered at the camp in a crime (haunting?) that is mysteriously hushed. And it happens every twenty years.
The mystery itself as it relates to the three original missing girls is well-written and Tez and Corryn make for well-rounded characters. They are caught up in a gripping, suspenseful adventure that will leave the reader asking for more. However, more is exactly what the reader needs for this story to be complete. CAMP MURDERFACE ends abruptly without real resolution leaving many questions. For example, the events happen every 20 years, how come no one is asking questions about that? Why does no one find that suspicious? At the end, all of the campers relate that they've had mysterious happenings as well. What are they and why were they then so belligerently negligent of the main characters who were trying to convince others of mysterious events? What is the haunting at the camp and why do the adults who work there disregard it? The story, while engaging, felt incomplete without enough substance to really warrant a sequel.
May 19, 2020
Yeah, I'm done. DNF at 17%. 1.5 stars. My biggest problems with the book:
The vast majority of the characters are set up as cannon fodder from the very beginning. We don't learn their real names (or if we do, I've already forgotten them); instead, they get monikers from the ridiculously rude camp counselors like "Ew" and "Nostrils." And these interchangeable idiots live up to those names, having one-note personalities like "she says 'Ew' a lot" and "he likes fart jokes." If it were handled better, that could be a clever device poking fun at how expendable many characters are in slasher fiction. In this book, however, it just makes the reader disconnect from the story. It's not witty enough to pull off the joke...it's just boring. I do not care if any of these people die, and nothing so far has suggested to me that it will be bloody slasher fun to watch them die.
The counselors are inexplicably cruel and inexplicably British. I'm not even sure why that last bit bothers me so much, perhaps because it adds to the sense that the book is a lot less clever and a lot less funny than it thinks it is. It pushes the rudeness and meanness too far without actually saying anything of substance or making anybody laugh. This entire read so far has been irritating, and I can go no further.
The vast majority of the characters are set up as cannon fodder from the very beginning. We don't learn their real names (or if we do, I've already forgotten them); instead, they get monikers from the ridiculously rude camp counselors like "Ew" and "Nostrils." And these interchangeable idiots live up to those names, having one-note personalities like "she says 'Ew' a lot" and "he likes fart jokes." If it were handled better, that could be a clever device poking fun at how expendable many characters are in slasher fiction. In this book, however, it just makes the reader disconnect from the story. It's not witty enough to pull off the joke...it's just boring. I do not care if any of these people die, and nothing so far has suggested to me that it will be bloody slasher fun to watch them die.
The counselors are inexplicably cruel and inexplicably British. I'm not even sure why that last bit bothers me so much, perhaps because it adds to the sense that the book is a lot less clever and a lot less funny than it thinks it is. It pushes the rudeness and meanness too far without actually saying anything of substance or making anybody laugh. This entire read so far has been irritating, and I can go no further.
October 25, 2021
2.5 stars. The title, setting (summer camp in Ohio), and the first few chapters really drew me into this one. I was giggling at the start and liked that things were creepy for our campers Corryn and Tex right away. After this great beginning however the story became disjointed and I found myself losing interest. This takes place in the 80s but outside of a few pop culture references and phrases there wasn't much to suggest that it was the 80s or that this decade mattered to the plot. I kept reading to find out what would happen and the book ended with a cliffhanger!! I never would have kept reading if I knew it was part of a series. Overall this book was a fun concept but just didn't deliver what I wanted.
July 18, 2023
I almost passed on this one, but the evil camp has the same name as my place of work, so I had to give it a shot.
There was quite a bit here that didn’t work for me: no one sounded to me like they were from the ‘80s, and I’m not sure why it was set then unless they were trying to capture the Stranger Things audience. The humor didn’t work, I didn’t think the hint of romance between Tez and Corryn was necessary, and the ending was pretty anticlimactic for the buildup we were given.
But Tez and Corryn were fun characters, and the mystery was engaging enough that I’ll check out the sequel and hope the authors ironed out some of the wrinkles.
There was quite a bit here that didn’t work for me: no one sounded to me like they were from the ‘80s, and I’m not sure why it was set then unless they were trying to capture the Stranger Things audience. The humor didn’t work, I didn’t think the hint of romance between Tez and Corryn was necessary, and the ending was pretty anticlimactic for the buildup we were given.
But Tez and Corryn were fun characters, and the mystery was engaging enough that I’ll check out the sequel and hope the authors ironed out some of the wrinkles.
July 22, 2025
These kids are such dorks, especially Tez. But I love them, you honor!
This was more humor than horror. I didn't think I would have enjoyed this as much, but I was proven wrong. Reading this feels like I was watching the antics in a children's cartoon. Horror stories at camp are a bit of a cliché, but it was the characters that really made this story.
Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.
October 22, 2020
I know this book is written for kids, but it was just kind of boring. I was expecting it to have more action, something. I found it slow and hard to follow. I listening to the audio and found myself drifting off in thought even though the narrator was good.
August 21, 2021
I was so hopeful when I saw the cover and title for this book. It was sarcastic but just didn’t have a clean flow. Flip flopping POV between two main characters was fine but their voices ran together, and you’d have to remember who’s perspective is this?
June 27, 2024
Alright, we’re back with Camp marathon thing round 3. Last time I had to put a book on hold but now I was able to get to it. Here’s a 2020 book that I found and have been interested in. It got a sequel and has a cover from Michelle Wong of Download and Die fame. Always trust that I will note any Goosebumps connections. (Aside from the direction Stine mention on one of the blurbs, Pike too although this is middle grade so indirection Spooksville mention?)
There isn’t a ton to say so we’ll get into it. We have two authors, Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell. Josh doesn't have a ton I know, but he has a website and some mysteries. Sandra has more stuff, including some YA books and some LGBT books which seems to be the closest I’ll get to a pride month read this month lol.
Anyway, in 1983, Corryn is being sent to camp by her parents who are on the verge of divorce. She’s bitter and thinks they just want her off their backs while that is settled. She meets a boy named Tez who has heart problems and they team up to deal with a mystery that pops up. Camp Sweetwater has been shut down a few times before and it seems like there are some missing girls and some entity that is behind it. The kids look into this even if they could die trying.
This was good, somewhere between fairly and pretty good. The main strength is the bond with the kids, they work well together and both have solid personalities. We flip between their POVS which helps us get to know them well. Both are likable and do get closer as it goes on. Even a implied romance happens which is eh but thankfully not a big part.
Although it took me a bit to figure out who is who on the cover, they frankly both look like girls. The one on the left is Tez, somehow? He looks even more feminine on the sequel cover, again, somehow lol.
Anyway, the mystery aspect is basic but engaging. It has a standard formula but some pretty good scary scenes when we get to them. Nothing like super messed up but certainly effective and wild. The writing mostly works with some decent humor that makes it easy to read despite being 339 pages.
It generally flows alright and gets into some nice stuff with a mostly good ending. On the flip side, it has no reason to be so long. It takes a while to truly get going, and is simple enough that it could be just 200 or so. The ending feels a bit too open for the sequel, so I guess they signed on for one right away.
The divorce thing isn’t as important as I expected, as it mostly amounts to a quick moment of her realizing she was a bit bitch-y about the whole thing. Maybe the sequel will go more into it but it was maybe a tad wasted despite the solid setup it had.
While the narrators have a good voice, it can try too hard with the humor not always landing. It’s trying to be funny a lot of the time and while it’s charming enough, it can be a bit much. I’ve seen this happen in middle grade and it’s not the worst example but there it is.
There’s also no reason for it to be set in the 80’s. Even the “member the 80’s stuff” is fairly minimal, and they tend to talk like it’s 2020 anyway. This one’s not a big deal but it did feel a bit pointless.
I feel this just needed to be tighter and a bit more serious in places. Otherwise, it is solid. The humor is generally charming, I like the narrators and there is solid horror with decent horror. It didn’t blow my socks off but it worked fairly well and I am interested in the sequel. That will be next year though, maybe. It’ll be on the wheel at least, or I could start on it given Camp Haunted Hills is done.
Anyway, this was good at least. Side note, there are some adult jokes which are fun but contrasted with the “gosh dang it to heck” moments lol. So heading back to the wheel, it gives me a book from a series I did just one of a while back. Very curious to see how this will go.
See ya then.
There isn’t a ton to say so we’ll get into it. We have two authors, Josh Berk and Saundra Mitchell. Josh doesn't have a ton I know, but he has a website and some mysteries. Sandra has more stuff, including some YA books and some LGBT books which seems to be the closest I’ll get to a pride month read this month lol.
Anyway, in 1983, Corryn is being sent to camp by her parents who are on the verge of divorce. She’s bitter and thinks they just want her off their backs while that is settled. She meets a boy named Tez who has heart problems and they team up to deal with a mystery that pops up. Camp Sweetwater has been shut down a few times before and it seems like there are some missing girls and some entity that is behind it. The kids look into this even if they could die trying.
This was good, somewhere between fairly and pretty good. The main strength is the bond with the kids, they work well together and both have solid personalities. We flip between their POVS which helps us get to know them well. Both are likable and do get closer as it goes on. Even a implied romance happens which is eh but thankfully not a big part.
Although it took me a bit to figure out who is who on the cover, they frankly both look like girls. The one on the left is Tez, somehow? He looks even more feminine on the sequel cover, again, somehow lol.
Anyway, the mystery aspect is basic but engaging. It has a standard formula but some pretty good scary scenes when we get to them. Nothing like super messed up but certainly effective and wild. The writing mostly works with some decent humor that makes it easy to read despite being 339 pages.
It generally flows alright and gets into some nice stuff with a mostly good ending. On the flip side, it has no reason to be so long. It takes a while to truly get going, and is simple enough that it could be just 200 or so. The ending feels a bit too open for the sequel, so I guess they signed on for one right away.
The divorce thing isn’t as important as I expected, as it mostly amounts to a quick moment of her realizing she was a bit bitch-y about the whole thing. Maybe the sequel will go more into it but it was maybe a tad wasted despite the solid setup it had.
While the narrators have a good voice, it can try too hard with the humor not always landing. It’s trying to be funny a lot of the time and while it’s charming enough, it can be a bit much. I’ve seen this happen in middle grade and it’s not the worst example but there it is.
There’s also no reason for it to be set in the 80’s. Even the “member the 80’s stuff” is fairly minimal, and they tend to talk like it’s 2020 anyway. This one’s not a big deal but it did feel a bit pointless.
I feel this just needed to be tighter and a bit more serious in places. Otherwise, it is solid. The humor is generally charming, I like the narrators and there is solid horror with decent horror. It didn’t blow my socks off but it worked fairly well and I am interested in the sequel. That will be next year though, maybe. It’ll be on the wheel at least, or I could start on it given Camp Haunted Hills is done.
Anyway, this was good at least. Side note, there are some adult jokes which are fun but contrasted with the “gosh dang it to heck” moments lol. So heading back to the wheel, it gives me a book from a series I did just one of a while back. Very curious to see how this will go.
See ya then.
June 13, 2020
Creepy Haunted Summer Camp, and Engaging Characters
I'm sure you've read a fair number of haunted summer camp stories; there are some fine ones out there. But this is my new favorite middle grade version, by a wide margin. It has a gripping ghost story and two marvelous, endearing, and feisty heroes.
As to the ghost story, we get a cursed lake that seems to require a camper feeding every twenty years. Ghosts of victims going all the way back to 1883 appear to our heroes seeking revenge and peace. So, we get ghosts who want their secrets revealed and an eldritch evil presence that wants those secrets kept secret, and also wants a snack. The author keeps the creepy vibe going with lots of little dark effects and quite a few very nicely written horror set pieces. The pace is fast and the horror volume keeps being turned up until the final denouement. There's nothing really "new" going on, but the book touches all of the classic bases with style.
But that's not the main attraction. The big appeal is our two main campers - Tez and Corryn. Tez is a nerdy, slightly pedantic sort of guy, with a heart condition he'd like to keep secret, and, initially, a shy and timid personality. Corryn is a big presence, with a fair amount of attitude, a big personality, and divorcing parents back home. The two of them end up together, initially, because they seem to be the two campers to whom the ghosts are drawn. As Tez and Corryn team up to solve the camp mystery and then fight the evil presence we see a true friendship develop. This has a touch of puppy romance, with a hug or two and some hand holding, but the real treat is the relationship the two kids build during the course of the adventure. Their understanding of each other, their affection for each other, and their desire to protect and defend each other, is authentic, touching, and remarkably upbeat.
It helps that they are both bright, articulate, and very funny. The book is written in alternating chapters as narrated by each kid, so we get a lot of their thinking and personality. Both have dry and slightly deadpan senses of humor, although Tez leans toward the understated and orderly and Corryn is a little more in your face. Each narrator makes passing comments about the other, so you actually get to watch their relationship grow and deepen. Of course they talk to each other a lot, and those conversations are witty and surprisingly insightful and perceptive. These are smart, observant, and very self-aware kids; each grows up a lot during the adventure, and that would be rewarding and entertaining with or without a ghost story frame.
So, this was just much more than I expected, and it's certainly more than just a generic campfire ghost story. Coming of age, growing up, buddy comedy - however you want to peg it, this was fun and an unexpected delight.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
I'm sure you've read a fair number of haunted summer camp stories; there are some fine ones out there. But this is my new favorite middle grade version, by a wide margin. It has a gripping ghost story and two marvelous, endearing, and feisty heroes.
As to the ghost story, we get a cursed lake that seems to require a camper feeding every twenty years. Ghosts of victims going all the way back to 1883 appear to our heroes seeking revenge and peace. So, we get ghosts who want their secrets revealed and an eldritch evil presence that wants those secrets kept secret, and also wants a snack. The author keeps the creepy vibe going with lots of little dark effects and quite a few very nicely written horror set pieces. The pace is fast and the horror volume keeps being turned up until the final denouement. There's nothing really "new" going on, but the book touches all of the classic bases with style.
But that's not the main attraction. The big appeal is our two main campers - Tez and Corryn. Tez is a nerdy, slightly pedantic sort of guy, with a heart condition he'd like to keep secret, and, initially, a shy and timid personality. Corryn is a big presence, with a fair amount of attitude, a big personality, and divorcing parents back home. The two of them end up together, initially, because they seem to be the two campers to whom the ghosts are drawn. As Tez and Corryn team up to solve the camp mystery and then fight the evil presence we see a true friendship develop. This has a touch of puppy romance, with a hug or two and some hand holding, but the real treat is the relationship the two kids build during the course of the adventure. Their understanding of each other, their affection for each other, and their desire to protect and defend each other, is authentic, touching, and remarkably upbeat.
It helps that they are both bright, articulate, and very funny. The book is written in alternating chapters as narrated by each kid, so we get a lot of their thinking and personality. Both have dry and slightly deadpan senses of humor, although Tez leans toward the understated and orderly and Corryn is a little more in your face. Each narrator makes passing comments about the other, so you actually get to watch their relationship grow and deepen. Of course they talk to each other a lot, and those conversations are witty and surprisingly insightful and perceptive. These are smart, observant, and very self-aware kids; each grows up a lot during the adventure, and that would be rewarding and entertaining with or without a ghost story frame.
So, this was just much more than I expected, and it's certainly more than just a generic campfire ghost story. Coming of age, growing up, buddy comedy - however you want to peg it, this was fun and an unexpected delight.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
September 16, 2020
CAMP MURDERFACE by Josh Berk & Saundra Mitchell is not my idea of a good time. I read this book out of love for my students as a subset of them is always looking for a good horror novel and I am a Christian school librarian and want to be mindful of what I put into the school library. CAMP MURDERFACE has EVERYTHING (and I mean everything) in it: possessed campers, possessed camp nurse, a flood of insects pouring towards you wanting to consume you, possessed inanimate objects that try to kill you, creepy library books trying to bash in your head, a scary shower scene, creatures trying to drag you down to drown you in the lake, a pit full of human bones, possibly demonic creatures, and so forth. My goodness! I had to do a lot of skimming of this book since it was too scary for me! That being said this is published for 8 - 12 year olds so I guess I scare easily? I think I would put this solidly in middle school though as some of the campers tease the main characters as being together and clandestinely kissing (which they don't actually do). There's also a joke about Intercourse, PA (which is obviously hilarious when you are in middle school) and a scene where they run into some high schoolers who are drinking in the woods. It's a first in a series so if you like creepy middle school stories pick this one up!
Content Notes:
Sex? No, but contains a few wink wink moments. People assume Corryn and Tez are sneaking out to smooch but they aren't. Mary and Gavin are but it's not described in detail. One reference to the town of Intercourse.
Profanity/Swearing? A couple instance of British swearing (specifically: bloody)
Religious elements? There are ghost, spirits, and spirit possession (4 instances of that)
LGBTQ rep? Not specified
Content Notes:
Sex? No, but contains a few wink wink moments. People assume Corryn and Tez are sneaking out to smooch but they aren't. Mary and Gavin are but it's not described in detail. One reference to the town of Intercourse.
Profanity/Swearing? A couple instance of British swearing (specifically: bloody)
Religious elements? There are ghost, spirits, and spirit possession (4 instances of that)
LGBTQ rep? Not specified
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2020
This was such a fun jaunt of a read!! Honestly, when I ordered this book for work, I was skeptical because of the name though it got good reviews. The way the title comes into play in the plot is hilarious and generally this book was funny and entertaining AND properly scary! The setting of a camp in 1983 was fun and I think would make for an interesting joint read of parents who grew up during that time and their kids. There were some pop culture references from that time that made me laugh and the colloquial phrases were worked in nicely, too. There was so much packed into this book that I couldn't wait to find out what happened next! At one point I was reading it before I went to bed and definitely felt a bit spooked, so the writing of horror was spot on. I also thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Tez and Corryn, which the two authors just *chef's kiss* were brilliant at. The characters complemented each other well! Finally, I was a little let down by the ending, but I wonder if that's because I'm used to a huge crescendo of action and magic and shiz going down in books set in today's time, so it was interesting that finding justice with the police for the missing girls was the ending (plus the brother knowing his sister could rest peacefully). I wish there was another book in the series because the evil was definitely still there.
October 29, 2022
I really struggled to get through this one.
Two kids are sent to summer camp to get out of drastically different family situations. soon they learn the camp is haunted and they become determined to find out what is going on.
Thought the beginning is packed with exaggerated humor and fun characters, the middle and end aren't very satisfying. Tez and Corryn are lovable characters but their story is confusing and didn't resonate with me. The scares aren't as heightened as they could be. The side characters have a ton of potential but are quickly lost in the story. All the side characters are given weird nicknames by the camp counselors, which made them very confusing for me.
Nothing really gets resolved in this book. The mystery elements are pretty bland and the end is super quick and forgettable. There was a lot of room for tension, especially with Tez's medical condition and Corryn's urges to run away from grief, but the authors didn't take advantage of them.
This is a "meh" read. Younger middle schoolers might enjoy the main characters and the crude humor but there really isn't anything here for older kids.
Two kids are sent to summer camp to get out of drastically different family situations. soon they learn the camp is haunted and they become determined to find out what is going on.
Thought the beginning is packed with exaggerated humor and fun characters, the middle and end aren't very satisfying. Tez and Corryn are lovable characters but their story is confusing and didn't resonate with me. The scares aren't as heightened as they could be. The side characters have a ton of potential but are quickly lost in the story. All the side characters are given weird nicknames by the camp counselors, which made them very confusing for me.
Nothing really gets resolved in this book. The mystery elements are pretty bland and the end is super quick and forgettable. There was a lot of room for tension, especially with Tez's medical condition and Corryn's urges to run away from grief, but the authors didn't take advantage of them.
This is a "meh" read. Younger middle schoolers might enjoy the main characters and the crude humor but there really isn't anything here for older kids.
May 24, 2020
This feels like the first book in a series (I hope so!) Creepy, spooky summer camp...what else does a horror book need?
Corryn's parents have sent her off to summer camp at Camp Sweetwater, and she is sure they are getting her out of the way so they can get a divorce over the summer. As they meet to load up on the buses, she meets her weird, rude camp counselor who came from England to work her (I think because she can't get a job there). Tez has a medical condition and wanted to come to summer camp to be "normal" where no one will baby him and no one knows his condition. They find a friend in each other and then weirdness starts. The camp has a history of people going missing, the lifeguard looks like an old geezer who was around a long time ago, and they see three girl spirits in a fire. As they delve into some research about the camp they start to piece together the history and where the missing people are, but the entity is still there leaving it open for book (Please!)
Corryn's parents have sent her off to summer camp at Camp Sweetwater, and she is sure they are getting her out of the way so they can get a divorce over the summer. As they meet to load up on the buses, she meets her weird, rude camp counselor who came from England to work her (I think because she can't get a job there). Tez has a medical condition and wanted to come to summer camp to be "normal" where no one will baby him and no one knows his condition. They find a friend in each other and then weirdness starts. The camp has a history of people going missing, the lifeguard looks like an old geezer who was around a long time ago, and they see three girl spirits in a fire. As they delve into some research about the camp they start to piece together the history and where the missing people are, but the entity is still there leaving it open for book (Please!)
August 19, 2021
This book seems like it is going to be good, but ended up not being as exciting at the cover art or the name gives off.. I mean it's called Camp Murderface, so it sounds like it's going to be good. It's not.
While I enjoy Corryn, it's Tex that ruins any interest I had in the story. Tex is supposed to be a socially awkward nerd, but his know it all behavior and tone really made me dislike him. Yes, I get there are tweens like this, but it's hard to root for someone this annoying.
Also, the biggest part that made this book unlikable was the scene in Chapter 4 where Bowl Cut asks what the ethnicity the other boys in the cabin are. I understand it is set in 1983, but it doesn't excuse using such a racist method to introduce the "diversity" of the other characters. This is not how you do it, and honestly for a book published in 2020 for tweens you think the authors would be aware of this. Honestly don't bother telling us what the character's backgrounds are if you're not going to do it in a nonracist manner.
While I enjoy Corryn, it's Tex that ruins any interest I had in the story. Tex is supposed to be a socially awkward nerd, but his know it all behavior and tone really made me dislike him. Yes, I get there are tweens like this, but it's hard to root for someone this annoying.
Also, the biggest part that made this book unlikable was the scene in Chapter 4 where Bowl Cut asks what the ethnicity the other boys in the cabin are. I understand it is set in 1983, but it doesn't excuse using such a racist method to introduce the "diversity" of the other characters. This is not how you do it, and honestly for a book published in 2020 for tweens you think the authors would be aware of this. Honestly don't bother telling us what the character's backgrounds are if you're not going to do it in a nonracist manner.
May 9, 2020
A fun and spooky tale about a haunted summer camp in Ohio. The year is 1983, and Corryn and Tez arrive at Camp Sweetwater ready to forget about their disappointing everyday lives. A series of strange events prompt the two to investigate the macabre history of the camp and the century-old disappearance of three campers. Tez and Corryn make a good team, and plenty of teasing and 80s slang make their dialogue snappy and entertaining. The paranormal elements are spine-tingling and not too scary. The ending is rather abrupt and not entirely satisfying, but it does set the stage for a sequel. Bonuses: Tez and Corryn's visit the local library to research the camp, and their exploration of the haunted camp library!
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