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How to Survive Camping #1
The Man With No Shadow
This book is the collected edition of a series of posts from Reddit’s r/nosleep subreddit, containing the first major storyline of “How to Survive Camping”. It is largely unaltered, with only minor edits for readability in print form.
Every year, campground manager Kate sends out a pamphlet titled “How to Survive Your Camping Experience.” In it is a list of rules to help campers have an enjoyable experience and hopefully survive any encounters with the campground’s… other… inhabitants.
This has produced lackluster results and so Kate begins posting her experiences online so that people will understand why it is so important to drink from the skull cup or to not follow the lights. However, what begins as merely stories about her campground quickly becomes a struggle for Kate to maintain control of her land against the schemes of one of the campground’s residents - the man with no shadow.
Every year, campground manager Kate sends out a pamphlet titled “How to Survive Your Camping Experience.” In it is a list of rules to help campers have an enjoyable experience and hopefully survive any encounters with the campground’s… other… inhabitants.
This has produced lackluster results and so Kate begins posting her experiences online so that people will understand why it is so important to drink from the skull cup or to not follow the lights. However, what begins as merely stories about her campground quickly becomes a struggle for Kate to maintain control of her land against the schemes of one of the campground’s residents - the man with no shadow.
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2019
467 people are currently reading
10010 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Quinn
9 books185 followersI am a Senior Software Developer and author. I'm active in the Reddit r/NoSleep community and wrote the popular "How to Survive Camping" series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 425 reviews
April 19, 2025
Great read! I'm surprised by how fast I was invested in this book.
It's a solid story with good writing. I got vibes of Tales of the Gas Station, but more coherent, and first season of Supernatural with all the monsters, gritty fights, and the refusal of the main character to surrender.
I wished the secondary characters were more developed, but I loved the lore and the humour.
Thank you Saga Press for this ARC!
It's a solid story with good writing. I got vibes of Tales of the Gas Station, but more coherent, and first season of Supernatural with all the monsters, gritty fights, and the refusal of the main character to surrender.
I wished the secondary characters were more developed, but I loved the lore and the humour.
Thank you Saga Press for this ARC!
August 4, 2025
Title/Author: How to Survive Camping | The Man with No Shadow by Bonnie Quinn
Pub date: August 5th, 2025
Publisher: SAGA Press
Page Count: 320
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978166809...
Format Read: NetGalley eBook
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
*Campy, darkly humorous
*Folklore & legend/Campfire tales
*Unusual story formats
*Summer Camp vibes/Summer vacations
*No/Sleep reddit forums/creepypasta turned into books (Like PenPal)
*A series of books
__
Minor complaints:
*Due to the nature of this book's origins as a sub-reddit, the format is a little disjointed. The first half and the backend don't really feel like the same book.
*Marketed as "cozy horror" I was expecting cozy/ dark cottagecore vibes like Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher but what I think fits as a marketing label a little better is cottageGORE--the distinction is important. This is on brand with Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees and not like Bloom by Delilah Dawson
*The main character, Kate, has a lot of great attribute--the dry humor, strong & capable but I didn't connect with her. I think this series is more about the plot/gimmicky storytelling style (reddit hooks) than character development and emotional investment--therefore, it's not really for me and I likely won't continue with the series--even though this is a lot of fun and I will be recommending it to the right audience
Pub date: August 5th, 2025
Publisher: SAGA Press
Page Count: 320
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978166809...
Format Read: NetGalley eBook
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
*Campy, darkly humorous
*Folklore & legend/Campfire tales
*Unusual story formats
*Summer Camp vibes/Summer vacations
*No/Sleep reddit forums/creepypasta turned into books (Like PenPal)
*A series of books
__
Minor complaints:
*Due to the nature of this book's origins as a sub-reddit, the format is a little disjointed. The first half and the backend don't really feel like the same book.
*Marketed as "cozy horror" I was expecting cozy/ dark cottagecore vibes like Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher but what I think fits as a marketing label a little better is cottageGORE--the distinction is important. This is on brand with Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees and not like Bloom by Delilah Dawson
*The main character, Kate, has a lot of great attribute--the dry humor, strong & capable but I didn't connect with her. I think this series is more about the plot/gimmicky storytelling style (reddit hooks) than character development and emotional investment--therefore, it's not really for me and I likely won't continue with the series--even though this is a lot of fun and I will be recommending it to the right audience
August 2, 2025
This book originally started in the form of a story on the NoSleep subreddit. I have stayed far away from that subreddit, mainly because I like to sleep, and I like to have pleasant dreams while I sleep. So the first time I heard about this story was on NetGalley, and I was intrigued enough to request an early copy.
Friends, this book is strange. It seems campy (get it?) at first, and then horrific things happen like it’s all in a day’s work. So horrifying that you do a double take at what you just read. There are scenes in here that are nightmare fuel, and I definitely do not recommend it for children under 12, and probably more like 14. However, maybe the kids these days can handle more gore than I ever could, so YMMV.
Kate is the campground manager for a very unusual plot of land that has been in her family for generations. It turns out that when land has been passed down by the same family for a long time, certain…beings are attracted to it. These beings can be good, neutral or profoundly evil. Some of them like to play pranks, and some of them are really, REALLY hungry. Still, the campground brings in a ton of money to the nearby town, so most locals can be persuaded to look the other way if a few campers disappear.
It’s not like they haven’t been warned.
Kate has a list of rules that each camper must read before coming. They must follow her instructions implicitly.
It’s not her fault if some don’t take the rules seriously.
Is it?
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
I see that the author has more stories up her sleeve, and I’ll be curious to see what she comes up with next!
Friends, this book is strange. It seems campy (get it?) at first, and then horrific things happen like it’s all in a day’s work. So horrifying that you do a double take at what you just read. There are scenes in here that are nightmare fuel, and I definitely do not recommend it for children under 12, and probably more like 14. However, maybe the kids these days can handle more gore than I ever could, so YMMV.
Kate is the campground manager for a very unusual plot of land that has been in her family for generations. It turns out that when land has been passed down by the same family for a long time, certain…beings are attracted to it. These beings can be good, neutral or profoundly evil. Some of them like to play pranks, and some of them are really, REALLY hungry. Still, the campground brings in a ton of money to the nearby town, so most locals can be persuaded to look the other way if a few campers disappear.
It’s not like they haven’t been warned.
Kate has a list of rules that each camper must read before coming. They must follow her instructions implicitly.
It’s not her fault if some don’t take the rules seriously.
Is it?
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
I see that the author has more stories up her sleeve, and I’ll be curious to see what she comes up with next!
April 6, 2021
What an incredible book. I adore the ‘ordinary people unphased by monsters’ setting of the campground- how it was seen as the part of the old daily grind by Kate and the staff. Very strong Night Vale vibes!
Her descriptions are incredibly visceral- “it’s laugh sounded like branches breaking in winter ice”- and sent shivers down my spine more than once, but never cross the line into purple prose. It allowed me to vividly imagine all the creatures and scenes in my head even though I’m normally pretty bad at visualising.
I love Kate as a character, how she’s an anti-hero and ruthlessly utilitarian on occasion but compassionate at the same time. Her witty, dry tone as she narrates it really gives the book it’s own distinct voice.
And I love the creatures. Some are inspired by legends of old and some are completely new, all with their own different rules. I love how it wasn’t always the creatures that were the monsters- humans can be just as evil too.
Maybe it’s because of the niche genre but I found no tropes. No annoying love triangles, no stupid weak woman main character who is a damsel in distress. The MC could actually be completely genderless and isn’t named until halfway through the book. Furthermore, there were no cliches or tropes whatsoever because the book is 100% original and entirely unpredictable- although the author leaves us clues to guess what the various antagonists are plotting, she still managed to surprise me with all the reveals and how everything ties together, with small details in the first chapters becoming relevant in the last ones. Absolutely incredible, I wish I could wipe my mind and read it again for the first time.
Her descriptions are incredibly visceral- “it’s laugh sounded like branches breaking in winter ice”- and sent shivers down my spine more than once, but never cross the line into purple prose. It allowed me to vividly imagine all the creatures and scenes in my head even though I’m normally pretty bad at visualising.
I love Kate as a character, how she’s an anti-hero and ruthlessly utilitarian on occasion but compassionate at the same time. Her witty, dry tone as she narrates it really gives the book it’s own distinct voice.
And I love the creatures. Some are inspired by legends of old and some are completely new, all with their own different rules. I love how it wasn’t always the creatures that were the monsters- humans can be just as evil too.
Maybe it’s because of the niche genre but I found no tropes. No annoying love triangles, no stupid weak woman main character who is a damsel in distress. The MC could actually be completely genderless and isn’t named until halfway through the book. Furthermore, there were no cliches or tropes whatsoever because the book is 100% original and entirely unpredictable- although the author leaves us clues to guess what the various antagonists are plotting, she still managed to surprise me with all the reveals and how everything ties together, with small details in the first chapters becoming relevant in the last ones. Absolutely incredible, I wish I could wipe my mind and read it again for the first time.
June 6, 2025
I read and loved 'Welcome to Night Vale,' so I was super excited to get my hands on this. If you love that unique atmosphere, you'll love this too. This was originally a NoSleep series on Reddit, but I never read it until now.
This story focuses on monsters, cyptids, the campground that houses them, and Kate, its caretaker. The writing was superb. The descriptions sucked me right in. And the characterization (human and non-human) was captivating.
This story focuses on monsters, cyptids, the campground that houses them, and Kate, its caretaker. The writing was superb. The descriptions sucked me right in. And the characterization (human and non-human) was captivating.
June 17, 2025
**My thanks to Saga Press for providing me with an advanced review copy via NetGalley**
2.5 stars
I was hesitant to pick up a book that so proudly advertises it was adapted from a Reddit story, but I figured there are good ideas out there and a professional publisher may well have polished it into a gem. But unfortunately, the story and characterization still read like unedited serial internet fiction. It’s not terrible, it’s just not to my taste.
I liked the idea of framing the story as an explanation of/story behind the “rules” of a haunted campground, but that device felt clunky, as though it was as much confining the writer’s storytelling as providing an ‘excuse’ for the writing. I don’t think in novel format the story needed to justify itself as much as it had as a Reddit post, and that need for justification held the story back. I’d have liked it better if Kate, the protagonist, spent more time on ‘normal’ (for haunted land) campground maintenance, instead of getting so quickly drawn into the mega-plot threat of the Man With No Shadow.
I felt ambivalent toward Kate as a character. As other commenters have said, she’s a morally grey asexual icon; however, I didn’t find her all that fun to hang out with. She constantly emphasizes the need for her campground rules and her lack of sympathy for those who court death by taking those rules lightly, but she herself routinely fumbles the ball dealing with the supernatural creatures that haunt her land, and only seems to survive due to the magic of plot convenience. She is routinely rescued by less-evil entities who seem meta-aware that they won’t get to feature in the story if they can’t keep the protagonist breathing for long enough to write about it. Her “morally grey” character also didn’t feel particularly well executed to me; her willingness to engage in violence against both ghouls and other humans who supposedly threaten her town seemed more designed to shock the reader than actually further the story or develop her character, which felt like a holdover from the original Reddit post format of the story.
I’m more into creeping dread than shock value horror, and so this book didn’t make much of an impact on me. It’s written in a way that makes it easy to read through quickly, but it lost my attention over time, and if Bonnie Quinn publishes more books in this world (as the book’s title and ending seem to tease) I will not be picking them up.
2.5 stars
I was hesitant to pick up a book that so proudly advertises it was adapted from a Reddit story, but I figured there are good ideas out there and a professional publisher may well have polished it into a gem. But unfortunately, the story and characterization still read like unedited serial internet fiction. It’s not terrible, it’s just not to my taste.
I liked the idea of framing the story as an explanation of/story behind the “rules” of a haunted campground, but that device felt clunky, as though it was as much confining the writer’s storytelling as providing an ‘excuse’ for the writing. I don’t think in novel format the story needed to justify itself as much as it had as a Reddit post, and that need for justification held the story back. I’d have liked it better if Kate, the protagonist, spent more time on ‘normal’ (for haunted land) campground maintenance, instead of getting so quickly drawn into the mega-plot threat of the Man With No Shadow.
I felt ambivalent toward Kate as a character. As other commenters have said, she’s a morally grey asexual icon; however, I didn’t find her all that fun to hang out with. She constantly emphasizes the need for her campground rules and her lack of sympathy for those who court death by taking those rules lightly, but she herself routinely fumbles the ball dealing with the supernatural creatures that haunt her land, and only seems to survive due to the magic of plot convenience. She is routinely rescued by less-evil entities who seem meta-aware that they won’t get to feature in the story if they can’t keep the protagonist breathing for long enough to write about it. Her “morally grey” character also didn’t feel particularly well executed to me; her willingness to engage in violence against both ghouls and other humans who supposedly threaten her town seemed more designed to shock the reader than actually further the story or develop her character, which felt like a holdover from the original Reddit post format of the story.
I’m more into creeping dread than shock value horror, and so this book didn’t make much of an impact on me. It’s written in a way that makes it easy to read through quickly, but it lost my attention over time, and if Bonnie Quinn publishes more books in this world (as the book’s title and ending seem to tease) I will not be picking them up.
September 7, 2025
This is the fondest of 3 stars. I enjoyed reading this - it was quick, light, and undemanding, with the perfect balance of camp and punchier horror elements. I was afraid it would be too “cozy,” but it definitely wasn’t. I really enjoyed the humor and the folkloric horror, which blends real-world traditions with some entirely original lore and creatures in a really fun way.
The problem is I am familiar with all the relevant texts (Supernatural, Welcome to Night Vale, the no sleep subreddit) and this is just simply not doing anything new. Reading it felt nostalgic and pleasant, but never blew me away. (Although I admittedly immediately began searching for the next one when I finished, and I will read it ASAP when I can.)
I see a ton of potential in this world and these characters - it’s a fun sandbox to play in, and I want to see it pushed and explored more.
And yes, I hallucinated a romance subplot that wasn’t really there. I love them. Let me be delusional.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!
The problem is I am familiar with all the relevant texts (Supernatural, Welcome to Night Vale, the no sleep subreddit) and this is just simply not doing anything new. Reading it felt nostalgic and pleasant, but never blew me away. (Although I admittedly immediately began searching for the next one when I finished, and I will read it ASAP when I can.)
I see a ton of potential in this world and these characters - it’s a fun sandbox to play in, and I want to see it pushed and explored more.
And yes, I hallucinated a romance subplot that wasn’t really there. I love them. Let me be delusional.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC!
April 16, 2025
I don't know why but I had a blast reading this. This was originally a story on r/nosleep but I hadn't seen anything about it prior to reading this. Reminded me a lot of SCP but set in a campground lol very reminiscent of older horror stories from around the internet.
It was surreal, funny, and campy (pun intended). A perfect horror palate cleanser with a lot of cool creature designs inspired by folk legends and a mystery that's interesting and engaging. This really feels like a labor of love, and it's evident through each character and each creature that we encounter.
My only major complaint is that some of the chapters dragged on for too long. I definitely think some of the human characters could've been cut for brevity's sake, as well as some of the shorter stories that didn't really matter in the long run.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
*Thank you Netgalley and Saga press for providing me an ARC copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
It was surreal, funny, and campy (pun intended). A perfect horror palate cleanser with a lot of cool creature designs inspired by folk legends and a mystery that's interesting and engaging. This really feels like a labor of love, and it's evident through each character and each creature that we encounter.
My only major complaint is that some of the chapters dragged on for too long. I definitely think some of the human characters could've been cut for brevity's sake, as well as some of the shorter stories that didn't really matter in the long run.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
*Thank you Netgalley and Saga press for providing me an ARC copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
October 22, 2025
I need book two immediately!
This was SO DAMN GOOD!!!
This was SO DAMN GOOD!!!
August 29, 2025
*audio
For my 80s-90s horror loving kids, the kids who fell in love with reading because of R. L. Stine, Christopher Pile and Alvin Schwartz; for horror movie lovers of Goosebumps, Sleepaway Camp (setting only - no slasher running amuck), Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, Twin Peaks, Tales From The Darkside and Creepshow; and for the younger crew folklore & creepy pasta lovers….this one is for you.
This one is campy, cozy & creative. It’s honestly a perfect book for long car rides with the family (although there are some curse words) if your family loves creepy stuff, inclined creepy wagon toting kids selling ice and monsters.
I just thought it was so much fun. I’m glad it’s a series. With these cooler temps rolling in it’s got me in the mood for all things Fall….most importantly HALLOWEEN!!!!
I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I did.
For my 80s-90s horror loving kids, the kids who fell in love with reading because of R. L. Stine, Christopher Pile and Alvin Schwartz; for horror movie lovers of Goosebumps, Sleepaway Camp (setting only - no slasher running amuck), Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, Twin Peaks, Tales From The Darkside and Creepshow; and for the younger crew folklore & creepy pasta lovers….this one is for you.
This one is campy, cozy & creative. It’s honestly a perfect book for long car rides with the family (although there are some curse words) if your family loves creepy stuff, inclined creepy wagon toting kids selling ice and monsters.
I just thought it was so much fun. I’m glad it’s a series. With these cooler temps rolling in it’s got me in the mood for all things Fall….most importantly HALLOWEEN!!!!
I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I did.
August 9, 2025
How to Survive Camping was a fun, fast-
paced read with an intriguing premise and
some genuinely clever moments. I enjoyed
the mix of creepy campfire vibes, dark
humor, and supernatural mystery.
It definitely kept me turning the pages.
That said, it didn’t completely hook me on an emotional level. While the premise was unique, I found myself wanting deeper character development and a bit more payoff on some of the suspense. Still, it’s a creative take on a camp horror story and worth checking out if you enjoy light horror with a quirky twist.
OverallI had a fun time with this book and really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
paced read with an intriguing premise and
some genuinely clever moments. I enjoyed
the mix of creepy campfire vibes, dark
humor, and supernatural mystery.
It definitely kept me turning the pages.
That said, it didn’t completely hook me on an emotional level. While the premise was unique, I found myself wanting deeper character development and a bit more payoff on some of the suspense. Still, it’s a creative take on a camp horror story and worth checking out if you enjoy light horror with a quirky twist.
OverallI had a fun time with this book and really enjoyed it from beginning to end.
October 22, 2025
Not going to lie, I’d definitely camp at Goat Valley! It sounds insane, but all the scary characters would definitely spice up the outdoor experience!
I enjoyed the majority of this story, although Kate, the MC, was hard to like at times. I also wish there was a bit more background info on some of the creatures, I kept getting confused about who killed her dad, and also what was in the heart chamber (a different entity?), etc.
Not 100% sure if I’m going to continue the series at this point.
I enjoyed the majority of this story, although Kate, the MC, was hard to like at times. I also wish there was a bit more background info on some of the creatures, I kept getting confused about who killed her dad, and also what was in the heart chamber (a different entity?), etc.
Not 100% sure if I’m going to continue the series at this point.
August 14, 2025
When I received an invitation to review this book, I nearly ignored it because I saw mention of "cozy horror" in the description. I don't do cozy. Having never heard of this author and knowing only that she writes on reddit also gave me pause. Then I said to myself, don't be such a horror snob, you could at least read a few pages before you decide whether to continue or not. I'm glad I did. A few pages were all I needed to get pulled in to this wild, woodsy campground where supernatural creatures will get you if you do not follow the rules.
"There are some benefits to being an early riser. Solitude. Seeing the sun rise. Finding the human torso lying in the middle of the road before anyone else."
Kate is the current manager and will likely remain so until she dies a horrific death like her parents did and generations before them. The rules are many, and the consequences for breaking them are dire. If the monsters in the woods don't eat you, Kate is not above killing you herself, all for the good of the town, of course.
There are beings I recognized from folklore, like the dancing fairies and the Yule Cat who will tear you to shreds if you don't get new clothes for Christmas, and many that are more unfamiliar and terrifying than that.
Maybe my understanding of cozy has been skewed? I assumed it meant happy endings, a bit of mystery and romance, with mild, low-intensity scares.
I'm not sure that finding body parts or a decapitated head on a stake qualifies as cozy, and that was fine with me!
Told from Kate's point of view with humor and sarcastic wit, this is the most fun I've ever had being scared of camping. If this is cozy, count me in.
My thanks to Saga Press for the e-ARC
"There are some benefits to being an early riser. Solitude. Seeing the sun rise. Finding the human torso lying in the middle of the road before anyone else."
Kate is the current manager and will likely remain so until she dies a horrific death like her parents did and generations before them. The rules are many, and the consequences for breaking them are dire. If the monsters in the woods don't eat you, Kate is not above killing you herself, all for the good of the town, of course.
There are beings I recognized from folklore, like the dancing fairies and the Yule Cat who will tear you to shreds if you don't get new clothes for Christmas, and many that are more unfamiliar and terrifying than that.
Maybe my understanding of cozy has been skewed? I assumed it meant happy endings, a bit of mystery and romance, with mild, low-intensity scares.
I'm not sure that finding body parts or a decapitated head on a stake qualifies as cozy, and that was fine with me!
Told from Kate's point of view with humor and sarcastic wit, this is the most fun I've ever had being scared of camping. If this is cozy, count me in.
My thanks to Saga Press for the e-ARC
August 20, 2025
A lady in charge of a cursed campsite takes care of various creatures before they take care of the campers. There's a whole set of rules they're supposed to follow, but generally don't. A little too much Linda Hamilton in T2, really.
August 26, 2025
I absolutely DEVOURED this book.
I knew from the moment I saw this at my bookstore that I wanted to read it and I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations. The FMC is funny and the absurdity of reality mixed with the deadly fantasy of monsters being a casual and normal occurrence in this world was just so intensely funny to me.
If you're looking for horror with humour, but also with a great cast of characters that had vast amounts of personality, then I think you'd like this.
I don't know, but the concept of there being a popular campground that is stalked by magical creatures sounds like such a good time and Quinn 100% delivers with her book. I can't wait to read her next one!
Happy reading!
I knew from the moment I saw this at my bookstore that I wanted to read it and I'm so glad it lived up to my expectations. The FMC is funny and the absurdity of reality mixed with the deadly fantasy of monsters being a casual and normal occurrence in this world was just so intensely funny to me.
If you're looking for horror with humour, but also with a great cast of characters that had vast amounts of personality, then I think you'd like this.
I don't know, but the concept of there being a popular campground that is stalked by magical creatures sounds like such a good time and Quinn 100% delivers with her book. I can't wait to read her next one!
Happy reading!
June 1, 2025
This story was unexpected fun. It has all the charm of a Nightvale-type story while still holding its own. Looking forward to a re-read when the book releases and even more to the rest of the series!
October 7, 2025
I usually don’t read horror because I’m a bit of a scaredy cat but I decided to try this one because it seemed like a cool concept. I loved it, it was humorous and fun and wholesome. A perfect spooky read!
August 8, 2025
“I don’t have a list of rules because I’m trying to ruin your fun. I have a list because I’m trying to keep you from coming back to camp and finding your tent collapsed and full of rainwater and having no dry clothes or place to sleep. I’m trying to keep you from spending half of your precious vacation setting up tents because you didn’t plan where everything would go in advance. And I’m trying to keep you from doing small, simple things that could result in a horrific and most assuredly agonizing demise.”
How To Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow is a fun, fast-paced read. The first few chapters feel like individual short stories, which I believe is how they were originally posted to reddit, but by the end the narrative comes together into a well-defined story. When I saw the Goodreads’ description of this book claiming that it was a campy and cozy horror novel that is perfect for fans of Welcome to Nightvale, I knew I had to pick it up. This was fun and campy, but I didn’t get cozy vibes from it – the story is actually quite violent and gory. However, there were some lighthearted moments, dark humor, and the descriptions of some of the monsters could be absurd.
The main character, Kate, was difficult to like and she was the main reason I didn’t love this book. However, her character growth was absolutely incredible, and I enjoyed reading from her perspective much more by the final chapter. I also really enjoyed reading about all of the different campground monsters and I feel connected to a few of them – I look forward to picking up the next book in this series when it comes out to see what hijinks occur during the next camping season!
Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this novel.
How To Survive Camping: The Man With No Shadow is a fun, fast-paced read. The first few chapters feel like individual short stories, which I believe is how they were originally posted to reddit, but by the end the narrative comes together into a well-defined story. When I saw the Goodreads’ description of this book claiming that it was a campy and cozy horror novel that is perfect for fans of Welcome to Nightvale, I knew I had to pick it up. This was fun and campy, but I didn’t get cozy vibes from it – the story is actually quite violent and gory. However, there were some lighthearted moments, dark humor, and the descriptions of some of the monsters could be absurd.
The main character, Kate, was difficult to like and she was the main reason I didn’t love this book. However, her character growth was absolutely incredible, and I enjoyed reading from her perspective much more by the final chapter. I also really enjoyed reading about all of the different campground monsters and I feel connected to a few of them – I look forward to picking up the next book in this series when it comes out to see what hijinks occur during the next camping season!
Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this novel.
July 24, 2022
DNF (50+% read).
Mild Spoilers:
Listen, I like morally gray characters but the protagonist wasn’t that. When you write a morally gray characters you need to have that character be someone that has consequences to their actions.
That didn’t happen in this story. The MC killed people in horrific ways just because of her temper and there was never any repercussions from it. In fact I would say that the MC was the worst enemy in the story. Had she been written as someone else instead of the MC she would be the antagonist.
Being okay with violence is so completely different than murdering people (normally women in horrific ways) because they upset you. The fact that most of her brutal killings are worse than what every monster she comes across does on page, she seems to be the worse threat out there for everybody. I can not stress enough that her greed, pride, and the obvious high she gets from being allowed to murder people and get away with it consequence free, take her from gray moral character to a villain worse than all the monsters the book tries sooo hard to make you think are the worst threat to humans.
I love stories with similar premises, T from the G being one of my all time favorites. Yet the biggest difference in these two series is that the MC ( in this book) never stands up to the monsters that will kill her (taking a very passive approach when dealing with them) while constantly murdering women who are either drugged, under the influence, or are tied up and can’t do anything to her. This screams misogyny, and it’s gross.
The fact that the entire plot could be solved with a transfer of title, and lives would be saved, takes away from the MC trying to act as if what she is doing is heroic in any shade of the word.
(Which although she doesn’t outwardly state that she thinks it’s heroic until later on in the book, is laughable. Even though the book tries really hard to shove that opinion down your throat the entire time you read it.)
I tried sticking it out, and even bought the whole collection before reading through the first book (never again), I have to lay this one to rest. There were a few grammar things I could over look, like the over use of ‘for’ making the story sound as if it were written in the early 18th century. I can’t forgive making the MC so unredeemable and not showing any hint of character growth over 50% into the first book. The character isn’t likable, and the way people bend over backwards to please her is insanely undeserving to the character she was portrayed as.
Maybe she gets better as the story progresses, but having read most of the book I would have to say that it’s more than just a little doubtful.
This is only the fifth book I haven’t finished after picking up, and I’m massively disappointed that the main character is what broke it since it was such an interesting premise.
If you enjoy gratuitous violence committed mostly by the MC, with hints of folklore and folk monsters; this may tickle your fancy. But if you are like me and want more than a woman going on a killing spree against other humans, killing more people on page than the monsters; I think you should sit this one out.
Trigger warnings for misogyny, graphic death, gore, gratuitous violence, manipulation, death of drugged victim, animal cruelty, pick me mentality, and inappropriate workplace behaviors.
(All On-Page)
Mild Spoilers:
Listen, I like morally gray characters but the protagonist wasn’t that. When you write a morally gray characters you need to have that character be someone that has consequences to their actions.
That didn’t happen in this story. The MC killed people in horrific ways just because of her temper and there was never any repercussions from it. In fact I would say that the MC was the worst enemy in the story. Had she been written as someone else instead of the MC she would be the antagonist.
Being okay with violence is so completely different than murdering people (normally women in horrific ways) because they upset you. The fact that most of her brutal killings are worse than what every monster she comes across does on page, she seems to be the worse threat out there for everybody. I can not stress enough that her greed, pride, and the obvious high she gets from being allowed to murder people and get away with it consequence free, take her from gray moral character to a villain worse than all the monsters the book tries sooo hard to make you think are the worst threat to humans.
I love stories with similar premises, T from the G being one of my all time favorites. Yet the biggest difference in these two series is that the MC ( in this book) never stands up to the monsters that will kill her (taking a very passive approach when dealing with them) while constantly murdering women who are either drugged, under the influence, or are tied up and can’t do anything to her. This screams misogyny, and it’s gross.
The fact that the entire plot could be solved with a transfer of title, and lives would be saved, takes away from the MC trying to act as if what she is doing is heroic in any shade of the word.
(Which although she doesn’t outwardly state that she thinks it’s heroic until later on in the book, is laughable. Even though the book tries really hard to shove that opinion down your throat the entire time you read it.)
I tried sticking it out, and even bought the whole collection before reading through the first book (never again), I have to lay this one to rest. There were a few grammar things I could over look, like the over use of ‘for’ making the story sound as if it were written in the early 18th century. I can’t forgive making the MC so unredeemable and not showing any hint of character growth over 50% into the first book. The character isn’t likable, and the way people bend over backwards to please her is insanely undeserving to the character she was portrayed as.
Maybe she gets better as the story progresses, but having read most of the book I would have to say that it’s more than just a little doubtful.
This is only the fifth book I haven’t finished after picking up, and I’m massively disappointed that the main character is what broke it since it was such an interesting premise.
If you enjoy gratuitous violence committed mostly by the MC, with hints of folklore and folk monsters; this may tickle your fancy. But if you are like me and want more than a woman going on a killing spree against other humans, killing more people on page than the monsters; I think you should sit this one out.
Trigger warnings for misogyny, graphic death, gore, gratuitous violence, manipulation, death of drugged victim, animal cruelty, pick me mentality, and inappropriate workplace behaviors.
(All On-Page)
August 16, 2021
Full review here.
So I bought this book on kindle as opposed to reading this on reddit LARGELY because I would rather read continuously than click links just to go to the next chapter all the time. The layout can be weird for some people, as it's written in a journal/blog post style, but I found that to be super immersive and fun. I finished this book literally in a day, so I can't recommend it enough.
Kate, our ace-coded, fearless, campground manager is quite possibly one of the most nuanced and engaging protagonists that I’ve read in any novel—and this definitely took me by surprise. I entered the book with an understanding that she may be written in a mildly fan-serviced way (which makes for fun, serial reads), and boy was I so completely wrong.
Kate is not written to be a hero in this story, though she may try hard to save those worth saving. But that’s exactly the catch—not everyone is worth saving, and Kate carries the burden of deciding who is and who isn’t.
She is steeped in anger, she makes decisions that end with people hurt or dead, she makes mistakes. She is driven by the unfair hand that the world has dealt her, and this is what keeps her alive.
Your honour, I am literally in love with her.
But it’s also safe to say that the real stars of the book are the monsters. My relationship with the horror genre is a bit here and there; I find some books too boring because they try to be taken too seriously, and I find some too gore-y and try-hard with the spooks on the page. This book, however, has the most brilliantly written monsters I’ve read.
Everything on Kate’s land has one goal: to survive. And survival makes monsters of us all.
If there is any book I would recommend you buy online, I would only suggest this. It’s a dollar (USD) for kindle , and 7 for paperback. It’s also always a priority to support indie and self-pubbed authors! If THE MAN WITH NO SHADOW were traditionally published, I see no problem in paying upwards of $15 for this.
So I bought this book on kindle as opposed to reading this on reddit LARGELY because I would rather read continuously than click links just to go to the next chapter all the time. The layout can be weird for some people, as it's written in a journal/blog post style, but I found that to be super immersive and fun. I finished this book literally in a day, so I can't recommend it enough.
We die alone and afraid… or angry. Angry was also an option.
Kate, our ace-coded, fearless, campground manager is quite possibly one of the most nuanced and engaging protagonists that I’ve read in any novel—and this definitely took me by surprise. I entered the book with an understanding that she may be written in a mildly fan-serviced way (which makes for fun, serial reads), and boy was I so completely wrong.
Fear kept him moving, because if he stayed in one place for too long it’d grow and grow until it ate him up from the inside.
Kate is not written to be a hero in this story, though she may try hard to save those worth saving. But that’s exactly the catch—not everyone is worth saving, and Kate carries the burden of deciding who is and who isn’t.
She is steeped in anger, she makes decisions that end with people hurt or dead, she makes mistakes. She is driven by the unfair hand that the world has dealt her, and this is what keeps her alive.
Your honour, I am literally in love with her.
But it’s also safe to say that the real stars of the book are the monsters. My relationship with the horror genre is a bit here and there; I find some books too boring because they try to be taken too seriously, and I find some too gore-y and try-hard with the spooks on the page. This book, however, has the most brilliantly written monsters I’ve read.
Everything on Kate’s land has one goal: to survive. And survival makes monsters of us all.
Perhaps this is my weakness, that I am only strong when I’m angry.
If there is any book I would recommend you buy online, I would only suggest this. It’s a dollar (USD) for kindle , and 7 for paperback. It’s also always a priority to support indie and self-pubbed authors! If THE MAN WITH NO SHADOW were traditionally published, I see no problem in paying upwards of $15 for this.
May 7, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
It’s your typical spooky but also kind of cozy camp horror story that follows Kate, who inherits the campground after her parents were brutally murdered by the monsters roaming the campgrounds. Kate and her family had this land for so long and done their best to protect not only their campers from the things that go bump in the night, but also the local townspeople. Kate’s family are basically experts in dealing with these supernatural creatures, but they aren’t always perfect and people do end up dying or missing. With her parents gone, Kate does her best to protect the campers by making sure they abide by her rules like not buying ice from the children with no wagon or don’t ever follow the lights. But people don’t always listen. Kate also has to make sure some of the supernatural creatures are content to help with protecting her campers. However, things are getting more strange than usual in the campgrounds. I feel for Kate who has taken on the big burden left behind by her parents to make sure everyone is protected despite the townspeople getting fed up with Kate’s leadership at the campground. She has unique ways of dealing with all the stress. It was fun reading about these supernatural creatures and all the rules that have to be enforced because of these creatures. Thank you to saga press for this arc ✨
It’s your typical spooky but also kind of cozy camp horror story that follows Kate, who inherits the campground after her parents were brutally murdered by the monsters roaming the campgrounds. Kate and her family had this land for so long and done their best to protect not only their campers from the things that go bump in the night, but also the local townspeople. Kate’s family are basically experts in dealing with these supernatural creatures, but they aren’t always perfect and people do end up dying or missing. With her parents gone, Kate does her best to protect the campers by making sure they abide by her rules like not buying ice from the children with no wagon or don’t ever follow the lights. But people don’t always listen. Kate also has to make sure some of the supernatural creatures are content to help with protecting her campers. However, things are getting more strange than usual in the campgrounds. I feel for Kate who has taken on the big burden left behind by her parents to make sure everyone is protected despite the townspeople getting fed up with Kate’s leadership at the campground. She has unique ways of dealing with all the stress. It was fun reading about these supernatural creatures and all the rules that have to be enforced because of these creatures. Thank you to saga press for this arc ✨
July 22, 2025
Thank you to Saga Press for the ARC!
Listen. I was sold with the "Welcome to Nightvale" comp. And honestly? That's EXACTLY what this is.
The book is told in a series of short stories, meant to be warnings tied to the camp ground rules--because people don't follow a piece of paper, but they sure will be more cautious if they're scared into it. Someone telling you not to follow the lights makes you shrug. A story about someone following the lights and then getting sucked into a house of darkness minus an arm and partial ribcage? Maybe you'll think twice.
This was SO FUN. Short stories, short chapters, and an FMC who's so over people, the burden she's been tasked with, and the fact that no one understands what she has to put up with. On top of it all, the monsters on the grounds are acting up and a new enemy has taken control. Further evidence that camping isn't worth it, and if a camp ground has a lot of accidents,,,maybe don't visit there.
This is such a fun story--it's creepy, a little gross, and very much a Nightvale adjacent setting. If you want a fast read that's also a little creepy, a little gross, and never want to go camping again--this is a must read! Great lore, great characters, and great set up for more. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
Listen. I was sold with the "Welcome to Nightvale" comp. And honestly? That's EXACTLY what this is.
The book is told in a series of short stories, meant to be warnings tied to the camp ground rules--because people don't follow a piece of paper, but they sure will be more cautious if they're scared into it. Someone telling you not to follow the lights makes you shrug. A story about someone following the lights and then getting sucked into a house of darkness minus an arm and partial ribcage? Maybe you'll think twice.
This was SO FUN. Short stories, short chapters, and an FMC who's so over people, the burden she's been tasked with, and the fact that no one understands what she has to put up with. On top of it all, the monsters on the grounds are acting up and a new enemy has taken control. Further evidence that camping isn't worth it, and if a camp ground has a lot of accidents,,,maybe don't visit there.
This is such a fun story--it's creepy, a little gross, and very much a Nightvale adjacent setting. If you want a fast read that's also a little creepy, a little gross, and never want to go camping again--this is a must read! Great lore, great characters, and great set up for more. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!
May 31, 2024
I have a complicated relationship with horror but wow this hit. The morally grey FMC campground manager Kate just wants her campers to follow her dang rules so the Things That Live In The Woods won’t devour them, and it’s all documented as a series of folklore monster-of-the-week style blogposts that slowly build to a very satisfying narrative. I could not stop reading this. Especially since Kate has vibes with several of the abominations that live in the woods. Skull Cup Man and the Man With No Shadow… if terrifying why sexy
After getting pretty deep into the reddit posts I saw it was self published so I tried to buy the ebook but it appears the kindle edition is unavailable as of the time of this review, so I did read this saga on reddit and can’t comment on how that translated to the book format. But I love a good web-based novel and if I spend all that time reading it you bet I’m gonna add it to my reading challenge.
After getting pretty deep into the reddit posts I saw it was self published so I tried to buy the ebook but it appears the kindle edition is unavailable as of the time of this review, so I did read this saga on reddit and can’t comment on how that translated to the book format. But I love a good web-based novel and if I spend all that time reading it you bet I’m gonna add it to my reading challenge.
August 27, 2025
Kate is the manager of a haunted campground that has been in her family for generations. She protects campers from the sinister folklore creatures who lurk in the forest by enforcing rules that seem a bit bizarre.
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘱. 𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥.”
This originated as a series of posts on Reddit that I haven’t seen, so I didn’t know what to expect. I ended up having so much fun reading it! The humor and sarcasm mixed with the gruesome was everything I didn’t know I needed.
Think creatures with human bodies and animal legs, black hollow eyes. They can kill you, enslave you, or maybe turn you into a scarecrow. There’s humor throughout even the most shockingly scary parts. Each chapter reads like its own little ghost story while still connecting to the rest of the book.
If you like campfire tales, creepypasta, or strange creatures, definitely check this out 👻
Campy horror • Dark humor
Supernatural creatures • Gruesome
📖 Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press Books for my eARC
“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘱. 𝘔𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥.”
This originated as a series of posts on Reddit that I haven’t seen, so I didn’t know what to expect. I ended up having so much fun reading it! The humor and sarcasm mixed with the gruesome was everything I didn’t know I needed.
Think creatures with human bodies and animal legs, black hollow eyes. They can kill you, enslave you, or maybe turn you into a scarecrow. There’s humor throughout even the most shockingly scary parts. Each chapter reads like its own little ghost story while still connecting to the rest of the book.
If you like campfire tales, creepypasta, or strange creatures, definitely check this out 👻
Campy horror • Dark humor
Supernatural creatures • Gruesome
📖 Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press Books for my eARC
September 25, 2025
3.75⭐️
Very different from my normal reads. Creepy but not too scary. I would not live in that town, no thanks
This book was so unique in its premise and storyline. I went in expecting super horror/ like I would be beyond scared (I’m a baby), but it was more just creepy. I was entertained throughout and hooked into finishing in just a few days.
I would love more backstory on the FMC and the town and campground itself in future books!
Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a creepy read this fall!
Very different from my normal reads. Creepy but not too scary. I would not live in that town, no thanks
This book was so unique in its premise and storyline. I went in expecting super horror/ like I would be beyond scared (I’m a baby), but it was more just creepy. I was entertained throughout and hooked into finishing in just a few days.
I would love more backstory on the FMC and the town and campground itself in future books!
Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a creepy read this fall!
September 19, 2025
- absolutely I N S U F F E R A B L E main character, like, no redeemable qualities, i was rooting for her to fail
- the monsters and the lore were all very very cool, which is why 2 stars
- so many people could have been saved if the camp manager/owner did ONE thing and she didn't do the ONE thing instead she did so many other despicable things to people who did not deserve it
- the prose was a lot of fun
- the pacing was so slow though somehow?? it took me 6 days to read this book, when with my track record should have only taken two, MAYBE three
- will be reading the next installment, bc of the monsters
- i had too high of hopes i guess, i think if i woulda known it started as Reddit installments, i would have lowered expectations and been prepared for it's choppiness
- the monsters and the lore were all very very cool, which is why 2 stars
- so many people could have been saved if the camp manager/owner did ONE thing and she didn't do the ONE thing instead she did so many other despicable things to people who did not deserve it
- the prose was a lot of fun
- the pacing was so slow though somehow?? it took me 6 days to read this book, when with my track record should have only taken two, MAYBE three
- will be reading the next installment, bc of the monsters
- i had too high of hopes i guess, i think if i woulda known it started as Reddit installments, i would have lowered expectations and been prepared for it's choppiness
October 19, 2025
I picked this up after realizing it’s based on the Goat Valley Campground series from the NoSleep Podcast (Season 17, Episodes 14–23), which I loved. The podcast version was tense, funny, and surprisingly really scary—so grabbing the novel felt like an easy win. And while it’s definitely entertaining, I have to admit I liked the podcast more. The sound design and full voice cast added layers of fear and humor that the book doesn’t quite capture.
I would describe this book as “a Goosebumps book with more cussing” the story is full of inventive monsters, eerie campfire vibe, and millennial snark. It’s spooky without being nightmarish and doesn’t lean on tired horror tropes. I love a story with good world-building and clear rules that the characters and otherworldly aspects abide by— so this book, that literally begins with a long list of rules for the Goat Valley campers, satisfied my natural drive to seek out plot-holes. My biggest gripe is that for the first 150 or so pages, the book and podcast are nearly identical, so it will feel repetitive if you’re already familiar with the NoSleep series. Still, if you’re new to Goat Valley—or just in the mood for something creepy but low-stakes—this is a fun read.
I would describe this book as “a Goosebumps book with more cussing” the story is full of inventive monsters, eerie campfire vibe, and millennial snark. It’s spooky without being nightmarish and doesn’t lean on tired horror tropes. I love a story with good world-building and clear rules that the characters and otherworldly aspects abide by— so this book, that literally begins with a long list of rules for the Goat Valley campers, satisfied my natural drive to seek out plot-holes. My biggest gripe is that for the first 150 or so pages, the book and podcast are nearly identical, so it will feel repetitive if you’re already familiar with the NoSleep series. Still, if you’re new to Goat Valley—or just in the mood for something creepy but low-stakes—this is a fun read.
June 23, 2025
Really, really enjoyed this! I was a ‘creepypasta’ kid and this was right up my alley for my summerween reading this year. Each chapter introduced another one of the town’s abnormal and threatening entities— the format of how each chapter felt like another campfire story wrapped into the bigger picture plot was perfect for this type of creepy fiction. I can definitely tell it came from r/nosleep but as a reader of that sub I did not find that to be a bad thing whatsoever. Short and sweet and kept me reading quickly to see where these creatures and cast was going to take me.
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
October 28, 2025
This book was very fun and perfect for Halloween. I couldn't put it down, and I wanted to know more and more about the lore of the campground and the rules that protect it. Highly recommend!
August 7, 2025
enjoyed this so much i went and spent an absurd amount of money on the out of print indie sequels secondhand because i could NOT wait 3 more years for the rest of this story. the writers on r/nosleep consistently produce the most charming and effective horror around. i adore campground scaries and folkloric monsters so this really scratched a particular itch for me!!!
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