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The Counselors
Camp Alpine Lake is the only place where Goldie Easton feels safe.
She's always had a special connection to the place, even before she was old enough to attend. The camp is the lifeline of Roxwood, the small town she lives in. Alpine Lake provides jobs, money and prestige to the region. Few Roxwood locals, though, get to reap the rewards of living so close to the glam summer that camp, with its five-figure tuition and rich kids who have been dumped there for eight weeks by their powerful parents. Goldie's one of them.
Even with her "townie" background, Goldie has never felt more at home at camp and now she's back as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, to arrive. Because Goldie has a terrible dark secret she's been keeping and she is more in need of the comfort than ever.
But Goldie's not the only person at camp who has been lying. When a teen turns up dead in the lake late one night, she knows that the death couldn't have been an accident. She also knows that Ava was at the lake that same night.
What did Ava see and what does she know? Why hasn't she said anything to Goldie about the death? Worse--what did Ava do?
But asking questions offers no answers, only broken bonds of lifelong friendship, with hidden danger and betrayals deeper than Goldie ever imagined.
She's always had a special connection to the place, even before she was old enough to attend. The camp is the lifeline of Roxwood, the small town she lives in. Alpine Lake provides jobs, money and prestige to the region. Few Roxwood locals, though, get to reap the rewards of living so close to the glam summer that camp, with its five-figure tuition and rich kids who have been dumped there for eight weeks by their powerful parents. Goldie's one of them.
Even with her "townie" background, Goldie has never felt more at home at camp and now she's back as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, to arrive. Because Goldie has a terrible dark secret she's been keeping and she is more in need of the comfort than ever.
But Goldie's not the only person at camp who has been lying. When a teen turns up dead in the lake late one night, she knows that the death couldn't have been an accident. She also knows that Ava was at the lake that same night.
What did Ava see and what does she know? Why hasn't she said anything to Goldie about the death? Worse--what did Ava do?
But asking questions offers no answers, only broken bonds of lifelong friendship, with hidden danger and betrayals deeper than Goldie ever imagined.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2022
661 people are currently reading
33989 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Goodman
7 books2,144 followersJessica Goodman is the New York Times bestselling author of young adult thrillers They Wish they Were Us, They’ll Never Catch Us, The Counselors, and The Legacies.
She is the former op-ed editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, and was part of the 2017 team that won a National Magazine Award in personal service. She has also held editorial positions at Entertainment Weekly and HuffPost, and her work has been published in outlets like Glamour, Condé Nast Traveler, The Cut, Elle, Bustle, and Marie Claire.
She is the former op-ed editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, and was part of the 2017 team that won a National Magazine Award in personal service. She has also held editorial positions at Entertainment Weekly and HuffPost, and her work has been published in outlets like Glamour, Condé Nast Traveler, The Cut, Elle, Bustle, and Marie Claire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,454 reviews
July 20, 2022
✨I don’t think I’ve hated a character more than this delusional ass clown.✨
Pain. This was eternal, infernal pain. I’ve been dangled over the flaming pits of hell. I pray I wake up tomorrow with selective memory loss. YA murder-mysteries are my comfort reads so this is personal.
Spoilers below bc what the fuck did I just read.
I will give a summary when I wake up and then I will go fuckin crazy bc what the fuck.
What I have for you now:
“That boy loved you.” STOP he did not fucking love her this book is so fucking toxic.
“That boy was head over heels for you.” Can these people STOP with this shit. HE MADE HER TAKE THE BLAME FOR HIM DRIVING DRUNK AND RUNNING OVER HIS FRIEND AND HAD HER SIGN AN NDA FOR $20K AND THEN COMPLETELY IGNORED HER WHILE HIS FRIENDS BULLIED HER WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF LOVE IS THAT YOU WILLFULLY OBTUSE WENCH.
She is not innocent in any of this either. She let him do this all and signed that NDA and took that money and then got mad at EVERYONE in her life for not exposing the truth???? She was like WHY DIDNT YOU DO SOMETHING to everyone. I’m like?????? First of all, she told no one and didn’t even make an effort but now she’s the victim. Why the fuck did she go along with it????
She kept saying how much she loved that motherfucker throughout the entire book. She never stopped. He wasn’t even a villain. We were supposed to feel bad that he was killed. I mean yes in like a moral sense but also bitch no. HE RAN HIS FRIEND OVER AND RUINED HIS LIFE AND MADE HIS GIRLFRIEND TAKE THE FALL.
No character in this book was likable. I didn’t care about the murder in this murder mystery because frankly? He was a horrible, shitty person and so was she. Tax evasion is what this SUMMER CAMP book boiled down to. Do you hear that? Yeah it’s me sobbing from the pits of hell. Trekking through Tartarus is more enjoyable than this book. The plot was heinous.
⭐️/5
Pain. This was eternal, infernal pain. I’ve been dangled over the flaming pits of hell. I pray I wake up tomorrow with selective memory loss. YA murder-mysteries are my comfort reads so this is personal.
Spoilers below bc what the fuck did I just read.
I will give a summary when I wake up and then I will go fuckin crazy bc what the fuck.
What I have for you now:
“That boy loved you.” STOP he did not fucking love her this book is so fucking toxic.
“That boy was head over heels for you.” Can these people STOP with this shit. HE MADE HER TAKE THE BLAME FOR HIM DRIVING DRUNK AND RUNNING OVER HIS FRIEND AND HAD HER SIGN AN NDA FOR $20K AND THEN COMPLETELY IGNORED HER WHILE HIS FRIENDS BULLIED HER WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF LOVE IS THAT YOU WILLFULLY OBTUSE WENCH.
She is not innocent in any of this either. She let him do this all and signed that NDA and took that money and then got mad at EVERYONE in her life for not exposing the truth???? She was like WHY DIDNT YOU DO SOMETHING to everyone. I’m like?????? First of all, she told no one and didn’t even make an effort but now she’s the victim. Why the fuck did she go along with it????
She kept saying how much she loved that motherfucker throughout the entire book. She never stopped. He wasn’t even a villain. We were supposed to feel bad that he was killed. I mean yes in like a moral sense but also bitch no. HE RAN HIS FRIEND OVER AND RUINED HIS LIFE AND MADE HIS GIRLFRIEND TAKE THE FALL.
No character in this book was likable. I didn’t care about the murder in this murder mystery because frankly? He was a horrible, shitty person and so was she. Tax evasion is what this SUMMER CAMP book boiled down to. Do you hear that? Yeah it’s me sobbing from the pits of hell. Trekking through Tartarus is more enjoyable than this book. The plot was heinous.
⭐️/5
June 6, 2022
I genuinely could not care less about off-shore accounts and embezzlement and whatever other financial tomfoolery this book’s plot was trying to throw at me.
June 15, 2025
With numerous YA Thrillers being released every month, three things about The Counselors made it stand out for me:
Jessica Goodman's name, this cover giving me nostalgic-campy vibes and the line in the synopsis that states, a twisty new thriller about three best friends, one elite summer camp, and the dark secrets that lead to a body in the lake.
I had a bit of a wait before the audiobook became available through my library, but it was well worth it. Particularly since it is narrated by the fabulous, Phoebe Strole.
This narrative follows Goldie and her two best friends, Ava and Imogen. The girls developed a friendship years ago at the prestigious Camp Alpine Lake. They were campers when they first met, but now as young adults, all three stayed on at the camp as counselors.
Goldie is the only one of the three who is local to the area though, so she has been anxiously awaiting summer and with it, Ava and Imo's return. Truth be told, Goldie wouldn't even have been able to attend the camp initially if her parents didn't work there.
Generally, the campers are from very well-off families. Because of this, there has been a bit of tension over the years happening between those involved in the camp and the local community.
Goldie is the odd exception that has experience with the situation from both sides.
She has mixed feelings about it. Also, even though Ava and Imogen are her best friends, she does keep a lot from them. Goldie was involved in an incident that led to her senior year of high school being a virtual hell on earth.
She kept that from them. Now that Ava and Imogen are returning to town, Goldie wonders if she will need to tell them. The thing that happened was big local news. She doesn't want them to hear about it on one of their many ventures into town.
Stress, upon stress, upon stress.
When a local boy, who played a very big part in Goldie's worst year ever, ends up dead in the lake at the camp, Goldie's summer takes a sudden dark turn.
What was he even doing there? Locals aren't allowed on the grounds of the camp. Had he been looking for her?
As Goldie digs into this unexplained death, she uncovers truths she could have never imagined. Her whole world is suddenly and viciously turned asunder.
The Counselors is a great YA Summer Thriller, with all the nostalgic campy vibes that I was looking for, as well as a solid friendship trio. I really enjoyed my time getting to know Goldie, Ava and Imo.
The camp and its relationship to the surrounding area was also quite engaging. I live in a resort-type community as well, so I definitely could relate to a lot of the dynamics that Goodman was exploring. I thought that provided an interesting context to the overarching story.
The mystery was well-developed and paced. It kept me glued to the story. When I wasn't reading it, I wished that I was. The ending got wild, but it was so fun.
This is pretty close to a perfect summer read. I'm looking forward to picking up more from this author soon!
Jessica Goodman's name, this cover giving me nostalgic-campy vibes and the line in the synopsis that states, a twisty new thriller about three best friends, one elite summer camp, and the dark secrets that lead to a body in the lake.
I had a bit of a wait before the audiobook became available through my library, but it was well worth it. Particularly since it is narrated by the fabulous, Phoebe Strole.
This narrative follows Goldie and her two best friends, Ava and Imogen. The girls developed a friendship years ago at the prestigious Camp Alpine Lake. They were campers when they first met, but now as young adults, all three stayed on at the camp as counselors.
Goldie is the only one of the three who is local to the area though, so she has been anxiously awaiting summer and with it, Ava and Imo's return. Truth be told, Goldie wouldn't even have been able to attend the camp initially if her parents didn't work there.
Generally, the campers are from very well-off families. Because of this, there has been a bit of tension over the years happening between those involved in the camp and the local community.
Goldie is the odd exception that has experience with the situation from both sides.
She has mixed feelings about it. Also, even though Ava and Imogen are her best friends, she does keep a lot from them. Goldie was involved in an incident that led to her senior year of high school being a virtual hell on earth.
She kept that from them. Now that Ava and Imogen are returning to town, Goldie wonders if she will need to tell them. The thing that happened was big local news. She doesn't want them to hear about it on one of their many ventures into town.
Stress, upon stress, upon stress.
When a local boy, who played a very big part in Goldie's worst year ever, ends up dead in the lake at the camp, Goldie's summer takes a sudden dark turn.
What was he even doing there? Locals aren't allowed on the grounds of the camp. Had he been looking for her?
As Goldie digs into this unexplained death, she uncovers truths she could have never imagined. Her whole world is suddenly and viciously turned asunder.
The Counselors is a great YA Summer Thriller, with all the nostalgic campy vibes that I was looking for, as well as a solid friendship trio. I really enjoyed my time getting to know Goldie, Ava and Imo.
The camp and its relationship to the surrounding area was also quite engaging. I live in a resort-type community as well, so I definitely could relate to a lot of the dynamics that Goodman was exploring. I thought that provided an interesting context to the overarching story.
The mystery was well-developed and paced. It kept me glued to the story. When I wasn't reading it, I wished that I was. The ending got wild, but it was so fun.
This is pretty close to a perfect summer read. I'm looking forward to picking up more from this author soon!
June 18, 2022
Murder mystery w/ a side of tax evasion.
December 1, 2022
Umm I was hoping for a slasher vibe and yeah no. I didn’t like it.
April 1, 2024
people are too hard on this book it’s a silly fun summer camp thriller !!!
August 9, 2022
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman is everything I hoped it would be! It’s the perfect young adult mystery that takes place at a summer camp in the summer (my favorite season!). While her books are what I would consider to be a “slow burn” she’s able to pack a lot into it with only 330 pages. I did have a feeling as to “who-dun-it” and why (which isn’t revealed until the end) but I enjoyed the story despite that. Normally that puts me off, but it doesn’t seem to phase me when Jessica Goodman is writing it!
If you enjoy young adult mysteries, then I not only recommend tis book but her backlist as well. I like how she takes mundane things and turns them into stories with good plots, fantastic characters, and nostalgic settings!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Young Adult Mysteries
• Summer Camp
• Summer Mysteries
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you enjoy young adult mysteries, then I not only recommend tis book but her backlist as well. I like how she takes mundane things and turns them into stories with good plots, fantastic characters, and nostalgic settings!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Young Adult Mysteries
• Summer Camp
• Summer Mysteries
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
July 17, 2022
“Evil doesn’t exist at Camp Alpine Lake” (2).
***Spoilers included***
I read They’ll Never Catch Us recently and, while I only gave it three stars, I saw this one was published recently and thought, why not? I still appreciate some YA as an adult, it’s summer, so I thought reading it during summer would enhance the experience, and I guess I thought maybe Goodman’s writing had improved. Unfortunately, I think this book is worse! Luckily, it’s a quick read, but I wish I’d gotten it from the library rather than paying for it.
The plot is, frankly, a mess. I was so excited about a thriller set at a camp. Although I’d probably rather end my life than work at a sleepaway camp myself, I have vivid memories of Girl Scout camp that was mercifully only a week long, and I think I thought this book would be more like Fear Street. Instead, we get Goldie, the charity case at an elitist camp that rich parents inexplicably want to send their kids to. She has two best friends who serve as background for her teen angst, Imogen and Ava, and she’s especially excited to come back to camp as a counselor this summer because her super popular boyfriend, Heller, drove drunk, hit one of his friends, and convinces her to say she was driving, resulting in him and the rest of the school shunning her during her senior year, having to sign an NDA, and getting so depressed she has to repeat a semester of her senior year (when, really, she could just get her GED. Goodman is really unrealistic and dramatic about being a high school senior, like how in They’ll Never Catch Us, student loans were not even considered an option). Then, Heller winds up dead and Goldie laments the whole time about losing her toxic, manipulative ex, and it’s found out that he was killed because he was some kind of teen vigilante who uncovered money embezzlement by Ava’s dad who was also helping the camp owners embezzle money. Prompts for them killing him with an insulin injection, which was unique, but it was all so over-the-top and haphazard that I began skimming.
I find teen Nancy Drew-types ridiculous, but if done well, I’ll suspend my disbelief. This was just too much, though, with Heller uncovering the embezzlement, Goldie and her friends sneaking around the camp watching surveillance footage and the like, and then the camp owners giving this Scooby-Doo-like speech. Gag. It just came off as silly.
The way Goodman presents teens is also not something I think actual young adults should read. They’re constantly getting drunk and high with no consequences, falling for toxic people with no consequences, and meandering through life as if they have no responsibilities. These counselors are awful. In what world do all counselors get two nights off a week to go get drunk in a neighboring town? How do they have so much time to run around and have sex everywhere?! What is the max age at this camp? My husband went to an elitist gifted kid camp himself, and his stories are nothing like this as a counselor. Additionally, for such a prestigious camp where you have to send in audition tapes and such, they don’t do any remarkable activities at all, except I guess the one girl brought her horse in each week to ride.
The adults are also as horrible as the teens. Your mom knows you weren’t the one driving, but she lets you take the fall and then gives the lame excuse of “Baby, I’m sorry. This whole year’s been a mess” (289). How old are these parents and why do they all suck?! I can’t. Plus, the camp owners were willing to kill two girls they’d known for years because they “love the camp more?!” It really is so silly.
There’s also the toxic relationship between Goldie and Heller. He manipulated you, used you, then everyone’s like “but he loved you.” No. He never did the right thing and let you suffer and throw away your life.
The funniest thing (and most boring) was the money embezzling. Did the U.S. government pay Goodman to write a YA book about how bad it is to lie about money? It’s hilarious considering how rich most of the parents and campers were, and we’re supposed to think the poor camp owners who just wanted to own nice things are villains? That’s rich (pun intended). Frankly, in the middle of the global economic crisis we’re experiencing, I was rooting for the camp owners.
Final thought: “Leaf peeping” sounds super dumb (234). “Leaf looking” at least has alliteration.
***Spoilers included***
I read They’ll Never Catch Us recently and, while I only gave it three stars, I saw this one was published recently and thought, why not? I still appreciate some YA as an adult, it’s summer, so I thought reading it during summer would enhance the experience, and I guess I thought maybe Goodman’s writing had improved. Unfortunately, I think this book is worse! Luckily, it’s a quick read, but I wish I’d gotten it from the library rather than paying for it.
The plot is, frankly, a mess. I was so excited about a thriller set at a camp. Although I’d probably rather end my life than work at a sleepaway camp myself, I have vivid memories of Girl Scout camp that was mercifully only a week long, and I think I thought this book would be more like Fear Street. Instead, we get Goldie, the charity case at an elitist camp that rich parents inexplicably want to send their kids to. She has two best friends who serve as background for her teen angst, Imogen and Ava, and she’s especially excited to come back to camp as a counselor this summer because her super popular boyfriend, Heller, drove drunk, hit one of his friends, and convinces her to say she was driving, resulting in him and the rest of the school shunning her during her senior year, having to sign an NDA, and getting so depressed she has to repeat a semester of her senior year (when, really, she could just get her GED. Goodman is really unrealistic and dramatic about being a high school senior, like how in They’ll Never Catch Us, student loans were not even considered an option). Then, Heller winds up dead and Goldie laments the whole time about losing her toxic, manipulative ex, and it’s found out that he was killed because he was some kind of teen vigilante who uncovered money embezzlement by Ava’s dad who was also helping the camp owners embezzle money. Prompts for them killing him with an insulin injection, which was unique, but it was all so over-the-top and haphazard that I began skimming.
I find teen Nancy Drew-types ridiculous, but if done well, I’ll suspend my disbelief. This was just too much, though, with Heller uncovering the embezzlement, Goldie and her friends sneaking around the camp watching surveillance footage and the like, and then the camp owners giving this Scooby-Doo-like speech. Gag. It just came off as silly.
The way Goodman presents teens is also not something I think actual young adults should read. They’re constantly getting drunk and high with no consequences, falling for toxic people with no consequences, and meandering through life as if they have no responsibilities. These counselors are awful. In what world do all counselors get two nights off a week to go get drunk in a neighboring town? How do they have so much time to run around and have sex everywhere?! What is the max age at this camp? My husband went to an elitist gifted kid camp himself, and his stories are nothing like this as a counselor. Additionally, for such a prestigious camp where you have to send in audition tapes and such, they don’t do any remarkable activities at all, except I guess the one girl brought her horse in each week to ride.
The adults are also as horrible as the teens. Your mom knows you weren’t the one driving, but she lets you take the fall and then gives the lame excuse of “Baby, I’m sorry. This whole year’s been a mess” (289). How old are these parents and why do they all suck?! I can’t. Plus, the camp owners were willing to kill two girls they’d known for years because they “love the camp more?!” It really is so silly.
There’s also the toxic relationship between Goldie and Heller. He manipulated you, used you, then everyone’s like “but he loved you.” No. He never did the right thing and let you suffer and throw away your life.
The funniest thing (and most boring) was the money embezzling. Did the U.S. government pay Goodman to write a YA book about how bad it is to lie about money? It’s hilarious considering how rich most of the parents and campers were, and we’re supposed to think the poor camp owners who just wanted to own nice things are villains? That’s rich (pun intended). Frankly, in the middle of the global economic crisis we’re experiencing, I was rooting for the camp owners.
Final thought: “Leaf peeping” sounds super dumb (234). “Leaf looking” at least has alliteration.
June 1, 2022
Pretty disappointed by the ending. You have a really great murder setting with a summer camp and deadly secret (very I Know What You Did Last Summer) and instead the reason for killing is Lame.
January 18, 2023
This was a great end of summer read about three friends who go to camp together every year. But this year is their first year as counselors. And what an exciting year at camp they will have making friends, making crafts and solving a murder! Great dialog, fun characters and not a lot of gore. A book worthy of passing time with!
Goldie Ava and Imogen met at summer camp and each year they return to catch up on each other lives. Ava and Imogen live in a plush world full of all the finer things in life. Goldie spends her days waiting to be reunited with her friends. But this summer will be a little different. The girls are off to an awkward start because they have a few secrets between them.
When a body is found In the lake, Goldie suspects Ava may know what happened. After all, Goldie saw her there on the same night. Now she must get her friend to spill the tea, and tell her what is really going on at Alpine Lake.
Goldie Ava and Imogen met at summer camp and each year they return to catch up on each other lives. Ava and Imogen live in a plush world full of all the finer things in life. Goldie spends her days waiting to be reunited with her friends. But this summer will be a little different. The girls are off to an awkward start because they have a few secrets between them.
When a body is found In the lake, Goldie suspects Ava may know what happened. After all, Goldie saw her there on the same night. Now she must get her friend to spill the tea, and tell her what is really going on at Alpine Lake.
May 21, 2022
A MYSTERY IN CAMP
Can I just say i love the cover. Definitely makes you question what's going to happen. Goldie and her two best friends Ava and Imogen are going to be counselors at a camp that means a lot. I loved the bond between those three girls. Goldie has a secret that she's keeping to herself, everyone has secrets. Three best friends in summer camp and a body is found in the lake. The same lake that Ava was at. This was a great book that had a bit of friendship, and bowl full of secrets. It had me on edge with all the twists. I liked how the chapters went from "then" to "now". I like the line "A sweet little jolt runs through me and for the first time in a long time i feel something i never thought i would again. Hope." The ending was great, everything was revealed and I've got to say i did not expect it. I can't believe they did that. I think Goldie was surprised as well. I read this book in one day. Definitely recommend it.
Can I just say i love the cover. Definitely makes you question what's going to happen. Goldie and her two best friends Ava and Imogen are going to be counselors at a camp that means a lot. I loved the bond between those three girls. Goldie has a secret that she's keeping to herself, everyone has secrets. Three best friends in summer camp and a body is found in the lake. The same lake that Ava was at. This was a great book that had a bit of friendship, and bowl full of secrets. It had me on edge with all the twists. I liked how the chapters went from "then" to "now". I like the line "A sweet little jolt runs through me and for the first time in a long time i feel something i never thought i would again. Hope." The ending was great, everything was revealed and I've got to say i did not expect it. I can't believe they did that. I think Goldie was surprised as well. I read this book in one day. Definitely recommend it.
December 9, 2022
3.5 stars
This YA suspense thriller, The Counselors is filled with plenty of murder, privileged characters, and terrible ex-boyfriends. The story sways from the present and the past where we get an idea of what has occurred in the past while waiting to see what will be the big reveal. Not sure I always agreed with Goldie's decisions but she sure was head over heels for her first love. I have always loved a good murder mystery but I must admit that it was quite easy to guess who was the guilty one.
Goodreads review published 09/12/22
This YA suspense thriller, The Counselors is filled with plenty of murder, privileged characters, and terrible ex-boyfriends. The story sways from the present and the past where we get an idea of what has occurred in the past while waiting to see what will be the big reveal. Not sure I always agreed with Goldie's decisions but she sure was head over heels for her first love. I have always loved a good murder mystery but I must admit that it was quite easy to guess who was the guilty one.
Goodreads review published 09/12/22
April 24, 2022
Jessica Goodman has been a little hit and miss for me- I felt middling about her debut and then loved They'll Never Catch Us. The Counselors was another one I liked fine, but didn't love.
That said, it is a very summery YA mystery and might appeal more to readers who have actually spent time at this kind of sleepaway summer camp and have nostalgia for it. (I'm only familiar with them from movies and the closest I got was youth group church retreats, which is an entirely different can of worms.) Thematically what I found interesting was the emphasis on friendship and class differences. There are some great depictions of complicated female friendships throughout the book and while the camp is a very privileged place, we see it through the perspective of someone who is a bit of an outsider because her parents are camp staff.
The mystery elements were okay- the main character did a lot of making assumptions based on little information and didn't actually solve anything. Though she did dig around enough to make people uncomfortable and inadvertently brought the truth to the surface. I also couldn't relate to her inability to tell her friends the truth about her life because she feels inadequate or why she would let someone ruin her life without saying anything. Given how dogged she is in trying to dig up dirt it feels inconsistent in terms of character and those were probably the weakest elements.
So if you're looking for summer camp nostalgia with a side of murder and privilege thrown in, this isn't a bad option, just don't necessarily go in with sky high expectations. I received an advance copy of this book via netgalley, all opinions are my own.
That said, it is a very summery YA mystery and might appeal more to readers who have actually spent time at this kind of sleepaway summer camp and have nostalgia for it. (I'm only familiar with them from movies and the closest I got was youth group church retreats, which is an entirely different can of worms.) Thematically what I found interesting was the emphasis on friendship and class differences. There are some great depictions of complicated female friendships throughout the book and while the camp is a very privileged place, we see it through the perspective of someone who is a bit of an outsider because her parents are camp staff.
The mystery elements were okay- the main character did a lot of making assumptions based on little information and didn't actually solve anything. Though she did dig around enough to make people uncomfortable and inadvertently brought the truth to the surface. I also couldn't relate to her inability to tell her friends the truth about her life because she feels inadequate or why she would let someone ruin her life without saying anything. Given how dogged she is in trying to dig up dirt it feels inconsistent in terms of character and those were probably the weakest elements.
So if you're looking for summer camp nostalgia with a side of murder and privilege thrown in, this isn't a bad option, just don't necessarily go in with sky high expectations. I received an advance copy of this book via netgalley, all opinions are my own.
August 4, 2022
maybe someday i will feel up to reviewing again...
June 1, 2022
Thank you so much to Razorbill and Jessica Goodman for my copy of The Counselors! This was such a fun YA thriller. It’s about Goldie, a girl who always looks forward to working at the summer camp near her town. She waits all year for her friends Ava and Imogen to come, and they’ve moved from campers to counselors, always best friends. This year is different though, since Goldie is keeping a dark secret. When someone is found dead in the lake after camp starts, things become even more complex and dangerous, especially since the boy who was killed is the boy Goldie has a very complicated relationship with.
Thoughts: I LOVE Jessica Goodman’s writing! This is my first book by her, and I need to pick up her backlist ASAP! The summer camp setting is one of my favorites and this was so well written that I could imagine everything there. I loved that this book was fast-paced for a YA book and had much more under the surface than I originally thought. The perspective shifting from past to present made the book quick and intriguing.
The setting made the book and the characters were easy to imagine. This is the perfect summer book to take to the beach or lake. There were some plot holes and things that weren’t explained very well, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. The ending was pretty basic and easy to guess, but what made me love this book was the stories of each of the characters and the theme of friendship. 4-stars!
Thoughts: I LOVE Jessica Goodman’s writing! This is my first book by her, and I need to pick up her backlist ASAP! The summer camp setting is one of my favorites and this was so well written that I could imagine everything there. I loved that this book was fast-paced for a YA book and had much more under the surface than I originally thought. The perspective shifting from past to present made the book quick and intriguing.
The setting made the book and the characters were easy to imagine. This is the perfect summer book to take to the beach or lake. There were some plot holes and things that weren’t explained very well, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the book. The ending was pretty basic and easy to guess, but what made me love this book was the stories of each of the characters and the theme of friendship. 4-stars!
dnf
June 12, 2022DNF @ 136.
The premise of this story sounded really good, but I’m bored and can’t force myself to keep reading. Since I was curious to see why the teenager was murdered I skimmed to the end. It’s a good thing I did because the reason behind the killing was lackluster to say the least.
The premise of this story sounded really good, but I’m bored and can’t force myself to keep reading. Since I was curious to see why the teenager was murdered I skimmed to the end. It’s a good thing I did because the reason behind the killing was lackluster to say the least.
July 31, 2022
If you know me, you know that "Rich Unsupervised Teens" is one of my favorite niche genres, and this book understood the assignment! This book has me wanting to go to summer camp, which is probably pretty unrealistic at 35. I love that the characters were a little older (summer after senior year), so even though this is YA, it still has a bit of an edge to it. I also loved the lifelong friendship story between Goldie, Ava, and Imogen. And wow, I did not see this ending coming at all. If you need a perfect poolside read this summer, cannot recommend this enough!
August 3, 2023
idc i’m glad that idiot died
April 26, 2025
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 4 stars ⭐️
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 april 20
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 april 21
this is what i was anticipating and it met my standards 😌 that's like the bare minimum guys. it was a decently paced ya thriller with a nice fmc - flawed and authentic.
this was a good and enjoyable book and i want to read more of the author's work <33
i enjoyed the premise of this novel and loved the speed of the book. the fmc was okay... like she was going through it and suffered but a the same time she kind of put herself in that hole- losing everyone. i think she and heller could've stayed together if she confronted him/DIDN'T SAY YES THAT NIGHT?
anyways it was a good and fun read
🕶️┆｡𖦹°‧ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ౨ৎ
i feel a reading slump coming soon so yk what we have to do. pick up a thriller- this has been on my shelf for a few months so it's perfect !! hope this delivers and i really need to read more thriller/mystery bc romance is lwk causing me depression ! 💔
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 april 20
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 april 21
this is what i was anticipating and it met my standards 😌 that's like the bare minimum guys. it was a decently paced ya thriller with a nice fmc - flawed and authentic.
this was a good and enjoyable book and i want to read more of the author's work <33
i enjoyed the premise of this novel and loved the speed of the book. the fmc was okay... like she was going through it and suffered but a the same time she kind of put herself in that hole- losing everyone. i think she and heller could've stayed together if she confronted him/DIDN'T SAY YES THAT NIGHT?
anyways it was a good and fun read
🕶️┆｡𖦹°‧ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ౨ৎ
i feel a reading slump coming soon so yk what we have to do. pick up a thriller- this has been on my shelf for a few months so it's perfect !! hope this delivers and i really need to read more thriller/mystery bc romance is lwk causing me depression ! 💔
August 12, 2025
this was a tad underwhelming tbh. i originally picked this up because of the cover, a summer camp slasher?? of course i’ll read it. but this was a bit lacklustre for me. it wasn’t super exciting, the plot twists were okay, what i really liked was the characters and the friendship bond between the girls. it was just overall a very okay book
May 7, 2024
I can't believe I finished this book so fast! I do wanna start off by saying this book turned out to be better than I thought it was gonna be. I saw so many mixed reviews before I even started it, but it's a fast-paced book if you're looking for a quick read. The theories I had were wrong 😂 the people it actually was did surprise me in the end and the motive behind it made a ton of sense when it was explained. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it, especially those who are just dipping their toes into that genre! 💗
June 24, 2022
I was expecting a little more of a thriller from this book and the description, but it wasn’t a bad story about friendship. There was a person who died and a mystery around that but that was it. I think especially from thrillers at summer camp I expect a little more thrill. I did really like the friendship between the main character Goldie and her two best friends from camp despite the fact that they come from families with tons of money and Goldie is from the small town the camp is in and only gets to attend because her parents work there. She and her friends are now counselors and ready for the summer, Goldie especially because something didn’t go right over her last year and for the first time she’s keeping secrets from her friends. When a boy is found dead near to camp Goldie has to wonder if something happened to him or if it really was an accident.
December 21, 2022
I came here for camp slasher mayhem…
…and left disappointed.
And bored.
So so bored.
2.5 there-was-no-body-count-aside-from-my-sanity stars 🤡
…and left disappointed.
And bored.
So so bored.
2.5 there-was-no-body-count-aside-from-my-sanity stars 🤡
August 29, 2024
my favorite summer read this year. had the perfect summer camp setting with a entertaining plot and lovable characters. this was so easy to binge and had an ending i didn’t predict. absolutely loved
October 5, 2024
4 stars ⭐
"Before this summer, Camp Alpine Lake was a haven. An escape from what I could not face back home in Roxwood, only a few miles outside the gate. But now Camp Alpine Lake is another place where I’ll never feel safe."
this book was so good! it was the perfect mix of fun and summery and thriller mystery. and honestly, i did not even guess who the killer was so it was surprising. also, there was the perfect amount of plot twists! i recommend this book!
"Before this summer, Camp Alpine Lake was a haven. An escape from what I could not face back home in Roxwood, only a few miles outside the gate. But now Camp Alpine Lake is another place where I’ll never feel safe."
this book was so good! it was the perfect mix of fun and summery and thriller mystery. and honestly, i did not even guess who the killer was so it was surprising. also, there was the perfect amount of plot twists! i recommend this book!
May 31, 2022
The Counselors is the perfect summer read! It takes place at Camp Alpine Lake in Vermont where Goldie, Ava, and Imogen met as teenagers. The girls call themselves Sisters By Choice.
This summer they return as Counselors and they bring with them … secrets! Goldie lives in Vermont, Ava in New York, and Imogen in Connecticut. Through the years, they have had sleepovers in New York, met up for other visits.
Before the little campers arrive, a body is found in the lake and everyone is pointing fingers. The body belongs to a local named Heller. He and Goldie have a secret past, which cost Goldie everything.
The locals believe Heller died by accident, but not Goldie! She goes on a search and comes across information that leads to more secrets.
A bit predictable, but nonetheless it is nostalgic and entertaining!
Thank you to Bookish First and Razorbill for a gifted copy.
This summer they return as Counselors and they bring with them … secrets! Goldie lives in Vermont, Ava in New York, and Imogen in Connecticut. Through the years, they have had sleepovers in New York, met up for other visits.
Before the little campers arrive, a body is found in the lake and everyone is pointing fingers. The body belongs to a local named Heller. He and Goldie have a secret past, which cost Goldie everything.
The locals believe Heller died by accident, but not Goldie! She goes on a search and comes across information that leads to more secrets.
A bit predictable, but nonetheless it is nostalgic and entertaining!
Thank you to Bookish First and Razorbill for a gifted copy.
August 15, 2025
So glad I finally picked this one up near the end of summer! It grabbed my attention right from the start and kept me hooked the whole way through. A little predictable, but still such a fun read. Perfect summer YA mystery!
June 16, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
If I never see the word “Geezeus” written that way again it’ll be too soon. Literally half a star down for making my eye twitch so often with this awful language.
Other stars down for how boring this was and how it just made no sense. I don’t think anyone would go this far for the motives they had. It was a lot for no reason.
This was the book version of boring af, lazy, hot summer days where you have nothing to do but slog your way through until it’s over. I had nothing else to do and so here I sat. Reading this book. Although anyone who read her other books probably feels the same, but I can’t confirm as I saw the 3.5 ratings and didn’t think it was worth it.
4.24 at the time of my review, but perhaps when it comes out people will agree with me.
If I never see the word “Geezeus” written that way again it’ll be too soon. Literally half a star down for making my eye twitch so often with this awful language.
Other stars down for how boring this was and how it just made no sense. I don’t think anyone would go this far for the motives they had. It was a lot for no reason.
This was the book version of boring af, lazy, hot summer days where you have nothing to do but slog your way through until it’s over. I had nothing else to do and so here I sat. Reading this book. Although anyone who read her other books probably feels the same, but I can’t confirm as I saw the 3.5 ratings and didn’t think it was worth it.
4.24 at the time of my review, but perhaps when it comes out people will agree with me.
March 31, 2022
Both a gripping, fast-paced thriller set at a summer camp full of secrets and an insightful examination of female friendship, The Counselors will hook you from the beginning and keep you on the edge of your seat until its final stunning twist.
July 23, 2022
i love books that are bad idc
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