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Summer of '99
For over four decades, Camp Shady Oaks was the premiere youth camp for a summer filled with nature, survival skills, and fun in the remote woods of the Hiawatha National Forest. In 1999, it was forced to close abruptly when tragedy struck.
What is now the abandoned location of one of Michigan’s most notorious unsolved mysteries gains national attention when former camper Quinn Harstead pens a best-selling account of the events that occurred.
The camp remains empty and frozen in time for twenty-three years before Quinn receives an invitation for its grand reopening.
Will she return to the place that continues to haunt her memories in search of answers, or will the secrets of Shady Oaks stay buried forever?
What is now the abandoned location of one of Michigan’s most notorious unsolved mysteries gains national attention when former camper Quinn Harstead pens a best-selling account of the events that occurred.
The camp remains empty and frozen in time for twenty-three years before Quinn receives an invitation for its grand reopening.
Will she return to the place that continues to haunt her memories in search of answers, or will the secrets of Shady Oaks stay buried forever?
238 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2022
205 people are currently reading
7102 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Hyde
10 books1,293 followersHi Everyone!
Thank you for stopping by to rate my books or see my reviews. I don't spend much time on Goodreads, as it's not great for the mental health of an author to obsess over their own reviews.
I simply rate books as I finish reading them, and if you'd like a full review, check out my Instagram - @bookandbeerreview - where I keep it light, funny, and never disrespect fellow authors!
Happy reading!
Thank you for stopping by to rate my books or see my reviews. I don't spend much time on Goodreads, as it's not great for the mental health of an author to obsess over their own reviews.
I simply rate books as I finish reading them, and if you'd like a full review, check out my Instagram - @bookandbeerreview - where I keep it light, funny, and never disrespect fellow authors!
Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
April 27, 2022
My third novel is finally here! I hope you guys enjoy the trip down memory lane!
December 30, 2022
3.5 stars
I think the story was good, but there was so much time spent on backstory that the last bit of the book, where the real plot was at, felt so rushed.
I think the story was good, but there was so much time spent on backstory that the last bit of the book, where the real plot was at, felt so rushed.
November 27, 2024
A quick summer mystery fun read
In Summer of 99’ we are following Quinn Harstead who is attending Camp Shady Oaks. She is not sure what to expect, but what she does receive is new friendships and a first love. What could go wrong? Well unfortunately two people end up being killed at Shady Oaks and it’s a 23 year long filled mystery trying to figure out who or what caused the accident.
What I enjoy about this author’s work is how quick her books are to get through. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed the vibes.
I will say the book is categorized as an adult thriller, but it gave off more YA vibes and very much a coming-of-age kind of mystery.
We spend the majority of the book in the past with Quinn expressing her feelings about camp and the people she meets. You of course have your typical bitchy girls that are destined to try and ruin Quinn’s time at camp. I enjoyed the 90s nostalgia vibes the book gave, and the author did a great job creating an atmospheric scene at Camp. I could visualize it so well in my head. In the present chapters, Quinn is now a middle-aged woman who has written books about the murders at camp and received a lot backlash about it. We get her narration about being nervous about returning to the camp’s reopening. I preferred the past chapters more.
I was enjoying the teen drama and romance to much I didn’t pay to much attention to who I thought the perpetrator was, so I was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed and the additional twist on top of that had me saying WTF!
My gripe with this book would be that it was frustrating how the reveal happens right at the end of the book. I would have love for the reasoning behind it to be stretched and explored further but it was such a quick short read, so I’m not too upset about it.
Excited to read the rest of J.L backlist catalogue
3.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Been meaning to read more of this authors work!
I really enjoyed Delta County by her!
Can see this being a fun quick read! 💙💙
In Summer of 99’ we are following Quinn Harstead who is attending Camp Shady Oaks. She is not sure what to expect, but what she does receive is new friendships and a first love. What could go wrong? Well unfortunately two people end up being killed at Shady Oaks and it’s a 23 year long filled mystery trying to figure out who or what caused the accident.
What I enjoy about this author’s work is how quick her books are to get through. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed the vibes.
I will say the book is categorized as an adult thriller, but it gave off more YA vibes and very much a coming-of-age kind of mystery.
We spend the majority of the book in the past with Quinn expressing her feelings about camp and the people she meets. You of course have your typical bitchy girls that are destined to try and ruin Quinn’s time at camp. I enjoyed the 90s nostalgia vibes the book gave, and the author did a great job creating an atmospheric scene at Camp. I could visualize it so well in my head. In the present chapters, Quinn is now a middle-aged woman who has written books about the murders at camp and received a lot backlash about it. We get her narration about being nervous about returning to the camp’s reopening. I preferred the past chapters more.
I was enjoying the teen drama and romance to much I didn’t pay to much attention to who I thought the perpetrator was, so I was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed and the additional twist on top of that had me saying WTF!
My gripe with this book would be that it was frustrating how the reveal happens right at the end of the book. I would have love for the reasoning behind it to be stretched and explored further but it was such a quick short read, so I’m not too upset about it.
Excited to read the rest of J.L backlist catalogue
3.5 ⭐
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Been meaning to read more of this authors work!
I really enjoyed Delta County by her!
Can see this being a fun quick read! 💙💙
April 26, 2023
I really like the author. Enjoy her social media. Her books are good. She’s going to get stronger and stronger as time goes on.
January 29, 2024
Started and finished in less than a day. THAT’S HOW MUCH I LOVED IT. Ugh. This book. It was so jam packed with the nostalgia of summer camp in the 90’s but with that lingering undertone of mystery. One thing I love about JL’s books that isn’t typical for “typical thrillers” is that she makes you fall in love with the characters. I’m not only invested in the inevitable twisty ending that I know is coming, but I’m invested in Quinn and how she spent her 3 summers at Camp Shady Oaks. JL Hyde is a must read author for me, hands down.
September 17, 2022
I feel like this read like a YA book. It was pretty juvenile. The 90’s references were fun. Just an okay read.
June 16, 2023
I might be unpopular here but this book was a disappointment for me as far as being a creepy/thriller.
I found it on a list on Instagram of campy horror/thrillers to read this summer and immediately I was psyched. Just the type of book I was in the mood for. Unfortunately for me, the first 75% of the book was more nostalgic summer camp YA romance with only the last 25% (if even that much) being about the missing campers and what happened.
There really wasn’t any creep factor nor me being on the edge of my seat. I did read it in a day because the nostalgic camp vibes were fun to get into and I kept waiting for something super scary to happen and more storyline explanations, but even when the big twist came and the murders explained, it wasn’t really shocking. The end also felt rushed. The start of the book got into a lot of detail but then the last half seemed less informative and glossed over in areas I would have liked more.
I might try another book by the author in the future but hopefully if their next book is listed as a thriller, it will be a true thriller. 3 stars.
I found it on a list on Instagram of campy horror/thrillers to read this summer and immediately I was psyched. Just the type of book I was in the mood for. Unfortunately for me, the first 75% of the book was more nostalgic summer camp YA romance with only the last 25% (if even that much) being about the missing campers and what happened.
There really wasn’t any creep factor nor me being on the edge of my seat. I did read it in a day because the nostalgic camp vibes were fun to get into and I kept waiting for something super scary to happen and more storyline explanations, but even when the big twist came and the murders explained, it wasn’t really shocking. The end also felt rushed. The start of the book got into a lot of detail but then the last half seemed less informative and glossed over in areas I would have liked more.
I might try another book by the author in the future but hopefully if their next book is listed as a thriller, it will be a true thriller. 3 stars.
May 25, 2023
What a waste! Billed as a thriller but it leaned too heavy in the nostalgia and romance of summer camp, literally no suspense.
November 16, 2022
Update: Just finished reading this for the second time, and im glad I did. I normally don't re-read books within the same year that I've read them, but with the sequel out I wanted everything to be absolutely fresh. And honestly, the books are that enjoyable that reading them again wasn't even an issue. Of course, 5 stars remain!
I stayed up all night to zoom through this, and It. Was. Worth it! Everyone who's attended summer camp can resonate with this. And then once again, taking place in God's Country, it just holds that much more meaning while reading. I devoured this novel. The summer camp romance tinged with mystery and foul play. I'm here for all of it. And that ENDING. Bravo. I'm already impatiently waiting for whatever you throw at us next, and I'll be buying physical copies for one of your book signings in Escanaba this summer!
I stayed up all night to zoom through this, and It. Was. Worth it! Everyone who's attended summer camp can resonate with this. And then once again, taking place in God's Country, it just holds that much more meaning while reading. I devoured this novel. The summer camp romance tinged with mystery and foul play. I'm here for all of it. And that ENDING. Bravo. I'm already impatiently waiting for whatever you throw at us next, and I'll be buying physical copies for one of your book signings in Escanaba this summer!
October 4, 2023
Really enjoyed this book! Again the main character was very likable and I just love the camp vibes. The ending was a nice little twist that I didn’t see coming!!
June 15, 2024
dnf @ 65% but marking as read towards my goodreads goal.
this started off so strong and i read the first half of it in one sitting. however, in the middle it started to get boring and focused more on the romance. the writing wasn’t anything special and i even spotted a typo or two. i also can’t get over that the author wrote “Although it's a rare sunny day in winter, there is still a foot or two of snow on the ground”….in FLORIDA. most of this book is set in Michigan, but this scene was in Florida.
some characters were just straight up stereotypes (the mean girl, the supportive best friend), and the book started to read more like a YA romance novel than a thriller. there was little to no tension or suspense. i quit with only an hour left of reading in the book, but i didn’t care to find out what happened. at the beginning you learn that a tragedy occurred at this summer camp that led it to close, and that’s what you’re trying to figure out the whole time. there were no clues or anything else happening to further that plot from what i read. way too much backstory that’s probably unnecessary.
this is like a not good version of The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. that book has a similar premise and i’d recommend it over this one. i hate to bash an indie published book, but this was just not it and i’m sad because i heard good things and i love this author’s instagram account!
this started off so strong and i read the first half of it in one sitting. however, in the middle it started to get boring and focused more on the romance. the writing wasn’t anything special and i even spotted a typo or two. i also can’t get over that the author wrote “Although it's a rare sunny day in winter, there is still a foot or two of snow on the ground”….in FLORIDA. most of this book is set in Michigan, but this scene was in Florida.
some characters were just straight up stereotypes (the mean girl, the supportive best friend), and the book started to read more like a YA romance novel than a thriller. there was little to no tension or suspense. i quit with only an hour left of reading in the book, but i didn’t care to find out what happened. at the beginning you learn that a tragedy occurred at this summer camp that led it to close, and that’s what you’re trying to figure out the whole time. there were no clues or anything else happening to further that plot from what i read. way too much backstory that’s probably unnecessary.
this is like a not good version of The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. that book has a similar premise and i’d recommend it over this one. i hate to bash an indie published book, but this was just not it and i’m sad because i heard good things and i love this author’s instagram account!
November 15, 2022
So many parts of this book needed further explanations. It’s like one line thrown in of this major event yet a huge paragraph written to name drop some 90s brand or Michigan city. The characters have no depth. One minute it sounds like Quinn is this horrible off recluse who never leaves her house and then the next page she just randomly is completely fine and goes to camp for the weekend. Her relationship is detailed as a teen but then as an adult leaves a lot to be desired. Very confusing story. Could have been an amazing story if the details had been there because the story outline that we get in the book is great it just has major gaps.
April 26, 2023
4.5 Stars. Come on, Goodreads. I need a half star rating option.😜
September 26, 2024
Summer of ‘99
Loved this book! Huge J.L.Hyde fan. This was our September book for the #over40booktokbookclub The 90s nostalgia was top notch.
Loved this book! Huge J.L.Hyde fan. This was our September book for the #over40booktokbookclub The 90s nostalgia was top notch.
October 21, 2023
Let me begin by saying I love this author and do believe she tells a good story. In this instance, the execution was just off for me.
I really struggled with the “then” chapters. It felt like a lot of fluff and information I didn’t really need. The first 75% of the book was too focused on the summer camp memories rather than the mystery of what happened. I wasn’t curious or invested until the end, and then it was rushed.
Overall it was a decent read, I just wasn’t blown away. I would’ve preferred more developed story on the now chapters, rather than such focus on then.
Thank you for the author for sending me a copy!
I really struggled with the “then” chapters. It felt like a lot of fluff and information I didn’t really need. The first 75% of the book was too focused on the summer camp memories rather than the mystery of what happened. I wasn’t curious or invested until the end, and then it was rushed.
Overall it was a decent read, I just wasn’t blown away. I would’ve preferred more developed story on the now chapters, rather than such focus on then.
Thank you for the author for sending me a copy!
June 19, 2023
The reviews definitely HYPED this book up. I kept wanting to DNF this, but I was promised a jaw dropping twist, so I trudged forward.
Everything in this book was underwhelming, there were so many irrelevant chapters, the ending was rushed, and the “twist” was highly predictable.
I kept double checking to see if this was really a YA book, because the writing, dialogue, and overall story was so juvenile.
Everything in this book was underwhelming, there were so many irrelevant chapters, the ending was rushed, and the “twist” was highly predictable.
I kept double checking to see if this was really a YA book, because the writing, dialogue, and overall story was so juvenile.
May 8, 2023
Really enjoyed this book and all the 90’s references. Loved the past and present storylines, it kept you guessing!
April 13, 2024
I'll be honest...went into this with completely the wrong expectations. It was recommended to me in response to me asking for horror recommendations with 80s/90s vibes and I don't like to read the synopsis of books so that's what I was expecting. This...is not a horror novel...lol.
It was very good though. I enjoyed the writing style, it definitely has 90s vibes, loved the summer camp setting and the two timelines. But I kept waiting for...you know...the dogman or the slasher...lol...and it never comes because that's not what this is. It's more of a murder mystery/thriller I guess...but no one is really trying to solve the murder and its not really that thrilling. More like...this horrible thing happens and we see the before and after and there's a reveal at the end.
Had I gone in with appropriate expectations...this might have been a 5 star for me. But more likely I never would have picked it up to begin with because this type of story isn't really my jam. But lucky me i guess because I DID enjoy it and I would recommend to others who might be interested in this sort of thing.
It was very good though. I enjoyed the writing style, it definitely has 90s vibes, loved the summer camp setting and the two timelines. But I kept waiting for...you know...the dogman or the slasher...lol...and it never comes because that's not what this is. It's more of a murder mystery/thriller I guess...but no one is really trying to solve the murder and its not really that thrilling. More like...this horrible thing happens and we see the before and after and there's a reveal at the end.
Had I gone in with appropriate expectations...this might have been a 5 star for me. But more likely I never would have picked it up to begin with because this type of story isn't really my jam. But lucky me i guess because I DID enjoy it and I would recommend to others who might be interested in this sort of thing.
December 27, 2025
I love the UP. My dad is a yooper, and took us up there as kids. I'm starting to explore on my own, and wanted to read something that takes place in the same forest my grandmother grew up in.
The storytelling is good, I enjoyed the way it was written. The only thing that makes me dock a star is the ending-
It's good, it's believable, but it's SO RUSHED. Suspects aren't explored until the last 20 pages, the resolution in the last 5, and a twist on the final page. 99% of the book is character development and plot building, but you don't even KNOW who died until over halfway through.
I would read more by this author, I enjoy the style, I just personally need the actual mystery explored earlier than the last couple pages.
The storytelling is good, I enjoyed the way it was written. The only thing that makes me dock a star is the ending-
It's good, it's believable, but it's SO RUSHED. Suspects aren't explored until the last 20 pages, the resolution in the last 5, and a twist on the final page. 99% of the book is character development and plot building, but you don't even KNOW who died until over halfway through.
I would read more by this author, I enjoy the style, I just personally need the actual mystery explored earlier than the last couple pages.
June 30, 2025
A perfect summer thriller with Sleepaway camp vibes and 90s nostalgia. Loved it!
September 27, 2023
such a good read. the very end confirmed my 5 star rating. love love loved it
August 11, 2025
Lots of backstory (with some fun 90s nostalgia) but the ending and murder explanation was too rushed and I felt cheated. Reads more like a YA book which isn't bad...just a data point to know it's a quick and easy read. It was decent but not great.
P.S. I grabbed this book because I'm from Michigan and I love reading books that take place in my home state. And then, imagine my shock when I started reading and the first paragraph mentioned Gurnee (where I currently live).
P.S. I grabbed this book because I'm from Michigan and I love reading books that take place in my home state. And then, imagine my shock when I started reading and the first paragraph mentioned Gurnee (where I currently live).
August 1, 2025
I loved this one! It has so many good things- mystery, summer camp memories, different timelines.
July 30, 2024
If the plot were any thinner it would vanish with a swift breeze. Characters are shadows of sketches of stereotypes. Maybe appropriate for 11-14 year old girls leveling up their reading. Should not be billed for adults and if it were not self-published perhaps it would have received a marketing team to gear it specifically to YA. Sorry to leave such a harsh review, but I wouldn’t have picked it up but for my book club.
July 12, 2024
The mystery/thriller part of this book was less than 5%. So many unimportant details that had nothing to do with the crime that is introduced in the first chapter. This book is more about how fun summer camp is for youths.
June 14, 2023
Summer of ‘99 by J.L. Hyde ⛺️
Summer has put me in a slasher/thriller/horror mood, and Hoopla had this listed under that genre. I went into it really looking forward to the tragic, murderous summer camp vibe, but I didn’t quite make it for me.
The story as a whole is spot-on. Quinn spends three summers at a summer camp. She meets her first love and best friend. She has the popular, mean girl arch-nemesis. Tragedy strikes on the last day and changes her entire future.
For me, it spent too much time on the summers leading up to the summer of the tragedy. I could have used less campy things and more sinister foreshadowing. For every one “now” chapter, it felt like there were six irrelevant “then” chapters.
The ending “twist” was two sentences long and I was confused when I swiped and the next page was the author’s acknowledgments page.
I did enjoy it, but it felt more coming of an age with a dash of thriller when I was looking for more of a thriller.
Read if you enjoyed The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager.
🛑: None
🌶️:0
⭐️:3
Summer has put me in a slasher/thriller/horror mood, and Hoopla had this listed under that genre. I went into it really looking forward to the tragic, murderous summer camp vibe, but I didn’t quite make it for me.
The story as a whole is spot-on. Quinn spends three summers at a summer camp. She meets her first love and best friend. She has the popular, mean girl arch-nemesis. Tragedy strikes on the last day and changes her entire future.
For me, it spent too much time on the summers leading up to the summer of the tragedy. I could have used less campy things and more sinister foreshadowing. For every one “now” chapter, it felt like there were six irrelevant “then” chapters.
The ending “twist” was two sentences long and I was confused when I swiped and the next page was the author’s acknowledgments page.
I did enjoy it, but it felt more coming of an age with a dash of thriller when I was looking for more of a thriller.
Read if you enjoyed The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager.
🛑: None
🌶️:0
⭐️:3
July 7, 2022
This was such a great, on-the-edge-of-your-seat mystery!
I loved the Quinn character! I wanted only good things for her and her life!
Hyde does a great job of capturing the fine details of those characters you love to hate, making you feel exactly the way you should. (Cough, cough- Cassie.)
Being a teen in the late ‘90’s myself, I could relate to so much of this book: horror movies, AO/AIM, MASH, etc. The nostalgia was awesome! Thanks for taking me back!
While I suspected the ending in advance, it was still a great ending! I think I would have been disappointed had it ended any other way.
Thanks for another “hard to put down” book!
I loved the Quinn character! I wanted only good things for her and her life!
Hyde does a great job of capturing the fine details of those characters you love to hate, making you feel exactly the way you should. (Cough, cough- Cassie.)
Being a teen in the late ‘90’s myself, I could relate to so much of this book: horror movies, AO/AIM, MASH, etc. The nostalgia was awesome! Thanks for taking me back!
While I suspected the ending in advance, it was still a great ending! I think I would have been disappointed had it ended any other way.
Thanks for another “hard to put down” book!
June 30, 2023
This is supposed to be an adult novel, but it's very juvenile. It's like the present parts are YA and the past parts are middle grade. (I have nothing against YA or middle grade if I know that's what a book is going in) I didn't find it at all engaging. It was a lot teen insta-romance, which the synopsis didn't even hint at. Nothing exciting happens. Not even the "big twist" is exciting. I hate leaving two star reviews, but this book did absolutely nothing for me and I would have DNF'd had it not been my book club book this month.
Don't take my word for it though, if you think you would enjoy this one, find out for yourself!
Don't take my word for it though, if you think you would enjoy this one, find out for yourself!
May 29, 2022
4.5 stars for this, it was just what I wanted at the moment—a mystery at a summer camp! During the summer of 1999, Quinn was attending a summer camp in northern Michigan when two fellow campers die. Now in the present day the camp is being reopened for a new generation. Quinn is successful writer who had previously written a book about the events of that summer, is apprehensive about going back. But she does, mostly to close some old wounds and get some kind of closure. I also liked that this took place in Michigan! So good, I’ll be reading more from this author in the future!
June 29, 2023
This was a super quick and easy read which is nice, because nothing really happens until the last 15-20% of the book. I did enjoy reading it and recalling my own memories of summer camp as a kid. There really aren’t any hints or clues of any sort throughout the book to make you question things. However, my jaw definitely did drop at the very end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews