Counting Scars

by Melinda Anne Di Lorenzo

When sixteen-year-old Adele Reimer is forced to spend two weeks at a youth reform camp, she has no idea it will lead to a complicated and dangerous love triangle.

With her mother in rehab and her estranged father unable to take immediate custody, Adele's only goal at the camp is to avoid any trouble. But then Adele meets mysterious Fergus and charming Andy and soon finds herself pulled into a dangerous situation that might end up costing her life. Can Adele both listen to her heart and trust her instincts?

Genres: Young Adult

132 pages, Paperback

Published August 16, 2022

Reviews

[Jenny Rock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Counting Scars
1 Sentence Summary: a young adult novel about sixteen-year-old Adele Reimer, who finds herself entangled in a complicated and dangerous love triangle while attending a youth reform camp.

My Rating: 3 stars

My Thoughts: I literally searched “quick reads” on Libby and this one popped up, I wanted something fast and this was like 98 pages. Honestly it was better written than I anticipated… maybe that’s embarrassing for me lol. But I liked it! It’s great for a short story/novella.

Recommend to: fans of mystery, short stories, YA, etc.

(Warnings: swearing, violence, substance use, etc.)

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being a hilo book, this was definitely better than I thought it was going to be. There's a well built story here, and the characters are decently fleshed out for how quick the story goes by. I wouldn't expect a ton out of it, and despite there seeming to be a hook for a possible sequel I know there won't be, this has a lot of potential. Definitely one that I would put forward for reluctant readers who want something interesting, the idea has been done before a few times but this has a decent plotline through it and it was neat.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sixteen year-old Adele has to spend two weeks at a reform camp for bad teens for stealing and because her drug-addicted and abusive mother is in rehab. Meanwhile, her absent (totally, for 10 years) father will have to come pick her up at the end and take custody. But that's not all: at camp, Adele meets two boys: one, the mysterious and dreamy Fergus (9) who she instantly falls for, and two, the impossibly-handsome Andy (13) who seems to fall for her. This love triangle becomes complicated... with potentially deadly consequences!

Another page-turning modern Orca with a bit of narrative corner-cutting and silliness, a catchy opening, palpable romance, light relationship examples, thrills and chills fires, burning, abduction and fairly delicately-exposed moral messages. I enjoyed it for what it is, and I don't read much drama/romance.

3.4 Stars

Notes:

- 12 boys, 12 girls, not allowed to mingle at camp
- Andy keeps trying to 'protect' Adele from Fergus. She isn't interested in Andy, but Andy likes her, and another girl likes Andy and thus hates Adele for the attention, even trying to fight her eventually
- 59) Adele and Fergus 'count scars' in the woods. They make-out, 64) it's romantic
- Heavy secrets 84). A+F were buds who got drunk and burned down Fergus' house with his mother inside... Fergus tried to save her, failed, and was burned in the process... but maybe it was mostly all Andy's doing, because he turns out to be kind of evil.
- 98) Adele and Fergus were knocked out and abducted, tied up by Andy, who tried to burn them down in an old cabin because he was a straight A spoiled student who lost it all (maybe) a-hole. Fergus saves him from the fire too
- This all happens in the first week of camp and we never see the father at all

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

What was that? I feel like I just watched an episode not read a book. I enjoy fast paced books, but this…it did not have enough in it to really satisfy me. We meet Adele, Andy, and Fergus and meeting is a light word. Next thing you know there is tension. Then it resolves and end of book. You get the bare minimum about these characters and you are expected to what? Root for them? Care about them? Sorry I couldn’t. It was written okay. I don’t believe the author has a bad writing style, but I don’t think this author is for me. I felt a lot was missing like okay Fergus and Andy knew each other, but we don’t get much on that. Adele starting liking both guys but she has only known them a week and barely that if they stay in separate cabins, do not eat meals together, and have to break rules to hang out. Most of the interactions between Lena and Adele made no sense. Adele isn’t a mind reader so…
I didn’t really understand too much about the camp itself. It was just like oh you are being sent here sorry. All in all it was kind of predictable which if you read this after a heavy book that might be ok and what you are looking for. It isn’t a book you have to focus on to get through. If I did recommend it to someone I would it to a teen who doesn’t like reading, but needed something fast to pass a short amount of time and wasn’t looking to get something deep out of what they read.

[RelativelyFinnley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea behind this book! Please keep in mind that this was written for a 2.0 reading level, my critiques are from a person with a very high reading level, who is used to books that are about 500 pages. I fully believe that this is a good book for people at that reading level. I am reviewing it as if I had picked this up from the library which is how I do every book.
I wanted so badly to like it, but I just couldn't. Who doesn't like a good bad-girl likes bad-boy but they both aren't bad trope? (Okay maybe I made that up but still!) The plot was great, but I think the length of this book really hurt it. I feel like other than Adele, Ferguson, Andy, the other characters had little to no purpose to the book. Also her dad?? What was going on with that whole plot line? Again, I think if it was maybe a bit longer and there was some more character development this would have been amazing.
Overall I can not say I would recommend this to anyone, but if you want a quick read this will always be an option (no seriously, I read the whole thing once I finished my final, in the span of an hour)
[This review will be posted on Net Galley and Goodreads, it will not be posted on my Instagram]

[catssol · Rating 2 out of 5]

What was this.

Whole story was written like a wattpad fan fiction.
The writing style would have been okay if the storyline was simpler, but the author is using big topics and trying to combine them with her unsatisfying writing style, fast paced storyline and undeveloped characters.
Also the description of the book describes it as a “complicated love triangle” literally nothing complicated about anything in the book and there’s no love triangle?? This is the fake, bottomless love triangle where Person B and C like person A, which is it self a boring trope and when it’s used in such a short and simple book it’s just bad.
The author tried to incorporate too many things into the book when it was ,again, wayy too short to do any of it.
This would have been a hit on wattpad though.

[S.E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good story. However, the two star rating is given due to the superfluous use of some language choices. While some critics would suggest the language used in a young adult book should realistically reflect the usual language used by that age group. Perhaps naively, I would prefer that a good story reflect language we would prefer to hear from young adults. It may be an old adage, but one never gets a second chance to make a first impression.

[Callum T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up
Super fast paced. I read it in 2-ish sittings and I could have easily read it one. Not really my thing, but for someone looking for a quick read it would be good. I don’t feel like it impacted me emotionally the way it was trying too, but it could have if I had more time to get to know the characters. I want to know more of Sal’s story. I would read a book about her.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering how short the books in the Orca series are, the author did a good job of making us connect to the main character Adele. The character of Fergus was interesting as well.

Good writing style and we even got a bit of a plot.

Sometimes, it's a nice break for read such a short book.

[Fynn Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short read, and pretty to the point. It was alright. I wasn't bored while reading it, but it wasn't the most engaging book I've read. I want to know more about Fergus, his past before Camp Happy and what happens afterwards.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read. I flew through it and wanted to know what would happen next. I wish we had gotten maybe a little more about Sal, Lena, and Liv but I’m satisfied with how it ended. I definitely want to read more from this author in the future.

[Finola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really quick read but the description isn’t super accurate of the actual plot. Nothing super special but not bad at all.

[Flesha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not terrible for a high interest / low readability book. Though, the transitions were pretty abrupt and a bit unbelievable.

[Katrina Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good coming of age/morality novella. The believe in yourself message was nicely executed.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great pick for YA reluctant readers.

[Ruth Otto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the plot twist in the last two chapters!