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The Camp
Don't-Ever-Run
Words to remember when staring at a brown bear in the woods of Alaska.
Emma Walton is excited to attend a wilderness camp in Alaska, but what she really is looking forward to is being away from her parents before she enters college. Unfortunately, the moment she arrives on the island she realizes things aren't as they seem. Something far more sinister than a brown bear is lurking in the woods.
Emma is frightened beyond belief. One wrong move and she worries she'll end up dead... or worse. Thankfully in a week, she'll be eighteen and can get herself off the island, which is exactly what she intends to do. That is until she meets Liam.
She finds herself drawn to Liam's ability to see who she really is and who she wants to become, but that's all interrupted when people begin disappearing.
It becomes apparent they can only trust one another as they fight for survival.
Words to remember when staring at a brown bear in the woods of Alaska.
Emma Walton is excited to attend a wilderness camp in Alaska, but what she really is looking forward to is being away from her parents before she enters college. Unfortunately, the moment she arrives on the island she realizes things aren't as they seem. Something far more sinister than a brown bear is lurking in the woods.
Emma is frightened beyond belief. One wrong move and she worries she'll end up dead... or worse. Thankfully in a week, she'll be eighteen and can get herself off the island, which is exactly what she intends to do. That is until she meets Liam.
She finds herself drawn to Liam's ability to see who she really is and who she wants to become, but that's all interrupted when people begin disappearing.
It becomes apparent they can only trust one another as they fight for survival.
250 pages, Paperback
First published February 27, 2013
8 people are currently reading
1030 people want to read
About the author
Karice Bolton
94 books931 followersKarice is the author of over sixty books that span several genres. She loves nothing more than spending time with her family and sneaking away to write in between with a latte in hand.
She received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W.
Sign up for Karice's newsletter and new release info at http://www.karicebolton.com/
Titles include:
Cloudberry Inn Series
Imagining You
Remembering You
Leaving You
Loving You
Sunshine Breakfast Club
Dash of Love
Pinch of Love
Beyond Love Series
Beyond Control (Book 1)
Beyond Doubt (Book 2)
Beyond Reason (Book 3)
Beyond Intent (Book 4)
Beyond Chance (Book 5)
Beyond Promise (Book 6)
Beyond the Mistletoe (Book 7)
Island County Series
Finding Love in Forgotten Cove (Book 1)
Love Redone in Hidden Harbor (Book 2)
Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Book 3)
Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Book 4)
Tempting Love on Holly Lane (Book 5)
Chance at Love at Mystic Bay (Book 6)
Irresistible Love at Silver Falls (Book 7)
Lucky in Love on Hound Island(Book 8)
Mistletoe Mischief (Book 9)
Silver Ridge Series
Happy Truth About Love
A Little Secret About Love
A Funny Thing About Love
A Surprising Thing About Love
Christmas at Silver Ridge
V Mafia Series
Blake
Devin
Jaxson
Luke Fletcher Series
Hidden Sins (Book 1)
Buried Sins (Book 2)
Redemption (Book 3)
Mia (Book 4)
Afterworld Serie
RecruitZ
AlibiZ
UprisingZ
The Camp
The Watchers Trilogy
Taken Novella (A Watchers prequel)
Awakening (Book 1)
Legions (Book 2)
Cataclysm(Book 3)
The Witch Avenue Series
Lonely Souls (Book 1)
Altered Souls (Book 2)
Released Souls (Book 3)
Shattered Souls (Book 4)
The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening was a Barnes & Noble January 2012 Staff Pick: Nook Books Under $5
She received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W.
Sign up for Karice's newsletter and new release info at http://www.karicebolton.com/
Titles include:
Cloudberry Inn Series
Imagining You
Remembering You
Leaving You
Loving You
Sunshine Breakfast Club
Dash of Love
Pinch of Love
Beyond Love Series
Beyond Control (Book 1)
Beyond Doubt (Book 2)
Beyond Reason (Book 3)
Beyond Intent (Book 4)
Beyond Chance (Book 5)
Beyond Promise (Book 6)
Beyond the Mistletoe (Book 7)
Island County Series
Finding Love in Forgotten Cove (Book 1)
Love Redone in Hidden Harbor (Book 2)
Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Book 3)
Forever Love on Fireweed Island (Book 4)
Tempting Love on Holly Lane (Book 5)
Chance at Love at Mystic Bay (Book 6)
Irresistible Love at Silver Falls (Book 7)
Lucky in Love on Hound Island(Book 8)
Mistletoe Mischief (Book 9)
Silver Ridge Series
Happy Truth About Love
A Little Secret About Love
A Funny Thing About Love
A Surprising Thing About Love
Christmas at Silver Ridge
V Mafia Series
Blake
Devin
Jaxson
Luke Fletcher Series
Hidden Sins (Book 1)
Buried Sins (Book 2)
Redemption (Book 3)
Mia (Book 4)
Afterworld Serie
RecruitZ
AlibiZ
UprisingZ
The Camp
The Watchers Trilogy
Taken Novella (A Watchers prequel)
Awakening (Book 1)
Legions (Book 2)
Cataclysm(Book 3)
The Witch Avenue Series
Lonely Souls (Book 1)
Altered Souls (Book 2)
Released Souls (Book 3)
Shattered Souls (Book 4)
The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening was a Barnes & Noble January 2012 Staff Pick: Nook Books Under $5
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 9, 2013
Oh man, I HATE giving any book a less than 4 star rating, and this was is even more heartbreaking :(
And I was soo looking forward to reading it too. Such is life, I guess, but it doesn't make it any easier. Let me start off by saying I have read all of the Witch Avenue books, so I am familiar with Karice Bolton's writing style. I LOVED them. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. I think that is what makes this review even harder to write.
THE CAMP made me feel like I was reading the narration to a cheesy teen horror movie. Everything was rush rush rush, I felt like the characters were all over the place, and I'm sorry but maybe it is my age (I'm only 35 mind you) but who has time to be swooning over the hunk when they are running for their life??? Now before you bombard me with comments, I understand it IS a book, and Emma IS a teenager, but really? I'm scared to death because XYZ is happening all around me but all I can think about is how good Liam looks when he first rolls out of bed. And let me think about that multiple times throughout the book. And what about Tom? I'm still confused over what exactly they knew he did, other than bringing a strange man into camp, tying him up, keeping watch, then having the plane come and pick him up. I know the end of the book gives more info but it totally left me wondering and back tracking in the book just to see if I missed something. The ending was predictable, I had it figured out pretty early on. One other issue I had was the overuse of the word "and", a real pet peeve of mine. Sometimes using other words can really make the difference in the flow of a sentence.
Overall I am glad that I read THE CAMP. Would I read it again? Ehh, possible. Will I continue to read Karice Bolton's books? Definitely! I can't wait for SHATTERED SOULS and her Watcher's Trilogy is on my TBR list. Would I recommend it other readers? Sure would, even with a two star rating. I totally get that not every book is for every reader so while I felt the way I did about it, you may not get me at all and want to give it five stars.
And I was soo looking forward to reading it too. Such is life, I guess, but it doesn't make it any easier. Let me start off by saying I have read all of the Witch Avenue books, so I am familiar with Karice Bolton's writing style. I LOVED them. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. I think that is what makes this review even harder to write.
THE CAMP made me feel like I was reading the narration to a cheesy teen horror movie. Everything was rush rush rush, I felt like the characters were all over the place, and I'm sorry but maybe it is my age (I'm only 35 mind you) but who has time to be swooning over the hunk when they are running for their life??? Now before you bombard me with comments, I understand it IS a book, and Emma IS a teenager, but really? I'm scared to death because XYZ is happening all around me but all I can think about is how good Liam looks when he first rolls out of bed. And let me think about that multiple times throughout the book. And what about Tom? I'm still confused over what exactly they knew he did, other than bringing a strange man into camp, tying him up, keeping watch, then having the plane come and pick him up. I know the end of the book gives more info but it totally left me wondering and back tracking in the book just to see if I missed something. The ending was predictable, I had it figured out pretty early on. One other issue I had was the overuse of the word "and", a real pet peeve of mine. Sometimes using other words can really make the difference in the flow of a sentence.
Overall I am glad that I read THE CAMP. Would I read it again? Ehh, possible. Will I continue to read Karice Bolton's books? Definitely! I can't wait for SHATTERED SOULS and her Watcher's Trilogy is on my TBR list. Would I recommend it other readers? Sure would, even with a two star rating. I totally get that not every book is for every reader so while I felt the way I did about it, you may not get me at all and want to give it five stars.
September 25, 2017
que vaina tan mala....
November 20, 2015
From the start of this book, I was easily hooked. I had to know what Emma did to possibly earn such hatred from her step father to be sent off packing to a camp for delinquents. All unbeknownst to her. Here she thought she was headed to a camp to learn about forestry before college. Does he hate her that much? Does her mother not see it, and not care enough for her only child to be treated this way? And why all of a sudden are kids going missing?
Like I said, from the start this book drew me in. I was intrigued. I was diggin’ Liam. I had to know why people were missing and getting hurt. This book was fun and mysterious. I enjoyed the characters I remembered (there was a lot to keep track of at times) and loved trying to figure out the “who done it” part.
And then there were the times that a paranormal aspect peeked its way in. Just every so often. It had you wondering if what we were dealing with was a normal, everyday contemporary or maybe, just maybe, it was a supernatural read. But, I am going to let you decide that one all on your own.
So, most of the book I was head over heels for. Then there was the end. I felt that the whole mystery got wrapped up a bit too quickly for my taste. I was hoping for it to drag out a little bit longer. I felt we got rushed into a set up for the next book too soon. Next book you ask? Oh yes! I am interested in knowing what is going to go on in it. Liam has a past that he wasn’t too keen on revealing, so it looks like it may come to a head in book 2.
Looking forward to more of Bolton’s work as always. 4 Stars!
Like I said, from the start this book drew me in. I was intrigued. I was diggin’ Liam. I had to know why people were missing and getting hurt. This book was fun and mysterious. I enjoyed the characters I remembered (there was a lot to keep track of at times) and loved trying to figure out the “who done it” part.
And then there were the times that a paranormal aspect peeked its way in. Just every so often. It had you wondering if what we were dealing with was a normal, everyday contemporary or maybe, just maybe, it was a supernatural read. But, I am going to let you decide that one all on your own.
So, most of the book I was head over heels for. Then there was the end. I felt that the whole mystery got wrapped up a bit too quickly for my taste. I was hoping for it to drag out a little bit longer. I felt we got rushed into a set up for the next book too soon. Next book you ask? Oh yes! I am interested in knowing what is going to go on in it. Liam has a past that he wasn’t too keen on revealing, so it looks like it may come to a head in book 2.
Looking forward to more of Bolton’s work as always. 4 Stars!
May 5, 2013
Emma didn't want to go to camp in the first place. It's the summer before she starts college, and her 18th birthday is just a couple weeks away, but her cruel stepfather decided that Emma would spend her summer at a place called Re-Boot Camp in the southeast Alaska wilderness.
Emma knows she's in for unpleasant times when there were some seriously tough punks on the tiny airplane en route. Her instincts are right: every other camper there has a criminal record.
As she gets off the plane, she meets hunky Liam, the camp's handyman, whose unofficial job becomes beating the shit out of anyone who hassles Emma. Within a few hours, they are gazing meaningfully at one another, touching each other, obviously wanting to add to the camp's wild-life problem.
Sorry.
There's a terrible storm the first few days of camp. The weather cleared, and that's when bad things started happening, things that threatened the very lives of everyone at Re-Boot Camp.
"The Camp" is a nice-enough read. The story moved along quickly, and there was suspense. My biggest problem, though, was that I didn't buy Emma. Here's a reasonably smart girl, who spent most of her life with her rich father, and she ends up at a camp for wayward kids. Okay. Her stepfather's an asshole, so him sending her there is within reason.
But she ends up being a total martinet. She isn't in the least bit cowed by the twelve FELONS who are her fellow campers. Also, she's a city/suburban girl stuck in the middle of a thick forest, and when things get rough, she ends up hanging with the Camp Leaders, telling people what to do. From the first night, hunky Liam spends his nights in her tent. There's no mounting going on, but it seems like the Camp Leaders would point out the impropriety of an adult male sleeping in a minor female's tent, even if nothing happens. Also, their constant PDA's would doubtless attract attention and fuel animosity among the other campers, very few of whom are developed even slightly--they're like the red shirted Star Trek characters, undifferentiated space-holders who get killed a lot.
I digress: to me, the transition from "Hi, my name is _____" to acting like life-partners was way too quick.
"The Camp" would be an awesome novel for YA-Romance fans looking for a perfect beach book. The romance was definitely there, but I swear by everything holy, my cynical pancreas was going to explode if Emma mentioned Liam's warm caramel eyes again, and I'm certain I'd yark if she spoke again of his abs. Thank the gods it was too cold to sleep naked, or who knows what anatomical part she'd be gushing over next.
To be fair, I'm waaaaay outside this book's target audience. Imagine The Camp's target audience is in southeastern Alaska, and I'm here in Florida. There's that much disparity.
I think Karice Bolton has written a novel that super-serves her target audience. This book is perfect for young teen girls, and perhaps only them. They will adore "The Camp," and I highly recommend it to them. (Especially if they're fans of warm, caramel-colored eyes (oh, hell. There goes my pancreas))
Emma knows she's in for unpleasant times when there were some seriously tough punks on the tiny airplane en route. Her instincts are right: every other camper there has a criminal record.
As she gets off the plane, she meets hunky Liam, the camp's handyman, whose unofficial job becomes beating the shit out of anyone who hassles Emma. Within a few hours, they are gazing meaningfully at one another, touching each other, obviously wanting to add to the camp's wild-life problem.
Sorry.
There's a terrible storm the first few days of camp. The weather cleared, and that's when bad things started happening, things that threatened the very lives of everyone at Re-Boot Camp.
"The Camp" is a nice-enough read. The story moved along quickly, and there was suspense. My biggest problem, though, was that I didn't buy Emma. Here's a reasonably smart girl, who spent most of her life with her rich father, and she ends up at a camp for wayward kids. Okay. Her stepfather's an asshole, so him sending her there is within reason.
But she ends up being a total martinet. She isn't in the least bit cowed by the twelve FELONS who are her fellow campers. Also, she's a city/suburban girl stuck in the middle of a thick forest, and when things get rough, she ends up hanging with the Camp Leaders, telling people what to do. From the first night, hunky Liam spends his nights in her tent. There's no mounting going on, but it seems like the Camp Leaders would point out the impropriety of an adult male sleeping in a minor female's tent, even if nothing happens. Also, their constant PDA's would doubtless attract attention and fuel animosity among the other campers, very few of whom are developed even slightly--they're like the red shirted Star Trek characters, undifferentiated space-holders who get killed a lot.
I digress: to me, the transition from "Hi, my name is _____" to acting like life-partners was way too quick.
"The Camp" would be an awesome novel for YA-Romance fans looking for a perfect beach book. The romance was definitely there, but I swear by everything holy, my cynical pancreas was going to explode if Emma mentioned Liam's warm caramel eyes again, and I'm certain I'd yark if she spoke again of his abs. Thank the gods it was too cold to sleep naked, or who knows what anatomical part she'd be gushing over next.
To be fair, I'm waaaaay outside this book's target audience. Imagine The Camp's target audience is in southeastern Alaska, and I'm here in Florida. There's that much disparity.
I think Karice Bolton has written a novel that super-serves her target audience. This book is perfect for young teen girls, and perhaps only them. They will adore "The Camp," and I highly recommend it to them. (Especially if they're fans of warm, caramel-colored eyes (oh, hell. There goes my pancreas))
May 4, 2013
This book was a complete delight to read. I was expecting a fun summer read (very light, a little creepy, some romance) and it was that, but it was also very good.
(Note: I wasn't expecting it to suck, of course, but I was expecting brain candy.)
I completely adore Emma. She's smart, funny, sarcastic and completely capable. The fact that there's a potential serial killer on the island scares her, of course (she's still a person!) but whereas a lot of people would be nearly catatonic, she's determined to do as much as she can to help. As opposed to, say, curling up in a corner and waiting to die.
And Emma-and-Liam? Holy. Crap. THAT IS ALL.
I know this is supposed to be a standalone but I hope there's a sequel.
I've never read Karice Bolton before, but I definitely plan to seek out her other books (she's written two trilogies; the first books in both of those are currently free on Kindle and this one is 99 cents---99 cents, people!).
Highly recommended.
(Note: I wasn't expecting it to suck, of course, but I was expecting brain candy.)
I completely adore Emma. She's smart, funny, sarcastic and completely capable. The fact that there's a potential serial killer on the island scares her, of course (she's still a person!) but whereas a lot of people would be nearly catatonic, she's determined to do as much as she can to help. As opposed to, say, curling up in a corner and waiting to die.
And Emma-and-Liam? Holy. Crap. THAT IS ALL.
I know this is supposed to be a standalone but I hope there's a sequel.
I've never read Karice Bolton before, but I definitely plan to seek out her other books (she's written two trilogies; the first books in both of those are currently free on Kindle and this one is 99 cents---99 cents, people!).
Highly recommended.
November 3, 2013
This book was promising, but the writer didn't know how to use it. It had its moments but when the creepy part started it just went too quickly, I couldn't enjoy it. This book was more about the relationship with Emma and Liam, that about a horrifying camp where everybody could die.
I knew all the time who was the killer, it just seemed too obviously to me, so I was expecting something more shocking. This couldn't have been so easy, right? Well, it was.
I still have so many questions
This was a regular reading.
I knew all the time who was the killer, it just seemed too obviously to me, so I was expecting something more shocking. This couldn't have been so easy, right? Well, it was.
I still have so many questions
This was a regular reading.
May 3, 2013
It was an amazing book.
Want to read
May 8, 2013I'm going to give this author another try... and because I'm a sucker for beautiful covers!
September 6, 2014
Que manera de sorprenderme este libro (aunque no se si para bien o mal). Tenía una expectativa dada la sinopsis y la portada pero empecé a leerlo y wtf, pasan cada cosas x__x pero en fin
April 28, 2015
La idea no esta mal pero es todo muy forzado muy directo sin crear detalles y sin duda el final es muy predecible.
August 18, 2013
From http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
3.5 stars.
At A Glance
The Camp was a fun, exciting, light read. Even with the okay writing, I still enjoyed myself.
The Good
This is so a lazy summer mystery read. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
First let me say that I was shocked by how horrible Emma's stepdad was. He straight up tricked her into going to a rehabilitation camp for teenage criminals. She thought she was going to a conservation summer camp. Is that not horrible? So as you can guess, I was drawn in from the beginning. Can you imagine spending the summer with juvenile delinquents in the middle of nowhere, sleeping in tents? Yeah, no thank you. And if living with criminals wasn't enough, something is out in the forest, taking the teens and doing God knows what with them. *shivers*
The mystery / suspense aspect was the best part of the book. I really didn't know who was stealing the kids and why until the very end. The whole thing was creepy. I actually got the chills numerous times. I always put myself in the main characters position, and I don't know if I could have held it together like Emma did.
Emma was surprisingly strong. She handles herself well and knows when to take charge. And for being a city girl, she did amazingly living in tents, taking cold showers, and doing other outdoorsy stuff. She also had a very sad backstory that made me feel for her even more. Her family life is not so good. When she met Liam I was so happy to see her open up to someone.
Liam was amazing. He is the kind of boyfriend any girl would want. He's strong and knows how to use his hands. And I mean that in the cleanest way possible. Okay, maybe my mind is being a little dirty. :) I loved his take charge attitude and how protective he was of Emma from the get-go. I could see how anyone would feel safe in his arms.
Emma and Liam made a great team. Together they could take on anything or anyone. I was actually excited to see how much this book focused on romance. I was in the mood for a good romance so it worked out. As the mystery unfolded I got more and more excited to see how it would all end. I am very happy I got to read The Camp and would read the sequel if one ever came out.
The Bad
This is a young adult book, and the writing felt like it too. It wasn't bad, I just felt like the writing technique could have been better. There was some repetitiveness and I couldn't help a couple eye-rolls while reading.
Also, there is literally no character development for any of the characters besides Emma and Liam. This is their book.
Be ready for a major case of insta-love. Emma and Liam were sleeping in the same tent the first night! No bumping and grinding, but still!
The Snuggly
Even though the insta-love was a little much, I still found Emma and Liam to be so adorable. They could barely spend two minutes apart. They actually made me want to giggle. I was so happy they had each other to figure out the mystery together.
Expect kissing and touching. And unwanted sexual touching.
Final Thoughts
I think most readers will find The Camp to be an exciting and cute read. Don't get me wrong, many bad, dark things happen. But overall the romance was awww-worthy and the suspense was intense. Very recommended.
Quotes
Before I could get control of my breathing something slammed against the right wall of the tent. I stood up immediately and grabbed a flashlight to shine on the tent wall. I couldn't see anyone outside, but another slap on the tent confirmed someone was out there.
"Go away," I screamed, flipped off the lantern but keeping the flashlight on.
A man's deep voice growled with the wind and my veins filled wit terror. That was definitely not Liam. A finger began scratching the fabric of the tent drawing a straight line as the figure walked along the ten, taunting me.
"I'll be watching you," the voice murmured.
*Free book from author for honest review*
3.5 stars.
At A Glance
The Camp was a fun, exciting, light read. Even with the okay writing, I still enjoyed myself.
The Good
This is so a lazy summer mystery read. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
First let me say that I was shocked by how horrible Emma's stepdad was. He straight up tricked her into going to a rehabilitation camp for teenage criminals. She thought she was going to a conservation summer camp. Is that not horrible? So as you can guess, I was drawn in from the beginning. Can you imagine spending the summer with juvenile delinquents in the middle of nowhere, sleeping in tents? Yeah, no thank you. And if living with criminals wasn't enough, something is out in the forest, taking the teens and doing God knows what with them. *shivers*
The mystery / suspense aspect was the best part of the book. I really didn't know who was stealing the kids and why until the very end. The whole thing was creepy. I actually got the chills numerous times. I always put myself in the main characters position, and I don't know if I could have held it together like Emma did.
Emma was surprisingly strong. She handles herself well and knows when to take charge. And for being a city girl, she did amazingly living in tents, taking cold showers, and doing other outdoorsy stuff. She also had a very sad backstory that made me feel for her even more. Her family life is not so good. When she met Liam I was so happy to see her open up to someone.
Liam was amazing. He is the kind of boyfriend any girl would want. He's strong and knows how to use his hands. And I mean that in the cleanest way possible. Okay, maybe my mind is being a little dirty. :) I loved his take charge attitude and how protective he was of Emma from the get-go. I could see how anyone would feel safe in his arms.
Emma and Liam made a great team. Together they could take on anything or anyone. I was actually excited to see how much this book focused on romance. I was in the mood for a good romance so it worked out. As the mystery unfolded I got more and more excited to see how it would all end. I am very happy I got to read The Camp and would read the sequel if one ever came out.
The Bad
This is a young adult book, and the writing felt like it too. It wasn't bad, I just felt like the writing technique could have been better. There was some repetitiveness and I couldn't help a couple eye-rolls while reading.
Also, there is literally no character development for any of the characters besides Emma and Liam. This is their book.
Be ready for a major case of insta-love. Emma and Liam were sleeping in the same tent the first night! No bumping and grinding, but still!
The Snuggly
Even though the insta-love was a little much, I still found Emma and Liam to be so adorable. They could barely spend two minutes apart. They actually made me want to giggle. I was so happy they had each other to figure out the mystery together.
Expect kissing and touching. And unwanted sexual touching.
Final Thoughts
I think most readers will find The Camp to be an exciting and cute read. Don't get me wrong, many bad, dark things happen. But overall the romance was awww-worthy and the suspense was intense. Very recommended.
Quotes
Before I could get control of my breathing something slammed against the right wall of the tent. I stood up immediately and grabbed a flashlight to shine on the tent wall. I couldn't see anyone outside, but another slap on the tent confirmed someone was out there.
"Go away," I screamed, flipped off the lantern but keeping the flashlight on.
A man's deep voice growled with the wind and my veins filled wit terror. That was definitely not Liam. A finger began scratching the fabric of the tent drawing a straight line as the figure walked along the ten, taunting me.
"I'll be watching you," the voice murmured.
*Free book from author for honest review*
June 30, 2013
Originally posted at Escape Through the Pages with the same rating.
My opinion is definitely the minority on this one, but THE CAMP by Karice Bolton – while having an interesting premise and solid writing – just did not really work for me. It certainly delivers on the synopsis, and I had no problems with Karice Bolton’s writing style, but there were things that did not add up and the book was very quick, plot-wise.
First and foremost, I enjoyed the premise. Emma is sent to ReBoot, a camp for juvenile delinquents, even though she is not one – let’s just say a wicked step-father and uninterested mother comes into play here. While at the camp, Emma finds romance and danger in spades. The book had some very creepy moments and some very swoon-worthy moments. But what ties them all together had issues. At the beginning is the question of why this camp of juvenile criminals is co-ed. That right there seems to be a bad decision (as is shown by a moment of sexual assault near the beginning). Likewise, how did Emma who has no criminal record get sent to this camp? Wouldn’t that be something the people who run the camp look into? Questions, I has them.
Insta-love is not my thing. While I have no problems with a dive-right-in romance if it’s well-formed, insta-love with no real explanations as to why makes me frown. Emma and Liam don’t even really know each other. For all Emma knows, Liam’s a criminal and for all Liam knows, Emma is! And when she says she is not, they all believe her immediately and Emma kind of joins the camp leaders. It isn’t long after the romance begins and the stage is set that the creepy stuff starts happening. Emma seems to be being stalked by an un-known guy (camper? Leader? Someone else all together?) and though Liam and two of the other guys catch the creep the next day, people start being injured or disappearing, so you know there’s someone else still around. And I was creeped out! Very well done intense moments.
Even though I liked the horror-movie creep factor, I didn’t enjoy it as well as I could have because there were just too many characters, not enough face time. Outside of Emma, Liam, camper Chelsea and camp leader Steph, I had issues keeping everyone straight. I had a hard time remembering who was a camper, a leader and how many people were actually at the camp. That makes it hard to know who’s left when people start disappearing. And then there were little things – like, Liam mentions at one point that someone knew bought the camp, but shouldn’t he know this person’s name? Wouldn’t interviews for camp leaders been done? (this also goes back to Emma even going to the camp – that, thankfully, is explained later but the fact that Liam and Steph never clued in to the owner is odd) I was also confused as to why some people lived and some died – I mean, I’m glad people lived, but I don’t understand the motivation. Same goes for the final reveal. The whole camp thing seems like an awful lot of work and murder for something that could have easily been done another way (I’m sorry if this is really vague, but I’m trying not to spoil things).
In the end, I think THE CAMP by Karice Bolton showed promise but could have benefited from being a longer book. Everything felt rushed, from the creepy guy, to the disappearances, to the romance and the conclusion. There are some good intense horror moments and the romance does turn up the heat at points, enough so that I was kept entertained throughout my reading of the book. I would definitely suggest that if the synopsis sounds like something you’d enjoy, dig in!
My opinion is definitely the minority on this one, but THE CAMP by Karice Bolton – while having an interesting premise and solid writing – just did not really work for me. It certainly delivers on the synopsis, and I had no problems with Karice Bolton’s writing style, but there were things that did not add up and the book was very quick, plot-wise.
First and foremost, I enjoyed the premise. Emma is sent to ReBoot, a camp for juvenile delinquents, even though she is not one – let’s just say a wicked step-father and uninterested mother comes into play here. While at the camp, Emma finds romance and danger in spades. The book had some very creepy moments and some very swoon-worthy moments. But what ties them all together had issues. At the beginning is the question of why this camp of juvenile criminals is co-ed. That right there seems to be a bad decision (as is shown by a moment of sexual assault near the beginning). Likewise, how did Emma who has no criminal record get sent to this camp? Wouldn’t that be something the people who run the camp look into? Questions, I has them.
Insta-love is not my thing. While I have no problems with a dive-right-in romance if it’s well-formed, insta-love with no real explanations as to why makes me frown. Emma and Liam don’t even really know each other. For all Emma knows, Liam’s a criminal and for all Liam knows, Emma is! And when she says she is not, they all believe her immediately and Emma kind of joins the camp leaders. It isn’t long after the romance begins and the stage is set that the creepy stuff starts happening. Emma seems to be being stalked by an un-known guy (camper? Leader? Someone else all together?) and though Liam and two of the other guys catch the creep the next day, people start being injured or disappearing, so you know there’s someone else still around. And I was creeped out! Very well done intense moments.
Even though I liked the horror-movie creep factor, I didn’t enjoy it as well as I could have because there were just too many characters, not enough face time. Outside of Emma, Liam, camper Chelsea and camp leader Steph, I had issues keeping everyone straight. I had a hard time remembering who was a camper, a leader and how many people were actually at the camp. That makes it hard to know who’s left when people start disappearing. And then there were little things – like, Liam mentions at one point that someone knew bought the camp, but shouldn’t he know this person’s name? Wouldn’t interviews for camp leaders been done? (this also goes back to Emma even going to the camp – that, thankfully, is explained later but the fact that Liam and Steph never clued in to the owner is odd) I was also confused as to why some people lived and some died – I mean, I’m glad people lived, but I don’t understand the motivation. Same goes for the final reveal. The whole camp thing seems like an awful lot of work and murder for something that could have easily been done another way (I’m sorry if this is really vague, but I’m trying not to spoil things).
In the end, I think THE CAMP by Karice Bolton showed promise but could have benefited from being a longer book. Everything felt rushed, from the creepy guy, to the disappearances, to the romance and the conclusion. There are some good intense horror moments and the romance does turn up the heat at points, enough so that I was kept entertained throughout my reading of the book. I would definitely suggest that if the synopsis sounds like something you’d enjoy, dig in!
June 29, 2013
The Camp was not really what I was expecting, which is good. It's first and foremost a romance with a mystery woven within. The mystery aspect helps push main character, Emma, and romantic interest, Liam, together. This is another one of those novels that's difficult to review without spoilers, but here goes nothing.
The story is told in first person from Emma's point of view. She has major problems with her mother and stepfather, which are made apparent when she's sent to a camp in the Alaskan wilderness that specializes in rehabilitating juvenile delinquents. Emma is about as far from delinquent as one can get. The other campers have rap sheets and social workers. Emma simply has a nasty stepfather and uncaring mother.
The mystery aspect starts out interesting as more campers begin to disappear under strange circumstances. I really wish the mystery was drawn out longer, with more clues for the characters to discover. It's obvious the perpetrator(s) are playing a psychological game with the camp and yet I can't help but want more examples of this sprinkled throughout the story.
The relationship between Emma and Liam is sweet, they seem perfect together. After everything Emma's been through, she deserves a nice guy like Liam. The author hints at a difficult past for Liam but he never reveals it to Emma. Toward the end, he says he'll tell her soon...so frustrating since I want to know and it's not there.
Chapter nineteen seems out of place with the rest of the novel. It causes a break between chapter eighteen and the epilogue that's rather awkward. I had a feeling who was behind the strange occurrences and I was right. It's just so strange almost to the point of absurdity. I watch Discovery I.D. all the time, and this plot is convoluted even for them. All in all, I found this to be a somewhat pleasant read. It's short so you can read it in just a couple hours.
Unfortunately the story never really drew me in, mostly because the peripheral characters were very two dimensional. Most of the campers may as well have been the same person as I could never keep them straight. There were so many peripheral characters that it would be impossible to develop them all, but a few needed to be more substantial. I did care a bit about main character Emma, and though I liked Liam, we learn very little about him.
The story is told in first person from Emma's point of view. She has major problems with her mother and stepfather, which are made apparent when she's sent to a camp in the Alaskan wilderness that specializes in rehabilitating juvenile delinquents. Emma is about as far from delinquent as one can get. The other campers have rap sheets and social workers. Emma simply has a nasty stepfather and uncaring mother.
The mystery aspect starts out interesting as more campers begin to disappear under strange circumstances. I really wish the mystery was drawn out longer, with more clues for the characters to discover. It's obvious the perpetrator(s) are playing a psychological game with the camp and yet I can't help but want more examples of this sprinkled throughout the story.
The relationship between Emma and Liam is sweet, they seem perfect together. After everything Emma's been through, she deserves a nice guy like Liam. The author hints at a difficult past for Liam but he never reveals it to Emma. Toward the end, he says he'll tell her soon...so frustrating since I want to know and it's not there.
Chapter nineteen seems out of place with the rest of the novel. It causes a break between chapter eighteen and the epilogue that's rather awkward. I had a feeling who was behind the strange occurrences and I was right. It's just so strange almost to the point of absurdity. I watch Discovery I.D. all the time, and this plot is convoluted even for them. All in all, I found this to be a somewhat pleasant read. It's short so you can read it in just a couple hours.
Unfortunately the story never really drew me in, mostly because the peripheral characters were very two dimensional. Most of the campers may as well have been the same person as I could never keep them straight. There were so many peripheral characters that it would be impossible to develop them all, but a few needed to be more substantial. I did care a bit about main character Emma, and though I liked Liam, we learn very little about him.
April 9, 2013
big spoiler !!!
jangan baca kalo yg gak suka spoiler...
ceritanya ttg emma yg dikirim ke camp oleh ibu dan ayah tiri nya...
emma gak tau kalo ternyata camp nya bukan sembarang summer camp...tapi camp tempat dikirimnya anak nakal dan bermasalah...
camp nya juga di tempat terpencil yg cuma bisa dihubungin sama telp satelit ..
dan betah gak betah satu2 nya transportasi keluar dari pulau itu liwat heli yg datangnya minimal 2 minggu sekali..
so emma stuck disana...
camp nya juga berubah jadi mengerikan krn beberapa org yg datang bersama emma kesana menghilang...
emma juga di terror....
untungnya emma ketemu sama liam, co yg oh-so-sexy....
liam selalu menolong emma...juga steph, sepupu liam...
lalu steph di culik...
akhirnya mereka semua survivor, bertahan hidup dari serangan tak terlihat dan juga sambil mencari steph...
sampe sini kirain ini buku ada setan2 an nya...soalnya suasana cukup mencekam di hutan...
8 org anak muda menghilang gak berhasil di temukan..
sampe akhirnya liam dan emma berhasil menemukan steph di salah satu pondok berburu dlm keadaan diikat dan entah apa lagi 9gak di jelasin)
dan ketauan kalo pelaku nya adalah ayah tiri emmma...
dia berusaha membunuh emma (dengan persetujuan ibu kandung emma yg jahat) buat menguasai harta warisannya krn after emma berusia 18 tahun dia akan mewarisi harta alm ayahnya yg sangat kaya...
ibu nya bener2 jahat..mana ada ibu kayak gitu...ninggalin suami nya pas sakit kanker..gak pernah ngurus anak dan selingkuh dan after cerai kawin ama selingkuhannya...
udah dapat tunjangan 2 juta dollar tetep aja mau bunuh anaknya demi menguasai semua harta...
emma disini juga tipe2 damsel in distress banget...bergantung pada liam..
rasa ketertarikan mereka udah terliat dr awal...
cuma ya emma...jangan lemah2 amat napa....kalo gak ada liam gimana jadinya..
tapi memang co suka tipe ce lemah sih ya..apalagi yg cantik kayak emma...jadi ya maklum aja deh....
trus gak ketauan 8 org yg mati itu dimana aja soalnya mayat nya gak ketemu dan pengarangnya juga gak bahas..cuma bilang ada 8 korban jiwa....
so far lumayan deh buat bacaan ringan...
cuma emma nya aja kurang kick ass....kadang kalo liat ce yg kayak gitu bawaan nya pengen jorokin aja ...heheheh... :p
jangan baca kalo yg gak suka spoiler...
ceritanya ttg emma yg dikirim ke camp oleh ibu dan ayah tiri nya...
emma gak tau kalo ternyata camp nya bukan sembarang summer camp...tapi camp tempat dikirimnya anak nakal dan bermasalah...
camp nya juga di tempat terpencil yg cuma bisa dihubungin sama telp satelit ..
dan betah gak betah satu2 nya transportasi keluar dari pulau itu liwat heli yg datangnya minimal 2 minggu sekali..
so emma stuck disana...
camp nya juga berubah jadi mengerikan krn beberapa org yg datang bersama emma kesana menghilang...
emma juga di terror....
untungnya emma ketemu sama liam, co yg oh-so-sexy....
liam selalu menolong emma...juga steph, sepupu liam...
lalu steph di culik...
akhirnya mereka semua survivor, bertahan hidup dari serangan tak terlihat dan juga sambil mencari steph...
sampe sini kirain ini buku ada setan2 an nya...soalnya suasana cukup mencekam di hutan...
8 org anak muda menghilang gak berhasil di temukan..
sampe akhirnya liam dan emma berhasil menemukan steph di salah satu pondok berburu dlm keadaan diikat dan entah apa lagi 9gak di jelasin)
dan ketauan kalo pelaku nya adalah ayah tiri emmma...
dia berusaha membunuh emma (dengan persetujuan ibu kandung emma yg jahat) buat menguasai harta warisannya krn after emma berusia 18 tahun dia akan mewarisi harta alm ayahnya yg sangat kaya...
ibu nya bener2 jahat..mana ada ibu kayak gitu...ninggalin suami nya pas sakit kanker..gak pernah ngurus anak dan selingkuh dan after cerai kawin ama selingkuhannya...
udah dapat tunjangan 2 juta dollar tetep aja mau bunuh anaknya demi menguasai semua harta...
emma disini juga tipe2 damsel in distress banget...bergantung pada liam..
rasa ketertarikan mereka udah terliat dr awal...
cuma ya emma...jangan lemah2 amat napa....kalo gak ada liam gimana jadinya..
tapi memang co suka tipe ce lemah sih ya..apalagi yg cantik kayak emma...jadi ya maklum aja deh....
trus gak ketauan 8 org yg mati itu dimana aja soalnya mayat nya gak ketemu dan pengarangnya juga gak bahas..cuma bilang ada 8 korban jiwa....
so far lumayan deh buat bacaan ringan...
cuma emma nya aja kurang kick ass....kadang kalo liat ce yg kayak gitu bawaan nya pengen jorokin aja ...heheheh... :p
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2013
The Camp by Karice Bolton is another hit from her. I have read almost all of her books and I have to say that every time I pick one of her books up to read I always know I am going to be reading a great book that is going to take me away on a vacation that I know I will love!
The Camp is a story about a girl named Emma. Emma lives a very nice life with her parents who are rick and she is in her senior of school getting ready to enjoy her summer before she goes off to college. But her step father has other plans for her. Her step father is a tool and decides he is going to send her away for the summer to a Re-Boot Camp. Emma is not sure why she is being sent away but she goes because she never argues with her parents. So off on a plane she goes to the craziest of places Alaska.
So off in the wild Emma goes and when she gets off the plane and goes to the camp she realizes that the camp is for juveniles. She wants to go home but she knows her tool of a step dad is not going to let that happen so she decides she will stick it out. Then she meets Liam the gorgeous camp handy man. They have an instant attraction to one another and Emma decides she will stay at camp. As she and Liam are getting to know each other a bad storm hits the camp and that is when things go from good to bad.
The storm has hit and the campers are trying to figure out what to do when campers start to disappear. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do but Emma and Liam are trying to figure how to survive this nightmare they are in. The know they will have to stick together because alone they are at risk. They know they are fighting something sinister but what they have no idea.
What do you do when you are stuck in the wild in the middle of no where and you life is in danger? Who do you trust? Who do you call? Will they make it out alive? This is such a great story and yes no cliffhangers and the story closed on a great note! I would like to thank Karice for allowing to read this great book and scaring the hell out of me and making me not want to send my kids to camp! Bawhahahaha
The Camp is a story about a girl named Emma. Emma lives a very nice life with her parents who are rick and she is in her senior of school getting ready to enjoy her summer before she goes off to college. But her step father has other plans for her. Her step father is a tool and decides he is going to send her away for the summer to a Re-Boot Camp. Emma is not sure why she is being sent away but she goes because she never argues with her parents. So off on a plane she goes to the craziest of places Alaska.
So off in the wild Emma goes and when she gets off the plane and goes to the camp she realizes that the camp is for juveniles. She wants to go home but she knows her tool of a step dad is not going to let that happen so she decides she will stick it out. Then she meets Liam the gorgeous camp handy man. They have an instant attraction to one another and Emma decides she will stay at camp. As she and Liam are getting to know each other a bad storm hits the camp and that is when things go from good to bad.
The storm has hit and the campers are trying to figure out what to do when campers start to disappear. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do but Emma and Liam are trying to figure how to survive this nightmare they are in. The know they will have to stick together because alone they are at risk. They know they are fighting something sinister but what they have no idea.
What do you do when you are stuck in the wild in the middle of no where and you life is in danger? Who do you trust? Who do you call? Will they make it out alive? This is such a great story and yes no cliffhangers and the story closed on a great note! I would like to thank Karice for allowing to read this great book and scaring the hell out of me and making me not want to send my kids to camp! Bawhahahaha
March 17, 2013
It is no secret that I am quite a fan of Karice Bolton's work. I have read every single one of her books, and loved each and every one of them! When I found out that she was writing this stand alone novel called The Camp I was actually really excited. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels and couldn't wait to see her branch out to something different. And I'm happy to say that she did a fantastic job writing this suspenseful gem!
I generally don't even read suspense novels because they don't really surprise me. They don't make me hear noises in the house or feel like I'm being watched. There are very few authors that can cause that kind of reaction from me - Stephen King sometimes, Edgar Allen Poe always. Those are some hefty shoes to fill. While I don't think anyone will ever be able to raise the hairs on my arms quite like Mr. Poe, Karice did make me feel a little uncomfortable while I was sitting on my porch, in the dark, smoking and reading. The wind would blow and my head would jerk in the direction of the leaves blowing down the street sounding like footsteps of someone trying to sneak up on me!
I grew up in the outdoors: camping, fishing, canoeing, spelunking; and I'm thinking that Karice did too. She painted the scenery so well I felt I could smell the wet trees while walking in the woods. It was a wonderful place to go to - while I wasn't worried about some lunatic jumping out at me!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Nothing grotesque, nothing too adult for a teen to read, a little romance, a bit of suspense, and lots of fun! It was such a nice change of pace for me. She also wrapped up the ending quite well. The only thing I would complain about is that I didn't get enough Liam! I'm hoping that is because she is going to write another book perhaps? Maybe dig a bit into his past? Pretty, pretty please? ;-)
I generally don't even read suspense novels because they don't really surprise me. They don't make me hear noises in the house or feel like I'm being watched. There are very few authors that can cause that kind of reaction from me - Stephen King sometimes, Edgar Allen Poe always. Those are some hefty shoes to fill. While I don't think anyone will ever be able to raise the hairs on my arms quite like Mr. Poe, Karice did make me feel a little uncomfortable while I was sitting on my porch, in the dark, smoking and reading. The wind would blow and my head would jerk in the direction of the leaves blowing down the street sounding like footsteps of someone trying to sneak up on me!
I grew up in the outdoors: camping, fishing, canoeing, spelunking; and I'm thinking that Karice did too. She painted the scenery so well I felt I could smell the wet trees while walking in the woods. It was a wonderful place to go to - while I wasn't worried about some lunatic jumping out at me!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Nothing grotesque, nothing too adult for a teen to read, a little romance, a bit of suspense, and lots of fun! It was such a nice change of pace for me. She also wrapped up the ending quite well. The only thing I would complain about is that I didn't get enough Liam! I'm hoping that is because she is going to write another book perhaps? Maybe dig a bit into his past? Pretty, pretty please? ;-)
June 5, 2013
Emma never dreamed that the wilderness camp she agreed to attend is actually a place for juvenile delinquents to spend time in order to escape community service – or worse, prison. But as the tiny plane lands in the Alaskan wilderness, Emma realizes that there can’t be much worse than being exiled to the middle of nowhere with only perverts and wild bears for company. Oh – and Liam, the very handsome camp handyman with exceptional forearms.
For me this book was Dear Cassie meets Harper’s Island – teen criminal boot camp with a fatal twist. There’s suspense and drama and the added bonus of waiting to see if Emma would get eaten by a bear! Conceptually – I loved it. Books set in Alaska are a guilty pleasure of mine and I love reading about its landscape and natural wonders. Having a girl who doesn’t belong amongst the wayward teens – brilliant. And with each Karice Bolton novel I read, I like her style more and more.
But for some reason The Camp just didn’t gel together for me. I thought Emma was a little too trusted and trusting (after saying “hey guys, I don’t really belong here,” the others agree and treat her like an honorary team leader), Liam is just a little too perfect (although his back-story is still a little mysterious and open for a potential sequel), and I didn’t quiet understand how the camp worked in terms of rehabilitating the rebel teens. I think the ideas to make this a great story however it just fell a little short for me.
I had fun reading The Camp and recommend it for fans of Karice’s other novels and anyone looking for a suspenseful story set in a beautiful location!
For me this book was Dear Cassie meets Harper’s Island – teen criminal boot camp with a fatal twist. There’s suspense and drama and the added bonus of waiting to see if Emma would get eaten by a bear! Conceptually – I loved it. Books set in Alaska are a guilty pleasure of mine and I love reading about its landscape and natural wonders. Having a girl who doesn’t belong amongst the wayward teens – brilliant. And with each Karice Bolton novel I read, I like her style more and more.
But for some reason The Camp just didn’t gel together for me. I thought Emma was a little too trusted and trusting (after saying “hey guys, I don’t really belong here,” the others agree and treat her like an honorary team leader), Liam is just a little too perfect (although his back-story is still a little mysterious and open for a potential sequel), and I didn’t quiet understand how the camp worked in terms of rehabilitating the rebel teens. I think the ideas to make this a great story however it just fell a little short for me.
I had fun reading The Camp and recommend it for fans of Karice’s other novels and anyone looking for a suspenseful story set in a beautiful location!
January 23, 2015
It's a week before Emma's eighteenth birthday and she's heading off to Alaska where she thinks she'll be attending a conservation and forestry camp, since that's what she plans to study in college. Well, upon boarding the plane she's handed a pamphlet for a reform camp. It's where juvenile deliquents are sent before they fully turn to a life of crime. Clearly, there's been a mistake, but instead of jumping on the next plane, Emma decides to stay. Because of a guy. Of course. It looks like Emma is going to get her week of nature lessons, but then The Camp turns deadly.
The Camp was not suspenseful at all. Even though campers and camp leaders are disappearing at every turn, I never felt the fear. Sure, Emma says she's scared, but I didn't feel it. Even one of the camp leaders, who wields a rifle to fight off bears, falters at the first sign of danger. Really? But the main problem was, I immediately knew who was behind it all and why. There was a neon sign flashing when Emma was telling Liam about her home life. It was way too obvious.
I am disappointed in The Camp. These kind of stories are pretty new to me, so I feel like I haven't read it all yet, and wanted to be surprised! The culprit should not be the most obvious player, unless there's some twists and turns along the way to throw you off their trail. Well, there's none of that. It's a very short and straight forward thriller that failed to thrill me.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
The Camp was not suspenseful at all. Even though campers and camp leaders are disappearing at every turn, I never felt the fear. Sure, Emma says she's scared, but I didn't feel it. Even one of the camp leaders, who wields a rifle to fight off bears, falters at the first sign of danger. Really? But the main problem was, I immediately knew who was behind it all and why. There was a neon sign flashing when Emma was telling Liam about her home life. It was way too obvious.
I am disappointed in The Camp. These kind of stories are pretty new to me, so I feel like I haven't read it all yet, and wanted to be surprised! The culprit should not be the most obvious player, unless there's some twists and turns along the way to throw you off their trail. Well, there's none of that. It's a very short and straight forward thriller that failed to thrill me.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
May 24, 2013
Okay kiddos! I have to start by saying that Karice is a very solid writer, and I just adored Lonely Souls (Witch Avenue Series #1). If you haven't gotten a taste of her writing yet, you definitely should pick up the first in either of her two series. Better yet, start with The Camp!
This was a fast paced, down right creepy read. It has a bit of a different feel than her other novels and is the first one she has written as a stand alone.
This is definitely a book for fans of contemporary romance and will easily appeal to a teen audience.
Our lead character, Emma, is a headstrong girl just about to turn eighteen. Her--in my opinion, horrible--step-father forces her into "Re-boot Camp," a place that is sure to be quite an experience. As the story progresses, we are introduced to Liam. He becomes Emma's savior and love interest. Their relationship develops quickly, much more quickly than I would usually like. But, then again, when a totally delicious guy protects you from a bunch of felons...who wouldn't suffer from some insta-love.
Soon a series of scary things begin to take place at camp. People are disappearing and everyone is at a loss for an understanding. Man! The suspense in this book is great, which keeps the story moving at a fast pace. Liam and Emma become an inseparable team as the face what is happening around them.
The Camp is an enjoyable although, some what dark read. It will keep you reading and I recommend it for fans of contemporary YA.
This was a fast paced, down right creepy read. It has a bit of a different feel than her other novels and is the first one she has written as a stand alone.
This is definitely a book for fans of contemporary romance and will easily appeal to a teen audience.
Our lead character, Emma, is a headstrong girl just about to turn eighteen. Her--in my opinion, horrible--step-father forces her into "Re-boot Camp," a place that is sure to be quite an experience. As the story progresses, we are introduced to Liam. He becomes Emma's savior and love interest. Their relationship develops quickly, much more quickly than I would usually like. But, then again, when a totally delicious guy protects you from a bunch of felons...who wouldn't suffer from some insta-love.
Soon a series of scary things begin to take place at camp. People are disappearing and everyone is at a loss for an understanding. Man! The suspense in this book is great, which keeps the story moving at a fast pace. Liam and Emma become an inseparable team as the face what is happening around them.
The Camp is an enjoyable although, some what dark read. It will keep you reading and I recommend it for fans of contemporary YA.
March 27, 2013
I came across The Camp when I was purchasing Released Souls on Amazon. The synopsis sounded different than any book I had read recently, and it also made a refreshing change to read a stand-alone.
Karice Bolton immediately captures Emma's fear and confusion in the first chapter. The reader is aware that Emma has been sent to the camp for the wrong reasons, whilst the other campers are offenders, to some degree. When a man attempts to get into Emma's tent on her first night, Liam, a camp guide, finds him and they think their troubles are over but Karice Bolton increase the suspense and fear as people continue to go missing and usually a carved raven is left on Emma's pillow.
The Camp is not gruesome in any way, but it is a clever thriller, and although the author does give small clues as to the perpetrator, the ending still surprised me.
Karice Bolton also allows the relationship between Liam and Emma to grow, as they deal with what is happening, and we learn about them, as they open up to each other.
I found The Camp gripping and difficult to put down. This is definitely one to make time for!
Karice Bolton immediately captures Emma's fear and confusion in the first chapter. The reader is aware that Emma has been sent to the camp for the wrong reasons, whilst the other campers are offenders, to some degree. When a man attempts to get into Emma's tent on her first night, Liam, a camp guide, finds him and they think their troubles are over but Karice Bolton increase the suspense and fear as people continue to go missing and usually a carved raven is left on Emma's pillow.
The Camp is not gruesome in any way, but it is a clever thriller, and although the author does give small clues as to the perpetrator, the ending still surprised me.
Karice Bolton also allows the relationship between Liam and Emma to grow, as they deal with what is happening, and we learn about them, as they open up to each other.
I found The Camp gripping and difficult to put down. This is definitely one to make time for!
April 18, 2013
What made me want to read this bookie was actually the cover Karice always finds prettyful ones. The beginning is a great attention grabber, "And Baranof Island doesn't have nearly as many brown bears as we have." That totally would make me feel safe, wouldn't it you guys? Emma she is a real character, she's feisty but not in a 'Imma gut a b**** way.' "That's why you didn't get them. I'm not on meds either, but I might want some by the end of this ordeal." My my Liam, "it only took one punch from Liam's fist and Luke was completely out." Liam I am really liking you buddy, "I won't let anything happen to you, ever." I mean Liam like seriously I am really liking you, "I don't doubt that you'll be fine on campus. I only want to make sure that you're more than fine." Good Lord the boy knows how to kiss a woman, "He slid down my jaw kissing my throat softly, gliding his way down my collarbone sending a wave of chills through me." I really enjoyed this book NO CLIFFHANGER which I Loved Liam and Emma make a great pair and hopefully we'll see more of them.
February 21, 2017
Whispers...well deserved five stars.
This book was a shockingly good read. We follow the meeting of Emma who is tricked into attending a retreat for juvenile offenders and meets Liam, a native to Alaska who is also the camp handyman. Once Emma arrives strange things start to happen and people also begin disappearing. Eventually when Liams cousin, who is a camp counselor, gets snatched they decide to form a search party. They find her with the help of creepy as butt whispers and of course discover who the kidnapper that terrorized them was.
I was shocked at how good this book was. I've read Ms. Bolton's books but this was different. A lot of suspense of course, strong male and female characters, clean, and the story flowed very well.
I loved that this part of Emma's story was wrapped up but we will have Liam's story in the next book. A standalone novel but connected.
Overall a very good, clean mystery romance.
This book was a shockingly good read. We follow the meeting of Emma who is tricked into attending a retreat for juvenile offenders and meets Liam, a native to Alaska who is also the camp handyman. Once Emma arrives strange things start to happen and people also begin disappearing. Eventually when Liams cousin, who is a camp counselor, gets snatched they decide to form a search party. They find her with the help of creepy as butt whispers and of course discover who the kidnapper that terrorized them was.
I was shocked at how good this book was. I've read Ms. Bolton's books but this was different. A lot of suspense of course, strong male and female characters, clean, and the story flowed very well.
I loved that this part of Emma's story was wrapped up but we will have Liam's story in the next book. A standalone novel but connected.
Overall a very good, clean mystery romance.
December 9, 2013
The Camp is a young adult suspense-thriller set in Alaska. The title of the book drew me in because I love summer camp stories, and then finding out it took place in Alaska, I was hooked. The author wove a creepy story with romance entwined. I fully enjoyed the edge-of-your-seat feeling I got. I had no idea who the "bad guy" was until the end. Kudos for keeping me guessing! I was, however, confused a few times because there were so many male names and I couldn't keep them straight (these were the campers and camp leaders). My only other complaint was that we didn't get to find out Liam's (the main male character) secretive past. It was almost set up like there could be a sequel, but then I read this was a stand alone book. I will definitely be reading more of Karice Bolton's novels.
March 13, 2013
Another great story Karice!
I was immediately sucked in to the Alaskan wilderness the second the main character Emma landed there. I wasn't sure what to expect out of this story other than it had to do with a camp.
I was pleasantly surprised at the direction the author took. There was plenty of action, suspence and mystery that kept me hooked and reading continually. I didn't book this book down until it was over.
The best part of the book was the wonderful Liam. I think I fell in love with him the first time Emma saw him. He is strong, caring, and good-looking. What more could you want?
I expected a good read and that is exactly what was delivered. Thanks for another one Karice. I'm a fan for life ;)
I was immediately sucked in to the Alaskan wilderness the second the main character Emma landed there. I wasn't sure what to expect out of this story other than it had to do with a camp.
I was pleasantly surprised at the direction the author took. There was plenty of action, suspence and mystery that kept me hooked and reading continually. I didn't book this book down until it was over.
The best part of the book was the wonderful Liam. I think I fell in love with him the first time Emma saw him. He is strong, caring, and good-looking. What more could you want?
I expected a good read and that is exactly what was delivered. Thanks for another one Karice. I'm a fan for life ;)
July 9, 2013
I was honestly at a solid 4 star rating throughout almost the entire book...and then I got to the end...and seen "epilogue" and was thinking "yeah, give me the tidbits or hints to Liam's dark little secret" and then it didn't happen.
The ending prior to the epilogue was fine (0pen for a possible sequel), but the epilogue left me going "What? Huh? Why did it end like that?" It just seemed like the information in the epilogue wasn't in the right place or something.
This is an enjoyable story that will leave you questioning what exactly is happening on the island. There will be little tidbits that have you suspecting what is going on, but thinking "nah, it couldn't be that simple".
Who knows, maybe there will be more to follow. I guess time will tell.
The ending prior to the epilogue was fine (0pen for a possible sequel), but the epilogue left me going "What? Huh? Why did it end like that?" It just seemed like the information in the epilogue wasn't in the right place or something.
This is an enjoyable story that will leave you questioning what exactly is happening on the island. There will be little tidbits that have you suspecting what is going on, but thinking "nah, it couldn't be that simple".
Who knows, maybe there will be more to follow. I guess time will tell.
June 8, 2013
Friends, one of my favorite settings in fiction is summer camp. I legitimately cannot get enough of it as a former camper myself. ESPECIALLY over the summer. So when a good friend was running the tour for this book, I decided to read Karice Bolton’s The Camp instead of Witch Avenue because I will read the hell out of almost any camp book. While I did not fall head over heels in love with the book, I at least found it to be much more readable than the other camp book I attempted. There are a few things that I just could NOT ignore, but I found Bolton’s book to be very breezy and quick – an okay weekend read.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
June 13, 2013
Dang, this book, I couldn't stop reading, and when I did, I didn't want it to end! We find out that Emma's dad has died, and she's been living with her mom and step-dad, who seem to make life miserable. Then her step-dad sells her and her mom on the idea of a camp that'll help Emma with college. Yeah, right!
This book is full of unexpected events. Emma doesn't know who to trust or turn to. Karice Bolton has given us a place that we wouldn't want to go to even, let alone send a kid off to. She has described characters who are so evil that you find yourself looking over your shoulder!
Highly recommend this book!
This book is full of unexpected events. Emma doesn't know who to trust or turn to. Karice Bolton has given us a place that we wouldn't want to go to even, let alone send a kid off to. She has described characters who are so evil that you find yourself looking over your shoulder!
Highly recommend this book!
March 11, 2013
Yes I am giving this 5 stars! I loved this book. It gave me horror and romance and it also kept me yearning for more. Sure there were parts of the story that threw me for a loop and I didn't quite feel they were relevant or well thought out/portrayed but the story itself was fantastic. I loved the twists throughout the story I loved the character also. Steph was one of my favorites. I really didn't expect who it turned out to be until later partly because I didn't want to believe that person capable. I would recommend this book to others.
August 14, 2014
Bien, ¿por dónde empezar?
No es un libro difícil de leer, es una lectura muy fluida, pero un tanto rápida. Me hubiera gustado que se alargara un poco más y se profundizaran más los detalles.
La relación de Liam y Emma, fue simplemente muy rápido ._. En dos días prácticamente se aman, es muy surrealista; los secuestros son realmente emocionantes, no hay un solo personaje del que no sospeches, y las citas de Poe...simplemente genial!
Pero aún así, digamos que es de esas lecturas de un típico domingo gris, con un par de horas libres y una buena taza de café caliente.
No es un libro difícil de leer, es una lectura muy fluida, pero un tanto rápida. Me hubiera gustado que se alargara un poco más y se profundizaran más los detalles.
La relación de Liam y Emma, fue simplemente muy rápido ._. En dos días prácticamente se aman, es muy surrealista; los secuestros son realmente emocionantes, no hay un solo personaje del que no sospeches, y las citas de Poe...simplemente genial!
Pero aún así, digamos que es de esas lecturas de un típico domingo gris, con un par de horas libres y una buena taza de café caliente.
October 1, 2015
Siendo sincera no lleno mis expectativas el libro, esperaba mucho mas, comenzo siendo algo interesante pero la trama se vuelve un poco aburrida, quiso llenar de suspenso la historia pero no lo logra del todo, los personajes me dejan con sentimientos encontrados, Emma es demasiado temerosa para mis gusto, despues de lo que ha vivido deberia ser una persona con mas caracter, casi que desde la primer pagina dependia de Liam. En cuanto a Liam, me gusto que fuera muy valiente y capaz de hacer todo, lastima que no logramos conocer mas de el, la autora no permite conocerlo a fondo.
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