YA mystery and thrillers are hard for me to read because most books come out as cliche, but this one was not cliche but easy to follow and not too heavy on the thriller horror. I would recommend this if you’re looking for something as a fast read and new to mystery/thriller genre

This was a pretty enjoyable YA mystery! I loved the setting of the summer camp, the creepy vibes and the dual timeline. The twist was a bit underwhelming for me.

This cover is killing it and I love a camp thriller. I thought it was mostly good. It was a bit slow but it was still a fun summer read!

4.5/5 stars, another wonderful twisty read

Earlier last year, I was able to read an advanced copy of Jessica Goodman's other release, They'll Never Catch Us, and now the tradition continues courtesy of Penguin Teen. Including this one, I have now read all of her books and I have to say she is definitely an amazing mystery and thriller author, for both young adults and frankly anyone who wants a fast story.

This book centers around a go-away camp for a variety of kids and teens over the summer, which is always something I adore reading about. Books set at camp always remind me of when I was younger, even though I never went to a camp haha, there's just something nostalgic about them anyways. This setting also created the perfect setting for the mystery, a boy drowns in the lake and is presumably murdered, and the main character has to grapple with her past with him. I really enjoy how her past came to haunt her as she was at camp, and we didn't know everything about it until later in the story. It added to the suspense and intrigue.

Goldie is the main character, who's not an actual golden girl anymore because of the past that is a secret from everyone but her town. Unluckily, the camp she is helping mentor at, and has been attending all her life, is in that town. She had a lot to work through as the story went on, but she was also a fantastic main character. I also really enjoy this book because it recognized that there wasn't enough room for romance with the main character, something that not many books do, even thriller or mystery books. This really made the story seem more focused on Goldie and her story, and everything happening around them.

I think the only thing that I didn't really like about this book was the ending, which is unfortunate as it was the big twist. I sort of saw it coming, there were definitely hints throughout the book that this was what was happening, but it also didn't have enough to back it up. There was logic, but just certainly not enough build up to who had done things. I was still really enthralled by the entire story I think this was the only thing that threw me off.

[TW: bullying and harassment (mentioned), divorce (mentioned), economic privilege, death of a parent, sexual themes, underage drinking, drunk driving, car crash, drowning, infidelity and cheating]

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Penguin Teen and Razorbill.

Sisters by choice. That’s how Goldie and her best friends, Ava and Imogen (Imo), define their friendship, which formed years ago at Camp Alpine Lake. This year, Goldie is back at camp as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and for Ava and Imo to arrive. With the dark secret Goldie’s been keeping, she’s more in need of their comfort than ever. When the boy who broke Goldie's heart, turns up dead in the lake, this last summer before college is completely upended—and Goldie learns that she’s not the only person at camp who has been lying. Asking questions offers Goldie no answers, only danger and betrayals deeper than she ever imagined.

The Counselors is a YA mystery thriller that is rich in nostalgia for those who spent their summers at sleep away camp. I think Goodman does such a great job of immersing us into the summer camp atmosphere, and the fun and thrilling adventures of the campers and counselors, that we did kind of lose the mystery aspect of the book. The first half of the book was very slow and the book just felt underwhelming for me. The synopsis promised a dead body and a mystery, but really the story was about the girls and the secrets they’re keeping from each other. There was so much details about the camp and the setting and not enough out into making the plot more compelling. If you’re looking for a nostalgic summery mystery and friendship story, this is an easy and light read that is only if you don’t mind suspending belief and overlooking a few details.

I'm a huge fan of Jessica Goodman but this is probably my least favorite of her books. However, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I did figure out the ending and who was behind the murder early on but that didn't prevent me from turning the pages as I wanted to know how it would all unfold. I liked the girls, Goldie, Imo, and Ava, and their friendship felt real. The camp sections were fun. Overall, I'd recommend to thriller / mystery fans or those who like stories set in the outdoors.

I love Jessica Goodman! She writes yet another great YA thriller—a perfect atmospheric teenage story set at a summer camp.

I’ve noticed the author’s excellent ability to write about teenage girl friendships is a recurring theme among her books. I also love her descriptive writing—your truly feel like you’ve got a good grasp on the atmosphere and environment, pulling you straight in to the mystery at hand. Every page I felt like I was mentally checking off clues, yet I was still surprised by the ending.

I have to also mention that I’m obsessed with the cover!

I definitely recommend this to all lovers of YA. I look forward to reading ALL of the author’s future books as well!

Thank you to @penguinteen @razorbill and #netgalley for my advanced e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a camp thriller worthy of a binge, this could be it. While the plot is a tad predictable, it's still a fun read to get lost in. I didn't find that I cared much about any of the characters, but that's been pretty typical with Goodman's past books as well. I will always pick up Goodman when I'm looking for something quick that I don't have to think too much about. So if you're looking for a slump buster this may be it!

Small town, meets summer camp vibes, meets murder mystery. While some of the parts were kinda predictable (or maybe I waych too many crime shows 😅) overall it's a really good book and a quick read. Good if you like mystery, secrets, and a good crime style book.

4.5/5!

Raise your hand if you love a good thriller or horror story that takes place at a summer camp. Yep, same! There is something just iconic about the setting and Jessica Goodman has served up a fresh and exciting take on the summer camp world.

From the start I bonded with our main character, Goldie, and as Goodman alternatated the timeline from present and past that connection grew stronger. Not only is Goldie a fantastic main character, but she has a solid crew of secondary characters to back her up and bring this story to life. Everyone seems to have a secret lurking behind the surface and I had an absolute blast trying to figure out everything in this book. While this may fall into the Young Adult genre, I think it’s a perfect read for all ages because it touches on relatable topics throughout.

What else is left to say? Go snag your copy now because THE COUNSELORS is the ultimate summer read!

A huge thank you to Razorbill and Bookish First for my free copy!

I love a good YA thriller, especially one set at a summer camp. This was a fun read that kept my attention, however I found it a little slow at times and thought it to be slightly predictable. I would still recommend this for someone looking for a quick and fun YA book.

Yes--this one was excellent. A summer camp, three friends who are counselors and lifeguards and then the fun ends when a murder takes place! This one hooked me from the first page and I adored all the flawed characters and their thrilling journey throughout the summer.

Well, well done!!! Thank you Netgalley.

Jessica Goodman does it again! A quick, intriguing read with the perfect amount of mystery and character growth. I loved the main character and her life at camp.

It was pretty good story, but I felt like it dragged on a hit too much to get to the resolution. And I honestly would’ve loved to I see more camp life with all the activities. Because that’s stuff I love.

Jessica Goodman has also become an auto-buy/read author for me. Her mystery/thrillers have been solid so far and I've really enjoyed each of the plot/concepts she's featured. I'll be honest: one of my Goodreads friends had a one-line review at the top of the page that I accidentally read while reading the book that gave away the main mystery-related spoiler, which was frustrating. I've been trying to determine if I would have liked this book more if I DIDN'T suspect what the spoiler review said, or if it doesn't really matter.

The writing and overall mystery in this one were both not up to the standard I've come to expect from Goodman, if I'm being honest. I thought some parts were a bit repetitive from a writing perspective. The friendship group of Goldie, Imogen, and Ava was a little meh to read about as well - they rely on the fact that their bond from so many summers at this camp would carry them through AND help the reader root for them. I was annoyed by them for most of the story so that didn't really work for me, but it didn't dampen my overall enjoyment of the book either.

The mystery surrounding the "body in the lake" was kind of lame for a while and it FELT like it took a long time to get rolling. I emphasize the word "felt" because it was a slower read at the beginning - I was often shocked to learn I was only 40% of the way through the book and barely anything had kicked off. I couldn't figure out how the person who died was connected to what that spoilery review said so obviously there was still some mystery for me while reading, plus the overall mystery and who was involved in general. Things were MORE obvious to me at the very end when pieces were coming together because of what I saw in the review. I don't think I would have really put it together on my own but I guess I can't tell at this point.

Overall, I'll for sure keep reading Goodman's books - she's doing a better job out there than many others in the YA mystery genre, IMO.

overall this was decent! the second half i enjoyed a lot more than the first half. it went in a direction i wasn’t expecting ! the beginning was VERYY YA but generally a fun summer read with the summer camp setting!

What could be better than a summer camp mystery?

While I did enjoy The Counselors, I was somewhat less impressed by the reveal at the end. Many reviews mention this so I won't give it away here, but I think there was a bit of a disconnect from the idea of a creepy camp murder and the reality of what was really going on. I'd been set up to think something crazy about the three BFFs that feature predominately in the story, but it wasn't done in the way I'd hoped.

I did enjoy the camaraderie between characters, the summer camp feel (though WOW I never had a camp experience like this bogey one!), and the mystery surrounding it all. It was told in a "then" and "now" format and I liked that BUT I had one issue with it. There was a part that mentioned something that happened in the "now" and yet the MC didn't react (at all) to *this thing* and then two chapters or so later a *then* moment happens which totally makes *this thing* come to mind, but the MC never even thought of it. I think the issue with doing a back and forth style like this is that you can miss things like this. You miss her reaction (because you don't want to give too much away in a "then" moment) but it comes back to bite you when you realize it doesn't make sense that she didn't think about that moment from her past.

Okay, if I haven't totally confused you, I'd recommend this to older YA readers due to some themes in it, but would likely appeal to readers of Karen M. McManus and other 'less suspenseful' readers of mystery/thrillers.

! Underaged drinking and smoking. Quite a bit of language.


My rating: 3.5*

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Thanks to the publisher for this gifted copy via NetGalley.

I liked this thriller although what happened bummed my romance loving heart haha. I like how things wrapped up in the end and I really wasn’t sure how it was going to work out. I was surprised. The book kept me engaged from beginning to end. The camp setting is a great setting for a book like this.

Gripping story. I am a big fan of Jessica Goodman and this did not disappoint. Will be recommending at the bookstore.

I am sorry, I wish I would have liked this book more as it seems to have a wide audience, but I did not like it.

Writing was weird and pacing was sooooooo slow.