This is a great book to begin as summertime is winding down.

Thirty-seven year old Cat is very pregnant when she gets a text from her beloved nephew, Shirtless, that the family owned theater camp is in trouble. Cat has tried to distance herself from family, but when she finds out that her name may be on the mortgage she heads for the woods.

Cat gets to camp to find that the camp has gone from a camp that helps all kids feel a sense of belonging to a camp for sad adults. Cat also watches as the guy that is running the camp takes off leaving them in a bind.

Cat, her sister, Ginger, and a wonderful mixed bag of counselors try to successfully hold a gala that will hopefully save the camp from being turned into a water park.

This book is sweet, funny, and deals with family dynamics. It also gave me a warm fuzzy feeling as I read it and embraced all the personalities that made the camp tick.

This is a beautiful story of two polar opposite sisters working to save their family’s legacy. And as the Cat to my sisters’ Ginger, this book HIT HOME. Set at a summer camp, this was the perfect end of summer read that made me cry and laugh out loud. And in true Ann Garvin fashion, there is a sweet canine sidekick that steals the show. This book was an unexpected, but exciting, whirlwind of a story filled with all the feels and I loved every second of it.

A failing children's theater camp, a band of misfits and underdogs, sister/family drama, and ties to the Wizard of Oz(!) made Ann Garvin's new release the perfect summer book full of laughs and heartfelt moments.

Two sisters, Cat and Ginger, were raised at their parents' Summer Camp property in Wisconsin. Now 37, Cat wants nothing to do with the run-down property; she is tired of being the dependable sister and is hard carved our her own sanctuay/home while getting ready to birth her first child. Yet, an urgent text, a greedy charlatan, and desperation convince Cat to return to the camp to help salvage a last hurrah fundraising gala. Cat and Ginger must corral the summer staff with zero funds and supplies to make the gala a success, why reconciling their own relationship and memories of their past.

Every.single.character in this book is a riot. If you enjoy stories about misfits and underdogs, you will love the staff of Summer Camp and be rooting for their success. Convincing the public of a place's value or significance is a tough job, but Garvin and her cast convinced me that all my life is missing in a week at Summer Camp! There are so many LOL moments, but also equally tender ones. There is a tragically shady 'baby daddy', a swoony groundskeeper who likes to skinny dip, and a chef who *might* be adding an illegal ingredient to the camp food. I loved the older characters, appreciated the nostalgic setting, and enjoyed the character growth between sisters, Cat and Ginger.

Thank you UpLit Reads for including me on this book tour!

To be honest, I struggled getting into this book. I put it down for a while, came back and was able to read it.
I just don't think I was able to love all the characters that were presented in the book.

As summer draws to a close, I was excited to dive into one final read influenced by a quintessential seasonal activity, camp. Unfortunately in Bummer Camp, the
bummer aspect is highlighted more than I’d hoped as this read was a bit of a letdown.

This story revolves sisters Ginger and Cat. Always at odds, the two opposites are forced to work together to try to save the family business- a theater camp. Although there’s always been a love/hate relationship with the camp, the possibility that it will be reintroduced as a rehab for adults leaves both sisters scrambling to save their sanity, and their life savings.

I’m not sure what it was exactly, but I struggled getting into the story right away. I kept pushing, but admittedly after sneaking some looks at others who reviewed and felt the same, I ended up DNFing. That being said, the story may have gotten better if I kept reading. I suppose after reading and enjoying Until Next Summer, another ode to reflecting on summer memories, it was hard not to compare the two.

The premise of this book is so appealing. For me the beginning of the book didn’t hook me. Cat was a difficult character to relate to, and initially the story unfolded in a bit disjointed manner. The ending was well written and enjoyable. The growth Cat made was well written. Overall a good story.

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book. I have not read any other books by this author but my Bookclub has so I thought I would try this one out. This story is about a camp in Wisconsin that is failing and a sister is asked to come back by the sister who lives at the camp full time for help. This story is all over the place. Way too many characters. Way too much stuff going on. The title is only referred to in the last part of the book and doesn’t even really make sense. Unfortunately, this was not an enjoyable book for me.

I love a good sister story. And a good summer story. And a good laugh. Ann Garvin's BUMMER CAMP is all these things and more. It's an invitation to unplug and come along to a nostalgic summer-camp where kids and grown-ups of all ages are welcome, filled with sweetly flawed, earnest characters who are doing their best .... and a literal whirlwind of a story that leaves you loving them all just the way they are.

I've been reading Ann Garvin's work for years, and my absolute favorite thing is how her author bio says she sets out to write "about women with a good sense of humor who do too much in a world that asks too much from them." No wonder I find her characters so relatable. The sisters trying to save their family's titular BUMMER CAMP couldn't be more different—but they also might not know each other quite as well as they think they do. Even when they're letting each other down, they're still capable of surprising each other and even themselves. I loved how this book celebrated the simple traditions that are perfectly imperfect just the way they are, while also showing that we're never too old or too cynical to change and grow into better versions of ourselves. BUMMER CAMP is the best kind of group hug. I'm already looking forward to Ann Garvin's next one.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

This book gave me major summer vibes and gave me a sense of nostalgia that I didn't know I needed. I wish I could read this book over and over again for the first time to get the feeling that I did when I read it. I can absolutely see my patrons loving this one just as much as I did!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I enjoyed this little gem of a read from beginning to end. A great reminder of the power of people working together for a greater cause.

BOOK REVIEW

Book: Bummer Camp

Author: Ann Garvin

Description: Cat McCarthy is independent, responsible and reliable. Her sister Ginger is… none of those things. But when Ginger needs Cat’s help to save their family’s summer theatre camp, Cat jumps in the car and drives straight to her side. Cat, pregnant and having put space between herself and the camp, is pulled right back into camp ownership drama, management of her free spirited sister and interacting with an eclectic collection of counselors. Cat soon learns that the children’s camp has been flipped by new leaders and billed as a rehabilitative escape for anxious adults, but the couple skips town three days before their big fundraising gala with all the camp’s funds in tow.

5 stars from me!

"A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard, Wizard of Oz

This book was exceptional. Bummer Camp is the most perfect summer read. Not only was it on theme for the season, but when I tell you I ate this book up - YUM.

It was deliciously quirky, with a cast of characters to adore in their own special ways - the medicinal chef, the animal whisperer, the diva and her handler, Hot Gary… They share an intimate bond as individuals who come to work at camp for their own very specific needs and meld into a collection of kind souls who support and care for one another as family.

Cat and Ginger are opposites attract in sibling form. What one lacks, the other has in spades. Their relationship is touching, and the way they help pull the other out of their own ruts is so relatable. They fight, they make up, they move on, they communicate via sign language! Ginger’s son Shirtless, who has sensory processing sensitivity, is an especially moving part of the story.

There is bear poop (edible), night swimming (the skinny dip version), creative event planning (in the woods… for fancy people…) and a whole lot of restorative nature sights and sounds. I could go on, but I feel like I’m already spoiling the witty joyfulness you will experience for yourself! Read this one. You won’t regret it.

“Nobody can step up if the top step is occupied.” - Ginger, Bummer Camp

"There's no place like home." - Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

Thank you SO SO much to Ann Garvin, UpLit Reads and NetGalley for this incredible ARC!

**posting to Instagram and Goodreads as well**

"We're not trying to be something we're not. Highlight, not hide. People respect the truth." One of my favorite lines from Ann Garvin's upcoming novel, Bummer Camp. This story takes place at a former theatre summer camp for kids. It's recently been re-branded for a camp for adults dealing with anxiety and depression. Cat gets a SOS call from her sister Ginger and nephew saying the camp is in major financial struggles and they need her help. Cat is reluctant to help as she is 7 months pregnant, trying to ready herself for her next stage in life, and not too keen to clean up Ginger's latest mess, in her opinion.

I loved the theme of this story. It's a sweet group of young adults (and 30 somethings) who often feel like people don't see their potential or worth. The misfits you might call them. I loved that they all worked together for a common goal (save the camp) and their unique talents really shined. This was my first time reading Ann Garvin's work and I really enjoyed it. The Wizard of Oz is also a big part of this novel and that made my heart happy too. This fun summer read with lots of heart comes out September 1st. Thank you Uplit Reads, Ann Garvin, and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Somewhere over the rainbow is Bummer Camp. It is where troubles melt like lemon drops, especially if you solicit the help of a therapy chicken named Connie, or eat Good Morning Overnight Oats made especially for you by Wynn.

Ann Garvin is one of the very best weirdos of the world. I have read all of her books and will auto pre-order any new ones that she writes. She makes me laugh out loud with her words and outrageously witty scenes. I loved every single page of Bummer Camp!

Here’s an excerpt from somewhere on the internet about Bummer Camp which I thinks sums it up better than I ever could: As Cat and Ginger wrangle a cast of lovable misfits and underdogs to save the camp, the sisters rediscover the importance of family, belonging, and holding fast to sweet summer memories.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc! And thank you Ann Garvin for the opportunity to celebrate this book launch at the actual Camp in Wisconsin in August!! Holy Bear Poop! I will be there!!! Is Wynn going to be cooking? 😉

A summer camp for adults? Yes please! This book was so funny. Well written and creative! I loved the sister's bond,