Camp Lanier was just the thing I needed after a long reading slump. What more could one want…..a creepy summer camp, a dark lake that no one dares approach for fear of being taken below the waters, ghosts that stare, scream, pound on doors and catch fire….and if that’s not enough there’s a knife wielding killer in a Halloween mask. Oh, and there’s something off about the owner of the camp….he seemingly has no use for black campers other than using them for grunt work and making the, camp on the other side of the woods in tents. Yes, racism and segregation is thriving at Camp Lanier.
Camp owner and bigot Mr. Hudson meets his match when Taylor is sent to camp by the court system for minor shoplifting. Circumstances allow Taylor to be a junior counselor and stay in an actual cabin even though she is black. Taylor soon discovers that she is also sensitive and can see and hear the spirits that haunt the camp and those that were massacred in Oscarville, Georgia so that the white men could steal their land.
Camp Lanier is a spirited thriller with a well developed protagonist that you really, root for. There’s a nice twist that remind us to be careful who we trust.
I also recommend that you read the author’s Afterword to learn the real history about Camp Lanier and Oscarville, Georgia and to understand more about the evils of racism. Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read #CampLanier.

Being from Georgia myself, and not far from lake Lanier At All, I HAD to read this book. It kept me turning pages all through the early hours of morning. Highly recommend. Loved the hero so much.

I wasn't very interested in this book. I suppose it just wasn't really my kind of thing unfortunately.

This one is close to my heart because guess where I live?! 10 years here and Ive heard all the stores about the sunken town and how they haunt the lake. I haven’t seen or heard a ghost yet but, every summer we must catch a body a week on the lake! Something is up! So the creepy vibes were right on track as far as Im concerned!
Our main character, young black teenager, gets caught shoplifting and is shipped off to bootcamp for rehabilitation. Once there, she starts seeing strange things and hearing bloodcurdling screams. Her and her new camp friends have to figure out what is going on or they will become victims of the lake.

This was a short, fast paced read that I enjoyed.

Such a great read I enjoyed it! A lot of twists and turns. I could not put it down. I would definitely recommend it

I think this is a great entry point for horror, especially for those on the younger side! It wasn’t particularly scary (more eerie/creepy!) and I think some of the twists will have more reaction for those who aren’t as seasoned in the genre.

I LOVE a summer camp slasher, they’re always a ‘fun’ time but I think I need my stories to have a bit more actual horror.

Would recommend for those wanting to dip their toes into horror but don’t want to be too scared!

I wasn’t able to read and review this book before it’s publishing date. However, now that I have read it I gave it 2.5 stars.

Camp Lanier first caught my eye because of the spooky, unique cover, and the story did not disappoint. Creepy campground horror meets hard-hitting social commentary in this ghost story, and it is a fun and thought-provoking read. I hope we'll see more from this author moving forward!

back blurb

When Taylor, a Black private school student, gets tangled up shoplifting with her wealthy White classmates, their parents paid for them to stay out of jail. But Taylor's only option is a community service program that takes at-risk youths and employs them at Camp Lanier. The camp sits on a manmade lake the state constructed in the 50s. Urban legend says an all-Black town was forced out to create the lake and that deep in its waters lies homes, a school, and even a church, but that's just a story to scare kids, during swim class, right?

That's what Taylor thinks as she starts working as a camp counselor for the summer. The jobs are broken down by offenses or a thinly veiled class system. Since Taylor goes to private school, she's deemed good enough to work around the kids and main staff but offenders like Liam and Mia, who are from the College Park area, have grounds duty, picking up trash and fixing minor issues. Everything is fine except the crying that only Taylor hears at night. Then there's that one camper that no one seems to know, who is always sitting by the lake. And we can't forget the Atlanta Ripper, running around the woods looking for another victim. All totally random things, right?

When Mia goes missing and the owner reports her as one of the many runaways they've had throughout the years, Taylor and Liam start to think that maybe these stories are real and that maybe they'll be next if they're not careful. Taylor and Liam team up to solve a mystery from the past and figure out why have kids been "running away" from Camp Lanier for the past 52 years in a story that's like Get Out meets Friday the 13th, based on the urban legend of Lake Lanier in Georgia.

Camp Lanier offers an intriguing premise, blending mystery and suspense with a coming-of-age narrative. The setting of the camp is vividly described, and the writing captures the tension and drama of the story well.

However, some aspects of the plot feel predictable (especially the plot twist), and a few character motivations are underdeveloped, leaving certain parts of the narrative feeling less impactful than they could have been.

This was a good book and quite creepy at times. We have all heard rumors about Lake Lanier and so this is just a feeder for that. I thought it captured my attention quicky and kept me attention!

Loved the camp setting, themes and the Oscarville legend, but I couldn't get past the judgemental attitude that every White person is a no good racist.

The horror is very real in this one and that makes it a painful book to read, but it is important to know the real facts that this story is based on. There is a slow build to the final battle scene. The slow build was sometimes a little too slow. The ending was nice to have, but a little too easy after the battle. I would have liked a little bit of time dealing with things before there was a happy ending.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis on this one. In this story we follow Taylor, she's spending her summer at Camp Lanier to make up for a bad decision and some lies told by her "friends" about her to the court. She meets other community service teens at the camp and as soon as she gets there, she starts seeing some creepy things going on. Dun dun dun.

I was interested in this book because it was loosely following a true story as a background plot about Oscarville. The mostly Black town that was the center for racially motivated violent crimes against the townsfolk.

I liked the other community services characters and the MC's past, how she was still trying to grieve the loss of her brother. I also enjoyed the creepy parts, almost like it was a camp ghost story.

The only parts that didn't work for me was the fact that the ending felt super rushed and I guessed who the villain was gonna be as soon as they were introduced.


Thank you NetGalley and Sterling & Stone for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! ✨

I really enjoyed that even though this was a horror book, there were a lot of humorous moments included too. The book was fast paced and when I actually took the time to sit down with it, I flew through it. I really wanted more history of Oscarville throughout the story, so I was glad to read the author's note at the end which gave some more information, but I think it would have been better if there was even more of it interweaved throughout the story.

I enjoyed the social commentary and urban legend aspects of this book. It had great creepiness while still making important points about society. I did find it a bit predictable.

Camp Lanier is a thrilling, atmospheric read that had me hooked from start to finish. Sylvester Barzey masterfully weaves suspense, mystery, and emotion into a story that keeps you guessing at every turn. The characters are compelling, and the vivid setting pulls you right into the heart of the action. If you’re a fan of gripping tales with unexpected twists, Camp Lanier is a must-read. Sylvester Barzey truly delivers!

I forgot what this was about when I first started reading it. So to say I went in blindly is putting it perfectly. I LOVED it! I did feel like it was lacking something I couldn’t put my hands on but I digress! I HIGHLY recommend this for any of my horror junkies! Yes please! 🙌

This was a fun read! I’ve heard the legend of Lake Lanier and loved reading a story that included more about it. A quick horror book that will definitely have you hooked! One thing that bumped me was some of the pop culture references, which I feel could get outdated quickly.

I enjoyed this! It's got a creepy atmosphere and a unique storyline and characters. It's pacing is perfect and I liked the writing style. It's not overly gory or scary and would be a perfect light horror book. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Sylvester Barzey, Sterling and Stone and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.