I was immediately drawn to this book a) the cover is STUNNING b) Lake Lanier. This book gives Friday the 13th meets Get Out, and it has a lot of potential. The author does a great job mixing urban legend, history, AND paranormal, however the horror wasn't giving HORROR. I understand it was a YA read, I wanted more.

I didn’t realize this book was geared more towards young adults. I was expecting a lot more action but overall I did enjoy the story. I love how the author blended the lake’s actual history and the fictional story of Taylor seeing the ghosts she saw. There were some parts where I got a little jumpy.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

I love a good YA horror, and bonus if it involves a summer camp! I also have a vague knowledge about Lake Lanier and the urban legends and ghost stories that surround it. So this book seemed right up my alley. I enjoyed the book. I did. But I also wish that it had chosen to either be a campy summer camp slasher/horror or ghost horror, or chosen to take itself more seriously. It has some points where the discussion about racism and how it affects minority lives to this day could have really gone somehwere and made some really great points. And while it does that, it also just sort of didn't make the impression I felt like it could have. The villains are pretty easy to pick out very early on, just based on their attitudes and behaviors. The ghosts are interesting, but I feel like it was missing something too.

<spoiler> The people killed when the lake was created are trying to take a life for each one lost. Which makes horror movie sense. But they are also after the family that runs the camp because of their history. Yet deaths that were basically "fed" to the lake seem to have appeased the spirits... something about the logic there seemed off. Or if they weren't actually accepting it, that should have been explained somehow? Maybe I'm just overthinking this. </spoiler>

I also really wanted the MC to go somewhere with the talk of her brother's death. Its sort of mentioned all along, but at the same time, its a thread that really could have had a big impact, and it just kind of fizzles out.

BUT - while the ending is a bit rushed and I wanted to know more about why some things appear (the Ripper kind of came from left field for me), it was a fun read. If you like YA Horror, you should definitely give it a try.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review the book.

One last nit pick- she says in the beginning that they moved from West Virginia. As someone born in WV, I always love to see a character who isn't a stereotype in a novel. But later when someone asks where she came from, she tells them Virginia. I know, a seriously tiny nit pick. But.... there it is.

I absolutely LOVED Camp Lanier by Sylvester Barzey. Just recently, my niece asked me “why do you like horror stuff? Why do you read whole books that are horror?!” Camp Lanier is a perfect example of why I love horror (and specifically, indie horror) — horror authors are able to give us a way to try and make sense of the real horrors, traumas, and tragedies in our world.
I grew up in an arguably good/great school system in the heart of Ohio, surrounded by mostly white Christian families. Thus, I missed out on learning so much of this country’s (and world’s TBH) true history until I was an adult and actively worked towards learning more about the world myself. I remember the first time I learned of Lake Lanier and Oscarville and being utterly horrified and fascinated — how could I NOT know about this?!?!
In Camp Lanier, Barzey gives us Taylor, a phenomenal young woman who instantly finds a home in your heart to become her biggest cheerleader. After being thrown directly and dangerously under the bus by her popular crowd “friends” at her new school, Taylor is sent to Camp Lanier to work for the summer in lieu of a jail sentence. Taylor finds a LOT more than just some racist rich campers, but luckily she finds some amazing real friends along the way to help her solve the mysteries and crimes of Camp Lanier.
I first was drawn in to Barzey’s work with his short story Parish, and after Lake Lanier I can’t wait to dig into even more of his work. He writes awesome, strong, powerful female MC’s who jump right off the page.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.

I really wanted to like this book. I felt like it was quick and somewhat easy to read, but it didn't flow well for me. When I would get to the next chapter, I was sometimes confused as to what was going on. I would have to go back and reread the last paragraph of the last chapter to make sure I understood what was happening. There were also certain aspects of the story that didn't make a whole lot of since to me or as I stated earlier just didn't flow well.

I did like the historical pieces to this story. I it was interesting to learn a few things about the Georgia area that I was not aware so I did appreciate that.

As someone who lived in Atlanta for several years, and who has always heard the rumors of Camp Lanier - I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it listed on NetGalley. It was like, day one at my job and people were telling me "whatever you do, don't ever let someone take you to Camp Lanier or you won't be coming back". There was a moment when the main character said something along the lines of, "people say they're from Atlanta but really they live in Duluth" that had me cracking up. So while you definitely don't need to know Atlanta to love this book, it was nice to have little moments like that.

I'm going to be fully honest; I didn't think I was going to like this as much as I did. When I first started reading, I didn't understand that the narration style was *meant* to read like the main character talking to the reader, or like a diary entry. This is something that did irk me for the first few chapters, but once I was in on it, I was able to get on board. There were also two characters named Chanel A and Chanel B that like.... literally felt ripped off from Scream Queens and I'm still not sure why that was necessary lol. There were a couple cringe-y moments, like one instance where our main character said, "Because I fainted, but like a gangsta." Then later towards the end of the book when the big bad killer is revealed they say, "It was all going so well until you started causing trouble everywhere you went." It all felt wrapped up in a very Scooby Doo way. These are fairly minor, all things considered, but why I ended up taking a star off the review.

Otherwise - I really liked this. Camp Lanier is a real place with a real backstory and I liked how the author stayed true to some aspects of that while creating a fictionalized town and scenario. I also really appreciated the time taken at the end of the book to dive into the real history. This book was twisty, and mostly unpredictable, and the ghosts were just scary enough to keep me interested without being nightmare fuel. It was a perfect ghost story around the campfire vibe and was fast-paced. I think the entire book was really well done, and I'm excited to read more from this author.

I’m not one to usually pick up YA books but i really wanted to give this one a try. The blurb really did capture my attention and that cover is seriously something else.

Camp Lanier gave me Friday The 13th vibes - coincidentally one of my favorite horror franchises ever - with a paranormal twist. It’s not overly scary but it’s done in a pretty realistic way, which makes the reader feel more anxious as the plot develops. The fact that it’s based on a real location just makes it seem and feel more authentic.

My usual horror book picks have more of a slow pace but i enjoyed the fast pace of Camp Lanier. It kept me on my toes wanting to know what happened next.

Camp Lanier weaves the real history of Oscarville in Forsyth county Georgia with the fictional Camp Lanier. A little bit paranormal, and a little bit murder mystery, it has something for everyone. It’s quickly paced and made for a good read-in-one-sitting kind of book. Overall, a great spooky summer camp story. Oh, and stay out of the water.

Oh. My. Goodness. This is a perfect book! I will definitely be rereading this! Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!

Listen, when I read that this was a summer camp horror book, I downloaded it immediately! I’m glad I did too. This book has a Friday the 13th vibe combined with the urban legend of Oscarville in Forsyth County, Georgia. The main character Taylor was entertaining and even the side characters were likable (well except for a few, IYKYK). I really enjoyed this book and look forward to checking out more by this author.

Ooooh I love me a haunted camp read!! This was such a good summer thriller. I also love that it was named "Lanier" which gives me thoughts of Lake Lanier which is likely haunted with how many bodies that washed up!

Camp Lanier by Sylvester Barzey uses its premise well: a summer camp for the uber-rich built near a reservoir that displaced hundreds of Black citizens, and how that history haunts the present. Taylor doesn't belong at this camp, but when she's charged with crimes she didn't commit it's her only option to avoid jailtime. She even lands a somewhat cushy alternative counselor position instead of being forced to cook and clean and take care of the camp. However, as soon as she arrives, Taylor begins to uncover the dark secrets of Lake Lanier...and she'll have to avoid drowning in them.

I struggled at times with the book, but, after reading positive reviews, it may have just been a miss for me personally. Taylor felt overly naïve as a modern teen and often fell into thoughts or actions that I knew would lead to terrible consequences. Then she seems surprised by that. Taylor is also self-admittedly scared of almost everything, but it mostly works. While I was absorbed by the mystery of the camp and what was happening, I couldn't fully stay connected because most of the twists were predictable - and very Get Out. The climax was a bit too messy for me, but wasn't unsatisfying. I also wish the backstory/subplot with Taylor's brother was a little more on the page because it does affect much of what's going on.

I liked the relationship Taylor had with her parents most. Her friendship with Veronica has some nice banter. The camp itself was a good, familiar setting and a nice way to play with metaphors about race, class, and gender. The novel had some good moments of tension and scares, and figuring out which was the bigger threat (the living or dead) was a good back and forth. I'd recommend this for readers who are marathoning summer camp horrors, those who love spooky lakes, and anyone who wants a little sweet justice served.

Camp Lanier by Sylvester Barsey is a team camp sleep away horror story about a haunted lake in the middle of Forsyth County. Taylor comes from a good family but since they’ve moved to Georgia from West Virginia she was granted a scholarship to go to the elite prep school in Atlanta her new friends put pressure on Taylor to do things she wouldn’t ordinarily do and one of those things is shoplift from the mall despite the fact all she took was a lip gloss the girls claimed that she bullied them into shoplifting as well because she was black and they were white she’s the one who had to pay the price. Ultimately Taylor would find out the price is two years in prison or being sent to Camp Lanier a summer camp run by a family of races. Before it’s over Taylor will be wishing she picked the two years in prison. This was a really good book a great teen horror did the story is based off of real Events Forsyth county Georgia that has a savage uncivilized history of racism I found the author made the book fun to read with LOL moments surrounding a fun horror story. It is always a delicate dance when setting something wistful on a real tragic event but I think Mr. Bharzy has done it do justice.#NetGalley, #SylvesterAndStone, #SylvesterBarzey, #CampLanier,

I think this is a case of wrong book wrong time. For me I couldn’t connect with the characters which made me not care about their story. I have read many great reviews for this book so I think it was just the wrong book for me. I would give the author another try in the future.

Sylvester Barney's "Camp Lanier" is a perfect summer read, capturing the essence of the season with its vivid setting.This four-star novel delves into the complexities of racism while maintaining relatable and believable characters. Its engaging storyline and fast pace make it a quick and enjoyable read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

If you enjoy horror novels and are looking for a story that’s unique and scary, then look no further. Sylvester Barzey has you covered!

Taylor Johnson is a teenage girl going through a lot. After the loss of her brother, her parents picked up and moved them to Atlanta Georgia. But the family is under a lot of financial stress after her dad lost his job.

Meanwhile, Taylor is one of the few black students at her private school and has to work so much harder than everyone else to feel involved and like part of the group. So when peer pressure gets the best of her and she winds up in a sticky situation, she’s given two choices. Go to jail or spend the summer at a work placement camp. So off to camp she goes.

I loved Taylor as the main character. She was very sweet and caring and I really felt for her struggles at both school and at camp. As a white person, I’ve never dealt with a lot of the things Taylor deals with. And I think the author explained it in a way that really made me reflect on what a privilege it is to not know those feelings.

The horror story that unraveled in this book was delightfully creepy. As things were uncovered little by little and the history of the camp was revealed, I was so impressed by the originality of this story. It was also really cool to read the author’s note at the end which had more information about the town and the people that inspired this story. History can be really sickening though.

The author mentions the horror movie Get Out quite a few times which felt very appropriate. Maybe it’s just me but I was also kind of getting Holes by Louis Sachar vibes. I felt like Taylor and Stanley were very similar in that they were both basically innocent of their crimes. Well, Taylor did actually steal. But barely.

Sylvester Barzey’s writing style was right up my alley. The conversation flowed so naturally and the characters were all interesting without being overly described. Victoria made me laugh so many times. Her and Taylor were an epic duo as cabinmates.

Like I said in the beginning, if you’re looking for a unique and scary story that will keep you guessing, this book’s for you. Just make sure you aren’t spending any time alone in the near future. I am super glad that I do not have any upcoming camping trips planned.

For a longer & more in depth book discussion, please visit my full Camp Lanier book review here.
https://mariankrick.com/camp-lanier-book-review/

THIS WAS SOOOOO GOOD! At first I was a little offset because it seemed like a copy and paste of Holes by Lous Sachar. However, this was so much better than that. The author takes the outline of Holes and American Horror story Camp Redwood with the historic events of African American Church massacre by burnings and Willow Grove flooding. I was glued to this novel from start to finish. The way that everything is intertwined and continuously building but yet unfolding makes it a complete masterpiece. Very well done.

I was drawn to this book because it's based on a local legend in Georgia and I am a fan of aquatic horror and ghost stories. This novel did not disappoint!

What I loved about this book:
- Creepy ghosts, aquatic horror
- You don't know whether horror is because of ghosts or humans
- Explores racism, grief, and loss in a way that adds depth to the characters and horror
- Funny and believable characters, Barzey captures the perspective of a teenager through their language and humor accurately
- Immersive horror and setting

Even though I was reading this during the day, I kept looking up from the book to make sure there were no specters creeping up on me and no ghostly children watching me from afar. The scares made it so much fun to read!! If you like aquatic horror, creepy ghosts, and stories with Black heroes, this book is for you. It is a perfect summer horror read, especially if you’re camping, at the cottage, or on the beach.

Thank you to Net Galley, Sterling and Stone, and most of all Sylvester Barzey for granting me the opportunity to read a copy of this story ahead of publication. It was such a fun read!!

This book was published on July 16, 2024, please check it out!!

It took me some time to get to this book but once I started reading I had a hard time putting ut down.

I really liked this one! The story was really intriguing and I cared enough about the characters to want them to win!

4/5 stars from me

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6727634880?book_show_action=false

Camp Lanier is a compelling tale of justice, racism and determination.

Taylor is a star basketballer but falls in with the wrong crowd at her private school, and as the only Black girl becomes the scape goat. In exchange for a conviction, she chooses to spend her summer as a counsellor at Camp Lanier, a camp for rich kids but a place with a dark history.

As teenaged Taylor begins to see the harsh reality of the world, she sees visions of a tragedy from 100 years ago and digs into the history of Camp Lanier. But as she uncovers the truth, she finds darkness in the present as well as in the past.