3.5⭐️

Bummer Camp was not in fact a bummer, but rather a fun, light-hearted, if occasionally outlandish read. Perfect for when you have the urge to fulfill a bit of summer camp nostalgia without having to leave your home. It was a bit uneven at times, with one character in particular taking some bizarre turns, but it was still a quick and entertaining read for a sunny afternoon.

Andi Arndt did a nice job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Ann Garvin, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you Brilliance Audio for granting me access to this title via NetGalley.

This was a fun ride! Bummer Camp by Ann Garvin was filled with all the quirky lovable characters. I was not a kid who attended sleep away summer camp so I am certain this book will hit home even more for folks who did. I did however, day dream about what summer camp would be like. Parent Trap vibes?!

This book was about found family and home being truly where your heart is. Cat rushes back to the last place she ever wanted to go, the camp run by her family. She was certain she had washed her hands of this place but when her nephew, nickname “shirtless” sounded the alarm, she knew she had to go. Upon arrival, Cat is beyond frustrated by the state of things. Her sister Ginger is as scattered as always and truly things are in disarray. However, as Cat tries to save her financial situation from ruin, she starts to see the camp through the eyes of those going there and it’s not at all what she expected.

The book was a little drawn out for me. I found Cat to be way too whiny at times, but nonetheless, I enjoyed this read. The characters from the main sisters to the cook at the camp were all memorable and you found yourself really rooting for them.

My biggest complaint is that the pause between chapters kept making me check to see if my device has stopped playing. It was unnaturally long. Plus some of the chapters are on the shorter end so it felt surprising when there would be this sudden long pause. The narrator was great and held my attention. I guess spun in a positive way, the breaks between chapters kept me really attentive.

Cat McCarthy returns home to help her sister, Ginger save their family’s theatre camp. When she realizes that Ginger has basically handed over the camp to someone who has fled with their money, Cat decides to step up and help save the camp.

Bummer Camp by Ann Garvin was a slow burn story about sisterhood, family obligations, and realizing who you are. I struggled to get into it in the beginning, but once the pace picked up, I ended up enjoying it. The camp setting was fun, and I really liked the secondary characters.

This book has a fun plot, but it’s much more character driven. I found it hard to relate to Cat’s character in the beginning because she was so condescending and patronizing towards her sister and the camp staff. While her character did see growth throughout, I actually preferred Ginger and the quirky secondary characters like Shirtless and Gary, and the camp’s emotional support chicken, Connie more. They brought humor and heart to the story.

I found that pairing the audiobook with my physical copy helped with the pacing, and I enjoyed Andi Arndt’s narration. She was a great choice for Cat’s character.

I love books about sisterhood, and while I struggled with this one a bit, I do think it’s great for anyone who loves a found family story. There was a little romance, some touching moments, some funny scenes, a fun setting, and a great supporting cast of characters.

Thank you to the author, Uplit Reads, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

Cat McCarthy left her family’s summer theater camp in her rearview mirror years ago, moving on with her life and leaving her wishy-washy sister Ginger to run the place. But when Cat receives panicked text messages from her family members about the dire state of the camp, she knows it’s time to go back. Ginger has handed over the reins to a smooth-talking con man named Bob and his shady wife Elaine, and the camp is on the brink of bankruptcy. When Bob and Elaine skip town just days before a big fundraising gala that could save the camp, Cat and Ginger must wrangle the rag-tag camp staff and try to pull off a miracle.

This is such a sweet story about found family and finding yourself. Told with humor and heart and featuring a loveable band of quirky misfit characters, Bummer Camp is funny and filled with life lessons, like "If you're a square peg, find the people who celebrate quadrilaterals." The Wizard of Oz elements and the parallels between the two stories delighted my Oz-loving heart! Perfect for fans of Until Next Summer by Ali Brady and The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale by Virginia Kantra.

Andi Arndt narrates the audiobook and does a masterful job of bringing the characters’ personalities to life.

Many thanks to UpLit Reads and Brilliance Publishing for the gifted book and audiobook.

Okay, I really enjoyed this one. First, it's set in the beautiful woods of Wisconsin, my home state. I was born and raised there and I loved all the references - it made me homesick (but in a happy way). Secondly, these characters were hilarious, and you know sister stories always grab me.

Cat and Ginger are sisters who grew up around their parent’s theater camp. Now, as an adult, Cat has tried hard to distance herself from it all, following her own dreams - which didn’t exactly include getting pregnant on a second date.

Ginger, meanwhile, is trying to handle the camp while their parents have taken time off. But things have taken a wild turn and Ginger turns to Cat for help.

This was fun and full of quirky characters. This isn’t about little kids at camp. It’s about adults trying to save a camp that has been nearly bankrupted by a bunch of motivational speakers wanting to change the camp's direction and purpose.

Although I found the plot enjoyable, for me the characters did the heavy lifting. They were charming, endearing, and funny. With family bonding, a little romance, and a great sense of community, it was a delightful read.


I loved pairing the audiobook with my reading. Andi Arndt’s narration captured the personalities of these characters wonderfully.


Thank you @uplitreads and @anngarvin_ for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
Thank you @brilliancepublishing for the gifted audiobook.

I always love summer camp stories but this was not it. The main character bugged me right from the beginning and never got better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(3.5/5) rounded up for 4 for Goodreads

“Her sister had opened her mouth to speak when a short, solid gargoyle of a woman moved silently and smoothly into the doorway, as if on rollers.” 🤣😂🤣 I’m like I already don’t like this woman and when she talked about signing the document she gave me serious Ursula the sea witch vibes. Which is even more hilarious after finishing the book because there actually is a little mermaid reference 🧜‍♀️

“Maybe love was as simple as showing up and doing what you don’t want to do.”

When Ginger finally started feeling a bit more confident with her sister Cat at her side and called Elaine “Ellen” even after Elaine corrected her it was too funny.

To be honest, I did struggle a bit to really get invested in this one but by the end I really became attached to the characters. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of all the characters.

I think that’s maybe the writing style for this one didn’t click with my brain’s reading style. It was decent and I loved the “everybody is welcome” vibes. Overall, a good feel good read for the summer.