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Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Review: The Lake by Natasha Preston

Author: Natasha Preston
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: March 2021

Esme and Kayla once were campers at Camp Pine Lake. They're excited to be back this year as CITs (counselors in training). Esme loves the little girls in her cabin and thinks it's funny how scared they are of everything--spiders, the surly head counselor, the dark, boys . . . even swimming in the lake! It reminds her a little of how she and Kayla used to be, once. Before . . . it happened.

Because Esme and Kayla did something bad when they were campers. Afterwards, the girls agreed to keep it secret. They've moved on--or so they say--and this summer is going to be great. Two months of sun, s'mores, and flirting with the cute boy counselors. But then they get a note. THE LAKE NEVER FORGETS. And the secret they've kept buried for so many years is about to resurface.

 The Lake is a YA mystery set at a summer camp.  Esme and her best friend, Kayla received invitations to be Counselors-in-training at their old summer camp.  They are hesitant because of something tragic that happened when they were younger.  Something they never owned up to.  The synopsis intrigued me and promised creepy summer camp vibes, so I was all in.

Sadly, The Lake didn't live up to my expectations. It ended up being jsut OK for me.  The story is told through only Esme's perspective.  I would have liked more than one perspective.  I didn't feel like there was any real danger until about the last quarter of the book.  I mean it was a bit creepy and mysterious, but just on a very surface level.  Choices were made by the owner of the camp that never would have been made.  I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.  The ending was what made me really not love this book.  I hated it.  I'm not sure I would recommend this one.  I have read better books from this author.





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