ALA Booklist (Mon May 08 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

As the boat that dropped them off speeds away, Claire, Reyva, and Mariana discover that the secluded camp where they are supposed to spend the summer has burned to the ground. The girls develop a shaky plan to survive until they are rescued, which turns into a fight for their lives after they find a dead body and realize they are not alone in the woods. A mysterious underground lair, a raving madman, gunshots in the night, hunger, and exhaustion lead to some truly tense scenes. Narrated by the anxious and practical Claire, this survival thriller is tightly paced, and the development of a strong and satisfying bond between the three girls provides some breathing room amidst the action. A supernatural turn towards the end is foreshadowed enough to feel earned, and fans of the genre will find plenty of familiar beats and sequences, with some twists along the way to keep them guessing.

Kirkus Reviews

A so-called enrichment retreat proves to be anything but relaxing.Claire Dreyer is an overachieving worrier: In every situation, she thinks of ways everything could go wrong and end with her dying. Her parents send her to a camp held at the remote Maine Lake House for a summer of making friends and boosting her resume for college applications. But upon arrival, she and the two other girls dropped off by motorboat discover only the burned-down shell of the house. Worse, in the woods they find the program director's dead body-she has been shot. Claire, Reyva Chaudhari, and Mariana Ortiz-Rodriguez are stuck, and without cell service, they can't call for help. They must use their wits to keep themselves alive and uncover the truth. Although they packed for a retreat and not a multiday hike around the lake and back to the dock, they must push onward. The characters exhibit real depth as they discuss their fears and try to make the best of the situation. Each teen brings her problems-as well as her potential-to the group, including protagonist Claire, who has intense anxiety. Her fears are a double-edged sword that sometimes send her spiraling but also bring awareness to the group regarding ways to stay safe. There is no lull in this novel; just when things start to make sense, readers will have the rug pulled out from under them. Names cue characters' ethnicities.A twisted page-turner of a survival tale. (Thriller. 13-18)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Teens attending summer camp are hunted by a menacing evil in this suspenseful thriller by Durst (The Shelterlings). Hoping to provide her with opportunities to make friends and broaden her horizons, the parents of white-cued Claire Dreyer persuade her to attend a Maine-set summer camp known as the Lake House. There, she’s joined by Reyva Chaudhari, who reads as of Indian descent, and Latinx-cued Mariana Ortiz-Rodriguez. After a local transports the girls to the remote residence in the middle of a lake, they find that the Lake House has been burned to the ground and their ride back to shore has vanished. Stranded on the island without cell service, the teens are forced to work together if they hope to endure their impromptu wilderness survival effort. The trio are optimistic about their chances of making it out of the ordeal alive, until they discover the corpse of a woman who has been shot. Even as they’re subjected to further twists and 11th-hour revelations, the group’s intelligence, resilience, and tenacity make them formidable protagonists not easily cowed by perilous situations. This pressurized, eerie tale is sure to satisfy. Ages 13–up. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger. (Apr.)

School Library Journal (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 7 Up— Claire, Revya, and Mariana are strangers on their way to summer camp on a remote Maine island. When their boat driver drops them off, he directs them half a mile up a path to the titular Lake House, assures them that they'll be greeted by the camp director, and leaves. When the girls reach the camp, they find to their horror, that the house has recently burned down. It's still smoking, and there are no signs of life. A run back to the dock reveals that the boat is long gone. There's no cell service, very little food, and they soon discover that whatever happened wasn't an accident, which means they could be in danger. Part survival tale, part horror story, part coming-of-age journey—this book has a lot going for it. The action starts immediately and doesn't let up. The cast of characters is diverse and multi-faceted—Mariana is gifted at fixing cars and tinkering with machines, and Revya has a background in MMA fighting. There is LGBTQIA+ representation (Mariana is bisexual) and mental health struggles (Claire lives with anxiety). Readers will enjoy watching these complex characters grow and change when confronted with unimaginable challenges. A plot twist takes the story in an unexpected direction, with plenty of nail-biting and chills-inducing moments. VERDICT Recommended. Horror/thrillers are always in high demand in the library, and good ones are hard to find. The throwback cover and the description alone will be enough to get this one circulating.— Mandy Laferriere