The Counselors Book Review

Written By MK

The Counselors by Jessica Goodman book review and recommendation with NO SPOILERS

Date: 4-25-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 6.4/10

The Counselors book cover

Book Cover Rating: 8.4/10

(My personal opinion)

Title: The Counselors

Author: Jessica Goodman

Pages: 343

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Subplots: Thriller, Trauma

Romance Level: 1/3

Publisher: Razorbill

Published: 2022

Number of Editions: 11

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio

Goodreads Rating: 3.54/5

# of Goodreads Ratings: 16,267

Amazon Rating: 4.0/5

# of Amazon Ratings: 949

Movie/TV Show?? : No

Book Type: Standard

POV Type: Single, First Person

Pacing: Medium

Generally: Past traumas, summer camp, dead teenager, best friends

Blurb:

Camp Alpine Lake is the only place where Goldie Easton feels safe.

She's always had a special connection to the place, even before she was old enough to attend. The camp is the lifeline of Roxwood, the small town she lives in. Alpine Lake provides jobs, money and prestige to the region. Few Roxwood locals, though, get to reap the rewards of living so close to the glam summer that camp, with its five-figure tuition and rich kids who have been dumped there for eight weeks by their powerful parents. Goldie's one of them.

Even with her "townie" background, Goldie has never felt more at home at camp and now she's back as a counselor, desperate for summer to start and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, to arrive. Because Goldie has a terrible dark secret she's been keeping and she is more in need of the comfort than ever.

But Goldie's not the only person at camp who has been lying. When a teen turns up dead in the lake late one night, she knows that the death couldn't have been an accident. She also knows that Ava was at the lake that same night.

What did Ava see and what does she know? Why hasn't she said anything to Goldie about the death? Worse--what did Ava do?

But asking questions offers no answers, only broken bonds of lifelong friendship, with hidden danger and betrayals deeper than Goldie ever imagined.



My Review

Going Into It:

Going into this book I was honestly a little concerned because I’ve never really loved Jessica Goodman books before.

Main Characters:

  1. Goldie Easton- Goldie is an 18-year-old ‘townie,’ meaning she lives in Roxwood. But, she’s also a ‘lifer,’ meaning she has gone to Camp Alpine Lake her whole life. She is strong hearted, but has had past traumas. Her family is definitely not nearly as well off as some others.

  2. Ava Cantor- Ava is also an 18-year-old ‘lifer,’ but she definitely isn’t a townie. She is part of one of the richest families in New York. She is passionate and deeply loyal. She is also best friends with Goldie and Imogen.

  3. Imogen- Imogen is another 18-year-old Camp Alpine Lake ‘lifer.’ She is an aspiring actress from a well off New York family. She is also best friends with Ava and Goldie.

    Honestly, these three main characters felt cliche to me. I didn’t find anything particularly unique or inspiring about them. I didn’t mind Goldie, but a significant part of her personality was based on previous trauma. While they did feel fairly flat, a loved that they had some character development.

Character Rating: 5.9/10

Setting:

This book takes place at Camp Alpine Lake in Roxwood, Maine.

I loved the rich summer camp this took place in, but no particular parts stood out. It was generally average.

Setting Rating: 5.6/10

Plot:

This plot certainly hooked me! This plot was perfect for a summery, entertaining, book. But, at the same time, the mystery itself was lacking. It wasn’t quite as refined or put together. Also, I felt that some parts of this were completely unnecessary. Personally, I still enjoyed this book, but critics would likely find it lacking.

Plot Rating: 6.9/10

Writing:

Jessica Goodman did a great job with this young adult book. Her writing wasn’t anything outstanding, but matched this book well. She did a great job keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Her writing was never confusing.

Writing Rating: 8.7/10

Ending:

This was a bit of an anticlimactic ending. I felt that it really built up to a climax, then fell short. I was happy with how everything ended for the characters, but wished it was a little more realistic. There were also a few plot holes. 🙁

Ending Rating: 4.9/10

The Overall:

Overall, this was an entertaining, summery read. There were significant parts that felt unrefined and with room for improvement, but others that kept me on the edge of my seat. Honestly, I didn't feel much connection to any of the characters, and many of their interactions felt cliche. The plot also had some unnecessary parts and holes. That being said, Jessica Goodman did a great job with her writing and ability to hook the reader. I would summarize this book as a good casual read, but nothing that really sticks with you.

Overall Book Rating: 6.4/10

I would maybe recommend this book



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ChatGPT’s Opinion: The Counselors by Jessica Goodman is a YA thriller set at a luxurious summer camp, where a girl named Goldie returns as a counselor alongside her best friends, only to get pulled into a mystery when a local boy is found dead. The novel explores themes of friendship, secrets, and privilege, with an atmospheric setting and dual timelines that add intrigue. Readers generally enjoy the nostalgic camp vibe and character dynamics, though some found the plot twists predictable and the pacing uneven. Overall, it's a solid, suspenseful read for fans of character-driven YA thrillers.

  • Jessica Goodman is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of young adult thrillers They Wish They Were Us, They’ll Never Catch Us, The Counselors, The Legacies, and The Meadowbrook Murders from Penguin Random House. Her books have been translated into 15 languages. She is co-developing They’ll Never Catch Us for television at Netflix.

    She is the former op-ed editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, where she won a National Magazine Award in personal service. She has also held editorial positions at Entertainment Weekly and HuffPost, and her work has been published in outlets like The Cut, Elle, Glamour, and Marie Claire.

  • Goodreads

What did you think of this book??

Reach out below anytime! Whether to share your opinion of this book, comment on mine, ask for similar suggestions, or ask for more clarity/spoilers for this book. I’d love to answer any questions, share more opinions, or hear your thoughts!! Thanks so much!!

MK https://alltruereviewsbymk.com
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