Welcome to Camp Creek, where nothing is out of the ordinary. Cheerful counselors? Normal! Swimming in the lake? Normal! A cabin dedicated to tie-dye? Normal, normal, normal! For once, Alexander Sinister-Winterbottom is the sibling letting loose & having fun. Is that normal? Absolutely not! Theo Sinister-Winterbottom wants to have fun too, but if her twin brother is in trouble, she has to be the logical thinker in order to help him. They left Sanguine Spa to follow Edgaren’t & hopefully find their missing parents, but it seems they’ve run into even more trouble. Have they finally met their match at Camp Creepy, er, Creek?

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Random House Children’s Books through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

This creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky middle grade series has brought me back to my childhood, watching Addams Family on TV Land and checking out the “A Series of Unfortunate Events” series from the library. I’ve had a blast reliving my childhood as an adult, and just for that, this series will always be special to me. Unfortunately, “Camp Creepy” is my least favorite book so far. The camp setting was promising, but the story felt rushed and not as fleshed out as the previous two books. To make matters worse, the memories of “Vampiric Vacation” are still fresh in my mind along with my 5-star rating and the title of “Favorite Book in the Series So Far.” This third installment isn’t bad; it just doesn’t hold the weight of it’s predecessors. I’m giving it 3 stars and looking forward to book four, “Menacing Manor.”

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Content Breakdown: The Sinister Summer book series is middle grade & squeaky clean. What you should be aware of is the macabre setting, situations, & humor. Think along the lines of Addams Family, A Series of Unfortunate Events, & Scooby-Doo. For those sensitive to claustraphobia, there is a scene or two in “Camp Creepy” that takes place in a tight space. This is a SPOILER so proceed at your own risk: A main focus of the plot is brainwashing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me access to the free advanced digital copy of this book.

Another delightful entry in the Sinister Summer Series. I love the nod to classics (this installment was Jekyll and Hyde.) Theo and Alex, along with their older sister Win, and of course the intrepid Edgar head to a summer camp where everyone is very happy and wears tie-dye. While the Sinister-Winterbottoms are immediately suspicious of the camp cheer, it isn't until Alex becomes fearless that Theo begins to see the dark underbelly of their latest endeavor. The disappearance of their parents become more confusing, but their band has grown by quite a few - but so have those helping Edgaren't. I look forward to reading the next installment and would recommend to middle graders who enjoy a mystery with adventure.

3.5 stars
I love the world building happening in this book! Get this series for any kid in your life that doesn’t feel “normal” Can’t wait to read the next one!

I just read Camp Creepy, the third book in the Sinister Summer series by Kiersten White, and I loved it! This middle grade series is so fun, quirky and entirely relatable. If you enjoy a good middle grade book or have a middle grade reader in your life, I can't recommend these books enough!

Camp Creepy brought us a little closer to solving the mystery of the Sinister-Winterbottom children's missing parents and had some pretty big revelations in it. I really enjoyed how this book explored the way children are often expected to be happy all the time and not express negative emotions and how often their individualism is condemned in favor of conformity. Every book in this series has brought up things I remember feeling as a child but never had the words to explain. I'm so glad Kiersten chose to write this middle grade series because I think it will make so many young readers feel seen and heard! I can't wait to read the next book, Menacing Manor!

Camp Creepy is the third book in the Sinister Summer series. I haven't read the first two books before reading this one. I could still understand what is going on since the author fills you in on what happened in the previous books.

It's an interesting story with different character that add to the story. I would recommend to fans of the Goosebumps series.

This series is so fun. Love how everything is connecting with the parents and bbackground characters. Makes me want to watch Scooby Doo Ghouls School.. I am also loving the growth of Theo and Alex. Giving eachother grace and validity. Excited for the next 2 books in the series

I enjoyed the first book in this series quite a lot, but it’s been pretty steadily downhill from there.

The plot never seems to advance, the characters don’t evolve, and each book feels like reading the same story over and over, just in a different setting. This isn’t a unique problem among middle grade series, but it is one that will generally make me give up on a series. Younger audiences tend to tolerate repetition better, so it’s easy to see why authors get away with it, but I think young readers (as well as the adults reading the genre) deserve better.

And while I appreciate White’s attempts at inclusiveness, I don’t think this is a realistic or helpful portrayal of neurodivergence. For one thing, this subject takes up more real estate in the book than the actual plot does, which I don’t think is helpful. And some of the characters (Alexander most of all) devolve frequently into something almost caricature-like. It makes the whole subject irritating, which is of course exactly the opposite of what you want to do when trying to raise awareness about neurodivergence, particularly in children.

But mostly it’s just too repetitive, which is a shame because the premise for the series was a good one, and White is both legitimately funny in her writing and well-intentioned in what she’s tried to accomplish with the characters.

This is the third book in the Sinister Summer series and they are best read in order. All are exciting stories that center around the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings trying to solve why their parents disappeared. Camp Creepy takes place at a summer camp where everyone is encouraged to be "normal". The camp reminds me of somewhere Lego characters from The Lego Movie would go or a camp populated by Pinky Pie from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It's cute, it's fun and there is a mystery involved. I am excited to continue!

The message that everyone is unique and these differences should be celebrated is the best part of the book!

I need Kiersten White to give a masterclass on character work because she consistently has some of the best characters I’ve read in my entire life.

That said, I need her to work on her diversity. This is the third Sinister Summer book and the diversity just isn’t there. Every character is white or simply not described. And like I’ve said before, it’s been proven that a lack of description leads to readers just assuming the character is white.

With this book, it was just as well paced as a the previous two. We see Alexander, Theo and Will at Camp Creek. Will and Edgar say they won’t be saying, that they need to see the person in charge.

While they’re waiting to speak with her, the twins are ushered out to the camp by two very peppy cam counselors wearing tie-dyed shirts who speak with exclamation marks. The happy kind.

Again, she does a fantastic job of showing the way Alexander is aware of his differences from the “average” child. And how he just wants to be like everyone else. People who can swim around in a lake without worrying about brain eating amoebas. And there’s Theo, who wishes that maybe, just maybe, she could enjoy this camp and have fun. Not have to worry about scary mysteries and why their parents seemingly abandoned them and not dealing with the discomfort of her emotions.

My favorite part is the clues. In Sanguine Spa there were the bloods, Lucy and Mina. We met Quincy and her uncle Van Hellsing, also known as Edgarn’t from Fathoms of Fun.

In this, we’ve got the woman who runs the camp Dr. Jeck. L. L.

And a young boy named Henry who hides under the cabins of the camp because he knows something bad is going on and knows it has something to do with the tie-dye cabin.

And it’s the worst thing, aside form the garish hideous colors that are a true affront to the eyes on every person. Kids and counselors alike dressed in varying swirls. It’s the worst when they find Edgar, and Will, big sister Will who wears black all the time, wearing tie-dye.

Even worse, Will isn’t looking at Roderigo, her phone. Her eyes are squarely on them.

I don’t want to spoil anything but please, please pick this book up. It’s a fantastic read. I recommend this to everyone, regardless of age. It’s just a good, fun read.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher. The lack of diversity is what's keeping it at a four (4) for me.

Camp Creepy is the Parent Trap-Series of Unfortunate Events mashup you didn’t know you needed! Continuing on their journey to find their missing parents, Theo, Alexander, Will and Edgar find themselves at a perfectly *gasp* normal summer camp navigating classic summer activities like canoeing, team sports, arts and crafts, and of course, the quintessential summer camp activity, mind-dying…er…I mean…tie-dying!!

Vampiric Vacation was a touch too slow for my taste but Camp Creepy has officially redeemed the series. After a dreary detour at the world’s most dreadful daycare, I am happy to report that (almost) everything I loved most about Wretched Waterpark is officially back. Fingers crossed that the delightful underworld vibes from book one will finally make a reappearance. Only one way to find out! See you at the Menacing Manor!

Thank you to Netgalley, Kiersten White, Delacorte Press and Random House Childrens for the e-arc!

Edgaren't is up to his old tricks again, but the Sinister-Winterbottoms aren't going to let him get away with it, even if they have to face their biggest challenge yet: an extremely normal summer camp. While Theo is exited to finally get to do reckless things like zip lining and jumping off a rope swing, Alexander wishes, not for the first time, that he was a little more normal and a little less careful. But how normal is too normal? With the help of some special tie-dye, the family is about to find out.

This series is getting less funny as it goes along, but I'm liking the characters and the mystery more and more. It's a touch frustrating that we still don't really know what's going on, but big things have been revealed, and the next adventure is shaping up to be even more exciting.

Camp Creepy is the third book in a new middle grade series by Kiersten White. Due out 3rd Jan 2023 from Penguin Random House on their Delacorte Press imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats (with paperback due out in May 2023). It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. The fourth book in the series is due out in May 2023. 

It's not derivative; the author is capable and talented, but to describe the series as Scooby Doo written by Lemony Snicket feels appropriate and accurate. The three Sinister-Winterbottom siblings, the eldest is 16 and permanently looking at her smartphone, and fraternal brother and sister twins aged 12 are sent to spend the summer with their Aunt Saffronia and it soon becomes crystal clear that weeks of boredom isn't the worst that could happen. They're still hot on the trail of evil archnemesis Edgaren't, and trying to figure out the rules of their new reality, where people (including their parents) are actually disappearing, and it's left to the siblings to get to the bottom of the weirdness. 

This is a fun summertime mystery for middle grade readers (Lexile measure is 740L). It's well written and edgy, but not inappropriate. The plotting struck me as a trifle meandering and the pacing was odd (clearly intentional on the author's part), but it's a fun and fast paced ride.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gifting to a young mystery fan. 
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Another wonderful instalment in the Sinister Summer series by Kiersten White.

Once you start any of the books in this series, you can’t put them down. Camp Creepy being the fasted paced one so far. The title doesn’t lie. That camp is definitely creepy.

The theme woven throughout this story about being true to who you are was so incredibly moving. I think this might be my favourite of the series as of right now.

I’ll never stop recommending this series to every middle grade reader I know, young and old! They’re endlessly fun, super addictive and filled with excellent characters.

Creative, descriptive, and well-written with a twist of mayhem!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte Press for providing me an advanced copy of “Camp Creepy”. I am appreciative to have had the opportunity to read "Camp Creepy" and leave my sincerity review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and Kiersten White for the opportunity to read Camp Creepy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Sinister Summer series, preceded by Wretched Waterpark (book one) and Vampiric Vacation (book 2). This series has a bit of a Series of Unfortunate Events feel, dark but witty humor, and an ongoing mystery revolving around the Sinister-Winterbottom family. Between finding strange artifacts and books of great import, twins Theo and Alexander, along with their older sister Wil and her boyfriend Edgar, seek to solve whatever secrets surround their family.

After the events at the caspatle (the Sanguine Spa which is located in a castle), the Sinister-Winterbottom children find themselves collected by their odd aunt Saffronia. On their way to the summer camp of which every child should experience, their aunt is being weird yet again and disappears, leaving the four at the edge of the woods. When the kids get into Camp Creek, they find everyone is weirdly happy, speaking with an audible exclamation point at the end of every sentence.

As Theo and Alexander get split temporarily from Wil and Edgar, their reunion finds a chipper Wil without her phone, Rodrigo, and Edgar without his fancy Gothic style outfit, rather both wearing tie dye shirts and khaki shorts. And they are now speaking with exclamation points like the other campers! Weird...

As Theo and Alexander participate in camp activities, they continue the hunt for Quincy and Edgarn't and the link they have to whatever secrets they hold over the Sinister-Winterbottom family. When their search leads to its own sinister findings, and Theo finds herself alone to dislodge the mystery of the seemingly braindyed campers, she ends up working with an unexpected ally to save her family--and the rest of the campers!--from whatever weirdness is going on.

Yet another excellent installment to this middle grade series. While Wretched Waterpark is still my favorite, every book in this series has been a fun adventure so far, and there are more to come. Every book answers maybe one question only to leave the reader with five more! The writing is top-tier and makes for a fun reading experience. I  look forward to the next Sinister-Winterbottom adventure and hope at least some of the questions get answered!

OMG. Kiersten White never fails to make such a difference in my reading slumps. I have been struggling with motivation to read lately, but I picked up Camp Creepy this afternoon and just finished it (it's 2:45 in the morning, and that's with the fact that I worked today and ran errands, etc.). This book was just as fun and spooky as Wretched Waterpark and Vampiric Vacation, the first two books in Kiersten's middle grade Sinister Summer series. This is a series I don't only recommend to kids, but anyone and everyone who likes spooky stories about heroic kids (and teenagers) going on adventures. Middle grade remains one of my favorite genres as an adult, because of their amazing capacity to be detailed and absorbing while also being relatively easy/quick reads. Highly recommend anything by Kiersten White, no matter the genre or age group, but especially the Sinister Summer series! A special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This third installment of Kiersten White’s Sinister Summer series, was the fastest paced so far. Camp Creepy was definitely creepy, but not in a scary way that would turn off middle grade readers who are easily frightened. This series is great for mystery and adventure fans who also enjoy some punny humor. I often found myself chuckling out loud reading Camp Creepy. It would be a fun read aloud for a classroom or for parents who are looking for a new series to enjoy with their kids. It has a strong message of being true to yourself and sticking together in the face of challenges. I’m already looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next to the Sinister-Winterbottom kids in their quest to solved the mystery surrounding their family.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this!

This series is getting even better, think Series of Unfortunate Events x Goosebumps - a little weird, a little mystery, some missing parents, and a little spook! I am enjoying them so much, and I’ve got my 9 year old buddy reading with me, and she’s been excitingly telling me her thoughts, even my 6 year old is enjoying listening to the audiobook. Definitely recommend and I can’t wait for more in the series!

Camp Creepy is the third book in Kierstan White’s middle grade series that is described as a mix between Scooby Doo and The Series of Unfortunate Events. This is a very accurate description. If you are a fan of either, this is a must read series!

I have read both of the previous books so I really enjoyed this one! They definitely build in each other so it’s important to try and read them in order. This one is probably the least over the top of the three but that’s very much on purpose since this takes place and a very normal, normal, normal camp.

This is a series I plan on buying because I think it’s one my kids would absolutely love. The characters are fun without feeling super complex so a young reader could absolutely have a self insert moment with whichever character they liked the most! I could see me as a young reader making Theo my entire personality!