“I think we can help this girl,” Anita said. “This is a real opportunity.” She sounded excited, all her sociological juices kicking in.

Jeannie snorted. I had a big “Oh yeah?” look on my face.

“How bad can she be?” Anita asked. “She’s just a child.”

El Campbell is just about to find out “how bad” Tiffin Ramsey can be. It’s El’s first year as a counselor at her old summer camp, and she’s eager to simply relax and have fun before starting college in the fall. After all, how hard can it be to watch a couple of girl campers?

El’s dreams come crashing down around her as soon as she meets Tiffin, the governor’s daughter. Tiffin’s family has sent her to camp in order to help her “troubled” habits, but Tiffin seems unwilling to change. Refusing to do kitchen duty, stay in her cabin during rest period, respect camp authority, or interact positively with any girl in any way, Tiffin proves to be quite the handful.

It isn’t long before Tiffin’s family connections leak out. And it’s even sooner that the news the Tiffin’s sister drowned a year before rushes through the camp. Many girls are convinced that Tiffin killed her sister, hence her utterly destructive behavior. El’s not so sure, but time is running out. Tiffin’s life is heading downward, and El’s the only one who can see the warning signs…

I can honestly say this book sent me on an emotional roller coaster. By turns funny, thought provoking, and heartbreaking, the plot was expertly built and executed through to a poignant, although predictable, finish. The scene brought back many of my own summer camp experiences, and El’s situation was very easy to relate to. Overall, a wonderful read, and one that I won’t soon forget.

Recommended for readers 14 and up, due to the treatment of some more mature themes.

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