Let's Gather 'Round The 'Campfire''

If I’m going to be completely honest, I was a little let down by this one. I was expecting Campfire to send chills racing down my spine, and force me to sleep with the light on, but that just wasn’t the case. Why did I set my hopes so high? Well, after hearing about this book online, and reading some reviews, it was touted as a fright-filled adventure that would keep you guessing until the very end (at least that last part was true), but I think this turned out to be one of those cautionary tales about being disappointed due to unrealistic expectations.

The premise of the book—that I have to give the author, Shawn Sarles, major kudos for—was incredibly inventive and wholly original. While on a camping trip with her family and friends, protagonist Maddie is warned by her wilderness guide, Caleb (who she is crushing on), that stories told around the campfire under the light of the full moon have been known to come true. After a few chilling tales told by various members of the camping party, the group begins to see signs that Caleb’s warning might actually have some truth to it. As the camping party succumbs to the treacherous dangers of the forest, secrets, lies, and betrayals leave each person with nothing but questions: What is going on? Who can I trust? Will I make it out of here alive?

There were elements of adventure throughout the book, and there was no way I could have ever predicted the ending, but it felt as though the story was rushed. The action felt rushed, the character development felt rushed, and all of it left me wanting more. There were plenty of characters in the book, and plenty of drama between them, but the depth of each character seemed very shallow, and it was hard to feel sorry or sympathetic for what the characters were experiencing. Sarles did an excellent job at capturing the dynamic of a somewhat estranged extended family while bringing to light the powerful bond that can connect family—family by blood as well as family by choice.

The most astounding aspect of this book was Sarles’ ability to create the camping atmosphere, and to bring about the nostalgia of telling stories around the campfire. Growing up, camping played a major role in my life, and I think that this book did a fantastic job at recreating that feeling of sitting around the campfire with friends and family while the warm glow, and the soft crackling of logs filled the night air. Alongside any good campfire comes equally good scary stories, and Sarles did an excellent job at creating what felt like authentic campfire stories to add just a touch of the scare factor to his book. The stories that the characters told around the campfire were everything you’d expect from a good scary story: unsuspecting, innocent people falling victim to a cruel twist of fate, mysterious antagonists, thrilling chases, and cliffhanger endings that leave just a splash of doubt that makes you question—even though you know it can’t possibly be so—whether or not the story could actually be true.

Although it wasn’t my favorite read, there were plenty of aspects of Shawn Sarles’ book, Campfire, that were quite well done. If you are looking for a story that has a little bit of mystery, a dash of adventure, a touch of heart, and just a splash of the scare factor, I would grab a chair, dig into a gooey s’more, and gather around the Campfire.

Three out of five stars.