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stephsbooktalk 's review for:

Camp Sylvania: Moon Madness by Crystal Maldonado, Julie Murphy
4.0

This book is out now.

I really enjoyed Camp Sylvania when I read it last year and I was excited to see that we were going back to camp again this year! And this time Julie called on a friend Crystal Maldonado, to make this a dual POV taking on the role of Nora, Maggie's best friend.

"What if your natural, best self sometimes doesn't feel good enough for other people?"
"Part of being yourself is not worrying about what other people think and still being confident in who you are."


Man oh man, even though I am pushing 40 and reading a middle grade book I could still feel like this book related to me even as an adult. The paranormal aspect aside this book dealt with themes of growing friendships and the feelings of growing apart from your best friends. Nora sees Maggie with her camp friends from last year and can't help but to feel left out. And then the other side Maggie sees Nora connecting with her new roommate and her friends and feels like she is missing out on her life. I feel as if this especially in the age of technology and seeing friends doing this and that and feeling left out. 

That aspect of the book I was really drawn to but with all that happening there was some tween wolf happening as well!  Just like with the last one, it was fun and campy and I love how both authors incorporated this element within the book.  And we also have Maggie experience her first crush and kiss! 

I paired my reading with the audio and even though both narrators Katie Ladner and Victoria Villareal were good narrators, I felt their voices were too similar. I was happy that each chapter stated which POV we were in. The audio is a quick listen clocking in around 6 hours. 

I am not sure if there will be another adventure at Camp Sylvania but I hope so!! I will read anything that Julie or Crystal read.