New Reviews for Maple Creek: Camp for Gifted Teenagers

I signed up for a free account with AuthorClimb.com. I added the book but didn’t immediately upload the manuscript until I got an email announcing $6 in free credit was added to my account. So I headed over and made an order for 6 reviews, 5 of which have already been posted on the platform. There are 2 types of reviews on this site: $1 for platform reviews or $9 for Amazon reviews. If you subscribe to their plan, the price drops to $ 6 per Amazon review. While I’m not quite ready to pay anything just yet, thought I’d share the reviews I’ve received on this first installment of my YA Maple Creek series.

The main problem I have with these $1 platform reviews is that there is no way to share them, so I’m going to copy and paste them below. A few of them listed spoilers, so I have removed them. All 5 reviews have been rated 5 stars, which is nice.

Young adult paranormal novel

anglcagonzlz Sep 1, 2026

This was such an unexpected and addictive read. From the moment Deni steps foot inside this secret, ten-level facility carved into a mountain, you can feel the oppressive tension and eerie vibes. There are a few things that I loved about the book. First, it has a relatable protagonist because Deni feels genuinely human. She is insecure, loves drawing manga, deals with school bullies, and tries to protect her mom’s happiness. Smuggling her phone into the camp was so smart of her, and watching her try to piece together what’s really happening kept me turning pages. But what I liked the most was Fionn’s magnetic presence. The chemistry between Deni and Fionn is electric. He is dangerous, mysterious, and clearly hiding powers that go way beyond normal human abilities. The scaling of the rock wall scene was easily one of the highlights of the book.

Also, the facility is incredible. The indoor rock climbing walls built into actual mountain stone, laser tag arenas, and strict level clearances make it feel equal parts luxury resort and high-security facility. And in terms of mystery, this book is amazing. When I was reading, I was constantly wondering: why are these specific kids brought here for free? Why did the camp counselors claim no new campers had arrived since December? Why was Fionn spotted in an orientation video filmed 12 years ago without having aged a day?

Overall, it’s a great book for those who enjoy reading YA novels, and you don’t necessarily have to be the target age to read it, as older people can take a lot from this genre too. It has the perfect mix of hidden power dynamics, sci-fi/paranormal undertones, and secretive academic vibes. It is a fantastic start to the series and I honestly cannot wait to see what will happen next.

A Captivating Dive Into Isolation and Mystery

ericarosenberg99 Aug 30, 2026

“Maple Creek: A Camp for Gifted Teenagers” by Jude Liebermann creates a tense, isolated environment that blends high school social dynamics with hidden, supernatural elements. The novel follows Denika (who prefers “Deni”), a self-described outcast and manga artist, as she is sent to a shadowy, by-invitation-only summer camp hidden deep within the mountains of Washington State. The initial focus on Deni’s struggles with high school bullies quickly shifts into a mysterious thriller when she arrives at the claustrophobic, underground facility where simple rules—like surreptitiously confiscating cell phones and restricting floor access—take on sinister undertones. What makes the story work so well is Liebermann’s strong build-up of suspense and atmospheric tension.

Deni’s grounded, relatable narrative voice makes her immediate skepticism feel completely earned. Her instincts to hide her phone inside a tampon box, her observant sketches of fellow campers, and her cautious interactions with staff members like Chris and Lauren highlight her sharp survival skills. The introduction of Fionn—a enigmatic senior camper who exhibits unnerving physical abilities, unpredictable mood shifts, and strange manipulation over Deni’s physical senses—adds an intense, magnetic mystery to the plot. However, the story suffers slightly from abrupt tonal shifts and unresolved plot points.

The secondary characters, such as her roommate Amy and the other new campers, often feel reduced to surface-level tropes (the cheerleader, the bad boy, the athlete), which makes their interactions feel somewhat secondary to Deni’s hyper-fixation on Fionn. Reading Deni’s experience of feeling completely isolated—even when surrounded by a sea of peers—instantly brought me back to my own high school days. I remember the paralyzing awkwardness of sitting at the end of cafeteria tables, convinced that every laugh in the hallway was directed at me. That familiar, defensive impulse to pull your hair over your face like a security blanket is captured so authentically here. Readers will walk away with an engaging, fast-paced thriller that explores themes of trust, teenage vulnerability, and the constant friction between wanting to hide away from the world and yearning to be truly seen.

More Than Just a Summer Camp

shakeila2keila Aug 29, 2026

Maple Creek: Camp for Gifted Teenagers by Jude Liebermann surprised me with how quickly an ordinary summer-camp premise develops into something much more complicated. The story combines teenage friendships, unusual abilities, family secrets, romance, and the pressure of discovering that the world—and even your own identity—isn’t necessarily what you thought it was. Deni immediately drew me into the story. She arrives at Maple Creek thinking she’s simply another teenager attending camp, only to discover that she has abilities she hasn’t understood. I especially liked the moment when the camp’s laser-tag game becomes suspicious. After Deni leaves the game, she learns that all five of the opposing team’s guns malfunctioned. Everyone treats it almost like a lucky break, but Deni can’t ignore how unlikely that coincidence is. That was a great early clue that something unusual is happening with her.

Her relationship with Fionn adds another layer to the story. Fionn isn’t simply another camper—he is **REMOVED SPOILER**. Deni’s fascination with him develops while she’s still trying to understand her own abilities, which creates an interesting tension between attraction and uncertainty. One of my favorite scenes involving the two of them takes place in the rock-climbing room. Deni goes looking for Fionn and finds him high on the ledge after running through the facility trying to track him down. The scene captures both her determination to see him and the strange circumstances surrounding their relationship. The biggest revelation for me, though, was the discovery about Deni’s **REMOVED SPOILERS**. I thought this was a particularly effective twist because it turns Deni’s questions about her abilities into a much deeper question about who she really is. I also appreciated the emotional conflict surrounding Deni and Fionn. When Chris warns Deni that Fionn will **REMOVED SPOILER**. That scene gave their relationship real emotional stakes.

Overall, Maple Creek is an entertaining YA read with plenty of mystery, secrets, supernatural abilities, and relationship drama. I especially enjoyed following Deni as she discovers her abilities and begins uncovering truths about her past, while Fionn adds an intriguing and unusual element to the story. A fun choice for readers who enjoy gifted-teen stories, secret abilities, summer-camp settings, romance, and characters discovering that their lives are far stranger than they imagined.

A Fun and Mysterious Story That Kept Me Curious

chantanadinnall Aug 23, 2026

Maple Creek: A Camp for Gifted Teenagers by Jude Liebermann was not at all what I expected when I started reading it. The story follows Denika, or Deni, a seventeen-year-old girl who has spent much of her school life feeling like an outsider and dealing with bullying. When her mother sends her to an invitation-only summer camp for “gifted” teenagers, Deni doesn’t understand why she was chosen because she doesn’t consider herself gifted at all. I liked Deni because she felt like a real teenager. She could be insecure, stubborn, curious, impulsive, and sometimes make questionable decisions. Her personality made the story entertaining because instead of simply accepting everything she was told, she kept noticing that something about Maple Creek wasn’t right.

The camp itself was probably my favorite part. At first it seems almost too perfect, with a pool, gym, rock-climbing wall, tennis courts, and other activities. But there are strange rules, restricted areas, and secrets everywhere. Deni eventually discovers that this isn’t an ordinary summer camp at all. The teenagers are actually being watched for special abilities, and if those abilities appear, they may never be allowed to leave. That revelation completely changed the direction of the story for me. Then there is Fionn. From the moment Deni sees him, she knows there is something different about him. Their relationship develops quickly, but I enjoyed their connection and the mystery surrounding him. Finding out that he **REMOVED SPOILER** definitely wasn’t something I saw coming. The biggest surprise was watching Deni discover that she has abilities of her own. By the end, she goes from believing she is a nobody to realizing she may be far more powerful than she ever imagined. Overall, I enjoyed the mixture of romance, mystery, supernatural abilities, and teenage drama. The ending definitely leaves things unfinished, but in a way that made me curious about what happens next. I would continue the series because I want to see Deni understand her powers and learn the full truth about Maple Creek.

A Refreshingly Original Take on the Gifted-Teen Genre

rheaharding15 Aug 21, 2026

I went into Maple Creek: Camp for Gifted Teenagers expecting a fairly traditional summer camp fantasy, but the biggest surprise was discovering that Maple Creek isn’t a rustic camp at all—it’s a hidden underground facility where gifted teenagers are secretly trained and protected. That twist completely changed the tone of the story and made the world feel much more original than I anticipated. One of my favorite scenes happens when Denika first arrives and realizes the camp exists beneath the surface. The descent into the underground complex is filled with uncertainty and quiet tension, and it perfectly mirrors her emotional state.

Instead of colorful cabins and campfires, readers are introduced to secure corridors, advanced technology, and an environment built around secrecy. It immediately raises questions about who created Maple Creek, why these teens were chosen, and what dangers exist beyond its walls. Denika is a strong lead because she reacts the way a real teenager probably would. She’s curious, skeptical, overwhelmed, and determined all at once. Rather than instantly accepting everything she’s told, she questions the rules of the facility and slowly begins piecing together the truth for herself. Her growth feels believable, and I enjoyed watching her become more confident as she learned to trust both her instincts and the people around her.

The relationship between Denika and Fionn is another highlight. Fionn’s mysterious personality makes him compelling from the beginning, and their connection develops gradually through shared experiences instead of feeling forced. Their conversations reveal just enough about his past to keep readers invested without giving away every secret too early. The romance stays in the background, allowing the mystery and character development to remain the heart of the story. The supporting cast also deserves recognition. Each gifted teenager has distinct abilities and personalities, which prevents the characters from blending together.

The training exercises inside the underground facility are especially engaging because they reveal both strengths and vulnerabilities. These moments aren’t just about supernatural powers—they’re about teamwork, fear, trust, and learning how to control extraordinary abilities under pressure. What impressed me most was the atmosphere. The underground setting creates a constant feeling of isolation and suspense. Every restricted hallway, locked door, and classified area suggests there’s another layer of the mystery waiting to be uncovered. The author does a great job balancing action with quieter moments, allowing relationships to grow naturally while continuing to build intrigue about the true purpose of Maple Creek. The pacing is steady throughout. The novel doesn’t rush its reveals, and I appreciated that the answers come gradually through discoveries rather than lengthy explanations. Every new revelation leads to another question, making it difficult to put the book down.

By the final chapters, the stakes become much larger than simply surviving a unique camp experience, and the ending leaves enough unresolved mystery to make the next installment genuinely exciting. The writing itself is accessible and engaging, making it a great fit for young adult readers while still being enjoyable for adults who love fantasy and paranormal mysteries. Themes of identity, belonging, courage, and embracing what makes us different are woven naturally into the plot without feeling overly heavy-handed.

Overall, Maple Creek: Camp for Gifted Teenagers stands out because it reinvents the “gifted teens at camp” concept with its hidden underground facility, memorable characters, and layered supernatural mystery. If you enjoy YA fantasy with secret organizations, slow-building romance, and plenty of unanswered questions that keep you turning pages, this is a series opener well worth reading. I’m definitely looking forward to finding out what other secrets are still buried beneath Maple Creek.

This book is available free on many online bookstores, or you can get it from Amazon for 99 cents.