Hey everyone and welcome to Owl Book World. This is where I typically write about anything and everything horror! With summer right around the corner, it’s time to find some great reads that are summer themed! Today, I’m here to share some camp horror books to read this summer.

Summer is the time for vacation and what is a better way to make the time pass to where ever you go other than by reading. Depending on where you’re going then you’re probably going to want to read there too!

Even if you’re not traveling anywhere then these books are great on taking you on an “adventure”.

Year-round I always want to read horror so the summertime isn’t any different. I have a summer horror reading list and now it’s time to add to that with the camp horror books.

Camping horror books for adults

I know a lot of adults don’t like reading books that are for a younger audience. I still wanted to include them in this section because I know there’s a lot that do. On top of that they aren’t really aimed for a younger audience so I would rather include them in with adult books. Especially since young adult books are starting to become more graphic.

Here are some great camping horror books for adults that should be added to your TBR!

The night will find us

The Night Will Find Us is one book that I have been meaning to read but I keep forgetting about it. I’ve heard many good things about it, and I hope to get to it soon.

I know that this is a young adult horror book, but many adults still read them, and I wanted to include it!

Here is what The Night Will Find Us is about.

The Night Will Find Us is a young adult novel where six teens go on their end-of-the-school-year camping trip. At first, everything is really fun. But when everything goes wrong it all goes wrong. Every one of them are picked off one by one but what exactly is in the woods that’s taking them away?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

One by One

This is a story that I haven’t heard of, but it sounds pretty interesting and creepy.

Horror stories in the woods have always caught my attention and made me want to stay far away.

Here is what One by One is about.

Claire didn’t envision her night lying in the dirt and the leaves. She figured camping and hiking would be the perfect time to destress from work and work on her broken marriage.

But of course, her car breaks down in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road. They have no reception and they can’t call for help. So, they decide to hike the rest of the way.

It doesn’t take long for them to realize that the forest is hard to navigate and soon they get lost. When they start getting picked off one by one they realize that this was the wrong thing to do.

If you’re interested in camp horror books for adults this is one of the ones to get. You can find it here.

The Haunted Forest Tour

I’ve seen tons of great reviews for The Haunted Forest Tour, and it’s been on my to-read list for ages.

I’m not sure why I have been pushing it back but it’s right up my alley and it has a concept that I haven’t heard of before. The concept alone is worth checking out, and if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can get it for free!

Here is what The Haunted Forest Tour is about.

The Haunted Forest Tour is a quick little read where groups of people can take a tour of the haunted forest. There are tons of haunted and scary things in the forest. But if that’s not good enough for you then maybe you’d enjoy getting to go deeper into the forest and see the things that no one else has seen. What could go wrong right?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

The Troop

I’ve heard really good things about The Troop too, but just so you know, there’s some animal abuse in it that has turned some people off.

This is one of the few camp horror books that has been on my TBR for a while but I have struggled to push myself to sit down and read it. I can’t explain why.

Here is what The Troop is about.

Once a year, Tim leads a troop of boys into the wilderness for a three-day trip. It’s tradition and it’s comforting for Tim. They wind up having an intruder who is thin, so pale, and very hungry. Tim and the boys are exposed to something so terrifying that they never could have imagined being a part of.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

The Ritual

This is a good book to check out if you want to read it before watching the movie.

I’ve heard great things about Adam Nevill’s books, so this one is definitely worth checking out if you’re in need of a good read.

Here is what The Ritual is about.

Four old university friends decide to meet up and go for a hike. Now that they are older they are finding it hard to connect like they used to. When frustration and tiredness rise they decide to take a shortcut. This only leads them to the wrong side of the forest where no one has been before. What hides deep in the woods?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

The Ruins

I’m pretty sure this is another story that has been turned into a movie! If you didn’t know it was a book before, now you do!

The Ruins is a fast-paced novel that will more than likely keep you on your toes and freak you out while you’re on vacation.

Here is what The Ruins is about.

A group of friends take a lazy Mexican trip filled with sun, drunken nights, and making friends with other tourists. When one of them disappears the group goes searching through the woods. At first, it’s a fun little trip but things completely change into a nightmare when they find an ancient ruins site.

If you’re interested in a great camp horror book to read while on vacation then make sure you check this one out. You can find it here.

Summercamp horror books

Some of the books on the summer camp horror books list will consist of a mixture of Adult, Young Adult, and kids. Since horror appeals to all age groups, I wanted to ensure it is inclusive of all ages.

The Horror at Camp Jelly Jam

I grew up loving R.L. Stine’s books. A number of his books are excellent examples of camp horror and are definitely worth exploring.

If you have been living under a rock all of these years and don’t know who R.L. Stine is then it is about time you check him out. He’s a children’s author who writes books for Middle grade and teenage audiences. This book is more for kids in middle school.

If your kids enjoy spooky stories and you want them to read more this summer, be sure to check this one out.

Here is what The Horror at Camp Jellyjam is about.

Wendy isn’t very athletic and she wonders why all of the kids are so obsessed with the game of softball. Maybe that’s why she struggles to fit in. But she’s about to find out the origins of why everyone loves it so much.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

Camp Murder Face

Camp Murder Face is a camping horror story that has popped up for me on numerous occasions. I can’t decide if I want to read it or not but this would be great for young readers to read while they are out of school.

Here is what Camp Murderface is about.

Camp Sweetwater is finally reopening after it mysteriously shut down three decades ago. Corryn and Tez have had enough of their regular lives so to say they are excited about going to camp is an understatement.

Before they can do anything weird things start to happen. Will they be able to have fun at the camp? Or will things wind up shutting down?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

The Lake

It’s been a while since I read “The Lake,” but I remember really liking it. You can find my review of it here.

Keep in mind that this is a YA novel, and Natasha Preston appears to be a polarizing author. Readers either love her or don’t like her at all, so consider that.

Here is what The Lake is about.

Esme and Kayla are excited to go back to Camp Pine Lake as counselors in training. Esme finds the campers this year funny. They are scared of almost everything and it kind of reminds her of her and her friends when they were just campers. And of course before… it happened.

The two of them did something bad as campers and they agreed to keep it secret. They moved on or at least so they thought. Everything starts well and then everything starts to resurface again.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

The Last Girls Standing

The Last Girls Standing has now made it to the top of my TBR. For starters, the cover alone has caught my attention and the story sounds interesting as well.

Here is what The Last Girls Standing is about.

Sloan and Cherry met only a few days before the masked man with machetes attacked the camp where they worked. The attack left the rest of the counselors dead. Months after the two of them are inseparable. Their experience bonded them in a way that no one can ever understand.

As the police investigate more evidence comes to light. Sloan learns about these things and starts to suspect that maybe Cherry is more than just a survivor. Cherry reassures her but more things come out that makes Sloan think that she’s lying. Is Sloan looking into something that isn’t there?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight

If you decide to check out any camp horror books make sure this is one of them!

This is one book that I read last year and enjoyed it. I love the thrill of being scared, but reading a book like this makes me question the safety of haunted houses.

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight has an incredible ending, and I absolutely loved it!

Here is what the story is about.

Charity Curtis has the job of her dreams for the summer. She’s getting to play the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. People who go there pay to get scared in this intense horror game where there’s full physical interaction. This year Charity and the others who work there recreate the scene from a classic film called Cures of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic it is the better it is for business.

During the last weekend of the season, her co-workers start to disappear. When one of them winds up dead, her role as a final girl becomes way too real. If she hopes to survive the night they need to find out who the killer is.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

Dead Girls Walking

This is the first time I’ve heard about Dead Girls Walking and I’m adding it to my TBR as well.

I love the cover and the synopsis sounds great too. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one.

Here is what Dead Girls Walking is about.

Evil runs in Temple Baker’s blood and she knows it. Her father is an infamous serial killer who would brand his victims with a brand. He was found guilty of murdering 20 people and was a hot topic on true crime blogs for years. And with talk comes rumors. One of those rumors that some think is true is that he was possessed.

Some folks think that there are still some of his victims out there, buried somewhere. Others think that he’s still managing to kill people even though he’s in jail because the dying out there hasn’t stopped. Despite everything that has happened Temple never believed that her dad killed anyone. When he confesses to the murder she has no choice but to prove his innocence. To keep her identity a secret she pretends to be a camp counselor to help go digging in the woods. Even though she is not accustomed to socializing with people her own age, she makes an effort to blend in and conceal her true identity.

When a girl turns up dead she’s scared that one of her father’s “fans” might be copying his crimes. As she tries to uncover what’s going on and keep everyone safe, she starts to realize that something more sinister is at work.

Her father may not have been the only monster out there.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

Camp Slasher

Camp Slasher is giving me very much Friday the 13th vibes and I’m here for it!

This book is for adult readers, so please ensure that you are of appropriate age before reading it.

Here is what the story is about.

A group of counselors set out to rebuild Camp Black Bear but what they don’t know is that there is a killer out in the woods. Two counselors must survive the night in the forest. The killer is hunting them and won’t stop until they are dead. Unfortunately, the nearest town is 10 miles away. They would drive there but their vehicle is damaged and the radio has been messed up. Can the counselors escape? Or will they just fall victim?

If you want this book, you can find it here.

Camp Slaughter

This is another one that reminds me of Friday the 13th.

I have heard a lot of good things about Camp Slaughter in a horror group on Facebook and it has made me want to read it.

If you have read it make sure to let me know what you think!

Here is what the book is about.

Camp Slaughter is a bit of a local legend. No one knows if it’s real or not but the rumors about it are there. When a group of college kids go camping in a cabin out in the woods they soon find out what exactly is real or not. Or at least they find out what the truth is.

If you want this book, you can find it here.

Did I miss any good camp horror books? Make sure to let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear about your favorite camp horror books!