This is where the bad kids go

“Your parents sent you to Lake Harmony because they love you.”

So begins the story of Garrett, who is 15 years old. Garrett is kidnapped in the middle of the night and transported in the back of a truck to somewhere in upstate New York. He doesn't know where he is going and that's how his kidnappers like it.

Garrett’s parents are upset with his behavior and feel that he is out of control. Nothing they said or did made Garrett obey their rules. His parents thought he was out of control. So with no other options they send him to Lake Harmony, a boot camp for teens.

Adjusting to life in Lake Harmony is very difficult for Garrett, who believes he should not be there. His crimes, in his opinion, were minimal compared to the other teenagers. He stole from his parents, and had an affair with his teacher. Garrett didn't know what was so so bad about that.

As the story progresses the reader watches Garrett’s struggle as he tries to keep his identity and fights against the brainwashing and harsh conditions at the facility. The methods of punishment are severe and make for an interesting read.

Overall, I liked this book, but I thought that Garrett was a little too perfect. He had above average intelligence, and I thought this hampered the book a little. If he were a typical rebellious teen then I may have enjoyed the book more. At the end of the novel Mr. Strasser gives a list of articles he used when researching the book which maybe helpful for students who want to find out more about boot camps.