Published by Kids Can Press

Reviewed by Megan Boothby

“Something bad’s gonna happen. I can feel it in my bones – and my bones never lie.”

So begins the story of eleven-year-old twins Charlie and Lacey Darcy. When their reclusive and eccentric Uncle Johnathon passes away, the twins and their mother naturally assume their inheritance will be money. But they are in for a surprise, finding they inherit not only his bizarre manor, but also the ghosts of two boys, an evil spirit bent on revenge, and a deadly curse. The Midnight Curse states that Charlie, the next Darcy male, must sleep in water after midnight every night or he will shrivel up and die. So the twins set out to remove the curse before it’s too late.

I found The Midnight Curse to be a simply mediocre novel. Not to put down the witty characters and quirky humour, but I found the book too short, too repetitive, and much too childish. The plot was unimaginative, and when I finally stumbled upon a twist or two, my only response was ‘is that it?’. I found that half of the time Falcone’s attempts at mystery or foreboding inspired no intrigue, and sometimes I just didn’t understand what was going on.

However, before I completely trash this book, I must say that I feel it would be a much more satisfactory and enjoyable read to younger kids. My opinion of The Midnight Curse was, I feel, highly influenced by my age (15) and my comparison between it and the novels I usually read. I would not recommend this book to teens my age, but if you have a younger sibling in grade five who’s just getting into reading, then maybe this is the book for them.

Published by Orca Book Publishers

Reviewed by Jenny Irene Crakes

What might life be like if you could no longer trust your own vision of reality? Me, Myself and Ike by K.L. Denman follows one young man’s spiraling journey into schizophrenia.

Seventeen-year-old Kit Latimer feels invisible, acutely alone, and distanced from his family, friends, and girlfriend. He is strangely fascinated with the story of Otzi, a mummy whose five-thousand-year-old corpse was discovered by hikers in a European glacier. Propelled by a desperate wish to be somebody, as well as the urging of his mysterious friend Ike, he slowly becomes convinced that it is his destiny to become the next Ice Man, a frozen time capsule for the good of humankind.

Tthe story grows more captivating as it continues and the reader wonders just how far Kit will go in his dangerous plan. The characters are very realistic, and it is easy to connect with Kit’s fears; powerful emotions surface as his family strives to draw him back into normality. Rather than an entirely enjoyable read, I found this novel somewhat disturbing.

` Readers looking for suspense and adventure will certainly find it here. I believe Me, Myself and Ike presents a well-researched glimpse into mental illness, and would recommend it for older teens.