3.5 stars (rating shown may vary depending on site).

This was at a little free library and sounded interesting even though I'm a bit older than the intended reader.

At its core, this book is about how people we lose are with us as long as we remember them--and the ways in which we can do so. It's also a reminder not to obsess about it.

Mal and Colm miss their father--and their mother has taken a new job and moved them to Chicago. Their mother's boss also misses his father. And this is where the fantasy/magic aspect of the story comes in: via a curse meant to punish the building's owner that also trapped others, including the father. One hour every day, a portal opens to this phantom world

Join Mal, Colm, and their new friend Tamika as they unravel the history of their apartment building and of the curse while attempting to understand why it exists. ( )

At first glance, this looks like a kiddo version of The Shining, but without the excessive deaths and messy endings...in truth, you wouldn't be THAT far off the mark with your assumption. We have a few of the necessary elements....a new family's arrival after a passing in the family, twins, peculiar residents and staff, a somewhat creepy tower to call home, leftover belongings from yesterday year...but what we don't have is the vindictive spirits heck-bent on adding to their ghostly community...at least, not in the vicious sense. It's more of a matter of circumstance and a series of ironically unfortunate events that all tally up to something unbelievable, something otherworldly, something you have to see to believe and even then you may still question! Yes, you're definitely in for a mind scramble when you set out with MALCOLM, aka Mal and Colm, and their new friend, Tamika, but the reach into the beyond is just the top of this proverbial iceberg.

You see, it's not just a story about life and death, love and loss, the before and after, but it's about how to let go while still carrying the memory of a person in your heart. It's about how in that letting go you allow yourself to move on, continue living, hard as it may seem, but in that living, you are still treasuring those times before, reflecting on the good, bad, and lessons learned, and helping to carry their influence into the future though they may no longer be present to do it themselves. It's also about friendship, families, being true to yourself, second chances...and why you should never go into creepy hotel elevators between one and two o'clock. There's so much hiding between the pages, it's a wonder it doesn't have its own phantom book to carry its secrets...

Recommended for Middle Grade Fiction fans of all ages for the adventure, the mystery, and the life lessons that can be hard learned.


**ARC received for review ( )

Even though they're twins, Colm and Mal (sometimes their mom calls them "Malcolm" collectively), don't agree on much of anything. Mal likes things organized and planned; he's a realist who enjoys building house layouts in Minecraft. Colm is a dreamer, a rule-breaker, and sometimes a trouble-maker. But they both agree that they don't want to move from Texas to Chicago. Unfortunately, after their father's death two years ago they're still tiptoeing around their mom and Colm especially doesn't feel like he can complain or act out, especially after all the trouble he's gotten into recently. So, off to Chicago they go.

The boys are cautiously interested in the historic apartment building they move into, and they meet an interesting, if slightly mysterious, girl named Tamika. But the professor their mom is working for is weird and there's something... off about the building. As the secrets of the tower and it's phantom twin, trapped in time, begin to be revealed, the boys realize that this is more than a fun adventure; they're facing some serious dangers.

This is a mystery, an adventure, and a time-travel fantasy all in one, but it's tied together by an exploration of how people grieve and how it can be painful and difficult but is important to move on with your life after losing a loved one. There are some truly scary moments, but overall it's a fairly gentle fantasy with a whiff of Minecraft and "following the clues" mysteries.

Verdict: While not a must-purchase, this is a good backlist title for readers who like mysteries with a hint of magic and danger but are not fans of epic, Warriors-style fantasy.

ISBN: 9781524739522; Published August 2018 by Putnam; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

When the twins’ mother decides to take a job in Chicago, neither Colm nor Mal want to move. But it is time. Their new apartment is in Brunhild Tower, and it is quite an interesting place to explore. It is an older building, filled with unusual characters, but it is half-empty. What is even more mysterious is the button for the thirteenth floor, which appears only from 1:00- 2:00 each day. This mysterious thirteenth floor leads them to unexpected surprises and an old curse that had been placed on the building. Will the twins be able to break the curse in time?

This is a wonderful book, especially for children ages 9 to 13. It is well written and is sensitive to several childhood issues including the loss of a father and the fact that each child is unique. The character development is strong and effective, and the mystery is very engaging. This is a wonderful book about family and friendships.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. ( )