I Have a Bad Feeling About This by Jeff Strand (review)

Henry’s dad is concerned about his son’s constant video gaming and fear of, well, just about everything, so he decides to ship sixteen-year-old Henry off to Strongwoods Survival Camp, where he’ll spend two weeks learning skills like archery and shelter construction, capped with a faux Hunger Games-esque wilderness brawl. Henry and the other four geeky campers—including Henry’ best friend, Randy—hilariously fail every task, but things change dramatically when mafia goons coming to collect money they’re owed and shoot and kill the camp’s counselor. Henry witnesses the murder, and the Games suddenly turn into a very real life-or-death situation for the inept campers as they try to stay one step ahead of coldblooded killers in the woods. While the action is high-stakes, the tone here resides in humor more than horror with slapstick events and a tongue-in-cheek narrator, but unfortunately, the comic relief is often stiff and rehearsed, making this feel like a stand-up routine gone awry. The story’s focus is also undermined by awkward foreshadowing and a running gag in an overlay that places readers in the opening night of a film based on the book, throwing audiences out of the story. The level of gore and crude humor is surprisingly light for what would seem to be the target age group, which might disappoint some looking for a full-blown campy thriller, but would make this a nice choice for kids not quite ready for something like Beaudoin’s The Infects (BCCB 10/12).