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T*Witches #2
Building a Mystery
Like the popular television shows 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Dawson's Creek', 'T.witches' taps the vast teen market by injecting smart, spellbinding story lines with teen issues and sensibilities.
H.B. Gilmour Contributor
H.B. Gilmour Contributor
217 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
20 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
H.B. Gilmour
66 books54 followersH. B. Gilmour was a bestselling author of children's books. She grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with her mother and the extended family and fondly remembered writing her very first poem for Arbor Day when she was just eight years old. As a teenager, she moved to Florida to live with her father. She attended college there and then moved back to New York City.
Gilmour’s first publishing job was at E.P. Dutton. In 1964 she joined Bantam Books where she worked as copywriter, editor, and copy chief and as an associate director of marketing. She was married to Bruce Gilmour in 1968. She had a child, Jessica, with him in 1970. They were divorced in 1972. Her first novel "The Trade", a trashy paperback about the publishing business, was published in 1969.
She wrote novelizations (including Saturday Night Fever) and children's books (including Muppets books) while working full-time at Bantam and raising a child on her own. She published her second original novel "So Long, Daddy" in 1985. The artwork for the dust jacket of the hardcover release includes a photo of her daughter, Jessica. Her third novel was "Ask Me If I Care", a book about a teenage girl who gets in with the wrong crowd.
In 1992 she joined the book division at Scholastic, leaving in 1995 to pursue writing full-time. She focused her energy on books for "tweens" and children which is what gave her the most joy.
She met John Johann, whom she would later marry, in 1992. They later moved to Cornwallville in upstate New York where she happily tended to the garden she never had in the city until her death. She died on June 21, 2009 of pneumonia due to complications from lung cancer. She is survived by her husband John, daughter Jessica, stepchildren Wendy and John, Jr. and step-grandchildren Reef, Riley, John Jr. and Jasmine.
Gilmour’s first publishing job was at E.P. Dutton. In 1964 she joined Bantam Books where she worked as copywriter, editor, and copy chief and as an associate director of marketing. She was married to Bruce Gilmour in 1968. She had a child, Jessica, with him in 1970. They were divorced in 1972. Her first novel "The Trade", a trashy paperback about the publishing business, was published in 1969.
She wrote novelizations (including Saturday Night Fever) and children's books (including Muppets books) while working full-time at Bantam and raising a child on her own. She published her second original novel "So Long, Daddy" in 1985. The artwork for the dust jacket of the hardcover release includes a photo of her daughter, Jessica. Her third novel was "Ask Me If I Care", a book about a teenage girl who gets in with the wrong crowd.
In 1992 she joined the book division at Scholastic, leaving in 1995 to pursue writing full-time. She focused her energy on books for "tweens" and children which is what gave her the most joy.
She met John Johann, whom she would later marry, in 1992. They later moved to Cornwallville in upstate New York where she happily tended to the garden she never had in the city until her death. She died on June 21, 2009 of pneumonia due to complications from lung cancer. She is survived by her husband John, daughter Jessica, stepchildren Wendy and John, Jr. and step-grandchildren Reef, Riley, John Jr. and Jasmine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 31, 2025
Bien, debo admitir que mis ideas de lo que iba a pasar me traicionaron esta vez. Aún así, me costó un mundo leer esta entrega... creo que la autora no supo agregarle ese elemento que tanto significa en los libros, el elemento que te mantiene leyendo. Hubo momentos en los que debí regresar a la lectura casi obligada, por el deber de terminar la lectura. Eso realmente es un poco decepcionante, pero comprensible.
Supongo que es algo de mi y no del libro ni la escritora. Aún así, debo decir que no imaginé el giro que iba a dar al final, yo mantenía la mirada siempre en dos objetivos fijos. Dije "uno de dos, o el uno o el otro, pero no los dos..." cual fue mi sorpresa cuando llegué a ese final...
Pero eso no significa que haya sido el mejor libro del año... puede que sea realmente culpa mía, esperaba más cosas interesantes. Esperaba talves más madurez, sabiendo que esto es literatura adolescente que debí leer a los catorce y no a los veinticuatro.
Supongo que es algo de mi y no del libro ni la escritora. Aún así, debo decir que no imaginé el giro que iba a dar al final, yo mantenía la mirada siempre en dos objetivos fijos. Dije "uno de dos, o el uno o el otro, pero no los dos..." cual fue mi sorpresa cuando llegué a ese final...
Pero eso no significa que haya sido el mejor libro del año... puede que sea realmente culpa mía, esperaba más cosas interesantes. Esperaba talves más madurez, sabiendo que esto es literatura adolescente que debí leer a los catorce y no a los veinticuatro.
April 26, 2012
I keep reading these books not because they're written super well, or because the characters are amazing (though I get increasingly attached to Alex), or because the plots are unique. I just like them. It's a quick, mindless read about a bunch of teenage rich girls who talk like they're from the past (which they ARE) and eat a lot of pizza and think they're really awesome. It reminds me of myself at that age - I was even into "wicca" or what not in middle school. Had like fifty books on it and collected incense and colored candles. So reading these is kind of fun and a little nostalgic.
I liked this book a little better than the first one, the writing seemed slightly more developed, but the "mystery" wasn't really anything it all. It kind of reminds me of the third Harry Potter book (I am NOT comparing them, I promise, Harry's much better!!!) because it seemed like more of a transitional book rather than a plot furthering book. I felt like this one was more Cam and Alex getting to know each other and growing on their abilities (though there isn't a lot of growing, I must admit) and learning to work together. And Alex getting used to being in Marble Bay with a different family and different friends - that part is actually developed pretty decently. Alex is by far the more developed character, she has more going for her than Cam.
Most people are profoundly irritated by the "teen speak" in the book, but I must point out that these were written in the nineties and by adults, and meant for like 12-14 year olds. That IS how they spoke because they thought it was cool. Tweens speak like that! I know, I was one. And a lot of what they say I recognize from teen dramas from the nineties, too. So let up on it. It's like complaining about the dorky outfits in the Anita Blake books. Yeah, they're ridiculous, but THAT'S HOW THEY DRESSED IN THE NINETIES!!!
I liked this book a little better than the first one, the writing seemed slightly more developed, but the "mystery" wasn't really anything it all. It kind of reminds me of the third Harry Potter book (I am NOT comparing them, I promise, Harry's much better!!!) because it seemed like more of a transitional book rather than a plot furthering book. I felt like this one was more Cam and Alex getting to know each other and growing on their abilities (though there isn't a lot of growing, I must admit) and learning to work together. And Alex getting used to being in Marble Bay with a different family and different friends - that part is actually developed pretty decently. Alex is by far the more developed character, she has more going for her than Cam.
Most people are profoundly irritated by the "teen speak" in the book, but I must point out that these were written in the nineties and by adults, and meant for like 12-14 year olds. That IS how they spoke because they thought it was cool. Tweens speak like that! I know, I was one. And a lot of what they say I recognize from teen dramas from the nineties, too. So let up on it. It's like complaining about the dorky outfits in the Anita Blake books. Yeah, they're ridiculous, but THAT'S HOW THEY DRESSED IN THE NINETIES!!!
July 8, 2009
A book that's destined to be chucked right away to the nearest trash can. The plot sounds okay enough, definitely average judging by all the teen-oriented books one sees nowadays.
The problem with this book is that of the author's style of writing. It is so terrible! She filled the entire book with unreal teen speak that no self respecting 14 and/or 15 year old would dare use. The author continues using all the slang words available to humankind and having all the characters (even millenia-old warlocks and witches) use then. The girls powers are interesting and are definitely in abundance (without them really having to learn them, it's like they know how to control their powers at the moment they acquired them). Additionally, they use it far too many times in front of mortals without them noticing.
Book Details:
Title Building A Mystery (T*Witches, Book 2)
Author Randi Reisfeld
Reviewed By Purplycookie
The problem with this book is that of the author's style of writing. It is so terrible! She filled the entire book with unreal teen speak that no self respecting 14 and/or 15 year old would dare use. The author continues using all the slang words available to humankind and having all the characters (even millenia-old warlocks and witches) use then. The girls powers are interesting and are definitely in abundance (without them really having to learn them, it's like they know how to control their powers at the moment they acquired them). Additionally, they use it far too many times in front of mortals without them noticing.
Book Details:
Title Building A Mystery (T*Witches, Book 2)
Author Randi Reisfeld
Reviewed By Purplycookie
September 1, 2013
1.5 stars
Book 2 of the T*Witches series.
You know, book 1 had a whole lot of promise but this book bombed. If I didn't already own books 3 and 6 I'd stop right here. Poor continuity, poor writer awareness of the proper weather for the geographic setting, poor awareness of current kid-lingo (too many different dialects), and the list goes on. Stay away from this book unless you want to torture yourself. My preteen daughter couldn't get past the first chapter before she gave up.
Book 2 of the T*Witches series.
You know, book 1 had a whole lot of promise but this book bombed. If I didn't already own books 3 and 6 I'd stop right here. Poor continuity, poor writer awareness of the proper weather for the geographic setting, poor awareness of current kid-lingo (too many different dialects), and the list goes on. Stay away from this book unless you want to torture yourself. My preteen daughter couldn't get past the first chapter before she gave up.
February 24, 2020
I finally got around to reading the second book in this series or really rereading as I read this series as a teenager in middle school. I have to say reading it as an adult I kept shaking my head at how unreal it was that Cam and Alex kept acting like grown ups when they weren't..they were only fourteen turning fifteen in this.
But again it was a nice read for nostalgia's sake.
But again it was a nice read for nostalgia's sake.
February 25, 2025
Pretty fun sequel
Overall enjoyable. I didn't like how Alex was suddenly so interested in a guy. Also, I'm not sure if this is a problem in just the e-book or the original as well, but there are numerous typos, including missing words and punctuation.
Overall enjoyable. I didn't like how Alex was suddenly so interested in a guy. Also, I'm not sure if this is a problem in just the e-book or the original as well, but there are numerous typos, including missing words and punctuation.
October 30, 2022
First Read: 2001?
No Review
Second Read: October 24-26, 2022
Review: October 30, 2022
3 Stars
This was more of a filler book. Alex and Cam are yet again trying to solve another mystery using their powers. The twins are exploring their powers and using them for good, which is their true destiny of Coventry Island Witches. You don't get a whole lot of answer into their lives, but some. Although, with more answers, just seems to come more questions. It is a ten book series, so I am sure it is dragging it out because of that. The new characters and mystery is decent. Enough to keep me interested but not a whole lot happens until half way though. It is a nice read if you want to shut your brain off and relax. There was a nice little cliff hanger, but I feel like I could be waiting a couple books before I get any answers to that.
Mostly I am just reading this series for the nostalgia and because I never finished it when I was younger.
No Review
Second Read: October 24-26, 2022
Review: October 30, 2022
3 Stars
This was more of a filler book. Alex and Cam are yet again trying to solve another mystery using their powers. The twins are exploring their powers and using them for good, which is their true destiny of Coventry Island Witches. You don't get a whole lot of answer into their lives, but some. Although, with more answers, just seems to come more questions. It is a ten book series, so I am sure it is dragging it out because of that. The new characters and mystery is decent. Enough to keep me interested but not a whole lot happens until half way though. It is a nice read if you want to shut your brain off and relax. There was a nice little cliff hanger, but I feel like I could be waiting a couple books before I get any answers to that.
Mostly I am just reading this series for the nostalgia and because I never finished it when I was younger.
June 6, 2020
Decent book, but it honestly just felt like a filler with a tiny bit of the overarching plot sprinkled in. Just build up for the next one, and starting Alex's love life. Two and three really could've just been one bigger book.
Also really didn't like the weird like microaggression racism regarding the Vietnamese boy's name. "We call him Nelson." But... why? He has a perfectly good name? Use it? It was so weird it really shook me out of the story.
I know chat speak was a huge thing in the 2000's, but damn is it over done in this book series. I hope it eases up.
Also really didn't like the weird like microaggression racism regarding the Vietnamese boy's name. "We call him Nelson." But... why? He has a perfectly good name? Use it? It was so weird it really shook me out of the story.
I know chat speak was a huge thing in the 2000's, but damn is it over done in this book series. I hope it eases up.
April 9, 2025
Building A Mystery (Updated)
On Coventry Island (or “Witch Island” as it’s called), Karsh and Illeana are walking through the forest. Illeana is jabbering on about she doesn’t see why he won’t let her take a bigger role in the twin’s training. She’s on her way to California. He assures her he does and has a mission for her, but what Ileana has in mind is teaching her transmutation. He explains to her this is the tracker’s art. She reminds him that he used the skill to turn Thantos into a snake. He says it was the easiest quickest one he could think of.
To prove her point-that Karsh could have turned Thantos into anything else-, Ileana (with her hot temper) turns her cat Boris into a caterpillar. They were suppose to bring him to the Council, but he slithered away and is free to do more damage to Artemis and Apollo. Karsh knows this isn’t true. The twins can hold their own and thinks about how he seperated them at birth when their father was killed and their mother went crazy. Only three months ago, they found each other. Ileana (who can read minds) points out it’s because of that that Thantos is trying to hunt them down.
That’s why he needs to teach her transmutation. To keep “the twins” safe. Ileana isn’t the only one who can read minds and Karsh says she disappoints him. She only wants to learn this to impress Brice Stanley. She claims it was just an afterthought but Karsh doesn’t want to hear anymore. He says Thantos won’t try anything else anytime soon. He knows he has to come back to the island. Ileana says he’ll send someone the twins will mistake for a friend. Someone who’ll draw them in by needing protection. Karsh says they’ll have to be warned and despite Ileana’s protest, he waves his hands and sends her to Marble Bay.
Camryn and Beth (along with Dylan) drag Alex to a local pizza joint. Alex is protest because she’s been brought there under false pretense’s and didn’t know anything about meeting Cam and Beth’s friends. Out of the six of “The Six Pack” that will be meeting at P.I.T.S (Pie In The Sky) only 4 can make it (Sukari, Amanda, and Kristen). Brianna Cam explains is waiting for a call from her dad. Beth goes on to say he’s a big time producer that lives on the West Coast.
Alex recognizes the name and connects it with the gossip she heard on the phone the first night she got there. Beth says she might seem cold but she’s sensitive when you get to know her. The twins are arguing back and forth about meeting Cam’s friends when they both feel a chill. Then Cam feels someone pull her hair. Alex thinks she hears Cam say she has something to tell her. It said ditch the fuzzy haired friend. I have something to say. Alex quickly hurries inside with Cam and Beth.
A new waitress ushers them to a back table after sending Beth to the bathroom “because thiers something green in her teeth”. Cam uses her super-sight to look behind the woman’s large sun glasses and sees that her eyes are gray, but she quickly assures her she’s not their mother. Alex recognizes her as “Officer Ileana” (or Goddess as she likes to be called). A boy catches Alex’s attention outside wearing a leather jacket.
Ilena warns them that someone will come to them offering something they desire (friendship, praise, love). As Beth comes back, the waitress is gone. Then “the Six Pack” shows up. Jason speaks to Cam and she asks him where the new waitress is. He says there isn’t one. So, briefly Kristen Hsu is Asian-American, artistic, and is into computer graphics, at a “neat freak”. Sukari Woodward is African American, plump, pretty, has a blond fro, has granny glasses, and is a brainiac and a science buff. Then there’s red-haired Amanda Carter with the earthy sandles and gazy Indian print sarong.
Alex later sees Bree (two days later at school) and she’s short, skinny, and has perfectly highlighted hair and perfect clothes. Bree comments Alex looks just as weird as Kristen said she would and Alex makes her go sliding on a patch of ice. Cade Richmond introduces himself to Alex and offers to help her with her locker-seeing her struggle-. Kristen says he got kicked out of another school and dumped there. He’s trouble. Bree says she hopes she never sees him again. There are some things that should be *rich*. Sukari says she’ll take him but Sukari says its Alex is the one that’s put a spell on him. Cam notices that he’s wearing boots… identical to someone else they know.
Alex tries to get in Cade’s mind to prove her twin wrong but finds its murky. Alex can tell tho that Cade is hiding something. Cam then has a vision of a car coming toward her. Then screams. Then laughs. She comes out of the premonition and asks if Alex saw it. She says she tried but didn’t. Eddie Robbins gets the attention of Alex. Cam tells her he’s on the football team and they watch as he shoves a mousy girl. Her books go flying. He snatches up her wallet and says her name is Madison Knudnik. As Cade walks toward Eddie to defend Madison, Alex encourages Cam to use her abilities on him.
Cam brings Eddie to his knees and he yells to Cade what did he do. He’s blind. Madison looks at the twins as if she knows them. The jocks are about to come at Cade but Eddie asks them to help him. Cade gives Madison back her wallet. Everyone looks at Cade like how’d you do that. Cade looks at Alex and shrugs. Madison runs over to the twins, introduces herself, and says they’re the ones that saved Marleigh Cooper. After gushing over them, she asks if they’ll walk her to orientation. Alex says she’s heading that way too. As Eddie walks away, he thinks (and looks in their direction) I’ll get you.
There’s something about the new girl that disturbs Cam but her eyes are stinging and her head hurts so she’s not really at her best to figure out why this is. Lady Rhianna calls Karsh and Ileana to her chambers to “discuss” Ileana’s recklessness by causing her friends a flat tire on the way to P.I.T.S. At orientation as Mr. Shnorer goes on, Alex hears the screech of tires, and two females voices, (one screaming in horror and the other gasping). Then a thud. She grabs the arm rest but instead grabs Cade’s and Madison’s arm and gets a shock. But whose hand was it?
In class, Alex and Dylan get send to the principal’s office for passing notes in class and Alex mouthing off at Shnorer. Mrs. Hammond excuses them and Mr. Schnorer who threw a pen at Alex. After school, Cam mentions that the officers that came to the school looked like Karsh and Ileana. She then comments that Thantos said he could take them to their mother. Alex says she knows where her mother is (six feet under) and if Camryn wants to pursue it be her guest but she’s not interested. Dylan gets in trouble with Emily. David tells Cam to keep her eye on Alex. But Cam sees Alex and she doesn’t particularly seem like she needs it.
Alex is emailing Doris (the librarian) about what Thantos name means. Their sun and moon necklaces abruptly raise and try to connect and form a circle. They then hear the voices of their parents when their father presents them with their charms. Then a storm picks up and there are howls heard, but the twins are unafraid. Bree and Dylan interrupt. Bree has gossip. She says Cade is loaded and the police were at the school because there have been a lot of B and E’s at Chateau Richmond. Dylan asks who that stands for Bree and Eddie? Cam wondered how he know that was who she was thinking about and how Eddie knew Cade was rich when he didn’t dress like it.
Weirdly their charms are warm and buzzing.
Cam feels herself growing dizzy. Then she has the same vision and Alex has heard it. They decide to have a little talk with Eddie. When they try to, he goes for Cam’s charm and he get burned. They both think it’s each other and realize it’s the charms. Dylan goes for him but he starts to spasm. Dylan says he barely touched him. Cam says she did it. She kind of wished it. Dylan yells don’t touch him and says what are you witches. Cam says T’witches. Then he tells them his dad is a landscaper and he’s gone with him to work on the Richmond house (that’s how he knows).
He says they have money but he wouldn’t trade. Cade has a sister that’s taking Prozac. Cam has the vision again. Schnorer shows up and Madison hopes to Dylan’s defense. She says he’s lying and that Eddie was the one who took her wallet. Amazingly he’s untwisted now from the knot he was in. Cam goes to help Dylan out.
Madison and Cade appear. Madison starts to nag Alex to try out for a team (volleyball). Cade says that would be cool and Alex agrees to meet him last period. The period Alex has with Schnorer, she tries to read his mind but doesn’t get much but questions and insults directed toward the students (and her). He thinks she’s trouble. Madison rambles on (on the way to practice when she sees Cam) about mojo. Camron leaves to do something and says she’ll catch up and try out again for soccer again. Madison rambles on about Alex’s necklace and continues to talk about mojo.
During tryouts, Alex makes Madison fall and she thinks she didn’t mean to do that but hears a man’s voice say yes you did. Madison says when Alex tries to help her up she feels a shock. Dylan reports that Eddie has been taken in for the break-ins. They have footsteps that match his. Eddie denies this. Cam says he didn’t do it. Cade is informed. Madison says Cam doesn’t think so and Cam asks how she knew what she was thinking. Madison says she has excellent hearing. Cam says Eddie didn’t do it because he doesn’t drive. Cade said he didn’t expect this and everything is going wrong.
Cam thinks its Cade. Alex thinks its Madison. When they get home, Dylan is in trouble again. Cade calls and asks Alex out but Emily says she’s not going. It turns into an argument with Dylan and Cam taking up for Emily. Alex says Dave would let her go but Emily says it’s Dave’s idea. Dave then announces his visitor Karsh. Dave reveals he’s the one that set up their adoption. The twins find out that Dave knows about the messenger but he’s not like them and Sara wasn’t their biological mother.
Karsh then tells a story that starts off with the twin’s birth. After the twins were born, Thantos (their uncle) comes to the door and tells Aron (their father) to come outside. He invites him inside but Thantos says he’s not alone. He has someone with him that won’t be welcomed. After that Thantos and Ileana come to Miranda with Aron’s bloody cloak. Emily calls them for dinner and Karsh says he has to go. The twins ask if they can contact him, but he says there is no way. He gives them their parents birth and death certificates. Alexis wants to know how to locate their mother and ask him how can they believe anything he says.
He apologizes for Sarah’s death and says that Sarah has extraordinary skills and in time might have reached guardian status, but she choose to be a protector like Dave. Cam and Alex are dropped off at the mall. They run into Eddie and find out a kid from school put up his bail. He doesn’t know who the kid is. He says he didn’t break in. He had a gate key. He went over to pick up the lighter his dad dropped. He says he didn’t take the money and points the blame possibly at Cade’s nutso sister. After this, they also run into Madison who says she knows about the sleepover but doesn’t stick around. Alex goes off to meet up with Cade.
When Cade touches Alex’s pendant, she can sense his thoughts. She hears him think “Oh no. There’s Robins. But he didn’t. Man, I wish he had. I’ve got to get out of here (when Alex comments about him robbing his house). As they walk off to get pizza, Cade starts to think something that Alex makes out as a racing engine and screeching tires. It’s the red convertible Cam saw. It turns it the car is his sisters BMW. She tells him about the car and this freaks him out and he asks if she’s a witch.
She asks about the little boy that got hit by his sisters car. Then she hears sounds that indicate he’s in the hospital. This is too much for Cade. He tells her he has to go and leaves. Alex hears a voice telling her let’s go but it’s in her thoughts. She recognizes the voice not as Cam’s but Madisons. When she meets up with Cam and Beth they say she just missed Madison. Cam feels a vision coming on and sees images of Cade Richman's horrified face, the speeding red convertible, an oxygen tent set up in a hospital room, and Madison Knudnick grinning impishly The twins make up an excuse to leave the mall and Cam uses her powers to find out the boys name is N. Tung and that he’s in ICU at Mount Bay Medical. Alex wants to try to heal the boys but Cam points out they’ve only fixed things. Alex remembers Doc telling her to get to know her herb, flowers, crystals, and stones. When they get back, Cades been blowing up their phone but Alex is mad that he let Eddie take the wrap.
So, they find out what herbs they need (from Amanda and a memory of Karsh telling Alex about different herbs after Sarah’s funeral) and they go to the big tree Cam likes to go to for solitude where they’re located and find in surprise Madison whose thinking send a man to do a child’s job. She honestly seems surprised to see them. She says of course, they’d know about this place tho since it’s historic. Cam says she’d been there all her life and never heard about it. Then Madison makes up an excuse and rushes off. Karsh finally gives in to Ileana insistence on teaching her transmutation when he realizes he’s too old to go up against Thantos again.
On the way to the hospital, Beth says a weird thing happened. Madison emailed her tho she never gave her (her) email address and said she was sick, but she’d be at the party no matter how sick. She wanted to know what everyone was going as. They tell Beth to alert them if she sees Cade, Madison, or Schnorer. Cade is in the room. Cam says she works there and is taking this patient to her room. Cade doesn’t recognize Alex as the patient. His mom is in the room. While they’re deciding what to do, Doc appears and leads the woman away by speaking to her in Asian.
“Doc” (really Ileana) then comes back and guides the twins through how to heal him. On the way out, Alex finds out from Cad that he took the money. Karen is being blackmailed by her roommate Jennifer. He’s also been giving Nyguyen’s mother money for hospital bills and for flowers. He says Karen will be going to the cops tho. Beth tells Cam Madison and Schnorer both showed up. Alex asks Beth can her mom take them to Boston.
Ilena reports to Karsh her successfully transmutation of his voice. She said she felt the chill of Karsh’s messenger. Ilena suggests again that Thantos is the messenger. Karsh again gets mad at the suggestion that Karsh is the messenger. Thantos he says has a bad habit of letting other people do his dirty work. When Ileana tells him about the twins going to Boston, he tells her it’s time to prepare. She’s earned another lesson. Cam and Alex go to Jennifer’s school and when she tosses some money at them to leave her alone, they cover it in blood, waste, and maggots, and turn it into “dirty money”. She agrees to turn herself in.
Cade’s dad doesn’t press charges on him, charges are dropped from Eddie, and Karen gets some help. At the party, Madison comes dressed as a pink bunny. Madison is revealed to be Fredo. Amanda is revealed to be Ileana. The Twiches come up with a incantation that turns Fredo back into a man and then a goat man. Ileana takes him back to Coventry. The party commences with everyone there including Cade, Jason, Nyguyen, and even Eddie.
Karsh and Ileana climb to the Elm tree where Karsh’s great grandmother was hung. Ileana makes the comment after asking about her that at least he knows who his relatives are. Karsh knows who her parents are but the Elders decided not to tell her. He vows tho that one day he will tell her. She hears his thoughts and begs him to tell her but he says soon. Soon he’ll tell her and he’ll tell the twins what happened to their mother.
My Thoughts:
I sensed from the start it was Madison. GAWD SHE WAS ANNOYING! It’s so obvious that you think nah it’s *too* obvious. What else is so obvious that it smacks you in the face is Illena’s heritage by all the mentions of her gray and black rimmed eyes. If you can’t see she’s related to the twins then I just don’t know what to say. Even tho this wasn’t all that much of a mystery, I did like parts of it. I liked what the twins did for Nyguyen. Tho, I did think it was a bit risky since they’d never done that before and like they said this is a PERSON! I definitely think that Karsh and Illena aren’t doing *the* best job of training them. I also liked that they supposed to be *good* but they also have a dark, twisted, side (shown by what they did with the money).
Rating: 7
On Coventry Island (or “Witch Island” as it’s called), Karsh and Illeana are walking through the forest. Illeana is jabbering on about she doesn’t see why he won’t let her take a bigger role in the twin’s training. She’s on her way to California. He assures her he does and has a mission for her, but what Ileana has in mind is teaching her transmutation. He explains to her this is the tracker’s art. She reminds him that he used the skill to turn Thantos into a snake. He says it was the easiest quickest one he could think of.
To prove her point-that Karsh could have turned Thantos into anything else-, Ileana (with her hot temper) turns her cat Boris into a caterpillar. They were suppose to bring him to the Council, but he slithered away and is free to do more damage to Artemis and Apollo. Karsh knows this isn’t true. The twins can hold their own and thinks about how he seperated them at birth when their father was killed and their mother went crazy. Only three months ago, they found each other. Ileana (who can read minds) points out it’s because of that that Thantos is trying to hunt them down.
That’s why he needs to teach her transmutation. To keep “the twins” safe. Ileana isn’t the only one who can read minds and Karsh says she disappoints him. She only wants to learn this to impress Brice Stanley. She claims it was just an afterthought but Karsh doesn’t want to hear anymore. He says Thantos won’t try anything else anytime soon. He knows he has to come back to the island. Ileana says he’ll send someone the twins will mistake for a friend. Someone who’ll draw them in by needing protection. Karsh says they’ll have to be warned and despite Ileana’s protest, he waves his hands and sends her to Marble Bay.
Camryn and Beth (along with Dylan) drag Alex to a local pizza joint. Alex is protest because she’s been brought there under false pretense’s and didn’t know anything about meeting Cam and Beth’s friends. Out of the six of “The Six Pack” that will be meeting at P.I.T.S (Pie In The Sky) only 4 can make it (Sukari, Amanda, and Kristen). Brianna Cam explains is waiting for a call from her dad. Beth goes on to say he’s a big time producer that lives on the West Coast.
Alex recognizes the name and connects it with the gossip she heard on the phone the first night she got there. Beth says she might seem cold but she’s sensitive when you get to know her. The twins are arguing back and forth about meeting Cam’s friends when they both feel a chill. Then Cam feels someone pull her hair. Alex thinks she hears Cam say she has something to tell her. It said ditch the fuzzy haired friend. I have something to say. Alex quickly hurries inside with Cam and Beth.
A new waitress ushers them to a back table after sending Beth to the bathroom “because thiers something green in her teeth”. Cam uses her super-sight to look behind the woman’s large sun glasses and sees that her eyes are gray, but she quickly assures her she’s not their mother. Alex recognizes her as “Officer Ileana” (or Goddess as she likes to be called). A boy catches Alex’s attention outside wearing a leather jacket.
Ilena warns them that someone will come to them offering something they desire (friendship, praise, love). As Beth comes back, the waitress is gone. Then “the Six Pack” shows up. Jason speaks to Cam and she asks him where the new waitress is. He says there isn’t one. So, briefly Kristen Hsu is Asian-American, artistic, and is into computer graphics, at a “neat freak”. Sukari Woodward is African American, plump, pretty, has a blond fro, has granny glasses, and is a brainiac and a science buff. Then there’s red-haired Amanda Carter with the earthy sandles and gazy Indian print sarong.
Alex later sees Bree (two days later at school) and she’s short, skinny, and has perfectly highlighted hair and perfect clothes. Bree comments Alex looks just as weird as Kristen said she would and Alex makes her go sliding on a patch of ice. Cade Richmond introduces himself to Alex and offers to help her with her locker-seeing her struggle-. Kristen says he got kicked out of another school and dumped there. He’s trouble. Bree says she hopes she never sees him again. There are some things that should be *rich*. Sukari says she’ll take him but Sukari says its Alex is the one that’s put a spell on him. Cam notices that he’s wearing boots… identical to someone else they know.
Alex tries to get in Cade’s mind to prove her twin wrong but finds its murky. Alex can tell tho that Cade is hiding something. Cam then has a vision of a car coming toward her. Then screams. Then laughs. She comes out of the premonition and asks if Alex saw it. She says she tried but didn’t. Eddie Robbins gets the attention of Alex. Cam tells her he’s on the football team and they watch as he shoves a mousy girl. Her books go flying. He snatches up her wallet and says her name is Madison Knudnik. As Cade walks toward Eddie to defend Madison, Alex encourages Cam to use her abilities on him.
Cam brings Eddie to his knees and he yells to Cade what did he do. He’s blind. Madison looks at the twins as if she knows them. The jocks are about to come at Cade but Eddie asks them to help him. Cade gives Madison back her wallet. Everyone looks at Cade like how’d you do that. Cade looks at Alex and shrugs. Madison runs over to the twins, introduces herself, and says they’re the ones that saved Marleigh Cooper. After gushing over them, she asks if they’ll walk her to orientation. Alex says she’s heading that way too. As Eddie walks away, he thinks (and looks in their direction) I’ll get you.
There’s something about the new girl that disturbs Cam but her eyes are stinging and her head hurts so she’s not really at her best to figure out why this is. Lady Rhianna calls Karsh and Ileana to her chambers to “discuss” Ileana’s recklessness by causing her friends a flat tire on the way to P.I.T.S. At orientation as Mr. Shnorer goes on, Alex hears the screech of tires, and two females voices, (one screaming in horror and the other gasping). Then a thud. She grabs the arm rest but instead grabs Cade’s and Madison’s arm and gets a shock. But whose hand was it?
In class, Alex and Dylan get send to the principal’s office for passing notes in class and Alex mouthing off at Shnorer. Mrs. Hammond excuses them and Mr. Schnorer who threw a pen at Alex. After school, Cam mentions that the officers that came to the school looked like Karsh and Ileana. She then comments that Thantos said he could take them to their mother. Alex says she knows where her mother is (six feet under) and if Camryn wants to pursue it be her guest but she’s not interested. Dylan gets in trouble with Emily. David tells Cam to keep her eye on Alex. But Cam sees Alex and she doesn’t particularly seem like she needs it.
Alex is emailing Doris (the librarian) about what Thantos name means. Their sun and moon necklaces abruptly raise and try to connect and form a circle. They then hear the voices of their parents when their father presents them with their charms. Then a storm picks up and there are howls heard, but the twins are unafraid. Bree and Dylan interrupt. Bree has gossip. She says Cade is loaded and the police were at the school because there have been a lot of B and E’s at Chateau Richmond. Dylan asks who that stands for Bree and Eddie? Cam wondered how he know that was who she was thinking about and how Eddie knew Cade was rich when he didn’t dress like it.
Weirdly their charms are warm and buzzing.
Cam feels herself growing dizzy. Then she has the same vision and Alex has heard it. They decide to have a little talk with Eddie. When they try to, he goes for Cam’s charm and he get burned. They both think it’s each other and realize it’s the charms. Dylan goes for him but he starts to spasm. Dylan says he barely touched him. Cam says she did it. She kind of wished it. Dylan yells don’t touch him and says what are you witches. Cam says T’witches. Then he tells them his dad is a landscaper and he’s gone with him to work on the Richmond house (that’s how he knows).
He says they have money but he wouldn’t trade. Cade has a sister that’s taking Prozac. Cam has the vision again. Schnorer shows up and Madison hopes to Dylan’s defense. She says he’s lying and that Eddie was the one who took her wallet. Amazingly he’s untwisted now from the knot he was in. Cam goes to help Dylan out.
Madison and Cade appear. Madison starts to nag Alex to try out for a team (volleyball). Cade says that would be cool and Alex agrees to meet him last period. The period Alex has with Schnorer, she tries to read his mind but doesn’t get much but questions and insults directed toward the students (and her). He thinks she’s trouble. Madison rambles on (on the way to practice when she sees Cam) about mojo. Camron leaves to do something and says she’ll catch up and try out again for soccer again. Madison rambles on about Alex’s necklace and continues to talk about mojo.
During tryouts, Alex makes Madison fall and she thinks she didn’t mean to do that but hears a man’s voice say yes you did. Madison says when Alex tries to help her up she feels a shock. Dylan reports that Eddie has been taken in for the break-ins. They have footsteps that match his. Eddie denies this. Cam says he didn’t do it. Cade is informed. Madison says Cam doesn’t think so and Cam asks how she knew what she was thinking. Madison says she has excellent hearing. Cam says Eddie didn’t do it because he doesn’t drive. Cade said he didn’t expect this and everything is going wrong.
Cam thinks its Cade. Alex thinks its Madison. When they get home, Dylan is in trouble again. Cade calls and asks Alex out but Emily says she’s not going. It turns into an argument with Dylan and Cam taking up for Emily. Alex says Dave would let her go but Emily says it’s Dave’s idea. Dave then announces his visitor Karsh. Dave reveals he’s the one that set up their adoption. The twins find out that Dave knows about the messenger but he’s not like them and Sara wasn’t their biological mother.
Karsh then tells a story that starts off with the twin’s birth. After the twins were born, Thantos (their uncle) comes to the door and tells Aron (their father) to come outside. He invites him inside but Thantos says he’s not alone. He has someone with him that won’t be welcomed. After that Thantos and Ileana come to Miranda with Aron’s bloody cloak. Emily calls them for dinner and Karsh says he has to go. The twins ask if they can contact him, but he says there is no way. He gives them their parents birth and death certificates. Alexis wants to know how to locate their mother and ask him how can they believe anything he says.
He apologizes for Sarah’s death and says that Sarah has extraordinary skills and in time might have reached guardian status, but she choose to be a protector like Dave. Cam and Alex are dropped off at the mall. They run into Eddie and find out a kid from school put up his bail. He doesn’t know who the kid is. He says he didn’t break in. He had a gate key. He went over to pick up the lighter his dad dropped. He says he didn’t take the money and points the blame possibly at Cade’s nutso sister. After this, they also run into Madison who says she knows about the sleepover but doesn’t stick around. Alex goes off to meet up with Cade.
When Cade touches Alex’s pendant, she can sense his thoughts. She hears him think “Oh no. There’s Robins. But he didn’t. Man, I wish he had. I’ve got to get out of here (when Alex comments about him robbing his house). As they walk off to get pizza, Cade starts to think something that Alex makes out as a racing engine and screeching tires. It’s the red convertible Cam saw. It turns it the car is his sisters BMW. She tells him about the car and this freaks him out and he asks if she’s a witch.
She asks about the little boy that got hit by his sisters car. Then she hears sounds that indicate he’s in the hospital. This is too much for Cade. He tells her he has to go and leaves. Alex hears a voice telling her let’s go but it’s in her thoughts. She recognizes the voice not as Cam’s but Madisons. When she meets up with Cam and Beth they say she just missed Madison. Cam feels a vision coming on and sees images of Cade Richman's horrified face, the speeding red convertible, an oxygen tent set up in a hospital room, and Madison Knudnick grinning impishly The twins make up an excuse to leave the mall and Cam uses her powers to find out the boys name is N. Tung and that he’s in ICU at Mount Bay Medical. Alex wants to try to heal the boys but Cam points out they’ve only fixed things. Alex remembers Doc telling her to get to know her herb, flowers, crystals, and stones. When they get back, Cades been blowing up their phone but Alex is mad that he let Eddie take the wrap.
So, they find out what herbs they need (from Amanda and a memory of Karsh telling Alex about different herbs after Sarah’s funeral) and they go to the big tree Cam likes to go to for solitude where they’re located and find in surprise Madison whose thinking send a man to do a child’s job. She honestly seems surprised to see them. She says of course, they’d know about this place tho since it’s historic. Cam says she’d been there all her life and never heard about it. Then Madison makes up an excuse and rushes off. Karsh finally gives in to Ileana insistence on teaching her transmutation when he realizes he’s too old to go up against Thantos again.
On the way to the hospital, Beth says a weird thing happened. Madison emailed her tho she never gave her (her) email address and said she was sick, but she’d be at the party no matter how sick. She wanted to know what everyone was going as. They tell Beth to alert them if she sees Cade, Madison, or Schnorer. Cade is in the room. Cam says she works there and is taking this patient to her room. Cade doesn’t recognize Alex as the patient. His mom is in the room. While they’re deciding what to do, Doc appears and leads the woman away by speaking to her in Asian.
“Doc” (really Ileana) then comes back and guides the twins through how to heal him. On the way out, Alex finds out from Cad that he took the money. Karen is being blackmailed by her roommate Jennifer. He’s also been giving Nyguyen’s mother money for hospital bills and for flowers. He says Karen will be going to the cops tho. Beth tells Cam Madison and Schnorer both showed up. Alex asks Beth can her mom take them to Boston.
Ilena reports to Karsh her successfully transmutation of his voice. She said she felt the chill of Karsh’s messenger. Ilena suggests again that Thantos is the messenger. Karsh again gets mad at the suggestion that Karsh is the messenger. Thantos he says has a bad habit of letting other people do his dirty work. When Ileana tells him about the twins going to Boston, he tells her it’s time to prepare. She’s earned another lesson. Cam and Alex go to Jennifer’s school and when she tosses some money at them to leave her alone, they cover it in blood, waste, and maggots, and turn it into “dirty money”. She agrees to turn herself in.
Cade’s dad doesn’t press charges on him, charges are dropped from Eddie, and Karen gets some help. At the party, Madison comes dressed as a pink bunny. Madison is revealed to be Fredo. Amanda is revealed to be Ileana. The Twiches come up with a incantation that turns Fredo back into a man and then a goat man. Ileana takes him back to Coventry. The party commences with everyone there including Cade, Jason, Nyguyen, and even Eddie.
Karsh and Ileana climb to the Elm tree where Karsh’s great grandmother was hung. Ileana makes the comment after asking about her that at least he knows who his relatives are. Karsh knows who her parents are but the Elders decided not to tell her. He vows tho that one day he will tell her. She hears his thoughts and begs him to tell her but he says soon. Soon he’ll tell her and he’ll tell the twins what happened to their mother.
My Thoughts:
I sensed from the start it was Madison. GAWD SHE WAS ANNOYING! It’s so obvious that you think nah it’s *too* obvious. What else is so obvious that it smacks you in the face is Illena’s heritage by all the mentions of her gray and black rimmed eyes. If you can’t see she’s related to the twins then I just don’t know what to say. Even tho this wasn’t all that much of a mystery, I did like parts of it. I liked what the twins did for Nyguyen. Tho, I did think it was a bit risky since they’d never done that before and like they said this is a PERSON! I definitely think that Karsh and Illena aren’t doing *the* best job of training them. I also liked that they supposed to be *good* but they also have a dark, twisted, side (shown by what they did with the money).
Rating: 7
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2017
Kat Mandu says...
In T*Witches 2, the twins are learning how to deal with their newfound powers – and just in time, for there’s a couple new bad guys in town that are eager to see just how powerful they are…
In this short but sweet sequel, Cam and Alex are back and still learning the ropes.
Cam’s figuring out how to deal with her witchy powers in her own way, not to mention having to deal with the upset of her home life now that Alex is staying for good. Not that she’s too bummed, having someone she can share all her magickal secrets with is nice. Sassy Alex feels the same deep down, but she’s still grieving for her adoptive mother, Sara, and trying her best to figure out her place in this new world.
After Ileana delivers them a message that someone is trying to get to them, the girls have got to narrow down their list of bad guys and come together as sister witches to defeat whoever it is.
Okay, so this one is a little more cheesy and cliche. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book by any means. It just meant that for me, it wasn’t a favorite. I guess it just seemed sillier to me than it needed to be, but I guess that’s the age they were going for. I just wasn’t fond of all that was happening, especially that very strange, very rushed ending. I know the general idea of what happened, I just don’t know why it had to happen that way and inconvenience the story for no reason at all.
Basically, there’s a lizard-demon thingy and this person wants to take Alex and Cam to their “real mother” and the girls tell him no, so he attacks. But in the process, Ileana comes to the rescue and they have a full conversation with each other in the middle of the battle and well… the whole scene is rather chaotic.
Other than that, it was just kind of goofy. Lots of teenager drama and phrases like “BRB” are often used. The text lingo was really popular when it came out, so I kinda see why it was used. Still doesn’t make it any less annoying.
I think what made this more powerful for me, was again, the characters. I mean, even at the end, Cam wants to meet her real mother while Alex could care less. Despite everything, these girls are very real to me than some of the other more serious YA/upper MG out there now. Either way, it gets a three from me.
In T*Witches 2, the twins are learning how to deal with their newfound powers – and just in time, for there’s a couple new bad guys in town that are eager to see just how powerful they are…
In this short but sweet sequel, Cam and Alex are back and still learning the ropes.
Cam’s figuring out how to deal with her witchy powers in her own way, not to mention having to deal with the upset of her home life now that Alex is staying for good. Not that she’s too bummed, having someone she can share all her magickal secrets with is nice. Sassy Alex feels the same deep down, but she’s still grieving for her adoptive mother, Sara, and trying her best to figure out her place in this new world.
After Ileana delivers them a message that someone is trying to get to them, the girls have got to narrow down their list of bad guys and come together as sister witches to defeat whoever it is.
Okay, so this one is a little more cheesy and cliche. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book by any means. It just meant that for me, it wasn’t a favorite. I guess it just seemed sillier to me than it needed to be, but I guess that’s the age they were going for. I just wasn’t fond of all that was happening, especially that very strange, very rushed ending. I know the general idea of what happened, I just don’t know why it had to happen that way and inconvenience the story for no reason at all.
Basically, there’s a lizard-demon thingy and this person wants to take Alex and Cam to their “real mother” and the girls tell him no, so he attacks. But in the process, Ileana comes to the rescue and they have a full conversation with each other in the middle of the battle and well… the whole scene is rather chaotic.
Other than that, it was just kind of goofy. Lots of teenager drama and phrases like “BRB” are often used. The text lingo was really popular when it came out, so I kinda see why it was used. Still doesn’t make it any less annoying.
I think what made this more powerful for me, was again, the characters. I mean, even at the end, Cam wants to meet her real mother while Alex could care less. Despite everything, these girls are very real to me than some of the other more serious YA/upper MG out there now. Either way, it gets a three from me.
August 14, 2025
More of the same cringe of the first one, but a bit harder to brush off when it's 2 in a row lol. I'll have to take a break between books so I can enjoy them and they don't annoy me.
As an adult it is more about the nostalgia because you know what's coming around every turn so it's not as engaging, but it's not bad. it's just childish (not in a real bad way) and for an adult a bit harder to get through, for kids it wouldnt be bad
As an adult it is more about the nostalgia because you know what's coming around every turn so it's not as engaging, but it's not bad. it's just childish (not in a real bad way) and for an adult a bit harder to get through, for kids it wouldnt be bad
September 23, 2021
A very underwhelming sequel. I don’t remember what I thought when I read it as a kid, but the answers to some of the biggest questions in this book (who is the messenger/who is Ileana’s father) are glaringly obvious. The mystery part is very underwritten and the most interesting part is Cam and Alex continuing to navigate their new identities as sisters and witches.
June 3, 2020
This was an enjoyable read. The characterization was good and the plot moved along at a nice, steady pace. I recommend it to anyone looking for a light read or a fifth-grader interested in magic and friendship. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
October 14, 2021
Again, this is a reread for me almost 15-20 year after my original reading. This series starts to get really fun throughout the second book because you get to see Cam and Alex work and learn together.
I’d give this 4 stars. 5 from when I was younger and 3 as an adult.
I’d give this 4 stars. 5 from when I was younger and 3 as an adult.
September 4, 2022
This book is a must-read on how not to write a book. Awful just awful
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...
Read
January 5, 2024Again, not rating these because it's hard to gauge as an adult something that I read as a kid.
December 2, 2024
The second delight in a series I love. Read this the night Hurricane Helene knocked our power out.
July 6, 2025
fredo forcefem arc in his first appearance is CRAZY.
March 31, 2020
Once you (again) gloss over the very dated terminologies, cringe-worthy teenspeak, and a surplus of abbreviations (BBGF! IP! NW! etc. etc.), this second book is more about Cam and Alex learning to work together and fleshing out their twinness. Just because you find a long-lost twin doesn’t mean you always see things the same way, even when you can read each other’s minds. In fact, the latter often makes the former even more difficult – like how it can reinforce feelings and preconceived notions that you already have and elicit reactions a little stronger than you might otherwise have and go ahead and express them. We also see a bit more of Karsh and Ileana, how the witch/warlock society is organized on Coventry Island along with the workings of magic, as well as learn more about Aron’s death and the twins’ birth.
Thantos has sent a messenger in disguise to try to reach out to Cam and Alex. With several new faces at the start of the new school year (no less than 3), it won’t be easy to figure out who is the messenger and figure out what Cam’s recent visions, supplemented by Alex’s hearing them, are trying to tell the twins so that they can help whoever is in trouble. Because that is their inheritance and their nature – if someone is in trouble, they genuinely want to help, and will get rather ingenious in how they go about it.
As the first book was, this book is also a light, fluff read. It’s rather like cotton candy, where the good bits of compacted sugar are interspersed throughout the whole – never so much that you get a greater sugar load than usual, but not so dispersed that you don’t get one at least every couple of bites if not more often. I wish I had kept a reading log as a kid, to see what my thoughts were on this book/series at the time. It’s so different from series I had been reading or tv shows I was watching contemporaneously and just before it (like, gasp, Animorphs – big surprise!), yet it also has some similarities to others, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It’s nice to revisit this series, but where it stands right now, if not for the nostalgia value and how my mom wrote down inside each book cover when/where we got it and for how much (mostly Scholastic Book Club) – which also gives me a solid idea of when I first read the books – I’m not sure I’d actually keep it once I finished this re-read.
A couple random supplementary thoughts: On the very first day, Alex intentionally freezes a small ice patch on the school stairs, and does it in such a way that is clear she knew she could do so before this…yet we never heard any mention of her creating ice the way Cam creates fire prior to that moment. Also, even in the summer in book 1 and into the beginning of the school year and beyond, a common top Cam (or any of the other girls except Alex) wears is a sweater, of all things. Was wearing sweaters even in summer a common thing in the late 90s/early 00s? Other random thoughts were in my status updates and are still valid.
“We don’t do that!” Karsh cut [Ileana] short. “It is forbidden. We don’t enchant, cast spells upon, or otherwise meddle in the lives of others – except for their good, not ours.”
“Well, two of my charges were in grave danger. Two who are worth more than all the others combined –”
“Never,” Karsh exclaimed, shocked. “Such a notion is unworthy of a true witch. It is totally against our beliefs. All life is sacred –” – page 48-49
Typo:
I think there were one or two other small typos I didn’t feel worth noting/mentioning, but this one stuck out at me more for whatever reason.
”What if Cade was the driver?” – page 166 – the opening quotation mark is a closing one instead of an opening one.
Thantos has sent a messenger in disguise to try to reach out to Cam and Alex. With several new faces at the start of the new school year (no less than 3), it won’t be easy to figure out who is the messenger and figure out what Cam’s recent visions, supplemented by Alex’s hearing them, are trying to tell the twins so that they can help whoever is in trouble. Because that is their inheritance and their nature – if someone is in trouble, they genuinely want to help, and will get rather ingenious in how they go about it.
As the first book was, this book is also a light, fluff read. It’s rather like cotton candy, where the good bits of compacted sugar are interspersed throughout the whole – never so much that you get a greater sugar load than usual, but not so dispersed that you don’t get one at least every couple of bites if not more often. I wish I had kept a reading log as a kid, to see what my thoughts were on this book/series at the time. It’s so different from series I had been reading or tv shows I was watching contemporaneously and just before it (like, gasp, Animorphs – big surprise!), yet it also has some similarities to others, like Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It’s nice to revisit this series, but where it stands right now, if not for the nostalgia value and how my mom wrote down inside each book cover when/where we got it and for how much (mostly Scholastic Book Club) – which also gives me a solid idea of when I first read the books – I’m not sure I’d actually keep it once I finished this re-read.
A couple random supplementary thoughts: On the very first day, Alex intentionally freezes a small ice patch on the school stairs, and does it in such a way that is clear she knew she could do so before this…yet we never heard any mention of her creating ice the way Cam creates fire prior to that moment. Also, even in the summer in book 1 and into the beginning of the school year and beyond, a common top Cam (or any of the other girls except Alex) wears is a sweater, of all things. Was wearing sweaters even in summer a common thing in the late 90s/early 00s? Other random thoughts were in my status updates and are still valid.
“We don’t do that!” Karsh cut [Ileana] short. “It is forbidden. We don’t enchant, cast spells upon, or otherwise meddle in the lives of others – except for their good, not ours.”
“Well, two of my charges were in grave danger. Two who are worth more than all the others combined –”
“Never,” Karsh exclaimed, shocked. “Such a notion is unworthy of a true witch. It is totally against our beliefs. All life is sacred –” – page 48-49
Typo:
I think there were one or two other small typos I didn’t feel worth noting/mentioning, but this one stuck out at me more for whatever reason.
”What if Cade was the driver?” – page 166 – the opening quotation mark is a closing one instead of an opening one.
July 12, 2017
In T*Witches 2, the twins are learning how to deal with their newfound powers – and just in time, for there’s a couple new bad guys in town that are eager to see just how powerful they are…
In this short but sweet sequel, Cam and Alex are back and still learning the ropes.
Cam’s figuring out how to deal with her witchy powers in her own way, not to mention having to deal with the upset of her home life now that Alex is staying for good. Not that she’s too bummed, having someone she can share all her magickal secrets with is nice. Sassy Alex feels the same deep down, but she’s still grieving for her adoptive mother, Sara, and trying her best to figure out her place in this new world.
After Ileana delivers them a message that someone is trying to get to them, the girls have got to narrow down their list of bad guys and come together as sister witches to defeat whoever it is.
Okay, so this one is a little more cheesy and cliche. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book by any means. It just meant that for me, it wasn’t a favorite. I guess it just seemed sillier to me than it needed to be, but I guess that’s the age they were going for. I just wasn’t fond of all that was happening, especially that very strange, very rushed ending. I know the general idea of what happened, I just don’t know why it had to happen that way and inconvenience the story for no reason at all.
Basically, there’s a lizard-demon thingy and this person wants to take Alex and Cam to their “real mother” and the girls tell him no, so he attacks. But in the process, Ileana comes to the rescue and they have a full conversation with each other in the middle of the battle and well… the whole scene is rather chaotic.
Other than that, it was just kind of goofy. Lots of teenager drama and phrases like “BRB” are often used. The text lingo was really popular when it came out, so I kinda see why it was used. Still doesn’t make it any less annoying.
I think what made this more powerful for me, was again, the characters. I mean, even at the end, Cam wants to meet her real mother while Alex could care less. Despite everything, these girls are very real to me than some of the other more serious YA/upper MG out there now. Either way, it gets a three from me.
In this short but sweet sequel, Cam and Alex are back and still learning the ropes.
Cam’s figuring out how to deal with her witchy powers in her own way, not to mention having to deal with the upset of her home life now that Alex is staying for good. Not that she’s too bummed, having someone she can share all her magickal secrets with is nice. Sassy Alex feels the same deep down, but she’s still grieving for her adoptive mother, Sara, and trying her best to figure out her place in this new world.
After Ileana delivers them a message that someone is trying to get to them, the girls have got to narrow down their list of bad guys and come together as sister witches to defeat whoever it is.
Okay, so this one is a little more cheesy and cliche. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book by any means. It just meant that for me, it wasn’t a favorite. I guess it just seemed sillier to me than it needed to be, but I guess that’s the age they were going for. I just wasn’t fond of all that was happening, especially that very strange, very rushed ending. I know the general idea of what happened, I just don’t know why it had to happen that way and inconvenience the story for no reason at all.
Basically, there’s a lizard-demon thingy and this person wants to take Alex and Cam to their “real mother” and the girls tell him no, so he attacks. But in the process, Ileana comes to the rescue and they have a full conversation with each other in the middle of the battle and well… the whole scene is rather chaotic.
Other than that, it was just kind of goofy. Lots of teenager drama and phrases like “BRB” are often used. The text lingo was really popular when it came out, so I kinda see why it was used. Still doesn’t make it any less annoying.
I think what made this more powerful for me, was again, the characters. I mean, even at the end, Cam wants to meet her real mother while Alex could care less. Despite everything, these girls are very real to me than some of the other more serious YA/upper MG out there now. Either way, it gets a three from me.
February 10, 2016
Alexandra is mad because Camryn wants her to meet some of her friends. A little of the back-story to the two girls is also given. The twins have also been warned about someone who is looking to hurt them but will try to pass as their friend.
One of the school bullies accosts an innocent girl and Camryn manages to teach him a lesson without anyone knowing it's her doing it, The girl acts like she knows the twins.
Alex ends up getting in trouble in one of her classes on the very first day of school. After they get home Alex and Camryn don't get along very well. During their arguing the necklaces the girls wear pulled them towards each other and connected, resulting in voices which they think were the voices of their real parents.
A school bully attempts to assault the two girls but they manage to stop him. First, it seems the charms they wear are doing it, but then they begin to figure how to work the magic themselves.
The problem is that once they have the bully on the floor and all twisted up, they realize they don't know how to untwist him, but somehow he ends up getting untwisted anyhow.
Another problem ensues when a girl wants to befriend the two sisters to the point of becoming a pest.
Later the actual history of the birth of the twins is revealed, along with the death of their father. They also find out their mother was a witch, they have powers themselves and, Ilena and Karsh are guarding over them.
Then a boy one of the girls is interested in turns out might be involved in an accident where a young child was hit by a car. Or he could also be the messenger from Thantos who is after them.
The girls want to help try and heal the boy and go to the hospital to help him where they are joined, unexpectedly, by Karsh. They end up healing the boy then decide to go to Boston to confront the girl who had been blackmailing Cade.
That they do and they settle the score on that account. Later they end up confronting the messenger from Thantos and manage to subdue it, Ileana taking the creature to the Council.
This is the second book in the series and has some good aspects and some not-so-good aspects. The main problem is that you can tell who is the messenger almost as soon as you find out there is a messenger. There's no suspense, really, about that issue and it becomes a question of not "who" but "when" will the girls find out.
The rest of the book is fairly decent, especially in relation to how the two girls are still basically still getting used to each other. There's a lot of potential in the series.
One of the school bullies accosts an innocent girl and Camryn manages to teach him a lesson without anyone knowing it's her doing it, The girl acts like she knows the twins.
Alex ends up getting in trouble in one of her classes on the very first day of school. After they get home Alex and Camryn don't get along very well. During their arguing the necklaces the girls wear pulled them towards each other and connected, resulting in voices which they think were the voices of their real parents.
A school bully attempts to assault the two girls but they manage to stop him. First, it seems the charms they wear are doing it, but then they begin to figure how to work the magic themselves.
The problem is that once they have the bully on the floor and all twisted up, they realize they don't know how to untwist him, but somehow he ends up getting untwisted anyhow.
Another problem ensues when a girl wants to befriend the two sisters to the point of becoming a pest.
Later the actual history of the birth of the twins is revealed, along with the death of their father. They also find out their mother was a witch, they have powers themselves and, Ilena and Karsh are guarding over them.
Then a boy one of the girls is interested in turns out might be involved in an accident where a young child was hit by a car. Or he could also be the messenger from Thantos who is after them.
The girls want to help try and heal the boy and go to the hospital to help him where they are joined, unexpectedly, by Karsh. They end up healing the boy then decide to go to Boston to confront the girl who had been blackmailing Cade.
That they do and they settle the score on that account. Later they end up confronting the messenger from Thantos and manage to subdue it, Ileana taking the creature to the Council.
This is the second book in the series and has some good aspects and some not-so-good aspects. The main problem is that you can tell who is the messenger almost as soon as you find out there is a messenger. There's no suspense, really, about that issue and it becomes a question of not "who" but "when" will the girls find out.
The rest of the book is fairly decent, especially in relation to how the two girls are still basically still getting used to each other. There's a lot of potential in the series.
August 30, 2017
Teen me: 5 stars
Adult me: 5 stars
*For the first book in a "child/teen/middlegrade/nostalgic" book, I am going with the rating younger me would have gone with, then if I read on in the series, I will rate the books what adult me believes it should be rated. If the book is a stand alone, I will go with whatever rating I feel most comfortable giving the book. Please note, I do not really think books should have an age limit. People should read what they want to regardless of the intended age group, except for kids reading erotica or something, of course.*
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I really liked this as a teen and I have not read it as an adult yet, but I would like to believe that my feelings and rating would be the same. I will see upon a reread.
Adult me: 5 stars
*For the first book in a "child/teen/middlegrade/nostalgic" book, I am going with the rating younger me would have gone with, then if I read on in the series, I will rate the books what adult me believes it should be rated. If the book is a stand alone, I will go with whatever rating I feel most comfortable giving the book. Please note, I do not really think books should have an age limit. People should read what they want to regardless of the intended age group, except for kids reading erotica or something, of course.*
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I really liked this as a teen and I have not read it as an adult yet, but I would like to believe that my feelings and rating would be the same. I will see upon a reread.
November 11, 2015
Those slangs though.
I mean really this is a novel, a piece of literature even though it is mindless and mean girls type and we get it you are trying to depict the reality of high school talk but really those slangs were HORRIBLE! Plus those likes are so irritating. In every freaking sentence we get a like. Like these likes are like so irritating.
Okay, the exceedingly shabby language aside I found it hard to understand the plot at the beginning. Either it was because the explanation was not good or I had lost interest. But in the end the story picked up and this is just a mindless story. Not something you carry with your life. You read it and it is easy and fast to skim through. So yeah, nice book.
I mean really this is a novel, a piece of literature even though it is mindless and mean girls type and we get it you are trying to depict the reality of high school talk but really those slangs were HORRIBLE! Plus those likes are so irritating. In every freaking sentence we get a like. Like these likes are like so irritating.
Okay, the exceedingly shabby language aside I found it hard to understand the plot at the beginning. Either it was because the explanation was not good or I had lost interest. But in the end the story picked up and this is just a mindless story. Not something you carry with your life. You read it and it is easy and fast to skim through. So yeah, nice book.
September 2, 2009
Setelah tau mereka memang sodara kembar, saatnya tau siapa musuhnya dong..
Cam dan Alex disuruh waspada karena Thantos pasti akan mengirim orang untuk menculik mereka.
Masalahnya di sekitar mereka ada 3 orang yang potensial jadi calon messenger-nya Thantos.
Selain itu juga dibahas sedikit latar belakang Ileana, guardian si kembar.
October 10, 2011
Overall, a great sequel. The reader gets more insight into the characters, events, and the greater magical world. One thing that did bug the crap out of me was the slang. Most of it I was ok with, it wasn't too dated. However, there were some instances such as: BBGF (Bye-bye girlfriend) where the phrase had been shorten to make it hip (I guess), but it's just ridiculous.
Read
September 24, 2013I thought it was awesome but you may have different thoughts cause I'm a child i thought it was fascinating and adventurous although I wish I had started from the beginning of the series they just seem so good to read they capture mt attention as the reader
October 2, 2009
love it read it
March 29, 2010
Not as good as the first book, but still enjoyable.
Read
September 9, 2010good
January 29, 2012
i so wish that these books were not out of print for i love them so
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