Peppermint Twist

by Gina Ranalli

Twins Lucy and Don are addicted to video games. Their father has tried to get them to go outside, or do anything else, but the kids are happiest only when playing the latest game on their Z-box. Everything changes when their grandmother brings them a new game they've never heard of called Peppermint Twist. Reluctantly playing, they soon find the game is both harder and more frightening than they could have ever imagined. The world around them begins to change and then the worst happens: their beloved father turns into a living gingerbread man and their only option is to try to finish all the levels in order to return their world to normal...a task which could very well be impossible.

Genres: Bizarro Fiction

58 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 19, 2011

About the author

Gina Ranalli is the author of several novels, including Mothman Emerged, Rumors of My Death, Praise the Dead, House of Fallen Trees, Suicide Girls in the Afterlife, Chemical Gardens, Wall of Kiss, and Mother Puncher. Her collection, 13 Thorns (with Gus Fink) won the Wonderland Book Award for Best Story Collection of 2007. Her short stories have appeared in numerous publications including Bits of the Dead, The Beast Within, Horror Library Volume 3, and Dead Science, among others.

Gina lives in Washington state where she is working on her next novel. You can communicate with her online at www.ginaranalli.com and on twitter at http://twitter.com/GinaRanalli

Reviews

[J. Peter W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun little story might be my favorite Gina Ranalli book. It's a familiar cautionary tale with a peppermint twist!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heading into "Peppermint Twist" I figured it would be another wacky, in your face ride through the streets of bizarro land like Sky Tongues. Instead I got a twisted story of video game obsessed twins forced to play a game that will change them forever.

Two twins obsessed with the latest Z-Box game "Sublime Assassin" must play "Peppermint Twist" a stupid children's game given as a gift by their Grandmother. Soon after inserting the game they find out things are not as they were and find their world transformed into that of the game.

Now they must survive by using all their knowledge from games they played in the past.

After some research I found that this is Gina Ranalli's first children book. The fact it is a children's book shouldn't keep you from reading this because it's filled vivid descriptions straight out of the mind of imaginative children.

[Rodney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is candy coated, bizarro video game goodness! Super quick and fun to read. Grandma's plan with the "prototype" video game for the kids was great. This is my fourth book from Gina Ranalli, I am happy see that there are so many more for me to read.

[Pedro Proença · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, colourful book. A brother and sister pair of gamers who embark on a epic journey through a real, live video game.

The book was really enjoyable, and I read it very fast.


Nothing but fun.

[Juan Vizcarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing little story very reminiscent of Goosebumps by R.L. Stine.

unfortunately, just like Goosebumps it suffers of a very rushed ending. Doesn't take away from the great worldbuilding though, really made my teeth hurt and I had to brush them after finishing this story.

Another gread read by Gina.

[Alexis Kubala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her creativity and writing inspires me every time I read something by her. This was a quirky twist on making sure you brush your teeth and don’t mess with things you shouldn’t. I will say, I think I want a pack of rock candy now, and maybe some cotton candy too.

[Kiwi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dos gemelos se ven envueltos en un colorido videojuego en la vida real de dulces y monstruos de azúcar, que obviamente... Los van a intentar matar de formas super azucaradas.
No estuvo mal, no estoy muy feliz con el final, fue un poco agridulce y extraño, pero estuvo bien

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read that kept me smiling. Had the pleasure of copy editing this for Gina. Favorite line: "Dad's a cookie."

[natercopia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun but it's definitely not fun for kids. I would read them to my cousins just to scare them about candies being alive and people turning into gingerbread men.