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T*Witches #1
The Power of Two
A smash hit Disney Channel movie! Identical twins separated at birth, and as different as can be, Preppy and popular Camryn Barnes and punky, and brooding Alexandra Fielding each have a secret . Camryn can see things before they happen, Alex can hear what people think. What Camryn and Alex don’t know is that they’re witches. When they meet, they learn how to use their powers to solve mysteries, and save a life, but they still don’t know the truth about their past.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2001
74 people are currently reading
1662 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 114 reviews
January 16, 2013
I have mixed feelings about this book. I read it a decade ago, maybe even more. As a child I loved this series, and I continued to love it even into my teens. Now that I am older I can't help but notice some flaws and wonder how I was not confused as a child.
In the first installment of the T*witches series, Cam and Alex are twins who were separated at birth and run into each other at an amusement park. After a tragedy, Alex moves in with Cam and together they solve "The Case of the Missing Pop Star". There are also a few other elements in this book that are touched upon throughout the series, such as a murderous uncle and a missing mother, albeit briefly.
When I started reading this book, I was surprised how long it took Alex and Cam to meet. As a child it seemed so quick. I also have a hard time faulting the book on its slow pace when it allows you a lot of time to get to know Cam and Alex's worlds. Without a good understanding of their worlds the girls come off as bratty and annoyingly sarcastic at times. They still are, but you understand where it comes from.
What really shocked me was the horrible construction of time. For example: One moment Cam and Alex are instant messaging each other. Alex suddenly senses something and leaves. Cam then decides to ask her parents if she was adopted. She confronts them (same day!). Right then Alex shows up at her front door, and it is supposed to be three days after she sensed something.
There were other moments when time didn't make sense or felt off.
I'm also really torn about the characters. They ride the line of being stereo-types. The only thing that makes me hesitate to say they are, is because there is more to them than their characteristics. They have friends, family, homes, and many more things that support their characteristics while also making them individuals. Again, it is a fine line.
However, as a kid I loved Alex. I thought she was the coolest person ever, and I still like her the most.
This book may not be for adults, but as a kid I loved it. I loved it so much that scenes of the series are engrained in my head, like when Alex's boyfriend calls her a "little cabbage" in french, or the annoyance I felt when Cam got stuck in a love triangle, the twins first birthday party together, the fact that one of the antagonist had brown eyes in one book and then had blue ones in another, and so much more.
There's something to love about this book, even with its flaws.
In the first installment of the T*witches series, Cam and Alex are twins who were separated at birth and run into each other at an amusement park. After a tragedy, Alex moves in with Cam and together they solve "The Case of the Missing Pop Star". There are also a few other elements in this book that are touched upon throughout the series, such as a murderous uncle and a missing mother, albeit briefly.
When I started reading this book, I was surprised how long it took Alex and Cam to meet. As a child it seemed so quick. I also have a hard time faulting the book on its slow pace when it allows you a lot of time to get to know Cam and Alex's worlds. Without a good understanding of their worlds the girls come off as bratty and annoyingly sarcastic at times. They still are, but you understand where it comes from.
What really shocked me was the horrible construction of time. For example: One moment Cam and Alex are instant messaging each other. Alex suddenly senses something and leaves. Cam then decides to ask her parents if she was adopted. She confronts them (same day!). Right then Alex shows up at her front door, and it is supposed to be three days after she sensed something.
There were other moments when time didn't make sense or felt off.
I'm also really torn about the characters. They ride the line of being stereo-types. The only thing that makes me hesitate to say they are, is because there is more to them than their characteristics. They have friends, family, homes, and many more things that support their characteristics while also making them individuals. Again, it is a fine line.
However, as a kid I loved Alex. I thought she was the coolest person ever, and I still like her the most.
This book may not be for adults, but as a kid I loved it. I loved it so much that scenes of the series are engrained in my head, like when Alex's boyfriend calls her a "little cabbage" in french, or the annoyance I felt when Cam got stuck in a love triangle, the twins first birthday party together, the fact that one of the antagonist had brown eyes in one book and then had blue ones in another, and so much more.
There's something to love about this book, even with its flaws.
April 3, 2020
Thanks to Stephanie for doing a reread of this series, I was reminded that I read at least one of them... a long, longggg time ago. (And then the Disney Channel movie happened, somewhere in the middle, haha)
October 8, 2011
The only reason I gave this book three stars instead of two was because of the excellent way the book sets up the series. The dialogue seemed fake/dated and some of the characters are very annoying. However, the plot is interesting and, like I said, the authors do a great job of setting up the series without it being overwhelming or taking away from the story.
P.S. There are two Disney channel original movies based on the book. DON'T watch them if you like the series. When I say 'based on', I mean in the loosest possible sense.
P.S. There are two Disney channel original movies based on the book. DON'T watch them if you like the series. When I say 'based on', I mean in the loosest possible sense.
November 12, 2021
3.30
Read it when my prepubescent brain wanted to surf on hormonal waves produced as a result of reading the genre: fantasy and promptly produced serotonin upon any mention of the word "witch" -well this book had two-
* milk teeth studded jaw drop *
Read it when my prepubescent brain wanted to surf on hormonal waves produced as a result of reading the genre: fantasy and promptly produced serotonin upon any mention of the word "witch" -well this book had two-
* milk teeth studded jaw drop *
Read
October 14, 2023Once upon a time a ~10 year old version of me picked up a book with a hilariously early 2000s middle grade cover design and promptly became obsessed. It was cheesy as hell, not that the ten year old noticed. She was spellbound by these two sisters who found each other and found magic at the same time. She wanted to move to Coventry Island and live there forever. She wanted to perform solstice rituals and have secret conversations via telepathy. She asked the obligatory question, of herself and of all her friends whom she shamelessly harangued into reading this hot mess with her: are you Cam, or are you Alex?
Alex was, of course, the right answer. Alex was cool. Alex was edgy and sarcastic. Alex was the reason she wanted to dye her hair weird colors (alas, mother said no) and dance in the moonlight. Alex was the reason it WAS NOT FAIR that cool things like telekinesis were never a real option, but that was (mostly) forgivable. The ten year old refused to concern herself with such things. She was too busy laughing at all the soccer moms trying to ban Harry Potter for getting kids interested in witchcraft. Harry Potter was nothing. Waving magic wands and shooting glowy lights was so obviously fake. THIS, on the other hand, this was something real. This was herbs and cheesy rhymes and crystals and magickal necklaces, and yes that’s magick with a K thank you very much. This was something the ten year old could play with, and maybe, just maybe, she could be a witch too. She laughed at all the fools who misunderstood as she sat on the porch with her best friend and brewed potions out of random plants. She tried to use marjoram to teleport, and to turn necklaces into amulets, and to put shiny rocks on tables in pretty patterns in the hopes that that might do something, and alas that never worked, but no matter, because it was all so beautiful and mysterious. For years these characters lived in her mind, the protagonists of a mental fan fiction that would never be written down. It always involved Alex being a badass. Cam was only ever a side character. Cam was boring, after all.
All of which is to say that these books are incredibly terrible. In fact, when I reread them sometime in college, I was struck by the impression that they were INTENTIONALLY terrible. It seemed like the writers knew how to write well and were choosing not to, peppering the narrative with slang that felt weird even to the ten year old, refusing to care about being cheesy or tropey or contrived. In fact it wouldn’t be a stretch to say these books are probably hands down the most garbage-y thing I have read in the entire course of my existence. But therein lies the beauty. They are the glorious garbage that made me and I will always love them to pieces. Somewhere within, the ten year old is still there, cackling with delight every time her adult self brews a cup of herbal tea or does a tarot reading or sprinkles bread crumbs in the garden for Lammas, believing with all her might that Alex would be proud.
Alex was, of course, the right answer. Alex was cool. Alex was edgy and sarcastic. Alex was the reason she wanted to dye her hair weird colors (alas, mother said no) and dance in the moonlight. Alex was the reason it WAS NOT FAIR that cool things like telekinesis were never a real option, but that was (mostly) forgivable. The ten year old refused to concern herself with such things. She was too busy laughing at all the soccer moms trying to ban Harry Potter for getting kids interested in witchcraft. Harry Potter was nothing. Waving magic wands and shooting glowy lights was so obviously fake. THIS, on the other hand, this was something real. This was herbs and cheesy rhymes and crystals and magickal necklaces, and yes that’s magick with a K thank you very much. This was something the ten year old could play with, and maybe, just maybe, she could be a witch too. She laughed at all the fools who misunderstood as she sat on the porch with her best friend and brewed potions out of random plants. She tried to use marjoram to teleport, and to turn necklaces into amulets, and to put shiny rocks on tables in pretty patterns in the hopes that that might do something, and alas that never worked, but no matter, because it was all so beautiful and mysterious. For years these characters lived in her mind, the protagonists of a mental fan fiction that would never be written down. It always involved Alex being a badass. Cam was only ever a side character. Cam was boring, after all.
All of which is to say that these books are incredibly terrible. In fact, when I reread them sometime in college, I was struck by the impression that they were INTENTIONALLY terrible. It seemed like the writers knew how to write well and were choosing not to, peppering the narrative with slang that felt weird even to the ten year old, refusing to care about being cheesy or tropey or contrived. In fact it wouldn’t be a stretch to say these books are probably hands down the most garbage-y thing I have read in the entire course of my existence. But therein lies the beauty. They are the glorious garbage that made me and I will always love them to pieces. Somewhere within, the ten year old is still there, cackling with delight every time her adult self brews a cup of herbal tea or does a tarot reading or sprinkles bread crumbs in the garden for Lammas, believing with all her might that Alex would be proud.
March 11, 2020
This is a walk down horrible attempted-teen-speak-lingo of the late 90s/early 2000s if I’ve ever read one! (not to mention the ever-shifting nicknames the characters use for each other) But the story stands the test of time fairly well, if rather trope-y – twin witches, separated at birth to protect them, “happen” to meet and realize that they are more than they thought – their magic is stronger when they are together. There’s a kidnapped music star, a dark and scary evil uncle, a Doc Brown-esque old friendly warlock, a crew of besties going by the nick name “Six Pack,” and an arrogant witch who has eyes just like the twins. There’s a lot to set up here, and while I wish we got more of a feel for the witch/warlock society, it makes sense that we don’t – this book is about Camryn Barnes and Alexandra Fielding finding each other, accepting that they do not come from where they think they came from (and letting go of what they thought they knew about their families/heritage), and learning how they need each other in their lives, how they felt incomplete before they found each other, and what it could mean for them going forward. It’s pretty solidly teenage fluff, and with so many early 2000s references it’d probably be almost indecipherable to modern teens. StarTacs, Nokias, the use of “cellular” and pagers, references to Powerpuff Girls and Touched by an Angel…In the meantime, the buddy re-read of the series will continue once my reading buddy Naomi is ready for the next book, too!
Commentary on select quotes:
…goals were to wup Beth, minimum two out of three… -- page 87 – So that’s how you spell that, ‘wup’? EDIT Nope, it’s a typo per its entry on dictionary.com of “whup”
…and if God had wanted us to actually pick up every call, She wouldn’t have invented voice mail. – page 99 – interesting drop of God as “She” and not the more Christian-centric “He” – no embellishment, just dropped there and the story moves on.
…the phone from ’Cinda and hollered… -- page 300 – That’s a new moniker for Lucinda/Luce, and a strange one at that.
Commentary on select quotes:
…goals were to wup Beth, minimum two out of three… -- page 87 – So that’s how you spell that, ‘wup’? EDIT Nope, it’s a typo per its entry on dictionary.com of “whup”
…and if God had wanted us to actually pick up every call, She wouldn’t have invented voice mail. – page 99 – interesting drop of God as “She” and not the more Christian-centric “He” – no embellishment, just dropped there and the story moves on.
…the phone from ’Cinda and hollered… -- page 300 – That’s a new moniker for Lucinda/Luce, and a strange one at that.
July 17, 2025
Siempre se dice que los libros son mejores que las películas, pero eso no es verdad en todos los casos. Porque, de alguna forma, tenemos la habilidad de mejorar algo ya hecho, pero nos cuesta una vida crear algo desde cero. Este libro, y seguramente la saga entera, tiene ese mérito: el mérito de haber sido creada desde cero. Sus personajes son muy reales; incluso es fácil odiar a quienes debemos odiar, y amar a aquellos que están predestinados a ganarse nuestro corazón.
Como adulta joven, recuerdo que, cuando salieron las películas, yo tenía unos cinco o seis años. Mis padres me dejaban sin supervisión, y yo consumía todo lo que la televisión me daba, incluyendo esto. Debo decir que impactó profundamente en mi inconsciente, porque a la hora de escribir mi primer libro “serio”, básicamente construí algo parecido a este universo, con mi toque oscuro y personal.
De ahí que quisiera darle una oportunidad a los libros, más por curiosidad que por otra cosa. No fue como cuando leí El club de la pelea o títulos similares, sino un acto puramente nostálgico, un deseo de profundizar más en la mente de su autora. Y puedo decir que me gustó. Más de lo que creí. Es un libro vasto, rico en personajes maravillosos, en situaciones, en pasado y en vida.
He de decir que, al empezar a leerlo, no tenía expectativas. Nada. Sabía que los libros no podían ser más que un esbozo de las películas, así que no me preocupé demasiado cuando me di el encontronazo con el lenguaje tan básico y los diálogos simples. Lo que sí me sacudió fue la diferencia entre los Karsh e Illeana de las películas y los del libro… Prácticamente, podemos odiar con locura a esta Illeana, pero no se puede negar que es un personaje muy bien construido. A Karsh, en cambio, hay que aplaudirlo: él hizo que todo sucediera. Hay que darle, en todo momento, el mérito que merece.
No obstante, este libro tiene un asunto... suprime demasiado la lógica. Eso me perturbó en varios momentos, porque eso es lo que pasa en las películas que se hicieron en base a estos libros: lo que es raro produce extrañeza, lo que es antinatural produce rechazo, como ocurre en la vida real... pero aquí no. Alex y Cam dan por hecho muchas cosas, como si se resignaran a ellas sin mucho cuestionamiento. Es algo que me hizo pensar, porque ni en nuestros peores momentos damos por sentado cosas como estas.
He de decir que, muchas cosas a pesar de todo, fueron esperables. Ya todo el asunto de Tonya y Marleigh creo haberlo desentrañado desde las primeras páginas, y eso que es algo exclusivo de los libros. Me da cierta pena, porque por predecible que fuera, no deja de ser algo patético... La idea es como los libros de Harry potter, con el trasfondo del pasado de Harry antes de que él recordase, ese enemigo que lo persigue que es una amenaza muy real y muy poderosa, y él simplemente jugando a ser el héroe resolviendo misterios en subtramas... no está mal, pero pudo ser mejor... más original.
Hay algo que noté durante el desarrollo de la obra: tanto en las películas como en los libros, vemos a una Alex más inteligente que Cam. Siempre sentí que eso estaba bien, porque una vida acomodada, sin obstáculos, con una felicidad completa y privilegios, te vuelve perezoso o te reprime mentalmente. Tiempos de paz hacen hombres débiles; tiempos de guerra forjan hombres fuertes. Es lo mismo. Alex es fuerte, inteligente, independiente, porque siempre ha estado ella contra el mundo: contra las carencias, la discriminación, lo rural, el abandono, la traición, el dolor. Esas cosas te hacen fuerte, lo quieras o no. Podemos incluso aplaudirle lo bien que llevó el luto de su madre, que ya de por si fue un golpe durísimo... aunque no sé si se puede achacar a la falta de descripción por parte de la autora, lo que sería de ver. Vemos que está bajoneada, pero es realista y eso la lleva a afrontar el dolor de formas más admirables.
Y es notable que la supremacía de Alex sobre Cam, a pesar de estas circunstancias antes dichas, no es total. Porque vemos que Cam también tiene potencial, y ante los problemas en los que insiste en meterse Alex, que arrastran a su hermana a situaciones que la superan, Cam también se ve obligada a dejar de lado todo y comenzar a buscar sus propias soluciones.
En este libro hay una marcada desigualdad, aunque se plantea que juntas pueden lograr mucho más. Alex sigue siendo más poderosa. Eso no quita que el progreso de Cam siga sorprendi��ndonos. Tal vez en el siguiente libro puedan llegar a ser verdaderamente iguales en cuanto a poder... pero eso habrá que verlo con el tiempo.
Está siendo un año de lecturas lentas y bastante tranquilas, pero voy a intentar leer los siguientes. Que esté en inglés ha sido desafiante, porque mi inglés es menos que cavernícola... un desastre, lo que me ha llevado a leer mucho más despacio, con el traductor y san google al lado. Pero si tengo suerte, trataré de llegar al tercer libro. Es una saga que, a mi juicio, merece ser leída y recordada. Y aunque no es algo revolucionario ni de verdadero impacto, como me lo hizo creer mi mente de niña de cinco años, he de decir que vale la pena. Ha sido emotiva, agradable y entretenida.
Como adulta joven, recuerdo que, cuando salieron las películas, yo tenía unos cinco o seis años. Mis padres me dejaban sin supervisión, y yo consumía todo lo que la televisión me daba, incluyendo esto. Debo decir que impactó profundamente en mi inconsciente, porque a la hora de escribir mi primer libro “serio”, básicamente construí algo parecido a este universo, con mi toque oscuro y personal.
De ahí que quisiera darle una oportunidad a los libros, más por curiosidad que por otra cosa. No fue como cuando leí El club de la pelea o títulos similares, sino un acto puramente nostálgico, un deseo de profundizar más en la mente de su autora. Y puedo decir que me gustó. Más de lo que creí. Es un libro vasto, rico en personajes maravillosos, en situaciones, en pasado y en vida.
He de decir que, al empezar a leerlo, no tenía expectativas. Nada. Sabía que los libros no podían ser más que un esbozo de las películas, así que no me preocupé demasiado cuando me di el encontronazo con el lenguaje tan básico y los diálogos simples. Lo que sí me sacudió fue la diferencia entre los Karsh e Illeana de las películas y los del libro… Prácticamente, podemos odiar con locura a esta Illeana, pero no se puede negar que es un personaje muy bien construido. A Karsh, en cambio, hay que aplaudirlo: él hizo que todo sucediera. Hay que darle, en todo momento, el mérito que merece.
No obstante, este libro tiene un asunto... suprime demasiado la lógica. Eso me perturbó en varios momentos, porque eso es lo que pasa en las películas que se hicieron en base a estos libros: lo que es raro produce extrañeza, lo que es antinatural produce rechazo, como ocurre en la vida real... pero aquí no. Alex y Cam dan por hecho muchas cosas, como si se resignaran a ellas sin mucho cuestionamiento. Es algo que me hizo pensar, porque ni en nuestros peores momentos damos por sentado cosas como estas.
He de decir que, muchas cosas a pesar de todo, fueron esperables. Ya todo el asunto de Tonya y Marleigh creo haberlo desentrañado desde las primeras páginas, y eso que es algo exclusivo de los libros. Me da cierta pena, porque por predecible que fuera, no deja de ser algo patético... La idea es como los libros de Harry potter, con el trasfondo del pasado de Harry antes de que él recordase, ese enemigo que lo persigue que es una amenaza muy real y muy poderosa, y él simplemente jugando a ser el héroe resolviendo misterios en subtramas... no está mal, pero pudo ser mejor... más original.
Hay algo que noté durante el desarrollo de la obra: tanto en las películas como en los libros, vemos a una Alex más inteligente que Cam. Siempre sentí que eso estaba bien, porque una vida acomodada, sin obstáculos, con una felicidad completa y privilegios, te vuelve perezoso o te reprime mentalmente. Tiempos de paz hacen hombres débiles; tiempos de guerra forjan hombres fuertes. Es lo mismo. Alex es fuerte, inteligente, independiente, porque siempre ha estado ella contra el mundo: contra las carencias, la discriminación, lo rural, el abandono, la traición, el dolor. Esas cosas te hacen fuerte, lo quieras o no. Podemos incluso aplaudirle lo bien que llevó el luto de su madre, que ya de por si fue un golpe durísimo... aunque no sé si se puede achacar a la falta de descripción por parte de la autora, lo que sería de ver. Vemos que está bajoneada, pero es realista y eso la lleva a afrontar el dolor de formas más admirables.
Y es notable que la supremacía de Alex sobre Cam, a pesar de estas circunstancias antes dichas, no es total. Porque vemos que Cam también tiene potencial, y ante los problemas en los que insiste en meterse Alex, que arrastran a su hermana a situaciones que la superan, Cam también se ve obligada a dejar de lado todo y comenzar a buscar sus propias soluciones.
En este libro hay una marcada desigualdad, aunque se plantea que juntas pueden lograr mucho más. Alex sigue siendo más poderosa. Eso no quita que el progreso de Cam siga sorprendi��ndonos. Tal vez en el siguiente libro puedan llegar a ser verdaderamente iguales en cuanto a poder... pero eso habrá que verlo con el tiempo.
Está siendo un año de lecturas lentas y bastante tranquilas, pero voy a intentar leer los siguientes. Que esté en inglés ha sido desafiante, porque mi inglés es menos que cavernícola... un desastre, lo que me ha llevado a leer mucho más despacio, con el traductor y san google al lado. Pero si tengo suerte, trataré de llegar al tercer libro. Es una saga que, a mi juicio, merece ser leída y recordada. Y aunque no es algo revolucionario ni de verdadero impacto, como me lo hizo creer mi mente de niña de cinco años, he de decir que vale la pena. Ha sido emotiva, agradable y entretenida.
June 5, 2019
T*Witches, the books, came out when I was in middle school, when I was about 10-years-old. I loved them. They were witches (a fascination I have never fully gotten over) and based on the Greek twin gods Apollo and Artemis. I obsessed over Artemis growing up. My ICQ and AIM screen names were "GoddessoftheHnt" (I know. I was supercool back then). But the reason I had a special love in my heart for this series is that it was the very first book I ever read where one of the characters lived in a trailer.
Seriously.
To this day, I would struggle to name another series where the main character lives in a trailer. If it's not dystopian wastelands, then most YA is filled with perky middle-class kids who live in the suburbs or, possibly, poor inner-city kids. Alex, named after my favorite goddess, lived in a trailer like me. It was a sign.
So years down the road, I look it up and see it's on Kindle. Hell, I know it's written for tweens, but nostalgia urged me to overlook that. That was a mistake.
This was... Bad. So bad.
First, let's address the elephant in the room, to be polite. See, apparently some incredibly misguided soul decided a 20-year-old tween series wasn't popular anymore (shocker), and the shot in the arm it needed was to shoehorn references to modernity in like shotgun blasts - any mention of cell phones is now updated to "smartphone". They learn about the pop singer's disappearance through Twitter, not the news. Not only am I sure that this was not the key to skyrocketing interest with today's tweens, it also effectively killed off any nostalgic enjoyment you may have had. It's hard to have fond memories of a book when it keeps throwing brand names at you in a desperate bid for relevance. It's doubly hard when it leads to the bizarre juxtaposition of late '90s slang and references to landlines, beepers, and dialing 411 with references to iPhones and YouTube.
Oh, and that slang? Wow. Just wow. I would almost recommend this book just to see how bad it is. And not in a, "Oh, man, we used to really talk like that?" way, but a "no one ever talked like that" way. At one point, Cam smugly thinks she's "getting cool at that". Because cool means good, right? So they're interchangeable, right? It's an appalling attempt at hipness that is almost so-bad-it's-good.
The rest of it is pretty prosaic, as it goes. The plot is typical tween fare, the characters middling. The only other noteworthy thing about it is the transparency of this cash-grab update. I stopped counting the typos and formatting errors after a while because they were too numerous; at one point there was literally a typo every other page.
I'm giving this one two stars, because I still have fond memories of it, but it's probably best to continue temembering it as it was, not as it is now.
Seriously.
To this day, I would struggle to name another series where the main character lives in a trailer. If it's not dystopian wastelands, then most YA is filled with perky middle-class kids who live in the suburbs or, possibly, poor inner-city kids. Alex, named after my favorite goddess, lived in a trailer like me. It was a sign.
So years down the road, I look it up and see it's on Kindle. Hell, I know it's written for tweens, but nostalgia urged me to overlook that. That was a mistake.
This was... Bad. So bad.
First, let's address the elephant in the room, to be polite. See, apparently some incredibly misguided soul decided a 20-year-old tween series wasn't popular anymore (shocker), and the shot in the arm it needed was to shoehorn references to modernity in like shotgun blasts - any mention of cell phones is now updated to "smartphone". They learn about the pop singer's disappearance through Twitter, not the news. Not only am I sure that this was not the key to skyrocketing interest with today's tweens, it also effectively killed off any nostalgic enjoyment you may have had. It's hard to have fond memories of a book when it keeps throwing brand names at you in a desperate bid for relevance. It's doubly hard when it leads to the bizarre juxtaposition of late '90s slang and references to landlines, beepers, and dialing 411 with references to iPhones and YouTube.
Oh, and that slang? Wow. Just wow. I would almost recommend this book just to see how bad it is. And not in a, "Oh, man, we used to really talk like that?" way, but a "no one ever talked like that" way. At one point, Cam smugly thinks she's "getting cool at that". Because cool means good, right? So they're interchangeable, right? It's an appalling attempt at hipness that is almost so-bad-it's-good.
The rest of it is pretty prosaic, as it goes. The plot is typical tween fare, the characters middling. The only other noteworthy thing about it is the transparency of this cash-grab update. I stopped counting the typos and formatting errors after a while because they were too numerous; at one point there was literally a typo every other page.
I'm giving this one two stars, because I still have fond memories of it, but it's probably best to continue temembering it as it was, not as it is now.
September 6, 2017
*2.5 stars*
Synopsis: Twins with magic powers separated at birth meet up shortly before their 15th birthday, and start discovering enhanced superpowers due to a series of near-unbelievable coincidences. Mysterious guardians and an evil uncle are involved.
Pros: I'm a sucker for any concept of twin siblings based off Apollo and Artemis. It is one of those weird personal preferences. And I do like the concept of their respective areas of power, particularly Cam's.
Cons: So many exaggeratedly strange speech patterns. So much abruptness in plot and character progression. So much randomised switching of PoVs from multiple third person limited to third person omniscient and back. It did not help that the only characters I actually liked were the adoptive parents.
Verdict: I question younger me's reading choices sometimes.
Synopsis: Twins with magic powers separated at birth meet up shortly before their 15th birthday, and start discovering enhanced superpowers due to a series of near-unbelievable coincidences. Mysterious guardians and an evil uncle are involved.
Pros: I'm a sucker for any concept of twin siblings based off Apollo and Artemis. It is one of those weird personal preferences. And I do like the concept of their respective areas of power, particularly Cam's.
Cons: So many exaggeratedly strange speech patterns. So much abruptness in plot and character progression. So much randomised switching of PoVs from multiple third person limited to third person omniscient and back. It did not help that the only characters I actually liked were the adoptive parents.
Verdict: I question younger me's reading choices sometimes.
May 31, 2021
One of my absolute favorite series growing up, so I was due for a reread. The first part, establishing Cam and Alex and the fallout of their first meeting, flies by. But once Alex ends up in Marble Bay, everything slows down a little too much, even as they investigate the Marleigh Cooper disappearance.
Despite being written in 2001, it hasn’t aged terribly, and the teen speak, while over the top (think Juno-esque), is nowhere near as cringy as more recent author’s attempts. This is a prime candidate for a Netflix series adaptation (the DCOM is enjoyable as its own thing, but it is a terrible adaptation). All in all, an interesting “realistic” take on witches the survives on its well-rounded leads. Excited to keep going.
Last line: “From this moment on, no one is safe.”
Despite being written in 2001, it hasn’t aged terribly, and the teen speak, while over the top (think Juno-esque), is nowhere near as cringy as more recent author’s attempts. This is a prime candidate for a Netflix series adaptation (the DCOM is enjoyable as its own thing, but it is a terrible adaptation). All in all, an interesting “realistic” take on witches the survives on its well-rounded leads. Excited to keep going.
Last line: “From this moment on, no one is safe.”
May 15, 2022
my friend lent me a bunch of books she liked as a kid and i need to get through them to clear them out of my room lol
ok i'm like 99% sure i read this one (maybe even twice?) nearly two decades ago. the cover was so familiar! i remembered none of the content but again it was a zillion years ago and also the storyline is very much a run-of-the-mill Charmed episode
omg i just looked it up and there's TEN of these!! honestly tween me would have lapped them up, this is exactly what i liked reading back then but now alas the teen drama and the constant fake hip lingo is harshing my vibe
ok i'm like 99% sure i read this one (maybe even twice?) nearly two decades ago. the cover was so familiar! i remembered none of the content but again it was a zillion years ago and also the storyline is very much a run-of-the-mill Charmed episode
omg i just looked it up and there's TEN of these!! honestly tween me would have lapped them up, this is exactly what i liked reading back then but now alas the teen drama and the constant fake hip lingo is harshing my vibe
Read
January 2, 2024I'm not going to rate this book, because, well... it's been 20 years since I read it. The first time, my 12 year old self LOVED this series and oddly enough I found myself recalling things about the story (like the acronym PITS standing for Pie In The Sky) that I had remembered all these years. I wanted to BE Alex. Find a long-lost twin. Develop powers of telepathy and etc. As an adult, I still enjoyed the story, but man, has this book aged. And I cannot, in good conscience rate a book like this that was very much of its time when so much has changed and evolved. I appreciate it for what it was - a series that got me hooked on reading, and for what it is - a trip down memory lane.
Read
July 12, 2023Dette var nok min mest læste bog i folkeskolen (ihvertfald den jeg husker at have lånt på skole biblioteket flest gange). Jeg husker den overraskende godt, men nøj det er ikke fordi jeg ville være overvældet hvis jeg læste den første gang i dag. Mangel på et ordentligt magi system, karakterer på 14 år som taler som om de er meget ældre - det kan selvfølgelig være en oversættelses ting - men opfører sig for ungt. Sjov at genlæse, men det er vist sidste gang jeg gør det 😅
April 6, 2012
Okay, before I even being my review, I'd like to point something out that nobody seems to understand. The title of this series is not TWITCHES, it is T - WITCHES, as in TEE-WITCHES, as in twin witches. And for those who don't agree, I would like to quote Alex at the end of the first book:
"'I'm not sure whether you're thinking 'Twins.' Or 'Witches.' 'Cause it came out 'T'Witches.'"
Not, "'Cause it came out Twitches.'" I never even watched the stupid Disney adaptions simply on the principle they mispronounced the title. And if for some crazy reason the authors actually did mean it to be Twitches, well I don't even want to know because that just sounds DUMB.
Anyway, I did like the book, even if it was meant for a younger demographic than mine. There were two major things I can't believe got past editing, though - the first one being the only one I actually noticed, which is that the word "wringing" is used twice, the second time spelled incorrectly as "ringing" (which is technically correct, but not when used in the context of "wringing your hands," which it was both times). The second, much larger one, I shamefully admit I didn't actually notice while reading it. But I read another review that pointed it out and was shocked - the timeline is incredibly off in one part. STOP NOW TO AVOID A SPOILER.
So, Alex and Cam are instant messaging each other (on what we assume is Tuesday) and Alex suddenly leaves because she gets an awful gut feeling about her mom. She runs home and finds her mom at the hospital. The doctor tells her Sara (the mom) is going to die before morning. Now, on this same day, Cam discovers, after quitting her convo with Alex, that she was adopted. While reeling with this shocking news, she predicts the doorbell will ring, and that it will be Alex. It is. And when Alex comes inside and tells Cam that Sara died, she mentions that Sara died on Wednesday morning, and that the funeral was on Friday, which is today.
Hold on, wasn't Cam just instant messaging Alex like, a few hours ago? Because, although the story is told from both perspectives, and Alex's timeline moved ahead to the funeral and then to Cam's house, Cam was perpetually in the same situation for... what is that, THREE DAYS? Does time move much, much slower in Massachusetts than in Montana? I don't think so, I think the writer's weren't reading each other's work closely enough... The only thing, I guess, that could make this work properly would be if, at the beginning of Cam's chapter (right after the one where they were IMing) the author had forgotten to say something like, "a few days after talking to Alex," or "Cam finally gathered the courage to talk to her parents on Friday. Her IM conversation with Alex on Tuesday had been too provoking." Because Cam's sections don't really instigate any time change, so you just assume it's picking up from where her last section left off...
I like Alex best, I think most readers do. Cam can be kind of annoying, but I guess I relate to Alex more to begin with. I had blue streaks in my hair once, too (and I STILL think it was totally awesome). And yeah, some of the dialogue is very nineties and kinda cheesy, but hey, you get that in the older Anita Blake novels, too. I don't care what the other reviews are, I liked it, and I'll definitely continue reading the series. It's a quick read and totally reminds me of my childhood.
"'I'm not sure whether you're thinking 'Twins.' Or 'Witches.' 'Cause it came out 'T'Witches.'"
Not, "'Cause it came out Twitches.'" I never even watched the stupid Disney adaptions simply on the principle they mispronounced the title. And if for some crazy reason the authors actually did mean it to be Twitches, well I don't even want to know because that just sounds DUMB.
Anyway, I did like the book, even if it was meant for a younger demographic than mine. There were two major things I can't believe got past editing, though - the first one being the only one I actually noticed, which is that the word "wringing" is used twice, the second time spelled incorrectly as "ringing" (which is technically correct, but not when used in the context of "wringing your hands," which it was both times). The second, much larger one, I shamefully admit I didn't actually notice while reading it. But I read another review that pointed it out and was shocked - the timeline is incredibly off in one part. STOP NOW TO AVOID A SPOILER.
So, Alex and Cam are instant messaging each other (on what we assume is Tuesday) and Alex suddenly leaves because she gets an awful gut feeling about her mom. She runs home and finds her mom at the hospital. The doctor tells her Sara (the mom) is going to die before morning. Now, on this same day, Cam discovers, after quitting her convo with Alex, that she was adopted. While reeling with this shocking news, she predicts the doorbell will ring, and that it will be Alex. It is. And when Alex comes inside and tells Cam that Sara died, she mentions that Sara died on Wednesday morning, and that the funeral was on Friday, which is today.
Hold on, wasn't Cam just instant messaging Alex like, a few hours ago? Because, although the story is told from both perspectives, and Alex's timeline moved ahead to the funeral and then to Cam's house, Cam was perpetually in the same situation for... what is that, THREE DAYS? Does time move much, much slower in Massachusetts than in Montana? I don't think so, I think the writer's weren't reading each other's work closely enough... The only thing, I guess, that could make this work properly would be if, at the beginning of Cam's chapter (right after the one where they were IMing) the author had forgotten to say something like, "a few days after talking to Alex," or "Cam finally gathered the courage to talk to her parents on Friday. Her IM conversation with Alex on Tuesday had been too provoking." Because Cam's sections don't really instigate any time change, so you just assume it's picking up from where her last section left off...
I like Alex best, I think most readers do. Cam can be kind of annoying, but I guess I relate to Alex more to begin with. I had blue streaks in my hair once, too (and I STILL think it was totally awesome). And yeah, some of the dialogue is very nineties and kinda cheesy, but hey, you get that in the older Anita Blake novels, too. I don't care what the other reviews are, I liked it, and I'll definitely continue reading the series. It's a quick read and totally reminds me of my childhood.
October 23, 2022
First Read: 2001?
Second Read: October 22-23, 2022
Review: October 23, 2022
3 Stars
I remember getting this book through the Scholastic school flyer. Man, those were the days.
I only ever read the first four books of this series. I have been watching Halloweetown and Twitches a lot this month. It has put me the mood to finally start reading the entire series. I am starting at the beginning, since it has been so long.
Even at the age of thirty, and not being the target age for this book, I actually quite enjoyed it. I am a sucker for anything witch related.
The movies seem to be lightly based off the books, so you need to separate the two. There were only two movies, but ten books. The movies probably seem like they are more fast paced. The book was a very quick read though. There were some timeline issues that made no sense near the beginning/half way mark. Alex and Cam who were separated at birth find each other and realize they both possess some sort of magical power. They use these powers to try and solve a case of a local missing singer. The novel isn't jaw dropping, but I liked it. I like the slower pace of finding out about the twins and where they come from. It gives you some mystery to look forward to. This is a good introduction to the series and I think I will be able to stick with it this time around.
Second Read: October 22-23, 2022
Review: October 23, 2022
3 Stars
I remember getting this book through the Scholastic school flyer. Man, those were the days.
I only ever read the first four books of this series. I have been watching Halloweetown and Twitches a lot this month. It has put me the mood to finally start reading the entire series. I am starting at the beginning, since it has been so long.
Even at the age of thirty, and not being the target age for this book, I actually quite enjoyed it. I am a sucker for anything witch related.
The movies seem to be lightly based off the books, so you need to separate the two. There were only two movies, but ten books. The movies probably seem like they are more fast paced. The book was a very quick read though. There were some timeline issues that made no sense near the beginning/half way mark. Alex and Cam who were separated at birth find each other and realize they both possess some sort of magical power. They use these powers to try and solve a case of a local missing singer. The novel isn't jaw dropping, but I liked it. I like the slower pace of finding out about the twins and where they come from. It gives you some mystery to look forward to. This is a good introduction to the series and I think I will be able to stick with it this time around.
September 20, 2016
Bogen handler om to piger der finder ud af at de kan magi og er tvillinger. Enæggede tvilinger.De har de her amuletter som jeg simpel hen ikke kan finde ud af om de er vigtige eller ej og hvorfor.
Jeg synes at bogen er spændene. Hvorfor? Ja det er jo spørsmålet, se det er fordi de to piger (som jeg nævnte tidligere, hvis DU måske ikke så DET) finder ud af at de er tvilinger, kan magi (som jeg også nævnte tidligere) og der er en (måske to) mand som følger efter dem og kalder dem ved andre navne, ja det synes JEG er bare en lille smule spændende, bare en lille smule. Jeg synes ikke så godt om bogen (selv om at jeg blankt indrømmer at den var lidt bare lidt spændene) fordi de har de her (JA det lyder dumt jeg VED det) åndssvage (ikke at det er noget ondt ment) amuletter og den der hekse ting nærmer sig (faretruende) meget det overtroiske og det er jeg ikke så glad for, men ellers er det en (lidt) god bog
Jeg synes at bogen er spændene. Hvorfor? Ja det er jo spørsmålet, se det er fordi de to piger (som jeg nævnte tidligere, hvis DU måske ikke så DET) finder ud af at de er tvilinger, kan magi (som jeg også nævnte tidligere) og der er en (måske to) mand som følger efter dem og kalder dem ved andre navne, ja det synes JEG er bare en lille smule spændende, bare en lille smule. Jeg synes ikke så godt om bogen (selv om at jeg blankt indrømmer at den var lidt bare lidt spændene) fordi de har de her (JA det lyder dumt jeg VED det) åndssvage (ikke at det er noget ondt ment) amuletter og den der hekse ting nærmer sig (faretruende) meget det overtroiske og det er jeg ikke så glad for, men ellers er det en (lidt) god bog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2018
3.75. I was really nervous to read this, because I really really loved this book when I was kid, and I was terrified it wouldn’t live up. And well, it didn’t, because I built it up too much in my head, but it wasn’t actually bad. My biggest complaint stems from the fact that I read a brand new kindle book instead of trying to find an old copy, and sometime since it was published in the early 2000’s it’s been updated, so it was really disconcerting to see twitter and iPads mentioned in a book I read as a kid, I was kind of looking forward to the throwbacks. Honestly this book might have gotten a 4 or even a 4.5 if not for so much of it focusing on a missing pop star instead of witch stuff, I know it was par for the course with these formulaic early 2000’s YA series, but still. I might have to read a couple more, maybe the whole series if they keep being decent, I never finished the series when I was a kid, so it would be cool to finally see how it all turns out.
November 11, 2021
I am a huge fan of the Twitches movies with Tia and Tamera, so I've always wanted to read the series it was based on.
Unfortunately, I hated this. It is so different from the movies I love that I had a hard time separating it, but more than that this was just terrible. I only made it about halfway through before I decided I'd had enough. At least I know now, and I won't wonder anymore about these books!
Unfortunately, I hated this. It is so different from the movies I love that I had a hard time separating it, but more than that this was just terrible. I only made it about halfway through before I decided I'd had enough. At least I know now, and I won't wonder anymore about these books!
November 8, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book and I look forward to reading more in the series - this is book 1. A good YA paranormal series, no sex or foul language. If I had to compare it to any series I'd say it's along the lines of Marley Gibson's Ghost Huntress series. My 11 year old daughter didn't care for it too much; she wouldn't tell me why.
March 24, 2011
Loved it! It Really was an amazing novel. The power of the two witches as they battle against evil and their realization of being orphans, everything was just gripping.
October 1, 2020
This book...I’ve read this book when I was a kid. I loved it as a kid? Now? I still like it, but...but now as I sit here and finish reading this book...I like it just a little bit less. Yes I’m older and reading this book makes me feel like I’m back in Elementary School again, but as I read it now, for nostalgia reasons, I realize that I’ve quite...outgrown this book and the world, but I still fell in love with it.
This book is about twins named Artemis and Apolla, who had to be separated because of evil warlock named Thanatos (cool name for a warlock, yo) is hunting down the baby girls for evil (now who does this sounds like? Hmmm….oh hello Klaus Mikaelson back when you hunted down doppelgangers to break a spell...and also Thanos from the Avengers). Ileana and Karsh, the ones watching over them, separated them so Thanatos wouldn’t find them.
Years later they meet again, but under different names-Alexandra “Alex” Fielding and Camryn “Cam” Barnes-and they are totally different people. Alex is a goth kid that changes her hairstyle almost every single day, but she can read people’s minds, and Cam is a preppy kid who can see the future. They met when Cam’s family went to Montana to Big Sky, where they met and saved a family who was about to fall from a ferris wheel. After doing some enchantments, they fix the ferris wheel so the family doesn’t fall.
Of course, the first time they met they didn’t think that they were siblings at all. But once Alex’s mother died and Karsh flew her to Marble Bay, that’s when they realize they were (well, after two things happened to the twins that they couldn’t explain and they had to get a DNA test to find out if they were), that’s when weird stuff started happening.
First, a very popular singer, Marileigh Cooper, has gone missing. Cam and Alex are trying to figure out what happened to her so they can bring her back home safely. Secondly, they start to have weird dreams about a man (who turns out to be Karsh) and they learn a couple tricks from him. While they were trying to solve the case of Marileigh Cooper, they find that Alex can read minds and Cam can see the future (not like Raven, sadly…)
But the solve the Marileigh Cooper case, finding out that Tonya Gladstone fake-kidnapped her so she can rescue her and bring her back home so they can be friends...yeah no, that didn’t happen. Because Cam and Alex found her, but at the same time they ran into someone (Thantos) before Ileana and Karsh dealt with him. In the end, the pop singer is safe and everyone’s fine. I don’t know if I’m going to read the rest of the series or just stop at book one (i fact, I’ll just stop at book one) but it’s an okay book. Might pick it up in the future.
This book is about twins named Artemis and Apolla, who had to be separated because of evil warlock named Thanatos (cool name for a warlock, yo) is hunting down the baby girls for evil (now who does this sounds like? Hmmm….oh hello Klaus Mikaelson back when you hunted down doppelgangers to break a spell...and also Thanos from the Avengers). Ileana and Karsh, the ones watching over them, separated them so Thanatos wouldn’t find them.
Years later they meet again, but under different names-Alexandra “Alex” Fielding and Camryn “Cam” Barnes-and they are totally different people. Alex is a goth kid that changes her hairstyle almost every single day, but she can read people’s minds, and Cam is a preppy kid who can see the future. They met when Cam’s family went to Montana to Big Sky, where they met and saved a family who was about to fall from a ferris wheel. After doing some enchantments, they fix the ferris wheel so the family doesn’t fall.
Of course, the first time they met they didn’t think that they were siblings at all. But once Alex’s mother died and Karsh flew her to Marble Bay, that’s when they realize they were (well, after two things happened to the twins that they couldn’t explain and they had to get a DNA test to find out if they were), that’s when weird stuff started happening.
First, a very popular singer, Marileigh Cooper, has gone missing. Cam and Alex are trying to figure out what happened to her so they can bring her back home safely. Secondly, they start to have weird dreams about a man (who turns out to be Karsh) and they learn a couple tricks from him. While they were trying to solve the case of Marileigh Cooper, they find that Alex can read minds and Cam can see the future (not like Raven, sadly…)
But the solve the Marileigh Cooper case, finding out that Tonya Gladstone fake-kidnapped her so she can rescue her and bring her back home so they can be friends...yeah no, that didn’t happen. Because Cam and Alex found her, but at the same time they ran into someone (Thantos) before Ileana and Karsh dealt with him. In the end, the pop singer is safe and everyone’s fine. I don’t know if I’m going to read the rest of the series or just stop at book one (i fact, I’ll just stop at book one) but it’s an okay book. Might pick it up in the future.
July 3, 2017
Kat Mandu says...
Cam and Alex are about to discover they’re twin witches separated at birth. When an incredibly well-planned coincidence ends up with them meeting for the first time, their lives will never be the same.
Like most of the other books written in the early 2000’s, this is kind of cheesy fantasy that really ruled the shelves back in the day when “Independent Readers” was a genre that really drew the line between upper-middle-grade and young adult. It has similar tones to Sweep by Cate Tiernan and Daughter of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Books more innocent in tone compared to the darker books on the shelves today. I’ve been reading a lot of older books like this so it’s a nice change of pace.
I’ll also admit that I know this series was made into two movies featuring the Mowry twins. I never actually watched them. They seemed kind of goofy and by the time the movies came out, I was in a different phase where all the teen lingo that was popular didn’t appeal to me and I almost found it annoying.
However, the book series was always different to me. Rereading always reminds me that writing has a million – trillion – styles. Twitches have their own.
And I know what you’re thinking. Twin sisters meeting up for the first time and discovering they have these hidden powers and are meant to do good with it? Can we say cliche? Well, yeah. But I’m taking into account of when this was written and the trend of the day was twins with fantastic powers. I have a different feel for it that I can’t really describe. Maybe because it’s one of my favorite series from when I was growing up, so I have a slightly hypocritical fondness for it I can’t seem to explain.
But either way, I do like this series. I could never decide which particular twin was my favorite, though I love Alex’s powers a lot more than Camyrn’s. I really adore their silly, young characters and can somewhat to relate to them in a weird way. They make it real for me more than the plot obviously. Their interactions are fun, like when they bicker, or can be sad, like when they’re grieving or discovering they’re actually adopted.
So that being said, the first one gets a four from me. I’ll have reviews for the rest of the series coming soon, and I don’t think they get as high of ratings, but I still love Twitches.
Cam and Alex are about to discover they’re twin witches separated at birth. When an incredibly well-planned coincidence ends up with them meeting for the first time, their lives will never be the same.
Like most of the other books written in the early 2000’s, this is kind of cheesy fantasy that really ruled the shelves back in the day when “Independent Readers” was a genre that really drew the line between upper-middle-grade and young adult. It has similar tones to Sweep by Cate Tiernan and Daughter of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Books more innocent in tone compared to the darker books on the shelves today. I’ve been reading a lot of older books like this so it’s a nice change of pace.
I’ll also admit that I know this series was made into two movies featuring the Mowry twins. I never actually watched them. They seemed kind of goofy and by the time the movies came out, I was in a different phase where all the teen lingo that was popular didn’t appeal to me and I almost found it annoying.
However, the book series was always different to me. Rereading always reminds me that writing has a million – trillion – styles. Twitches have their own.
And I know what you’re thinking. Twin sisters meeting up for the first time and discovering they have these hidden powers and are meant to do good with it? Can we say cliche? Well, yeah. But I’m taking into account of when this was written and the trend of the day was twins with fantastic powers. I have a different feel for it that I can’t really describe. Maybe because it’s one of my favorite series from when I was growing up, so I have a slightly hypocritical fondness for it I can’t seem to explain.
But either way, I do like this series. I could never decide which particular twin was my favorite, though I love Alex’s powers a lot more than Camyrn’s. I really adore their silly, young characters and can somewhat to relate to them in a weird way. They make it real for me more than the plot obviously. Their interactions are fun, like when they bicker, or can be sad, like when they’re grieving or discovering they’re actually adopted.
So that being said, the first one gets a four from me. I’ll have reviews for the rest of the series coming soon, and I don’t think they get as high of ratings, but I still love Twitches.
June 1, 2017
Cam and Alex are about to discover they're twin witches separated at birth. When an incredibly well-planned coincidence ends up with them meeting for the first time, their lives will never be the same.
Like most of the other books written in the early 2000's, this is kind of cheesy fantasy that really ruled the shelves back in the day when "Independent Readers" was a genre that really drew the line between upper-middle-grade and young adult. It has similar tones to Sweep by Cate Tiernan and Daughter of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Books more innocent in tone compared to the darker books on the shelves today. I've been reading a lot of older books like this so it's a nice change of pace.
I'll also admit that I know this series was made into two movies featuring the Mowry twins. I never actually watched them. They seemed kind of goofy and by the time the movies came out, I was in a different phase where all the teen lingo that was popular didn't appeal to me and I almost found it annoying.
However, the book series was always different to me. Rereading always reminds me that writing has a million - trillion - styles. Twitches have their own.
And I know what you're thinking. Twin sisters meeting up for the first time and discovering they have these hidden powers and are meant to do good with it? Can we say cliche? Well, yeah. But I'm taking into account of when this was written and the trend of the day was twins with fantastic powers. I have a different feel for it that I can't really describe. Maybe because it's one of my favorite series from when I was growing up, so I have a slightly hypocritical fondness for it I can't seem to explain.
But either way, I do like this series. I could never decide which particular twin was my favorite, though I love Alex's powers a lot more than Camyrn's. I really adore their silly, young characters and can somewhat to relate to them in a weird way. They make it real for me more than the plot obviously. Their interactions are fun, like when they bicker, or can be sad, like when they're grieving or discovering they're actually adopted.
So that being said, the first one gets a four from me. I'll have reviews for the rest of the series coming soon, and I don't think they get as high of ratings, but I still love Twitches.
Like most of the other books written in the early 2000's, this is kind of cheesy fantasy that really ruled the shelves back in the day when "Independent Readers" was a genre that really drew the line between upper-middle-grade and young adult. It has similar tones to Sweep by Cate Tiernan and Daughter of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Books more innocent in tone compared to the darker books on the shelves today. I've been reading a lot of older books like this so it's a nice change of pace.
I'll also admit that I know this series was made into two movies featuring the Mowry twins. I never actually watched them. They seemed kind of goofy and by the time the movies came out, I was in a different phase where all the teen lingo that was popular didn't appeal to me and I almost found it annoying.
However, the book series was always different to me. Rereading always reminds me that writing has a million - trillion - styles. Twitches have their own.
And I know what you're thinking. Twin sisters meeting up for the first time and discovering they have these hidden powers and are meant to do good with it? Can we say cliche? Well, yeah. But I'm taking into account of when this was written and the trend of the day was twins with fantastic powers. I have a different feel for it that I can't really describe. Maybe because it's one of my favorite series from when I was growing up, so I have a slightly hypocritical fondness for it I can't seem to explain.
But either way, I do like this series. I could never decide which particular twin was my favorite, though I love Alex's powers a lot more than Camyrn's. I really adore their silly, young characters and can somewhat to relate to them in a weird way. They make it real for me more than the plot obviously. Their interactions are fun, like when they bicker, or can be sad, like when they're grieving or discovering they're actually adopted.
So that being said, the first one gets a four from me. I'll have reviews for the rest of the series coming soon, and I don't think they get as high of ratings, but I still love Twitches.
April 20, 2018
The Power Of Two
PLOT: Twin sisters Camryn Barnes and Alexandra Fielding were separated when they were just minutes born by their guardians Karsh and Illeana and sent from the magical Coventry Island to our world where they adopted and raised by Sara Fielding and Dave Barnes (and his wife Emily). And their paths are about to cross again during the Barnes family vacation to a Western-themed Montana theme park. Not only do the twins discover each other, but during an incident where they save a family from a fatal death due to a rusty, broken down, Ferris wheel they also discover they have magical powers. NO WAY! Is what they delude themselves into thinking that either of their other halves even looks like them. Much less can they be related. Meanwhile, a famous pop star goes missing and it's the talk of Marble Bay. With everything going on, (the death of Alex's mother, Cam finding out the ugly truth about her birth, and their pending DNA results) can the twins use their new abilities to get to the bottom of the dime diva's disappearance? And then whose the scary, white, haired, skeletal-looking, "nightmare" man who keeps popping in and out of their lives at will?
MY THOUGHTS:
*For the first time someone that has magic breaks the fictional law of "I have to keep this a secret" and confides in a best friend and the best friend says "Do you hear how you sound?" (Sighing)
*And I think Sara knows that Alex has powers because she IMMEDIATELY says "Cut it out" when that cigarette flies out her hands. She's a little too calm.
*"Beth's incident" was ripped from Charmed. The same thing happens the first time Phoebe's has a premonition.
* So if Cam heard Dave's thoughts according to Alex about telling her the truth about the results and she asked a question and he answered her back, does that mean that Dave also has magic? That part was not only confusing to Cam herself but me.
*Ok so I will never understand this. Alex (who's been nothing but snippy since the day she arrived at the Barnes) just tells Cam she's not sticking around and doesn't make it a secret she takes offense to her life. When Cam gets snippy back she's surprised because she doesn't want to hurt her? Why do people just think they can up and leave and it doesn't have an effect on the person they're about to leave or that they won't be hurt by it? Are you really that clueless Alex?
*It's interesting that they don't know the billionaire who donated the software is Lord Thantos (as we find out later)
*Lady Rhianna is ridiculous for holding on to something a CHILD said years ago. Children are blunt like that and tend to not hold anything back. Illeana probably was just saying what she saw. Nine times out of ten it wasn't meant as in insult.
*It's kind of hard to believe that Dave sees a girl that looks JUST LIKE his daughter and does NOTHING? And then weren't they all together when they went in the theme park? Shouldn't Cam and Alex have noticed each other then?
A lot of plots going on in The Power of Two. We have events going on (on) Coventry Island, we have the twin's meeting for the first time, and discovering they have powers. We have Alex's mother (Sara)'s death and Cam coming to terms with the fact that she's adopted. And to top that off the drama with their friends and the disappearance of pop star Marleigh. And the lingering question of what Thantos end game is with the twins and what he really knows about their birth mom. I liked that twist that this isn't just a story about twin's reuniting that were separated at birth, but that hat the twins are witches I liked the way we were introduced to their powers (Cam's at the soccer game and Alex's at the trailer) and then we got the explanation of how they're abilities corresponded with their birth names (Artemis and Apolla) and the God and Goddess they were named after. And I also thought it was clever how each twin's personality matched their amulets charms. (Cam/sunny Alex/mooney) . Although sometimes honestly Alex annoyed me. From the moment she arrives at the Barnes she's snarky and RUDE to Cam about her lifestyle, her friend's, her family, etc. Just for no reason. Yes, it's horrible Sara got lung cancer and died. And yes I KNOW it's not fair that she (Cam) got the apartment sized room with the designer this and that and the smartphone and you got the trailer. LIFE DOES SUCK! Don't I know it? But to take that out on Cam? It's not her fault. A lot of times Alex really needed to let up. In the movie version Twitch's same sarcasm from Alex but it's not quite so hurtful. Here not so much! I also didn't care for Beth. Beth was ridiculous to me. When Cam and Alex first meet at the park Beth encourages Cam to talk to Alex. When Alex shows up and she and Cam start to bond Beth gets bitchy and snippy. Weren't you the one that told her to get to know her possible twin? You can't have it both ways Beth and get jealous when she does. The "mystery" wasn't a very hard one. Ever page turned it pointed to Tonya Gladstone talking to the media. Although this might just seem like a subtle thing we really weren't given any other options. Later on, we got Music and More guy. I think it was a lock after that when you found out about the emails being traced to the store and him missing you knew the two had something to do with one another. Although it had been a while since I read this and I forgot about her involvement altogether and just remembered his in the back of my mind. And then we have the events of Coventry. Karsh, I liked as a character because he just always seems to be there. Even before the twins meet each other (or him) he's guided them. He never took Camryn's necklace. He spoke to her in her dreams. Then all throughout the twin's different events, every single place they are we see a white-haired guy. Some people in life aren't that consistent and loyal. As for Ileana, I didn't think much of her in the beginning. I understood her motivations, but she just seemed flighty. Like she could bark out orders what not to do, but then where was she when the twins were in danger. Off with her boy toy. I know people like that always quick to point out what they think someone else did wrong, but nowhere when it comes to helping. Even at the end, she criticized the twins without even saying who she was. I was surprised there wasn't more at the end. Such as a formal introduction from Karsh and Illeana to these poor girls who've had a hell of a 48 hours. They should have at least sat them down and given then the cliff note version. But I guess that's for the next book.
RATING: 8
PLOT: Twin sisters Camryn Barnes and Alexandra Fielding were separated when they were just minutes born by their guardians Karsh and Illeana and sent from the magical Coventry Island to our world where they adopted and raised by Sara Fielding and Dave Barnes (and his wife Emily). And their paths are about to cross again during the Barnes family vacation to a Western-themed Montana theme park. Not only do the twins discover each other, but during an incident where they save a family from a fatal death due to a rusty, broken down, Ferris wheel they also discover they have magical powers. NO WAY! Is what they delude themselves into thinking that either of their other halves even looks like them. Much less can they be related. Meanwhile, a famous pop star goes missing and it's the talk of Marble Bay. With everything going on, (the death of Alex's mother, Cam finding out the ugly truth about her birth, and their pending DNA results) can the twins use their new abilities to get to the bottom of the dime diva's disappearance? And then whose the scary, white, haired, skeletal-looking, "nightmare" man who keeps popping in and out of their lives at will?
MY THOUGHTS:
*For the first time someone that has magic breaks the fictional law of "I have to keep this a secret" and confides in a best friend and the best friend says "Do you hear how you sound?" (Sighing)
*And I think Sara knows that Alex has powers because she IMMEDIATELY says "Cut it out" when that cigarette flies out her hands. She's a little too calm.
*"Beth's incident" was ripped from Charmed. The same thing happens the first time Phoebe's has a premonition.
* So if Cam heard Dave's thoughts according to Alex about telling her the truth about the results and she asked a question and he answered her back, does that mean that Dave also has magic? That part was not only confusing to Cam herself but me.
*Ok so I will never understand this. Alex (who's been nothing but snippy since the day she arrived at the Barnes) just tells Cam she's not sticking around and doesn't make it a secret she takes offense to her life. When Cam gets snippy back she's surprised because she doesn't want to hurt her? Why do people just think they can up and leave and it doesn't have an effect on the person they're about to leave or that they won't be hurt by it? Are you really that clueless Alex?
*It's interesting that they don't know the billionaire who donated the software is Lord Thantos (as we find out later)
*Lady Rhianna is ridiculous for holding on to something a CHILD said years ago. Children are blunt like that and tend to not hold anything back. Illeana probably was just saying what she saw. Nine times out of ten it wasn't meant as in insult.
*It's kind of hard to believe that Dave sees a girl that looks JUST LIKE his daughter and does NOTHING? And then weren't they all together when they went in the theme park? Shouldn't Cam and Alex have noticed each other then?
A lot of plots going on in The Power of Two. We have events going on (on) Coventry Island, we have the twin's meeting for the first time, and discovering they have powers. We have Alex's mother (Sara)'s death and Cam coming to terms with the fact that she's adopted. And to top that off the drama with their friends and the disappearance of pop star Marleigh. And the lingering question of what Thantos end game is with the twins and what he really knows about their birth mom. I liked that twist that this isn't just a story about twin's reuniting that were separated at birth, but that hat the twins are witches I liked the way we were introduced to their powers (Cam's at the soccer game and Alex's at the trailer) and then we got the explanation of how they're abilities corresponded with their birth names (Artemis and Apolla) and the God and Goddess they were named after. And I also thought it was clever how each twin's personality matched their amulets charms. (Cam/sunny Alex/mooney) . Although sometimes honestly Alex annoyed me. From the moment she arrives at the Barnes she's snarky and RUDE to Cam about her lifestyle, her friend's, her family, etc. Just for no reason. Yes, it's horrible Sara got lung cancer and died. And yes I KNOW it's not fair that she (Cam) got the apartment sized room with the designer this and that and the smartphone and you got the trailer. LIFE DOES SUCK! Don't I know it? But to take that out on Cam? It's not her fault. A lot of times Alex really needed to let up. In the movie version Twitch's same sarcasm from Alex but it's not quite so hurtful. Here not so much! I also didn't care for Beth. Beth was ridiculous to me. When Cam and Alex first meet at the park Beth encourages Cam to talk to Alex. When Alex shows up and she and Cam start to bond Beth gets bitchy and snippy. Weren't you the one that told her to get to know her possible twin? You can't have it both ways Beth and get jealous when she does. The "mystery" wasn't a very hard one. Ever page turned it pointed to Tonya Gladstone talking to the media. Although this might just seem like a subtle thing we really weren't given any other options. Later on, we got Music and More guy. I think it was a lock after that when you found out about the emails being traced to the store and him missing you knew the two had something to do with one another. Although it had been a while since I read this and I forgot about her involvement altogether and just remembered his in the back of my mind. And then we have the events of Coventry. Karsh, I liked as a character because he just always seems to be there. Even before the twins meet each other (or him) he's guided them. He never took Camryn's necklace. He spoke to her in her dreams. Then all throughout the twin's different events, every single place they are we see a white-haired guy. Some people in life aren't that consistent and loyal. As for Ileana, I didn't think much of her in the beginning. I understood her motivations, but she just seemed flighty. Like she could bark out orders what not to do, but then where was she when the twins were in danger. Off with her boy toy. I know people like that always quick to point out what they think someone else did wrong, but nowhere when it comes to helping. Even at the end, she criticized the twins without even saying who she was. I was surprised there wasn't more at the end. Such as a formal introduction from Karsh and Illeana to these poor girls who've had a hell of a 48 hours. They should have at least sat them down and given then the cliff note version. But I guess that's for the next book.
RATING: 8
August 14, 2025
This book is very...cringe. But I don't actually mean that as a bad thing. This book if it was read by kids nowadays wouldn't like it because they wouldn't get 90% of the jokes and referrences. (This is why they say you dont put to much pop culture in your story because it dates your book) but I love it FOR that reason. This book is like a love letter to the 90s and early 2000s. Reading it again was like putting myself back into my own cringy kid head. If you're my age you get every referrence and even if it is wince worthy it makes you laugh "Oh my GOD I remember that...." Because either you did that or remember someone else who did.
Now if you dont mind, Im off to chill with my homies. Call them with my Startac, so we can watch Carson Daly on MTV and figure out which N*sync members we want to marry.
Now if you dont mind, Im off to chill with my homies. Call them with my Startac, so we can watch Carson Daly on MTV and figure out which N*sync members we want to marry.
February 8, 2023
I remember reading and loving this book series as a preteen. So when I was reorganizing my bookshelf with all my well loved teen books, I thought it was time for a reread. As an adult though it has lost most of its magic for me.
While I did really like the authentic teen dialogue used and how fleshed out the characters were, the story itself was a bit slow. The beginning was great for really setting the tone and giving a glimpse into each twin's lives before they meet. But I wish the story would have gotten into the action sooner.
After the halfway point the story felt like it was dragging on more than anything else and I was getting anxious to finally be finished with it. I don't think I'll be reading on in the series.
While I did really like the authentic teen dialogue used and how fleshed out the characters were, the story itself was a bit slow. The beginning was great for really setting the tone and giving a glimpse into each twin's lives before they meet. But I wish the story would have gotten into the action sooner.
After the halfway point the story felt like it was dragging on more than anything else and I was getting anxious to finally be finished with it. I don't think I'll be reading on in the series.
October 10, 2021
I read these books almost 20 years ago shortly after they came out and absolutely loved them at the time. Reading them again at 29 is certainly a different experience. My four star rating comes from the five stars I probably would’ve given the book as a kid averaged with three stars as an adult.
The book is very dated. It uses such wild language, I can’t believe we even talked like that in 2001 🤣
I also feel like I remembered so many things differently. Like I didn’t realize how much of the book went by before Cam and Alex finally met.
I will definitely continue my reread of the series.
The book is very dated. It uses such wild language, I can’t believe we even talked like that in 2001 🤣
I also feel like I remembered so many things differently. Like I didn’t realize how much of the book went by before Cam and Alex finally met.
I will definitely continue my reread of the series.
May 17, 2017
I read this book in middle school and loved it so now that I'm an adult I decided to reread it and see if it held some of the same magic for me. Sadly it didn't as I now found some of the plot just completely crazy.
But I did still love the characters all the same and still felt such a connection to both twins albeit I was more inclined to feel for Alex more as she lost much more during the book than Cam did. But I loved the ending and how she sorta got some of it back in Cam's family.
But I did still love the characters all the same and still felt such a connection to both twins albeit I was more inclined to feel for Alex more as she lost much more during the book than Cam did. But I loved the ending and how she sorta got some of it back in Cam's family.
September 4, 2019
Yeah. I pretty much bought this book because I am a huge fan of the movie.
So the book fairly disappointed me. The only reason I give it 3 stars instead of 2 is because of the movie. Both twins don't want to have anything to do with each other, and even when Cam warms up to Alex, the latter is still resistant. And while I know the book is the first of the series, does it have to end with such an ominous cliffhanger?
So the book fairly disappointed me. The only reason I give it 3 stars instead of 2 is because of the movie. Both twins don't want to have anything to do with each other, and even when Cam warms up to Alex, the latter is still resistant. And while I know the book is the first of the series, does it have to end with such an ominous cliffhanger?
May 3, 2024
Rereading another of my favorite series from middle school. The authors do a great job of distinguishing between the twins and their powers. The introduction to the world is written amongst the exposition, so there's not much drag. Loved the slang and way the teenagers are written to show them in their own worlds.
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