Twin Tides

by Hien Nguyen

Long-lost twin sisters unravel the mystery behind their mother's disappearance and face the family betrayal that ultimately separated them in this breathtaking speculative young adult thriller.

Aria Nguyen and Caliste Ha are identical twins. A fact that they just learned when a police officer told them that their mother is no longer a missing person. She’s been found dead in Minnesota, a place neither knew they had a connection to.

Aria is from DC, where she’s been struggling to pay their sick aunt’s medical bills and only does so by writing her classmates’ papers for extra cash. Meanwhile, Caliste is a successful influencer in LA, not that their food mogul father cares. Both have dreamt of the moment they’d see their mother again, of being happy again, but they could’ve never imagined this nightmare. Their mom’s body apparently hasn’t aged, and there’s a bruise on her neck.

Now beckoned to the quaint yet eerie city of Les Eaux, where a ghoul supposedly haunts the waters, Caliste and Aria must delve into their family’s past to find their mother’s murderer. Secrets don’t unravel easily though. And some people in this small town don’t want to give theirs up without a fight.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Thriller, YA Horror, Mystery, Asian Literature, Audiobook

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2025

About the author

Hien Nguyen (she/her) is a Best of the Net nominated speculative fiction writer who writes about Vietnamese ghosts, monsters, and mythology. She is interested in the uplifting and haunting forms of human connection, and how the speculative can lay those bare. Hien’s work has been published by Invisible City, Fahmidan Journal, and others. She is a mentor for WriteGirl & Round Table Mentor, a member of the Codex Writers Group, and a 2024 Roots. Wounds. Words. Writer’s Retreat Fellow. Hien’s debut young adult novel, TWIN TIDES, is forthcoming in Fall 2025 from Delacorte Press (Random House Children's Books).

An indoor cat disguised as a human, Hien enjoys bird watching with her significant other, binging Asian variety shows, and absorbing hot pot broth like a sponge. Born in the Midwest, Hien has ping-ponged across coasts but is currently based in the South. She is represented by Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

You can find Hien online at authorhien.com, or on Instagram and other social media as @authorhien.

Reviews

[Zana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

This felt more contemporary YA than SFF mystery/thriller, but despite that, I had a good time reading this novel.

The Vietnamese rep and wealth inequality were written really well. Those aspects of the book actually hooked me into the story a lot more than the actual mystery/thriller. I loved the second gen immigrant viewpoint. As a 1.5 gen immigrant, it was definitely very relatable.

I love a good SFF mystery/thriller, and trust me, I was VERY intrigued with The Ghoul's POV chapters, but that aspect of the story wasn't as strong as I thought it'd be. (I would've given this a full 4 stars otherwise.) Once you unravel The Ghoul's identity, it was less mystery and more historical YA. I can't hate though. I do love historical YA, especially if it deals with immigrant/emigrant stories.

I think my favorite part of this novel was Caliste and Aria's relationship. The author could've easily fallen into the rich (read: mean) girl vs. poor girl trope, but I was very happy to see that she didn't even once take that route at all. Their newfound sisterhood was very positive, and I was rooting for them the whole way.

I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a good contemporary YA read with great Asian American rep.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this arc.

[Keshe Chow · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this visceral, haunting debut, worlds collide and the duality of human nature is explored. Harrowing yet heartwarming, tender yet terrifying, Twin Tides is a poignant meditation on grief, obsession, and the ties which bind us to family near and far.

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twin Tides follows long-lost twin sisters as they work to uncover the truth behind their mother’s mysterious disappearance.

This was a really fun speculative mystery! The first half is a bit slow, but the second half was soo good. It kept me very hooked and engaged trying to figure out what was really going on. The mystery element was very well done and I really liked the twist. It was very atmospheric and eerie. The ghoul was really interesting. It was a very haunting story with the ghoul and the way people and events can play a big role in our lives. There’s a really great theme of the challenges of immigration.

I really enjoyed that we got three perspectives. The twins and the ghoul. It was a nice touch and I really enjoyed reading from all three perspectives. I really enjoyed both their stories and their arcs throughout the book. I do like that they meet fairly early on cause I really liked seeing them together and uncovering the mystery of everything.

Overall, if you love mysteries with hauntings, feminine rage, and intergenerational trauma, I’d definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen CA for the arc!

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, Thank you so much for the Author for sending me an ARC of this book!

I went in with no expectations. I was intrigued by the summary I read, and this is one of my favourite genres. I have to say, this was a rather pleasant read that I enjoyed!

It helped me overcome a reading slump, which I appreciate. I needed to read something engaging and something that leaves me curious, and this book had it.

Regarding the plot, I would say it was planned and executed well enough. My only issue with it was that the story felt a little short, I wish we had more character development or just more time to get to know the characters, because while I did like what I was reading it was a bit hard for me to connect to the girls. On the other hand, exactly because it was quite short in my opinion, everything happened fast which meant there were no fillers — every chapter had importance which I did like, but still, it made me feel like something was missing.

Overall it was a nice story with an important message, the Author’s writing flows easily, although I was a little bothered when there were slang-ish words thrown in the middle of the sentences, which at some places also felt a little short. The characters were likeable, Philip as the best friend/love interest was sweet, other than Beverly noone made me feel annoyed (although Priscilla sometimes came close but she eventually came through!)

I wish there would have been more mystery to it, I think. We could have had the “creepy little town” thing emphasized a little more, but other than these small things that caught my eye, I was pleased with the story!!!

Thank you again, Dear Author!!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

This book made very little impression on me. Did I think it was by? Absolutely not. On a prose level, I think it is pretty good, actually. But I just didn't find myself invested in the characters, in the plot, in the setting. And that was sad. I did like the way we looked at intergenerational trauma, especially the ongoing ramifications of the horrors of the Vietnam War. I wanted more of that. And I wanted more of the little tantalizing details to come together in a way that they just didn't. Solid details in the moment? Absolutely. But I wanted them to be plot hooks for something larger, some great picture that just didn't come together.

Anyway, that's enough for now. I'll have more time to dive into it over at Gateway Reviews, where my full review will go live December 26, 2025. Stop by if you can!

Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

[kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the concept of this book sounded like it would make a really strong story, the writing and the plot ultimately fell flat for me. I think it comes down to the fact that a lot of aspects of the book felt underwhelming and in need of more wrapping up—there’s a lot that seems to go nowhere. For example, one of the sisters is a social media influencer, but partway through the book that plot point almost completely disappears and is not talked about again. I also feel like the ghost part of the story could have been so cool and a focal point of the book, but it ended up being very minor and again, underdeveloped.

There were also some minor wording choices that really took me out of the story, like unironically using the word “unalived.” It just makes me think of social media and our world and I don’t love that.

I liked that this book pushed messaging about men in positions of power and how they can abuse that. I also appreciated reading about Vietnamese culture and the hardship that comes with immigrating to a completely new place. I think the author wrote that really well and it was interesting to read about her own family’s experiences with this in the author’s note. Additionally, my favourite part was reading about Caliste and Aria’s relationship. I thought it was beautiful when they met and how they grew together despite having been raised so differently.

However, there just wasn’t enough plot development for me to enjoy this book.

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada for sending me a copy to review!

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Twin Tides by Hien Nguyen is a mixed first and third person multi-POV YA horror about two Vietnamese-American twins who were separated at a young age and meet again at eighteen when their mother’s body finally turns up. Aria and Caliste have grown up without each other and felt fairly alone since their mother's disappearance, but when the two learn that they are twins, they start to unravel a long-kept secret and the Ghoul is not too far behind.

One of the things I really liked was the bits and pieces we got of Xuan’s, Aria and Caliste’s mom, childhood in Vietnam and the information around her and her sister Thu’s name. The little details like that add so much to worldbuilding and the family history and creates a shared connection between the characters and many young Vietnamese-Americans today who might have someone in their family who experienced something quite similar. Xuan named her two daughters after two of her favorite characters from Greek mythology, even though she recognizes that their stories are full of tragedy and rage and that feels like such a common thread in immigrant stories, how parents choose a name that will, perhaps, help their child integrate more easily into the new culture that also has meaning to them.

The cover does a great job of conveying aspects of Aria and Caliste's journeys and their personalities. Aria is quieter, a bit more withdrawn, and probably the one who has had to sit with her grief over their mother the longest since she was raised by her aunt Thu and believed her father was also dead. She has a possible future romantic relationship with her friend Philip that hasn't yet crossed over into dating by the time the book opens and she's stressing out over her business of taking tests for other students. Caliste, meanwhile, is a lot more open in her anger and resentment and frustration at her father, her situation, and the things that have been kept from her. And all of this kind of leads into the whole ‘nature vs nurture’ thing that often comes up around twins because some things absolutely do stick and yet others don't and Caliste and Aria are very different people.

The strongest theme of Twin Tides is probably how the actions of our parents can affect who we become. Aria and Caliste being raised apart with only one having a connection to their father absolutely does affect who the two turned out to be, with Caliste having a tense relationship with the entire family because of how their grandmother spoke of their mother. This goes further with the secrets between Xuan and a man who has a son about the same age as Aria and Caliste and the way the father's feelings towards Xuan impacted the son. Many people want to believe we exist in a vacuum, but we're all shaped by our environment and the decisions other people make on our behalf play a part in our own choices.

I would recommend this to fans of YA horror looking for a story about twins separated in early childhood and readers of YA centered on stories of immigrant families

[Torrie Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twin Tides is an incredibly atmospheric debut, wrapping the complexities of family, grief, and identity inside of a ghost story. My favorite thing about this YA thriller, though, is that is stretches the "ghost story" aspect beyond the character of The Ghoul, instead showcasing the way that sometimes the hauntings are inside of ourselves and come from those around us who are still on the same mortal plain. ((And don't all of the best ghost stories?))

One theme that remains prevalent through this book is the depiction of the challenges and difficulties of those who have immigrated- what they had to do and how they had to acclimate, the ways our characters ((past and present)) had to adjust and what they had to give up, the history they tried to hide or overcome, the sense of identity they never truly felt without having a full picture of who they are and what their past held. It starts off subtle but undeniable. While I wasn't a fan of the way the storyline with our antagonist felt a bit rushed, the rest of this book is intriguing enough to keep you wanting to find out more. This is also a great book if you're looking for quick pacing. The focus on loss is beautifully written, and the Author's Note really adds a powerful layer.

Twin Tides is expected to release on 12/9/25, so be sure to add it to your preorder list/TBR before then! I'll be adding a physical copy to my library and will be looking forward to more from Hien Nguyen!

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Hien Nguyen for this complimentary copy.))

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommendation: WITH EVERY PART OF MY BEING ABSO-FCKING-LUTELY!!!
Review: When I reached out to Hien to request this ARC, did I think I was going to read one of the best things in my life? No. But was it? Holy moly, without a doubt.

Twin sisters Aria Nguyen and Caliste Ha were separated after the disappearance of their mother and led to live two vastly differently lives. An unexpected call from Le Euax brings the two together, not only do they find out they’re twins but their mother’s body is found. This town is haunted by a ghost and deadly secrets, will they find out what happens to their mother? Or will it bring them to their demise?

I grew up being told stories of water ghosts and stories to ensure I was well behaved and didn’t stray too far from my parents. This thriller kept me on my toes, my heart racing and I wasn’t able to stop. I read every single word in this book. From cover to cover. I loved EVERY SINGLE WORD. Personally one of the best things I’ve ever read.

It captured essence of being Vietnamese, immigrant families, the dark side to mental health/families, self identity and so much more all wrapped up in this YA thriller.

Hien’s writing is clear, crisp and hauntingly beautiful. I’m still absolutely blown away by what I read and how it’s resonated with me. Despite our families immigrating to different countries, our experiences are bound by our Vietnamese roots.

Bravo Hien, this is an epic and incredible debut novel. It may have spooked me to my core (and I’m a scaredy cat) but I devoured it like I’ve been starved my entire life ❤️‍🔥

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the unraveling of the actual mystery to be a little too quick. We (and both Caliste and Aria) were so distracted by the sisters reuniting that it kind of let a lot of the darker elements go unmentioned and unnoticed for a while. But the first ~75% of the book was very well paced and both Aria and Caliste were distinct and dimensional.

I think I would have wanted a bit more about the ghoul. Especially if she was “being framed” for killings she didn’t commit. Like Riley. I think Riley/Carter is the biggest missed opportunity in the story. Also Tyler is too young to be a rideshare driver anywhere in the US and that bothered me immensely for no good reason

{Thank you Get Underlined for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Kristin Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and engaging thriller that examines the power of intergenerational grief, love, and trauma in a unique and thought provoking way.

Aria Nguyen and Caliste Ha couldn't be any more different from each other. Aria is a struggling freshman at Georgetown University who puts every penny she urns towards her aunt's medical care. Caliste Ha is an heiress and influencer from Southern California and she has everything she could ever want - so long as money can buy it. However, when their missing mother's body is found floating in a Minnesota river, these two girls will realize they have more common than they ever could have imagined: They are identical twins.

As they absorb the shock of realizing that they aren't as alone as they once thought, the two girls must delve deep into their family's past in Les Eaux, Minnesota to discover what really happened to their mother. The truth will out... but it will be more wild and more dangerous than they could have dreamed.

Before I dive in to my thoughts on Twin Tides, I just want to say that it's not often a book causes me to weep before I've even started to read. However, Twin Tides did just that. With a dedication made out to motherless daughters, like myself, I knew I was in for a powerful read and I can assure you that this book did not disappoint.

Firstly, I love that we get not one, not two, but three POVs in this novel and that our opening POV is not one of the girls, but the Ghoul. Opening with the Ghoul really sets the tone for the story and lets you know that though there will be real life monsters hidden in these pages that the supernatural isn't far behind. Our other POVs are of course are Aria and Caliste, rounding out our trio with the voices of the two individuals most impacted by the decisions made by the other generations in this book.

The fact that Aria and Caliste are both first generation Vietnamese Americans is central to this story. Their experience growing up with the expectations of a deep and historied culture on top of the pressure of achieving the American dream is crucial to the way they view the world. I find it interesting how, to me, Caliste seems to deeply rebel against these expectations and the American dream her father has built for his family while Aria seems to have embraced the expectations placed on her shoulders, albeit a little begrudgingly, by the way she cares for Aunt Thu and her pursuit of her degree at Georgetown. We can also see the way being first generation Vietnamese immigrants has affected the adults in their lives from Paul Ha to Aunt Thu to Ba Noi to Grace Nguyen. The horrors of the Vietnam war and the difficulties in acclimating to a society so starkly different from the one they grew up in are evident in every single choice they make, good and bad. Honestly it's not something I can ever imagine enduring and the strength that these characters, and the real world immigrants that inspired them, posses is astronomical.

The pacing of the novel was excellent. I never thought it dragged on too long or that we went too many pages without our next revelation. Like all good thrillers, the exposition is slower but by the time everything hits the fan we're running at breakneck speed towards the finish line. My biggest complaint is that a certain character's involvement in the overarching plot felt a little forced. However, that could be because I missed vital clues that would have made their end role less surprising.

I don't want to say too much about the ending lest I spoil it for you, but I do want to say the Ghoul's decisions at the end of the novel seemed extremely fitting to who they were as a character. They weren't what I expected, but in the end I think they were perfect.

If you're looking for an entertaining, can't put it down ya thriller with feminine rage; intergenerational trauma, love, and grief; and characters that will stick with you for a long time look no further.

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tour, Delacourte Press, Get Underlined, and Hien Nguyen for the gifted advance copy.

[Laiba · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3 stars ⭐ "You never change. Do you feel bad for him?... The bottom of his boot stays clean because of you and your weak tongue.”

First book of 2026! This story begins with two girls - Aria and Caliste. Both girls, who lead very different lives, stumble upon a life-shattering discovery that they are long-lost identical twins when investigating the mysterious disappearance of their mother.

I enjoyed this book. At its core, it focused on sisterhood and the Vietnamese legend of the Ma Da, a vengeful ghoul that lurks in water to enact revenge on people who have committed heinous sins.

"I lie in the bottom of the riverbed. My eyes are shut as I pretend to sleep, but my skin, punctured and tattered, feels everything. The wake of fish zipping above. Tiny, microscopic beings. In the bowels of the river, the bed load layer is full of heavy grit and gravel too coarse to float. The sharpness grates along my skin. Here, the velocity of the water is slow, so whatever makes its way to the bed load is in for a lifetime of languid rotting.

I know this water well. It is my home."

I think the pacing was an issue for me. The beginning was strong, however it faltered in the middle. I'm glad I stuck around because from about 70% onwards I was HOOKED. Some side-plots in the middle of the novel were raised and never properly addressed (cough cough, Caliste and Beverley's feud), or only until the very end with a convenient ribbon to tie its loose end (Aria's disciplinary hearing in Georgetown); and I just wanted the actual plot of the story to keep moving along.

A strong theme of the novel was the intergenerational trauma inflicted from the Vietnam War, grief and stigma of mental illness. You will meet characters who represent unresolved intergenerational trauma passed from parent to child, and how patriarchal families structures which normalises male entitlement, control and violence, and using money to evade accountability when that power is challenged. I wish this was delved into deeper. I knew this was an important topic to the author. However, I am aware of the constraints of a YA-fiction that may have precluded the author from going into further detail.

"You think you were our beginning…but I will be your end."

All in all, the mystery surrounding our characters' mother was interesting and I really enjoyed how deep the conspiracy was rooted in their family. I wouldn't exactly consider this horror but it has definitely found its home within the mystery genre!

[Khoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twin Tides is a haunting story about long-lost Vietnamese twin sisters, reuniting during tragic events. After the harrowing news that their mother's body has just been found, the girls are shocked to find themselves not alone in the matter of grief and betrayal. Despite all of this, there is something sinister lurking in the city that their mother called home.

The premise of this book caught my eye immediately, and it did keep me hooked. It was a bit slow before the girls were reunited, but once all of their questions rolled in unanswered, I kept wanting to turn the page. I thought the characters were realistic. Two teenage Vietnamese girls going through it in completely differently lifestyles, but still connecting through the bonds of both sisterhood and girlhood. I really liked that Nguyen was able to capture the core cultural significance of being Vietnamese American without it ever coming across as stereotypical in terms aspirations, coming of age, and just life in the diaspora. The slips of our gorgeous language was a beautiful touch and homage and I found myself really enjoying the switch between English and Viet in the characters' dialogue.

The plot on the other hand, was a bit convoluted to me. The subplot of the fallout with Bev really didn't lead anywhere and I found it to extend the book for no particular reason. Caliste had enough family drama to keep the plot going forward with the same ending. There was also a lot of disconnect between the flow of events throughout the book. With so much tension, I felt like there could have been more in the last half of the book bringing the family together. Instead, we have problems between everyone but the twins, and suddenly it's all happy again. I also found the age of separation of the twins was quite old for them not to have an inkling of the other. There was a lot of recall of their younger days but not either of them remembered each other with 4 years behind them, especially being identical seems a bit unrealistic.

Overall, the premise of this book was captivating, though a bit complicated. I deeply enjoyed the horror aspects and how it connects back to Vietnamese cultures, but was still tame enough for just a bit of a spook. This was a solid YA debut novel, perfect for the fall. Can't wait to see what Hien Nguyen has next!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the copy!

[Akiho · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery/thriller about twin sisters who were separated as kids, but have now unexpectedly reunited after the death of their long-missing mother. About 3.5 stars.

Aria lives in DC with her Aunt Thu, who’s sick. To get by, Aria takes tests and writes essays for rich kids. Caliste lives in LA as a fitness influencer with her dad and stepmom, though her family is distant and she kinda hates her fellow influencer “friends.” After they receive notice that their long-missing mother’s body is found in Les Eaux, MN, the twins travel there and learn they’re actually twins. But they also discover the mysterious circumstances behind their mother’s death, and how Les Eaux seems to hold many secrets.

I enjoyed the relationship between Aria and Caliste. I can’t imagine it’d be easy to reunite with a twin you didn’t know you had, especially when you ended up in very different socioeconomic classes, but they were very much supporting each other and had a connection that made sense without going over the top. They had their disagreements and fights, but they had always had each other’s backs, which is what I love about siblings.

There was an overarching mystery but tbh it didn’t really compel me or give me that “need to know” feeling that I want from mysteries. From the cover and the first chapter that starts with a pov from the ghoul I was expecting a bit more of a haunted feel or more horror vibes, but you can tell that that’s not what this book was going for. It was a bit more contemporary YA feeling than I personally prefer. There also was quite a bit of info dumping at the beginning, so it felt like it took awhile before the story truly started.

I kinda did wish there was more behind the mystery. I wouldn’t say it was predictable, but it was… idk just underwhelming and felt like it wasn’t built up as well as it could’ve been. But the two protagonists, Caliste and Aria, are very well-developed characters, and their struggles that were similar but also contrasted with each other were engaging to read about. Also enjoyed the themes about intergenerational trauma and complicated family dynamics

If you’re into creepy water or intergenerational trauma or ghouls or two twin sisters that were almost separated Parent Trap-style, then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[LovelyOwlsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

and that concludes my first book of 2026. and it being a horror-mystery is actually quite surprising but something about this book kept demanding my attention.

I will say, this wasn't anything like i was expecting. first of all, i went into it thinking it was just a small town mystery thriller so imagine my shock when i realised there was a supernatural element to it.

but i'm glad my initial expectation was challenged. the vibe had shifted and while it is labelled a horror, it's not a horror in that sense. what's truly heart-breaking is the author using intergenerational grief and trauma of war to depict a sinister outcome. The personal grief and fall out of war as the foundation of the story really came through loud and clear.

but I want to go back to the feel of this book because while it was sad, it wasn't a heart-pounding horror, in fact there were some very heart warming moments between the sisters and surrounding characters.

i do feel like some questions were unanswered and some of the motives were murky. I would've liked a clearer reason as to why everything transpired because the whole obsession arc being passed down just wasn't as impactful. unless, i missed something but either way, the reveal didn't quite pack a punch. however, there were some really good twists and eerie moments that made your skin crawl.

all in all, a really solid start to the year. I enjoyed this a lot and I appreciate the author wanting to use this novel to showcase the effects of war and colonisation, how we as children of immigrants and diaspora aren't actually that far removed from everything that transpired - that the trauma our parents and grandparents endured trickles down to us - right down to dismissing mental health or considering us weak for needing support when the reality is that they never got the support they needed after everything they went through.

even if you're not a horror fan, this one is light on the scares and more of a murder mystery so definitely, give it a go!

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

This one feels like The Parent Trap, but make it a thriller and it really works. Especially with the ghost story underlying the grief and loss experienced by these twin sisters. It leans young, but it’s also interesting and has great representation. The twin POVs are distinct, and I especially loved how their relationship develops as they piece together the truth about their mother. Watching them go from total strangers to protective, ride-or-die sisters was easily my favorite part.

I also really loved the Vietnamese representation threaded throughout the story. There are some heavy undercurrents (immigration, wealth disparity, grief, the messiness of love and obsession) that add surprising depth to what could have been a straightforward mystery. And while I really wish the supernatural angle had been explored MORE, it still brought a cool atmospheric layer and leaned into the themes even more. I just wanted it to go weirder, darker, deeper - but that's maybe asking too much for a YA thriller.

Plot-wise, I guessed the broad strokes of a few twists, but there was no way that I could have guessed all of the pieces. It is one of those stories where the reveals spin out in wild directions, and while the science behind everything is a bit soft, it didn’t hinder my enjoyment. The pacing is quick, the chapters fly, and the emotional beats land well. Another book where the Author’s Note should be read; it added a lot to the story for me.

Overall, this is a fast, engaging YA thriller with compelling underlying themes and a mystery that’s packed with surprises. I do wish it had leaned harder into the speculative elements, but the heart and representation make it absolutely worth the read.

Thanks so much to Colored Pages Book Tours, Delacorte Press, Get Underlined, and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[M. K. French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heiress and influencer Caliste Ha lives a glamorous life in LA, her curated social media feed hiding family problems. Meanwhile, Aria Nguyen is barely surviving as a freshman and academic scammer at Georgetown University. Their long-missing mother is found dead in Les Eaux, Minnesota. The two girls now meet for the first time, and discover they are identical twins. They team up to unearth the secrets that led to their mother’s death and their separation, but a vengeful ghost is present, and an unknown enemy is watching their every move.

The book starts out alternating POVs between the twins in their everyday lives and the revenant in the water. Caliste is part of a small but rich group that readily backstabbing each other for a coveted position closer to money and influence, while feeling like an outsider now that she has a little brother through her father's second wife. Aria grew up with her aunt, scrounging for money and time. Both are told their other parent is dead, so getting the police call from Minnesota is a shock. Seeing that they're identical twins is another shock.

At that point, the story really picks up. The adults in their lives had been lying for years, and the two join forces to try digging up the past the adults won't explain. The flashes of the ghoul add to the creepy atmosphere, as does the level of power one particular family has in the town. The twins get to know each other and try their best to figure out the past, and once that happens, the final third is especially tense as it all comes together and we learn the truth. Aria and Cali's parents had emigrated from Vietnam when the war ended, and those members of the diaspora will understand the extra sense of loss that the twins have in the novel. There's the grief not just for the mother who died, but for the family ties that were abruptly severed even prior to her death. I felt for them, and the novel kept me riveted. I had to know what happened next, and I'm sure you will, too.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up
I will start with the postives about this book. The discussion of wealth disparity was interesting, all of the details of Vietnamese culture that were included were nice and made me want to learn more, and the discussion of men in power and the abuse of power that happens was spot on.

But. The plot and writing were...underwhelming. It is marketed as a slow burn, but it just felt like the minute the book hit the 50% mark, it remembered it wanted to wrap relatively soon and so the ending just felt rushed. Chapters were often split between Aria and Caliste's POV, but somehow we'd know exactly how Aria was feeling and what she was thinking while it was supposed to be from Caliste's POV. And, I'm so sorry, but I cannot take a book seriously when it's fine for characters to curse but won't have them say the word "suicide" and instead say "unalived herself". I think it was meant to be like "this is how an influence would talk". Yes, if they were on camera. This was a candid and private conversation and it came off as silly and stupid. After finishing the book, I found myself wondering what the point of Aria's school troubles and Caliste's influencer woes was when they were so quickly dismissed. Caliste just decides halfway through the book that she's done being an influencer and that's done and dusted. And Aria's issues are resolved in a literal sentence. It all felt pointless.

And the big revela was somehow predictable and way too wacky simultaneously. Statis pods...really?

Sadly, I really struggled to find the motivation to finish this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy.
2.5 stars rounded up

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

TWIN TIDES by Hien Nguyen (Dec 9)

Thank you Netgalley, RHC, Delacorte, and Getunderlined for the earc

When their missing mother is found, Caliste Ha and Aria Nguyen are shocked---not only becaue their mother is d*ad but because they didn't know the other existed. Coming from different backgrounds---one rich, one poor---the two begin digging into what happened to their mother...unearthing secrets and danger.
TWIN TIDES is a YA supernatural-esque mystery riddled with drama, secrets, and haunts.The first half of this book moved slower than I would expect from a thriller, but it built up something that I can't really explain (a mystery, suspcious d*aths, etc.) That part didn't hook me like I would have liked...but the second part. That is where things change. From, let's say the 50% mark and beyond, this were happening left and right. Suspcions were high, the atmosphere was eerie, and secrets were discovered. TWIN TIDES is riddled with conspiracy that seems to never end as Caliste and Aria investigate.
One thing I didn't like---which I never like in books---is when points of view changes in the middle of a chapter, though it did allow for us to know what both sisters were feeling, which I guess makes sense. I did like the addition of the Ghoul pov because that added another layer---and sort of an insight---into what was going on. Once again, though, the pov switch in a chapter got on my nerves (once again, understandable as to why, but still).
Despite all this, TWIN TIDES is a interesting book that delves into a whole world of "ghouls", mysteries, and secrets. The book is shocking, and with its setting and description, TWIN TIDES is eerie.

[Sara Bechtol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre 📚: YA/NA Horror, Thriller, Paranormal
Tropes 💁‍♀️: Long-lost twins, Family secrets, Murder mystery
Rep ✔️: Vietnamese American main characters, POC side characters
CW ⚠️: Loss of a loved one, grief, intergenerational trauma, brutal deaths/kidnapping
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5

Aria and Caliste live completely different lives, one a struggling college student in Virginia and the other a wealthy influencer in California. They’re identical twins who have no idea the other exists… until the death of their mother brings them together. They return to what they learn was their hometown in Minnesota, overwhelmed with years of lies and secrecy. And, unbeknownst to them, there are more secrets — and dangers — lurking in the water.

This was WILD. Twin Tides was like The Grudge, Scream, and The Parent Trap all in one — a weird but fun combination. I would say it was more Scream + The Parent Trap (thriller and coming-of-age), though, with less paranormal activity than expected. The ghost wasn’t much of a presence in the action of the story, instead more utilized in exploring the mother character’s history and trauma.

I was pretty pissed at some of the adult characters for lying to the twins and keeping them apart. (It was messed up in The Parent Trap, and it’s messed up now.) But I still enjoyed the twins’ reconnection and bond, and the bonds with their other loved ones. As creepy and disturbing as this story could be, it also had plenty of heart.

**Much thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Twin Tides will be released on December 9, 2025.

[Elisha Reads For U · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay I low-key don't know how I feel about this one. Btw thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC!

There was a lot going on and important themes and grief which was very heartfelt, but somehow I found myself checking chapters and skimming to the end. There was a bunch of characters and names that felt like placeholder ones introduced at once which scattered my brain from focus on at a time.

My main issue: The story felt like many subplots competing to be the main one. There's Aria's issue with school and the aunt being sick. Castile (?) who lives a type influencer life but that was put on the back burner. Did she quit or did she not? And the mother's mysterious death which was sad. But also a surprise twin reveal which was supposed to be more shocking, but it left more to be desired.

What I wanted: I really wanted to sit with the characters on this profound news that they have a long lost twin. They simply saw each other was confused, sad, angry all at once and began to talk each other like this was a normal Tuesday. Where's the rejection to this the pushback of their new life? Just accepting there situation doesn't make the story interesting.

Positives: I loved the different character arcs for the twins and how being Vietnamese in America affected them. And I love getting informed about their experience which is important to know. I liked Philip and Aria's love story as well super cute to read 💕

Negatives: Some cursing, the POVs could be confusing because we're told we're in Aria's pov but we still know what Castile is thinking somehow.

Christian content: none. His name was taken in vain a lot times here though.

[Melanie Marchetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the first half of this story. Twin Tides circles around two girls, Ari and Caliste, strangers in different worlds. Twins who find each other through the death of their missing mother. Together they sort through the mysteries surrounding her supposed suicide.

I was so invested in the first half of this book. I loved reading about Ari’s and Caliste’s lives and wondering about what would connect them. However, when they meet it feels really unnatural. There’s no hesitation or suspicion, they’re just immediately friends. It took a while for the dialogue to flow and the scenes to not feel so forced. This is also where the plot became quite disjointed and strange. I felt like the story went off the rails in a strange way. The amount of crazy in the book could have been really interesting but I didn’t feel like it was woven in quite right and did more to push me out of the story than to drag me in.

I also loved the idea of the water ghoul. I really liked that plot line and felt like it had a good resolution. I do wish we had gotten one last POV from the ghoul right before the scene with Emory though. I wanted to know what she was feeling at that point in time.

Overall I felt that there was a lot left unsaid that could have been elaborated on a bit more to make the story feel more immersive and creepy, like the town people and their indebtedness to the Hanes. It was mostly glossed over and left me completely unbelieving of the fact that they could have gotten away with so much.

[Gabrielle (belle.bookcorner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5⭐

Twin Tides wasn’t quite the thriller I expected. Instead of leaning fully into the mystery and supernatural elements, the story also shines a light on Vietnamese representation and the struggles immigrants face when starting over in a new place. That added depth was a pleasant surprise.

The ghoul’s perspective was definitely intriguing, though I figured out their identity pretty early on. By the time the reveal finally came, it didn’t pack much of a punch since the plot stretched it out for so long.
Moreover, the mystery surrounding the main character mother’s disappearance felt predictable, and the pacing dragged in the second half, which made it harder to stay fully invested.

On the flip side, I really enjoyed the dynamic between the twin sisters. Watching them reconnect after years of not even knowing the other existed was well-written, and I loved how their completely different lives still tied back to the same dark past.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read at all—there’s a lot of potential here.
The concept is intriguing, and the author does a great job weaving in important themes and messages. I just wish the pacing had been tighter, because at times it felt like the story lingered too long without moving forward.

Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tour, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: death of a parent, grief, bullying, racism, stalking, violence, panic attacks

[iris ☀︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5, rounded to 3 for goodreads

"Twin Tides" seemed like it was going to be a really interesting book, but unfortunately, I don't think it really lived up to that expectation. To me, nothing really happened in the story to push the plot forwards until after the midpoint and it didn't do very much to make me love the characters. Even when the plot did pick up, it was so close to the end of the book that a lot of the events were rushed to wrap everything up and left some feeling incredibly out of place for the type of book this was marketed as. I also felt that some of the writing was... less than good? At times it felt very juvenile, which definitely doesn't have to happen just because it's a YA book. YA books can be well written and still be YA. Other times the writing was well done, while other times it just.... wasn't.

Despite not really loving the book, I did find Aria and Calliste's developing relationship after being separated their entire lives to be cute. I really just wish there was more to make me know and love the characters beyond that. In general, I also liked the Vietnamese representation. S.E. Asian representation is something that I feel like I don't see as often, so it was both interesting and nice to read this book and see that!

I really wish that I liked this book more than I did, because I think it has a lot of potential. It just felt so slow in some parts and so rushed in other parts.

[Rosemary Nagy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointed to say I really did not vibe with this one. There are some things (plot holes, flat characters, constantly switching from present tense to past tense) that could be in the arc but edited out in the final product, but the entire plot was so r*pey that without rewriting the entire book you can’t fix that.

Basically, plot goes as follows: mr creep is obsessed with his best friends wife, asks her to have an affair, she says no, he says have sex with him or he’ll kill her, she tells her husband who says she’s being dramatic, mr creep kills her and cryofreezes her body “to save for later” (barf). Then fourteen years later his son does the exact same thing to her daughter, but luckily at the last second the ghost of the mother shows up and kills him.

Theres like two sightings of the ghost, and other than that she’s not really present. This is straight up not a ghost story, it’s just a r*pe story. The only characters who even know the ghost is a thing is her daughters, and they’re not even scared of her bc they’re just like “huh I saw mom in the river, wonder why” and then move back on to trying to run from creep junior.

I wanted a spooky ghost story. I did not want a r*pe story with a ghost who only shows up at the last second to save the day and then disappears forever.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a free ARC from NetGalley.

In Twin Tides, Aria and Caliste live very different lives. Aria goes to Georgetown, hangs out with best guy friend/crush Phillip and struggles to make ends meet since her Aunt Thu is in poor health. Caliste is a wealthy influencer in California who has frenemies not friends and strained relationships with her dad, her stepmother and her Grandma. What is missing from both their lives is their mother- a woman who has been missing and presumed dead for years. They finally get a phone call that her body has been found in Minnesota- in a town they did not know that they had ties to. They arrive at the local police station at the same time and realize that they are twins who have been separated for years, with not one adult in their lives ever mentioning the other. It’s obvious that their family has a lot of secrets and that the death of their mother is tied to something bigger and more sinister than they can imagine.

I did end up enjoying this book although the first 80 pages are pretty slow. I thought the story had interesting supernatural elements. I did not think that the antagonist of the story was written very well - the character was just a basic villain.

[TertiaryCharacter · Rating 4 out of 5]

TWIN TIDES is an unflinching look at generational grief and the undying bond of twins, while also emphasizing the complex beauty of Vietnamese culture and resilience of immigrants.

While this novel has a strong mystery and moments of intensity, I believe readers should expect a more emotional journey rather than a plot-driven narrative. The connection between two girls from different worlds who share the grief of a missing mother and the complex history of a tight-lipped family is the main character of the book.

I thought the integration of Vietnamese culture throughout the book was flawless, and it was clear Nguyen was thoughtful in using not only her experience, but extensive research to craft this multi-generational literary experience.

I believe if anything falls short, it’s the marketing for this novel. While there are horror, mystery, and supernatural elements, this story carves out an area that seems out of place against your usual reads in these categories. If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller or a twisting horror, I don’t think this book matches. However, if you love the complexities of flawed families, the grief of loss and fury of vengeance, and the tender pull of sibling hood, TWIN TIDES will surely have you swept away.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I think this book would have worked better not as a young adult book because I loved the gore and the horror elements and I think it gave the book its charm.
It tackles a lot about the experience of children of immigrants, colonization and racism while still sharing a lot of the good sides of it such as having such a close-knit community and a sense of family. I do think that the resolutions between the fraught relationships introduced in the beginning felt a little rushed or just conveniently resolved, probably to get that picture-perfect happy ending. It's fine, but I think it would have been more nuanced if it wasn't solved just as quickly as that, knowing how it takes years of hard work to fix relationships and the generational trauma to this proportion.
I do love that the romance is only a little side quest, and that the main focus of the book was on sisterhood and family relationships. At its core, this book is about love and grief and the spaces in-between, and if it wasn't for real-life responsibilities I definitely would have been able to finish reading this faster.

[Dahlia (ofpagesandprint) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @prhaudio for the free ALC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Twin Tides is a haunting, gripping YA thriller.

I loved this one. The characters were vivid and compelling, and their development was excellent. The sibling bond Aria and Caliste developed and explored was beautiful, and I also appreciated the exploration of mother-daughter bonds. The plot was powerful and emotional, filled with rage, love, and grief. The horror elements were delightfully vivid and gruesome, and the murder mystery was addictive. I adored the incorporation of a vengeful ghost and a friends-to-lovers subplot romance. I also loved the Vietnamese representation and the exploration of the diaspora experience and of violent legacies of wealth and power. The pacing fit the story nicely. The settings were immersive and wonderfully eerie. Hien Nguyen’s prose was lyrical, atmospheric, and beautiful. I highly recommend this fantastic debut!

Carolina Do, Rebecca Ho, and Chantria Tram were excellent narrators for this one. Their voices fit the characters and the story's energy beautifully, presenting an even more immersive reading experience. I highly recommend the audiobook!

[zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Synopsis:
Long lost twins Aria and Caliste are forced together when their mother is found dead in a town full of rumors and danger, pushing them to unravel the truth behind her disappearance and the betrayal that kept them apart.

My thoughts:

◇ This was such an interesting read from beginning to end. I was hooked the whole time. The language was simple, the cast was quite large, and I really liked that we even got a perspective from the ghost.

◇ I loved the moment the sisters discovered they were related, and their bonding was one of my favourite parts of the story. I just wish we had a bit more depth about their individual lives. I wanted to know more about Cali’s influencer lifestyle. we barely got any details there after a few chapters. Aria’s story was good, but Cali’s chapters stood out more to me. And honestly, I wish we had more of the ghost’s POV too, because there were only a few chapters from her.

◇To sum up, while some elements could’ve been explored more deeply, the strong pacing, and engaging storyline make this an enjoyable read.