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The Twelve: The Twelve
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 26From New York Times bestselling author and renowned creator Joey Graceffa comes a pulse-pounding YA fantasy where witches hunt witches, magic has a price, and sisterhood is the only thing standing between light and darkness.
Welcome to the coven.
Each month, a Zodiac Witch is born, her magic written by the stars.
Ophelia and Serena—twin sisters born on the cusp of Pisces and Aries—are trapped in the cold confines of an orphanage until fate rips them from obscurity. Suddenly, they are invited into The Twelve, a powerful coven. To join, they must swear to hunt Dark Witches, creatures of spectral beauty and razor-sharp teeth who survive by siphoning magic from young witches.
On a secret island, protected by their new sisters, Ophelia and Serena train to use their powers. Serena commands Lightning, raw and untamed. Ophelia wields Water, quiet and waiting. Their paths shift—one chasing power, the other resisting—as the sisters find themselves caught between two destinies. Some choices can never be undone but they must decide, because magic does not wait, and the darkness is coming for them in ways they could never imagine. After all, the stars never shine without casting shadows.
Welcome to the coven.
Each month, a Zodiac Witch is born, her magic written by the stars.
Ophelia and Serena—twin sisters born on the cusp of Pisces and Aries—are trapped in the cold confines of an orphanage until fate rips them from obscurity. Suddenly, they are invited into The Twelve, a powerful coven. To join, they must swear to hunt Dark Witches, creatures of spectral beauty and razor-sharp teeth who survive by siphoning magic from young witches.
On a secret island, protected by their new sisters, Ophelia and Serena train to use their powers. Serena commands Lightning, raw and untamed. Ophelia wields Water, quiet and waiting. Their paths shift—one chasing power, the other resisting—as the sisters find themselves caught between two destinies. Some choices can never be undone but they must decide, because magic does not wait, and the darkness is coming for them in ways they could never imagine. After all, the stars never shine without casting shadows.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 24, 2026
9 people are currently reading
6629 people want to read
About the author
Joey Graceffa
11 books1,146 followersJoey Graceffa is one of the fastest-growing personalities on YouTube. A popular brand ambassador, he has partnered with Topshop, Audible, eBay, and H&R Block. In 2013, between his daily vlogs and gameplay videos, Joey produced and starred in his own Kickstarter–funded supernatural series, “Storytellers,” for which he won a Streamy Award. He also starred in The Amazing Race on CBS and returned in 2014 for the all-star edition. He grew up with his family in Boston before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Features:
- Witches and a Zodiac-inspired magic system
- Found family
- Explores power, identity, betrayal, and sisterhood
Synopsis:
Living in an orphanage, twin sisters Ophelia and Serena know little about their magic. Where Serena’s lightning magic can be as explosive as her temper, Ophelia’s is more tempered and subtle. When the two are attacked by a dark witch seeking to drain their power, they find themselves thrown into a world they never knew existed. After being rescued, the twins are invited to join a powerful coven known as The Twelve and finally learn to tame the magic that has been swirling within them. However, the twins’ bond will be tested as their powers guide them towards different paths and new dangers.
Thoughts:
This book is delightfully dark and witchy as it explores themes around identity, sisterhood, friendship, power, and betrayal. We follow twin sisters Ophelia and Serena who know little about their magic and are more focused on surviving life at the orphanage and staying together than on wielding the power within. The magic in this world is inspired by the zodiac and I really appreciated that despite being twins, Ophelia and Serena represent Pisces and Aries respectively rather than Gemini. While there is still a tight bond and plenty of duality between them, this choice opens the door for each to explore their power and identity independently. The tension that develops between Ophelia and Serena feels compelling because it made sense with their individual journeys and we never lose the sense of their bond.
If you are a fan of found family and ‘sisterhood’ in the broader sense, this book is definitely for you. The story truly starts when Ophelia and Serena are rescued by members of The Twelve coven and are invited to join themselves. As they begin their training, they are drawn to the other members and become part of the bond that keeps the coven strong. The worlds and magic systems are very different, but I still found myself drawing a lot of parallels to Clary and the Shadowhunters in “The Mortal Instruments” series and would recommend this to fans looking for similar vibes.
The reason I am a little more ‘middle of the road’ with my overall rating of this book is mostly due to its structure. Though the book maintains a good overall pace, I found many moments where it tries to build tension a little prolonged and repetitive. There are some clear moments/details of narrative convenience and sequences that don’t quite hit the way I felt they could have. Though I really enjoyed this story and its characters, I feel like there was some missed potential as well. I would still highly recommend picking this book up and am excited to see where the next one goes (especially with that cliffhanger!).
Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
- Witches and a Zodiac-inspired magic system
- Found family
- Explores power, identity, betrayal, and sisterhood
Synopsis:
Living in an orphanage, twin sisters Ophelia and Serena know little about their magic. Where Serena’s lightning magic can be as explosive as her temper, Ophelia’s is more tempered and subtle. When the two are attacked by a dark witch seeking to drain their power, they find themselves thrown into a world they never knew existed. After being rescued, the twins are invited to join a powerful coven known as The Twelve and finally learn to tame the magic that has been swirling within them. However, the twins’ bond will be tested as their powers guide them towards different paths and new dangers.
Thoughts:
This book is delightfully dark and witchy as it explores themes around identity, sisterhood, friendship, power, and betrayal. We follow twin sisters Ophelia and Serena who know little about their magic and are more focused on surviving life at the orphanage and staying together than on wielding the power within. The magic in this world is inspired by the zodiac and I really appreciated that despite being twins, Ophelia and Serena represent Pisces and Aries respectively rather than Gemini. While there is still a tight bond and plenty of duality between them, this choice opens the door for each to explore their power and identity independently. The tension that develops between Ophelia and Serena feels compelling because it made sense with their individual journeys and we never lose the sense of their bond.
If you are a fan of found family and ‘sisterhood’ in the broader sense, this book is definitely for you. The story truly starts when Ophelia and Serena are rescued by members of The Twelve coven and are invited to join themselves. As they begin their training, they are drawn to the other members and become part of the bond that keeps the coven strong. The worlds and magic systems are very different, but I still found myself drawing a lot of parallels to Clary and the Shadowhunters in “The Mortal Instruments” series and would recommend this to fans looking for similar vibes.
The reason I am a little more ‘middle of the road’ with my overall rating of this book is mostly due to its structure. Though the book maintains a good overall pace, I found many moments where it tries to build tension a little prolonged and repetitive. There are some clear moments/details of narrative convenience and sequences that don’t quite hit the way I felt they could have. Though I really enjoyed this story and its characters, I feel like there was some missed potential as well. I would still highly recommend picking this book up and am excited to see where the next one goes (especially with that cliffhanger!).
Special thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Joey Graceffa, not only do you know how to inspire and bring laughter and joy into the world. You also know how to write - really really well.
I almost want to label this as partially Gothic because of how lush the descriptions are of every single scene, but it’s integrated in a way where it was intriguing. I couldn’t put it down because the lush scenery descriptions were always connected to how the characters were feeling and what was going on at the time. I did my best to avoid sharing spoilers.
There is zero fluff in this book and it’s also fairly easy to read and I took my time with it just a bit because I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss any details.
This book revolves around two twin sisters who grew up at a really bad abusive orphanage, and they managed to escape this orphanage. They are then brought to a coven where they have many questions, but they undergo a ceremony that initiates them into this coven and now they have concerns fears and just a whole lot of overwhelming information to deal with.
I am currently about 55% into the book and I am concerned for both of them, but I’m also loving the found family vibe that they have at this coven and this challenge that they have to get through and the morality of what these girls are being asked to do after finding out really shocking information.
like I have full body chills and I did not expect that from this book so this is now an auto by author for me and I’m obsessed
This book also does not take itself too seriously. It doesn’t dive too extreme into the dark parts and there’s quite a bit of fun magic in here and astrology and banter between the charactersthat really draws you in and makes you smile aand laugh and giggle. It puts an immediate bandage over the heart that was just ripped out out of your soul because of the page that happened before like this book is a roller coaster in the best of ways.
The ending has me speechless and with lots of emotions and questions.
TW Content Warnings:
-Gore
-Death
-Mention of alcoholism and DV
Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.
I almost want to label this as partially Gothic because of how lush the descriptions are of every single scene, but it’s integrated in a way where it was intriguing. I couldn’t put it down because the lush scenery descriptions were always connected to how the characters were feeling and what was going on at the time. I did my best to avoid sharing spoilers.
There is zero fluff in this book and it’s also fairly easy to read and I took my time with it just a bit because I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss any details.
This book revolves around two twin sisters who grew up at a really bad abusive orphanage, and they managed to escape this orphanage. They are then brought to a coven where they have many questions, but they undergo a ceremony that initiates them into this coven and now they have concerns fears and just a whole lot of overwhelming information to deal with.
I am currently about 55% into the book and I am concerned for both of them, but I’m also loving the found family vibe that they have at this coven and this challenge that they have to get through and the morality of what these girls are being asked to do after finding out really shocking information.
like I have full body chills and I did not expect that from this book so this is now an auto by author for me and I’m obsessed
This book also does not take itself too seriously. It doesn’t dive too extreme into the dark parts and there’s quite a bit of fun magic in here and astrology and banter between the charactersthat really draws you in and makes you smile aand laugh and giggle. It puts an immediate bandage over the heart that was just ripped out out of your soul because of the page that happened before like this book is a roller coaster in the best of ways.
The ending has me speechless and with lots of emotions and questions.
TW Content Warnings:
-Gore
-Death
-Mention of alcoholism and DV
Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC! I appreciate the opportunity to leave honest feedback voluntarily.
January 22, 2026
⭐️REVIEW⭐️
The Twelve - Joey Graceffa
I know they say not to judge a book by its cover but I totally did. I assumed this would be a fluffy, Buffy the vampire slayer - esque witch story ….kindof young and kitschy.
It IS a YA novel.
Not just because the main characters are 16 but also because it is a bit lighter and less complicated for a YA audience.
But it was also fun and engaging, full of emotion and drama. It had layers.
What was most intriguing to me was the magical system and I would have loved to see that fleshed out even more.
Each month, a witch is born under one of the signs of the zodiac. Her sign, or is it the stars, determines her magic. Twin sisters, Ophelia and Serena, born on different days and under different signs, both of have magic and will play an important role in the future of the magical world as part of The Twelve, a powerful coven sworn to hunt and defeat the Dark Witches.
While there was clarity around Picies and Aries’ magic, what they gained from their star sign, and a few of the other characters, I would have liked a bit more for some of the others. Maybe I just need to know my astrological signs better.
That said, the characters and their bonds - or@lack there of - develop well. There are secrets, friendships, good versus evil, emotional trauma and action. Themes of found family, identity and sisterhood play key roles in this story making it great for that YA stage where identity is everything and finding one’s place in the world feels tricky.
It’s a quick, fun read and I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys a witchy story. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised and am looking forward to seeing where the next book takes us…assuming there’s a book 2 with that cliffhanger ending.
I don’t know a lot about the star signs but I do know that I’m a Gemini and relate big time to all the memes that show characteristics of adaptability, curiosity and needing to constantly be learning to thrive as being part of the Gemini mindset.
And because I’m curious, what’s your sign?
Thanks to @harpercollinsca and @frenzybooks for my advanced reader’s edition in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The Twelve - Joey Graceffa
I know they say not to judge a book by its cover but I totally did. I assumed this would be a fluffy, Buffy the vampire slayer - esque witch story ….kindof young and kitschy.
It IS a YA novel.
Not just because the main characters are 16 but also because it is a bit lighter and less complicated for a YA audience.
But it was also fun and engaging, full of emotion and drama. It had layers.
What was most intriguing to me was the magical system and I would have loved to see that fleshed out even more.
Each month, a witch is born under one of the signs of the zodiac. Her sign, or is it the stars, determines her magic. Twin sisters, Ophelia and Serena, born on different days and under different signs, both of have magic and will play an important role in the future of the magical world as part of The Twelve, a powerful coven sworn to hunt and defeat the Dark Witches.
While there was clarity around Picies and Aries’ magic, what they gained from their star sign, and a few of the other characters, I would have liked a bit more for some of the others. Maybe I just need to know my astrological signs better.
That said, the characters and their bonds - or@lack there of - develop well. There are secrets, friendships, good versus evil, emotional trauma and action. Themes of found family, identity and sisterhood play key roles in this story making it great for that YA stage where identity is everything and finding one’s place in the world feels tricky.
It’s a quick, fun read and I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys a witchy story. I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised and am looking forward to seeing where the next book takes us…assuming there’s a book 2 with that cliffhanger ending.
I don’t know a lot about the star signs but I do know that I’m a Gemini and relate big time to all the memes that show characteristics of adaptability, curiosity and needing to constantly be learning to thrive as being part of the Gemini mindset.
And because I’m curious, what’s your sign?
Thanks to @harpercollinsca and @frenzybooks for my advanced reader’s edition in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My rating is 4.5 stars.
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When i heard that one of my literal childhood Youtubers was writing a book i was 1 super excited 2 a little worried since most of the time they don't tend to be that well written, however that wasn't the case with this book.
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"The Twelve" delivers a compelling mix of mystery found family and emotional depth. What starts as a tense almost ominous setup slowly unfolds into something much more human, exploring identity, belonging, and the bonds we form when the world feels stacked against us.
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The atmosphere is moody the characters are easy to root for and the story balances darkness with genuine heart. It’s a gripping read that kept me turning pages while still leaving room for reflection.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
I can honestly say i was pleasantly surprised and cannot wait to see what else Joey can come up with!
Very grateful to have received the ARC from NetGalley!
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
When i heard that one of my literal childhood Youtubers was writing a book i was 1 super excited 2 a little worried since most of the time they don't tend to be that well written, however that wasn't the case with this book.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
"The Twelve" delivers a compelling mix of mystery found family and emotional depth. What starts as a tense almost ominous setup slowly unfolds into something much more human, exploring identity, belonging, and the bonds we form when the world feels stacked against us.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The atmosphere is moody the characters are easy to root for and the story balances darkness with genuine heart. It’s a gripping read that kept me turning pages while still leaving room for reflection.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
I can honestly say i was pleasantly surprised and cannot wait to see what else Joey can come up with!
Very grateful to have received the ARC from NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Okay, I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in to this book because I haven’t read any YA fantasy in a while, but I was HOOKED. Devoured it in a day because I genuinely couldn’t put it down.
This story follows twin sisters Ophelia and Serena, Zodiac witches who are thrust into an unknown world with their new powers. The story was fast paced, easy to follow along, and consists of unique magic abilities for each characters according to their zodiac sign.
My jaw was literally on the floor almost every other chapter and I couldn’t get enough. The secrets, heartbreaking backstories, the strong sisterhood, found family in this book absolutely stole my heart. Honestly, I felt all the emotions while reading this book: annoyance, shock, sadness, grief, and happiness. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever said “Wtf” (in a good way lol) a lot throughout a story than I have with this book.
And by the end of the story, my flabbers were absolutely gasted. Loved it so much.
This story follows twin sisters Ophelia and Serena, Zodiac witches who are thrust into an unknown world with their new powers. The story was fast paced, easy to follow along, and consists of unique magic abilities for each characters according to their zodiac sign.
My jaw was literally on the floor almost every other chapter and I couldn’t get enough. The secrets, heartbreaking backstories, the strong sisterhood, found family in this book absolutely stole my heart. Honestly, I felt all the emotions while reading this book: annoyance, shock, sadness, grief, and happiness. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever said “Wtf” (in a good way lol) a lot throughout a story than I have with this book.
And by the end of the story, my flabbers were absolutely gasted. Loved it so much.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Joey Graceffa for the free review copy.
This book is a little younger than I expected. I was thinking YA, but it reads more as middle grade at times. Regardless, I found the storyline intriguing. The zodiac magic system was new to me, and I liked how Joey entwined the way each zodiac is seen into their powers. I especially liked that he didn’t just pigeonhole each character into the stereotype of their sign. Sure, as a Cancer, I am pretty good at reading and working with moods, but this Cancer wasn’t a moody little wench like I had been worried she’d be. The characters felt nuanced and had a depth to them you don’t always see in books for younger audiences. I didn’t love that the girls were stripped of their names once they had their powers awakened, but that was really my only issue. The ending leaves me hoping this is a series, even if it’s not marked as one.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Joey Graceffa for the free review copy.
This book is a little younger than I expected. I was thinking YA, but it reads more as middle grade at times. Regardless, I found the storyline intriguing. The zodiac magic system was new to me, and I liked how Joey entwined the way each zodiac is seen into their powers. I especially liked that he didn’t just pigeonhole each character into the stereotype of their sign. Sure, as a Cancer, I am pretty good at reading and working with moods, but this Cancer wasn’t a moody little wench like I had been worried she’d be. The characters felt nuanced and had a depth to them you don’t always see in books for younger audiences. I didn’t love that the girls were stripped of their names once they had their powers awakened, but that was really my only issue. The ending leaves me hoping this is a series, even if it’s not marked as one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story was extremely captivating and my first fantasy novel. I didn't know what to expect diving in but I am so glad The Twelve was the book that brought me into the fantasy world!
The themes of sisterhood, friendship, betrayal and the hunt for the truth kept my attention like no other and I could not put the book down. You really build a connection with the sisters and other characters and feel immersed in The Twelve. There are so many unexpected twists to this story and when you really think you know what's happening, think again!!!
The themes of sisterhood, friendship, betrayal and the hunt for the truth kept my attention like no other and I could not put the book down. You really build a connection with the sisters and other characters and feel immersed in The Twelve. There are so many unexpected twists to this story and when you really think you know what's happening, think again!!!
September 10, 2025
This was full of twists and turns. I enjoyed the world building and the premise of using your astrological sign as your basis for magical powers. The ranking system was a good way to bring tension to the main characters. Hope to see more from this world as it felt it ended on a very tense cliffhanger.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for access to this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for access to this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
January 24, 2026
I raced through the last third of this book! The fast-paced writing created an exquisite tension, and I had to know the ending! The story embraces the themes of found family and coming-of-age: both themes I enjoy. The tension between Dark and Light is well juxtaposed within the story itself and as a tension within the main characters themselves. And the cover? Stunning! Definitely a story worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I am an adult but still love YA novels sprinkled throughout my TBR throughout the year. This one had everything I like. Fantasy, magic, witches and an uncomplicated good read. I highly recommend this book and am glad I got to be chosen to read and give an honest review. 4.5 stars from me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Full review coming soon
But I’m surprised and absolutely enjoyed this audio!! Gahh
Finishing this up
Editing
But I’m surprised and absolutely enjoyed this audio!! Gahh
Finishing this up
Editing
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews