The Twelve

by Joey Graceffa

From 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.

Genres: Fantasy, Witches, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fiction, Audiobook

368 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2026

About the author

Joey 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.

Reviews

[ᴄᴀᴛ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved listen it to this book, I thought that it was really fun and I can't wait to see what happens in book 2 whenever that comes out!

There's also not a single man in this book! 😻

My only thing is that I listened to the audiobook and one of the narrators is Bailey Carr, and she narrated the Agggtm trilogy, so I was picturing Pip instead of Ophelia💔
She is a wonderful narrator though.
Audiobook - 0🌶 - 4☆

[Stacey Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️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.

[kaila | kd.reads]

dnf'ing at 25%, i paused this audiobook last week to listen to other things because it wasn't grabbing my attention and this book does come out tomorrow but i have no want to finish.

thank you to harper collin's childrens for the alc copy of this book in exchange for my review

[Colline Vinay Kook-Chun · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like a 3.5 but rounded up bc I love the girls and gays and I've been a longtime follower of Joey's C: (so, yes, not an unbiased review, LOL). *review will contain spoilers.*

This definitely reads like the first part of a duology at minimum, and if it's truly meant to be a standalone (and doesn't become one just bc Joey didn't get another deal), then I would lowkey also rank this a bit lower. The book definitely feels incomplete if there's not a sequel, so I will try not to judge it too harshly on that front -- hopefully Joey is able to write a sequel, if that's what he intended.

That said, I do like the concept that Joey created. He's always been a fan of astrology and witchy stuff, and I think he's done a good job deciding how the world works and giving people their powers. While reading this, I got similar vibes to C.S. Pacat's "Dark Rise" series -- especially with how quick the turnaround feels and the protagonist being thrust into these magical bastions (ofc you could claim that for a lot of series, but this one especially. Though I will say the prose is more advanced in Dark Rise). I mean, in "Dark Rise" Will has technically been training for a long time, whereas in this they've trained for like three days before all hell breaks loose. The timeline is pretty shaky and not well-established imo, I think the events of the book take place in a week maximum (bc it's not really shown otherwise) and that is just way too quick for the bonds to be believable.

I did really like the side characters, and to me the thing that drew me in the most was whether or not Leo and Serena got together, LOL. Spoiler, they don't really, but they do have feelings for each other?? (as Serena's MOM of all people points out). I think their tension/relationship was done best, especially with how they started out as rivals/enemies -- but I also think their relationship fell flat toward the second half of the book. Joey was really good at building their will-they-won't-they tension in the first half by sprinkling clues from Serena's POV that she was into her (like come on, only noticing how radiant Leo looks? The russet shades of her eyes? how her rose perfume fills her nose all the time??) and I was REALLYYY rooting for them. However, towards the second half, though they have a tender moment -- the connection is less pronounced and (spoiler) Leo ends up slapping her, LOL, to get her out of her stupor. I think the slap... while maybe a little justified, is a bit of an odd choice, especially since Serena and Leo are never able to properly express their feelings to each other. It just feels jarring that one of their last moments together is her slapping her -- and then BIG SPOILER Serena just dies?? I mean she doesn't die because of the slap but she does die at the end of the book -- and that was a hella big twist.

Even though I'm not the biggest fan of the ending, I will give it to Joey for shooting big. It's an interesting twist and view on the world, power, grief, etc. -- but it doesn't feel wholly earned, and also screams a lot of hypocrisy. Ophelia's character is just... super weak to me. Like, not even in terms of physical strength -- her strength of character is literally at zero and even if that might be partially the point, it's super frustrating to read. She can somehow "sense" people's intentions/emotions, but there is absolutely no nuance to her character and she either believes someone or hates them because they're "lying" to her. Of course, the way she's been lied to and manipulated most of her life is terrible, but girl ... use your BRAIN for one second, please! Of course the Dark Witch locked in the magic mirror is lying to you (if she can "sense" people are lying, how can she not sense it in the Dark Pisces?? I can maybe excuse her not sensing it in her mother since her mother wholly believes what she's saying despite it being twisted, but the Dark Pisces admits to lying to her girl), and of course your emotionless-Dark-Witch mother means to hurt you and isn't actually telling you the truth!!

Ophelia in the last few chapters is insanely annoying and frustrating. She sees how terrible Scorpio is treated (turned into a literal emaciated slave) and still is like, "oh well, Niobe has been lying to me, my mother is the better choice!!" It's like... girl... have you no sense at all??? Once again, Niobe not telling them the entire truth sucks, but to not realize how immoral her mother is is quite baffling. Even if she doesn't like Niobe, the way her mother is holding her against her will and has tortured her after capturing her is INSANE behavior. No normal person sees that and still thinks, "oh, yeah, my mother is the good one." But Ophelia does!! And she doesn't snap out of it until SHE'S the one her mother is controlling. It's like girl let's be real for a second... Come on...

Also, I thought that Ophelia and Gemini's relationship was the weaker one. It's very insta-lovey, not a lot of build up, and I could spot from a mile away Gemini was probably keeping an "eye" on her... sigh... but even then, when Ophelia discovers it, she doesn't think for one second that, "hey, even if this person was at first sent to spy on me, they literally risked their life to save me, maybe they aren't so bad?" IDK girl just never thinks. Serena is sold as the impulsive one, but Ophelia is literally the one that never uses her damn brain.

Also, Ophelia turning into a dark witch because she loses Serena... girl I just ... I can't. Like she's the one who killed her (skull emoji) then she gets mad she's dead. Like... Serena wanted you to kill her to stop her from becoming a dark witch, and then after obliging her request, you become a dark witch yourself bc you don't care about anything anymore?? WHERE IS THE LOGIC GIRLIE. Her lack of principles toward the end there just realllllyyyy grates me (and if I'm being nitpicky, how did Leo and Gemini get past the rest of the Dark 12 witches, yet later they just glide into the room at Lavinia's beckoning?? that doesn't make sense ... tbh). IDK, to me, Ophelia just becomes a giant hypocritical mess of a character, and it's really hard to sympathize with her... she's just kind of a mess. And if this book doesn't have an intended sequel -- it just ends so bizarrely. Serena is dead, Ophelia is a dark witch, and the rest of the coven just goes back... and the dark 12 witches are still not dead, LOL.

IDK, I get it, not every ending is going to be a fairy tale, buttttt Idk man... I just wish it didn't feel so rushed/frustrating... I do think the twist that Ophelia is the one who gives into the darkness and power rather than Serena was done well/nicely for the most part, but girl... she PMOed for a lot of the book (also, her being 'scared/shy/weak' always confused me, because yeah, we open with her risking punishment in order to sneak her sister a cupcake. Serena even mentions that she was 'always the brave one' but this is the only moment we have of that. I think it's odd bc it does characterize her as much braver than she is, yet after that moment she's always sniveling and hiding behind Serena. It's just... bizarre ngl.)

Ok-- rant mostly over... Ophelia and her weird lack of convictions and the ending are my biggest problems with this book. I think the side characters are what made this book as good as it is, and Serena's POV also carried for me. Leo and her are the shining parts of this book, in my opinion, and I wish there was more of them bc their tension was really immaculate up until the end. It's also pretty frustrating that they weren't ever able to admit their feelings for each other -- but IDK man... :.<

Any who, I hope Joey gets to continue this so we're not left on that massive cliffhanger, and that Leo and Serena can have the justice they deserve!! (and so Ophelia can get a grip like plz girl).

**I will say, the whole situation w/the Dark Pisces did make me think about morality and accountability and who is at "fault" for things. I really don't solely blame Ophelia for everything shitty that happens at the end -- but I do blame her for so easily falling for Lavinia's lies and not realizing she's also manipulating her?? To some extent, you can even blame Niobe for keeping such a dangerous liability on the island (the dark Pisces trapped in the mirror), and then even further you can blame a system that forces people to kill their friends -- yada yada -- so that's why I don't blame Ophelia entirely for what's going on and why I don't find her AS frustrating as I could've. Her lack of character/strength just grates at me hella in the final few pages.

all in all though, I am happy this book has zero men in it and exclusively queer relationships. we need more books like that. So yes I'm biased, but I'll bump it to a 4 stars for that alone~

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5; Finished in the ams of feb 25, while knitting.

While I'm ever so slightly confused on the magic system (like which witch gets what type of power, which would be pretty much squashed after another read). It's stunning.

I love the way it ends as well. Some books now leave on cliff hangers that make you look down like 'ohhhh that... That's a large drop'. This leaves on a ribbon that can either be tied into a big bow, or flattened out and added to before tying up the bow.

Aka; it leaves on a satisfactory cliffhanger. You can leave the story as is or you can continue it, if there ends up being multiple books. Out of all the types of cliffhangers this happens to be my favorite

We have Witches and Dark Witches, only 12 witches are born each year. Some die, some go dark. All Witch will become Dark Witches. As everyone born will die, like such, some die quicker. As some Witches turn faster. Unlike death, a dark witch can be forced to become a witch once more with enough witches around, as a Witch can be forced to become a dark witch.

When the power starts to come, streaks of white show within hair, and as the streaks come, so does a tiny bit of mania. They feel great, can't understand why they shouldn't, they want to always feel like that, they feel as if they need to use their power. It's theirs. They were born with it, why not? It's as if the fear is drowned. Like being enveloped in continuous positivity and in capable of fearing a dead body in front of them.

Also. Joey... You lied. It's not a book with only female characters, if you have someone nonbinary. Tisk Tisk. Still no boys, but not all girls either.

At any case, I do also like that, the two POV's are very distinct. It's like with some stories, the two POVs start like clashing with each other and it's a little hard to tell who's who when you look away for a moment- I was reading audiobook- but with this they were distinct enough to where I knew who was who and where we were.

Another thing that I absolutely loved, was that we were just thrown into the story. Stories where you get like loads of information right off the bat, to help the reader figure out where you are, and what's happening, is a little jarring, and a lot to take in. It's like sitting somewhere, and all of a sudden you get a call like 'hey your Bestie died', like that's a lot to take, and that's a lot to unpack, but with this it doesn't do that you experience it like the characters you learn as the story goes, because you just popped in. You just popped in for the story so the story starts and goes, you get to learn what you just popped into and that I love.

There is also this magical tattooed ranking system, that isn’t set in stone. It’s very cool, but also like… How the hell did that get created in the first place? And which witch should I slap for it?! The poor girls end up feeling inferior and insecure or get pushed at by others for not being ranked, not awaking their powers, or even ranking low. Truly a pity.

Also. Leo is a bitch. Like, she gets better. But, definitely when you first meet her, mean girl vibes, egotistical, etc. just straight bitchy. After we get to know her better, it’s pretty alright, but still at times like ?Girl? What-????

Btw One, small inconsistency I heard was Ophelias rank. she was ranked 4, then later as she was just using her power it moved to 8.


spoiler moment,


It was pretty sad to see at times the whole ‘It should have been me’ brutus moments in Ophelia. Ophelia is the older even by a few seconds/minutes of the two.

She was also the unnoticed smoking ground next to Serena the campfire. (Explanation; A campfire could lead to a forest fire, the smoking ground means something IS on fire and could very well be the forest. Underground fires are fairly spooky as the rain can’t put them out easily.)

While people saw Serena as the cat sitting next to the mouse, the didn’t seem to realize the mouse was actually a meerkat. Or in other words, a wolf next to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Serena was obvious, she made it straight and known. Ophelia, kept it on the DL, but knew she would do exactly the same if not worse than Serena, when it comes to Serena.

So the moments where Ophelia felt jealous of Serena for her strength was pretty sad. As well as when Serena viewed herself as nothing but a vicious beast, most likely due to those around her growing up treating her as such. So when Serena felt jealous Ophelia was making friend easily it was like NOOOO MY GIRLS PLEASE!!!! I DONT THINK MY HEART CAN TAKE THIS!!!

ummm… EXCUSE ME??? HOW THE HELL DID MAMA DO THAT!!!?!?!

And Ophelia turning just to get that wave of calmness and be like How the fuck do I get my sister back??? 10/10
The mini romance that was actually extremely quick -_- it’s okay pretyy funny.
The off feeling they got being true? Beautiful!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this fast-paced fantasy novel by influencer Joey Graceffa down once I started reading it. Graceffa writes about the adventures of twin protagonists Serena and Ophelia as they are rescued from their mistreatment in an orphanage and brought to a beautiful training ground for a witch coven. Both girls know they have magic, though mild-mannered Ophelia’s water powers have not yet manifested, which leaves hot-tempered Serena as the protector of the two. Serena discovers that she is one of the most powerful beings among the zodiac witches, who have powers based on when they are born. Ophelia is the underdog character in this title, who eventually takes the lead and makes difficult decisions when it comes to saving her coven. She and her sister discover that zodiac witches turn evil after a period of time, and that a dark witch coven is trying to complete its ranks with Serena and Ophelia. Things escalate when the girls discover that their mother, believed to be dead, is the leader of the dark coven. This book ends with a major plot twist that I did not predict. The author also does a wonderful job of incorporating diversity, such as Ophelia’s gender-nonconforming love interest. The strength of this story lies in its pacing. The way the author moves through all the major elements while maintaining engagement makes for a thrilling read. Graceffa also does a nice job of detailing the story’s various settings, making the audience feel like they have a front-row seat despite the many different locations. Furthermore, the concept of this book is unique for avid readers, particularly in its use of zodiac magic, while still maintaining a sense of familiarity for fans of typical fantasy reads. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all — the cover art immediately caught my attention. Absolutely stunning.

But the story itself ended up being just as engaging.

The magic system is based on astrological signs, which I thought was such a fun premise. Each character’s abilities connect to their sign, and there’s a ranking system that creates tension between the characters and the world they live in.

The story leans into found family and coming-of-age themes, which I always enjoy, and the characters were really easy to root for.

I also loved the way the story explores the balance between dark and light, not just in the world but inside the characters themselves.

And once the story picked up toward the end?
I absolutely raced through the final third because I needed to know what happened.

There were a lot of twists and moments that kept the tension high, and the book ends on a very tense cliffhanger that definitely makes me curious about where this world could go next.

Overall it’s a moody, character-driven fantasy with heart, mystery, and some really interesting world building.

I listened top the audiobook which was narrated by Bailey Carr and Kristyna Zaharek and they were fabulous. The way they portrayed the core vibe of this story maintaining it at a level that was age-appropriate, emotional, and engaging listeners.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperAudio Childrens for the gifted ALC.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.
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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!

[Carli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for access to the ALC of The Twelve in exchange for an honest review.
In a world where each month a Zodiac Witch is born and her magic is written in the stars, twin sisters Ophelia and Serena grow up abandoned and forgotten in an orphanage—until they are suddenly swept into The Twelve, a powerful coven that hunts deadly Dark Witches who feed on magic. Bound by blood yet pulled by destiny, they must decide who they are willing to become before the darkness closes in.
I absolutely loved that this YA fantasy does not revolve around a romantic love story. That felt so refreshing. Instead, the heart of the book is about sisterhood—the love between Ophelia and Serena, the pain of abandonment, and the complicated bond that both anchors and divides them. The coven dynamics, the magic system tied to the zodiac, and the unfolding mysteries kept me fully engaged.
The last 30%? I completely gobbled it up. The pacing ramps up into high-intensity, fast-moving chaos, and that epilogue has my brain spinning with theories. If you love witchy YA with sisterly tension, layered magic, and dark secrets, I highly recommend this one

[Shastyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Joey Graceffa before reading The Twelve, and immediately after finishing it, my feed became flooded with pregnant dog videos. I love the dog videos… and thankfully, I loved the book too.

The concept is instantly intriguing: a fantasy world where chosen young women are sent to a secret island to hone their powers and prepare to battle dark witches. Each girl is given a new name based on her zodiac sign—a symbolic reset that strips her down to her core before rebuilding her through sisterhood.

What stood out most was that there isn’t a single male character on the page. For some, this will feel refreshing and empowering—a story driven entirely by female and nonbinary energy. For others, it may feel unexpected. Still, masculine energy subtly exists in the prose itself, which makes sense since the author is male (a fact I didn’t realize while reading). For me, that balance worked.

At the heart of the story are two sisters, and I loved both their individual arcs and their journey together. Watching them face trials, grow into themselves, and redefine who they are was deeply satisfying.

🎧 The audiobook narration by Bailey Carr and Kristyna Zaharek was excellent—age-appropriate, emotional, and engaging for both teen and adult listeners.

With strong coming-of-age themes, rich world-building, and an emphasis on identity and sisterhood, The Twelve is a great pick for teens while still offering enough depth for adult readers.

✨ A witchy, zodiac-infused story about power, growth, and found family that surprised me in the best way.


I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Harper Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

[Jacy Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orphaned twin sisters Serena and Ophelia are thrust into a world of magic they didn't know existed and things aren't as black and white as they seem, with lies, and secrets and betrayal around every corner.

The Twelve by Joey Graceffa is a YA Fantasy coming of age story with very strong themes of sisterhood and a unique magic system. This book puts the characters through the ringer both emotionally and physically as they navigate new powers and new relationships.

My teen daughter picked this book out for me as part of my Book Bingo challenge "Kid's Choice" and I'm not mad about it. It is the perfect book for teens who love witchy, zodiac vibes. There is a kissing scene with hands roaming, but nothing below the belt and absolutely nothing graphic, no spice. There is however violence, blood and injury, and quite a bit of death, as well as themes of child abuse and abandonment.

[Brittney E’Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to review this audiobook. This is a unique YA with magic system connected to the Western Zodiac. Witches are apparently born each year under a certain sign with set powers. The story follows the POV of set of twins girls born with different signs(Aries and Pisces) and how they grow in their powers. The magic system is very different from what I have ran across before and I wish could get more unbiased details about it. I do feel like the last 20 % of the book kind of went off the rails with the plot either for the sake of drama to have drama or a set up for another book. Either way it was a bit jarring. Liked the no-binary and gay elements and the narrators were pleasant to listen to

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the concept for the book, but it felt more like book 1 in a new series instead of a stand alone.
The end is very rushed and left more questions than answers.
I don't see anything about this being part of a series or even a duology so that is disappointing.

Anywho, the story itself is cool and the magical system makes sense.
I just wanted more to it, felt a little unfinished.
The narration was top tier though and this was my first Kristyna Zaharek so I will be looking for more and Bailey Carr is always a nice voice to follow along with.
The alternating POV with these two was perfection.
Much love to HarperAudio Children’s & NetGalley for my ALC.

[Critter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. Sometimes it felt a bit over the top and other times it felt repetitive. For the most part I enjoyed the narrator's performance. She is engaging to listen to. I enjoyed the world building. It is interesting how some of the magic is set up and I liked that the main characters who are twins were allowed to represent different zodiacs and didn't have to share Gemini. I did find the pacing to be slow as this story did get a bit repetitive over time. Otherwise it was decent read that reminded me of some older horror movies involving witches.

[Ashley Weeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!!!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been following Joey since the beginning of his Youtube career. I have reread the Children of Eden series at least once a year since it came out and was so excited to see he was releasing a new book! The Twelve follows two sisters that are twins born close to midnight causing them to be born on two different days as well as two different astrology signs. I loved the concept of using their signs to form covens and work together to fight the dark witches. There were so many twists and turns throughout this book, I never knew what was going to happen next.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sisterhood
Coven
Witches/academy
Zodiac powers
Unique magic system
Twin sisters
Good vs evil
Dark academia vibes
Power Play
Friendship
Betrayal
Hunt for the truth
Discovering oneself
Found family
LGBTQ romance
High stakes

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.

Magic is a gift we’ve been given, but it is not with out cost.

Twin sisters with magic powers

LMagic thrums through my veins, wild and raging, pounding like a war drum.”

"Welcome to the coven. Each month, a Zodiac Witch is born, her magic written by the stars"

"Sisters by blood, siblings by choice.”

“We fight the dark witches. That’s what we were born for.”

I was hooked with in the few first chapters! It started off with a bang! Bringing a sisterhood and found family vibes I couldn’t get enough of. And to throw in the zodiac witches. I mean I just couldn’t get enough! The narrator was absolutely fantastic I was engaged the whole time! Really hoping there is a second book!

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

really fun worldbuilding and some good characters. i love the astrology vibes and the magic system here, especially as the plotting flows well too. would love it. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

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[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I mean, I knew going into this book that this isn’t really in my wheelhouse. But I was really interested to see what Joey Graceffa would do with this story.

I do think that there will be a lot of people that will enjoy this one, and I like that this is probably set up for a sequel.

And I do think the concept of this book is really interesting too, but it just wasn’t for me.

[Erin Cates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joey did it yet again…a YouTuber I grew up watching and adoring has turned into a legendary writer. The children of Eden to The Twelve. This book was wonderfully written and I honestly kept losing myself in this story. If you love all things zodiacs or witches or even magic, then this is the story for you to read.

[Candace Perrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has got to be the best book I've ever read. The twists and turns that happen in it are amazing and shocking, but the sadness of what life can do to people is so heartbreaking that it's hard to put into words. I recommend it if you love reading about love and heartbreak, about two sisters, and also about fantasy.

[Natalie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Tyler Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this book today and I really enjoyed it. Joey Graceffa is my favorite vlogger/author. This book has amazing fantasy, twists, and a great plot. I hope Joey Graceffa plans to write a sequel.

[Summer Paradis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and the idea of witches being granted their powers based on their zodiac signs. It was action packed and didn't end how I expected it to. I really hope there is a sequel, becauae plenty would be left of this story! Really enjoyable!

[bella · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wanted to dnf this book as soon as he started calling everyone by their zodiac sign but I forced myself to finish the ARC and it still disappointed me