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Midnight Twins #1
The Midnight Twins
Meredith and Mallory Brynn, are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one New Year's Eve. They have always been inseparable. But after they are nearly killed in a mysterious fire on their thirteenth birthday, the bond that has always joined them unravels. They begin to have visions and dreams that reveal the deep secrets kept by the people around them.
Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past, Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive….
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2008
63 people are currently reading
1756 people want to read
About the author
Jacquelyn Mitchard
80 books1,227 followersJacquelyn Mitchard’s first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, was named by USA Today as one of the ten most influential books of the past 25 years – second only to the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (but second by a long shot, it must be said.)
The Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV host Oprah Winfrey, and transformed into a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Most of Mitchard’s novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers – and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, The Good Son, and Cage of Stars. Critics have praised them for their authentic humanity and command of story. Readers identify because they see reflected, in her characters – however extreme their circumstances – emotions they already understand.
Mitchard also has written four novels for young adults.
The first, Now You See Her, from HarperTeen, is the story of a pampered, driven young actress who fakes her own abduction.
All We Know of Heaven told the story of lifetime best friends Bridget and Maureen, who are just sixteen when a fatal crash on an icy road and a poignant case of mistaken identity divide their small Minnesota town forever.
The Midnight Twins was the first in a trilogy of teen mysteries about identical twin sisters born on New Year’s Eve – one a minute before and a minute after midnight – Meredith and Mallory Brynn learn on the night they turn thirteen that their psychic abilities will force them to intervene in dire events, although one twin can see only the future and one can see only the past. The Midnight Twins is in development as a TV series by Kaleidoscope Entertainment.
Mitchard's newest novel for adult, A Very Inconvenient Scandal, out in November 2023 from Mira/HarperCollins, is the story of an acclaimed young underwater photographer whose famed marine biologist father shatters their family by marrying her best friend., a woman 35 years his junior.
At the local coffee shop, Mitchard is best-known as the mother of Rob, Dan, Marty, Francie, Mia, Will and Atticus , as the grandma of Hank and Diana and the wife of handsome Chris Brent.
Her favorite color is periwinkle blue; her favorite holiday is Halloween; her favorite flower is freesia; her favorite word is "smite," and her second favorite is "Massachusetts"; her lucky number is 119 (anyone who can guess where that comes from wins free first editions of her novels for life). She lives in her favorite place on earth, Cape Cod, summering in a villa on the Amalfi Coast. (Guess which part of that sentence is fiction.)
Her essays have appeared in publications including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune Magazine and Reader's Digest, and are widely anthologized and used in school curricula. She has taught in MFA programs in Vermont, Ohio, and Massachusetts, and is part of the faculty at the Summer Writers Institute at Yale University. She is a member of the Tall Poppies Writers and has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Ragdale Foundation.
Her pet peeves are known authors and editors who cannot and will not learn the difference between “lie” and “lay” and family signs pluralized with apostrophes.
She would love to appear on just ONE episode of any incarnation of ‘Law and Order,’ as has everyone else in America. She still is willing to play the role of a murder victim – except one found by earth-moving equipment in a landfill – though she would do that in a pinch.
Mitchard would like to have a swimming pool, because, although she lives near the ocean, she is afraid of the dark water and hates sand. She would love to have a clawfoot tub, or any tub.
She believes that stories are the ways that human beings make sense of life and that our stories will save us.
The Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV host Oprah Winfrey, and transformed into a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Most of Mitchard’s novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers – and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, The Good Son, and Cage of Stars. Critics have praised them for their authentic humanity and command of story. Readers identify because they see reflected, in her characters – however extreme their circumstances – emotions they already understand.
Mitchard also has written four novels for young adults.
The first, Now You See Her, from HarperTeen, is the story of a pampered, driven young actress who fakes her own abduction.
All We Know of Heaven told the story of lifetime best friends Bridget and Maureen, who are just sixteen when a fatal crash on an icy road and a poignant case of mistaken identity divide their small Minnesota town forever.
The Midnight Twins was the first in a trilogy of teen mysteries about identical twin sisters born on New Year’s Eve – one a minute before and a minute after midnight – Meredith and Mallory Brynn learn on the night they turn thirteen that their psychic abilities will force them to intervene in dire events, although one twin can see only the future and one can see only the past. The Midnight Twins is in development as a TV series by Kaleidoscope Entertainment.
Mitchard's newest novel for adult, A Very Inconvenient Scandal, out in November 2023 from Mira/HarperCollins, is the story of an acclaimed young underwater photographer whose famed marine biologist father shatters their family by marrying her best friend., a woman 35 years his junior.
At the local coffee shop, Mitchard is best-known as the mother of Rob, Dan, Marty, Francie, Mia, Will and Atticus , as the grandma of Hank and Diana and the wife of handsome Chris Brent.
Her favorite color is periwinkle blue; her favorite holiday is Halloween; her favorite flower is freesia; her favorite word is "smite," and her second favorite is "Massachusetts"; her lucky number is 119 (anyone who can guess where that comes from wins free first editions of her novels for life). She lives in her favorite place on earth, Cape Cod, summering in a villa on the Amalfi Coast. (Guess which part of that sentence is fiction.)
Her essays have appeared in publications including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune Magazine and Reader's Digest, and are widely anthologized and used in school curricula. She has taught in MFA programs in Vermont, Ohio, and Massachusetts, and is part of the faculty at the Summer Writers Institute at Yale University. She is a member of the Tall Poppies Writers and has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Ragdale Foundation.
Her pet peeves are known authors and editors who cannot and will not learn the difference between “lie” and “lay” and family signs pluralized with apostrophes.
She would love to appear on just ONE episode of any incarnation of ‘Law and Order,’ as has everyone else in America. She still is willing to play the role of a murder victim – except one found by earth-moving equipment in a landfill – though she would do that in a pinch.
Mitchard would like to have a swimming pool, because, although she lives near the ocean, she is afraid of the dark water and hates sand. She would love to have a clawfoot tub, or any tub.
She believes that stories are the ways that human beings make sense of life and that our stories will save us.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
July 22, 2009
I have to say, I was extemely disappointed in this book. I've read All We Know of Heaven by the same author, and loved it. But The Midnight Twins... did nothing for me. Absolutely nothing. I had to force my way through it actually. I was about half way through it and was getting pretty fed up, but I figured, it's a waste to read half a book and not finish it and be able to review it.
It's an interesting premise, if not completely original. A pair of twins are in a life threatening accident, this being a fire, they get super powers, they try to save their town from something horrible. It could have been good. I really think it could have.
But it fell flat. The twins are just... blah, mostly. Mostly unoriginal: identical twins who are complete opposites. They also have telepathy before the fire, and after the fire they have powers to see. I didn't feel at all linked to them or sympathize with any of the characters really.
I also found that at times, it was all very disjointed. Scenes skipped around. The narration went from head to head- though always in third person- and I was confused who was thinking what at points. And a lot of the expressions were weird, with phrases not making any sense to me. The novel was kind of like: ladeeda, we're twins with telepathy- omg, fire! we have super powers- whatever, let's do some cheerleading- wait, can we really see the past and future? I don't understand- I foresee that there is a killer on the loose- blahblahblah. I was never too sure if the twins believed in their powers or not. Sometimes one did, sometimes the other did, and it's not until the very very end that they're both like, We Have Powers To Save the World.
On the plus side, it did get pretty intense at the climax. That was well done. And I quite liked the problem the twins have to face.
Although on another bad note: The twins kept complaining how they didn't like their powers because it made them feel like grown ups. But then they complain they're too young. And just, baah. I give up.
It's an interesting premise, if not completely original. A pair of twins are in a life threatening accident, this being a fire, they get super powers, they try to save their town from something horrible. It could have been good. I really think it could have.
But it fell flat. The twins are just... blah, mostly. Mostly unoriginal: identical twins who are complete opposites. They also have telepathy before the fire, and after the fire they have powers to see. I didn't feel at all linked to them or sympathize with any of the characters really.
I also found that at times, it was all very disjointed. Scenes skipped around. The narration went from head to head- though always in third person- and I was confused who was thinking what at points. And a lot of the expressions were weird, with phrases not making any sense to me. The novel was kind of like: ladeeda, we're twins with telepathy- omg, fire! we have super powers- whatever, let's do some cheerleading- wait, can we really see the past and future? I don't understand- I foresee that there is a killer on the loose- blahblahblah. I was never too sure if the twins believed in their powers or not. Sometimes one did, sometimes the other did, and it's not until the very very end that they're both like, We Have Powers To Save the World.
On the plus side, it did get pretty intense at the climax. That was well done. And I quite liked the problem the twins have to face.
Although on another bad note: The twins kept complaining how they didn't like their powers because it made them feel like grown ups. But then they complain they're too young. And just, baah. I give up.
January 26, 2008
Meredith and Mallory Brynn are identical twins - born on different days. Meredith was born at 11:59 P.M. on December 31st and Mallory was born at 12:01 A.M. on January 1st of the next year. Merry and Mally share many of the things that other twins do like a special language, sympathy pains, and telepathy. No matter how much they share with each other and how identical they look, they do have differences. Merry is the head cheerleader and Miss Popularity whereas Mally is all business. She is a jock and prefers to spend time alone.
The Brynn twins are known and loved all throughout town but even more so after a New Year's Eve disaster. While babysitting their little brother and cousins, a mysterious fire breaks out that nearly takes the twins' lives. The physical devastation is nothing compared to the emotional damage they endure. Merry and Mally notice they don't dream the same dreams after the fire and begin seeing visions. Mally sees things that are going to happen and Merry sees what has already happened.
The girls begin to get disturbing visions of a long time family friend which end up putting them in an extremely dangerous situation. They must rely on their special "gifts" to survive.
THE MIDNIGHT TWINS is a fascinating novel. The first two chapters were hard to get into because of the detailed explanation of the twins and their "gifts" but once you get to the night of the fire, the story really takes the reader on an emotional ride.
The Brynn twins are known and loved all throughout town but even more so after a New Year's Eve disaster. While babysitting their little brother and cousins, a mysterious fire breaks out that nearly takes the twins' lives. The physical devastation is nothing compared to the emotional damage they endure. Merry and Mally notice they don't dream the same dreams after the fire and begin seeing visions. Mally sees things that are going to happen and Merry sees what has already happened.
The girls begin to get disturbing visions of a long time family friend which end up putting them in an extremely dangerous situation. They must rely on their special "gifts" to survive.
THE MIDNIGHT TWINS is a fascinating novel. The first two chapters were hard to get into because of the detailed explanation of the twins and their "gifts" but once you get to the night of the fire, the story really takes the reader on an emotional ride.
June 25, 2008
on sale 7-3-08 young adult fiction
Mitchard is a rare breed of writer who can capture the emotions and hearts of both the adult fiction and the teen fiction world (She's the author of the tearjerking Deep End of the Ocean, among many other books) . I agree with the publisher that this book is a 12 and up--it deals with some fairly violent themes as the book goes on--but the story is gripping and suspenseful and easily kept THIS adult's attention--in fact there were points where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
This is the story of Mally and Merry, identical twins who, on the eve of their 13th birthday, discover there is more to their minds and talents than just being able to communicate with each other telepathically (not unheard of in twins, especially identicals). These new talents begin to tear their lives apart as they pull away from each other trying to deal with and/or deny them. But they are a part of a generations old tradition of powerful women and what is required of them cannot be avoided or denied--and it's very nearly the death of them.
The story is tight for the vast majority of the book--my only gripe is with the last chapter. Mitchard becomes a bit ham handed trying to tie up too many loose ends and give the reader the back stories of too much. My best guess is she's trying to lay the groundwork for a follow up novel with these characters, but it was done in such a below par way I was severely disappointed--it was tedious and anticlimatic. For that reason alone I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Mitchard is a rare breed of writer who can capture the emotions and hearts of both the adult fiction and the teen fiction world (She's the author of the tearjerking Deep End of the Ocean, among many other books) . I agree with the publisher that this book is a 12 and up--it deals with some fairly violent themes as the book goes on--but the story is gripping and suspenseful and easily kept THIS adult's attention--in fact there were points where I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.
This is the story of Mally and Merry, identical twins who, on the eve of their 13th birthday, discover there is more to their minds and talents than just being able to communicate with each other telepathically (not unheard of in twins, especially identicals). These new talents begin to tear their lives apart as they pull away from each other trying to deal with and/or deny them. But they are a part of a generations old tradition of powerful women and what is required of them cannot be avoided or denied--and it's very nearly the death of them.
The story is tight for the vast majority of the book--my only gripe is with the last chapter. Mitchard becomes a bit ham handed trying to tie up too many loose ends and give the reader the back stories of too much. My best guess is she's trying to lay the groundwork for a follow up novel with these characters, but it was done in such a below par way I was severely disappointed--it was tedious and anticlimatic. For that reason alone I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
June 23, 2009
I have a hunch that this will be one of those series that people pick up because the cover looks pretty and there’s a pretty famous author’s name on it. Otherwise, THE MIDNIGHT TWINS is a jumbled, jumpy, and gnarled mess of characters, ooooo-spooky events, and rushed conclusions.
I understand that the twins at 13 years old, and that tweens on the brink of puberty make for melodramatic and often confusing times, but really, now. The mindset of an eighth grade girl does not have to manifest itself in the poor, choppy writing. Mitchard frequently jumps from one moment to another half an hour later, leaving us bewildered readers to fill in the gap and try to keep up at the same time.
Most of the time, the book dragged so much and included a bunch of pointless information that didn’t help me understand the twins or their situation any better. The ending is appropriate for a novel written by—you guessed it—an eighth grade girl: chock full of moments where you’re pretty sure you’re supposed to gasp in shock and moan in despair. When the climactic moment occurred, I didn’t feel anything, possibly because by that point I was so sick of the characters and the book’s nonsense writing.
I’m sorely disappointed that poor writing killed what could have been interesting characters with interesting abilities. Still, I’ve heard that the second book, LOOK BOTH WAYS, is better, and I must say that I sincerely hope so, for Jacquelyn Mitchard has made me disheartened with this failure of a series starter.
I understand that the twins at 13 years old, and that tweens on the brink of puberty make for melodramatic and often confusing times, but really, now. The mindset of an eighth grade girl does not have to manifest itself in the poor, choppy writing. Mitchard frequently jumps from one moment to another half an hour later, leaving us bewildered readers to fill in the gap and try to keep up at the same time.
Most of the time, the book dragged so much and included a bunch of pointless information that didn’t help me understand the twins or their situation any better. The ending is appropriate for a novel written by—you guessed it—an eighth grade girl: chock full of moments where you’re pretty sure you’re supposed to gasp in shock and moan in despair. When the climactic moment occurred, I didn’t feel anything, possibly because by that point I was so sick of the characters and the book’s nonsense writing.
I’m sorely disappointed that poor writing killed what could have been interesting characters with interesting abilities. Still, I’ve heard that the second book, LOOK BOTH WAYS, is better, and I must say that I sincerely hope so, for Jacquelyn Mitchard has made me disheartened with this failure of a series starter.
March 4, 2015
I know identical twins often have a connection, but this book took things a little into the supernatural world. The twin girls can see each other's dreams and communicate very strongly with each other. They not only feel each other's pain, but can predict the future, so their lives get complicated when they start seeing death. Someone is going to get raped or killed and the girls have to try to stop him.
I liked The Deep End of the Ocean, but I struggled with this book. Not only were Mallory and Meredith interchangeable, but the other characters didn't have much personality either. I felt like I needed a character list because the author didn't do a very good job distinguishing between them. And the writing was choppy. For example, when the book is almost over, (p. 214), the following paragraph occurs: "That was true enough. Despite everything, Kim had lost the only brother she would ever have, unless Bonnie and David adopted a Chinese baby or something. And they were old, at least probably forty, like her parents." The twins are supposedly smart and almost 14. I really don't think they would throw the "Chinese baby" comment out there. There were lots of moments like these during the book that I just thought, "Really?"
I liked The Deep End of the Ocean, but I struggled with this book. Not only were Mallory and Meredith interchangeable, but the other characters didn't have much personality either. I felt like I needed a character list because the author didn't do a very good job distinguishing between them. And the writing was choppy. For example, when the book is almost over, (p. 214), the following paragraph occurs: "That was true enough. Despite everything, Kim had lost the only brother she would ever have, unless Bonnie and David adopted a Chinese baby or something. And they were old, at least probably forty, like her parents." The twins are supposedly smart and almost 14. I really don't think they would throw the "Chinese baby" comment out there. There were lots of moments like these during the book that I just thought, "Really?"
February 24, 2017
I like this book because it reminds me of my sisters that are twins. And I love to read books that are about sisters. This book is about two girls that are twins and they are born in different years. Meredith is the one who likes pretty things. And Mallory is the one that is always worried even when she didn't have to. They both had same dreams. And on their 13th birthday, there was a fire and things start to change.
January 30, 2018
Mitchard, Jacquelyn The Midnight Twins, 235 p. Razorbill (Penguin), 2008. Violence - PG (animal abuse); Language - PG (about 35).
Merry and Mally are identical twins with an extremely strong dose of twin-telepathy. Twins run in their family, but they don't really think much of it. Born on either side of the New Year, they are not only separated by different birthdays in different years, but their personalities seem to keep them separate at school and at home. But the twin-telepathy actually keeps them intertwined and united. As teens, 13, the pair's closeness and ability take a sharp turn on the night of their birthdays, as the home they are babysitting in catches on fire and they barely escape with their charges and their lives intact. Since the fire, however, communication between the two siblings has become fouled up and the dire portents that Mally is receiving are passing Merry by. The twins don't seem to trust each other any more, which is tearing them up inside, but may also put both of their lives and other girls' lives in danger.
At first I thought this was just going to be a girly kind of book and I was pleasantly surprised when it turned into a "being chased by a psycho" book instead. Then I read the acknowledgements and saw that the author is planning at least two more books with the twins - which is not a bad thing. SPOILER ALERT - The only thing I don't get is that the girls' grandmother knew all along that the girls had actual powers, so why didn't she ever sit them down and talk to them about it for real and give them an even better chance? There was still plenty of room for danger. I don't know - that just bugged me. Anyway, this should be an interesting addition for girls who like Cabot's Mediator books or Alane Ferguson's forensics series.
MS - ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
Merry and Mally are identical twins with an extremely strong dose of twin-telepathy. Twins run in their family, but they don't really think much of it. Born on either side of the New Year, they are not only separated by different birthdays in different years, but their personalities seem to keep them separate at school and at home. But the twin-telepathy actually keeps them intertwined and united. As teens, 13, the pair's closeness and ability take a sharp turn on the night of their birthdays, as the home they are babysitting in catches on fire and they barely escape with their charges and their lives intact. Since the fire, however, communication between the two siblings has become fouled up and the dire portents that Mally is receiving are passing Merry by. The twins don't seem to trust each other any more, which is tearing them up inside, but may also put both of their lives and other girls' lives in danger.
At first I thought this was just going to be a girly kind of book and I was pleasantly surprised when it turned into a "being chased by a psycho" book instead. Then I read the acknowledgements and saw that the author is planning at least two more books with the twins - which is not a bad thing. SPOILER ALERT - The only thing I don't get is that the girls' grandmother knew all along that the girls had actual powers, so why didn't she ever sit them down and talk to them about it for real and give them an even better chance? There was still plenty of room for danger. I don't know - that just bugged me. Anyway, this should be an interesting addition for girls who like Cabot's Mediator books or Alane Ferguson's forensics series.
MS - ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library-Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...
October 15, 2017
Great memories of this book from when I was younger, but rereading it now it seems like there was no copy editing at all on this.
August 27, 2016
Meredith and Mallory Brynn, are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one New Year's Eve. After a mysterious fire on their 13th birthday they both start seeing images... one from the past and one from the future. This causes great strife between the girls who are quite different from one another. As they unravel these images and learn to believe in them and in each other, a boy they've known their entire lives will threaten it once and for all...
I started out quite liking the girls even though there is this odd narrator type telling, a quasi-third person sort of POV that was hard to get used to. The girls abilities are quite fascinating in a very extreme version of what most identical twins experience. The telepathy was particularly cool. I liked how events opened up: the fire was sudden and abrupt and both girls were so in the moment. The odd narrative style worked quite well through here as a way to continue to setup and reveal even as events were getting under way quickly.
I could tell that the author was a good writer who understands words and storytelling. I appreciated how she used dialogue, like between Eden and Mallory, to reveal Mallory's future ability. The conversation read very natural and we gained insight into Mallory's POV. Many other situations flowed like this. I particularly loved Mallory out of the two twins. I liked her relationship with their childhood friend too and how she hasn't realized that it could be more quite yet (which is good since she is only 13 years old!)
To be frank, Merry felt the more contrived of the two sisters. She seemed to deliberately choose to misunderstand and to put herself in danger when it wasn't necessary. She fought the realization more of what they could do; it just felt like deliberately oppositeness with no context! I quite got sick of her whining and teenageness. I don't know though that Merry was a bad character, maybe she was just too teenage to me whereas Mallory was the more mature sister.
The adults particularly the grandmother really pissed me off. Her granddaughters could have died and not due to anything except neglect by an adult in the know. Especially knowing her son would not believe the girls to help them if they got in a pinch. Things just niggled at me about the book keeping it from a 5 star.
The end was a cop out to me. I didn't hate it but I'd have rathered the scum go to jail - parents who raise serial killers with no self awareness of their own part shouldn't be kept from the truth!
BOTTOM LINE: Real teenage twins and just as confusing but a compelling mystery.
I started out quite liking the girls even though there is this odd narrator type telling, a quasi-third person sort of POV that was hard to get used to. The girls abilities are quite fascinating in a very extreme version of what most identical twins experience. The telepathy was particularly cool. I liked how events opened up: the fire was sudden and abrupt and both girls were so in the moment. The odd narrative style worked quite well through here as a way to continue to setup and reveal even as events were getting under way quickly.
I could tell that the author was a good writer who understands words and storytelling. I appreciated how she used dialogue, like between Eden and Mallory, to reveal Mallory's future ability. The conversation read very natural and we gained insight into Mallory's POV. Many other situations flowed like this. I particularly loved Mallory out of the two twins. I liked her relationship with their childhood friend too and how she hasn't realized that it could be more quite yet (which is good since she is only 13 years old!)
To be frank, Merry felt the more contrived of the two sisters. She seemed to deliberately choose to misunderstand and to put herself in danger when it wasn't necessary. She fought the realization more of what they could do; it just felt like deliberately oppositeness with no context! I quite got sick of her whining and teenageness. I don't know though that Merry was a bad character, maybe she was just too teenage to me whereas Mallory was the more mature sister.
The adults particularly the grandmother really pissed me off. Her granddaughters could have died and not due to anything except neglect by an adult in the know. Especially knowing her son would not believe the girls to help them if they got in a pinch. Things just niggled at me about the book keeping it from a 5 star.
The end was a cop out to me. I didn't hate it but I'd have rathered the scum go to jail - parents who raise serial killers with no self awareness of their own part shouldn't be kept from the truth!
BOTTOM LINE: Real teenage twins and just as confusing but a compelling mystery.
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com
Meredith and Mallory are identical twins born on either side of midnight, one at 11:59pm and the other at 12:01am.
It's now thirteen years later and the girls are best friends, but they have completely different interests. Also, like many identical twins, they can often read each others minds and feel what the other is feeling. But their twin senses are a lot stronger than most twins. They also have the exact same dreams.
Up until one New Year's Eve when a fire breaks out at the house where they are babysitting their cousins, and the twins almost die. Someone purposely started the fire, and the twins have a pretty good idea of who that someone is.
After the fire, Mallory starts seeing strange images and scenes in her head involving David, the guy that they believe started the fire. These scenes are so strange, but Mallory believes that they are actually going to happen. But Meredith isn't seeing the same things or even having the same dreams anymore. Instead, she is seeing scenes involving David that are less creepy.
Over the next few months, what Mallory keeps seeing starts getting more disturbing, like what seems to be David almost raping a girl. She even starts having blackouts after seeing the frightening images. She tells Meredith that they need to confront David, but her sister isn't too sure about the idea. Will confronting David help the disturbing scenes to finally stop, or will they continue on forever?
This was a good book that I really enjoyed. Mallory and Meredith were great characters and it was fun to read a story about identical twins. The storyline was really great and the ending was a bit surprising to me. Parts in the middle were a bit confusing, but it could have just been me.
THE MIDNIGHT TWINS was overall a pretty good book and I hope that Ms. Mitchard writes a follow-up. I'd love to see what happens to Mallory and Meredith after the ending of this book. I'd recommend this one to anyone who likes reading either about twins or who loves the paranormal and mysteries.
Meredith and Mallory are identical twins born on either side of midnight, one at 11:59pm and the other at 12:01am.
It's now thirteen years later and the girls are best friends, but they have completely different interests. Also, like many identical twins, they can often read each others minds and feel what the other is feeling. But their twin senses are a lot stronger than most twins. They also have the exact same dreams.
Up until one New Year's Eve when a fire breaks out at the house where they are babysitting their cousins, and the twins almost die. Someone purposely started the fire, and the twins have a pretty good idea of who that someone is.
After the fire, Mallory starts seeing strange images and scenes in her head involving David, the guy that they believe started the fire. These scenes are so strange, but Mallory believes that they are actually going to happen. But Meredith isn't seeing the same things or even having the same dreams anymore. Instead, she is seeing scenes involving David that are less creepy.
Over the next few months, what Mallory keeps seeing starts getting more disturbing, like what seems to be David almost raping a girl. She even starts having blackouts after seeing the frightening images. She tells Meredith that they need to confront David, but her sister isn't too sure about the idea. Will confronting David help the disturbing scenes to finally stop, or will they continue on forever?
This was a good book that I really enjoyed. Mallory and Meredith were great characters and it was fun to read a story about identical twins. The storyline was really great and the ending was a bit surprising to me. Parts in the middle were a bit confusing, but it could have just been me.
THE MIDNIGHT TWINS was overall a pretty good book and I hope that Ms. Mitchard writes a follow-up. I'd love to see what happens to Mallory and Meredith after the ending of this book. I'd recommend this one to anyone who likes reading either about twins or who loves the paranormal and mysteries.
January 6, 2010
The Little Bookworm
Meredith and Mallory are identical mirror twins born on the cusp of midnight New Year's Eve making them born in different years. Growing up inseparable with wildly different personalities, the twins are able to speak to each other telepathically and dream each other's dreams. But on their thirteenth birthday, something strange happens and a fire disrupts the twin's telepathic powers while they gain new ones. But something strange is going on with one of the town boys and the twins must figure out the clues from their visions to save lives.
I love the concept of this book. My husband is an identical twin and although he and his brother don't have supernatural powers, there is a "we-ness" to their lives that I can never understand. They don't think in the singular necessarily. So it was interesting to see the extreme of this explored. The Midnight Twins are deeply attached, but they fight a lot so it was a very realistic portrayal of sisters. But they are fiercely loyal and protective. And when they get their new powers, they have a hard time for one because now they are different from each other and secondly, because they don't understand what it going on.
I expected Mallory and Meredith to be older, but there are only 13 throughout the book. But because of the some of the events of the book I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 15, maybe 13. I read this one in a day until the wee hour of 1 a.m. and, frankly, I was a little scared. There is a major creepy factor and it hit on a couple of my fears. So maybe I shouldn't have read it at night before bed. But it was really good and I had a hard time putting it down.
Meredith and Mallory are identical mirror twins born on the cusp of midnight New Year's Eve making them born in different years. Growing up inseparable with wildly different personalities, the twins are able to speak to each other telepathically and dream each other's dreams. But on their thirteenth birthday, something strange happens and a fire disrupts the twin's telepathic powers while they gain new ones. But something strange is going on with one of the town boys and the twins must figure out the clues from their visions to save lives.
I love the concept of this book. My husband is an identical twin and although he and his brother don't have supernatural powers, there is a "we-ness" to their lives that I can never understand. They don't think in the singular necessarily. So it was interesting to see the extreme of this explored. The Midnight Twins are deeply attached, but they fight a lot so it was a very realistic portrayal of sisters. But they are fiercely loyal and protective. And when they get their new powers, they have a hard time for one because now they are different from each other and secondly, because they don't understand what it going on.
I expected Mallory and Meredith to be older, but there are only 13 throughout the book. But because of the some of the events of the book I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 15, maybe 13. I read this one in a day until the wee hour of 1 a.m. and, frankly, I was a little scared. There is a major creepy factor and it hit on a couple of my fears. So maybe I shouldn't have read it at night before bed. But it was really good and I had a hard time putting it down.
April 10, 2009
Sometimes I am disappointed by an audiobook because the narration is bad, or sometimes I'm disappointed because the story is less than stellar. This time it was both. I really, really disliked this book and this reading. I rarely give 1 star ratings, but my aversion to this book is so complete I must. From the beginning I disliked the reading, it felt patronizing. I felt the same about the story, it seemed not to value its readers enough. Somewhere near the middle, the action picked up and I was more interested, but that quickly fizzled. Mostly, I hated the way the twins lied to everyone constantly. They used their best friend terribly, and evaded their parents. I simply cannot believe that they didn't report David to any authority. That part wasn't even plausible. I mean, he supposedly killed someone, and had raped multiple girls. We're supposed to believe not a single girl reported the rape?!?! I'm sure I will not seek out any of the follow up books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
March 27, 2008[close] Meredith and Mallory Brynn, are mirror twins born on either side of midnight one New Year’s Eve. They have always been inseparable. But after they are nearly killed in a mysterious fire on their thirteenth birthday, the bond that has always joined them unravels. They begin to have visions and dreams that reveal the deep secrets kept by the people around them.
Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past, Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive…
Meredith and Mallory realize they have each been given a gift: Mallory can see deep into the past, Meredith can see the future. But when they discover that one boy is not what they imagined, their lives will be changed forever. If they can survive…
February 9, 2011
Blecchh! There are three in the series and my mind boggles at the many tangents the author has taken in them. The twins weren't likable or authentic. You can't just write YA because you decide to, you have to have an ear, memory and a voice to do it well. None of these qualities are evident on this book.
June 27, 2010
Quick, fun read.
December 6, 2018
The Midnight Twins is a fantasy genre book that depicts the spectacular lives of two identical twins, Meredith, and Mallory. Unlike many other twins though, they have supernatural abilities where one twin can see the past, and the other one, the future. This book was actually an enjoyable book, as its plot was very interesting.
One of the things I liked a lot about the book was how the author made the twin’s relationship so relatable. Like the book, I also have a twin sister, except that we’re fraternal. In the book, the twins are described as polar opposites, because of their distinct personalities. Because they are so different, they are always fighting over small things, like who should wear what, which is just like my sister and I. Meredith is always described as the outgoing and nice one, while Mallory is described as the introverted and weird one. Like them, my sister and I are also complete opposites. She likes what I hate, and hates what I like.
One of the things I didn’t really like about the book was how it was written in third-person. This is because one of the major parts of the book are the dreams of the twins (where they see the past or future), as it is one of the most intense parts. For example, one of the dreams Mallory had was their house catching on fire. When it’s in third-person, you don’t feel as much tension as when it’s in first person. When it’s in first person, it is as if you are experiencing it with the character. If it was written in first-person, I definitely feel like the readers would be able to feel more thrilled and excited when reading the book.
Even though it's in third person, I would definitely still recommend this book to fantasy-lovers out there, as the plot itself is still very interesting and unpredictable.
One of the things I liked a lot about the book was how the author made the twin’s relationship so relatable. Like the book, I also have a twin sister, except that we’re fraternal. In the book, the twins are described as polar opposites, because of their distinct personalities. Because they are so different, they are always fighting over small things, like who should wear what, which is just like my sister and I. Meredith is always described as the outgoing and nice one, while Mallory is described as the introverted and weird one. Like them, my sister and I are also complete opposites. She likes what I hate, and hates what I like.
One of the things I didn’t really like about the book was how it was written in third-person. This is because one of the major parts of the book are the dreams of the twins (where they see the past or future), as it is one of the most intense parts. For example, one of the dreams Mallory had was their house catching on fire. When it’s in third-person, you don’t feel as much tension as when it’s in first person. When it’s in first person, it is as if you are experiencing it with the character. If it was written in first-person, I definitely feel like the readers would be able to feel more thrilled and excited when reading the book.
Even though it's in third person, I would definitely still recommend this book to fantasy-lovers out there, as the plot itself is still very interesting and unpredictable.
October 12, 2024
I did not enjoy this book, even thought I wanted to. The premise was intriguing - twins that can read each other's minds and see the future. However, the writing was poor. There were plot holes and storylines left hanging. There were editorial mistakes, such as something as simple as the spelling of the cheerleading jump "herkie." The perspective was from the point of view of the twins, but their parents were referred to by first name, which seemed odd.
Also, many name choices were distracting and confusing - Campbell for their mother? Seems like a last name. Trevor for a girl? That's typically a boy's name. Two main characters had the same first initial - David and Drew - I kept getting them mixed up because their names start with the same letter. And at one point, a character's weight was mentioned -180 - for seemingly no reason at all, and this character was so minor that there was only one line about her.
The transitions were also awkward. For example, at one point one of the girls has been described as wearing cut-off jean shorts and a bikini top, and then she promptly gets up, stretches, and goes for run. No mention of changing clothes.
The cheerleading competition scene was not believable. A girl thinks she is going to win the competition for her team by doing an illegal move just because it looks impressive? That would lose the competition for them.
I really expected more from this book.
Also, many name choices were distracting and confusing - Campbell for their mother? Seems like a last name. Trevor for a girl? That's typically a boy's name. Two main characters had the same first initial - David and Drew - I kept getting them mixed up because their names start with the same letter. And at one point, a character's weight was mentioned -180 - for seemingly no reason at all, and this character was so minor that there was only one line about her.
The transitions were also awkward. For example, at one point one of the girls has been described as wearing cut-off jean shorts and a bikini top, and then she promptly gets up, stretches, and goes for run. No mention of changing clothes.
The cheerleading competition scene was not believable. A girl thinks she is going to win the competition for her team by doing an illegal move just because it looks impressive? That would lose the competition for them.
I really expected more from this book.
June 20, 2025
Maybe 2.5/5
Near the end there were two unnecessary comments - one on the 180 pound weight of a doctor running to help - who we weren’t introduced to until then. And saying something about adopting a Chinese baby. Why a Chinese baby? They could’ve just said adopting a baby.
Anyways, the premise was interesting but I don’t think the plot resolved very well.
Spoilers below:
The handling of what happened with David annoyed me. He literally confessed to murdering someone and they didn’t say anything about it! Stupid.
Near the end there were two unnecessary comments - one on the 180 pound weight of a doctor running to help - who we weren’t introduced to until then. And saying something about adopting a Chinese baby. Why a Chinese baby? They could’ve just said adopting a baby.
Anyways, the premise was interesting but I don’t think the plot resolved very well.
Spoilers below:
The handling of what happened with David annoyed me. He literally confessed to murdering someone and they didn’t say anything about it! Stupid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2018
This book was not about what I thought it would be. It was a HUGE surprise. When I read the back, I thought it would be supernatural. It was....... but (and it’s a big but) it was mostly a murder mystery. This guy tortured and killed animals, then buried them in his own grave yard. Turns out animals weren’t the only thing that got buried in there. When Meredith and Mallory get caught in deadly waters, after they save a innocent girl, they must deal with a death that hits a little close to home.
August 21, 2021
I was torn between giving this book 3 and 4 stars. After I read the book, I found out that it was the first of a trilogy, which makes me hopeful that the other books move a little faster. I do love great character development, but it felt a little slow at times. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I was able to finish it in one sitting at the library. I will likely finish reading the trilogy.
November 21, 2019
My opinion on Meridith is that she is very brave, I haven't gotten that far into the book but the fact that she alone seemed to save everyone in the house when it was on fire, is extremely cool. So that is why I think that she is brave, and seems to have her priorities straight.
August 19, 2025
Not good writing &/or editing. Somethings are definitely intentional but a lot read as typos. I remember liking this book when I was much younger but it did nothing for me and was hard to get through
March 29, 2018
Love this story about the unique connection that a pair of identical twins has & how they come to terms w/ events outside of their control.
December 12, 2018
This book made no sense whatsoever. There was a lot of rushing to conclusions. I honestly think it deserves a negative star
October 17, 2020
One of my favorites ❤️ It was so amazing. It has made my heart. I have no words.....
September 30, 2021
I really liked this book. The plot was super intriguing and kept you on your toes. I'm excited to read the next in the series.
Read
August 1, 2022This was one of the books on my TBR for the BookTubeAThon and follows Meredith and Mallory Brynn identical twins who don’t share the same birthday. That's because one was born just before midnight on New Year's Eve and the other just after midnight on New Year's Day.
Though they are mirror images of each other, they are very different personality wise: Meredith is outgoing, bubbly and a cheerleader, while Mallory is more of a loner, serious and a soccer player.
Now the book dives in pretty deeply into the idea of twin telepathy and the twins even have a unique language shared with just the two of them which has been a part of them for as long as they can remember. Additionally, they share the same dreams --- that is, until recently.
Just before their 13th birthday, their dreams begin to change.
Mally dreams of a horrid house fire that threatens her family and traps her in the deadly flames. Meredity did not have the same dream and they brushed it off as simply a nightmare.
However, a few days later, the house fire nightmare comes true, with Merry and Mally barely escaping with their siblings in time. And from that moment on, their lives change forever.
Mallory’s premonition turns out to be not to be just a fluke or a one-time thing and Mallory’s dreams take a darker turn and become more and more disturbing and frightening.
Then, Merry starts dreaming of the past and both of their premonitions come clashing together and completely change their lives, especially when they reveal horrid and heartless acts performed by someone they know.
Though they’d prefer to ignore their dreams, they know they can’t and attempt to save the victims in their dreams and in so do, risk their own lives.
Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me. This was an interesting book but I felt as though there was something lacking. It didn’t seem to have the development it could have and the characters seemed kind of one dimensional to me. Plus the first couple of chapters seemed to be this huge information dump.
I also found the writing to be stiff and disjointed, which had a tendency to pull me out of the story and the story did drag quite a bit. Plus there were the character’s names: Mallory and Meredith and then their nicknames: Mal and Mer were all too similar and got confusing at times.
But the book really took off at the end with plenty of action leading up to the climax. Though I loved the premise of this story, it wasn’t enough for me however, and I didn’t end up loving this book.
I do believe that this is a trilogy but I don’t think I will be continuing on with it.
Though they are mirror images of each other, they are very different personality wise: Meredith is outgoing, bubbly and a cheerleader, while Mallory is more of a loner, serious and a soccer player.
Now the book dives in pretty deeply into the idea of twin telepathy and the twins even have a unique language shared with just the two of them which has been a part of them for as long as they can remember. Additionally, they share the same dreams --- that is, until recently.
Just before their 13th birthday, their dreams begin to change.
Mally dreams of a horrid house fire that threatens her family and traps her in the deadly flames. Meredity did not have the same dream and they brushed it off as simply a nightmare.
However, a few days later, the house fire nightmare comes true, with Merry and Mally barely escaping with their siblings in time. And from that moment on, their lives change forever.
Mallory’s premonition turns out to be not to be just a fluke or a one-time thing and Mallory’s dreams take a darker turn and become more and more disturbing and frightening.
Then, Merry starts dreaming of the past and both of their premonitions come clashing together and completely change their lives, especially when they reveal horrid and heartless acts performed by someone they know.
Though they’d prefer to ignore their dreams, they know they can’t and attempt to save the victims in their dreams and in so do, risk their own lives.
Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me. This was an interesting book but I felt as though there was something lacking. It didn’t seem to have the development it could have and the characters seemed kind of one dimensional to me. Plus the first couple of chapters seemed to be this huge information dump.
I also found the writing to be stiff and disjointed, which had a tendency to pull me out of the story and the story did drag quite a bit. Plus there were the character’s names: Mallory and Meredith and then their nicknames: Mal and Mer were all too similar and got confusing at times.
But the book really took off at the end with plenty of action leading up to the climax. Though I loved the premise of this story, it wasn’t enough for me however, and I didn’t end up loving this book.
I do believe that this is a trilogy but I don’t think I will be continuing on with it.
August 2, 2009
Meredith and Mallory Brynn are identical twins who were born on either side of midnight on New Years Eve. While the girls think of themselves as one, they are very different. Meredith is bubbly, outgoing, and a cheerleader, while Mallory is thoughtful, independent, and plays soccer. Though they have their differences the girls share so much; dreams, experiences, and even their own private language.
On the night of their thirteenth birthday the twins are caught in a mysterious fire that nearly kills them both. The weirdest thing is that Mallory knew days before that there was going to be a fire, she just didn’t know when. After the fire Mallory and Meredith are both having visions - though they are very different from each other’s. The bond between them starts to decompose and the girls don’t know why.
As their bond disintegrates the girls learn that they each have been given a gift, different from the other. One can see the future, the other the past. These visions will give the girls insight to some events that have been happening around town involving someone close to them. The girls feel like they sometimes know more then they should, or want to know, but it doesn’t stop them from wondering if these visions are actually true and what they should do about what they see.
This was definitely an interesting read. I really liked it, but I felt like there was a lot lacking. There was so much potential for the book and I just felt like the book didn’t live up to what I thought it would. The characters were a little flat and a lot of the time I couldn’t tell the difference between the two girls, even though they were supposed to be so different. There were also a lot of places were the story got very confusing. I don’t know if it was just me, but I felt the author was trying too hard and giving us too much information making it difficult to understand what was actually going on. However I did like the twists that the author put into the story. There were quite a few events that occurred that I really didn’t see coming. I also thought that the girls’ visions were really cool. It was interesting to see that one saw what was going to happen and the other saw what actually happened. The author definitely left room for a sequel, which I do hope she writes. It would be very interesting to see what Meredith and Mallory made of their “powers”.
On the night of their thirteenth birthday the twins are caught in a mysterious fire that nearly kills them both. The weirdest thing is that Mallory knew days before that there was going to be a fire, she just didn’t know when. After the fire Mallory and Meredith are both having visions - though they are very different from each other’s. The bond between them starts to decompose and the girls don’t know why.
As their bond disintegrates the girls learn that they each have been given a gift, different from the other. One can see the future, the other the past. These visions will give the girls insight to some events that have been happening around town involving someone close to them. The girls feel like they sometimes know more then they should, or want to know, but it doesn’t stop them from wondering if these visions are actually true and what they should do about what they see.
This was definitely an interesting read. I really liked it, but I felt like there was a lot lacking. There was so much potential for the book and I just felt like the book didn’t live up to what I thought it would. The characters were a little flat and a lot of the time I couldn’t tell the difference between the two girls, even though they were supposed to be so different. There were also a lot of places were the story got very confusing. I don’t know if it was just me, but I felt the author was trying too hard and giving us too much information making it difficult to understand what was actually going on. However I did like the twists that the author put into the story. There were quite a few events that occurred that I really didn’t see coming. I also thought that the girls’ visions were really cool. It was interesting to see that one saw what was going to happen and the other saw what actually happened. The author definitely left room for a sequel, which I do hope she writes. It would be very interesting to see what Meredith and Mallory made of their “powers”.
January 7, 2011
This book is amazing! One thing I noticed right away that I really liked is the cover. Take a good look at it. Notice something strange? The moon on the top of the picture is a full moon but the moon in the reflection is only a fraction of the moon! This oddity in some ways describes the book. Meredith and Mallory (Merry and Mally) Brynn are identical twins born in different years, one a minute before midnight, and the other a minute into the new year. Merry and Mally have twin telepathy, but theirs goes beyond that of ordinary twins. Merry and Mally can 'talk' to each other in their minds and they share the same dreams. That is until their thirteenth birthday(s). The twins were babysitting their younger brother and cousins at their uncle's house, when fireworks suddenly went off and set the roof on fire. Mally had previously dreamed that she was trapped under burning curtains. Everybody survived, but Merry saved Mally's life that night and both girls were in put into the hospital. When they woke up they FREAKED OUT because they couldn't hear each other's thoughts anymore, and they had no idea if the other one was okay. That was only the beginning of the strange things that occurred in this story. The book was great, I loved that the twins were complete opposites (in personality) but they were so close to each other. One of the things I loved about this book is the history in it. The girls come from a long line of twins on their father's side, their grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother (I believe) were all twins, and all of them had 'the sight.' I don't want to give away the ending, so to see how the girls deal with their new 'gift', and to find out if they will ever be able to get rid of it, READ THE BOOK. The weirdness continues in the next book in the series: Look Both Ways which I am currently reading.
December 30, 2011
I read this book a few years ago, but I guess I'm writing a review now 'cause it doesn't seem like there's a lot of negative ones here. The Midnight Twins is probably the worst book I've ever read. It was probably the reason why I didn't pick up another book for the next two years. It literally, took me two renewals before I could finish it (note: I usually read books in one sitting).
First off, I want to say that this book has a whole lot of potential. Twins? Awesome. Twins who are bonded because they can see into the future and past? More awesome! Twins who are being hunted down? It sounds perfect! Of course, this all dies out when we realise that the major conflict in the story is that the two siblings are trying to
Don't get me wrong here. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just... a waste of work. Look at that gorgeous cover! Look at that nice type! All for some moof work.
If I had the chance to rewrite the novel, this is what I'd right about:
The two sisters need to search back into the past to see why they possess these abilities. They look into the past and realise that there was an ancient curse set upon the twins of their family. Unfortunately, the thing here is, only one sister can survive once discovering this curse. The other sister one day decides to look into the future to see who dies. Meanwhile, the person who laid the curse is immortal, and he has the ability to see in the future and present. Through his vision, he realises that the sisters will kill him, so he's here to haunt them.
That would be my darker version (:
I almost never give up on a series. Proud to say that this is probably one of the few that I'm not finishing.
First off, I want to say that this book has a whole lot of potential. Twins? Awesome. Twins who are bonded because they can see into the future and past? More awesome! Twins who are being hunted down? It sounds perfect! Of course, this all dies out when we realise that the major conflict in the story is that the two siblings are trying to
Don't get me wrong here. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just... a waste of work. Look at that gorgeous cover! Look at that nice type! All for some moof work.
If I had the chance to rewrite the novel, this is what I'd right about:
The two sisters need to search back into the past to see why they possess these abilities. They look into the past and realise that there was an ancient curse set upon the twins of their family. Unfortunately, the thing here is, only one sister can survive once discovering this curse. The other sister one day decides to look into the future to see who dies. Meanwhile, the person who laid the curse is immortal, and he has the ability to see in the future and present. Through his vision, he realises that the sisters will kill him, so he's here to haunt them.
That would be my darker version (:
I almost never give up on a series. Proud to say that this is probably one of the few that I'm not finishing.
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