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Gemini Bites
One of the strangest (and funniest) love triangles ever to hit YA fiction, when a pair of twins (one boy, one girl) both fall for the boy who moves in with them…who may or may not be a vampire.
Judy and Kyle Renneker are sixteen-year-old fraternal twins in a rambling family of nine. They have a prickly history with each other and are, at least from Judy's perspective, constantly in fierce competition. Kyle has recently come out of the closet to his family and feels he might never know what it's like to date a guy. Judy, who has a history of pretending to be something she isn't in order to get what she wants, is pretending to be born-again in order to land a boyfriend who heads his own bible study.
Judy and Kyle Renneker are sixteen-year-old fraternal twins in a rambling family of nine. They have a prickly history with each other and are, at least from Judy's perspective, constantly in fierce competition. Kyle has recently come out of the closet to his family and feels he might never know what it's like to date a guy. Judy, who has a history of pretending to be something she isn't in order to get what she wants, is pretending to be born-again in order to land a boyfriend who heads his own bible study.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2011
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September 27, 2023
Kyle Renneker is experiencing serious growing pains in Gemini Bites. Being a sixteen year old boy, recently out of the closet, is challenging enough. Add to that, a blatantly despicable twin sister and the freak of the school moving into the family home, you have one “mixed up, muddled up, shook up world”.
A relatively intriguing and somewhat promising premise turned into a disappointing read for me. I expect that my opinion will be in the minority. I fully believe that many readers will devour this book as a spot-on account of teen angst, self-awareness followed by gradual self-acceptance. To that end, I will pinpoint the issues that gave me pause.
1. Gratuitous sex scene(s): This book appears to be intended for grades 8 – 12. No, I am not naïve enough to think that this age group is unfamiliar with sex; however, the details given regarding Kyle’s first sexual experience were simply not needed. They were, in my taste, too explicit for this audience and I do not feel that the description(s) added anything to the book.
2. Kyle’s Twin is Too Mean: Kyle calls his Twin “Monster”. He is being too kind. This character is remarkably hateful. There is absolutely nothing charming about her. Her gay slurs are over-the-top obnoxious, not to mention a bit inappropriate for the intended audience. Her harsh words are never particularly clever or witty---just nasty. Although the reader doesn’t immediately know the reason for her attitude, it is hard to imagine a scenario that warrants this type of behaviour. When the “reason” is revealed, it seemed utterly ridiculous to this reader.
3. Freak Boy: aka Garrett Johnson: Everyone in school knows that Garrett is totally bizarre. Some assume he is weird because he is gay. Others know he is straight, but choosy. Most students half-way believe the rumour that he is a vampire. After all, it is the one he seems to perpetrate. I love the fact that Garrett is mature enough to know that he is not yet comfortable in his own skin; but his way of dealing with it seems counter-intuitive. I felt that he played cruel games within the family that kindly took him in. It was tough to see the admiration the other characters felt for him, when he seemed too dramatic and whiny to me.
4. The large family: There are nine people in the Renneker household, all living under the same roof. To me, there was no added benefit; rather the sheer number of siblings seemed to unnecessarily complicate the story. This is a short book. I prefer fewer, richer and deeper characters that many superfluous characters.
So, although Gemini Bites isn’t one of my faves, I have a feeling many readers would vehemently disagree with me. They would probably be correct.
This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.
A relatively intriguing and somewhat promising premise turned into a disappointing read for me. I expect that my opinion will be in the minority. I fully believe that many readers will devour this book as a spot-on account of teen angst, self-awareness followed by gradual self-acceptance. To that end, I will pinpoint the issues that gave me pause.
1. Gratuitous sex scene(s): This book appears to be intended for grades 8 – 12. No, I am not naïve enough to think that this age group is unfamiliar with sex; however, the details given regarding Kyle’s first sexual experience were simply not needed. They were, in my taste, too explicit for this audience and I do not feel that the description(s) added anything to the book.
2. Kyle’s Twin is Too Mean: Kyle calls his Twin “Monster”. He is being too kind. This character is remarkably hateful. There is absolutely nothing charming about her. Her gay slurs are over-the-top obnoxious, not to mention a bit inappropriate for the intended audience. Her harsh words are never particularly clever or witty---just nasty. Although the reader doesn’t immediately know the reason for her attitude, it is hard to imagine a scenario that warrants this type of behaviour. When the “reason” is revealed, it seemed utterly ridiculous to this reader.
3. Freak Boy: aka Garrett Johnson: Everyone in school knows that Garrett is totally bizarre. Some assume he is weird because he is gay. Others know he is straight, but choosy. Most students half-way believe the rumour that he is a vampire. After all, it is the one he seems to perpetrate. I love the fact that Garrett is mature enough to know that he is not yet comfortable in his own skin; but his way of dealing with it seems counter-intuitive. I felt that he played cruel games within the family that kindly took him in. It was tough to see the admiration the other characters felt for him, when he seemed too dramatic and whiny to me.
4. The large family: There are nine people in the Renneker household, all living under the same roof. To me, there was no added benefit; rather the sheer number of siblings seemed to unnecessarily complicate the story. This is a short book. I prefer fewer, richer and deeper characters that many superfluous characters.
So, although Gemini Bites isn’t one of my faves, I have a feeling many readers would vehemently disagree with me. They would probably be correct.
This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.
December 1, 2012
Overall, a cute, funny, not-so-serious story about two siblings fighting for a mysterious guy who might have supernatural abilities. Here's a quote I liked:
"I stared out at the dark orange field surrounding us, and my heart was in my ears now, whump, whump, whump, and I had this totally moronic sequence of thoughts: Something gay is about to happen here. This spot will forevermore be the place where you had your first gay encounter. People will live here one day, in a nice big house, and never know they're living on a sacred ground of gayness."
Judy and Kyle Renneker, sixteen-year-old fraternal twins in a family of nine, have competed with one another throughout their lives. Judy has always been a jerk, and her latest scheme involves seducing an attractive, religious boy by pretending to be Christian. Kyle recently came out to his family and more or less desires a boyfriend. Things get shaken up when Garret Johnson, a strange and slightly vampiric guy their age, decides to reside in the attic of their house for a short amount of time.
Patrick Ryan could have taken Gemini Bites in many different directions. He could have made it a dark, serious story about a dangerously sexy vampire guy who takes over Kyle and Judy's lives. Instead, he wrote a light, humorous book that didn't reach deeply but still made me laugh. The relationship between Kyle and Garret was sweet, and Judy did grow by the end of the book.
However, there was room for further development. Garret's character possessed much untapped potential, and the entire vampire plot line itself felt uncomfortably ambiguous. A lot of telling occurred, especially during the ending, and I am still curious about what happened to Coover (and why he did what he did in the first place.)
Recommended for those searching for a decent GLBT/vampire story, and for those who don't mind a male/female split narrative. Here's a more insightful quote that I marked:
"Of course, it had happened before. In school, for instance, just because a guy was a bully or a jerk, that didn't change the fact that he was awesome looking. It should have. If there was any justice in the world, behaving like a bully or a jerk wouldn't just change the way other people saw you; it would make you grow an elbow out of your forehead or an extra ear on your chin. It would make you gross."
*cross-posted on my blog, the quiet voice.
"I stared out at the dark orange field surrounding us, and my heart was in my ears now, whump, whump, whump, and I had this totally moronic sequence of thoughts: Something gay is about to happen here. This spot will forevermore be the place where you had your first gay encounter. People will live here one day, in a nice big house, and never know they're living on a sacred ground of gayness."
Judy and Kyle Renneker, sixteen-year-old fraternal twins in a family of nine, have competed with one another throughout their lives. Judy has always been a jerk, and her latest scheme involves seducing an attractive, religious boy by pretending to be Christian. Kyle recently came out to his family and more or less desires a boyfriend. Things get shaken up when Garret Johnson, a strange and slightly vampiric guy their age, decides to reside in the attic of their house for a short amount of time.
Patrick Ryan could have taken Gemini Bites in many different directions. He could have made it a dark, serious story about a dangerously sexy vampire guy who takes over Kyle and Judy's lives. Instead, he wrote a light, humorous book that didn't reach deeply but still made me laugh. The relationship between Kyle and Garret was sweet, and Judy did grow by the end of the book.
However, there was room for further development. Garret's character possessed much untapped potential, and the entire vampire plot line itself felt uncomfortably ambiguous. A lot of telling occurred, especially during the ending, and I am still curious about what happened to Coover (and why he did what he did in the first place.)
Recommended for those searching for a decent GLBT/vampire story, and for those who don't mind a male/female split narrative. Here's a more insightful quote that I marked:
"Of course, it had happened before. In school, for instance, just because a guy was a bully or a jerk, that didn't change the fact that he was awesome looking. It should have. If there was any justice in the world, behaving like a bully or a jerk wouldn't just change the way other people saw you; it would make you grow an elbow out of your forehead or an extra ear on your chin. It would make you gross."
*cross-posted on my blog, the quiet voice.
September 10, 2018
Everything about this book was charming and quirky, except for Judy. Ugh, it has been a while since I met such an unlikable character.
October 10, 2016
This is actually more of a 3.5 star book, but since there is (sadly) no option for that and I rated several similar books that I enjoyed less 3 stars, I'm going with 4 stars.
I think if this had around 50 pages more of character growth and relationship development, I'd have given the 4 stars without a second thought. This book is very short. I read it in less than half a day.
This is a character driven story and their development and relationship chaos is the plot. The story is told from two POVs: two first person narrators who are twins. A boy and a girl.
Kyle is probably the best developed and most sympathetic character in the book. He's funny, he's awkward and he is nice. He's the exact opposite of his sister Judy, who is mean, thinks everyone else is dumb and constantly insults her brother, using his gayness to make up creative insults. It was actually pretty gross to read at times. Every time I felt sympathy for her, because she has those insecurities a lot of teenage girls can identify with (I'm fat! I'm ugly! Other girls are prettier than I am! Why doesn't my crush like me? Why is my family so embarassing? Is the world against me?), she did something nasty to either her brother, her best friend or someone else. This happened over and over again till like two chapters before the end and was a bit frustrating. Nonetheless still in the realm of realism and not over the top. And also definitely not unredeemable. Her reasons for it were typical child/teenager reasons, but since the book was written in first person and was is a teenager, I'm okay with that.
Sadly the love interest was underdeveloped. He was interesting, but stayed a bit flat, which made the sort of love triangle that is the whole premise of this book also less exciting than it could have been. Like I said: 50 pages more would have made such a difference!
I did like that the book didn't shy away from sex and teenagers thinking about sex. Nothing super graphic, but definitely still there.
What I didn't like was that really not one member of the family (and there were nine freaking people afterall!) realized how Judy treated Kyle. At the start it was already going on for years and the mother even kept on preaching about how none of their children should say mean things to or about their siblings... "Did you ever realize that my twin has been treating me like shit?" "Don't say mean things about your sister!" Uhum.
The father on the other hand, I liked. He had a nice scene where he talks to his son, trying to find out what the problem is.
Most of the siblings weren't more than cardboard cutouts and window dressing, to add to the twins' problems. But it's always nice to have some funny family scenes.
Definitely a quick and entertaining read for me.
I think if this had around 50 pages more of character growth and relationship development, I'd have given the 4 stars without a second thought. This book is very short. I read it in less than half a day.
This is a character driven story and their development and relationship chaos is the plot. The story is told from two POVs: two first person narrators who are twins. A boy and a girl.
Kyle is probably the best developed and most sympathetic character in the book. He's funny, he's awkward and he is nice. He's the exact opposite of his sister Judy, who is mean, thinks everyone else is dumb and constantly insults her brother, using his gayness to make up creative insults. It was actually pretty gross to read at times. Every time I felt sympathy for her, because she has those insecurities a lot of teenage girls can identify with (I'm fat! I'm ugly! Other girls are prettier than I am! Why doesn't my crush like me? Why is my family so embarassing? Is the world against me?), she did something nasty to either her brother, her best friend or someone else. This happened over and over again till like two chapters before the end and was a bit frustrating. Nonetheless still in the realm of realism and not over the top. And also definitely not unredeemable. Her reasons for it were typical child/teenager reasons, but since the book was written in first person and was is a teenager, I'm okay with that.
Sadly the love interest was underdeveloped. He was interesting, but stayed a bit flat, which made the sort of love triangle that is the whole premise of this book also less exciting than it could have been. Like I said: 50 pages more would have made such a difference!
I did like that the book didn't shy away from sex and teenagers thinking about sex. Nothing super graphic, but definitely still there.
What I didn't like was that really not one member of the family (and there were nine freaking people afterall!) realized how Judy treated Kyle. At the start it was already going on for years and the mother even kept on preaching about how none of their children should say mean things to or about their siblings... "Did you ever realize that my twin has been treating me like shit?" "Don't say mean things about your sister!" Uhum.
The father on the other hand, I liked. He had a nice scene where he talks to his son, trying to find out what the problem is.
Most of the siblings weren't more than cardboard cutouts and window dressing, to add to the twins' problems. But it's always nice to have some funny family scenes.
Definitely a quick and entertaining read for me.
June 10, 2011
"In our family, competition is the rule. It has to be.
If dinner is pork chops and there are nine pork chops on the serving plate, one of them, according to physics, is the smallest - but it isn't the smallest kid who gets it; it's the slowest. On Christmas Day, it isn't the most well-behaved kid who gets the best presents; it's the one who's been the loudest about what he or she wants in the months leading up to the holiday. And Monster was the worst of all - especially when it came to competing with me."
Judy and Kyle are twins, and are not particularly fond of each other. They've had a rivalry going ever since their parents reunited, after a brief separation. But in their household, with nine family members, their bickering sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Kyle refers to Judy as "The Monster," and Judy teases Kyle endlessly about his homosexuality (he came out to his family earlier). Then, their father announces that they'll be taking in a house guest for the rest of the school year, a classmate of Judy and Kyle, who acts strangely, dresses in black, and claims he's a vampire. Garret's arrival at the Renneker house leads to adjustments, but even worse relations between the twins. Garret proves strange and alluring to both Kyle, who has been wondering if he'll ever be able to find a real boyfriend, and Judy, who has always pretended to be something she isn't, in order to get what (or who) she wants.
This was a quick, funny read, with a good message about the value of honesty vs. "faking it." The snarkiness between Kyle and Judy is hilarious, and the dynamics within the large household offer an entertaining backdrop to the love triangle between the twins and Garret. I really enjoyed Ryan's Saints of Augustine, and this title tackles some of the same GLBTQ issues, with a much lighter tone. The vampire element seems out-of-place, though, and when Kyle and Judy finally get to the root of their competition, it falls a little flat. Overall, though, it's a fun read, and one that will definitely elicit a laugh or two.
If dinner is pork chops and there are nine pork chops on the serving plate, one of them, according to physics, is the smallest - but it isn't the smallest kid who gets it; it's the slowest. On Christmas Day, it isn't the most well-behaved kid who gets the best presents; it's the one who's been the loudest about what he or she wants in the months leading up to the holiday. And Monster was the worst of all - especially when it came to competing with me."
Judy and Kyle are twins, and are not particularly fond of each other. They've had a rivalry going ever since their parents reunited, after a brief separation. But in their household, with nine family members, their bickering sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Kyle refers to Judy as "The Monster," and Judy teases Kyle endlessly about his homosexuality (he came out to his family earlier). Then, their father announces that they'll be taking in a house guest for the rest of the school year, a classmate of Judy and Kyle, who acts strangely, dresses in black, and claims he's a vampire. Garret's arrival at the Renneker house leads to adjustments, but even worse relations between the twins. Garret proves strange and alluring to both Kyle, who has been wondering if he'll ever be able to find a real boyfriend, and Judy, who has always pretended to be something she isn't, in order to get what (or who) she wants.
This was a quick, funny read, with a good message about the value of honesty vs. "faking it." The snarkiness between Kyle and Judy is hilarious, and the dynamics within the large household offer an entertaining backdrop to the love triangle between the twins and Garret. I really enjoyed Ryan's Saints of Augustine, and this title tackles some of the same GLBTQ issues, with a much lighter tone. The vampire element seems out-of-place, though, and when Kyle and Judy finally get to the root of their competition, it falls a little flat. Overall, though, it's a fun read, and one that will definitely elicit a laugh or two.
November 3, 2011
The only problem I had with this book is that there are too many people. There are seven Renneker siblings, too many to easily keep track of, especially when they don’t add anything to the story. Trisha, as the youngest at four, does not add much to the story. Dexter and Tommy seem almost interchangeable as the older brothers, and Dawn and Suzie are both younger sisters, again nearly interchangeable. But it is because they don’t add much to the story that it is easy to ignore them. Especially as the story focuses on the twins, Judy and Kyle.
And Garret.
Judy and Kyle used to be close, as most twins are. But when their parents went through a trial separation – ultimately resulting in a renewal of their vows and their three younger sisters – something changed and now Judy seems to despise Kyle. It’s been over six years, and eventually something has to give.
Enter Garrett Johnson, who may or may not be a vampire, may or may not be gay, and is definitely going to be living with them for his final month of the school year, as his parents have moved because of his father’s job. He is mysterious and unusual, and both Judy and Kyle vie for his attention – Kyle because he has recently come out as gay and wants to find a boyfriend, Judy because she feels she is always in competition with Kyle.
While technically Garret serves the purpose of foil for the twins to finally get their act together and figure out their problems, he also serves another purpose – that of someone for many teens to identify with. He is bisexual, not gay or straight. He isn’t Goth, but uses it as a way to both get people’s attention and yet keep them at a distance. He is, in short, somewhere in the middle of many categories, not fitting easily into any one – as most teens are, though they often categorize and stereotype both themselves and others. For the many teens who find those labels, self-applied or otherwise, ill-fitting or constraining, Garret shows them that it is okay to not just color outside the lines, but live outside them.
And Garret.
Judy and Kyle used to be close, as most twins are. But when their parents went through a trial separation – ultimately resulting in a renewal of their vows and their three younger sisters – something changed and now Judy seems to despise Kyle. It’s been over six years, and eventually something has to give.
Enter Garrett Johnson, who may or may not be a vampire, may or may not be gay, and is definitely going to be living with them for his final month of the school year, as his parents have moved because of his father’s job. He is mysterious and unusual, and both Judy and Kyle vie for his attention – Kyle because he has recently come out as gay and wants to find a boyfriend, Judy because she feels she is always in competition with Kyle.
While technically Garret serves the purpose of foil for the twins to finally get their act together and figure out their problems, he also serves another purpose – that of someone for many teens to identify with. He is bisexual, not gay or straight. He isn’t Goth, but uses it as a way to both get people’s attention and yet keep them at a distance. He is, in short, somewhere in the middle of many categories, not fitting easily into any one – as most teens are, though they often categorize and stereotype both themselves and others. For the many teens who find those labels, self-applied or otherwise, ill-fitting or constraining, Garret shows them that it is okay to not just color outside the lines, but live outside them.
December 18, 2010
Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant.
I've rewritten this review a dozen times and only been able to keep that one word--brilliant. Ryan is a genius writing from both a male and a female perspective as the twins navigate the murky emotional waters of high school relationships. The characters, whether they are featured or merely secondary, are richly realized and read as absolutely authentic and endearingly flawed. (Including, thank all the gods, some gay characters (plural!) who are neither distressed about it nor deployed as convenient flamboyant sidekicks to dispense fashion advice and fairy godmothering. Normal teen boys who are gay and have other things to worry about! Hallelujah!)
I happened upon an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in my library's donation bin (travesty!). I intend to buy my own copy in March and in the meantime, this ARC is winging its way back into circulation among authors and readers and bloggers who will hopefully give it more of the buzz it deserves. I'm not one of those eloquent tastemakers, but I can tell you that this is on my preorder list for 2011 and should be on yours.
Don't worry about that self-proclaimed vampire living in the attic. He's hot and moody and mysterious, sure, but this isn't really about him.
I've rewritten this review a dozen times and only been able to keep that one word--brilliant. Ryan is a genius writing from both a male and a female perspective as the twins navigate the murky emotional waters of high school relationships. The characters, whether they are featured or merely secondary, are richly realized and read as absolutely authentic and endearingly flawed. (Including, thank all the gods, some gay characters (plural!) who are neither distressed about it nor deployed as convenient flamboyant sidekicks to dispense fashion advice and fairy godmothering. Normal teen boys who are gay and have other things to worry about! Hallelujah!)
I happened upon an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in my library's donation bin (travesty!). I intend to buy my own copy in March and in the meantime, this ARC is winging its way back into circulation among authors and readers and bloggers who will hopefully give it more of the buzz it deserves. I'm not one of those eloquent tastemakers, but I can tell you that this is on my preorder list for 2011 and should be on yours.
Don't worry about that self-proclaimed vampire living in the attic. He's hot and moody and mysterious, sure, but this isn't really about him.
February 21, 2011
t was the copy on the back of the ARC for Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan that initially convinced me this was a book I wanted to read:
Boy? Girl? Vampire?
Gay? Straight? Twisexual?
Prepare to be seduced.
But what I found inside these pages was less about whether or not mysterious loner Garrett was really a vampire — and more about the relationship between a brother and sister during their tumultuous teenage years. And this is a very good thing.
Because as much as I love a good vampire story (and I really do), I was charmed by the surprise focus on this pair of siblings. Not only was it a fresh approach in general, but it resonated with me personally, having gone through some tumultuous times with my own brother over the last few years.
Gemini Bites alternates chapters between fraternal twins Judy and Kyle — who have had a rocky relationship over the last few years, much of which has been spent in petty competition with each other. And individually, neither is in exactly a solid place: Kyle’s only recently come out to his family and is wondering if he’ll ever know what it’s like to date a guy, while Judy is pretending she’s been born again to snag the cute, uber-religious guy she’s been crushing on.
Then Garrett — that mysterious loner from their class — moves in with them for the last month of school, and both twins take notice. Is he gay? Straight? Which of the twins is he into more, and which one of them will “win” him in their competition? Adding to his intrigue, Garrett claims he’s a vampire. Uh … what?
But the “vampire” issue is so minor in comparison with the rest of the story. It’s really about something every reader can relate to: the uncertainty of being a teenager. Our teen years are filled with moments of self-discovery, making mistakes, (learning from those mistakes), exploring our world and learning who we are as an individual. Gemini Bites follows both Judy and Kyle as they go through these experiences — and shows that the siblings might be better off if they could stick together, instead of competing against each other.
Garrett is merely the catalyst to help each of the twins embark towards maturity and adulthood — and whether or not he’s a vampire is a fairly moot point when you consider the grand scheme of things.
In a sea of YA books that feature teens with absentee or substandard parents, it’s nice to see a book that not only features a rich, colorful family — but a book that focuses on the family as an important part of a teen’s formative years. Because that’s what Gemini Bites is really all about: family and growing up.
Gemini Bites is a charming tale about discovering what kind of person you want to be, and not being afraid of embracing your own identity.
Boy? Girl? Vampire?
Gay? Straight? Twisexual?
Prepare to be seduced.
But what I found inside these pages was less about whether or not mysterious loner Garrett was really a vampire — and more about the relationship between a brother and sister during their tumultuous teenage years. And this is a very good thing.
Because as much as I love a good vampire story (and I really do), I was charmed by the surprise focus on this pair of siblings. Not only was it a fresh approach in general, but it resonated with me personally, having gone through some tumultuous times with my own brother over the last few years.
Gemini Bites alternates chapters between fraternal twins Judy and Kyle — who have had a rocky relationship over the last few years, much of which has been spent in petty competition with each other. And individually, neither is in exactly a solid place: Kyle’s only recently come out to his family and is wondering if he’ll ever know what it’s like to date a guy, while Judy is pretending she’s been born again to snag the cute, uber-religious guy she’s been crushing on.
Then Garrett — that mysterious loner from their class — moves in with them for the last month of school, and both twins take notice. Is he gay? Straight? Which of the twins is he into more, and which one of them will “win” him in their competition? Adding to his intrigue, Garrett claims he’s a vampire. Uh … what?
But the “vampire” issue is so minor in comparison with the rest of the story. It’s really about something every reader can relate to: the uncertainty of being a teenager. Our teen years are filled with moments of self-discovery, making mistakes, (learning from those mistakes), exploring our world and learning who we are as an individual. Gemini Bites follows both Judy and Kyle as they go through these experiences — and shows that the siblings might be better off if they could stick together, instead of competing against each other.
Garrett is merely the catalyst to help each of the twins embark towards maturity and adulthood — and whether or not he’s a vampire is a fairly moot point when you consider the grand scheme of things.
In a sea of YA books that feature teens with absentee or substandard parents, it’s nice to see a book that not only features a rich, colorful family — but a book that focuses on the family as an important part of a teen’s formative years. Because that’s what Gemini Bites is really all about: family and growing up.
Gemini Bites is a charming tale about discovering what kind of person you want to be, and not being afraid of embracing your own identity.
May 5, 2014
This book was fantastic. Couldn't stop reading it!!! Of course, I dreaded reading Judy's POV but as the book progressed she really grew into a character that's actually likable. I love Kyle! He's was a very charismatic character and I was always anxious to dread his chapter. The only problem I have with the book was the title. "Gemini Bites". I get bites was for Garret pretending to be a vampire(not much vampire in the book), and gemini is for twins, but this book has only like one sentence to do with horoscopes. Other than that I had to cover my face with a pillow the whole time to keep from exploding into laughter. This book was insane plus I totally recommend!!!!
September 15, 2014
When I started the book I wasn't sure I'd finish it. The story gets better as you read, but it's definitely not on my "must reads" suggestion list. It's a fast and flirty read with enjoyable dialogue. Though the characters are somewhat lacking in dimension, I enjoy the blatant talk of sex.
The best part of this novel are the parents, imho, who are incredibly supportive and respectful of their children's growth and privacy.
Favorite quote from the novel:
Then he asked, "How can you be all religious and still be such a monster?"
"History is filled with religious monsters..."
The best part of this novel are the parents, imho, who are incredibly supportive and respectful of their children's growth and privacy.
Favorite quote from the novel:
Then he asked, "How can you be all religious and still be such a monster?"
"History is filled with religious monsters..."
April 18, 2011
It's about time for a YA book about a bisexual vampire who sets out to seduce a pair of twins. This book is just outlandish, but in a very pleasant, arch and knowing way. I will admit to loving the satirical beginning more than the tidy YA-style ending, but some crazy great stuff happens at the end as well. Plus, they all go to Colonial Williamsburg.
Read
January 4, 2017Ha ha not sure what to think about this book
November 20, 2019
A four-star book spoiled by a five-star problem.
CW/TW for stereotypes of the mentally ill. Also, spoilers.
For the most part, this book is, as the kids say, totes adorbs. Twins with a crush on the same guy? Cute premise! Especially since Judy and Kyle are fraternal twins, and Kyle is openly gay (yes, this is one of those awesome queer YA books where coming out is not the central story). When Garret the sexy goth guy -- who claims to be a vampire -- has to live in their attic for a few weeks, sparks fly and hijinks ensue. But is Judy really into Garret? Or is she just dicking with Kyle, because she's a bitch?
Spoiler: she's a bitch, and this is another great aspect to the novel: Ryan's managed to depict a bully who actually gets called on her behavior and changes for the better. Judy isn't just mean to Kyle - she's mean to EVERYBODY, and doesn't realize the havoc she wreaks until her long-suffering bestie calls her on it (and good for her, too). Judy also has a bad habit of trying to be someone else so other people will like her -- a common teen affliction -- and more character growth comes in learning that she needs to figure out who she is instead of always trying to be somebody else.
Judy's not the only antagonist to Kyle and Garret's romance, however, and here's where the problem comes in: the main antagonist is Ferris, a boy who, believing Garret really is a vampire, attacks him on several occasions, first with holy water, then a musket (it makes sense in context, just go with it), and then a mallet and a stake. This is obviously delusional, but the delusion is never addressed properly, simply tsk-tsked over and written off as somebody else's problem. The result is a flat character with no reason to exist expect to further the vampire portions of the plot: he walks in, says and does stereotypical things, tries to attack Garret, and then is tsk-tsked out of frame for someone else to deal with (presumably in a "problem novel" about mental health in teens).
It's a damn shame that, after executing everything else so well, Ryan decided to rely on stereotypes of the mentally ill to move the story along. If Ferris had been written as just another bully -- which would have made a nice counterpoint to Judy's bullying -- and given redemption in the end, fine. But as soon as the obligatory "he was off his meds" wisecrack came up, well...game over for me as a reader. Especially when, at book's end, Ferris is hustled off to his grandparents' farm, presumably to rest and get well. Because that's how mental illness works, ya know. Sigh.
It's also a weird choice for a light, fluffy rom-com because mental illness really isn't all that funny. Again, if Ferris were just dumb or a bully, this would be understandable. "You honestly think he's a vampire? LOLZ." But imagine picking up some light reading only to see yourself, or someone you love, distorted into a caricature and played for yuks as a "comedic" villain? Not cool.
I write these words very reluctantly, because honestly, minus that one thing, this was really fun and cute. And it's still sometimes hard to find FUN books for queer teens, that don't end in tragedy/heartbreak for them! But celebrating some folks while putting others down is not the way to go, and the queer YA romance genre is just wide enough that you can easily find something else. Like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Boy Meets Boy, etc. Reluctantly not recommended, and if you own it, consider weeding it. If you choose not to, make sure you know your patrons well, book talk it carefully, and don't deliberately give it to anyone you know might be hurt.
CW/TW for stereotypes of the mentally ill. Also, spoilers.
For the most part, this book is, as the kids say, totes adorbs. Twins with a crush on the same guy? Cute premise! Especially since Judy and Kyle are fraternal twins, and Kyle is openly gay (yes, this is one of those awesome queer YA books where coming out is not the central story). When Garret the sexy goth guy -- who claims to be a vampire -- has to live in their attic for a few weeks, sparks fly and hijinks ensue. But is Judy really into Garret? Or is she just dicking with Kyle, because she's a bitch?
Spoiler: she's a bitch, and this is another great aspect to the novel: Ryan's managed to depict a bully who actually gets called on her behavior and changes for the better. Judy isn't just mean to Kyle - she's mean to EVERYBODY, and doesn't realize the havoc she wreaks until her long-suffering bestie calls her on it (and good for her, too). Judy also has a bad habit of trying to be someone else so other people will like her -- a common teen affliction -- and more character growth comes in learning that she needs to figure out who she is instead of always trying to be somebody else.
Judy's not the only antagonist to Kyle and Garret's romance, however, and here's where the problem comes in: the main antagonist is Ferris, a boy who, believing Garret really is a vampire, attacks him on several occasions, first with holy water, then a musket (it makes sense in context, just go with it), and then a mallet and a stake. This is obviously delusional, but the delusion is never addressed properly, simply tsk-tsked over and written off as somebody else's problem. The result is a flat character with no reason to exist expect to further the vampire portions of the plot: he walks in, says and does stereotypical things, tries to attack Garret, and then is tsk-tsked out of frame for someone else to deal with (presumably in a "problem novel" about mental health in teens).
It's a damn shame that, after executing everything else so well, Ryan decided to rely on stereotypes of the mentally ill to move the story along. If Ferris had been written as just another bully -- which would have made a nice counterpoint to Judy's bullying -- and given redemption in the end, fine. But as soon as the obligatory "he was off his meds" wisecrack came up, well...game over for me as a reader. Especially when, at book's end, Ferris is hustled off to his grandparents' farm, presumably to rest and get well. Because that's how mental illness works, ya know. Sigh.
It's also a weird choice for a light, fluffy rom-com because mental illness really isn't all that funny. Again, if Ferris were just dumb or a bully, this would be understandable. "You honestly think he's a vampire? LOLZ." But imagine picking up some light reading only to see yourself, or someone you love, distorted into a caricature and played for yuks as a "comedic" villain? Not cool.
I write these words very reluctantly, because honestly, minus that one thing, this was really fun and cute. And it's still sometimes hard to find FUN books for queer teens, that don't end in tragedy/heartbreak for them! But celebrating some folks while putting others down is not the way to go, and the queer YA romance genre is just wide enough that you can easily find something else. Like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Boy Meets Boy, etc. Reluctantly not recommended, and if you own it, consider weeding it. If you choose not to, make sure you know your patrons well, book talk it carefully, and don't deliberately give it to anyone you know might be hurt.
February 28, 2019
What a cute and fun little romp.
I picked this up at the public library (*gasp!* A library?! Who is she?!) and was a little bit nervous about it.
For one, the book is a little old. 2011. I was still in high school when this book came out. Which? Wild.
And older YA books don't always handle the LGBT thing the most respectfully. Glee had only been on for like a year and a half so the whole 'gay' thing was new and exciting but still a wild unknown to most people.
So: nervous.
Also this book is vampire focused which is hilarious and also a total throwback to the Twilight heyday.
But I was at the public library - deciding it was time to practice what I preach and be the socialist I claim to support and take advantage of these public services I want to see flourish. Also as a way to tell Jeff Bezos to get fucked - and I was perusing and I saw this book and I was like "Huh. I'm a Gemini."
And then I found out it was about a bisexual vampire and that was check mate, I had to bring it home.
Despite my fears, the gay thing was handled well. It could have been better (boy was horny on main, for real) but it could have been worse. The gay friends could have had sexual tension but didn't which is beyond true to life.
And there really wasn't any overt homophobia to speak of, even with the religious themes, which was nice and unexpected.
And, listen, I know homophobia is real and people experience it. TRUST ME I know. But in fiction, it gets to a point where you're just fetishizing the bigotry. There's painting a portrait of reality and there's harping on the abuse of marginalized people. So it was nice this didn't have that.
My favorite part of the whole book, though, was probably how big the fucking family was. And how they all interacted.
I don't have six siblings, but I kind of do.
I was born middle child of four. Well, obviously I was born the youngest but I grew up as the middle child of four. We've always had cousins and friends and whatever around so it always felt like more. Later in life, we adopted another one and married in two others. When we go out, it's a big event. And, yes, family dinners to be like that. Everyone sitting in a car together do be like that. I appreciated the dynamic more than you would believe.
So, yeah. Cute book. Short and sweet. I liked it.
I picked this up at the public library (*gasp!* A library?! Who is she?!) and was a little bit nervous about it.
For one, the book is a little old. 2011. I was still in high school when this book came out. Which? Wild.
And older YA books don't always handle the LGBT thing the most respectfully. Glee had only been on for like a year and a half so the whole 'gay' thing was new and exciting but still a wild unknown to most people.
So: nervous.
Also this book is vampire focused which is hilarious and also a total throwback to the Twilight heyday.
But I was at the public library - deciding it was time to practice what I preach and be the socialist I claim to support and take advantage of these public services I want to see flourish. Also as a way to tell Jeff Bezos to get fucked - and I was perusing and I saw this book and I was like "Huh. I'm a Gemini."
And then I found out it was about a bisexual vampire and that was check mate, I had to bring it home.
Despite my fears, the gay thing was handled well. It could have been better (boy was horny on main, for real) but it could have been worse. The gay friends could have had sexual tension but didn't which is beyond true to life.
Character's mom asks him why he can't just date his gay friend. Relatable.
— Yelling Girl That Calls People To Vote (@JessJessDaBest) February 28, 2019
Remember that time my dad asked me why me and [name of gay friend redacted] didn't date? Wild. Why are parents like this?
And there really wasn't any overt homophobia to speak of, even with the religious themes, which was nice and unexpected.
And, listen, I know homophobia is real and people experience it. TRUST ME I know. But in fiction, it gets to a point where you're just fetishizing the bigotry. There's painting a portrait of reality and there's harping on the abuse of marginalized people. So it was nice this didn't have that.
My favorite part of the whole book, though, was probably how big the fucking family was. And how they all interacted.
I don't have six siblings, but I kind of do.
I was born middle child of four. Well, obviously I was born the youngest but I grew up as the middle child of four. We've always had cousins and friends and whatever around so it always felt like more. Later in life, we adopted another one and married in two others. When we go out, it's a big event. And, yes, family dinners to be like that. Everyone sitting in a car together do be like that. I appreciated the dynamic more than you would believe.
So, yeah. Cute book. Short and sweet. I liked it.
September 26, 2017
I would give this book 4 stars because it was a great read and it kept the reader interested. I liked the book because of how relatable it was for me as an individual. Gemini Bites is about this big family and they get a house guest who claims he is a vampire. Both Kyle and Judy during the book fall for this house guest. Reasons why i like this book is because of how interesting the book was and how it was able to be relatable to a wide range of individuals. Also I liked this book because I had comedy and romance and for anyone who likes either one of those this is the book for you. While there were parts I liked there were so slow points in the book as well. When Judy is at church and trying to make a fool out of one of the girls at bible study and overall there are not that many slow parts in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in romance, comedy and vampires.
October 12, 2018
This is a really fun read. Kaleecat gave me the uncorrected proof of this book to read, so there might be some small discrepancies between the copy I read and the final version.
First, this is really funny. Excellent narrative voice. Really nicely drawn characters.
It's a quick and easy read, but I think it will appeal to readers of all ages, not just teens.
It alternates between POV chapters from Kyle and his twin Judy. Kyle is struggling with being gay without a gay community; Judy is struggling with trying to find a boyfriend and lands on a scheme of pretending to be a born-again Christian in order to do so. They both are fascinated with Garret, their new house guest who might be a vampire. And he seems fascinated with them both.
I think most of you would enjoy this.
First, this is really funny. Excellent narrative voice. Really nicely drawn characters.
It's a quick and easy read, but I think it will appeal to readers of all ages, not just teens.
It alternates between POV chapters from Kyle and his twin Judy. Kyle is struggling with being gay without a gay community; Judy is struggling with trying to find a boyfriend and lands on a scheme of pretending to be a born-again Christian in order to do so. They both are fascinated with Garret, their new house guest who might be a vampire. And he seems fascinated with them both.
I think most of you would enjoy this.
June 18, 2018
This book is simple and complex, much like teenagers. It does a great job of showing just how complicated and confusing a time being a teenager is. Between people telling you what to be, thinking you're one thing, and trying to figure it all out on you're own; Gemini Bites displays this and more rather nicely.
April 1, 2022
This book is absolutely wild. For the rest of my life I have to live with the knowledge that someone created the character Coover. The romance element was quite cute, the story was simple, and although I personally found Judy’s character to be irredeemable, the ending tied everything together well enough to be satisfying.
October 24, 2019
I expected something different from this book, and it disappointed me. I felt like there was hardly any plot development, and I was still unsure what the main point of the book was when I was finished!
December 13, 2022
3.5 stars on this one. Goodreads really needs to get going with these half stars! A quirky love story that I could see Disney doing for Young Adults. This came out in 2011 and I feel like it's way ahead of its time for having a gay young adult character.
July 27, 2017
IT'S SO GOOD!
December 10, 2018
Knowing what I now know I probably wouldn' t read this book.
November 22, 2020
lol i read this in high school. if yr looking for something you can immerse yourself in, this is not the one. but for a quick, fun read? sure.
September 10, 2021
I read this back in highschool (But want to rereaad it) and really liked it as a young adult book. It was nice seeing bi and gay rep in a fun book
December 15, 2021
A book that attempted to tackle issues about teenage identity, but ultimately failed to develop any of its characters in healthy, believable ways.
January 12, 2023
This book was very anticlimactic. There were issues which could have made for a great book but it was all jumbled and felt very rushed.
May 29, 2024
It's a bitch to have a sister who is a bitch that you love. Amazingly funny.
August 8, 2011
Review originally posted on The Book Smugglers: HERE
Judy and Kyle are 16 year-old fraternal twins in a noisy family of nine. They have a bumpy relationship ever since their parents had a trial separation years ago and are always competing against each other, trying to best the other while they go about their lives. Kyle has recently come out to his family and close friends and is the self-proclaimed biggest exaggerator in the history of the universe and will tell you that his sister is a Monster, always mean to him (and perhaps even to everybody else). Judy will tell you that she is not mean, that she is actually the nicest girl you could ever meet. She has recently found religion – or rather, has found that religion will perhaps help her land her a new boyfriend as her most recent crush is a very serious Christian guy. Thus, she pretends to be a born-again Christian and since she is doing it for love, because she likes the guy, that is totally ok.
In the meantime, the family is getting ready to welcome Garrett Johnson, a student from the twin’s school who is going to spend the last month of his junior year with their family while his parents relocate to another state. Kyle and Judy find Garrett strangely alluring with his goth-like manner, suspicious behaviour and above all, his mind-blowing claim that he is in fact, a vampire. AND he might be into both twins which just amps the competition between Kyle and Judy to the max.
Well, Gemini Bites took me completely by surprise. It had been sitting on my TBR shelf for a while and I picked it up now because I was looking for something short and funny to read and this seemed just like the thing. And yes, it was short and funny and exactly what I wanted to read right now but it was also so much more. It is much more than just its funny parts and the story goes way beyond its zany premise to include really poignant and serious moments.
The chapters alternate between Kyle and Judy’s narrative and at first, Kyle comes across as the most sympathetic of the twins. He is charming, funny, friendly and extremely frank and open about his sexuality: not just about being out and proud but also how so freaking horny he is all the time. Sometimes, when reading YA novels, I get the feeling that the vast majority of stories have these weirdly chaste, PG-like teens and I appreciated how this book shows a bit more of the other side as well in a honest, up-front way. The chapter where Kyle describes getting his first ever blow job is quite possibly, one of the most hilarious things I ever read.
Judy on the other hand, is one of those teenagers that are angry, mean and extremely self-centred. Judy is not nice despite what she might tell the reader, she is not likeable ( at least not to start with) but she is a great character, I thought. Her arc is a bit more serious than Kyle’s because she has some real growing-up to do. It becomes clear later on that Judy falls into a pattern every time she has a new crush and this falls back into the biggest theme of the book: identity. From pretending to be something you are not, not knowing exactly who you are and why you do the things you do. Although not necessarily original I never felt the story fell into clichéd territory.
Speaking of clichéd: one of the greatest dangers, I feel, in writing such a short book with so many characters is that it would have been easy to fall into stereotypes. Garrett could have been the Lone Goth Kid; Kyle could have been simply the Gay Twin and Judy the Mean Twin and the entire family just background noise to support the story. However, the author avoided this brilliantly – all the characters had depth and even each member of the family had a striking personality. One of the things that I thought was so beautifully executed was how both Kyle and Judy felt they were simply just another kid in a huge family and felt they could get away with things because of that but it was clear that the parents had an eye out for every single of them without being particularly intrusive. It was just the right balance for me.
Having said that, even though its shortness did not mean necessarily lack of depth, it did mean that some things were perhaps dealt with too easily or too lightly (I am thinking about the secondary character who had serious psychological issues and was really and truly dangerous) and the ending was a bit too perfect.
But none of these things mattered: Gemini Bites is just the sort of Contemporary YA I love to read. Great story, great characters, with strong, varied LGBT kids without making it an Issue book, romance (kisses and making-out, NOM), a winner.
Judy and Kyle are 16 year-old fraternal twins in a noisy family of nine. They have a bumpy relationship ever since their parents had a trial separation years ago and are always competing against each other, trying to best the other while they go about their lives. Kyle has recently come out to his family and close friends and is the self-proclaimed biggest exaggerator in the history of the universe and will tell you that his sister is a Monster, always mean to him (and perhaps even to everybody else). Judy will tell you that she is not mean, that she is actually the nicest girl you could ever meet. She has recently found religion – or rather, has found that religion will perhaps help her land her a new boyfriend as her most recent crush is a very serious Christian guy. Thus, she pretends to be a born-again Christian and since she is doing it for love, because she likes the guy, that is totally ok.
In the meantime, the family is getting ready to welcome Garrett Johnson, a student from the twin’s school who is going to spend the last month of his junior year with their family while his parents relocate to another state. Kyle and Judy find Garrett strangely alluring with his goth-like manner, suspicious behaviour and above all, his mind-blowing claim that he is in fact, a vampire. AND he might be into both twins which just amps the competition between Kyle and Judy to the max.
Well, Gemini Bites took me completely by surprise. It had been sitting on my TBR shelf for a while and I picked it up now because I was looking for something short and funny to read and this seemed just like the thing. And yes, it was short and funny and exactly what I wanted to read right now but it was also so much more. It is much more than just its funny parts and the story goes way beyond its zany premise to include really poignant and serious moments.
The chapters alternate between Kyle and Judy’s narrative and at first, Kyle comes across as the most sympathetic of the twins. He is charming, funny, friendly and extremely frank and open about his sexuality: not just about being out and proud but also how so freaking horny he is all the time. Sometimes, when reading YA novels, I get the feeling that the vast majority of stories have these weirdly chaste, PG-like teens and I appreciated how this book shows a bit more of the other side as well in a honest, up-front way. The chapter where Kyle describes getting his first ever blow job is quite possibly, one of the most hilarious things I ever read.
Judy on the other hand, is one of those teenagers that are angry, mean and extremely self-centred. Judy is not nice despite what she might tell the reader, she is not likeable ( at least not to start with) but she is a great character, I thought. Her arc is a bit more serious than Kyle’s because she has some real growing-up to do. It becomes clear later on that Judy falls into a pattern every time she has a new crush and this falls back into the biggest theme of the book: identity. From pretending to be something you are not, not knowing exactly who you are and why you do the things you do. Although not necessarily original I never felt the story fell into clichéd territory.
Speaking of clichéd: one of the greatest dangers, I feel, in writing such a short book with so many characters is that it would have been easy to fall into stereotypes. Garrett could have been the Lone Goth Kid; Kyle could have been simply the Gay Twin and Judy the Mean Twin and the entire family just background noise to support the story. However, the author avoided this brilliantly – all the characters had depth and even each member of the family had a striking personality. One of the things that I thought was so beautifully executed was how both Kyle and Judy felt they were simply just another kid in a huge family and felt they could get away with things because of that but it was clear that the parents had an eye out for every single of them without being particularly intrusive. It was just the right balance for me.
Having said that, even though its shortness did not mean necessarily lack of depth, it did mean that some things were perhaps dealt with too easily or too lightly (I am thinking about the secondary character who had serious psychological issues and was really and truly dangerous) and the ending was a bit too perfect.
But none of these things mattered: Gemini Bites is just the sort of Contemporary YA I love to read. Great story, great characters, with strong, varied LGBT kids without making it an Issue book, romance (kisses and making-out, NOM), a winner.
March 26, 2018
Reading Challenge 2018 - Pinterest: book from the library. Judy and Kyle are twins. Twins that do not like each other due to a misunderstanding when their parents split up. Add Garrett, a strange, vampire-like boy who moves into an already full house, and you have a hilarious love story. Told from alternating chapters by each twin, we get to see what each is thinking and how their lives are affecting differently. The twins question whether or not Garrett is truly a vampire while dealing with a fanatic student who is trying to rid the world of the "dark side", or Garrett. The book was a fast read, with a cute love story, and a happy ending.
March 9, 2017
The book wasn't what I was used to, and I didn't really get into it right away, which was the downfall. Otherwise the book was very good, and I would still recommend it to others.
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