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T*Witches: Don’t Think Twice by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld
In book five of the T*witches series, Cam and Alex begin to receive strange messages – messages they believe are about their long, lost mother, Miranda. And although they’ve got the right idea, the way to Miranda seems to be through their friend, Bree, who is suffering from anorexia.
Meanwhile, on Coventry Island, Thantos, Karsh, Ileana, and others are joining center stage at a trial destined to discover who really murdered the father of the twins. Ileana, believing it’s Thantos, is the number one accuser. But the truth she may discover may put her on a path to madness and misery.
Title: Don’t Think Twice
Author: H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld
Series: T*Witches, Book 05
Publish Date: July 2002, Scholastic
Genre: YA paranormal fantasy
Source: Purchased
Publisher’s Description: Cam’s best, Bree, is unraveling, and Cam feels locked out. Not so for Alex, who has been breaking into people’s minds. She knows all Bree’s secrets. But before the twins can help Bree, she is taken away. To a private place, for help. Serious help.
There, Bree meets a mysterious woman who is able to heal her like no one else. But this woman is more than a stranger. She holds the key to everything that Alex and Camryn have been searching for. If only they can get to her.
Possible spoilers beyond this point.
Kat Mandu says…
This is one of the shorter books in the series, and since I’ve read all ten books, I also know it’s one of those transitional books with a minor plot. Basically, this book is here so that the twins have a link to their long-lost and thought-to-be-dead mom. However, there are a lot of secrets that are revealed in the process… but those said secrets are pretty obvious if you were to read the four before this one because a lot of hints are given.
I think it’s weird that the twins are ragged on a lot for being “self-centered.” It’s a shame they can’t tell everyone that they’re going through a lot – both personally and magically. I think everyone who labels them as conceited would see they weren’t really. Even Alex, who doesn’t really want to join her sister’s “Six Pack” is drawn to Bree’s silent cry for help, and Alex is able to assist her without worrying about what she could get in return.
But anyway, this is an enjoyable read.
Our reviews in this series…
- The Power Of Two
- Building A Mystery
- Seeing Is Deceiving
- Dead Wrong
- Don’t Think Twice
- Double Jeopardy
- Kindred Spirits
- The Witch Hunters
- Split Decision
- Destiny’s Twins
Other recommendations…
You might try the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing, the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan, and Witches’ Key To Terror by Silver RavenWolf.
T*Witches: Dead Wrong by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld
In the fourth installment of the teen witch series, Alex returns to her hometown in Montana to rescue her best bud from a bad decision and to confront her father.
Title: Dead Wrong
Author: H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld
Series: T*Witches, Book 4
Publish Date: April 1, 2002
Genre: YA paranormal fantasy
Source: Purchased
Publisher’s Description: Alex and Cam return to Alex’s hometown in Montana to settle some scores. Numero Uno: Someone is trying to block Alex from being adopted by Cam’s family. Could it be Alex’s deadbeat stepdad? Numero Dos: Alex’s bud Evan is being blamed for a school death threat. When stepdad turns up Six Feet Under, the girls must power up for another battle with the forces of evil.
Kat Mandu says…
Dead Wrong takes us back to Crow Creek, Montana where spunky and punky Alex grew up. She and Cam have come on a mission to save Alex’s best bud, Evan. Not to mention deal with her dad, who is trying to gain custody of her.
Naturally, they find a lot more trouble than what they bargained for. Thantos and Fredo have been skulking around and now Alex’s dad is six feet under. Evan is tangled up with a group of jerky punks who are threatening to burn the local school to the ground. So the girls have got to get all their magic together and save the day.
There’s a lot of coincidental moments that get them out of trouble quite often I’m not exactly fond of, but also have learned to expect from this particular target age group. Again, my favorite part of the whole series is who the girls deal with real-life issues. It’s almost like the book was intended to be contemporary, dealing with issues you see more in real life… and then magic is thrown in for the twist. Cam and Alex may be silly teenage girls, but they’re real enough that I’d want them to be my friends.
All in all, this is another great book in the series.
Our reviews in this series…
- The Power Of Two
- Building A Mystery
- Seeing Is Deceiving
- Dead Wrong
- Don’t Think Twice
- Double Jeopardy
- Kindred Spirits
- The Witch Hunters
- Split Decision
- Destiny’s Twins
Other recommendations…
You might try the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing, the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan, and Witches’ Key To Terror by Silver RavenWolf.
T*Witches: Seeing Is Deceiving by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld
With Karsh kidnapped, and Ileana trying to rescue him and currently out of commission, the twins are on their own – and coming face to face with their evil, manipulative Uncle Thantos.
Title: T*Witches: Seeing Is Deceiving
Author: H.B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
Series: T*Witches, Book 3
Publish Date: December 2001
Genre: YA paranormal fantasy
Source: Purchased.
Publisher’s Description: Cam’s and Alex’s powers are getting in sync, and the twins can’t help themselves. They’re reading people’s minds, using magick on the soccer field. It’s bringing them closer together. But it’s forcing Cam and her BFF, Beth, apart.
When Alex sneaks out to an all-night party, she suddenly finds Beth – and herself – in terrible danger. Thantos, the evil one who wants the twins eliminated, has taken Beth hostage. Must Alex sacrifice herself to save her sister and friend?
Kat Mandu says…
This one for me just worked out a lot better than the second one. Still has all the silliness and teen lingo of that particular time, but overall, more enjoyable and easier to get with. I’m still having a hard time figuring out all that’s happening with the bigger action scenes – like when Cam and Alex confront Thantos and Fredo at the rave, then things happen and then they’re magically “safe.” It is a younger book but I’m still thrown by the convenience of it all.
Also, you know it’s a kid’s book when THE FREAKING BAD GUY IS INVITED INTO THEIR BEDROOM FOR SNACKS AND “CHAT.” My goodness, these girls are super naive. How do the parents NOT wake up is what I want to know. Whether Shane redeemed himself or not, I’d still probably not let the former Thantos lackey anywhere near me.
I do like that the teens are still trying to figure out their place in the world. Cam, who has found a true partner in twin sister Alex, is neglecting former BFF Beth a little. Then she only makes it worse by trying to help and protect her. Cam desperately wants to meet her real mother, Miranda,
Alex on the other hand, is still struggling with where she fits in with the Barnes family, especially since Emily isn’t necessarily fond of her presence. And now her skeevy dad is filing for custody of her.
All in all, I’m still fond of these characters. I like the silly, I like the serious. Throw in a bit of magic and you’ve got me. Four stars altogether.
Our reviews in this series…
- The Power Of Two
- Building A Mystery
- Seeing Is Deceiving
- Dead Wrong
- Don’t Think Twice
- Double Jeopardy
- Kindred Spirits
- The Witch Hunters
- Split Decision
- Destiny’s Twins
Other recommendations…
You might try the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing, the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan, and Witches’ Key To Terror by Silver RavenWolf.
T*Witches: Building A Mystery by H.B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
In T*Witches 2, the twins are learning how to deal with their newfound powers – and just in time, for there’s a couple new bad guys in town that are eager to see just how powerful they are…
Title: Twitches: Building A Mystery
Authors: H.B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
Series: Twitches, Book 2
Publish Date: September 1, 2001
Genre: YA paranormal fantasy
Source: Purchased
Publisher’s Description: The second book in the series that inspired the smash hit Disney Channel movie! Although Alex and Cam have exposed some secrets about their past, they still have a lot to learn. Then they meet dark and mysterious Cade. He looks hot, but he seems to have secrets of his own. Could he be connected to their past in some way? Can they hold back the evil that surrounds them?
Kat Mandu says…
In this short but sweet sequel, Cam and Alex are back and still learning the ropes.
Cam’s figuring out how to deal with her witchy powers in her own way, not to mention having to deal with the upset of her home life now that Alex is staying for good. Not that she’s too bummed, having someone she can share all her magickal secrets with is nice. Sassy Alex feels the same deep down, but she’s still grieving for her adoptive mother, Sara, and trying her best to figure out her place in this new world.
After Ileana delivers them a message that someone is trying to get to them, the girls have got to narrow down their list of bad guys and come together as sister witches to defeat whoever it is.
Okay, so this one is a little more cheesy and cliche. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book by any means. It just meant that for me, it wasn’t a favorite. I guess it just seemed sillier to me than it needed to be, but I guess that’s the age they were going for. I just wasn’t fond of all that was happening, especially that very strange, very rushed ending. I know the general idea of what happened, I just don’t know why it had to happen that way and inconvenience the story for no reason at all.
Basically, there’s a lizard-demon thingy and this person wants to take Alex and Cam to their “real mother” and the girls tell him no, so he attacks. But in the process, Ileana comes to the rescue and they have a full conversation with each other in the middle of the battle and well… the whole scene is rather chaotic.
Other than that, it was just kind of goofy. Lots of teenager drama and phrases like “BRB” are often used. The text lingo was really popular when it came out, so I kinda see why it was used. Still doesn’t make it any less annoying.
I think what made this more powerful for me, was again, the characters. I mean, even at the end, Cam wants to meet her real mother while Alex could care less. Despite everything, these girls are very real to me than some of the other more serious YA/upper MG out there now. Either way, it gets a three from me.
Our reviews in this series…
- The Power Of Two
- Building A Mystery
- Seeing Is Deceiving
- Dead Wrong
- Don’t Think Twice
- Double Jeopardy
- Kindred Spirits
- The Witch Hunters
- Split Decision
- Destiny’s Twins
Other recommendations…
You might try the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing, the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan, and Witches’ Key To Terror by Silver RavenWolf.
T*Witches: The Power of Two by H.B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
Cam and Alex are about to discover they’re twin witches separated at birth. When an incredibly well-planned coincidence ends up with them meeting for the first time, their lives will never be the same.
Title: T*Witches: The Power of Two
Author: H.B. Gilmour & Randi Reisfeld
Series: T*Witches, Book 1
Publish Date: June 1, 2001
Genre: YA paranormal fantasy
Source: Purchased
Publisher’s Description: Camryn Barnes: Smart, upbeat and popular, Cam is best of breed all around. Except for one bone-chilling secret. Cam sees things happening, before they happen. Very bad things.
Alexandra Fielding: Spunky, Punky and Sarcastic, Alex is all about making it from day to day. Life’s tough, but Alex deals. Except for the weirdness. Alex hears things. The things people think, but haven’t said.
If ever they met…They could combine their powerful gifts and help people.
Maybe even save a life.
They could figure out who they really are, who their parents really are – or were. They could fall into very evil hands.
Guess what? They’re about to meet.
Kat Mandu says…
Like most of the other books written in the early 2000’s, this is kind of cheesy fantasy that really ruled the shelves back in the day when “Independent Readers” was a genre that really drew the line between upper-middle-grade and young adult. It has similar tones to Sweep by Cate Tiernan and Daughter of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Books more innocent in tone compared to the darker books on the shelves today. I’ve been reading a lot of older books like this so it’s a nice change of pace.
I’ll also admit that I know this series was made into two movies featuring the Mowry twins. I never actually watched them. They seemed kind of goofy and by the time the movies came out, I was in a different phase where all the teen lingo that was popular didn’t appeal to me and I almost found it annoying.
However, the book series was always different to me. Rereading always reminds me that writing has a million – trillion – styles. Twitches have their own.
And I know what you’re thinking. Twin sisters meeting up for the first time and discovering they have these hidden powers and are meant to do good with it? Can we say cliche? Well, yeah. But I’m taking into account of when this was written and the trend of the day was twins with fantastic powers. I have a different feel for it that I can’t really describe. Maybe because it’s one of my favorite series from when I was growing up, so I have a slightly hypocritical fondness for it I can’t seem to explain.
But either way, I do like this series. I could never decide which particular twin was my favorite, though I love Alex’s powers a lot more than Camyrn’s. I really adore their silly, young characters and can somewhat to relate to them in a weird way. They make it real for me more than the plot obviously. Their interactions are fun, like when they bicker, or can be sad, like when they’re grieving or discovering they’re actually adopted.
So that being said, the first one gets a four from me. I’ll have reviews for the rest of the series coming soon, and I don’t think they get as high of ratings, but I still love Twitches.
Our reviews in this series…
- The Power Of Two
- Building A Mystery
- Seeing Is Deceiving
- Dead Wrong
- Don’t Think Twice
- Double Jeopardy
- Kindred Spirits
- The Witch Hunters
- Split Decision
- Destiny’s Twins
Other recommendations…
You might try the Daughters of the Moon series by Lynne Ewing, the Sweep series by Cate Tiernan, and Witches’ Key To Terror by Silver RavenWolf.
One Book Two 