Gemini Rising

by Eleanor Wood

How far would you go to fit in? Sorana Salem is ok with being not quite bottom of the pile at her exclusive private school. Until the mysterious Johansson twins arrive unexpectedly mid-term. Hypnotically beautiful and immensely cool, magnetic Elyse and mute Melanie aren’t like the school’s usual identikit mean girls.Soon Sorana’s sharing sleepovers and Saturday nights out with the twins. But their new world of Ouidja boards and older boys might not be as simple as it seems. And the dark secrets that they share could be about to take Sorana down a path that’s impossible to turn back from…

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery, Young Adult Contemporary

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2013

About the author

Eleanor Wood lives in Brighton, where she can mostly be found hanging around in cafés and record shops, running on the beach, pretending to be French and/or that it’s the 60s, and writing deep into the night. Her work has previously been published in magazines such as Time Out and The Face. Her erstwhile lo-fi fanzine, Shocking Blues and Mean Reds, won praise from The Independent, Lauren Laverne, and Marmalade magazine, among others.

Reviews

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Goodreads, please stop deleting my rating and review for this book. It adheres to your guidelines. This is my sixth time reposting.

5 Words: magic, mystery, poison, realism, AMAZING.

This is the perfect girly Young Adult story. It's got everything you could wish for, including a sneaky, creepy hint of the supernatural. So this is a very easy 4 stars, I really really liked it.

The characters were well written and this story was very believable. The situations and mannerisms were real. These teenage girls WERE teenage girls, wrapped up in school and trying to fix their lives and grow up too fast. I could really identify with Sorana, she reminded me of me - quiet, good at English, bad at Maths.

Unfortunately, I've never had a brain for Maths - I just don't. So I really clicked with Sorana.

Drink, drugs and rock'n'roll. And Ouija boards.

The story is fun and girly and humourous. You experience everything with Sorana - from her first hangover to her first funeral.

I like the way that the possibly supernatural bits were written - it's left up to the reader to decide. It makes this book perfect for those who don't like the supernatural and those who love it. FANTASTIC!

There are threads of mystery and a thrilling conclusion to the tension-filled story that's been building up and up from the very beginning. And it's not predictable. This story does not end how you think it will. I was truly shocked by the ending.

If you like Sarra Manning then you'll like Eleanor Wood. I hope to read more from her in future!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author/publisher via NetGalley to review.

Gemini Rising tells the story of Sorana, whose world is tipped upside down by the arrival of two new girls at her school; twins Elyse and Melanie. Suddenly weird stuff is happening and the social spectrum is changing as Sorana and her friends get caught up in the twins' lives.

I could tell I was going to like this book from early on, because as soon as I started reading it I fell straight in love with the British setting. I love books set in the UK (and don't read nearly enough of them!) so it was really refreshing to dive straight in to a book set in a British sixth form. The scenes were so familiar and the pop culture references were spot on and made me laugh. I think I enjoyed the story even more because of that feel to it.

When Elyse and Melanie arrive Sorana finds herself drawn to them, as does the rest of the school. The twins were these fascinating characters who provide the backbone to the story, even though it's told from Sorana's point of view. I loved how different they were. Elyse was this bold, outgoing, loud character who completely dominates every scene she's in and Mel was really quiet. My curiosity about Mel was piqued all the way through and I couldn't wait to find out more about her because I just couldn't shake that feeling there was more than meets the eye! The story itself is completely gripping because of that constant feeling of there being something bigger going on and it all leading to something, and throughout the book the suspense just builds and builds.

The characters were the real strength in Gemini Rising and they were all incredibly well developed. Sorana herself is likable and has a great voice that narrates the story. I adored the relationship with her mum and sister as well as her mum's boyfriend Pete. The family dynamic was just spot on! Her mum is slightly overprotective yet they still seem to have a strong bond underneath it. It was interesting to see how Sorana juggled her moral compass when it came to trying to gain a bit of independence.

The book tackles some really great issues and ideas. Elyse is putting a lot of pressure on Sorana and her friends Shimmi and Nathalie, and the things she manipulates them into doing aren't that nice. There's shoplifting, drugs and bullying, but it demonstrated a very realistic take on things like that. I was impressed by how well the author managed to display Sorana getting swept up in these things but without making her a horrible character. Sorana is somebody who gets manipulated and controlled by peer pressure and I think it's a situation she has very little say in. Elyse spends all this time making her feel special and important and I think Sorana is very vulnerable to that because she feels like an outcast. There's a really great line in the book where Sorana talks about finding her "soulmate like friends" and I could completely relate to that desire to want to fit in and have a place in a group of friends, because that's something we've all felt at some point, even if that desire is misplaced.

Another thing I really enjoyed in Gemini Rising was the presence of music within the story. Sorana is obsessed by Trouble Every Day - a local band. I remember what a huge part of my life music was at that age (for me the obsession was Green Day!) and so I was really excited to see Sorana getting excited about gigs and finding other people who loved the band as much as she did. It's only a small detail but I think it was hugely important in creating that completely realistic feel of the book. I also found the focus on astrology really intriguing. Elyse has all this knowledge but the author has done really well at integrating it into the story so it doesn't feel like some sort of astrology textbook. It was interesting without being dull!

It couldn't be a YA novel without a touch of a love story and I enjoyed seeing Sorana juggle her feelings for the two main male leads. There's Josh, a son of one of her mum's friends who she's got history with, and the mysterious Jago who catches her attention. It didn't dominate the story but it was really nicely weaved in. I think because I came to care so much about Sorana I really enjoyed seeing her get a chance at finding a bit of love and attention!

I think Gemini Rising will appeal to a good range of people, from fans of contemporary to those who love a good mystery or thriller. It reminded me in places of Em Bailey's Shift so if you loved that then I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on this one, because I loved it even more. Gemini Rising created the perfect balance of fun characters with great senses of humour, drama by the bucket-full and this underlying tension which made it ultra creepy. Reading it really kept me on my toes and I was so desperate to keep reading and find out just what was going on and about to happen. The ending was a fast-paced, roller-coaster ride that really toyed with the emotions! It's a book I'll definitely be recommending from now on and I hope to see more from this author in the future.

Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!

[black lamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given myself a little time to digest this book so I'm not coming at it from a kneejerky position. My initial reaction was: whoa, I like this book! This is neat! As well as a few initial thoughts on stuff that I didn't like that I thought I'd give myself some time to see if I could think it through more clearly. I picked this book up, I confess, because I liked the cover. The synopsis made it sound a little... concerning. But I was like, "Hm, witchcraft? Twin girls? I'll give it a shot, at worst I can write a scathing GoodReads review," which is like therapy to me, haha. But I did end up liking it quite a bit!

So, all right. This book has positives and negatives which I feel strongly about so I guess that's how I'll structure this review. Obviously there will be spoilers below! I don't recommend reading this review before you read the book since it gives away crucial plot points that lose some of their impact if you go in aware of them.

TW for discussion of rape later on.








POSITIVES
I loved all the witchy stuff. I loved how ambiguous it was. As soon as all the astrology and tarot and hypnotism and ouija stuff showed up I was completely giddy. Wood never explicitly states that her characters were really doing magic - but she never says they weren't, either. You can easily read either into it - either they were just girls playing make-believe who experienced a set of not entirely surprising coincidences and interpreted that as the effects of their supposed magical abilities or they may have genuinely been altering reality around them in a way that was subtle enough to pass for coincidence. Personally I'm choosing to believe the latter because I LOVE WITCHES, FITE ME, but even if the former is true that doesn't make the book less enjoyable in that regard to me. That kind of ambiguity makes a book more flexible and the magical/surrealistic aspects of it more impactful, in my opinion, because when you spell stuff out too clearly, it ceases to become magical. Magic necessarily needs a degree of mystery to it to be effective, otherwise you end up with characters with "magical" powers who are basically just X-Men.

I enjoyed the really heavy and obvious inspiration from Heathers and the Craft, movies that the book namedrops to make more explicit in terms of tone. That was great. I clearly saw Nancy in Elyse, Bonnie in Mel, Sarah in Sorana, and Rochelle in Shimmi, but the book was different enough that it wasn't a direct rip-off.

I loved the way the bullying aspect was handled - how complicated it was, not a black-and-white issue but many shades of grey, how it was presented as something that was done entirely unintentionally but for which there were still consequences and characters had to be thoughtful about their level of responsibility for those consequences. Sorana did not deny bullying Nathalie, although she could have. She could have defended herself to the adults in her life. She did not, because on some level she knew - and explicitly tells you this in the text - that she was, in fact, responsible for it. That what she did was bullying, even if she didn't mean to, and that either way she let her friend down in a really severe way, and it gutted her. I love how that plot changed Sorana's perspective so radically it even allowed her empathy for the "mean girls" who she had always perceived as bullying her - suddenly those characters had depth! They weren't one-dimensional Regina George clones, they were just girls who were so wrapped up in impressing their friends and the social power they had acquired that they didn't realise what they were doing to their peers or what the consequences of their behaviour were. That was great, and an entirely realistic take on how bullying actually presents itself among tight-knit cliques of teens.

I loved Elyse. Her magnetism was elegantly portrayed. Alongside Sorana, you are fascinated by Elyse. She hooks you. You want to know more about her, you crave her approval like Sorana does, you want to impress her the way Sorana does. You cheer when Elyse pays Sorana special attention and you feel anxious when Elyse is angry with Sorana. Elyse is a well-written character, an excellent portrayal of a charismatic sociopathic that rang extremely true for a lot of girls I have known who had that type of personality. They're magnetic in a way that is predatory, but they're also insecure and vulnerable themselves. Elyse's manic outbursts had this edge of desperation underneath them that seemed extremely accurate to me as someone who has actually been a teen girl with a mental illness and as someone who has known girls exactly like Elyse.

I liked that while there was a romantic subplot (and the MC often inappropriately fixated on it, to be fair, sigh, that's YA for you) the book was far and above much much more about the friendship between Sorana and the twins, particularly Elyse. The boys in this book were mostly background characters. It is very firmly a book about girls, all kinds of girls with all kinds of personalities from all kinds of backgrounds with all different perspectives. I have no interest in reading books that are ostensibly about young girls but those young girls have little to no female friends and only seem to interact with and care about boys. Please bring us more books like Gemini Rising, which are girls' stories about girls' relationships with other girls.

There were aspects of this book that turned some cliche YA tropes on their head. I loved that Sorana has a loving, supportive family whom she appreciates and is grateful for. I love that she has a close relationship with her mother, who has a distinct personality of her own and is given plenty of agency. I love that she has a modern, "non-traditional" family and that's treated as a positive and totally normal thing rather than a hotbed of dysfunction and angst. Super refreshing to see YA protagonists with living parents who care about their lives and are involved in them instead of just ignoring them and being totally absent unless absolutely necessary for the plot! Also, Sorana not only had her relationship with Elyse and Mel that the entire plot revolved around, but she also had other girl friends of her own who were significant in her life in different ways. Usually in YA the girl protagonist has like one or no close female friends; if they do have friends they tend to be punchy sidekicks and nothing more. So that was great.

NEGATIVES
There are some tired old cliche YA high school tropes in here. The main character is ostracised because she's too skinny and mousy and likes to wear Converse and non-fussy clothes and is obsessed with some rock band with a stupid name that I think is supposed to be a stand-in for My Chemical Romance or something similar. I hate this trope. It's stupid. It's this weird two-dimensional view of how social dynamics work in high school, as if girls who have bad hair and like alternative rock bands are automatically friendless outcasts who are bullied by the pretty traditionally feminine blonde girls with interests in fashion and pop music - this is not true; this dynamic, while it may have some basis in reality, is exaggerated to the point of distortion in fiction. I remember high school and most of the popular girls were popular not because they ruled the school with an iron fist, but because they were nice people. You had a couple who were bitchy, who caused drama, and who were bullies, but they were in the minority. A lot of the bullying was not outright social aggression from girls deliberately targeting other girls they perceived as "weird," it was - as happens with Sorana later in the book (and she does come to realise that her perception of her treatment in high school may have been biased and the "mean girls" weren't necessarily being deliberately shitty to her) - spurred by thoughtlessness. People forgetting that other people have feelings and perceive things differently, because it's hard to remember that someone else is a thinking, feeling human being when you're not looking directly at them and seeing them visibly react to the things you say about them. Bullying among teens is usually more of a thing within cliques than outside of them - which to be fair is something this book does portray later on.

But anyway, back to my point - mousy skinny girls who like alternative rock music being automatically pariahs at school is dumb. It doesn't really happen - not the way pop culture wants you to think it does, the way media about high school obsessively fixates on this one dynamic. People think it happens much more than it does, particularly those grown-up versions of mousy skinny girls who like alternative rock music, because they felt alone and isolated and like enormous weirdos that none of their peers understood in high school - because all teenagers feel that way, that nobody understands them, that they're uniquely weird, and it's hard to see past that and realise that your perspective is biased usually in favour of the dramatic because teens like to martyr themselves and feel especially oppressed. I know, I was one.

Also, I am tired of main characters who are supposed to be plain or unattractive, and the main selling point of this is that they have brown hair and are TOO skinny. Look... I hate to say it, but to teen girls who take the western beauty standard extremely seriously as a way of validating their identity, there is not such a thing as too skinny. Not having huge tits is a minor flaw at best. Being tall and very slender as opposed to having a fuller, curvier figure with bigger tits being perceived as something that makes you seen as unattractive and ugly is not something I or any other woman I know can relate to. Maybe you can! But the truth of the matter is that girls who are chubbier have always been subject to way more harsh criticism and bullying than girls who are "too skinny." Making your main character "too skinny" as a way to make her physically flawed is disingenuous. You, the author, are perfectly aware that skinniness is considered attractive to us. If you really wanted to make your character physically "flawed" in the eyes of most people, you would make her overweight, not underweight, but you don't, because you don't want the character to not be beautiful to you, and you know that deep down you think skinny people are prettier than fat ones. You know it, and the fact that almost every young adult main character who's supposed-to-be-but-is-not-really plain or unattractive is always too skinny rather than too fat clearly speaks volumes to our internalised fatphobia. It's time for us to hold authors responsible for this shit. Being "too skinny" is not a trait that makes your character less conventionally attractive the way that "clumsy" or "cares about her friends too much" are not personality flaws.

Do skinny girls have problems with people judging them for their weight? Yes, absolutely - every girl inevitably has her body policed in some way at some point in her life. But we all know it's not the same thing as it is for chubby girls. It's just not, and the lack of chubby main characters in young adult fiction is very telling of how we perceive fake Hollywood "plainness".

Evil/crazy twins, particularly twins who are homicidally, violently crazy, are a bit of an annoying and tired fiction trope. I am never a fan of when pop culture media portrays people who are crazy and simultaneously violent. The mentally ill are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than they are to perpetuate it. The book never explicitly says that Elyse and Melanie are mentally ill, but they are said to be institutionalised later and it's pretty much a given that something is messed up with their brain chemistry given their, like... everything.

But I have heard from people who are twins that it upsets them when twins are portrayed in pop culture as being especially creepy, crazy, violent, magical, or horrific, because it contributes to a negative social stigma against twins, much like how media about adopted children who turn out to be violent or insane create a negative stigma against adoption. (See the movie "Orphan".) This book did feel heavily inspired by Jennifer and June Gibbons, twin sisters with an extremely complex relationship; they were very close to each other to the point of having their own private language and refusing to speak to outsiders, but they also attempted to kill each other - they eventually came to the conclusion that they couldn't function if they were both alive, so one of them had to die, a theme that is mirrored in this book by the twins attempting to kill each other on repeat occasions and when one of the twins (I think it was Mel?) comments that trees can't grow too close together, their roots get tangled up and they suffocate each other. Right after stabbing her sister multiple times, I think. I didn't take great notes, haha. On that note, I really wish Mel had been given the character development Elyse had. I know it was necessary to keep her mysterious in comparison to her sister for the final reveal at the end to be a huge shock, but still, I feel like at most points in the book she was shoved so far aside you almost forgot she was there. Which, to be fair, is probably exactly the effect Elyse usually had on people - being so magnetic and attention-seeking herself that she completely overshadowed her sister until people didn't even notice her there.

"Sorana Salem" was a bit difficult for me to swallow as a name for a modern teenage girl. Especially since her sister is named Daisy, for Chrissake. I wish the author had given us, like, a reason for this weird name. Is that a common name in the UK? I don't think so. Is it because her mom had her when she was really young and young moms tend to pick kind of weird ~cool and ~special and ~uneek names for their kids? Maybe? I dunno.

NEUTRAL
There is a scene in this book that is not in itself a rape scene but clearly touches on rape - a character is extremely intoxicated and wakes up naked in a stranger's bed and has to be dragged home, still deliriously drunk, by the MC. Both characters are traumatised by the event, but it isn't ever discussed between them because the girl it happens to is so embarrassed and traumatised by it that she tries to literally will it out of existence by pretending it never happened. That's a fair enough portrayal of some people's reaction to sexual assault, but I do wish it had been touched on a little more? It felt like a thing that happened, there was some freaking out about it, and then no real follow-up that I felt to be necessary given the gravity of what happened to that girl. It feels a bit like Wood just kind of forgot that she had written it in there, and at times the assault is examined more for what it does to Sorana than what it does to the girl who actually experienced it. So I won't say that this is a negative thing, but the fact that the book acknowledged it was sexual assault without being gratuitous about depicting the rape itself was at the very least refreshing. We don't need to read about a character being raped in lurid detail to know that she was raped; seeing the aftermath of it, the way Sorana does, without ever knowing for sure what happened is enough. The book did seem a little confused about whether it was trying to send the message that sexual assault is the natural result of irresponsible behaviour, partying, and drinking, or whether it's just a horrifying thing that happens a lot to vulnerable young girls like Shimmi. Either way, we are never made to feel as if the author is saying Shimmi "deserved" it, which is good.




Overall I had to give this book a solid 3 stars. 3 and not 4 because no matter how much I liked it when I looked at my library I just couldn't put it on the same level as books like Never Let Me Go, A Wrinkle In Time, Sophie's World and The Unbearable Lightness of Being, haha, this is just so much more of a light fluffy young adult read, but it's not a bad book at all and I quite enjoyed it, so 3 stars it is. You go, Eleanor Coco.

I'd recommend this to parents with teen daughters who are maybe kind of nerdy or alternative who could relate to Sorana, since the book is basically a character study on sociopathic personalities like Elyse's and there is some really thoughtful discussion about bullying and consequences in here that I think would be beneficial for a teen to read without being hamfisted moralizing. This is not an overly simple book - it's not super challenging but neither is it so light as to be completely inconsequential. A solid effort all around. I'll probably reread. Please more teen novels like this!

[Kirsty Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In ‘Gemini Rising’ Sorana Salem’s life is changed forever when two twins, Elyse and Melanie, join her all girls school. Sorana’s existing friends Shimmi and Nathalie have different reactions to the twins and Sorana is surprised and delighted when the twins choose to spend time with her over the popular crowd, whose leader Amie’s reaction to this is rather unusual.

This book is very much influenced by the film The Craft (one of my all time favourites - see a Pinterest board of Eleanor’s other inspirations here) but with the action taking place in the UK. There is also less focus on actual magic and more on the intensity of female relationships at that age. This is a contemporary story not a supernatural one.

It reminded me very much of my school experience where friends wanted to try a Ouija board in a mobile classroom - I didn’t take part - they freak me out. There are a number of spooky scenes in the book which raise the heartbeat, many taking place in the dark by a river.

Sorana, the author admits, is a little whiney but she’s still likeable. I wasn’t always sure why she didn’t back away after some of Elyse’s behaviour but that’s peer pressure for you. Sorana’s mum recognises and is exasperated by the fact her eldest daughter is putting friends before herself and her family. Familiar arguments in houses of teens everywhere.

Boys do exist in ‘Gemini Rising’, but they aren’t the main focus, instead highlighting the different personalities of the main group of girls. There is some bad behaviour from all concerned and a scene with Shimmi highlights the vulnerability girls can experience when they don’t look out for each other (Americans’ idea of a sober sister is a sound one).

The prologue does hint at what is to come but the ending might not quite be the one you are expecting.

What stopped me giving it 5 stars - I simply wanted to know more, I think reading series has spoilt me in terms of detail. I’m very happy to hear the author may be considering writing more set in this world. If I’m honest the fact that there wasn’t the supernatural element went against my expectations but I’m looking forward to a future re-read now I know fully what to expect.

Thanks to Carina and NetGalley for the eCopy - review is my own honest opinion.
I hope to interview Eleanor Wood and Sorana Salem soon on my blog

[Amy Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Maybe I'm not the target audience for YA (I'm 30), but this took me right back to the common room of my private girls' school in 6th form. Eleanor captures the cliquey, oppressive and sometimes sinister vibe of such a setting impressively, observing in minute detail the looks, glances and emotions of a high-school. Add to that the genuinely dangerous twins, and this is a compelling, sinister read. I suddenly found myself 87% of the way through on my kindle without even noticing, then had to get to the end (with all its extra twists). I reckon spooky Sweet Valley twins meets indie film is the best soundbite description - though that doesn't quite do credit to the strong use of first person and suspense. Not just a good read; a great one. A big well done to my fellow UK Carina author- pleased to be on the same list as her!

[Abi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gemini Rising was really hard to get through, and i nearly put it down several times.

I couldn't connect with any of the characters.
Sorana and Elyse was annoying, and the rest of them were dull.

There was a lot of subjects that the author tried to cram in.
Drug taking, Underage drinking, drunk driving (While also having no license) and shoplifting.
One or two of these would have been okay, but having that many in a quiet a short book (Although it did feel long) didn't go down well.

Overall, this was a really boring, and slow read. I don't think i'll be reading any more of the authors works.

[Jocelyn Blink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. As the plot thickened, I simply couldn't put my kindle down. The twist at the end was unexpected and perfect.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited, Carina , and Netgalley.)
16-year-old Sorana isn’t part of the popular crowd at school, so when these two new twin students Elyse and Mel enrol at her school and befriend her, she thinks she’s hit the jackpot.
Elyse and Mel are into some bad things though, and soon Sorana isn’t behaving like Sorana anymore, and is getting into trouble both in school and out of school.
Are Elyse and Mel really some kind of witches? Are they responsible for a girl getting beaten up? Who is the mysterious boy who Sorana thinks is the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen that Elyse claims never to have seen before? Why do the popular crowd no longer like the twins? Where is the twins mother? And just how deep is Sorana getting herself?


This was an okay story, but it failed to really hold my attention, and the things that these girls got up to are a really bad example to set for teen readers.

I think that Sorana was just trying to fit in and be popular, she wasn’t part of the ‘in’ crowd at school, and when the twins started paying her attention she got kinda caught up in it. Otherwise I think she was a pretty normal teen.
Elyse was definitely the ring-leader of the twins, and seemed to be the one constantly dictating where they would go and what they would do. Mel was much quieter, but seemed to have her own little quirks and impulses – like shoplifting.

Most of the story was concerned with the goings on between the twins, Sorana, and Sorana’s two friends Shimmi, and Nathalie. They skipped school, drank alcohol, and generally misbehaved a lot of the time, which got them into a bit of trouble.
There was a supernatural aspect to the story, with Elyse and her Ouija board, tarot cards, and star sign ‘forecasts’, but a lot of the supernatural goings on just felt a bit underdeveloped.
There was also a storyline about some girl at school who got attacked, questions over the boy and his step-brother who lived next door to the twins, and also a storyline about another boy Josh that Sorana had previously had a bit of a crush on.

It was quite difficult to really know what was really going on for most of the story. A lot of things were very mysterious, and things happened that there weren’t really explanations for. I felt like I wanted to know what was going on, but at the same time lost interest because there were just these endless mysterious events and no answers or clues even as to what was going on.

To be quite honest I found it really difficult to get all the way through this book because I just didn’t feel connected to the characters or the storyline, and although I wanted to know what was going on it felt like it would never end.

Thankfully at the end of the book a lot of things were explained to the reader by Sorana, as a sort of after the events ‘this is what was really going on’. I have to say that I hadn’t guessed half of what I was told at the end had been going on, partly because we were told things that would have been extremely difficult to guess at, and partly because it felt like things were revealed to us right at the end to back up the ending. We were told all this stuff about the twins to prove that they had problems basically. I’m trying to think of something to compare it to to explain what I mean. It was kinda like at the end of a horror movie when it’s revealed that the murderer killed people because he was abused as a child or something.
Anyway, there was a surprise event at the end of this book in the form of the death of one of the major characters, only strangely enough not in the way you would have expected from reading the rest of the story.

Having made it all the way to the end of this book, I’d say that it’s okay, but I wouldn’t go further than that. I really did struggle to make it all the way through this one, and the answers at the end weren’t as interesting as I had imagined they would be. I’m also really concerned about the messages this book is sending to teen readers. As a parent I’d be a little concerned about letting an impressionable teen read this because of all the dodgy stuff that the teen girls get up to in this story. There’s excessive underage drinking, partying, lying, running off in the middle of the night, teens generally being unsupervised, drug taking, bunking off school, shoplifting, use of a Ouija board, bullying, pranks, girls getting into cars with older men that they don’t know, driving without a licence and drink driving, possible rape, spiking of drinks, and the list goes on. Pretty shocking stuff really.
Overall; not very entertaining, and a really bad example for teen readers.
4 out of 10.

[Kirsty-Marie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on Studio Reads

-Warning- If you’re not highly strung and are susceptible to manipulation, welcome to this review.

Read this book.

There, I said it.

Though for the majority of it you might want to pull your hair out, it’s a slow burner, you’ll have a lot of questions that don’t necessarily get answered, and I have to say at first I didn’t like it, but I didn’t hate it. It took me a while to get into it and by the time I did it was almost over. Though what an ending! I can honestly say, one I wasn’t really expecting either. There are some good twists, thoroughly twisted scenes, but it’s mysterious and raw, and Sorona was realistic and like so many others before her that do get sucked into the wrong crowd. I liked Sorona, though I may have wanted to shake her a few times to wake the heck up and smell the crazy, and to just be herself. I get she was easy to manipulate but seriously, she wasn’t all innocent as she tried to come across. She was a little mean to begin with and that just escalated when meeting Elyse, but it was there, and for someone to point out about the bitch “A” crowd, she was a bitch too. Okay, among a different scale, and at least she admitted she felt mean, she came across a little fake at times, especially with Nathalie, who is supposed to be her friend, and don’t even get me started on Shimmi.

Though I get it, it’s hard when you don’t have many friends or in the ‘it’ crowd, but please, being in my own school college that was sharing classes with another school, I knew nobody. That was fun. Admittedly, I dropped out after a month, but my small class was friendly, not everybody’s mean.
Anyway, enough about me.

Sorona Salem isn’t popular, but she’s not at the bottom either, and pretty much nothing exciting ever goes on in her collective class in their exclusive private school, which she’s on scholarship. That is, until Elyse and Melanie Johansson arrive mid-term, and if that wasn’t enough, they’re identical twins.

Blonde and pretty Elyse, who’s confident and loud in a blasé way, falls in easily with the “A” crowd at first, and then there’s illusive Melanie, who’s quiet and pretty much the opposite of her twin.
Or should I say, that’s what we’re led to believe, and all too quickly you start to sense the influence Elyse likes to rub off on people. It didn’t work with Amie, and bumping into Sorona and Shimmi in line at their favourite local band’s gig, Elyse moves onto the quieter crowd and to Sorona.

This, right there, is the before and after.
The 5 become a group, but it’s no secret that Elyse dislikes Nathalie, mainly because she sees there’s something not quite right, and then mysterious accidents happen within the “A” crowd, and things get darker. You have your main character that’s sucked up in something she doesn’t even know is going on, even though deep down she realises the things Elyse manipulates them into is wrong, but she does it anyway, going along with the crowd. After one particular night has Nathalie out of Elyse’s’ hair for good, there’s nothing standing in her way, and she uses it. She also uses her friends, in Shimmi’s case, and even her sister.

And of course, there’s a romantic interest, or, should we say two, per usual. Though I’m glad it wasn’t the main focus of this story, and was more of a side-line that didn’t really needed to be there, but it didn’t affect the story either way.

You can gather what’s going on between Elyse and Melanie, and when Sorona see’s something she really shouldn’t and gets involved and risks her own life, Elyse shrugs it off as nothing, but it finally breaks off that little piece in Sonora’s head that paints Elyse a saint. She starts to see and it unsettles her, and paves the way for the final act.

Something sinister resides in those twins, but a manipulator is a manipulator and you don’t have to be afraid of something you can see.
It’s the one you can’t you have to be afraid of.

And to be honest, if Melanie hadn’t done what she did, I would have.


Rating: 4, mainly because though it was kind of slow and leaves you with more questions than answers, I couldn't put it down.

[Serendipity Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
This book had an extremely strong opening. Right from the start I was hypnotised by the twins Elyse and Melanie. There was something exciting, yet dangerous about them, that left you feeling a little uncomfortable throughout the book. They reminded me of the twins in Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.

I really liked the main character, Sorana – just like her class mates, she was intrigued by the girls and I hoped as soon as she met them, many questions about them would be answered. Unfortunately, for me, I felt the questions surrounding their mysterious nature were answered a little late. I didn’t feel we got to know much about the girls until the last couple of chapters and even then I struggled to see the connection between the Gemini star sign, which had played such a major role in the plot to begin with plot.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the story. I felt the characters were well written and intriguing enough that I wanted to know more. However, I did feel the ending let the book down a little, as it felt disconnected. I also felt the climatic build up fell a little flat when we were then told what happened, rather than actually seeing it all in a dramatic climax.

If I’m honest, I’d say that with a little more editing, this story could’ve been amazing. It had that mysterious about it which made you want to read more. I would definitely read more by this author in the future, as I am pretty sure Eleanor Woods has a lot more to give.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gemini Rising didn’t turn out to be the book I was expecting. The story is narrated by Sorana, instead of attending college she is stuck at a small all girls private school. She’s not an outcast as such but certainly not popular enough for the in crowd.

I really liked the concept of Gemini Rising but Sorana is not very likeable. She’s judgemental and complains a lot. Liking the main characters isn’t a requirement for liking the book but if you’re not routing for someone it’s the story that has to hold your interest and the first few chapters weren’t great at convincing me of this.

It’s not really until the second half that Gemini Rising starts delivering. By that stage you want to figure out the mystery of the twins and you can see the impact they have not just on Sorana but also her friends.

For me Gemini Rising could have been darker, the pacing tighter but while it took a lot longer to get into the story I did enjoy the second half. The ending was unexpected which is always a good thing in this type of story.

[Katlyn Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gemini Rising was an unexpected and thrilling read. Even though GR is set in the UK, the "high school" issues are universal. Sorana isn't part of the popular group but she is content with her life with her two besties. That is until the twins, Elyse and Melanie, swoop into Sorana's life flipping it upside down.

Eleanor has a knack for digging her claws into a reader and not letting go. She created a lot of tension very quickly, piling up the questions until the explosive ending. I would highly recommend this book to someone who is looking for something different and exciting.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorana Salem is your average, in the middle of the popularity ladder, likes to stay at home and read seventeen year old girl, and goes to a private school with 16 students in her year level. Okay, maybe that last part isn’t so normal.

Sorana’s life was nothing spectacular; she had a routine when she went school, a routine on a Friday night, and her two friends to keep her company. And then the beautiful twins show up mid-term. The beautiful, captivating, and yet extremely odd twins; Elyse and Melanie. Sorana is immediately interested in them, and is eager to befriend them. Of course, she believes they won’t, as they fit in perfectly with the A team. But when the twins suddenly initiate Sorana into the clan, her life will never be the same.

Whilst reading Gemini Rising, I was constantly questioning what genre it fell into. Was it paranormal? Psychological thriller? Contemporary? I suppose if a book can fall into all three of those categories, Gemini Rising most certainly does. There are so many secrets that Wood weaves, and as a reader, you are left questioning things at almost every turn. Heck, at one point, I was convinced that the twins were a figment of Sorana’s imagination! I think that would have been an epic ending to this eerie novel, but I was pretty pleased with the author’s ending, anyhow.

From the moment I picked up Gemini Rising I was entranced. I absolutely ADORED Wood’s writing style. It is the exact kind that elicits the: 'I need to keep reading this novel until I finish’ response from me. And I love that feeling. When reading, I was reminded of Sloppy Firsts, and The Moth Diaries, all at once. These are two of my favourite books, so this is a huge complement to Wood. Sorana’s sassy and witty attitude reminded me of Jess from Sloppy Firsts, and the old school, overall eeriness, and the obsessions of teenage girls reminded me of The Moth Diaries.

I felt that I liked Sorana as a character much better in the earlier half of the novel, rather than the latter half. In the beginning, she was this awesome character that could make me laugh, and I adored her observations of people and places (even if they were a bit bitchy at times). But then, in the latter half, she was so obsessed with impressing the twins, it was like she forgot who she was – but I think that was one of the things that was supposed to stand out in this story.

I think, on the whole, this book is about the kind of power people can hold over other people. This may be wrong, and entirely different to what Wood was trying to get across in Gemini Rising, but that was the main concept that struck out at me. That Sorana was willing to do anything to impress the twins, especially Elyse, even if it meant that she was changing who she was as a person. I think that quite a lot of teenagers do things because they want to fit in, and they want to be liked by a certain person, and Wood captured this perfectly, and yet added a whole new intensely creepy twist to it – which was awesome.

I didn’t particularly warm to either twin, but I can see the kind of magnetic hold they had over Sorana. I would love to read more about their story, both before and after Gemini Rising, as I think it would be an extremely twisted, and intriguing story. I guess I will have to wait and see if this comes true.

Being a Gemini myself, it was actually kind of creepy to read about all this Gemini astrology stuff, and how obsessed the twins were with the fact that Sorana was a Gemini. I actually saw myself in some of Sorana’s actions, and it makes me wonder whether Wood is a Gemini, because she seemed to know how we act. I’m not that big on astrology, but I think my sign suits me perfectly well, as I sometimes feel that there are two very different sides to my personality. Now that I think of it, perhaps it was these two personalities of Sorana’s that were present in the first and second half of this novel.

Overall, I was pretty entranced by this novel, and even the silly teenage scenes didn’t put me off from devouring every page. And there were parents! Actual parents who cared about Sorana, and what she did – so excited about this!

I would definitely recommend this read if you are in the mood for a head-twisty kind of story.

[Vanya D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOTE: I received the eARC from MIRA INK in exchange for my honest review.

First, let me say that this is not my usual type of read. What I mean is that I like me some good mystery, especially when the spiritual is involved. But by spiritual I usually mean the Christian side of it. Not the occult. Even though I've read a bunch of witchy books too. I'm just saying that the Ouija boards and tarot cards aren't really my cup of tea.

However, the idea caught my attention, as well as the twin thing that's going on. Much like the author herself, I love mysteries involving twins, so you know, I just thought I'd give it a try.

Let's begin by saying that the writing style is neat and captivating. It flows well, and is almost grammar free. The narrative (i.e. descriptions) are very nicely balanced and there is a lot more showing than telling. One thing that I think the editors didn't notice (although my copy was a proof so it might've been fixed afterwards) was the constant switch from present to past tense inside the narration itself. At first I thought that there was a special effect meant to be accomplished with this switch. But it became obvious that this wasn't the case and it just didn't sound right.

Then there were the characters, who were really awesome in a fictional kind of way. To be honest, I can't imagine them sounding realistic at all, in a real world situation.

Sorana was supposed to be a down-to-earth, sensible girl, but she turned out to be anything but that just because of the sisters. I was quite a bit disappointed in her because of her inability to stand up for herself. True, in the end she did understand how wrong she'd been the entire time, but still. I really couldn't understand how it could be obvious to everyone else that something was wrong with the twins, except Sorana. Of course. She continued calling Elyse 'her friend' even when it was crystal clear that this was not the case at all.

Nathalie was the most sensible one of them all, it seemed. Until she completely freaked out and went wacko.

The twins Elyse and Melanie were mysterious alright, but in a more creepy way than I'd thought. In the end, my opinion of them came out to be actually true, in a really freaky way. So, I guess it's safe to say that I didn't like them at all.

A bunch of teen problems were addressed here, although I don't think it was done on purpose. Smoking weed, drinking and sleeping around seemed to be taken for the norm, which actually disgusted me. More so, every scene involved some form of the above and none of the characters reacted to it in any particular way. I didn't like that at all. It was as if it was normal for girls to do any and all of those things on a daily basis. Well, I think that it's not normal, so I don't really understand the point of it.

With all that said, Gemini Rising could be interesting to you, if you don't mind any of those things I mentioned.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review first appeared on Addicted to Media.

Sometimes it’s okay to be not quite at the bottom of the pile in high school. Popularity is overrated and Sorana Salem is much more interested in music and Converse to worry about the mean girls at school. That is until the Johansson twins arrive at her exclusive private school in the middle of term. Beautiful and immensely cool, Sorana is immediately drawn to Elyse and Melanie.

Soon Sorana’s life is unrecognisable, consisting of parties and sleepovers, older boys and Ouija boards. With the free-spirited Johansson twins, life is exciting and just a little bit dangerous. That is until events begin to take a darker turn and inexplicable things begin to occur that leave Sorana doubting her sanity.

Soon Sorana realises that nothing is as it seems, especially not the enigmatic Johansson twins. Can she escape their clutches with her integrity intact?

Gemini Rising is the debut novel by Eleanor Wood and one of the first books released on the Harlequin UK Carina digital platform for up and coming authors. Eleanor describes herself as the love child of Judy Blume and Iggy Pop and you can certainly see that in Sorana’s character.

It is difficult to say too much about Gemini Rising without giving the plot away. In fact, it might not even be possible to assign the book to a particular genre for fear of spoiling it. Gemini Rising is ambiguous right to the last page and the reader is kept guessing throughout. If you like thrillers of any kind, be they psychological or paranormal, or if you’re definitely on the fence with respect to the unexplained, then this book is for you.

The strength of Gemini Rising lies in its interesting characters. It is harrowing to watch Sorana’s journey from not cool (and okay with that) to disturbed, distanced from her family and increasingly nasty. Likewise, it is fascinating to pick apart the facades that Elyse and Melanie present to the world, Elyse with her magnetism and Melanie with her silent observation.

Mean Girls meets Single White Female, Gemini Rising is a riveting and very quick read.

I give Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood four out of five stars and would recommend it to young adult readers who like a slice of ambiguity and twist of plot above the normal young adult fare.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorana Soren is 16 years old attending a prestigious school. She is neither popular nor un-popular. Though she sometimes wishes that she could attend the public school, have the ability to go up to and talk to the popular girls in her class and that she had the ability to come up with witty remarks/retorts instantly, she is in general content with her life. But things change with the arrival of twin sisters in the middle of the year. There is enough chatter before they arrive and once they do, they change many lives around them – including Sorana’s.

The story starts with Sorana narrating her life before the twins which was kind of routine and had the familiar feeling. Then came the twins. It was easy to see the difference they made. From a generally nice, Sorana turned into someone who wasn’t very likeable. Skipping school, drinking alcohol, shoplifting, dabbling with the supernatural were only a few things that got her into trouble. Her dynamics with her old friends, Natalie and Shimmi, changed too.

The character of Sorana is a bit difficult to like. She is quick to pass judgements and easily influenced and manipulated and she does some pretty stupid stuff. I understand that teenagers are supposed to be most vulnerable and volatile, but there are things that every person with common sense would think twice before doing. Though Elyse and Melanie are twins, they have very contrasting characters. While Elyse is loud and predictable, Melanie is quite and unsettling.

The plot was quite a twisted one. There were a lot of things thrown into the mix and as a result it was kind of overwhelming. Lying, cheating, stealing, drinking and what not. At one point I started feeling if I have had abnormal teenage years because of the sheer amount of wrong things the girls in the book do. There were a lot of twists in the book – some expected, some unexpected. Also, the way the issues were handled in the book were kind of sending mixed messages to me as reader.

Overall, for me it was a rollercoaster ride. But I am not really sure about what kind of message the young minds would take away from it.

[Karina Esmail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like this story! It was different than anything i've ever read.

The good: Mel was an interesting character who at first didn't hold my attention but as the story went on, she became more interesting. Everything you thought about Mel changes as the story continues, and her twisted side becomes revealed slowly, it definitely was masterfully done. Elyse, her sister was a powerful character in this story and although the book is told from Sorana's perspective, I would say Elyse captured my attention the most and made the book likeable. She's the alpha of the group, and she knows how to manipulate everyone. Throughout the whole book you knew she wasn't the good person of the book, and this was a relief from the other characters, as they were complete mysteries. The story was unique and had a lot of twists, you never knew what was going to happen. The high school setting was very realistically described and I enjoyed the little details that made the story relatable and interesting.

The bad: The plot was very mysterious and great at first but it took too long to get answers. There were so many mysteries and so little answers. It was good in that it kept you guessing but after a while you just wanted to skip to the back and see what's actually going on! The author attempts to confuse you as some things are left out and it made the story hard to piece together. I also really did not like Sorana. She was whiny and young for her age, as well as obsessed with boys and bad friends. This leads to make some bad choices. Admit it, we've all made some bad choices in life, but Sorana goes from being a normal, good girl to hanging out in random guys apartments and sneaking into clubs to drink. I would've liked to have heard a bit more about Shimmi and Nathalie, as all we heard came fro Sorana and we didn't really get to know them, just their bad deeds.

Overall, the book was likeable, but a lot could've been made better. The ending totally threw me for a loop, but I enjoyed it. 7/10

[Fiona Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorana Salem is getting through school as best she can. She isn't part of the 'A' crowd but for the most part they leave her alone. She has a small circle of friends and is quite happy about that.

Halfway through the school year 2 new pupils arrive, identical twins Elyse and Melanie. At first they seem to be just normal pupils, but slowly things begin to change.

The twins start making 'friends' with the other girls, but is everything as straight forward as it appears? What really happens behind the doors of their home? And why exactly have they been moved to a new school virtually overnight?

Sorana finds herself part of something which very quickly gets out of control. Lies are being told, but can she figure them out in time to stop things getting totally out of hand?

The ending is extremely good, and we, the reader, eventually find out exactly what has been going on in the background and in the past.

This is the authors debut novel and I am extremely impressed with it. The book mentions films such as Heathers and The Craft, films I watched years ago, and this book definitely reminded me of such films with its storyline.

The ending could actually suggest the possibility of a sequel to Gemini Rising and I'm curious to see if the author plans to do so.

[L Worth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought back so many memories of my own time at a private girls' school, it almost felt too familiar, as though I'd lived through the events myself! It's an absolutely gripping page-turner - as I read, I had no idea where things would end up.

It tells the story of Sorana, whose relatively mundane life is thrown into excitement, and then turmoil, when new twins Melanie and Elyse join her exclusive school. She quickly becomes seduced by the more confident of the pair, Elyse, who is beautiful and manipulative and scared of no one. But then things start to go wrong...

Sorana was a great main character as she portrayed the ambivalence and angst of teenage life perfectly. I really felt for her as she tried to balance keeping up with her peers with remaining true to herself - something all teenagers struggle with. It was easy to see how she was so sucked in by Elyse...

The ending was such a shocker, I can't give anything away without spoiling. Suffice to say I didn't see it coming. But it made perfect sense and was the perfect finish to this dark and original story. Highly recommended.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

All i have to say is that the end was the BIGGEST plot-twist ever! And i cant really say what happens either even though I'm like itching to reveal it!
Even though the ending was good, the book as a whole seemed to drag on and to me it seemed as if the author was trying to drag the story out to the point where it almost seemed as if Sorana must have been just clueless.
Though i do see what the author was kinda doing. Like basically you knew the twins were up to no good before Sorana even expected it/wanting to admit it to herself. Some sort of foreshadowing, i suspect.

But yeah anyhow 3/5 stars. I recommend it for any one whose interesting in the zodiac/ witch craft stuff. :)

(I really loved how the author put a lot of imagery in Else and Melanie when they first entered the book. Just a sidenote)

[Stone Rouffignac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deep psychological thriller with teenage protagonists, set in and around a small girls' day school. The characters and the settings are so realistically portrayed I am convinced the author must have been either a teacher or a student at such an institution. And the plot, while superficially far-fetched, is actually totally believable.
The story moves at a good pace and I found it hard to put down. The twist at the end totally caught me out, too. All in all I'd recommend, both for teens and also for anyone who has ever had anything to do with teens.