Stella Tarakson

Twelve-year-old twins Jack and Jaide lead ordinary lives, until a visit from their father sparks a storm that makes their home explode around their ears. They are sent to stay with a grandmother they’ve never heard of, in an isolated town that at first seems dull. They discover it is anything but!

The twins suspect their grandmother, known mysteriously as Grandma X, to be a witch. Fearing for their lives they run away, but this places them in the path of danger and chaos. They don’t know who they can trust. As the story progresses, they grow in strength and maturity. The close relationship between the twins is a particularly endearing feature of this engrossing book.

The children are Trouble Twisters, or young people with special powers who are just starting to learn about their gifts. They are still unstable and have difficulty beating back The Evil, which threatens to engulf the town. Their grandmother becomes incapacitated and needs their help. With reluctant assistance from a pair of talking cats, the twins need to work out how to restore a protective shield to keep The Evil at bay.

This book will be enjoyed by girls and boys alike. It mixes fantasy and reality with ease, and is fast-paced and engrossing. It reads as a complete story, yet points the way for subsequent tales. Sure enough, Trouble Twister 2 and 3 are now on the market. I’m looking forward to reading them!

Published by Allen & Unwin, Trouble Twisters has two authors, yet the text flows seamlessly. Garth Nix www.garthnix.com is the author of the bestselling The Keys to the Kingdom series and the Old Kingdom trilogy. Sean Williams www.seanwilliams.com is a prolific novelist and short-story writer.

More information about the book series can be found at www.troubletwisters.com.au

I wrote this book review for Creative Kids Tales and they kindly allowed me to reproduce it on my blog.