Growing up, I always was fascinated with TWINS. It was only later in life, specifically College of Medical Technology years that I understood how cell mutation actually happened. I will never forget first time encounter with twins was way back kindergarten years when I happened to have twins as classmates. Not one, but two pairs. Identical boy twins named Ariel and Alvin whose family names I forgot since I never had any connection or whatsoever with them after prep-school and identical girl twins named Mona and Lisa who graduated with me on the same class in high school.
Interested with “doubles” I see to it that I will be able to watch the recent Olsen Twins-Mary Kate and Ashley’s movies at that time or at least find ways to know the movie’s plot. Not that I am a fan of the twins, it is just that I like looking at twins. And since I don’t watch movies that often or TV for that matter, I blessed the day I discovered Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley Book Series long before the TV show began. I am lucky for the fact that my mother supports mine and my sister’s reading hobby that a new book as a present back then is equivalent to an iPod nowadays. For years, I have been in a-rubbing-elbows-kind of relationship with Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield while I get acquainted with the Laura Lee Hope’s two sets of fraternal Bobbsey Twins on the side.
Sweet Valley’s Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield in the 90’s
Nan and Bert Bobbsey with younger siblings Freddie and Flossie Bobbsey
Eventually, the addiction to these book series ended when I started college. The book collections, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys included were still piled up by the wall up to the ceiling in our former bedroom at my grandmother’s house where I grew up. I have this hope in my mind that someday, I will have the chance and the time to read them again and I know I will enjoy them as I did for years and years ago.
Today, book series are popping up like corns in the publishing world that because there are too many, a slow-pace reader like me can easily lost track. Paranormal, Sci-Fi, fantasy, mystery, YA , dystopian and other kinds of reading genre that I simply ignore not unless recommended or with high rank reviews.
Two weeks ago, I was searching online for suitable middle-school books to download for my niece when I stumbled into this series- MY SISTER THE VAMPIRE by Sienna Mercer. I hurriedly checked it on Goodreads and liked what I discovered. This one falls within my normal reading habits if we’re talking about twenty years ago but definitely not now when I myself have grade schoolers. While I’ve developed a bit of a weakness for teen lit/YA/whatever you want to call it after Hunger Games, I don’t typically delve into middle-grade fiction now that I’m so far beyond my middle grades. But hey, what gets me with this series is, the characters are TWINS!
My Sister the Vampire tells the adventures of two identical twins, Olivia Abbott and Ivy Vega, who take turns with the story’s narration. Olivia’s father has a new job and made the family moved to Frankin Grove where Olivia, a talented cheerleader met Ivy Vega , a highly-fashionable, smart Goth teenager who is also a student at Franklin Grove Middle School. They discover that they are long-lost twin sisters, but Ivy isn’t just a Goth – she’s a vampire, and to Olivia’s fright so are most of the Goths living in Franklin Grove. Olivia and Ivy find tears and laughter in breaking the news of each others’ existence to their adoptive parents; never letting the vampire secret see the light of day; finding out the possibility of how a vampire and human can be identical twins; discovering who their biological parents are, but most of all, to cherish the importance of family and friendship bonding.
I downloaded the first ten books of this series not just for my thirteen year old niece but for myself as well. I am currently reading book number 7 and by far I can tell I never had a dull moment. If Britney Spears sings I’m not a girl,Not yet a woman. then by reading these books at my age now, my version will be I am a woman but would always be a girl. The author, Sienna Mercer managed to put everything I like together; cheerleaders and vampires which gives the story a mix of paranormal chick-lit, the characters are thirteen year-old twin girls which perfectly belongs to YA-Middle School fiction. It is easy to read and truly entertaining. My daughter started to ask questions already as she wonders what Sugar-my niece and I are always talking about. So, if my daughter is ready to discover paranormal book series, I guess I have the perfect story for her to like and will introduce her to the adorable and lovable twin characters of Olivia Abbot and Ivy Vega.
Your picture of the Wakefield twins that caught my attention, but my big takeaway from this is your recommendation. I look forward to checking these out!
Thanks for dropping by! My sister the Vampire is an easy-read-middle-class literature, nevertheless….it’s very entertaining!