Gemini Bites
by Patrick Ryan
Published March 2011 by Scholastic Press
Borrowed from Library
240 pages
Read June 2011
Guess what? This book features TWINS! I bet you never would have guessed. Judy and Kyle Renneker are part of the rather large Renneker brood, and they don’t get along at all. Judy is suddenly Very Religious has been attending Bible study sessions–but unbeknownst to her family, it’s all an act so she can flirt with a cute guy. Judy’s been giving Kyle, who recently came out (to very accepting parents), a particularly rough time, capitalizing on her “religiousness” to take out her anger on her brother (for something unrelated to being gay).
Amid this sibling rivalry, the Parents Renneker have offered to let GARRET JOHNSON stay at the house for a month so he can finish up the school year before having to move. Yes, THAT Garret Johnson that you heard about in biology class–the creepy one who may or may not be a VAMPIRE. And you know what vampires will do, right? LEAVE TWO IDENTICAL MARKS WHEN THEY BITE YOU! Oh, it’s too much to handle, I know. Once Garrett moves in, Judy and Kyle both develop crushes on him, and the real battle of the twins gets going: who will get him? And will they follow him into the AFTERLIFE?
Gemini Bites is not a book that works well when summarized. It sounds campy and ridiculous–but it’s actually an original, funny, endearing book about first love and the strains of sibling rivalry.
SPOILER ALERT From the beginning, it’s pretty clear that there are no real vampires in the world of Gemini Bites, but Ryan manages to keep you guessing anyhow, which I appreciated. When all is revealed at the end, you don’t feel let down as much as amused that you could have possibly thought vampires could be real. END SPOILER
Gemini Bites is my favorite LGBTQ young adult novel that I have read this year. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
Grade: B+
Recommended: To fans of YA novels
Also recommended: Ryan’s 2009 book In Mike We Trust, another great read.
This one sounds so fun!
It is!
Yeahhh this sounds hilariously fun but also kind of ridiculous. lol. Not an easy book to summarize clearly. Going on my list anyway!
I promise it’s a lot less cheesy than I made it sound, haha. It’s more smart funny than silly funny.
Oh, this is by the same guy who wrote In Mike We Trust? I loved that book!
Interesting story line. Doesn’t sound like anything that I have read lately. I will definitely consider picking this one up.
I hope you do! I really liked it a lot.