Twinchantment (Twinchantment Series #1)

by Elise Allen

Overview

In the kingdom of Kaloon, nothing is quite as it seems....


“Y-y-y-you,” he stammered, and Flissa turned to see he’d gone ashen. “T-t-t-two of you!”
Uh-oh.
Flissa reached up and checked. Sure enough, her hood had fallen off.
Their secret was out.


Princesses Flissa and Sara are even closer than most twins. In fact, most of the kingdom thinks they’re the same person.


When magic was outlawed in Kaloon generations ago, twins, black cats, and other potentially -magical beings were outlawed, too. Since they were born, Flissa and Sara have pretended to be one princess, Flissara, trading off royal duties like attending glamorous balls, participating in fencing exhibitions, and making friends with other young nobles, all while hiding in plain sight.


But when the first magical attack in years puts their mother’s life in danger, the girls must break the rules that have protected them to save her. Enlisting a brave servant boy and his plucky black kitten as their guides, they set off on an epic quest to the Twists—a forbidden place full of dark magic—to find the evil mage who cursed the queen. With a case of mistaken identity, a wickedly powerful exile out for vengeance, and time running out for their mother, the twins might just need to make their own magic to save the day.


In the first book of this new series, author Elise Allen brings to life a fantastical world filled with high-stakes adventure, incredible twists, and all the spark and humor of sisterhood.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368012461
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Series:	Twinchantment Series , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,012,728
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.84(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

New York Times best-selling author and Emmy-nominated television writer Elise Allen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and dog . . . who is clearly a Magical Animal. She is the co-author of the Gabby Duran and the Unsittables series (now on TV at Disney Channel!) and the YA novel Populazzi. She has also written for several television shows, including The Lion Guard, Rainbow Rangers, and Abby Hatcher. You can find her on Twitter @EliseLAllen, on Instagram @eliselallen1, at her website, www.eliseallen.com, or hanging around Disneyland, where she likes to sit at her computer and write while waiting for her Fast Pass times.

Editorial Reviews

03/04/2019

After the court jester Gilwad publicly curses the queen and her unborn progeny, the kingdom of Kaloon bans magic. The powerful Keepers of the Light may exile any who display signs of the stuff—black cats, the left-handed, twins—to a dangerous, mythical place known as the Twists. Royal princesses Flissa and Sara, twins, have hidden their dual existence from all save their parents and a few trusted servants for nearly 12 years. Theirs is a complicated dance in which royal duties are split evenly between two girls living one life as Princess Flissara. When their mother is cursed and nearing death, the girls together find their way into the Twists with the help of Gilwad’s son, Galric, to the one mage who can save their mother’s life. This heartwarming tale explores personal growth and difference among even those purported to be similar. Allen (the Gabby Duran series) brings the magic of Kaloon and its royal family to life in this series opener with an enduring feel. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jane Startz, Jane Startz Productions (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Twinchantment is nothing short of TWINCHANTING! A magical, action-paced, girl power adventure through a fantastically imagined fantasy kingdom. The surprising twists in the tale will keep readers guessing till the very end and leave them hungry for book two."—Mari Mancusi, author of The Camelot Code: The Once and Future Geek

"A bubbly series start with strong characterizations, high appeal, and some thoughtful commentary."—Booklist

"A thrilling tale full of magic and adventure, perfect for fans of Ella Enchanted!"—New York Times best-selling author Jessica Day George

"Full of surprises... Wonderfully told."—The Denver Post

"Heartwarming tale... [a] series opener with an enduring feel."—Publishers Weekly

"The plot moves along quickly with twists, turns, and surprises that will keep readers engaged and eager for the next chapter... Colorful detail and complicated characters will leave readers eager for the next installment."—School Library Journal

"There's magic on every page, and not just of the spellcasting variety. Twinchantment is a fun, exhilarating, and heartwarming story about finding strength in family... and in being yourself."—Zack Loran Clark & Nick Eliopulos, authors of The Adventurers Guild series

Accolades
Publishers Weekly: New Kids' and YA Books: Week of April 8, 2019, selection
YAYOMG!: YAYBOOKS! Here's What You Should Read in April 2019, selection

From the Publisher

03/01/2019

Gr 3–7—Following the savage murder of King Lamar's family, the Magic Eradication Act kept the kingdom of Kaloon safe from danger. That is, until the day King Edwin and Queen Latonya announced the imminent birth of their first child, and the court jester, Gilward, cast a spell on the Queen and vanished into thin air. That spell results in the birth of identical twin daughters. Since the magical nature of their births would have resulted in the twins' immediate banishment, the king and queen announce the birth of only one daughter, Princess Flissara. For 12 years, twins Flissa and Sara split the role of princess and the kingdom went about its business with only a few people entrusted with the secret. Suddenly, a dark magic spell again curses the queen, leaving her gravely ill with only hours to live. Flissa and Sara are forced to leave their safe, shared role. They pursue Gilward into the Twists, a magical yet terrifying place outside Kaloon, to convince him to reverse the deadly curse. They are helped along the way by Gilward's son Galric, and a cast of magical characters. The plot moves along quickly with twists, turns, and surprises that will keep readers engaged and eager for the next chapter. VERDICT On the surface, this first book of an intended series may seem like a simple fairy tale, but its colorful detail and complicated characters will leave readers eager for the next installment.—Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH

School Library Journal

2019-01-15

Princesses must escape their castle undetected and reveal a dangerous secret to their allies in an effort to save their mother.

Magic has been outlawed in Kaloon for years, but ever since the court jester Gilward caused a magical spectacle at a celebration for the upcoming birth of King Edwin and Queen Latonya's first child, the kingdom has been on high alert, and Gilward, as well as any other mages or people displaying banned characteristics, have been exiled to the Twists. Among the many things banned as signs of magic? Twins. Because of that decree, princesses Flissa and Sara have pretended to be one person, Princess Flissara, their entire lives. When their mother is struck by a deadly curse and Gilward is spotted near the castle grounds, the twins have less than two days to retrieve Gilward and convince him to reverse the curse. They both head out, accompanied by their songbird tutor, Primka; Nitpick, a cat; and Gilward's own son, Galric. Their journey to the Twists is appropriately replete with magical obstacles and bickering, but no challenge comes close to feeling insurmountable. The characters in the third-person narrative are lovable, but the pacing is off, with the first act dragging and the third rushing. The twins are biracial and have brown skin, but Kaloon seems to be an un-racialized society and the book otherwise adheres to the white default.

A perfectly enjoyable adventure that leaves room for a sequel without feeling unfinished. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews