This was my first book by this author. Took me a few chapters to get into it. It had good twists and a very crazy story only in the best way.

The Twin was a disturbing read! It takes the super popular tropes of "special," chosen people who have albinism and marries it to the doomsday cult trope in a truly explosive and terrifying way. As a twin, I love reading thrillers that are focused on twins, because there's always part of me that really understands both sides of where twins find themselves in conflict. However, this one was rough because Brynn was such a pushover people pleaser who repeatedly puts herself in harm's way to please her brother, and Bryce was a domineering, strange, gullible man, and he willingly put his sister in harm's way. It's a bit difficult to hold him accountable for that though because he's a victim of the cult as well? I wish that more had been done in the way of showing the cult be disassembled and high ranking members held accountable for the atrocities they put members through.

I did like the narrator quite a bit but I really struggled with the voice she adopted for male characters. It just sounded unnatural and took me out of the story a bit every time the narrative switched. However, during the intense, high activity scenes she excelled! Overall, I feel like this was well-written and adds something fresh to this genre.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing an ALC!

The Twin by Steena Holmes

What do you do when you spend your life listening to your father treat your twin so much better than you, for a prophecy that you don’t believe… Thinking you are free when your father dies just for your brother to take his place and things have escalated to the point you can’t trust the one person you used to trust with your life.

It was a really weird book but I really loved how twisty and weird it was. Two albino twins, living with the idea that their father believes this crazy prophecy about them but treating them both so differently. Brynn comes to realize that her brother isn’t the person she thought he was and Bryce wants Brynn to give herself over willingly. It was a huge tug-o-war for Brynn and man oh man I got the creeper chills from the whole thing!

I loved the family drama, I loved the lowkey psychological games that were going on and I loved how the book ended. So dang good!!

I really think you should give this one a try!!

4 stars

This is one of the creepiest cult stories I've read in a long time. The story centers around Brynn and her twin brother Bryce and the cult-like end of days society their parents help found. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say this cult is horrifying. The plot kept me glued to my air pods as Christina Traister brought the story to life. I think the audiobook added to the creepy factor which I absolutely loved. If you're a fan of creepy or dark thrillers, you'll enjoy this book!

Bryce and Brynn are twins and are super close. They're albino and because of this unique trait, are the target of everyone's stares. It is also because of this that they're considered the living prophecy of the cult their father was a lead member of. When their father dies, Brynn thinks their connection to The Final Family is over until Bryce admits that he's been part of the cult's leadership for a while now. As Brynn is slowly, and reluctantly, introduced to the Family, she starts to question everything, especially when cult members start to go missing and Brynn begins to learn more about her own mother's death.

This was my first book by author Steena Holmes and proved to truly be a creepy, twisty thriller. I'm all for a cult thriller and this one did provide some great twists, turns, and suspense. However, there was one particular event towards the end that really was not for me and unfortunately one that I had predicted, but really hoped was not actually coming. Please read trigger warnings before picking this one up!

I thought the character development was pretty good and the plot was well-paced for a quick read. I listened to this one on audio and I enjoyed the narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC. My review is honest and voluntary.

Albino twins Brynn and Bryce are entwined within a doomsday cult. I love cult documentaries, so was excited to read this book

I enjoyed the audiobook, finding the narrator to have a very soothing voice and feel she complimented the overall vibe

I would suggest this book should be marketed as YA. There’s no cursing, a lot of repetition and there’s very few nasty cult details

Brynn is incredibly naive and although she’s not a child, she makes very childish decisions. She’s adamant she won’t get involved in the cult, yet allows her brother to manipulate her, continuously second guessing herself

Twin brother Bryce keeps so much back. He’s so cryptic, which was nothing but frustrating. He’s forever ‘surprising’ his sister with people and places she professes to hate, but never tells him to eff off (no cursing in this book)

I was eager to hear more about the serial killer that’s mentioned early on, but that’s seemed to go nowhere and for the life of me, I don’t know why it was mentioned - did I miss something?

The final showdown is relayed to Brynn, rather than experiencing it which disappointed me. I always prefer being within the action rather than hearing about it

There’s one really freaky cult reveal which I loved, but mostly it was all extremely repetitive and predictable

Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

I just have to start off by saying I don’t love writing reviews for books that I personally don’t connect with. I was excited to start listening to the audiobook for The Twin by Steena Holmes with high hopes because the premise had all the makings of a gripping mystery: twins battling over an inheritance, a deep secret, and plenty of family drama.

While there were moments where I was hooked, certain parts left me feeling uneasy, especially with the darker themes around cults and violence. It's an interesting read if you're in the mood for a mystery with a darker twist, but it wasn't quite my cup of tea.

Huge thank you to #netgalley and @brillanceaudio for the opportunity to listen to this advanced audiobook!

This book threw me for a loop. I absolutely loved listening to it and could not get over the twist! So interesting and a great plot.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. This book was not for me. I couldn’t get into the storyline or the characters. DNF at 40%

This book was full of plot twists. I loved unraveling the mystery of the story and I always love a crazy cult book. The narration was great and the narrator had a soothing voice. Really enjoyed this one. 😃

I love cult thrillers and the twin angle here is fun. 3.5 rounded up.

Premise - a pair of albino twins are at the center of a doomsday cult’s dark prophecy. Years later they’re grown up and one of them has tried to completely remove herself from that world… but when her twin takes a center position in the cult, she can no longer escape their grasp.

The motivations of the brother weren’t always clear to me, which I understand is partially a cult insanity thing, but I was still hoping for more clarity. Nonetheless, I was engaged all the way through and the creepy vibes were immaculate!

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Christina Traister. She has a very nice voice to listen to and did a great job with the various characters, managing to make everyone from an anxious young woman to a gruff old man sound authentic. Amazing! I definitely recommend the audiobook for a fun infusion of extra energy in the narrative.

Thanks, NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**🎧** Book Info

- Title: The Twin
- Author: Steena Homes
- Narrator: Christina Traister
- Length: 9hrs 20mins
- Publisher: Brilliance Publishing

🧠 Plot

- Brief Plot Summary: In a quiet American town, Ava and her twin brother Bryce have always shared an unbreakable bond, forged through years of enduring their father’s cruelty. When their father dies, Ava hopes for a fresh start, but Bryce’s revelation of a dark secret shatters her sense of security. As Ava grapples with the truth, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish situation, struggling to remember how she ended up bruised and confined in a dark room. With each passing moment, Ava must confront her deepest fears and unravel Bryce’s true intentions, all while questioning the very nature of their twin connection. The story is a heart-pounding exploration of trust, betrayal, and the haunting ties that bind siblings.

🎙️ Narration

- Narration Quality: Christina’s tone of voice, pace, and how she portrayed the characters emotions was top notch. i really enjoyed listening 😊

🌌 Atmosphere

- Setting & Mood: a small town mystery
- Suspense Level: 🔍🔍

💭 Final Thoughts

- Overall Enjoyment: this was my first book i’ve ever listened to where characters are albino and i’m here for it! not only where the characters diverse, but the chapters were short and the narrator was engaging.
- Rating (out of 5 stars): ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
- Recommend? yes! if you’re a fan of small town mysteries and complex sibling relationships, this is the book for you!

Thanks to NetGalley, Steena Holmes, and Brilliance Publishing for providing me an ALC!

*Remember to research trigger warning(s) before reading/listening. Happy Listening! 😊*