Greetings Mind-Benders,

This post is all about my review of The Gemini Connection by Teri Polen.

While we’ve already gotten to know the author a bit during my interview with her, there’s a bit of backstory I’d like to share before we get into the review itself.

Back when I was a newbie baby blogger, Teri Polen was one of the first people I followed. I was looking to connect with fellow authors, and she came across me as a very real person.

We quickly became blogger friends, so when she said she had some signed copies for sale of The Gemini Connection, I jumped on the opportunity. I mean, have you seen that cover? It’s both beautiful and mysterious, and I just knew I was going to love this book.

So did I love it or not? Let’s see!

Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old identical twins Evan and Simon share an extraordinary bond, a trait that’s both useful and invasive. They use their connection in their work at Scientific Innovations. Evan is a Mindbender, someone who enters the minds of scientists to spark ideas, join thoughts, and battle nightmares. Simon is a science prodigy and Tage’s best chance of survival.

Unfortunately, their unusual link often bleeds into their private lives. When Evan discovers his brother is keeping a secret from him, he lashes out and ignores requests to talk, and even pleas for help. By the time Evan tunes back in, he finds their connection severed and Simon missing.

He suffers a terrible case of survivor’s guilt. Moreover, he’s desperate. The fate of the world rests on Simon’s return, and Evan is willing to do anything to get him back—even working with his greatest rival, who also happens to be Simon’s boyfriend.

Evan finds allies among enemies and adversaries among friends. When nothing is as it seems and everything is depending on him, he must explore a dangerous aspect to his twin connection he never knew he had.

If he fails, he’ll lose both his brother and his world.

The Review:

I gave this book five quantum-entangling stars! Honestly, I’d give it ten thousand stars if I could.

This is my first time reading a novel by Teri Polen, and I was completely blown away!

This book centers on two twins, Evan and Simon. They live on the Planet Tage, where resources are scarce and the future of their home lies in the balance.

Simon is quite nearly a genius with his knowledge of science, while Evan is more of a social, leader type. Simon has been working on an important project that could affect millions, even billions of lives, until one night when he goes missing.

A year passes. Evan feels an immeasurable amount of guilt for not saving Simon when he could’ve. That is, until he starts receiving cryptic messages that somehow Simon may still be alive. Can Evan put the pieces together? Is Simon really alive, or has he finally lost it?

First things first. WOW! I mean, seriously, this book has the ‘it’ factor in spades. Scifi adventure, an addictive, twisting plot, chills, thrills, and even a gay romance! I was hooked to this book the second I started reading it, and I know that I won’t ever forget this crown jewel of a story. It honestly was that good.

Okay, let’s start with the characters. Evan and Simon’s characters were executed perfectly. Given their traits and what they’ve been through, their personalities were expertly thought out. There was never a ‘what?’ moment where something didn’t make sense. It’s obvious that the author really connected with her characters.

The supporting characters were also extremely believable. Syd, Max, the others on the SI team, they all had interesting quirks, were likable in their own way, and their actions made complete sense.

Next, the world-building. As a reader, you expect the world around the characters to come to life. Boy did they ever! I was obsessed. Any time that Tage and its resource crisis came up, my eyes were glued to the page. I really loved the planet and its characteristics, and by the end of the novel, I desperately wanted the story to continue on into another story (please write a sequel!). I didn’t want to be separated from Tage and its interesting inhabitants.

The plot was highly imaginative, addictive, and had plenty of twists and turns. Think Flatliners meets Nightmare on Elm Street with a healthy dose of Star Trek tech.

Lastly, the writing style. Quite obviously, this was the best part about the book. Polen’s talent is apparent in her ability to write in a fluid manner that keeps the pages turning. The flow and pacing of the writing was flawless, and there weren’t any chapters that I slogged through. Quite the opposite, actually. I actually slowed down my reading so that I could savor the story, something I’ve never done before.

Ultimately, Teri Polen has written one of the very best scifi books I’ve ever read, a masterpiece if you ask me. She has an abundance of talent, and I’m excited to explore her other works as soon as they come out. You’ve got a new fan here!

That’s a Wrap!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy reading!

Have you read this book before? What did you think? Do you have a book recommendation similar to this series? Feel free to share in the comments!

If you’d like to see other reviews of mine, feel free to check out my blog homepage or my GoodReads. There are some great binge-worthy books on there!

Have a great day!

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