A fast-paced, humor-filled romp throughout the worlds.
Remember your first after-school job? Maybe you were a soft-serve slinger at the local Dairy Queen. Or perhaps a sun-loving lifeguard at a local pool. No matter what it might have been, it doesn’t compare to the job of entrepreneurial twins Peter and Andie Bridges. Andie is thoughtful, sensitive, and organized. Peter is a little more hands on and isn’t afraid to jump headfirst into any situation. These traits, along with a few handy superhuman abilities, enable them to operate Other-World Investigations as the Grand Medium and Great Comforter. Of course, the work does occasionally put the siblings in danger, but nobody ever said working as intermediaries between humans and the supernatural world would be easy.
Vampyrian Gateway by Richard Christensen is a fast-paced, humor-filled romp throughout the worlds. From telepathic mind-mailing to destiny-defying precognitive glimpses, Andie and Peter provide the perfect balance between typical teenagers and kick-butt demon slayers. The twins deal with all manner of otherworldly denizens, but Christensen’s novel isn’t all smelly trolls and sassy fairies; there are frank lessons on diversity and inclusion, painted with playful lightness, which makes them easier to bear. The pivotal character shifts come primarily from Peter as he realizes the impact of prejudices and hatred. I really enjoy how flawed Peter’s character is when we first get to know him, but how much he grows and matures throughout the story. Is he still an immature teen at the end of the book? Sure, but he is learning and improving, and that’s not bad for a sixteen-year-old boy! Vampyrian Gateway is humorous and heartfelt, and is simply a must-read for anyone who enjoys a flawlessly written teen paranormal adventure.
