Kaya A’Dor longs to learn how to do story magic. The only problem? She’s a girl, and girls are forbidden to practice this magic. But when twelve year-old Kaya’s older brother is captured and held as a prisoner in the faraway capital city, Kaya decides to break the rules in order to save him. She embarks on a journey across the country, facing dangers and running for her life, but also learning things about herself and her magic that she never would have realized otherwise. To make it to the capital and rescue her brother, Kaya will have to leave behind everything she’s ever known and venture into a new life.

This was a short, sweet, and fun read. I enjoyed the story-telling elements and loved watching Kaya become increasingly more creative with every story she told. The characters—especially Kaya—and the magic are really what drive this story. Kaya is a wonderful heroine: brave, persistent, and immensely loyal to her brother. Her curiosity and ambition are very relatable for readers, and the themes of overcoming obstacles, fighting for what’s right, and never giving up shine through. I especially loved the feminist message, and I think this story will be well-received with a younger crowd. Fans of adventure, fantasy, and magic will love this middle-grade novel.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change.)

This book was so fun and adventourous. I was so grateful to see that I was accepted for this book, and it turned out to be one of my favorite middle grade books of this year. I normally don't read middle grade, but this was so fun.

I enjoyed the concept of the listeners and how they involved the MC. I also loved the explored concept with the gender discrimination in this book. as girls are not allowed to learn magic, and how Kaya wants to learn it.

I liked it quite a bit.

This book was painfully repetitive... It took me almost a month to get through this VERY SHORT book because I'd only manage to read 20 pages at the time before I'd get annoyed with constantly being beaten over the head with the same information. I know children are the target audience but trust me, they will understand what you're trying to say after a couple of times. I found the magic system to have a few holes in it as well, but it was good enough.

I was hoping it was going to be one of those magical middle grades that makes you feel all cozy and safe but it ended up being very average and simple.

Very different story with a great message to the youth of today. Really enjoyed the concept of story magic & it was a easy read. What a wonderful strong female lead too.

I just wasn't able to get into this one. DNF'd at about 50 pages in. The pacing was sort of awkward and it felt like things were happening around the main character but not really to the main character. I think I should've been more concerned that her brother was in trouble, but I thought he was kind of a jerk, so I wasn't. I thought the concept of storytelling magic was super cool though and I had an easy time figuring out how it worked.

I liked this, but it didn’t completely stand out for me, I think because I didn’t really like some of the characters it was hard to connect or empathise, it felt a bit slow but it did pick up towards the end of the story and improved a lot and got far more interesting. I don’t often read middle grade and although a nice read, wasn’t sure some of the themes or villains were really middle grade, a nice read, but not memorable for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Every once and awhile something in the Middle Grade genre will sound good and I’ll give it a try. It isn’t a genre I regularly read but there are some gems to be found in.

Story Magic is the tale of a 12-year-old girl who lost her parents and has lived with her brother for the last few years. Kaya is lonely and spends most of her time making blankets and trying to sell them, while her brother works for a Magic Guild.

In this story girls are forbidden from using magic and there is lore that bad things happen when girls use magic. Kaya’s brother says it is just superstition and teaches some of the story telling magic to Kaya anyway. After Kaya decides to use some of the magic her whole world turns upside down and her brother is taken away to be judged the main stronghold city. She must journey alone to save the only family she believes she has left.

I liked but didn’t love this story. Kaya was a little difficult for me to connect with and I never liked her brother. The tale is also a little darker than I would have thought. There are some genre issues that shine through as girls are not allowed to practice magic and some of the twisted listeners are scary. The cruelty in this I also thought was a little much for a Middle Grade book and so I’d recommend it more for 11-13 than 8-12 age ranges.

While I did like how the magic of the stories worked, I wished for just a little more magic to happen in the story. Enjoyed the last third of the story more, after Kaya found her aunt and had someone else to teach and care for her.

While this wasn’t really my favorite Middle Grade story it had entertaining side stories in it and the overall plot was good. I just wished I could have connected with Kaya a little more to make the journey better.

Story Magic by Laurel Gale is feminist-tinged middle grade fantasy about finding your voice and the magical power that exist in storytelling. I went into this book without really reading synopsis and only knew that it's based on the concept of Storytelling.

The concept behind this book is what really caught my eye and I went ahead reading this book. We see the main protagonist Kaya A'Dor who is a girl and girls in this world are forbidden from doing magic. She learns magic from her brother Hob. They both are orphans.

So her brother is all she has, the story is about she finding her magic and making friends with the listeners who are by her side and help her through her tough times. She is set on a journey of finding her brother who is caught by the guilds in the city of Prima.

Being it a middle grade, I liked this book. But I would have appreciated if the concept of the listeners and the magic system could have been more clearer. The only thing which we know about listeners is - they are water bound.

Apart from this I overall enjoyed reading the book. It was simple and adventurous. I was looking forward to the stories Kaya tells to the listeners everytime. I liked the twists we see with Hob and Gray. Fiola was a great side character as well.
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Thanks to Turn The Pages Tours for having me onboard.

Kaya lives alone with her brother, Hobb, who's taken care of her ever since their parents died. When Hobb is arrested by the magic guild, Kaya resolves to travel to the city to try to rescue him. To do so, she'll need to use story magic, a power forbidden to be used by girls, in addition to using her wits and every ounce of bravery and confidence she can muster.

This was a great character journey. Kaya started out as young orphan girl, reliant on her brother for everything. Over the course of the book, Kaya learned to look out for herself and to discern the truth. Sometimes, the people we trust the most aren't the righteous beings we always thought them to be. It's up to Kaya to decide what type of person she'd like to grow up to be.

I didn't get into this book right away, but I was hooked after the first few chapters. There's a lot of depth and heartwarming honesty and friendship and family.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

After a rocky start, I found myself enjoying this book.
The plot was a slower one, full of more lyrical wording and details. I really felt like I knew the world where Kaya lived and all the customs and traditions that were associated with the people. It was really nice to see Kaya as she found her family and their interactions were so moving. I could just see the love between Kaya and her aunt.
Now, about that rocky start. I felt that there was too much of a focus on what Kaya could and could not do according to the law. It was mentioned almost every page that she couldn't do something 'because girls weren't allowed.' While I understood that it was unfair, the message seemed to be pushed a lot stronger than it needed to be. I've found that the subtle messages are the ones that stick.
All in all, this is a good choice for middle grade readers who are looking for light fantasy.

Rating: 3.5/5
Language: n/a
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: n/a

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Not a fan of how anti girl the beginning is. I really hope that Kaya breaks the glass ceiling in this world.
Kaya starts off very naive but slowly learns. Hob is an ungrateful little shit.
It very dark for a middle grade and sometimes I forget it's aimed at middle schoolers because it's so dark. Then the writing reminds me; as it’s written like a middle grade book.
There’s not enough hope in the book for me to like it as a middle grade and the writing style is too middle grade for me to like it at a young adult book. 2.5 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stories are magical. For Kaya, they are magic. With story magic, almost anything is possible. You just have to make sure you can sense a Listener, tell it a story and tell it what you want. The problem is that girls aren't supposed to tell stories or use their magic. It brings bad luck. Kaya's brother Hob doesn't believe that, so he's taught her a little bit about magic. Since their parents died, Hob is all she has left. She really wants to impress him. So, she tries some magic. Shortly after, Hob has been arrested and taken to Prima for execution. Kaya thinks she's to blame. Maybe girls doing magic brings bad luck after all.
I enjoyed this. The first half was kind of slow in my opinion, but the last half was great. I love Kaya, not so much Hob. I think Fiola is my favorite. The story magic is interesting.

Magical! I love well written kids and teens books with magic in them! This on was a fun read as it featured storytelling as magic! I believe that to be true in real life, too. I have been telling stories for nigh on 30 years and just love the look on children's (and adults) faces when they become so entranced by a story one is telling that they look enchanted! Anyone who enjoys these types of tales will find this one engrossing and entertaining. Good one!

Laurel Gale's middle grade book Story Magic is a creative, easy to follow and captivates reader from its first page.

In a world where magic is done by telling stories, Kaya (12 years old heroine) searches her only remaining family member: Hob. 18 years old Hob works at Story Magicians Guild and takes care his sister since their parents died several years ago. He also teaches Kaya the secrets of Guild, though it is forbidden for women and outsiders to dabble with storytelling magic.

But according to the Story Magicians Guild, it was bad luck for a girl to attempt magic. It angered the listeners, they claimed. It led to disaster.

In this world, when invisible Listeners are close, you can make magic by weaving a nice story. You can either call them by burning incense or feel them by the tingle in your nape of neck. But if they don't like your story, it is said to have consequences.

When Kaya's brother fails to come home one day, Kaya searches for him and she learns that he is arrested and will be executed in a big city named Prima. Kaya is determined to find her brother but she has no money and no home and no help. Also she learns that he is taken to a HQ of Guild. So she starts to a dangerous journey and meets lots of folks. With the help of her story weaving, she reaches Prima and realizes that she has no plan.

Story Magic is an entertaining read, i liked Kaya very much. She is brave, resourceful, talented and sooo young. Throughout the journey, she comes across a lot of scary and unknown challenges but she never gives up. Never loses her good side and belief of right. That is why I love fantasy books this much, they push the boundaries.

Along the way, Kaya helps other people, learns the secrets kept by the Guild, finds new friends and comes to realize that one should not believe what was said and should search the truth for themselves.

Also making magic with storytelling was really captivating in the beginning. But for me, It lost the enchantment after a while, though they got better and better when the story progressed.

In my mind, Listeners were like a witch's familiar, always there, helping, protecting and demanding very little. Also Kaya and other practitioners recognise Listeners by the tingle in their napes. So nice for Gale to add this little details.

In my honest opinion, the story might have been developed a little bit but in general, I liked it. And many people would love this middle grade book. It also wraps up nicely, leaving no question marks in the mind. I can say that it is very safe for children too.

Language is simple, it encourages children to imagine their own stories. I can imagine that when read in a class or in a library and made an activity, children would create their own magical stories. It also encourages girls to follow up their dreams, never minding what other people are saying. This is always a big positive message for me.

When I grabbed Story magic I expected a quick cute read perfect for Middle Grade readers and it didn’t disappoint. Laurel Gale weaves an interesting story that follows a kind of magic I don’t think I’ve seen in a novel before. The characters themselves don’t have any magic but the stories they tell bring magic to them because of the Listeners. It does have some aspects of the story that are in many others, women are seen as less than men. Sadly it’s something that many people deal with and the book gave it a bit of a Salem Witch trials feel in my opinion. Women are punished for attempting to use Story Magic and rumors are spread that the Listeners punish women severely for attempts to use it. This keeps women, and non guild members, in line because of fear. But Kaya stands out. She’s not a protagonist that starts the story sure of herself and the Story Magic she holds. Like any twelve year old she’s nervous and fears what will happen if she angers the Listeners but decides to risk it to save her brother.

Honestly I thought it was a great story that shows some amazing character development throughout because Kaya goes from a kind of annoying child, to someone that people go to when they need help. It doesn’t matter that she’s a child because she listened to the teachings of her aunt and learned how to truly get the Listeners to help you. But the twist of why Hob was truly arrested was also something I enjoyed because I didn’t see it coming. You’ve got to love a book that doesn’t throw away the chance at a good twist just because it’s meant for Middle Grade readers. I might be jumping around a bit and I’m sorry about that but I do love that the book reads like it’s not meant for children in the way that it doesn’t spell out everything that’s going to happen. Laurel Gale gives the reader a chance to try and piece things together or be taken fully by surprise and I like that.

Story Magic by Laurel Gale is a cute adevtanure tale for middle grade students about the power of telling a story.
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In this world, the Story Magician's Guild holds enormous power. They can sense and summon listeners in order to tell them a story in exchange for some magic. But only male apprentices and magicians can access this magic, never girls. It is believed that it is bad luck for a girl to attempt story magic. For young Kaya, she's already had her young life filled with bad luck. Besides, it's not terribly difficult telling a story... And sometimes, a little bit of magic can come in very handy.
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I really like this book for a middle grade age group. The topic of mysoginy is evident, yet women are empowered through the various female characters. The plot is linear, straightforward, and easy to understand. The story includes just the right amount of magic, while also highlighting the dangers of greed, thereby incorporating yet another important message for young readers.
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Kaya is smart and wise beyond her years. She makes an excellent hero in this tale, with a happy ending that drives home many of the author's important themes and lessons. I would definitely recommend this book to my middle grade students.

Kaya, is a 12 year old girl who decides to practice story magic even though girls are not suppose to. When Kaya's brother becomes imprisoned, she sets out on a journey to save him. The story did not hold my interest and. I am not a fan of fantasy. However, middle school students who do like fantasy may enjoy this book. At the end of the book, it appears that there may be a sequel.

This was a very sweet story. Simpler than I expected however taking into account the target audience. Lost parents and separation from family is a trope that is stark so it is good to know that before hand in case it could be a trigger warning for some. A coming of age tale where both the journey to get to the destination as well as the destination itself are important. Great female protagonist and represenation however I was not that excited about the story itself in the end. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend for a younger audience!


Thanks Netgalley for the free e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

STORY MAGIC is exactly what middle grade should be - fun, exciting, and full of heart. It was a delight to read and I would have obsessed over this book when I was a kid!

"I used story magic today. I sensed a listener the way you taught me to, and I told it a story about a hero who made the sun rise."

Let me start by saying that I know I'm not technically the age group for this book. It's a middle-grade. However, usually I tend to enjoy Middle Grades a ton. Some of my all time favourite books came from this genre and when I read the synopsis for the book I was immediately hooked. That said I had very different expectations going into this book and I was surprised, but not in the way that I hoped I would be. This book is a lot darker than I had espected it to be, there is a huge underlying gender issue which really shows and in general the story just doesn't seem light as I would have expected for a middle grade. I would also argue that for a middle grade audience I would put it on the higher scale, since I don't think it's suitable for a younger audience. In general I also would have loved to see a lot more magic in the story, since the title suggest that's what the book is about, yet I missed quite a bit of it. The bother of our main character really wasn't to my liking and Kaya herself was an okay protagonist, but not my favourite. I still enjoyed this book, but wasn't the biggest fan of it. hence why I gave it three stars.