I really like Kiersten White's Hide, so I'm very excited to read her latest book, Mister Magic.

White is so good at creating the mysterious vibe, and even halfway through the book, I told my friend I couldn't figure out if this is supposed to be a thriller or a paranormal story.

The story is about Mister Magic, a long-running kids' show that has been terminated for 30 years, but there was effort to reunite old cast members for a podcast. The weird thing is, there's very little record of this show online, and no recordings of the show anywhere.

I don't want to say too much about the story to spoil anything, but the metaphor of this story is not something I've seen coming, and I thought it was a genius way to show that childhood trauma from certain adult influence. In some weird way, I feel like this was a dark twisted version of Peter Pan and Neverland. Definitely read author's note at the end of the book if you're confused what the metaphor is about, but it shouldn't be hard to pick up from the clues.

In the 1990s, a children's show called Mister Magic had achieved cult status: a group of friends, playing together and learning life lessons from a mysterious caped figure; the show appeared in that space between channels, seemingly on whenever a child looked for it. But the show came to an abrupt end, and has only been spoke about in online spaces since. Val doesn't remember her time on the show, only that she and her father arrived at the ranch when she was about 8 and never spoke about her mother or anything before that time. After Val's father dies, the other friends from Mister Magic appear, asking her to join them on a revival podcast. Val goes, and uncovers the truths about her life and the frightening story behind the story of Mister Magic. Kiersten White excels in taut storytelling and harrowing reveals.

This book was so intriguing. It was a statement on society and the destructiveness of fanatical belief. It is a personal story for the author, and if you read the afterword you gain more of an appreciation for the book. I don't want to say to much, but my favorite thing about this story is the message to love your children enough to support them in the person they will become, and not try to mold them into the person you want them to be.

The premise of Mister Magic intrigued me. And also, that cover is so eye-catching! Five former child stars are reuniting 30 years after the show they were on, Mister Magic, ended due to a tragedy. Fans of the show have vivid memories of the show, but there is no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, no evidence it even existed at all (I totally started thinking about that Genie movie with Sinbad that I still swear exists).

I was immediately drawn into the book. The story was creepy and mysterious with complex characters and a cult-like atmosphere. I especially loved the inserts in between chapters with excepts from online discussion forums, articles, and Wiki pages. I loved the eerie house too, it was truly creep-tastic!

The last third of the book seemed a bit rushed and left me feeling a little confused and slightly disappointed at the ending. However, after reading the author's note after the book's end I came to appreciate it more. This was different from the only other book I have read by Kiersten White, And I Darken, which I loved, but I did enjoy it.

I absolutely loved the set up for this story. A famous kids show beloved by an entire generation put it's stamp on entertainment...... except there's no proof of it. No videos, no behind the scenes photos, no IMDB listing. Years after it's original airing, it exists only in the memories of its viewers and the scrolls of Reddit posts. Reading this, I kept imagining how I would feel if "Are You Afraid of the Dark" couldn't be found anywhere and I absolutely loved it. I blew through the first half of this book before it started dragging. While the end did come back and wrap it all up nicely, I definitely struggled with the middle of this book despite absolutely loving the premise. I wish I could put my finger on exactly what it was, but it just didn't keep me reading the way it did at the start. Overall though, really enjoyed this one. It was very unique and definitely stood out from other new novels. Can't wait to see what else this author comes out with!

I was soo excited for this book, but I feel like it was a missed opportunity. A book about a defunct kids tv show where they cast reunites later sounds amazingly fun, but in reality “Mister Magic” didn’t really live up to that bill. It was bizarre and had some supernatural elements that seemed over the top. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit more realistic as to the underlying mystery and drama. Accordingly, this one didn’t really work for me, so I’m ratting it 2 stars ⭐️ . Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley.

3.5/5

Received as an eARC from NetGalley

*Minor Spoilers*

Positives:
This book sets itself up to be a horror mystery and I think ultimately it achieves this goal, however, the true stars of this book are the characters. All five of the main cast members have fleshed-out backstories that fit into each other like puzzle pieces and while their character archetypes might be a little cookie-cutter, I think the amount of characterization each character gets makes up for it. The world-building is immersive and well thought out. I loved the addition of blog posts, Reddit threads, etc. in between chapters and scene breaks. They made the story feel more real and less self-contained, especially since the story is told from the point of view of a woman whose world is initially so small. The plotline was intriguing and the plot twists were genuinely surprising. This was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

Negatives:
There are a lot of loose threads that feel important early on in the book that don't get resolved by the end which is disappointing. For instance, Val spends so much time in the first half of the book anticipating meeting he mother but after they meet her mother is entirely irrelevant to the rest of the book. Along the same vein, the ending felt muddled and rushed. It was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't which I understand was half the point, but I was still ultimately confused by the end. The source of the "magic" is never really explained and there seems to be an emphasis on religion that doesn't get explained or integrated nearly as much as it should if that's the catalyst for the plot. This book also read more as a mystery to me than a horror, probably due to the above issues.

Overall, this book was entertaining and the characters really carry the plot. I would be willing to read something with these characters again because each is genuinely so fully realized. Despite the book being from Val's POV, the reader still experiences and understands other characters' motivations. I would recommend this book to young adult mystery fans who like a little bit of horror, but not too much, or fans of old TV shows and true crime investigation.

I liked this book a lot and I understand why the narrative was structured this way. I found it a little unbelievable that the main character just trusts the other characters, immediately and implicitly. Some characters seemed to mostly be their identities and not fully fleshed out people. However, I think the concept was really cool and it shows promise. I think the author needs to work on showing more than telling, and fleshing her secondary characters out.

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I enjoyed reading this book. The authors note just made it even more compelling. Wow in real life it’s its own horror. The ending was so sad and so good.

I had a really great time with this read despite the fact that it assaulted me directly in my childhood trauma. I suspected going into it that it would have some kind of social commentary since I've read this author before, but the themes explored in this read hit very close to home for me. I really enjoyed all of the allegory and felt that the build-up to the climax was so well done. I love a book where I can go back to the earlier chapters and peel back more layers of the story once the context has shifted.

I also feel like White really outdid herself with these characters! I loved the circle of friends and really felt myself grow attached to all of them throughout the course of the story. They were all really nuanced and relatable, and I definitely found myself hoping for the best for them, yet fearing the worst.

Lastly, and most importantly, this book gave me feels. I might've sweated a little from my eyeballs at times, and that's a huge indicator that this story was able to engage me and get me invested enough to feel something, which is honestly more than I usually ask for in a book.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this read, with the caveat that it isn't exactly your usual horror story. Most of the horror if of the human variety, though there is a lil bit of spice mixed in there. Additionally, it's heavily steeped in allegory and social commentary, but I don't think that detracts from the storytelling at all. If you enjoyed Hide (same author), I think you'll also find this one to be a winner.

30 years after a popular children’s show called Mister Magic ends, 5 of the 6 cast members return to where it was filmed to record a podcast. Val has no memory of being on the show but was found by the other cast members after her dad dies. People loved the show but somehow there are no recordings of it and people have different recollections of it so the podcast is highly anticipated.

This book had very creepy vibes the entire time that had me feeling on edge and wanting to continue reading so I would find out what was happening. I was never really sure where it was going or how it was going to end all the way to the end of this book. It definitely kept me guessing and intrigued!

I didn’t love the ending and felt like there could have been more development with the cast members outside of Jenny but overall I really enjoyed this book! A perfect book with Halloween approaching.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

This was an emotional, complex, and moving book. I went in expecting a scary frightening read to get me in the mood for spooky season. What I got was so much more. It was a story about faith. Believing in oneself and the power of love and friendship.

Yes, if you couldn't tell, I loved this book. Listening via the audio made the story so much enjoyable. It took minute to get into the book, because of expectations. However, after an adjustment it turned into this deep moving read. It isn't for everyone, but for those it reaches out to, you're out for a ride that I hope that you would enjoy.

#MISTERMAGIC. #NETGALLEY #KIERSTENWHITE

This book was so strange. I felt like I could never get a grip on where the story was going, but I also was so intrigued that I needed to keep reading. But unfortunately, I just ended up so confused by the end. I didn’t really know what was happening towards the end and I think that’s because there’s a lot of symbolism in this book. I personally didn’t connect with it so it was hard for me to understand, but I can really see how this would resonate with certain readers.

This was my first by this author and I found it to be such a unique reading experience! I really loved the unique premise and the concept. Mister magic was so well crafted conceptually and contributed to that spooky horror feel I enjoy while reading this genre. However, I feel as though the execution left me a bit confused at times, especially towards the end when reality really starts to blur the lines with magical realism. I had quite a few questions lingering in my mind as I reached the conclusion. I think the author’s note really helped and added so much more depth to my overall understanding of this book. It was in actuality filled with so much symbolism and metaphorical elements which I really loved, especially now knowing the personal ties the author had to this story. I also really enjoyed the friend group dynamic and the overall mystery surrounding mister magic as a character. If I only I had a better understanding of the magical elements, but maybe the author intended to leave that a bit more ambiguous. Overall, I thought this was a solid horror/thriller! Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for this #gifted eARC!

3.5⭐️

<b>And so, dear friends, at long last . . . it’s Magic Time.</b>

Val’s world comes crashing down around her when her father dies, leaving her alone on the ranch that they have been living on for thirty years. Val can’t remember her childhood, but the scars on her body make her believe that she’s done something bad that made her and her father go into hiding.

At the funeral, Val is approached by men claiming to know her and saying that they had been on a children’s show together. Wanting to find out more about what caused her dad to hide her away, Val accompanies them in hopes of finding out who she really is.

This book was spooky and interesting, and plays a lot on childhood nostalgia. Imagine Barney and Friends but instead of a giant dinosaur there’s a mysterious man in a cape teaching kids lessons through song, except the show isn’t really a show at all.

<b>Every child deserves to spend time with Mister Magic, to learn important lessons. To see how to be good.</b>

I thought this was a really interesting take on religion and the effects that your upbringing have on you, as well as what you pass on to your children. I could tell that this was a very personal story written with a lot of care, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I think this book hit some of the points that Hide faltered on, even though I liked Hide as well.

When I saw the author of HIDE had a new release, Mister Magic, I jumped at the opportunity to read it first.
This story had me wondering what was real, what wasnt.. definite creepy vibes happening.

Thirty years ago, there was a children's show called Mister Magic. Envision something like the Mickey Mouse Club or Barney, where a group of 6 young children use their imaginations in each episode and form a strong bond until ultimately the series abruptly ends. 30 years later, there is much interest in trying to find out why it ended and where did the childhood actors end up. Of course there is a podcast to bring this all to light, however there are no videos of the episodes and not much info on the internet. Why is that?

This had me hooked from page 1. The chapters flip between the now grown children, but mostly told thru Val's perspective as well as a few excerpts from the actual podcast. She currently is residing in a Midwest ranch teaching kids the ropes of ranch life when two of the original "Circle of Friends" from the show convince her to come to the reunion which will be aired via a Podcast.

Without going into too much more detail, because I certainly don't want to ruin the Magic for others, this had me completely trying to figure out what was going on. I liked the idea of the mystery surrounding the show and the different elements that were thrown in there. The atmosphere of where the reunion takes place was very well done- the desolateness of it - I'm always a sucker for those creepy types of towns. While at first, I was a little disappointed in how it ended, once I got to thinking about it, I think it was a great ending and perfectly fit for me once I understood what the author was trying to convey.

This certainly was different and while this won't be for everyone its worth checking out.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mister Magic was a really exciting book! It’s the perfect mystery/thriller. It’s horror, but not in your face. It’s more existential, which made for a really fun read.

This book definitely reminded me of Hide, also by Kiersten White. So if you enjoyed Hide then this is a great book to read.