3.5 stars
This was a unique story, one like I’ve never read before. I was completely enthralled with wanting to know what was going to happen next. The story revolves around five former child stars known as the “circle of friends” who starred in the children’s show Mister Magic. The show ended abruptly after a tragic accident. Fans have memories of the show but no videos or any other information about the show exists. The friends reunite after 30 years to appear on a reunion podcast of the show, where they begin to realize all was not what is seemed.

Loved this. Absolutely could not get enough of it. Kiersten White is a magician with words. I immediately told everyone I know to read this book! What if Barney had been real? That's sort of the premise for this amazing, immaculately told book, that I am still thinking about months later.

I loved this story. I have never read anything with a similar premise before. Through a death and facebook post the Circle is gathered again for a reunion, little do they know that the adults pulling the strings behind the show are still manipulating them and hoping to use them to restart the circle. One member has the internal strength to discover the truth about the circle, Mister Magic and her sisters death - by the end we are rooting for her to be able to destroy the circle forever.

This book just wasn't for me. I've really enjoyed other books by this author and thought this premise was engaging, but I just couldn't get into the story. Not every book is for every reader, and this certainly won't prevent me from checking out this author's future releases.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

I was really surprised by this book. I wasn’t a big fan of her previous book, Hide, but I wanted to give the author another chance. I’m so happy that I did. I’m not sure how exactly to describe this book besides it being a trippy, wild ride. I went in with zero prior knowledge and I highly suggest that other readers do the same. Once I got into it, it flew by so fast. I just needed to know what was happening! This may not be suitable for everyone, especially if you do not like to be confused or use your imagination and prefer books that are more straightforward. With that being said, if you are even remotely interested in an odd “what’s going on here” kind of story, I highly recommend you give this one a shot.

As a fan of Kiersten White, I was really excited for her second adult book AND one that sort of digs into her feelings about Mormonism. The book did not disappoint in either of those areas! It's more of horror light, focusing more on feeling unsettled and wary, and less like super scary. (Hide was probably a little scarier imo.) But the story and characters were really, really engaging and even though I was in a bit of reading slump, I kept coming back to this book because of the mystery and the secrets that were unraveling as the book progressed. The end was really interesting/unexpected but fit with the rest of the plot and where the story had been building too. Overall, a really gripping, suspenseful read that delves into themes of cults and forced behavior, found family and adulthood.

I don’t know who’s in charge of picking cover art for White’s work, but it always grabs my attention. I previously read Hide by this author after picking it up just because of the cover.
While I enjoyed Hide, Mister Magic was a much more interesting story for me. The premise is unique and leads to places I didn’t see coming.
Solid 4 stars and I will look forward to more from White!

In Kiersten White's second adult novel, we're following a group of adults, who once worked together on a hit-Children's television series called Mister Magic. The show wrapped 30 years ago, after a supposed accident on set. IN the years that have passed, Mister Magic has become more of an urban legend than a show--no tapes exist and no one can seem to really remember anything specific about it, including the actors themselves. When the child actors are reunited as adults under the guise of filming a documentary of the show, they return to the actual property where the show was once recorded. THrough their interactions and interviews, the full picture of Mister Magic begins to fill in and the reveals are shocking. At its core, it's about religious trauma and the effects it can have on our adult lives, which I never saw coming. I thought this was a great read and will definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases by this author.

I loved Mister Magic! I can't wait to re-listen on audio. The cover is so pretty. Thanks for the ARC! Magic? Yes please!

Absolutely loved this! I love books that explore religious trauma and this one did it in such a smart way! This will be in my top books of the year!

I didn't really enjoy this book. It was strange and rambling and just didn't make a lot of sense. I wondered why she kept getting in her digs about the Mormon church, then I listened to the end and that explained a lot. But the book was still confusing and nothing I was hoping for or expecting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think that the premise of this was good! I liked the idea of a sinister TV show and the involvement of the paranormal. I do think the pacing was off and the main character didn't know enough the entire book -- the way it ends was a little flat for me because I didn't get a good enough sense of her to care about her and her absence after.

3 stars.

I really enjoyed Mister Magic. The plot line and synopsis drew me in, and the story did not disappoint.

I heard amazing things about this book. I normally don't read spooky stuff, but I thought I'd give this a try because I was intrigued by the childhood television show angle. The first half was fun until I realized that the monster was a metaphor for religion, confirmed in the acknowledgements. The world-building wasn't tight enough. The "action" scenes at the end were impossible to imagine since they take place in a nothing space. I definitely felt the spooky vibes, but the end fell flat.

I had a hard time reading this book. It was so many different things going on that it was so confusing I couldn’t keep up. The way the story was written was confusing so I am literally still confused after finishing this book.

It took me way too long to realize this is a metaphor for escaping religious trauma, which I am saying here in the open because I feel like everyone should know that going into it!! I don't think it spoils the ending! Definitely better than HIDE but still weirdly juvenile and lacking in action. Kiersten White I will CONTINUE ROOTING FOR YOU though.

A fun, yet creepy tale with a strong nostalgic vibe. I felt there was enough actions and enough thrill to keep the pages flying.

I just didn't get they hype like others about this book. It was an interesting concept but I had a hard time finishing this one. The characters weren't that interesting and I felt like some of the story was confusing as well.

This book was a classic Kiersten White novel. It was creepy without being filled with gore or graphic violence. The premise was interesting, but overall I wish there had been a bit more depth to the story. The cover of this book, however is absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review copy of this title. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely given.
Mister Magic will keep you guessing throughout the story. A group of adults who starred on a TV show as children meet again. The reader is taken on a journey to try to decipher what exactly happened to bring the show to its abrupt end. What’s real? What’s not? An enjoyable read, but one that will make you think about what values we teach our children and how to get there.