It wasn't one of my favorite reads but I did purchase it for our library and the tweens loved it to the point they had the teens reading it. The story was okay it just didn't click for me personally.

This paranormal story will have appeal to 5th to 7th graders who like horror and have the patience to stick with a story that doesn't move along quickly in places. The protagonist is a female who has to step up to save herself and those she loves.

The Mesmerist is the novel I have complicated relationship with. You can call it love/hate relationship.
I loved the premise and the cover, they are the main reason why I decided to read and review this book in the first place.
Plus, it's a middle grade, and I love them.
And as extra, it's paranormal, ghostly story.

We have Jessamine as our main character, the girl who discovers the tuth about her life and family. I think she is one strong narrative who I enjoyed reading about.

The writing style was good. I really liked it and found it easy to read.

I also liked the design of the book itself.

But what I have not-so-good relationship with is the plot, or some actions side characters took that made no sense to me.
For example, I still don't understand why Jessamine's mother left her. It does not go with her character.

There were also some other things in the story that could have been handled better.

I would still recommend this book to paranormal/middle grade lovers as it was really fun to read.

3.5 stars. I probably shouldn’t give this book such a *high* rating. After all, it’s exaggeratingly inspired of the Shadowhunter World. But since it’s a middle grade novel with a very different writing style, atmosphere and set of characters, I didn’t mind it all that much. Plus it’s not a copy cat – it’s more like the outline of the plot resembles Clare’s series, but not entirely.

I had so much fun with this book. It’s mysterious, elegantly-written and possesses a heroine quite mature for her age – thirteen. I guess this would classify the book as a ‘tween’ read, but it still very much has that youngish vibe I usually link to middle grade novels. It’s fast-paced, action-filled and stars a diversely supernatural cast that will keep you entertained.

It’s too bad there were one too many deaths in it, because the character in question really didn’t deserve that to happen to them. I thought it was a joke at first. But the heroine is well surrounded nonetheless, so I tried to shake it off as best as I could. Actually, I normally have no problem with seeing characters leave for the otherworld before their time, but in this case the death in question irked me a little, because it seemed to not feed the plot enough, so why even bother to kill them?

I really wonder if there will be some kind of sequel to this. The ending is conclusive, but it leaves me wondering what will happen to the characters. What are they to do now? Well, part of me assumes, but the other part wants to know for sure how their lives will turn out after all that has happened. Plus the world-building really needs more building so maybe with a sequel it will expand somehow? And I didn’t totally get the whole faerie thing.

I know I’ve enumerated more negative points than positive, which I really shouldn’t have, because I did really enjoy this. Jess is stupendously strong and mature and determined. I enjoyed her adventures and friendships and seeing her kick asses.

The first chapter is all I needed to get hooked, but after that, my excitement began to slow down a bit.

Something about the writing style didn't really do it from,making me procrastinate finishing the book.

P.S: I didn't finish it ,but I have read about half of it.

However, I do believe that children who liked some of the super popular Fantasy MG and YA books, would enjoy this. It is a good mix of the best stories out there. So if you don't mind that fact, or you are new to reading, and haven't read much of those novels, then you are definitely going to enjoy this.

I received an eARC in exchange with an honest review.

“The Mesmerist” is set in 1864 England, where 13-year-old Jess and her mother have been running supernatural scams. Her father had died a few years ago under mysterious circumstances. Then her one spiritualistic session goes wrong and when Jess returns from her supposed trance she gets a message: “Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies. Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!”
This handwritten message, signed M, terrifies Jess’s mother. She immediately takes them to London, looking for help from the eccentric Lord Balthazar. Jess learns that he and her parents were part of a secret organization, the League of Ravens, which has fought evil for centuries. Now, that evil has returned and Jess, who unknowingly carries the enormous powers of a mesmerist, must lead the fight. Then Jess and her fellow Ravens fight the evil. A horror story, though intended for middle-grade is not for feeble hearts.

The Mesmerist is a decent middle grade horror/supernatural/suspense book vaguely reminiscent of Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix. I'm surprised this was a stand alone and not the start to a series. I appreciated the well researched bits in addition to the references to Welsh Mythology. Some parts of the story were a little too convenient. However, my biggest gripe was that I didn't feel like I was in 19th century London while reading this book. All things considered I enjoyed it enough to check out Ronald L. Smith's other work.

I was not able to get into this book despite trying.

Ronald L Smith does it again! Fantastic concept and follow through on the magic aspects. Perfect for fans of dark magic and mystery.

DNF

Mini review

I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was really looking forward to reading this book. I enjoy reading about ghosts so I was excited to see how this author would handle the subject. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this. When I started this book I was off put about it. Something about the way it read. I can't quite put my finger on it.

Still recommend.

Jess loves with her mom, Cora drug the Victorian era in London. They make a Irving by giving messages from the dead to the living only they don't really. They are sham spiritualists. What happens when Jess gets a real message from the dead that is signed M. What is the message? Cora takes her daughter to an old friend of the family. His name is Baron Balthazar who is wealthy. Jess learns how her father died. How did her father die? Because Jess can read other people's minds, she is asked to join a secret band of warriors who fight supernatural evil. Will she join?

The story is fast-paced and full of action. This novel keeps your attention as it moves quickly. There are some scarey parts that might curl your toes in fear. There is also touched upon the subject of racism. The novel gives one a story that is horror with great creepy moments and atmosphere.

The beginning really grips the reader and the mystery continues throughout the story.

Jessamine and her mother are sham spiritualists, they pretend to communicate with the dead until one day when it turns out real.

That's when Jessamine learns the truth about her family and herself.

We are the League of Ravens, and we are seeking evil where it sleeps.

The Mesmerist can pretty much be summed up with that quote. It’s a little cheesy, a little cliché, a little bit fun, but a little bit like everything you’ve read before. I was initially drawn in by the setting of Victorian London and the idea of a young girl being able to communicate with the dead (something both awesome and spooky) despite being something that’s been done A LOT in literature, but the actual story didn’t quite deliver – not for me at least.

The story is based around Jessamine – a thirteen-year-old who helps her mother conduct fake séances until it’s discovered she’s a mesmerist who really can communicate with the dead. So far, so good. Jess and her mother then head to London to see the mysterious Balthazar who will know what’s going on. Now, it was here when everything started getting a bit silly for me. The reveals come thick and fast with Jess’ heritage, her parents past, and the whole messy business of Mephisto and the League of Ravens. It was just too much, too many different plotlines and weird happenings going on for the story to be anything other than ridiculous. I wanted to scream at the book ‘pick a plotline!’ because using Fae, ghouls, spiritualists, the Plague, children with strange abilities, a big bad guy with a pale face and red eyes (sound familiar?), and a super league of super humans, needs serious skill to pull off in 270 pages.

It wasn’t all bad, though. The story itself is quite fun and fast-paced when not taken too seriously; I wanted a lot more depth and development, but for a middle-grade supernatural romp, it really isn’t a bad little story. I enjoyed the setting of Victorian London – always a winner for me – and found it to be incredibly atmospheric, transporting me into Balthazar’s lush mansion and the grimy, poverty ridden streets with ease. Jess was an interesting character as although she started off a proper young lady, concerned with etiquette and appearance, she soon developed into a badass young lady, concerned with doing what was right and not relying on some dashing young man to sweep in and save the day (yay for lack of romance!). Those who were there to assist, however, were wonderful supporting characters and I probably liked Emily and Gabriel more than Jess.

This is definitely a book that doesn’t transcend its middle-grade label. I can imagine many younger readers really enjoying this slightly wild tale, though, and rightly so, but I would advise older and more advanced readers to give this a miss.

This is a cute middle grade book! I would have loved it as a child, and would definitely consider purchasing it for the children in my family. The characters were cute and the book managed to keep a whimsical tone despite being spooky. It even has some fun science thrown in!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Mesmerist is a middle grade novel written by Ronald L Smith. It contains elements of several of my favorite things, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read this book.

Thirteen-year-old Jess lives with her mother. They earn their living from conducting séances, using trickery to put on a good show for their wealthy clients. However, that all changes when they receive an actual supernatural message. It turns out that Jess’ mother has been keeping secrets, and Jess learns more about her parents’ past on a trip to London.

Jess is introduced to the enigmatic Balthazar, as well as a couple of other children with similar mysterious abilities. All signs point to a Great Evil returning, and it is up to Jess and her new friends to work together and defeat the evil forces plaguing the city.

This was an interesting book that I read over the course of a snowy afternoon. Smith has a talent for creating scenes that are infused with creepy details; everything is ominous and foreboding. This book is scary, but not too scary. That said, sensitive children who are easily scared are probably going to want to pick another book. I normally read the middle grade novels I receive with my three girls (4th grade and two 2nd graders), but decided to go solo on this one because they don’t always like scary stories.

I would recommend The Mesmerist to older middle grade readers. This book reminded me of other kid-lit scary stories like Splendors and Glooms and The Night Gardener. Smith presents an interesting portrait of Victorian London. The plot is fairly predictable, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story. I’m looking forward to reading more of Smith’s books in the future.

Creepy, spooky, eerie read. Middle grade readers will sleep with the lights on after finishing The Mesmerist!

I like stories set in Victorian England and am a fan of adult mysteries with spiritualists in them. I hoped that this book would tide me over while I wait for a new Lockwood and Co. I had such high hopes for this book.

This lead sucked me right in.

"Being stuffed into a wardrobe with your hands tied is a dreadful way to start your day.
There's hardly any light, but for the yellow glint of a candle flame through a small crack in the door. Dust tickles my nostrils. Spiders are in the corners too.
I hate spiders."

We soon discover that Jessamine and her mother are pretending to be mesmerists who talk to dead relatives and bring back messages for them, but then Jessamine ends up bringing a real message from beyond the grave. The two of them flee to London where they stay with Balthazar, Mrs Grace's mysterious friend. It's here that Jessamine learns that she has special powers and is inducted into an extraordinary team of children who have their own unique powers. Their responsibility is to battle evil necromancers who plan to take over the world. Readers soon discover a lot of different mythical creatures in this book, including Balthazar.

What I liked most about this book was the relationship between the children. There are also some intense action scenes that many readers will enjoy. Smith has done a good job creating the atmosphere of Victorian London. I really liked the spooky images that demarcate the different chapters and sections. How the evil creatures spread hatred is an interesting theme given the encroaching punitive populism of politics today.

What I don't understand was why a certain character was killed off. I could live with this, except that there is a kind of disjointedness to the plot that made it hard for me to follow the story's reasoning. I acknowledge that some of this might be from the interruptions I took to read other books, but that the book didn't compel me to finish it, says a lot. I absolutely hated the ending. Honestly, I thought I was missing pages and something was wrong with my copy.

Think of this book as a younger, more transparent version of The Diviners. The source of these kid's abilities is known, as are the limits. Smith also incorporates more elements of magic: the fae, werewolves, seraphs, and so on. If you can put aside the obvious comparisons, we're left with a fairly strong team tale. Each character's abilities directly influence the plot, as well as their personal histories. Additionally, the setting is strong. We get a solid sense of historical London. Of course, that same setting will be a turn off for some young readers. It's a niche novel but a strong addition to that niche.

What a great mix of fantasy and Victorian England, with a really likeable heroine. This joins a very popular sub-genre and is going to find a lot of fans in the pre-teen age group for whom it is intended.

It took me a little while to really get into it, but once I did I found The Mesmerist a very enjoyable read. The writing was a prominent part of this; both the present tense and the descriptive style of prose fit very well — though unfortunately at times the excessive detail of the exposition felt overloaded and unnecessary. However, it did not distract too much from the steady pace, and although sometimes the information given to the reader felt a bit much, it made following the story more straightforward. The mysterious atmosphere of the story was never lost either, and the balance of this was another reason for my enjoyment of the book.

While I wanted to see a bit more from the individual characters, their relationships were wonderfully done (for the most part, as I was a little disappointed with the way Jessamine’s family situation was written). Aside from that, it was interesting to learn about Balthazar at the same time and pace that Jessamine did, and her friendships with Emily and Gabriel began quickly but felt no less sincere for it. While it took longer for the three to befriend Darby, the development of their interactions was both satisfying and heart-warming.

Although the writing and characters carried the story very well, I was disappointed by the abrupt ending. Even if there is to be further continuation to Jessamine’s story, the ending of The Mesmerist still feels like a slightly unfulfilling conclusion to the meticulous plot that was built up along the way by the rest of the book. Still, there is clearly a lot of depth and spirit in the characters and world-building, and I would love to see more of those in a sequel.