This is just plain yucky. I fell sick while reading it and couldn’t get very far into the book. I did note that the writing was good and I did feel some interest at first. This would be a great book for the kid who likes a spooky read but they would need a stronger stomach than I have.

Magic Dark and Strange had a wobbly start, was good at parts, surprisingly entertaining towards the end and managed to seduce my attention with a very dark and very appealing character - but it still felt like it needs a lot of work and many of its wonky edges smoothed.

This book is not necessarily bad. As a matter of fact, I was hooked during the whole second half of the book with the dark Victorian setting. There were a couple of twists that I had never seen coming, the plot turned out to be refreshingly smart and dark, and well, it definitely managed to trap all my attention. But the first half of the book? Well that’s a whole different story.

First off, I just want to say that I love the premise of the story, however I do wish there was more in depth description of the setting that the main character, Catherine is in. If the novel centers on magic and how people use magic throughout every day lives, then why isn't there more discussion to highlight on side of the story? It was frustrating to see how Catherine and her new companions made their way through each obstacle (if you can call them that). None of the road blocks appeared to be too difficult or made a way for character development. All the characters were flat and one dimensional; unfortunately I felt that the book could have been better if it had explored more of the magic world, dug deeper into who the mysterious boy was (he's story felt too simplistic and uncharted as a character), and lastly, the watch itself was a let down. Wish I could have enjoyed the book and had something more positive to say but the novel left me unimpressed.

Full review can be read here: https://twincitiesgeek.com/2020/12/magic-dark-and-strange-doesnt-quite-live-up-to-its-potential/

The cover and description were so enticing: a young woman and grave magic! Despite the grave digging, death, and romantic interest, the story lacked any sort of intensity. A very mild read.

***I received an uncorrected proof of this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

“My word, have you two just been sitting here discussing murder?”✝

This book was a super quick, short read with graveyards, and corpses, and spookiness all around. The main characters gave me Cressworth vibes (Kerri Maniscalco's Stalking Jack the Ripper). I had a nice time reading this, though I did drag my feet a bit in the middle. The plot throughout this section more or less eddied along. In some ways, the text as a whole felt like a small part of a larger story.

Something about the book just feels almost... insubstantial. The magic system is not entirely developed or explained. There does not appear to be any sort of rhyme or reason as to who has what type of magic, why they have it, how it works. The cost of magic also seems quite high, yet characters use it flippantly to little benefit. The characterization went flat midway through; they almost got less interesting as the story went on.

I ended up with more questions than answers. The premise was interesting. The character's introductions were interesting. It really started off SO STRONG... But, as a whole, the book was tragically more potential than result.


✝✝check against final text

This was a really atmospheric historical mystery series with fun magical elements! It was a super quick and easy read that I absolutely flew through. It's just not a story I see sticking with me long after putting it down.

This had a really fun magical twist on a classic feeling historical mystery. I love mysteries set during the Victorian era and this definitely fit that bill. The characters were likable but they didn't feel particularly robust or developed.

Overall I had a really good time reading this and think it's a perfect quick read for fall or the spooky season. It's definitely something a wide range of readers will enjoy! It's just not something I will come back to again and again.

I almost loved Magic Dark and Strange.

As a whole, this book truly wasn’t that bad, but needed a bit more meat on its bones. I was initially intrigued by the comps to The Bone Witch and Sherlock Holmes, and the fact that the cover (and title) reminded me a bit of Susan Dennard’s Something Strange and Deadly which I enjoyed. We get a bit of a historical mystery vibe with magic that is seamlessly part of the world, and a necromancer in a way I haven’t seen yet. All of which I really enjoyed.

The cast was good too! Catherine is quick and fun to follow as she attempts to track down a watch only to become immersed into something larger. I don’t have much else to say about her because, other than her magical talents, she was simply an enjoyable (though not necessarily memorable) protagonist to follow.

Where I really struggled was with the length of the book. We’re thrown into the story from the beginning and I wished there had been a bit more lead up to the action, but then the pacing tapered off and was fairly slow for the rest of the ~200-page book. It ended up being a quick read due to its length but the story dragged for the first half.

I think the other reason for this was a lack of stakes. Maybe I just missed them, but I never really felt a sense of urgency in this story. Everything just happened as it did, then it ended, and that was that. I wouldn’t call it a page-turner.

And like I mentioned in the beginning, Magic Dark and Strange needed more meat, substance. Especially with the world-building. There’s magic, but I never understood it. Or the world for that matter. It came across as very surface level and I never fell into the story like I hope to with every book I read. The structure was there and I could see the potential for this story to be great, I just needed more of it to really be sold.

But Magic Dark and Strange was fun. It worked out that I read it between much larger books so it was a bit of a relief to tackle something a bit more straightforward. I’m not sure if I recommend it in full but I personally liked it, just didn’t love it.

Magic Dark and Strange is a light and fluffy read for the spooky season. It may seem odd to refer to a book about a girl who brings a dead boy back to life with a magical watch and gets pulled into a dangerous conspiracy as “light and fluffy,” but it really is. Catherine’s job involves trading an hour of her own life for an hour of afterlife so that grieving family members have a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, but she never expected to actually bring someone back from the dead for real, especially not a murdered boy who has no recollection of his life before the murder. She thinks Guy, a watchmaker’s son, may be able to help her understand why an ancient timepiece affected her work so dramatically, and the three of them team up to solve the mystery.
You won’t find out how the magic system in this world functions or why the villain has done what he has, but you will enjoy dashing about Victorian London with Catherine and Guy as they piece together the puzzle. You may not remember anything about the plot a few days later, but the reading is a pleasant enough experience if you like this kind of YA novel. I do.

I was intrigued the minute I read that this book was perfect for fans of The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco. Admittedly, other than the resurrecting people aspect, there isn't a whole lot in common between the books. Regardless, this was still a fun story to read - our main character has the ability to raise people from the dead but for each hour the dead come back, she loses an hour of her life. There's mystery and intrigue as she finds herself raising a boy back to life only to find that he's actually alive and breathing. This was such a fast read and incredibly addicting, the characters were lovely, but the greatest factor of this story was definitely the atmosphere. I could feel the chilling grayness of Catherine's city as her journey unfolded and it released just before Halloween so it's a perfect combination!

Catherine Daly is a printer during the day, but at night can wake the dead long enough to allow their loved ones to say goodbye. For every hour the dead are awake, however, she loses an hour from her own lifetime. She's charged with removing a timepiece from a grave, so she asks the watchmaker's son Guy Nolan for help. Instead of a clock, they find a boy who comes to life. The boy has no memory of his past, and there are dangerous enemies. Catherine and Guy must race to unravel the connection between the missing timepiece and the undead boy. The connection might be the difference between life and death for all of them.

Magic always has a cost, and it's fascinating that in this system it's blood and something intangible. Catherine pays an hour of her life, Guy and his father paid in memories. The boy becomes their responsibility and brings the two closer together. In true Regency and Victorian era times, they refer to each other formally, and calling each other by first name is an intimacy that very few are gifted with. The trio have to find the timepiece and figure out how it relates to Owen, the boy they found. The story is primarily a mystery, with a pinch of a budding romance between Catherine and Guy. Because the focus is on the mystery, the novel flies so quickly, I was stunned when I got to the end of the book. I wanted more to read!

Magic Dark and Strange is a fantastic book, and a great way to spend a weekend afternoon while bundled up with a blanket and a big mug of tea.

Upon seeing the cover of Kelly Powell‘s Magic Dark and Strange for the first time, I imagined I’d be swept away into a world of magic and mystery where the dead rose ever briefly at the command of one Cathrine Daly. And while I was certainly taken on a ride with Ms. Daly and her companions–Guy Nolan and Owen Smith–the story lacked the magic its title and cover suggests.

Set in the town of Invercarn, Magic Dark and Strange is a young adult novel that asks the reader to believe in the individual’s power to take hold of time and manipulate it through blood and personal sacrifice. Powell, however, does not detail how this is possible, who is able to wield magic, why they can do it, and whether it’s regulated. Instead, the ability is at the whim of the narrative.

Catherine is able to temporarily resurrect the dead in exchange for time off of her own life. If she brings someone back for an hour then she loses an hour of her existence. She does this as a side job, an addition to her duties as a typesetter in the local print shop. For Catherine, it’s a means to an end, but there’s barely any exploration of her feelings regarding this work or why she’s been selected to do it.

There’s also no reason given for why Mr. Ainsworth, her boss, tasks her with unearthing a grave in search for a timepiece that will bring someone back from the dead permanently. It’s clear he wants the time piece for himself, but if he trusted her with the task then his distrust when she tells him she didn’t find the piece, is out of place. It seems to only serve plot expediency forcing Catherine to enlist the help of Guy lest she be thrown out into the street.

The mystery of where the timepiece could be and the subsequent accidental resurrection of Mr. Owen Smith is the crux of Magic Dark and Strange‘s plot. Here is where the intrigue should lie but while Powell is masterful with description, the dialogue in this book lacks substance. The story’s characters and relationships struggle to hold weight in a meaningful way because they feel interchangeable, replaceable, and at times, inconsequential to the narrative.

Powell has created an interesting world in Invercarn. Magic seems tied to time. Married in a partnership that steals from those who wield it. The beneficiaries of its use tend to be those who pay for its application not those gifted with magical abilities. However, as much as it costs the magic wielder to use, there wasn’t an equivalent exchange which was odd.

A silver coin for an hour of one’s life. Information for hours of one’s memories. While reading Magic Dark and Strange, I found myself wondering about this system and who set it up. Why do non-magic users benefit more? Why is magic simultaneously in demand and yet so discounted monetarily? Why is the magic in this world a mystery to me as a reader when this is a magic based fantasy?

Magic Dark and Strange left me with a lot of questions despite having a nice and tidy mystery that’s wrapped up well though its description of being a mix between The Bone Witch and Sherlock Holmes is misleading.

Yes, the story features necromancy and a mystery, but Catherine’s powers aren’t explored with depth, she’s not going through training of any kind, and she’s not an investigator or particularly interested in strange cases. She’s a young woman trying to survive while bodies drop around her and the timepiece is the key to righting her once orderly world.

Magic Dark and Strange is a good fit for readers willing to take magic at face value without question, who are more interested in the mystery surrounding the missing timepiece and Owen’s lost memories.

In this historical fantasy, you’ll be transported to a world where the graveyard is perilous in more ways than one from the watchmen who will hold you at gun point to the resurrectionists robbing graves for a sum. But don’t expect the magic to be more than a side piece to the mystery.

The best feature of Magic Dark and Strange was the characters. The villains were villainous and our protagonists were endearing and brave. I love soft boys, so I was obsessed with Owen. He brought so much to the story and deserved every good thing in the world.

I also liked the way the story built up as there was a twist I didn't see coming at all but that made complete sense. I enjoyed the idea of everyone trying to get this timepiece in order to have power or keep others from having that power, and it really made the motivations clear for the characters. The writing was also very atmospheric, and I felt like I was actually in a graveyard during some of the scenes.

Overall, the premise was really interesting but the execution didn't completely grab me. I really wanted to know more about the magic and how people got their abilities, especially Catherine. I still thought it was worth the read for the characters though as we got to see how sweet Owen was and how Guy and Catherine's relationship developed.

From the blurb I was very excited to read this book and the cover griped me from the first view but the story was just ok. This a pretty quick read but I felt that we only scratched the surface of what this story could have been. There was mystery and magic but there are was so much that wasn't discussed, like how the magic worked, who has it, can anyone wield it, etc.? I liked the characters and kind of wished for a bit more romance or more on how the family visit went. The story was good but also unfortunately I have to say forgettable, such as in a few weeks I will have forgotten about it and moved on.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When I was pitched this book, I couldn’t resist it. Between the synopsis and cover, I was intrigued.

I liked Catherine. She’s smart and good and wants the best for the people she cares about. Guy is a charming, adorable marshmallow and Owen is filled with awkwardness, but rightfully so.

Plot wise, it felt like I was dropped in the middle of a story I should already be familiar with. There isn’t any mention of why magic exists or why only certain people have it and the explanation of a person’s ability and effect of using it was very glossed over. The thread about the timepiece and the resulting murderer didn’t quite have the sense of urgency I was expecting, but I did enjoy the ending and brief epilogue.

Overall, I was interested in the characters and their journey. This story had loads of potential, but I could have done with more world building and details.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Magic Dark and Strange is a historical fantasy about a girl named Catherine, who has the ability to raise the dead. Catherine works at a printer during the day writing obituaries. At night, she raises the dead for an hour or so for loved ones to say one final goodbye. For every hour that a ghost is brought back, Catherine loses an hour of her own life. Catherine’s boss asks her to collect an enchanted timepiece from an unmarked grave one night. When she goes to collect it, she finds the body of a teenage boy that comes back to life as if he were never dead. The timepiece is nowhere to be found.

The pacing in this story was a little slow for my tastes. I did appreciate how the story was grounded in history, with little elements of magic sprinkled in. The magic system; however, wasn’t as fleshed out as I had wanted it to be. I vaguely understood it as an equal exchange, but would’ve appreciated it if a few things were clarified. Is magic a rarity in the world? Can anymore perform magic? These questions are just a few that aren’t really answered.

It’s an atmospheric read, with charming characters and a mysterious premise. Being just a little over 200 pages, this story is also a quick read about friendship and magic

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this story. Magical realism is always a win with me, and I appreciate it when nothing is so outlandish that I can't believe it.

However, I never felt a sense of urgency. It didn't particularly feel like there were high stakes or a climax of the story. I kept waiting for the BIG THING to happen; for the turning point of the story, for the big reveal, and it never came. There really wasn't a race against the clock or a big bad to be defeated. It was all just sort of....meh.

I love the world that Magic Dark and Strange is set in and would love to see more of it. It was well-written and had enjoyable enough characters, it just needed something more.

This book is focused on Catherine, a young woman with the ability to raise the dead for a limited period of time, and Guy, a young man whose family can stop time. Set in a Victorian-esque setting, the plot revolves around the mystery of the location of a timepiece said to help permanently bring back the dead, and at least three deaths related to it.

It was very well-written, and appropriate for the young teen reader. The writing is detailed, but not over-bearing. It is a quick read precisely because you get drawn into the world, and it is very easy to see in the mind's eye just what the world looks like. While the world-building overall is a bit limited--we only see a small bit of the city the characters live in, and we know almost nothing about the society as a whole--the self-contained nature works quite well. The book is entirely from Catherine's point of view. There aren't any side plotlines; where one or two seemed to be, it turns out that they are actually a part of the main story.

If there are any faults to the book, they relate to the world-building. It seems like this world is full of other magics besides necromancy and time manipulation, but we don't know anything about them. I do appreciate that the author did outline the limitations that we do see; this has been rare in some other YA and adult fantasy. Here, however, we see that the magic does not just tire out the user, but actually permanently, negatively affect them. But... that is honestly the most detail we really get about the world at all. This is aided by the fact that we only meet a small handful of other people - two bosses, a father, a pseudo-little brother, the villain, two friends. While the story itself was entertaining and intriguing, if a bit predictable, it feels so small. Perhaps this will not bother a reader of the appropriate level, but as an adult reader who has read YA fantasy worlds that are incredibly well-developed, this is the main drawback I see.

Despite all this, I greatly enjoyed this book, and would be keen to read another in this world or by this author. I would recommend it as well to YA readers aged 11-15 or so.

Actual rating 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K McElderry books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was cute! It had a bit of mystery, a slow, friends to lovers romance and a great friendship. I think my biggest issue with this was how confusing it could be at times. A lot of people are introduced in a small amount of time. But, the concept was interesting! I love a good paranormal mystery. It just lacked a little on the execution. But, it had great writing, character development (for the main characters) and pace.

This book follows Catherine, a young woman working at a print shop, tasked with finding a magically enchanted watch by her boss. When she can’t find the watch, but the person in the plot it was said to be in comes back from the dead, Catherine gets nervous. Enlisting the boy just risen from the friend and the watchmakers son, they start to look for the watch. But when people start winding up dead, Catherine, Guy and Owen realize that maybe everything isn’t as it seems.

This was a cute Sherlock Holmes-esque novel and a pretty quick read.

I loved the cover of this book and, after reading Powell’s book last year, thought I would give her another shot. I have to say that there was some improvement, but this was still quite lacking.

First of all, I loved the setting. This Victorian city was easy to get into and created an atmosphere that was slightly foggy and perfect for this tale. The detail to clothing, building fronts, and cemeteries was the greatest aspect of this novel.

That being said, so much was lost on the magic that was supposed to play a big role in this story. Catherine’s ability to raise the dead was impactful in the first scene and got me so excited about reading on. Unfortunately, she never uses this ability again. Guy’s ability is used three times. The first made sense, the second seemed idiotic as the walk apparently took most of the time, and the third was a quick save the day moment that made everything too easy. The other magic, that possessed in the missing timepiece, is also underwhelming and never fully developed. The main issue I had was that these were the only magical aspects to the story, yet no one seems in awe of this magic. Is magic an everyday occurrence in this world? Does everyone possess some sort of magic? Although everyone seems to have heard about this timepiece, there doesn’t seem to be much of a hunt for it until now. It was all very lacking and made it seem like the magic was only there to start the story.

The story itself was very basic and never had the drive or impending doom that help get a reader excited in a mystery like this. Other than the first scene, I never found myself eager to turn the page. Everything seemed to fall in line quickly throughout the novel and there was never really and instances that had me guessing as to what would happen next. It was all formulaic and underwhelming.

The characters were alright. Catherine and Guy had some great banter and a cute romance, but they still felt flat. Owen was just another driver of the story that popped in when things needed to move forward. Although I did feel some sympathy for his situation, it didn’t add up to much.

In the end, I felt that this story had great potential, just lacked the details behind it. It was very much a first draft of ideas that need to be expanded upon and flushed out. It was a fast and enjoyable read, but didn’t have much to take away from it. I wanted dark and strange, I got foggy and odd.