An interesting storyline that can feel a bit confusing if you don’t realize the author is highlighting her feelings about leaving her religion and the negative feelings she has about it.

I felt parts were really clever, other parts just felt more like processing than storytelling.

Screaming puking throwing up the second this was approved I was like "Is this gonna be...evil Mandela effect Barney or Ranger Joe?" I'll take it. This was meant for me. I'll try to write a more longform, cohesive review for Goodreads.

“Take my hand
Stand on your mark
Make A circle
In the Dark
Close your eyes
And wish with me
Keep them closed
And now we see
Magic Man!
Magic Man!
Magic Man!
He’s here for me!”
🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖🩷💖💖🩷💖

Mister Magic was a wild ride from start to finish. I honestly had no idea (though I had thoughts) what was going on. The acknowledgements at the end by Kiersten White really brought it all together for me. This is one I may reread one day (and I rarely reread). I don’t want to give anything away I just recommend going into it blind and reading the acknowledgments at the end. ✌🏻

I was nervous to read this book, because I wasn’t the biggest fan of Hide by Kiersten White. Mister Magic definitely made me look forward to more books by her! I was intrigued the whole way through the book. I didn’t know who to trust! I wish that Val had more of a “happy ending,” but it had a good ending overall.

After a personal tragedy, Val is visited by five people who say they were her childhood friends who all worked with her on the Mister Magic television show. Mister Magic was a children's entertainment program that now only exists in the memories of those that watched it decades prior. Val is invited with the others to meet up to record a podcast about their time on the show. Only Val cannot remember their time together and the tragic events that led to the end of the show. But as Val digs into the past and the Mister Magic show, she discovers the true purpose of the show and her role in it.

I really enjoy Kiersten White's last book Hide, and Mister Magic did not disappoint. While it took a while for me to get into it, I really enjoyed the mystery of the show and the cast of characters. Every chapter had some digression to some other form of media, including podcasts, internet forums, and comment sections. This did a great job of building out the world, including the characters and the influence of the fictional Mister Magic show. The book reminded me a lot of the creepypasta Candle Cove in the best possible way, related to the idea of a show that people remember but can no longer find. Mister Magic was an enjoyable ride about the influence children's television can have on us and how the lessons we are taught as children carry through to adulthood, for better or for worse.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for a copy of Mister Magic in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get into this book! I ended up skimming through to finish. The premise just didn’t work for me. The first half kept my interest, and then it decreased from there.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for providing me with an eARC of Mister Magic in exchange for my honest review!

I very much wanted to enjoy this horror book, but it just doesn't grip me all that much. It doesn't terrify me, I have a hard time connecting with the characters, and it comes across as being too derivative of It. What kept me from putting it down is the mysterious paranormal atmosphere that made me unsure what would unfold next, although that never escalated to a level of true fear. The ending does head in an interesting direction that I admire, and I like the ways in which you can interpret the themes, particularly in regard to religion and the world of narrow-mindedness and bigotry it can trap people in. But these positive elements aren't enough to redeem the book for me.

Overall, I'm officially rating Mister Magic 2.25 out of 5 stars, which I'll round down to 2 stars. Still, though, I'd be willing to give Hide by Kiersten White a read.

This book was nostalgic and erie. From the very beginning I was sucked if and couldn’t put this book down even though I had to at some parts because I was freaked out. You know the panicky feeling you get when you hear the Michael Meyers or jaws theme songs? This book did the same thing to me as I read it was a build up. So creative and different, Mr. Magic did not disappoint. The cover art alone would make me want to pick up this book. The audiobook was done well if you prefer audio! Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for me honest review. I can’t stop thinking about this book.

I just don't think this thriller author is for me. Again like Hide, this book has adult characters acting like children. I think this author should stick to young adult

Hey, bookworms! I just finished "Mister Magic" by Kiersten White, and it was a wild ride. If you're into creepy mysteries with a touch of the supernatural, this one's for you.

The story follows Val, a former child star, and her old castmates as they return to the set of their old TV show, "Mister Magic". Think "The Mole People" meets "The Twilight Zone". Sounds weird? It totally is, but in a good way.

Thirty years after the show ended, the cast is still trying to figure out what happened. Their memories are hazy, and it's like the show never existed. They go back to the desert compound where it all started, and that's when things get freaky.

It's hard to explain without giving too much away, but let's just say reality gets blurry, and things get spooky. It's like the show is still happening, but in what world? White's writing is on point, and she keeps you guessing until the end.

The characters are all messed up in their own ways, and it's hard to tell who's reliable. Val's got some serious issues, but you feel for her. The cast's dynamic is messed up, and it's like they're all trapped in some weird dream.

Mister Magic" is a trippy, mind-bending read that'll keep you up at night. If you're into supernatural thrillers with complex characters, go for it. Just be prepared for some serious weirdness.

Recommended for: Fans of "The Haunting of Hill House" and "Stranger Things".

Not recommended for: Anyone looking for a light, fluffy read. This one's dark and twisted!

This is a remarkably weird book and I gotta say I am here for it. I like Kiersten White, she writes in a way where the emotion is genuine and it helps bring her characters to life. I can’t say I really liked any of the characters in this one,, but they told this story very well. In the 90’s there was an accident and a popular children’s show was canceled as a result. But Val hasn’t heard of that show. Her dad brought her to a ranch when she 8 and he has kept her from everything since and Val has always known they were hiding because of something she did wrong. When he dies and their employer puts a notice on Facebook she is surprised when several guests at the service seems o know her. They claim she was on Mister Magic and that there will be a podcast reunion. The more Val learns or remembers the more she knows that something is wrong with the community of Bliss and with Mister Magic. I thought this story gave similar vibes to the part of the movie Nope about the subplot with the old tv show (there were no chimps in this one though). But it all felt creep and wrong.

Clear your schedule, because this psychological thriller will leave you enthralled and enraptured. A wonderful exploration of trauma, memory, and supposed magic, it also delivers as a thriller with the unique concept and oustanding characters.

You know there's got to be bidding wars happening over this novel at all of the streamers! I just hope it's a high-brow one that will honor the depth and religious subtext of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

A unique story and not exactly what I expected from the plot description/blurb. Quite entertaining, however.

"Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this “skin-crawling story of pop culture fandom and ‘90s nostalgia” (Melissa Albert, author of The Hazel Woods).
Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .”

This book wasn't quite what I had expected. The synopsis sounds "goosebump-inducing" creepy, but it just didn't quite get there. I would describe it more as a mystery with a sci-fi/fantasy twist. It’s a story about rediscovering a forgotten childhood, lose, and the bond of friendships. While it wasn't what I expected, it was still a good read. It captured my attention and kept me guessing.
If you're looking for a unique story that is quick and easy to read, but not too creepy, this one is for you.

⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5)

Thank you to @netgalley @PRHaudio and @randomhouse for the gifted copy of this book.

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.