Though told in the third person, this story centers on Val, a ranchhand who has no memory of her past before she showed up at age 8. (I love Val). When her father dies, she is 38 and her childhood friends/costars show up, but she has no clue that she even starred in a children’s show. She’s been kept from having a real life by her overprotective father. She joins her former friends on the road to attend a reunion podcast, but they refused to fill in the blanks of her past on the way.

I’m a big fan of White’s And I Darken series; however, this particular book was a little too, esoteric an experimental for me. The narrative is interrupted by articles/forums, etc. to discuss Mr. Magic—a show that doesn’t exist online and articles about it seem to vanish overnight. The former stars won’t even speak the name, like he’s Beetlejuice. It’s like Momento, The Village, It, & The Truman Show had a baby, but I didn’t think the payoff was enough to wade through the style for me. It was, however, one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review. Also thank you for the free ARC!

This was one of the strangest reads I've read this year so far. It's definitely a cult based book. The main question is who or what is Mister Magic? Names have power and this name certainly does. This show or being is somthing that changes children, but is it for the best or for the worse?

The main character has complete memory loss of her life of her childhood before she was eight. Her father took her away and hid her. Was this all for the best or was it for other reasons entirely?

I for one believe this book was a fantastic book. It was slow in some spots but it certainly built up as you went along. This truly makes you think about things in unknown towns, shows that get canceled that people love and so on and so forth. Are there cults around things like this? Its possible.

The ending I do have to say was sad but it was adequate. Far better than it could have went.

Also the little extras at the end of the chapters like wiki, texts, emails it was all a great touch.

Thank you once again.

I finished this book a couple of days ago and I've been sitting on it, trying to determine how I feel. This book was clearly very personal to Kiersten White and for similar (albeit different) reasons, it's very personal to me.

We have a Channel Zero/creepy pasta-type (mentioned in the book as spooky spaghetti - I loled) of story. There was a children's show called Mister Magic. People recollect pieces of the show. Some insist it existed, Reddit has conspiracy theory threads on it, but no tangible evidence of the show ever existing is online.

Val has been hiding on a farm for thirty years. When her dad dies, someone makes a post on Facebook and uses his real name, a group of people show up, having been looking for Val for ages. Only thing? She doesn't know who they are, doesn't know anything about a show, but lured with the promise of seeing her Mom, someone she thought was dead, she heads out on the road to meet her and get answers.

We learn more and more about the show in pieces. The "roles" of each child. We learn about the chants that taught them to clean, to be kind, to be docile.

We learn that there's something more sinister here in the hostility of the community that hates Val for ever leaving, in the mysterious podcaster that interviews each member of the group, cruelty in how she speaks to them.

The horror here was trippy and weird and hard for me to understand, which is why this book is a four instead of five. I spent the entire reading experience feeling like there was a separate story being told and boy, was I right. By the end, I'd guessed.

Required reading here is Kiersten's message at the end discussing her own version of a traumatic upringing of indoctrination. You can tell this book was written by a person who understood the material and has been able to analyze the sinister parts of what she went through as a child. A great read.

I found this book so entertaining. It’s incredibly reminiscent of the creepy pasta from years ago. It brought back that nostalgia of my first time reading it, but was also new and exciting as it dove into unique aspects of the lost show.

There was once this amazing creepy-pasta where a group of people all described a children's show they remembered. No one could quite remember exact details, but one of the people asked their other about it and the mom said there was no show, that the kid would just sit in front of a tv showing static.

That times 1,000 is Mister Magic by Kiersten White. Val has lived her life on a ranch in Idaho for as long as she can remember. She's rarely left - not for school, or church, or ...well, anything. When her father dies, she's suddenly surrounded by three men, all who know who she is. They remember her and her life before the ranch. They were all stars of a children's show, full of imagination and magic....and with zero evidence that it ever existed.

This book is dark and almost confusing in a beautiful way. It's about how far a person will go for another, about delusion, and about lost childhoods.

It's a big deeper than just a mystery tv show and requires a suspension of belief. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Mister Magic was an incredibly fun and unsettling read. We follow a group of characters who were child stars on a TV show, Mister Magic. The weird part of the story is that there isn’t any record of this TV show existing, aside from the memories that these characters have. The premise itself was top tier. There was something about the writing style that didn’t always hold my attention, I found myself rereading certain parts to make sure I had a good understanding of what was happening. I wish the book had dove even deeper into the horror, mind-f genre. But now I’m very excited to see what this author does next!

This was a very strange book, but well written. I hate how it ended but I’m not sure how else it could have ended. I feel like I’ve had a confused look on my face for the last hour of reading this book. It did keep my attention though once I started. I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I thought it was incredibly well written, incredibly suspenseful, and a wonderful summer read!

Do you have a show from your childhood that you remember so clearly but no one knows what you’re talking about when you bring it up. (Mine is Super Duper Sumos, and yes it’s real I tracked it down). That’s the premise of Mister Magic, a show that centered five friends and a shadowy caped host that taught them lessons. People remember the show, but no record of it exists anywhere and no one remembers why it ended. Including Val, a cast member who grew up on a remote farm with no memories of her time on the show. So when two fellow cast members show up on her farm and tell her about a podcast that is doing a deep dive into the show she finally flees her home in search for answers. But there might be a reason she shouldn’t remember what happened… This was one of my highest anticipated books for this year after I was blown away by White’s previous novel, “Hide”. And I think this one was even better! I’m obsessed with the concept, and the way they fleshed out each of the five characters made them all so rich and unique. It’s super creepy, and incredibly original and creative. I couldn’t put it down and you won’t want to either!

My review will be posted closer to the publication date on my Instagram- @boozehoundbookclub

Mister Magic by Kiersten White follows Val, an adult woman with a mysterious past. 30 years ago, she was a star on a children’s show that no one can seem to remember. It’s been scrubbed completely from history. When her fellow cast mates come to her about doing a podcast interview about the show, Val is hesitant but the thought of being able to learn more about her past intrigues her enough to go along with it. What she discovers is so much darker than what she could have ever imagined.

I feel very similarly to this book as I did about Hide by this author in that, it is just a little on the short side while also feeling very tedious. The idea behind the story is great and it was very unsettling at times. The idea that everyone kind of remembered this show from their childhood but had no proof of its existence made it feel like a Mandela effect which I really liked. It just takes a long time to get into the story and by that point, there isn’t enough time to tell what needs to be told. I would have loved if the last third of this book had fifty more pages just going more in depth about everything.

I would say the vibes of the book are Barney meets the tv show part of the movie Nope with maybe a splash of the tv show on the first Spy Kids movie. It’s a strange mix of things but very intriguing. I think if you read and enjoyed Hide, you will enjoy this one. But if you did not like Hide, you will not like this. While the books have completely different stories, the vibes and pacing are the same. I really enjoyed this. I just wish it would have been a little longer because a lot of stuff is very vague and I just wanted to know everything.

I liked the initial idea of this novel- the reunion of child stars from a kids show 30 years earlier. There is a mystery surrounding the show - the disappearance of a little girl. The first half of the book was interesting and even very spooky. But then it got weird and the weirdness just dragged on and on. For a shortish book, it seemed never to be ending. Speaking of endings.. I did like this one. But not enough to make up for the whole last half of the book.

I absolutely loved this book and so glad I was approved for this one! It was absolutely fantastic. It reminded me a lot of [the creepypasta Candle Cove meets the Stepford Wives. I can't say enough good things about it. I will definitely be checking out more of Kiersten White's books!

You know how if you watch Teletubbies as an adult, it seems like some sort of twisted drug-fueled delusion dreamt up by bored college kids at 3AM?

Kiersten White's latest novel, Mr. Magic, has traces of her previous work, Hide, but in a much more fulfilling package. While the "back of the book" synopsis gives a healthy spoiler-free breakdown, the book is much more.

Mister Magic focuses a lot on nostalgia. On how our memories are forever imperfect due to the fact that they're memories. We're always projecting our neuroses and biases onto the past, even subconsciously. The novel does take its time to pick up, which some readers might find frustrating, but I can truly say that this read is unlike most others I can recall.

Read if you enjoyed: IT, Hide, Channel Zero: Candle Cove.

Imagine that one of your favorite childhood TV shows harbored a dark secret, one that as a child you did not realize, but then something terrible happens that turns your childhood fantasy of fun and learning into a nightmare. That is the idea behind Kiersten White's new horror/thriller.

Mister Magic as a TV show was creepy and I loved the descriptions and eerie theories surrounding the old TV show. However, the real mystery behind the show was less entertaining for me as it was revealed in the story.

I enjoyed Kiersten White's Hide so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Mister Magic. i found that this book was creepy and enjoyable. I really liked the nostalgic 90s vibe of it, which brought me back to my childhood.

I absolutely loved Hide by Kiersten White, so I was thrilled to receive Mister Magic as an ARC. Although it wasn’t quite as creepy as I had hoped, this intriguing novel was compelling and thought-provoking. I really enjoyed the mixed media elements and found the story to be unique and imaginative. However, I was hoping for a bit more horror. The final chapter was emotional and brought a tear to my eye.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

I really enjoyed White's book Hide, and the premise of Mister Magic sounded promising, so I was really excited to read this one! Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The characters were flat and one-dimensional, and the plot was a bit heavy-handed (I didn't need to read the author's note at the end to figure out that White was raised in a strict religious group; that was quite evident). There were also some plot points that I felt just didn't get resolved or were brushed over and it didn't make a lot of sense to me. All in all, this was fine and I did want to get to the end, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to people.

Kiersten White finding a groove as a writer who modifies childhood into ghastly adult horrors. Cashing in on nostalgia of a once popular children show that doesn't exist in the collective conscience. What happened all of those years ago? Why did the magic stop? Can the magic return?

The characters feel a bit more like archetypes but that is intentional. Any allusions to a religious sect is intentional.

this book was absolutely AMAZING!!! Kiersten White is a phenomenal writer, and this book will attract fans of her previous work as well as horror fans and those who enjoy late night creepypasta. I LOVED this book so much, and the story was not at all what I was expecting! Highly recommend!

Mister Magic is a magnetic thriller, twisted up in neon, nineties, VHS nostalgia and the creeping sensation of forgotten core memories.

I’d call this novel a coming-of-age story, but the lead characters are in their late 30s. Then again, maybe we come of age many times in our lives.

Mister Magic was a television show in the 1990s – your favorite show when you were a kid, sitting on the living room carpet with your eyes glued to the tv – until it stopped airing after a studio accident no one can quite remember. Now, 30 years later, there is no cast list, no recordings online, no official record of it having existed.
That is where the novel begins, with the call for a reunion podcast of the now-grown child actors, the Circle of Friends. Most of the friends have treasured their memories as they grew older, but one forgot entirely.
Capable and stubborn 38-year-old Val has lived most of her life on a secluded ranch, and remembers nothing of her life before that. Until she meets these familiar strangers, and realizes they’re the only friends she’s ever had, and joins them on their reunion in the desert.

The chapters are interspersed with worldbuilding “found documents,” like fan-written articles, reddit posts, or twitter threads. The inclusion of this epistolary element really helped to build the mythos of the Mister Magic in-universe lore.

Like the titular cloaked enigma, reading this novel felt like being wrapped up in the unsettling blanket of childhood memories, fuzzy around the edges, like the weird sensation of looking at an old photograph of yourself and having no recollection of the moment it was taken. I devoured this book in two days, which really emphasized the dizzying storyline.

I’ll keep spoilers from this review, but I admit it’s a little tricky! (Isn’t the best part of a thriller the fact that it’s not what it seems?) Safe to say, Kiersten White sticks the landing. I was stunned by the ending, and I really loved it. I was even more stunned by her authors note at the end, and I truly appreciate the time and vulnerability it took to write afterword. Highly recommend reading that once you finish the book.

Content warnings: memory loss, death of family member, child abuse, trypophobia, religious metaphors

I really enjoyed this book. I love to get sucked into a thriller, but often read ones that are fun yet don’t hold much substance. Re-reading my highlighted sentences from Mister Magic, they hit harder with my knowledge of the whole story.
I appreciated that a book so focused on the fragility of childhood is not wholly about growing up, but about what happens when you do grow up. White writes with an openness and a tongue-in-cheek sarcasm that I found wholly relatable as I recently entered my 30s. It’s funny to read a book expecting an enjoyable thriller romp, and then to be seen so entirely and realize, Oh, I’M the demographic here. She really got me.

I’m more familiar with Kiersten White’s fantasy books, and I’m really impressed with how seamlessly she’s transitioned into thriller novels. (I will definitely be reading Hide next!)
The way White offers specific details in character design – like Isaacs big eyes magnified by his glasses, or the subtle twitching motions we see in the characters – reminds me of the very specific character descriptions of a fantasy novel. I could see the scenes acted out so perfectly in my head, like watching a movie, very cinematic but also lending intimate thoughts of the characters.

Val in particular, beside her specific character design, has fantastically full-fleshed motivations and opinions, which makes her stand out as a character and not just a reader or author stand-in. I loved Val’s craving for stories, for secrets, to know people.

This book is a solid 4-star read for me, but not quite 5-star since I wanted a little more from the other characters. Val is an excellent protagonist, I felt like I really knew her and her small quirks and large fears. The other characters had motivations that I understood, but felt a little flat. (What do they do in their spare time? Sometimes it felt like they were only products of their trauma - which is perhaps the point, but I wanted to see glimpses of personality outside of their Mister Magic shared history.) Jenny is the second most developed character, I think, and I really appreciated her arc and relationship with Val.

One nit-pick, I don’t like that one character (not mentioning for spoilers) keeps saying “what I was” and not “who I was.” Feels weird and inauthentic, especially given the theme of not seeing children as objects.

This novel shares an issue pitfall with most thrillers, which is prolonged vagueness and many non-answers. In the beginning, I, too, felt Val’s frustration as she tried to get answers for her missing memory. But at the halfway mark and further, I was so annoyed that no one would give her a straight answer! Again, perhaps that’s the nature of thriller novels. But I felt in the dark for a good amount of the story, and wanted to see Val slowly piecing together memories without having to rely on the other characters’ answers.

The cover design of Mister Magic is simple yet effective — the nostalgic iconography of an old tv and a rainbow test pattern that is both nostalgic and unsettling on the stark searing magenta void. I think it’s a smart choice to choose a “cheery” pink instead of a black void for the background, falsely welcoming and magnetic. There’s something about the typed-out “Mister” that is weirdly upsetting to me, like “Mr. Magic” wouldn’t have been as creepy — another effective choice in the novel dressing.

I’d recommend this book to fans of nostalgic horror, especially millenials who still lovingly cling to their VHS tapes. The vibes are like Child’s Play and E.T. And IT. Yes, sure, E.T. isn’t technically a horror film, but the energy is there. If you watched Out of the Box as a kid, like I did, then you’ll get the vibes of Mister Magic.
I also recommend this for fans of horror author Riley Sager, particularly his haunted house novel Home Before Dark. As in Home Before Dark, unearthing childhood memories and incorporating a found-document element are present in Mister Magic, too.