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.

Wow. I surprisingly really loved this. I’m not sure why, but I had low expectations going in and this surpassed all of them. This book was creepy, weird, entertaining, and eccentric for sure, but what I thought was going to be a casual spooky story about a kid’s television show turned out to be so much more than that. It was so well done and much more complex and existential than I anticipated.

At its heart, this book was an examination of the intersection between childhood, trauma, memory, and identity. More specifically, it explores the idea of dismantling toxic beliefs that are seeded in us from childhood. And yes, it does all that while being about a weird, abstract and mysterious children’s tv show. While it has unexpectedly deep moments, it never loses its pace or entertainment value in trying to drive home a lesson. And it doesn’t forget to be creepy either!

Another interesting thing here is that, when you cut away all the fat and look closer, this book is essentially about escaping a cult. The author is an ex-Mormon and talks in no uncertain terms about her family’s choice to leave the abuses of the Mormon community (and more broadly, leaving any religion that suppresses individualism while spreading bigotry), and how her experience deeply shaped this book. If you chose to read this, make sure you stick around for the acknowledgements. They’re enlightening, and add an extra layer to the experience of this book.

The premise for the book sounded promising and I was interested in seeing where the story went. I found the "pocket universe" building to be confusing and did not understand how the other world worked and after a while, did not care. This is light on horror and light on suspense.

3.5 ⭐️

Are you a millennial? Are you now or have you ever been a fan of creepypasta? If the answer to both of these questions is yes, then you will probably like this book.

My answer to both of the questions is yes, so as the formula goes, I enjoyed the book. It wasn’t out of the park great, but it was an interesting concept.

A big detractor for me was completely unexpected. The Author’s Note forced me to look back at certain aspects of the story and reevaluate. The thing is, when I reevaluated, I didn’t get the reaction I think the author was going for. Instead of “preach girl, preach” I got more of a “did she have to bring that into this?” and “this was the best you could come up with?” and my opinion of the book was knocked down. This is entirely my weird brain and most people probably won't have the same reaction.

My recommendation: Read the book and skip the Author’s Note.

**Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**

If you liked Hide by this author you’ll love this one. While Hide was a 3 star read for me Mister magic is a solid 4. Love the paranormal aspects

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an advanced copy for review. I also purchased a copy for my home library. Recommended for people that like horror that explores cults and healing from the toxic messages aimed at children.

Really enjoyed this and had an even greater appreciation for it after reading the Author's Note. Very atmospheric slow burn horror that gives you all the eerie unsettling vibes. Interesting existential commentary on parenting and childhood trauma. On a personal level this book validated my fears of having children lol. The characters probably should have been better fleshed out and had had more personality beyond the generic stereotypes they were. But this was definitely a read that will keep you guessing while also forcing you to suspend your imagination. Gave it 4 stars. Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for this e-arc