A fantastic debut! Hidden Strings is just the right amount of suspense and mystery. The characters are very well written and I found myself invested right away. The undertones of the protagonists grief and regrets is very well executed. This is an excellent age appropriate horror novel, the amusement park setting was perfect, and I enjoyed getting to know Tessa and Liza very much! The blend of good spooky story and raw emotion is very delicately executed with care and I can’t recommend it enough.

I love horror and I love stories with puppets, so Hidden Strings was a must read for me.
Missing children, forgetful adults, a sinister puppeteer - these are all perfect elements for a horror story. Tessa very bravely goes into the lions den, but it's not as easy as she thought it would be, as Liza encourages Tessa's abilities, giving Tessa a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Tessa doesn't make friends easily, but luckily meets and befriends twins Gabe and Reya who are staying in the fun park for a few days. The twins are not only good friends to Tessa, but when Reya disappears, Gabe is willing to do anything to get her back.

Tessa is a very relatable heroine, riddled by guilt for having a natural desire for spending time with kids her own age, and torn by grief over the loss of her beloved grandmother. Her skill with carving and willingness to teach others, as well as her love for the animals in the petting zoo are engaging traits. She is also determined to save all the missing children.

I loved the device of Liza's frightening stories being included in Hidden Strings. When Mason, Liza's assistant, tells Tessa that Liza never lies, it makes the scary tales sound chillingly like events from Liza's past. Another wonderful touch is when children go missing in the park, the adults quickly forget about the missing. How terrifying for a child that the adults who should defend them from evil are oblivious to it! It is really up to Tessa and her friends to do something to stop Liza.

Hidden Strings isn't so much frightening as creepy and atmospheric, with wonderful characters and a great setting. I loved the theme of manipulation and control, and of course evil preying on children is a staple of horror and fairy tales (maybe of life too!). Having said that, this delightfully creepy horror story will be enjoyed best by those drawn to horror or fans of Goosebumps. I certainly really enjoyed it.

Tessa is struggling to come to terms with her beloved grandma's death while trying to convince her parents not to give up on the summer camp Nana created, bringing joy to the hearts of children. An enigmatic puppeteer arrives with enticing puppets and haunting stories, a woman who speaks in riddles and covert threats. And children start disappearing. And new puppets are being created. And new stories are being conceived and narrated...As the fairy lights cast a magic aura on the summer nights, secrets must lie hidden.

Like hidden strings...

A modern fable, a fairytale for the modern era, set in a saltry summer when the nights are short but no less threatening. A story to be told under the twinkling lights in hushed voices, a tale as old as time itself.

The character of Liza was fascinating beyond words. Unfortunately, Tessa is given the short end of the stick, and her character is the average naive teenager of today's YA nonsense. In addition, the dialogue is almost lifeless, and the writing itself is lacklustre at best. Thank God for the haunting story, the dark tales and the short length of the novel.

Many thanks to North Star Editions and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Tessa is now living at her Nana’s fun family park after she died. As the new storytelling puppeteer arrives telling stories her Nana would never have liked, strange things start to happen and Tessa is determined to figure out what the woman is up to.

This was a really intriguing book the whole story makes you want to know exactly what Liza was up too. You are given glimpses and your ideas run, making you so suspicious and then we get our answers to the mysterious woman. It certainly entertains and grips you in, wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The storytelling within was great, I wouldn’t have said they were particularly scary stories considering our protagonist Tessa constantly says they are. But the stories were still very creative and added an extra layer to the story of what was really going on.

This is a really great read for those that like horror mysteries but don’t like anything too scary or that will stick in their minds. The horror and scare and creepiness is very mild and not overly graphic either. So it’d be a wonderful read for those either starting with horror or prefer a simpler less scary horror.

Hidden Strings by K.J. Mist was an absolute delight! the kind of book I craved as a teen and can’t wait to share with my daughter someday. It’s got everything: eerie mystery, family secrets, and just the right amount of nostalgia to make it feel timeless.

Short, fast-paced, and packed with atmosphere, this is the kind of spooky story that sticks with you. The drama was juicy, the chills were subtle but effective, and the whole thing just worked. If you love YA horror with heart, grab this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

I just finished this book and thought it was such a fun, eerie read. It’s definitely aimed at a YA audience, and the writing is super accessible—perfect for a quick weekend read. The story centers around Tessa, who’s struggling with the loss of her grandmother and the slow decline of her family’s amusement park. Things get weird (in a good way) when a mysterious puppeteer named Liza shows up and offers to revive the park’s puppet show… but her performances start to feel a little too real.

There’s this great mix of nostalgia, magic, and mystery throughout. It doesn’t get overly dark, but it has just enough creepiness to keep you turning the pages—especially when kids start disappearing and Tessa has to go undercover to figure out what’s really going on. The puppeteer is the perfect kind of unsettling, and the tension builds in a way that’s subtle but effective.

If you like slightly spooky stories with a magical twist and a brave, likable protagonist, this one’s definitely worth checking out. It’s an easy read, but it sticks with you.

Thank you to North Star Editions, K.J. Mist, and NetGalley for this arc!

Solid 3.5 stars! A short, quick novel that I gobbled up in a few sittings. This reminded me of Goosebumps or Are you Afraid of the Dark. An interesting, slightly ominous story with a small cast of characters I liked from the get go. The story picked up from the start, and even caused some anxiety and tension. It wrapped up in a neat bow, and that left me really happy. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy. This was my first approval, and boy did it leave me with a good taste in my mouth. Excited for future books to review. I would definitely recommend this book for young adult looking for a simple story that is spooky.

Though this was a fast read, it was fun and different and I enjoyed it.
This is the telling of a young girl whose family goes to keep on her dead Nana's legacy and puppet show, but the place had gone downhill after her passing.
Tessa's parents hire a random lady to take after the puppet show and more children begin to come.
Tessa makes friends her age but some kids go missing, and the parents seem to be under-spell and think of it all as a silly joke.
Even the ones who lost children seemed to not notice or even care.
Tessa is determined to save her friends and all the other innocent lives taken hostage, but she feels drawn to the witch as if she's being manipulated and wants to be the same.
(The rest I'll leave out🌚)
Though I very much enjoyed this I wished for more as the ending felt a bit rushed to me.

Thanks netgalley and the publisher for this free copy in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻

Firstly, I would like to say how enthralling this book is! It had my attention from the very beginning and I finished it so quick. It was such an easy read. The characters were well developed and I really appreciated Zac lol! If you want a palate cleanser, please choose this one! Simple but detailed and intriguing! It was a delightful read!

*Hidden Strings* by K.J. Mist is a captivating blend of mystery and fantasy, offering a rich, immersive world that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The story follows a protagonist with unique abilities, navigating a web of secrets and hidden agendas, all while grappling with personal dilemmas. Mist’s writing is vivid and engaging, with intricate world-building and dynamic character development that makes each twist and turn feel both unpredictable and earned. Fans of urban fantasy and suspense will find themselves quickly drawn into the complex, enigmatic plot. Overall, *Hidden Strings* is a spellbinding read that leaves a lasting impression.

A great dark mystery for younger readers. I would have loved this as a kid and quite enjoyed it in my thirties. I especially lived the POV character.

Overall, this was a good thriller! It's short but it conveys what it needs to convey. Tessa was sweet and I liked her determination to save the kids. It was an easy read and I flew through it. Sweet and short!

Overall, I enjoyed this title. Was easy to follow along, especially because of the short chapters and clear character descriptions. Didn't find anything especially creative overall, but maybe for this younger audience it would be more of a new story. Suggested for 2nd and 3rd graders....I thought some of the storyline might be a little mature for that age group but it is a different world for sure so maybe that's just me. Overall, it was a pretty quick read on my Kindle.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This is a middle school suspense novel. I like how Tessa never gave up and kept trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of why people kept disappearing. I like how words can bring stories to life and make magic happen.

This was an enjoyable horror read on a play of an old criminal minds episode with dolls & mixed with pinnochio of the wooden “toys.” I guessed both of the twists. It was an entertaining horror novella read. I would recommend. I don’t expect happily ever afters in horror books so that’s why it’s getting lower than 4 stars for me.

I found this to be such a cute young readers horror book. It is the perfect introduction to the horror genre for younger kids with such a gripping story line. I loved the stories within the story itself and the message of you can do brave things even when you're scared. My only negative with this story was whenever they were telling the stories within the book, the author used the same lead in every time, I just wish there were a little diversity in the lead up, but overall great book and I absolutely loved Zac the donkey!

Thank you to NetGalley, KJ Mist and North Star Editions for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has an excellent concept that Mist executes really well. The characters were endearing, especially the main character Tessa. I really felt for her and her backstory.

I think this is perfect for the target demographic (10-14) but I had a really good time with it too! I’d recommend it to young fans of books like goosebumps.

Thanks so much for letting me read this! It’s cute and creepy, and a lot of fun. The formatting was a little difficult, but not too bad.

I loveee a middle grade book! So quick, easy to read and fun!! I devoured this spooky, YA thriller!!

Ok y’all, I’m new to NetGalley and didn’t know to check the tags. I was just intrigued by the description, and then surprised by the length of the book. Now I know this is a book for Middle Grades. But you know what, so was the Hunger Games and I adore that story to this day.

I’m not sure how valuable my review will be, since I am not in middle grades nor do I know anyone who is, but I will just say that I loved this story.

It felt more like a fleshed out fable than a novel, and was wholly original. The fact that I polished it off so fast is a testament to how good the story is, and the fact that it’s for someone a several decades my junior but it still kept my interest says a lot.

If you have a child who is a little spooky and isn’t afraid of old ladies in RVs, get this book in their hands!