I don’t typically gravitate toward middle grade reads, but Misfit’s Magic: Twisting in Time was a pleasant surprise. The world was impressively fleshed out—vivid, imaginative, and easy to get lost in. Fred Gracely does a great job bringing his magical settings to life without overwhelming the reader.

What really hooked me were the themes of found family and friendship—two things I’m always a sucker for. The characters were multifaceted and showed real growth, especially the main trio. Their dynamic felt authentic and heartfelt, which added depth to the high-stakes fantasy plot.

Even if you’re not a middle grade reader, this one is worth checking out for the rich world-building and emotionally grounded story.

What worked:
Bones, a character made of bones, fiddles with a magical object and sends Goff and his friends disappearing into a new story. Bones and Maxim can observe what happens to Goff, and the author occasionally inserts their observations. Putting characters into unfamiliar situations probably makes it easier for readers who haven’t read the previous two books in the series. The new characters bear strong resemblances to earlier books with similar names and personalities. Goff becomes Goffren, but he can still communicate with nature. Halstrom is now Halstrohm, and he’s still a know-it-all who takes everything literally. Halstrohm and Lydianna have constant, humorous banter over his misunderstandings of her figures of speech and her confusion when he uses big words.
Goffren is a Verlokken, so he’s afraid to become close to anyone else. The lines in a minstrel song from the book’s opening warn that if a Verlokken stays with a person too long, “Forever your life… Will treacherous… And complicated be.” His self-image as a Verlokken creates a large mental hurdle when it comes to accepting assistance. He helps Lydianna with two bullies, but he’s surprised when she calls him “Friend”. Halstrohm rescues Goffren from captivity, but he’s still reluctant to acknowledge Halstrohm’s friendship. Goffren is eventually forced to recognize he has two new companions, whether he likes it or not. The author periodically has Goff/Goffren keep a mental journal where he reflects on events, thoughts, and feelings. Readers may develop deeper connections with characters when Goffren has them share their innermost fears and worries.
Goffren suspects someone is using dark, illegal magic. Goffren is accused of murdering a baron after the man is turned to stone, and that must be a sign of dark magic. Goffren witnesses a wizard using illegal magic to open a hidden door, and he later learns a sorceress is using it to create horrible creatures. Halstrohm is apprenticing as a wizard, and he’s reluctant to believe Goffren’s observations. Children are also disappearing around the realm, and readers will wonder how everything fits together. Do the murders and missing kids have anything to do with what Goffren and his friends find on a frightening island? The king and queen seem incompetent, and the head of the guards wants to have Goffren executed, so it’s unclear whom the characters can trust.
What didn’t work as well:
There are many characters to remember, especially those living in the castle. Goffren moves back and forth through the kingdom, and it might have helped to include a map somewhere in the book.
The final verdict:
With the cast of characters transported to a setting in the past, readers new to the series can jump in without missing a beat. Previous relationships are reintroduced, and backstories are recreated. This series is highly entertaining, and I recommend giving all the books a shot.

Middle grade read, and entertaining to this adult, a humorous fairy tale adventure mystery. Lots of fun with one liners and banter to amuse. New friendships, and misunderstanders are to be found in Goffren/Goff’s path trying once more to avoid a horrible tragedy. A happy ending is hoped for!
I’ve read all the books previous books in this series and this certainly helped understand the story. So with expected joy I dove in. It took me a few chapters to understand what was going on, even with my pre-knowledge of some of the characters. But once again I was rewarded with an enjoyable read. More is expected from Goff in the near future. Thank you to Bisket Press, LLC and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Characters always keep me invested, but this story kept me reading long before that. What a cute middle grade fantasy! Not one of my personal favorites, but a good book.

The story is thrilling and the noral of story given with a soft and smooth writing style . It's great that the author packed the mystery with astonishing boom-scenes