Definitely strange, and the writing style was extremely creepy but to me the whole thing was kind of obvious, which made it a very slow read. I would have liked a faster reveal with more tension in a final showdown. Having said that, I did like the ending, it felt well executed.
Overall I liked the concept especially with the whole mandala effect idea. There are many shows from my childhood that I’m pretty sure I just dreamed up.
I think that although this wasn’t more stars for me, that there will be a lot of people who will absolutely love it.

How do I express how much I thoroughly loved this book?

Basically if you think the film/TV industry is not friendly to child stars, but you also like monsters and horror and how trauma manifests, this book is for you! I can't say enough about the cast — Val as a protagonist, and as someone who knew as little about the world we were about to enter as we did, coupled with the found family that came out of her reunion with her fellow child stars. I also really loved how the actual plot was interspersed with this mixed media about the public perception about Mister Magic and what the world thought was going on. It provided for a great juxtaposition! Basically, this was creepy but at the same time thought-provoking, and I can't recommend it more!

Mister Magic is a show that everyone remembers that seemingly never existed. A ranch-helper Val gets entwined in a reunion for a children’s show she can’t remember being a part of and gets reunited with people she recognises…but can’t quite place. Things start to stand out as strange when they reach the town that they used to film in and the more they remember about their childhood, the darker things become.

This book had one of my favourite plots this year. I love an analog horror/ lost media story and this one delivered so well for that craving. If you love mysteries and horrors where you have to slowly piece together information you will want to consider picking this up. I also thought the trauma and idea of childhood friendships between the characters was explored well and made me really root for these characters too.

Unfortunately I do think this book got a little confusing at times visually especially toward the end and found the ending a little anti-climactic but I don’t think that took too much enjoyment out of the experience. Also if you don’t like romance in your horror you might not like this one because there is some subplots taking place in this one.

Overall I think this is a really good book to pick up later this year when you’re ready for a spook, especially if you’re really into internet mysteries!

Mister Magic was a creepy intriguing read. This is my first read from Kiersten White and boy I was not disappointed.
This novel kept me on the edge of my seat.
The build up to events were created with great suspense and the whole creation was richly created with a great intrigue.
The twists and turns were surprising, overall this book was everything needed in a spooky book.

Ahhh this book was creepy and fun and I enjoyed the ending even though once you realised what was going on, it was basically inevitable,
I thought this book went on a little bit too long - I think some of it could be trimmed down - but ultimately, a fun time with interesting characters and a very creepy backstory.

Mister Magic is shaping up to be my top read of 2023. To describe this one was as just a horror novel, undersells the absolute masterpiece offered up here. I had this one spoilt for me by a review I read prior and while normally this would annoy me in this case, I am so glad I knew that going in. It took for me what otherwise could have been a confusing and strange book and turned it into something truly extraordinary. My advice is don’t get too stuck into trying to make sense of it and go along for the ride. The whole book left me (much like the characters) feeling unsettled and made me immediately want to read it again. I love books that play with memory, and this one took that to a whole new level. I read Hide by this author earlier and while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t completely sold. After reading this one, I’d buy anything the author writes without even reading a synopsis. Highly recommend.

This was my second Kiersten White even though I have all of the books I havent read on my tbr but I'm bad at prioritizing but this was so good I'm so glad I picked it up, I liked that it unnerved me in places, I found it fast paced and finished it within 24 hours

eARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

I've been reading Kiersten White novels for a while now, and I love how she tries her hand at so many different genres. This was the first one of her adult horror books that I've read and I really enjoyed it.

The book follows Val, a 38 year old woman with no memory of her childhood who's lived her whole life with her father forcing her to hide herself from the world. When he passes away, some people she's never met come by and offer her answers but also more questions. This leads them into their shared history, dimensional travel, facing the decisions of your parents and institutions...and also questioning where the real magic behind children's tv comes from.

I read this book soon after reading Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle, which I actually really enjoyed. Both books were horror stories looking at parental decisions and choices, how it affects children into their adulthood, and both clearly informed by an examination of religious trauma. Now the horror aspects differ massively but I loved reading these back to back, as it really showed the differences in tone between authors and how similar themes can read very differently.

I loved the podcast element, and the multimedia aspects looking at the the memories and history of the show Mister Magic, White has clearly spent plenty of time online (haven't we all?). I could envision the adult characters very clearly and loved examining the various motivations and responses to trauma. I would've loved a fully happy ending but the bittersweet end is probably more true to the themes presented in the story. Incredibly addictive and compelling, perfect part of my Summerween reading
(4.5 stars)

‘Your favourite childhood television program feels like a fever dream. You don’t remember it until I start humming the theme song and then - oh, I can see it in your eyes.’
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I adored Hide by Kiersten White, so Mister Magic had a lot to live up to! But boy did it deliver! I flew through this one so fast, every chapter creating a picture in my head of what this magical world was like, how it felt, smelled, even tasted!
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This twisted, wonderfully plotted book gave me everything I wanted it to. We fly between present day, to internet chat boards, emails chains and interview transcripts to learn the tale of Mister Magic and what transpired all those years ago. The world in which Kiersten White has created is so wonderfully painted through her words that the whole book felt like a movie in my mind, and it made me think of the shows I used to watch as a kid, and then start to look at them in a more sinister way…. So thanks for that Kiersten White! Hahaha!! I barely came up for air, I just raced through this so fast, and I implore you to grab a copy! Out in the UK Aug 1st!!
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Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!!

I teetered between a 3.5 and 4 for this one.
A childhood mystery, possible cults, a mysterious looming figure…this is an ode to our young selves and a cautionary tale for the adults who urged us to give them up.
I understood this as a writing exercise un exorcising the demons of a repressed childhood. It was a critique of parenting the hell out of your kid or rather, letting others do it.
I enjoyed it for the ideas but it was rushed along with the only speed bumps being little expositions on raising your kids right.
The horror just wasn’t there for me.
The characters were shallow.
The motivations of our characters were either just superficial or insufficient. No depth.
Read this as a quick dive into the dangers of cult mentality.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I'd loved Kiersten's White's "Hide" last year and now after this book, I know I'll be reading a lot more of her books.

This was initially a bit confusing as we take the journey with Val, whose memories of her childhood seem to be missing. Slowly it's revealed that she is one of the stars of a show called "Mister Magic" that ended three decades ago.

What I loved were the meta reddit posts at the end of the chapters where there are fans of the "show" discussing what could have happened on it. It felt like I was actually down a rabbit hole of comments on a forum or a reddit thread. A great addition plus hilarious at times.

The overall vibe of the book is only mildly creepy but I like how the author explored so many themes in the story. `I think this is more thriller than horror and would definitely recommend it to everyone.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Cornerstone for the e-copy.

What a creepy, unnerving and unsettling read (in the best way). The premise for this book interested me right away, it’s a clever play on the Mandela Effect and confusion of childhood and lost memories. The unreliable narrator(s) only added to the confusion and unsettling aspect of the story. White was able to capture the misplaced innocence of childhood and twisted, repressed memories that surface as we get older. And the horror aspect was so much fun, so creative and a little icky at parts! A brilliant read with an incredibly creative concept.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Hide was my first Kiersten White novel and I thought it was amazingly good. I also have the Chaos of Stars but I'm yet to read it. But I had high hopes for any new Kiersten White book, based solely on that one. And this one sounded equally as creepy and thrilling and intriguing.

This had elements of Hide about it - based on a TV show, a small group of characters, secrets - but that's about it. I felt this was more psychological than physical, and that causes a different reaction from the reader.

It's a bit difficult to get your head round. Existential, abstract, mind-bending. It's not always clear what is happening and to whom and why. But I think Kiersten has hit the right balance. It could have made it frustrating to read, but instead, it makes it a thrilling ride, entertaining, very of its own.

I'm not fully sure I understood everything that was going on, but in a way, I think that works. The whole idea is there's this mystery: who is Mister Magic? What was the TV show? Did the TV show even exist? Who were these children? Who do we trust? What are people hiding? And I think if it was clear cut, we wouldn't be as invested, whereas by writing it like this, we get a feeling of that confusion and disorientation that Val feels.

It really looks at the Mandela effect. Can we really believe our memories? Can we trust children? Can we trust adults? Do we only remember the good times, and forget the negative? How easy is it to convince someone that something that didn't happen, did in fact happen? Or vice versa?

For me, there is nothing quite as creepy as creepy rhyming jingles sung to children under the guise of lessons. I could practically hear them. It really got under my skin.

It's partly mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and a little sci-fi at times. It's an amalgamation of a number of genres, and for me, there's also this slight romantic undercurrent.

I can't give you a black and white description of the main characters. In a way, there is this sort of...they're almost like a caricature, like they behave and speak like the roles they were given as a child, they live up to that expectation, and I mean that in a positive way, not a criticism. They are clearly adults, but adults whose childhood still has this hold on them. They seem stuck in this loop that their childhood caused but they cannot figure it out. They're clearly all hiding something, but they are also having things hidden from them. They're confused, they're lost, but it's not all their fault. There's something mysterious that has this hold over them that they need to break through, but they're unsure what it is and how to do so.

For me, this book is less about the TV show itself, and more about how the cult-like show and following has affected the children (now adults) and the wider community. It uses the show as a jumping off point, but then dives deeper than I could possibly have thought.

If you're after a book that is straightforward, that's linear, understandable and easy to read, this isn't for you. But if you want a book that will challenge you, that is frightening, thrilling, creepy and thought provoking, then definitely give this a read.

If I had to compare it, I'd say I marginally preferred Hide. But this book is proof that Kiersten is a talent of her own, with a very powerful narrative. There seems to be no-one like her around currently. To be able to consistently write these thrilling books, uncovering more layers to her talent, I think it's very impressive and I will look forward to future work.

*** POTENTIAL THEMATIC SPOILER ***

In her acknowledgements, Kiersten explains that she used to be a Mormon, and talks about the negative aspects of that experience, as well as her experience leaving the religion. And as soon as I read that, it was so obvious that was the influence. She's used this storyline as an allegory of religion and cults. It instantly made the storyline clearer; there was like this lightbulb moment, and it all makes it so much clearer. It adds a new dimension and further depth to the story and the characters, and I think it may even be worth a re-read to see if it makes the reading of it any different.

After reading and enjoying ‘Hide’ last year, I was eagerly anticipating this release. It did not disappoint. The premise and cover added to the anticipation and the prologue had me hooked from the start!
Dealing with unsettling issues of nostalgia and existential dilemmas, this book will leave you wondering who and what you can trust (even your own memories)
This takes the Mandela effect to an extreme level. The inclusion of mixed media elements really added to the intrigue and the atmosphere was suitably creepy.
I would urge readers to discover as little as possible before starting this book and be aware that you may finish with more questions than when you started. On this note I would strongly recommend reading the author’s acknowledgments which provide a deeper understanding of the subtext.
Thank you to the author, Random House Uk, Cornerstone and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this unique and intriguing book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kierston White and Penguin for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

Val has lived a secluded life in a ranch with her Dad, always knowing that she has a sinister past, but one which they must never speak of, but having those memories tightly secured behind a locked door that even val can’t reach. Val and her Dad are hiding, but she doesn’t know from what or why.
I found the idea of not being able to trust your own memories absolutely terrifying, and having this overwhelming sense that you have caused an accident and have put people in danger, then having to live your life isolated incredibly tense to read about. The fear and self doubt shines through in this book and creates a very eerie atmosphere.
I loved that Val immediately knew on sight that she knows the people that have found her, and that she chose to trust them.
I enjoyed the supporting characters, they had a nice mix of humour and the relationship they all shared was interesting to follow. I didn’t know who to trust, and was suspicious of more than a few of the circle of friends which kept me engaged in the story and wanting to find out what lengths people would go to to make Val atone for ruining the show.
I like the town that the friends end up in, it felt very much like The Truman Show and The Stepford Wives, which is just sinister in itself, but the fact that the town is home to a cult made it creepy to read.
I liked the style of writing, going back and forth to different points in time, and following message threads online. Talking about an old kids tv show gave it a very nostalgic feel, and reminded me of a lot of the creepy shows I watched when I was young.
It’s very fast paced, and the showdown at the end happens very quickly. It’s wrapped up in the last 10% and we get a brief epilogue, but I felt like it was enough to resolve the story.
It certainly has some horror elements that gave me chills, but it’s very much a mystery thriller book.

Oh, what a disappointment. This sounded like the *perfect* book for me, hints of "Night Film" and "Experimental Film" and everything, but. Big but, while this might technically qualify as a novel, in reality it's more like a therapy session, and one that goes on forever. The characters are flat, every single one of them; there's loads and loads and loads of irrelevant information, the plot is basically MIA, and what remnants there are of it are plain ludicrous and silly. The prose reads like bad YA, by turns Very Very Earnest and fairly dumb, with people saying things like, "I felt so guilty that I lost you, I shaped my whole life around the space where you were missing." Who talks like that?!
How did this get published? Who exactly is the target audience? And oh wow, so the author is an ex-Mormon, and I take it that that's extra special or something, but if you need to write a piece of fiction to come to terms with it, then by all means do so, but make it ENTERTAINING INSTEAD OF DIDACTIC. There must be tons of former Mormons in the world out there (PATD's Brendon Urie being one of them, a guy who certainly knows how to entertain *and* do it in style, while obviously having fun himself), and while I'm sure leaving this kind of restricted life must be tough on some of them, I seriously do not need some stranger's "catharthic" exploits masquerading as horror fiction. This is too milquetoast for horror. It's too milquetoast for *anything*. And like I said, the prose is pretty mediocre too, as is the message; the whole thing could have been dealt with via a mid-sized novella, but no, we need to trudge through almost 300 pages, which btw feel like twice as much, leading me to skim through the second half of it because I just couldn't *stand* whiny precious yet utterly featureless Val anymore.
I'm not a fan of books that need an Author's Note at the end to make sense of them in general, but this takes the cake. I don't care where you come from or what your life experience might have been; your job as a writer is to tell me a story that can stand on its own, without some writerly parent anxiously hovering in the background. Because let's face it, fiction is about story, it's not about *you*.
Ugh. I'm mad now.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of a book I was mightily looking forward to; too bad it turned out to be a tad bait & switch.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It had some serious nostalgia factor - I got giddy at the mention of Bunicula - and was, as promised, spooky. The characters are vibrant and dynamic - Javi broke my heart, they all did really. While I wasn't wild about how it ties up, it's a logical, well done conclusion.

The kids deserve better, and I'm glad they have it now!

I ended up really enjoying Mister Magic by Kiersten White.
I really enjoyed Hide so I was really excited to read this one.

I actually enjoyed this one more then Hide!
Mister Magic was a fun and easy read that I finished really quick as I couldn't put it down!

I highly recommend this book!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

While Mister Magic had an amazing and creepy premise, I found myself struggling to connect to any of the characters. The book was sufficiently weird and definitely made me think! It was an easy and short read as well which was nice. Overall it was a solid novel but it didn’t wow me!

Kiersten White’s debut adult novel, Hide, was a masterpiece of millennial rage. I was therefore very excited when Mister Magic was announced. Its premise suggested all kinds of possibilities for adults dealing with weird childhoods, in a way many people my age are working through to a lesser extent, and I really hoped White would go to town on this subject material. I wasn’t disappointed!

Mister Magic follows reclusive Val as she rejoins the cast of a cancelled children’s TV show to record a reunion podcast. Val has spent the years since she left the show hiding away on a ranch, completely off-grid, and can’t even remember her time on the show. As she learns more from her fellow cast, who are also strangely hazy on the details, it becomes apparent that there was something very special about Mister Magic.

I can’t be the only one who remembers some weird stuff in children’s TV — including guinea pigs with tails, what was that about, David the Gnome? Where White really hones her harpoon on this one is in the tendency for adults to utilise children’s entertainment media to impose and pass on their own ideological hang-ups. Mister Magic included delightful songs about how to smile even when you don’t feel like it, and to cover up and be modest if you’re a girl. The show purports to create ‘perfect’ children — that is, children who make an easy life for their parents. But as we get to know the adult cast members, we see that this has a severe knock-on effect and leads to a lot of expensive therapy! White’s book is about breaking the chain of settling adult expectations on children, and making that small shift to letting people of whatever age just be themselves.

At this point, it feels like this wouldn’t be a Kiersten White book if that didn’t come with a flavour of weird, and in that respect Mister Magic doesn’t disappoint either. The reader is treated to various interviews and records relating to the cult TV show, which seems to have something of a Mandela Effect about it, all of which add to the questions about what exactly this show is and how it operates. The final reveal and showdown are very satisfying, but also come with a hard emotional punch to the gut.

Mister Magic is a great, weird, painful book with a laser focus on its message, but without being preachy. It speaks to what we might think is a very particular experience, but when that I suspect will speak to many of us thirty- and forty-somethings. If you enjoyed Hide, you will LOVE Mister Magic.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White is out on the 1st August, 2023, and can be pre-ordered here.

With thanks to the publishers and Netgalley.co.uk for providing an e-advanced review copy.