Scan barcode
mistressviolet's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A wild Halloween adventure. Action-packed. Magic-filled. A fun and fast plot that kept things moving. And this is a book that celebrates the underdog!
I will note that as much as I liked the ideas and premise of the book, the writing could have used a bit more polish. There were a scattering of awkwardly worded sentences and clunky metaphors and similes. Still, the story held my attention and kept me rooting for the main character.
marcirenee1974's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This book was super cute and I am glad I read it. I do so love it when the underdog ends up kicking some ass in the end! I hope there are going to be more Misfit Magic books b/c I loved that entire group of kids! Off to look up more books by Fred Gracely!
#MisfitsMagic
#NetGalley
#MisfitsMagic
#NetGalley
midnightinfairytales's review against another edition
4.0
4.2/5⭐
(I received a free copy of this from Netgalley)
I really liked the idea and use of magic within this book, it felt fresh and new. The idea that there is day and night magic as well as having to bond with the magic was an interesting touch that also affected the plot and how the characters interact with the magic.
For its target audience of kids/teens, I feel it was appropriate and very well done with an interesting storyline that doesn't get too complicated, so everyone can follow along with the story. Yet that doesn't mean that the plot was boring, in fact I really enjoyed the plot and every point was woven well.
I think my only downside to this book is that although the characters have their own unique personality, they can be very stereotypical at times such as the dumb jock and the nerds and the cheerleaders etc. Also the fact that although the book touches upon aspects such as bullying and feeling useless and hiding our true selves, we don't truly see how those aspects affect the characters and sometimes it felt like it was thrown in to give them some reason to be "different".
(I received a free copy of this from Netgalley)
I really liked the idea and use of magic within this book, it felt fresh and new. The idea that there is day and night magic as well as having to bond with the magic was an interesting touch that also affected the plot and how the characters interact with the magic.
For its target audience of kids/teens, I feel it was appropriate and very well done with an interesting storyline that doesn't get too complicated, so everyone can follow along with the story. Yet that doesn't mean that the plot was boring, in fact I really enjoyed the plot and every point was woven well.
I think my only downside to this book is that although the characters have their own unique personality, they can be very stereotypical at times such as the dumb jock and the nerds and the cheerleaders etc. Also the fact that although the book touches upon aspects such as bullying and feeling useless and hiding our true selves, we don't truly see how those aspects affect the characters and sometimes it felt like it was thrown in to give them some reason to be "different".
saccalai's review
4.0
In a town full of bullies, it's amazing that Goff has managed to survive and is still such a lovely person. Despite the world trying to push him down, when he's needed he learns to be brave and wants to protect his town and his new friends.
Goff is astounded to find that he is next in a long line of magical ancestors. After many generations, history is repeating itself but this time he needs to make sure the outcome is not the terrible disaster that happened before.
The book is full of magic and mystery, and also courage and friendship.
Goff is astounded to find that he is next in a long line of magical ancestors. After many generations, history is repeating itself but this time he needs to make sure the outcome is not the terrible disaster that happened before.
The book is full of magic and mystery, and also courage and friendship.
sofi_thebookishflor's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you are looking for a new golden trio this might be the one for you.
I constantly found myself thinking that this was an incredibly charming book and that I would have loved to have read it when I was a kid.
Goff is a great character who seems to be down on his luck from a very young age and even as the events progress I wondered when it would finally change for him, cause he deserves all the good things.
I really liked all the characters, I found them to be quite realistic and true to themselves even when the circumstances change. The magical characters are also, well, magical and I could picture every single one clearly.
I feel like you get all the best parts of a series in one book
.I just reviewed Misfit’s Magic by Fred Gracely. #MisfitsMagic #NetGalley
I constantly found myself thinking that this was an incredibly charming book and that I would have loved to have read it when I was a kid.
Goff is a great character who seems to be down on his luck from a very young age and even as the events progress I wondered when it would finally change for him, cause he deserves all the good things.
I really liked all the characters, I found them to be quite realistic and true to themselves even when the circumstances change. The magical characters are also, well, magical and I could picture every single one clearly.
I feel like you get all the best parts of a series in one book
.I just reviewed Misfit’s Magic by Fred Gracely. #MisfitsMagic #NetGalley
swalk's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This is more of a Children’s book than YA, that being said it was spooky and fun, which would make it a great halloween read for any kids around 7-12. It’s a little trite and quite long for the style of book, but it has a nice moral to the story and is sweet and magical, as well as being relatable for kids.
Personally I found the narration a little too bouncy and ‘fun’ whereas it could definitely have been a little more creepy in places to add atmosphere. There was also some weird pronunciation. I felt like it would have fit the book better to have an American narrator rather than British since it is clearly set in the US.
Personally I found the narration a little too bouncy and ‘fun’ whereas it could definitely have been a little more creepy in places to add atmosphere. There was also some weird pronunciation. I felt like it would have fit the book better to have an American narrator rather than British since it is clearly set in the US.
dilliemillie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
This is a spooky, scary Halloween story of magic and wizards and the evil plan of a powerful villain. The friendships and school plot feel perfect for a middle grade story, tempered by genuinely dark and sad moments. People are in mortal danger and sometimes die. The main character is bullied at school and abused in his foster home. It's a very depressing setting that lacks quite enough whimsy or charm to offset the heaviness for a young audience. There's also very little resolution for the bullying situation; most of the kids just sort of stop bullying Goff, and then they all begin to get along - hooray!
On the more positive side, there is a lot of Halloween spookiness to enjoy. A talking black cat and skeleton, a graveyard, a Halloween deadline, gargoyles and decorations come to life - all appear in these pages, wound up in a story about friendship and kindness and learning what really matters. The cat, skeleton, and Goff's friends are responsible for the story's lighthearted moments. There are quite a few nods to Harry Potter (a chosen one going up against a strong evil villain, a trio of best friends, dementors, a huge snake, magical light shows) though the setup and actual storyline feel unique. Colin Wats does a really fabulous job with the audiobook narration, giving distinct voices to a variety of characters and making the entire story much more fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bisket Press for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
On the more positive side, there is a lot of Halloween spookiness to enjoy. A talking black cat and skeleton, a graveyard, a Halloween deadline, gargoyles and decorations come to life - all appear in these pages, wound up in a story about friendship and kindness and learning what really matters. The cat, skeleton, and Goff's friends are responsible for the story's lighthearted moments. There are quite a few nods to Harry Potter (a chosen one going up against a strong evil villain, a trio of best friends, dementors, a huge snake, magical light shows) though the setup and actual storyline feel unique. Colin Wats does a really fabulous job with the audiobook narration, giving distinct voices to a variety of characters and making the entire story much more fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bisket Press for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
jodine's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"His eyes ran over the ornate serifs and twirls of the words while a breeze rustled the leaves dangling over the gravestones. An owl hooted in reply, serenading the thin clouds sliding in front of a low, large moon like a flock of ghosts."
By thirteen Goff finds himself in yet another bad foster home, where he is forced to cook, clean and be the butt of everyones joke. On top of that, he is also bullied at school, and without friends to speak of. even the weirdos keep clear. His only hope of escaping is if he gets the scholarship to the Amworth Academy. But during his late night spell-casting at a local cemetery (research for the award winning essay he plans to write), a gargoyle suddenly speaks to him.
With the help of a few unespected friends he discovers that ending up in spraksville, a town with history of witchcraft, wasnt an accident. Thirteen generations back, Goff’s ancestor stopped a maniacal dark wizard from performing an ancient ritual to become invincible. Now, due to magical laws, Goff is the one who must stop the present-day counterpart living in Spraksville—Harkland Mathers XIII—from performing the same ritual on Halloween night. But there is just one problem. Goff's family tree is cursed, they are as magical as broken kitchen appliances. If he doesnt suceed, no one in town will survive, and the rest of the world will fall into darkness. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and for Goff, the odds couldn’t be worse.
I was so excited to read this one for spooky season and I wasnt dissappointed! The depictions of autumn and the surroundings in this book is just chefs kiss! I can almost feel the smell of the leaves on the ground and the rain in the air. I also loved how Spraksville just kept getting more and more Halloween-decorations as Halloween grew closer.
"The sun glowed deep red along the horizon, illuminating the trees sporting vast plumes of leaves in brilliant autumn shades -red, orange, yellow, and coffee brown. The air smelled of rotting apples and wet earth. The store windows glowed with Halloween colors, and each displayed some blend of hairy spiders, black cats, dangling skeletons, green witches and glowing jack-o-lanterns." I mean does it get more atmospheric than that? I think not.
I felt like it was dragging a bit towards the end chapters, and the ending itself was a bit too drawn out for my liking but I'm really nitpicking. It felt a bit complicated too at times and since I'm not the target audience it could be a bit hard for younger readers to understand and keep up.
I loved Goff as a main character, with all the bullyng and hardships he endures he keeps being an absolute sweetheart throughout the book, never choosing evil even when he has no other alternative. I also really liked how the relationship with the side characters was developing through the book and how they stood by Goff and stood up for him when he needed it. And speaking of side characters, Maxim and Bones! Omg I loved them so much. I*ll probably miss them the most now that I've finished the book.
I really enjoyed reading this book and would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read and review this eARC!
TW: bullying, death, animal death
By thirteen Goff finds himself in yet another bad foster home, where he is forced to cook, clean and be the butt of everyones joke. On top of that, he is also bullied at school, and without friends to speak of. even the weirdos keep clear. His only hope of escaping is if he gets the scholarship to the Amworth Academy. But during his late night spell-casting at a local cemetery (research for the award winning essay he plans to write), a gargoyle suddenly speaks to him.
With the help of a few unespected friends he discovers that ending up in spraksville, a town with history of witchcraft, wasnt an accident. Thirteen generations back, Goff’s ancestor stopped a maniacal dark wizard from performing an ancient ritual to become invincible. Now, due to magical laws, Goff is the one who must stop the present-day counterpart living in Spraksville—Harkland Mathers XIII—from performing the same ritual on Halloween night. But there is just one problem. Goff's family tree is cursed, they are as magical as broken kitchen appliances. If he doesnt suceed, no one in town will survive, and the rest of the world will fall into darkness. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and for Goff, the odds couldn’t be worse.
I was so excited to read this one for spooky season and I wasnt dissappointed! The depictions of autumn and the surroundings in this book is just chefs kiss! I can almost feel the smell of the leaves on the ground and the rain in the air. I also loved how Spraksville just kept getting more and more Halloween-decorations as Halloween grew closer.
"The sun glowed deep red along the horizon, illuminating the trees sporting vast plumes of leaves in brilliant autumn shades -red, orange, yellow, and coffee brown. The air smelled of rotting apples and wet earth. The store windows glowed with Halloween colors, and each displayed some blend of hairy spiders, black cats, dangling skeletons, green witches and glowing jack-o-lanterns." I mean does it get more atmospheric than that? I think not.
I felt like it was dragging a bit towards the end chapters, and the ending itself was a bit too drawn out for my liking but I'm really nitpicking. It felt a bit complicated too at times and since I'm not the target audience it could be a bit hard for younger readers to understand and keep up.
I loved Goff as a main character, with all the bullyng and hardships he endures he keeps being an absolute sweetheart throughout the book, never choosing evil even when he has no other alternative. I also really liked how the relationship with the side characters was developing through the book and how they stood by Goff and stood up for him when he needed it. And speaking of side characters, Maxim and Bones! Omg I loved them so much. I*ll probably miss them the most now that I've finished the book.
I really enjoyed reading this book and would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read and review this eARC!
TW: bullying, death, animal death