Mystic is one of the most charming fantasy debuts I’ve read this year. While not strictly marketed as Young Adult, Jason Denzel’s new book is a magical coming-of-age tale that nevertheless has the kind of crossover appeal w... ...more
Mystic is very much a coming of age, perhaps somewhat standard fare for a young adult novel. And maybe you could say the story, in some ways, was predictable. But you know what? I don’t care. I found the c... ...more
This is a book you should get to share with the whole family. While the content here might exclude a much younger audience, I see preteens and above getting great enjoyment from it. And the story and world are intriguing enough to engross an older audience completely, as well. It was very hard to... ...more
I'm a long time fan of girl power, coming of age, fantasy style books, etc. This book is so exactly my genre, I didn't doubt picking it up from the bookstore. I'm glad I did. There's nothing special about the writing itself, and there's nothing groundbreaking about the genre or even the world, bu... ...more
Pros: fun protagonists, good world-building, interesting plot
Cons: immersion broken at times
Pomella AnDone is astonished when she’s invited by the new High Mystic to compete for an apprenticeship. Though Pomella has a book with mystic symbols and songs from her grandmhathir, and has always been a... ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this first outing by Jason Denzel and am looking forward to this story continuing. I like coming of age stories and this one didn't disappoint. It was easy to care about Pomella right from the beginning. It has appropriate tension and the pacing is quick. There's very few was... ...more
MYSTIC is a solid debut novel that would be my first pick to take to the beach with me this summer. It's a fast, enjoyable read in a fun fantasy setting. I suspect this is going to be a great series. ...more
Though clearly written for young adult and teens with simplistic characters and a romantic triangle, I did really enjoy the ending of Mystic. There were a few spoilers I guessed and one or two I didn't. That works well for me as I like to be right about some parts and surprised on others. :-)
I bought this book because Brandon Sanderson said it was a good one, and he was right! Mystic feels a little like some of Brandon Sanderson's books in that it hovers between YA and mature fantasy. It's the quick-paced story of a girl who doesn't fit in and who gets an unlikely opportunity to brea... ...more