The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury
Release: January 21st 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Source: Amazon
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Humor and heart shine in this middle grade fantasy about a girl who attends a boarding school to learn how to use music to create magic, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.
Amelia Jones always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic. So when Amelia botches her audition, she thinks her dream has met an abrupt and humiliating end—until the school agrees to give her a trial period. Amelia is determined to prove herself, vowing to do whatever it takes to become the perfect musician. Even if it means pretending to be someone she isn’t. Meanwhile, a mysterious storm is brewing that no one, not even the maestros at Mystwick, is prepared to contain. Can Amelia find the courage to be true to herself in time to save her beloved school from certain destruction?
Jessica Khoury is the author of multiple books for teens. The Mystwick School of Musicraft is her middle-grade debut. In addition to being an author, she is an artistic mapmaker and spends far too much time scribbling tiny mountains and trees for fictional worlds. Her spare hours are spent video gaming, painting, and cooking badly. She lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with her husband, daughter, and sassy husky, Katara.
Author Website: www.jessicakhoury.com
Twitter: @jkbibliophile
Instagram: @authorjess
The Mystwick School of Musicraft Review:
I loved this book! If you want to read a story which takes place in a magical school like Hogwarts but using musical instruments as wands, this is the book! The entire story had me hooked from the first page and I loved every minute of it!
Amelia is just perfect as the main character! My heart went out for her throughout the story. She tries so hard to stay strong and prove herself, even though almost everyone gives up on her. Whether it be her relationship with her grandmother, or her friendship with Jai, or her rivalry with Darby, she only has the best intentions to do the right thing. Speaking of Jai, I loved his character too! He is the perfect friend for Amelia and always tries his best to make her confident. However, I did not like Darby throughout the story, even in the end.
Furthermore, the author has done a wonderful job in narrating the tale. From the get up, the story is fast and exciting. There are numerous adventures that Amelia and her friends face. Honestly, I loved all the adventures, whether it was the frog spell or having Darby conduct in the mountains. Moreover, the story also has a beautiful message about how you need to listen and trust yourself and not let other’s opinions impact you.
Even though the story is a tad predictable (if you have read similar middle grade stories with fantasy magic element), it is nevertheless very entertaining! In fact, there were a few times where I did not know what would actually happen.
Overall, reading this book was like listening to a beautiful symphony, and I hope it is the start of a series!
