*Note: This book is not perfect so I would say it's actually 4 1/2 stars but it's still a fabulous book!

The book focuses on a group of adults who were a part of a children's television program called Mister Magic 30 years prior. It was the best time of their lives...at least from what they remember. After a tragic accident, the show was cancelled and the group continued on with their lives after that. Through the years, the show developed a cult following, with many people wishing for the return of the wholesome program. As they try to move on, the group known as the Circle of Friends  spend their lives trying to find the happiness and belonging they felt while on Mister Magic. One day, fate intervenes and the group is reunited at the compound they filmed their beloved show at. As the group continues to piece together their memories of that last fateful day, they realize that there are ulterior motives as to why they've been reunited. It is up to them to dig into the secrets of the show and process the traumas of their childhoods.

I loved this! I was a big fan of Kiersten White's Hide, which came out last year. White's books are great at building suspense and Mister Magic is no exception to that. I read this in 24 hours and was on the edge of my seat the entire time. White's religious trauma from her childhood really amplified the themes of the book. There's a lot of discussion on conformity and fitting the image of the "perfect child" and the guilt of not achieving it. White takes her time developing each of the members of the Circle of Friends. You can't help but get attached to them and relate to their personal struggles. They're imperfect children who grew up into imperfect adults, which leads to a lot of guilt from each character. 

White's former Mormon background also heavily inspires the town, which worships the children's tv show with religious fanaticism. It becomes clear that despite the adult townspeople's desire for "good" and "behaved" children, their behaviors to the outside group of friends is erratic and aggressive. The way they worship and praise the titular "Mister Magic" is extremely unsettling. 

I'm usually on the fence with cosmic horror. I either love it or extremely hate it. In this case, I think it was done very well. The  worldbuilding and the descriptions of the Mister Magic set were enthralling. It was the perfect balance between something out of this world but also grounded in relatable themes and real life issues like religious fanaticism. The only critique I have is that I wish there was MORE horror. It build up a lot of suspense and tension but I wouldn't categorize this as a true horror book. I highly recommend it still!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the digital ARC of this. I loved it!