Mystify [Paperback]

I'm a woman in her late forties and I had fun reading Sasha Campbell's story. The book is marketed to young adults but I believe it should be read by all. The theme of acceptance is not removed from any group of people.
Sasha Campbell has quite a bit going on she's part of an elite group of teens known as the "Richies" rich being indicative of their parents money and living on the "right side" of the tracks. She is also part of a group called Mystyx; a group of kids with special powers, each one marked by the letter M as a birthmark. She also deals with overbearing girls at school and a budding teenage crush lurking behind doubt and classism. As if all of that is not enough her powers are changing and on top of learning who she is she just found out her body can astral travel. Without leaving her room Sasha can be at a party while her body is at home in what appears to those around it; hard sleeping. When we say having an out of body experience it means we feel different, for Sasha she is OUT of her body.
To our ancestors, the weather brought about magic and mysticism, for Sasha and her friends they try to understand the phenomena and mystery of the all powerful weather and its connection to their powers and the darkness that continues to follow them. As a woman in her late forties I felt like I was experiencing a bit of my childhood again, to Sasha and her friends I say thanks for the ride.
Artist wrote a really good book that teenagers will enjoy and learn a few lessons about segregation and classism. Good job
Missy
Readers Paradise
3.5 (4.0) book marks

(Galley provided by author)

I have to say, I wasn't a fan of Sasha's side of the story. Not because she was a spoiled little rich girl (quite the opposite, actually). Not because she was a drama queen (which she wasn't but drama always seemed to find her). Not because she just couldn't make up her mind about the boys flocking around her (it was just one boy but she actually couldn't really make up her mind, so that's partially true). I just didn't like her voice. I didn't find all that much compelling about it and when it ended, I was glad to be out of her head.

Now with that aside, I liked everything else. I actually really liked Sasha as a character. Despite her upbringing, she's pretty grounded in reality and thinks for herself. I really liked that about her. She's an immensely loyal person and doesn't cave on her laurels very easily. She swayed back and forth with Antoine because of what her parents would think but considering everything else she could have done considering her parents, I think that was pretty minor and I could easily accept it as a character flaw. She's a very strong-willed girl and I wish there were more like her in YA all around. I just didn't like her voice. I didn't like the way she relayed information to the reader. Despite the situations she was in, at times I found her descriptions boring. But other than that, no complaints.

As I was saying above with her and Antoine, well, I'm not an Antoine fan. Any guy that doesn't get the hint does not rank highly on my list. I found him forceful and pig-headed, constantly in Sasha's face when she was trying to get away from him (not in an attacker sort of way but just 'I said no now leave me alone' sort of way). That's not to say he wasn't a nice guy when Sasha gave in to him, but she gave in. Did she start liking him because she really liked him or was it all a result of consigning to his persistence? I have a hard time telling. And the little fit he threw when she couldn't hang out? I didn't think Sasha was the one that should have been apologizing. But that's just me.

For the overall story arc, it's getting interesting. Characters that were merely a passing reference in Krystal's story are front and center in this one, and not in a good way. The Darkness is getting more and more desperate and resorting to more horrifying things to achieve its end. And this "club" Sasha's parents want her to be a part of? Sketchy at best. Considering all of the elements around the club, Sasha would do well to find her own apartment.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Mystyx series. I'd really like to get inside of Jake's head and Lindsay? What's her deal? Poof she's there and she has powers too? I want to know what's going on with her. Overall Mystify was a pretty good sequel to Manifest. I don't think Sasha's voice was as strong as Krystal's was but it was entertaining. I can't wait for the next one!

After reading and enjoying the first book in the series I was eager to see what was next for Krystal, Jake, and Sasha. The three friends each have special abilities and have banded together once already to solve a mystery. Mystify was narrated by Sasha and it helped me get to know and understand her character so much better. There was development on the other characters as well and the story was entertaining and creepy. I am excited to see what the third book, narrated by Jake, brings to the table!

To begin with, Sasha was a fun and sassy main character. It may seem like she was the perfect rich girl with the perfect life on the outside, but by reading her story I realized that things were not all fun and games in her house. Sasha had a lot of pressure from her parents to only associate with certain people and to only do what they wanted. Sasha stayed strong throughout and always stood up her what she believed in. The secondary characters were developed as well and I liked how not only did Sasha's peers play a part in the story, but their families as well. I've always liked Krystal and Jake, so it was fun to see them again and hear about them from Sasha's perspective. There were some new characters introduced, including a possible romantic interest for Sasha. Antoine Watson was a sweet and likable "bad boy" and his feelings for Sasha were obvious.

The plot of Mystify was just as fast paced and exciting as Manifest. I loved learning more about the Mystyx's powers and seeing the group work together to figure out the truth behind what was going on. There were a lot of spooky occurrences going on that tied in with the real world. The Mystyx had a lot on their plates not only with the mystery and darkness surrounding them, but with their personal lives as well.

Overall, this was an exciting and entertaining follow up to Manifest. The ending was a killer cliffhanger though and it makes me even more excited to read the third book.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews  3.8 out of 5 stars