Hidden Strings by KJ Mist- 4.3 / 5 🎭 (Puppets, Suspense, Teens)(Spoiler Free Review)

"Fourteen-year-old Tessa has always loved her grandmother’s family fun park. Once a dazzling display of roadside attractions, highlighted by her grandmother’s puppet show, the park is now struggling after her parents inherited it. This might be the park’s last summer. Tessa, missing her grandmother, can’t bring herself to take over the puppet show, no matter how many times her parents ask. Luckily, a strange traveling puppeteer offers to do the show for free, which might save the park from ruin. Liza captivates her nightly audiences with tales of ghosts, monsters, and witches. She is magnetic and mesmerizing—a master storyteller—but her sharp gaze often sends chills crawling over Tessa’s skin. When children begin disappearing from the park and adults seem to fall under some kind of spell, Tessa goes undercover as the puppeteer’s apprentice to investigate. But when a friend goes missing, she must untangle a web of lies and magic in time to save them all. That’s not so easy when someone else is pulling your strings. Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up."

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Every now and again, I come across a book that is under-reviewed, under-appreciated, and very misunderstood. Hidden Strings was definitely one of them. Sometimes books aren't meant to be profound or mind-blowing. Sometimes they're simple reads, nostalgic and fulfilling to your inner child. I definitely felt that way when reading. All I could think about was how much child-me would have loved this story, just as much as I had loved similar books like the Goosebumps series. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it as an adult too — it’s just one of those books that leans into simplicity in the best way possible. That’s something I think many other readers overlooked — the value in its ease of reading.

There's a severe lack of entry level books meant for older readers, and I think the combination of an eerie book, and easy reading- that's perfection. An untapped goldmine. Not just for children getting into scarier stories without the fear of nightmares, but for adults with lower reading comprehension, readers hesitant to pick up a book out of disinterest or intimidation, and for those in reading slumps who need a quick, simple read for the night to kick-start them again.

Criticism- because there's no such thing as a flawless book. I’ll admit, the beginning was a bit rough. Even knowing it would be a simple read, the early chapters felt almost too simple — the sentences were short, and the lack of detail caused a little confusion. Don't let this stop you from continuing on reading- it picks up as the story continues and it is well worth the read.

    Read time~ 2hr 16m

    Rating~ 4.3 / 5


If you've read Hidden Strings and have your own opinion, feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know what you think as well.

        -Silas Reed 🌿

~ An honest and independent review of Hidden Strings by KJ Mist, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. If you are the author and would like this review taken down or updated following the updated, final release- email me at silasreed.reviews@gmail.com. Additionally, contact me to request a free, honest book review ~