Review: Mystify by Artist Arthur

Let's see if I can get back into some semblance of a routine!  The countdown has started for summer break and my own little holiday in June.  I'm eagerly looking forward to my trip to England and France, so I have to say that all this royal wedding stuff has only added to my excitement to head on over!  Let me just say though that I had my tickets before William and Kate got engaged, so this is just a funny coincidence.  Still, I'm eager to finish up the school year and get on the road.

Before all that though, I have to settle down and finish up strong.  My AP students will be taking their exam in a little over a week, so I'm frantically preparing them in every way I can.  I've also been reading a lot in anticipation of what I'll teach next year.  In the midst of all that, I finished a load of books and need to just settle down and write some reviews!  The first was Mystify by Artist Arthur.

Synopsis:  From Goodreads, "Sasha Carrington has grown up feeling like an outsider, and her parents are too concerned with scaling the Lincoln, Connecticut, social ladder to even notice her. They’d be really horrified to know about the supernatural abilities Sasha and her friends Krystal and Jake possess. But as part of the Mystyx, Sasha has found her place.

Now her parents have suddenly taken an interest in everything she does, and their timing couldn’t be worse. Sasha’s father wants her to become BFFs with snooty Alyssa Turner, who hates Krystal for stealing her boyfriend. Then there’s Antoine Watson, the boy Sasha has liked forever, the boy her parents would never approve of. But with the dark side getting more dangerous by the day, and the Mystyx’s own powers growing in unexpected ways, Sasha is facing choices that could affect her friends, her love life—and even her destiny."

Review:  As the second in the Mystyx series, we move from Krystal in book one, with her ghost whisperer talents, to Sasha, who can split off and relocate herself wherever she wants.  The other Mystyx in their group all have magical talents and have learned that there was a weather disturbance that coincides with the day they were born.  What they can't figure out is why this overwhelming darkness is following them and threatening their lives.

As a short paranormal romance series, this is quick-paced and easy to get into.  I actually like it for its easy drama, not blown out how-do-I-feel chapters or scenes.  Sasha was an interesting character, and although I thought her "boyfriend" came on a bit strong and possessive in the book, I think that was meant to highlight his bad-boy status more than anything.


Although short and fast paced, I think this is a fun and easy set of characters, plot lines, and magical nuances to get into.  There isn't much struggle figuring out how things work, and although character development is limited to our main character, you do feel like you get answers to your questions.  My best suggestion for this series would be the junior high or high school crowd.  These make a nice jump into paranormal romance without confusing you with too much back information on magic or family lines.


*FTC Disclosure:  Book review was based on a review copy of the book provided by the publisher.  No monies were exchanged in connection with this review.