Kids, 4-8th grade, are so going to enjoy this magical little story! Whether attracted due to the magic or music, or both! It's has friends and drama and mystery. Kids who enjoy Harry Potter will likely find parallels in this story and enjoy it just as much!

I adored this book! One of my absolute favorite reads of 2019. The magic, the music, the friendship, it was all so perfect! I honestly never wanted the story to end. I loved the mystery element of it as well. I kept wondering if there really were ghosts are not! I could not put this one down.

This book offers an interesting twist on the Hogwarts/magic school/middle grade trope, by focusing on music as a way of creating magic. It was not a perfect book--it was very predictable at times, and kind of heavy-handed with its message at other times. I still found it fairly engaging and appealing, mainly because I enjoyed the music twist. My daughter is a music education major and both she and my son are very musical, so that may be why this book appealed to me personally. Plus I had access to the audiobook from Audible, and the soundtrack that included gave a nice added dimension to the book for me.

The book is a complete story. However, there are definitely some loose ends that invite a sequel, so we shall see if the author tries to do another volume in this world.

This is a fun book about music, magic and believing in yourself. Yes, it has quite a lot of tropes but there is also twists that give it a fresh and unique feeling.

I loved this magical middle grade novel! While many of the elements were familiar (magic school, main character needing to prove themselves, mysterious circumstances), I found that the idea of using music as the source of magic to be really clever and quite fun. It also had a few twists I didn't see coming and the world building was solid. Definitely one I'll be recommending to fans of Nevermoor, The School of Good and Evil, and Harry Potter. I'll be looking for the next instalment!

The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury is a middle grade fantasy currently scheduled for release on January 21 2020. 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?

The Mystwick School of Musicraft has a nice blend of middle grade angst, mystery, and magic. Amelia has more questions than answers about her late mother, and just wants to be like her as a way to connect with what she has lost. In a world were music and magic go together, that means making music with her mother's flute- and following in her footsteps. Like in most fantasy worlds, magic comes with risk and cost which are not always apparent at first glance. Readers learn this lesson along side Amelia as she also has to deal with fairly typical middle school angst, imposter syndrome and self doubt, and mysterious weather and tricks that make everything even harder. I really enjoyed that while a boarding school of magical music makers is fantasy, the fears of he characters were completely realistic. I found how the characters acted, interacted, and reacted to everything to be consistent with what I have seen in real people. This holds true in actions that I agreed with, and those that left me shaking my head or cringing. The hearts of the characters were very real, even when they were acting badly. I really enjoyed the world and character building and hope that this story continues as a series, because I want to know more about Amelia's adventures.

The Mystwick School of Musicraft is a solid middle grade fantasy with action, relatable characters, and a good dose of mystery and magic.

I want to learn to play music after reading this book. This fantasy world where spells are apart of everyday life is so easily believable because it is written so well. When Amelia Jones realizes she was never meant to be at Mystick and it was all a misunderstanding as a reader you ball your fists up along with her. The emotion expressed in this story is so powerful. Children ages 9 and up with find Mystwick is their next Hogwarts.

I received an electronic ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group through NetGalley.
Khoury creates a world where magic and music are revered and student compete to be trained as musicians. The finest become Maestros though there are many sub-categories for magical musicians. While I like the premise and feel she has created a strong plot for her main character, I'm bothered by several of the events that take place throughout the book. Their version of the Capturing the Flag game feels out of place and certainly can be seen as hazing. The illusions test pushes too far as readers see teachers attempt to break students emotionally and mentally. Yes, the argument is there that they have to see how strong their musical/magical abilities are, but I question the methods presented.
Her main character, Amelia, ends up at Mystwick due to a contrived stream of events. Another Amelia Jones was invited but she was tragically killed in a boat accident. The invitation was programmed to find Amelia Jones so found her. She battles with self-confidence issues and is given a trial period to see if she will be allowed to stay at the school. Readers will relate to Amelia's struggles and understand the process she goes through to build her confidence and learn to trust herself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for the review copy of The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury which will be released in January 2020. All opinions are my own.
Amelia Jones hopes to follow in the steps of her mother and attend Mystwick’s School of Musicraft in order to learn how to create magic through music. When she flounders at her audition, she believes her dreams are over. Surprisngly, the still receives an acceptance letter only to discover, upon arrival at Mystwick, that the invitation was meant for a different Amelia Jones. The maestros make a deal to allow her to stay only if she can pass a test in two months proving she is worthy to attend. Amelia struggles in her classes and her confidence begins to dwindle. She also struggles socially as her roommate is the former best friend of the other Amelia. As the year progresses and her upcoming test looms over her, weird things begin to happen and Amelia realizes she’s being haunted. At the same time, a weird storm is brewing over the school. Will Amelia be able to overcome her fears and pass her test and what will become of the storm and Mystwick?

This book had humor and was entertaining. I really liked the concept that music is magic and, when reading the description, I kind of envisioned Mystwick as a musical magic version of Hogwarts. Khoury did a good job of explaining her world and the way magic worked within it. There are clear rules which are mentioned throughout the book. Amelia deals with what many middle grade readers also struggle with, lack of confidence. I believe that many readers will be able to relate to her character and internal conflict. I have read other books by Khoury and one of the things I enjoyed most was her narrative voice. This book has a very different voice than her previous books, but it is still enjoyable. It just wasn’t what I was expecting when I saw her name.

A fun read with a creative system of magic. I was worried it would be too Harry Potter-esque but I didn't find that it was. The overall ideas it hits (i.e. believing in yourself) may not be terribly unique but it was enjoyable to read and I would be interested in checking out the eventual sequels.

Great choice for 4th-8th grade readers who love magic and music! The world created by Jessica Khoury is filled with musicians who play instruments in order to accomplish everyday tasks or to perform mightier acts such as controlling the weather or levitating and propelling huge dirigibles. Amelia is born to parents with the ability to create magic with their music and it has been her lifelong desire to follow in the footsteps of her flute-playing mother and attend Mystic School of Musicraft. It is only due to an odd mixup that she is invited to join the elite student body and from the beginning, she feels out of place among musicians who are clearly more skilled than she is. It doesn't help that her roommate hates her and a ghost is trying to further sabotage her future at the school. Khoury's descriptions of the musical magic will leave readers with a clear picture, and maybe even sound, of just how these feats are accomplished. Her lead characters, insecure Amelia, confident Jai, grieving and angry Darby, are both likable and relatable and have so much more to their stories that future installments are definitely possible. Critics who fear that this book is simply an effort to capitalize on the success of Harry Potter should not worry; Mystwick is a school for young magicians, but it nothing like Hogwarts and Amelia is not a copycat Harry. Strongly recommended for middle grade readers of fantasy with no need to worry about profanity or sexual content, and any violence in this one is strictly limited to tornadoes and maybe hovering humfrogs.

To comment on several criticisms in other reviews:

1) Amelia does worry about her standing among the other students and does feel insecure, but the voice she uses when expressing her self-doubt seems very much like many seventh graders I know. All three main characters learn a great deal about being confident in their own feelings and abilities.

2) A professional review source mourned Khoury's failure to clearly identify the race of the characters as a missed opportunity. My students tend to fill in their own ideas when authors are vague which, in my mind, is a very good thing and usually means that there will be a lot of characters that will look like the reader.

When I first started reading this book I had a hard time getting into the universe that was being created. As a huge Harry Potter fan it was difficult to get into the idea of this new magical land. Once I started getting to know the characters and the setting I was hooked. Khoury has created a new magical school and land that readers will fall in love with. Amelia Jones is a captivating character that you will route for the whole time as she finds herself and learns about her past. I hope there is more to come with Amelia and Mystwick.

This is a lovely well crafted read. Filled with intriguing and likable characters who had you supporting them as the interesting and original plot unfolded. Well worth a read, especially for fantasy fans, or fans of Harry Potter. Truly a magical read.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised the more I read. This world where musicians could play notes to create spells is intriguing. The main character, Amelia, struggles with how she feels about herself and doubts her abilities and purpose, at times. Between the magic and the mystery I was enticed to keep reading and would love to see a second book comes from this!

The Mystwick School of Musicraft is a must-have for any middle grade fantasy reader. Magic and music go hand in hand and create an unique and refreshing theme.

What a lovely book! This is the perfect middle grade reader for fantasy fans. Those who love settings in magical schools will love the idea of music being able to control spells--I found that premise to being refreshingly unique in a market of run-of-the-mill spoken spells. I also really enjoyed Jessica Khoury's voice. Amelia Jones is a likable and charming protagonist. I'll be on the lookout for Khoury's other books and I really hope this one has a sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Children’s for providing this review copy.

The Mystwick School of Musicraft is simply delightful. The spunky main character Amelia Jones, with all her fears, anxieties, and secret longings, is winningly relatable. Readers will cheer as she navigates her way around Mystwick, trying to earn her place in the pack while tending to friendships (both easily made and hard earned) while solving the mystery of the ghost that's been haunting her steps since her arrival. Amelia's journey through grief and acceptance is an important one, and though I do wish these feelings had been explored more in-depth, the story's resolution was a satisfying one. Khoury's middle grade voice is authentic and her writing is elegant in its simplicity, so much that it's practically invisible, allowing characters and story to take center stage, which is just how it should be. As a librarian I would not hesitate to champion this book to kids with a love of music, fantasy, or just great stories.

A wonderful tale to fill the place that the Harry Potter series has left and holds the place while we wait for the next Nevermoor book. A whimsical world built on the idea that music fills our lives in every aspect possible and what we would do without it. Beautifully written.

I read a lot of middle grade books because I enjoy them and because I’m a school librarian. While I generally enjoy them, it is rare that I find one that I truly love. However, The Mystwick School of Musicraft was absolutely wonderful.

I loved the magic system. It was so unique and well thought through and interesting. There were perfect bits of mystery woven through the story that kept me flipping but the storytelling itself was compelling enough on its own. The characters were well placed and interacted in a believable and lovable way. I even loved the chapter titles. If my husband was near, I read him every chapter title I flipped to because they put a smile on my face or made me laugh every time (plus he was a music major for a while and could appreciate them even more than I did at times).

Literally the only thing I didn’t like about this book was that it ended. So if I can get a sequel, then that problem will be solved! This is also my first experience with this author and I hope that her other works will also blow me away because I will be picking them up soon.

this just doesn't do it for me. I think its because I am veering away from middle grade and that is unfortunate