Customer Reviews

Manifest (Kimani Tru)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Manifest: A Mystyx Novel by Artist Arthur, we are introduced to an unhappy 15 year-old, Krystal Bentley, who is the narrator of the story. Many things are happening in Krystal's life that she has no control over; moving to a small town in Connecticut so unlike her hometown of New York City, starting a new school where she does not seem to fit in, her parent's divorce and her mother's quick remarriage to a man who is out to make her life as miserable as possible. Krystal just does not know how much more she can take, especially now that she is hearing the voices again and the one person she relies on the most, her father, is no longer returning her phone calls. So, just what is she going to do, now that the voice has materialized into a cute boy, only she can see and hear, asking for her help?

Mystyx is a Young Adult paranormal series, and Manifest is the first book in the series. With such a crowded field of paranormal novels, I wondered how this series was going to distinguish itself from this jam-packed genre. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the plot and storyline, and how it combined the supernatural with Mother Nature and mythology. Krystal and the reader will be introduced to additional Mystyx members, each who has a unique power. I was glad to see the diversity of the characters, so this book will have an appeal across a broad audience. The author really captured the voice and action of a teenager. While the story started out a little slow, the pace picked up and moved along quickly resolving the issue at hand, but piquing my interest for the next story. This was a wonderful coming-of-age story where Krystal learns some grown-up lessons about life and to embrace who she is.

I recommend this book to teenagers and adults who like coming-of-age and paranormal stories. Because of the variety of teenage characters and issues, Manifest would be a good book to begin the dialogue with teenagers on the understanding and differences among people, and to learn how to accept themselves.

This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO BookClub

Reason for Reading: The sounds of a Paranormal YA Ghost Whisperer with an added twist plot was enough to make me want to read it.

This is a book that I enjoyed more the further I got into it. I find that while I'm reading I often rate a book as I go along. This was a two at the beginning, a solid three by the middle and pushing a four and a half by the end so to sum it all off I've gone with an overall four. Krystal can see dead people, hear them, have conversations with them and now they are asking her for help. Ricky Watson, a very cute boy, for a ghost, wants Krystal to find out who killed him and he won't stop pestering her until she agrees to help him. Two other kids at school are trying to corner Krystal into meeting them somewhere secret when they find out Krystal has the mysterious 'M' birthmark that both of them also have. This may all be very exciting to some but not Krystal as she is in the middle of glooming over her parents divorce, her mother's moving her from NYC to hicktown Connecticut and her subsequent marriage to Gerald who seems to hate Krystal almost as much as she hates him.

When I first started reading I really did not like the character of Krystal. She was full of angst, self-importance, rude to her mother and everyone else for that matter, whiny and basically a grating narrative voice to have to read. Krystal's attitude remains the same for a good part of the book but fortunately the plot was exciting enough to keep me reading. There is a mystery to solve and the three teens set out to solve who killed Ricky; popular belief is that the crew he hung with had something to do with it but Ricky wants their names cleared and the real killer found. The story becomes more involved when Krystal meets another ghost in the boiler room, a crying girl who has had her head bashed in and thinks there may be a connection to Ricky's death.

The plot was a fun read and I ended up reading the book in an afternoon. Little bits of information are leaked as the book progresses though I knew who the culprit was early on. This plot line is closed by the end of the book. In amongst the solving of the mystery, is a plot line where the teens found out about their birthmarks and powers, this, again, is an intriguing story arc and one that will continue through the series. They learn enough in this volume but there are many more questions to ask and so much more to know. The dynamics of the group of three who are from very different backgrounds is also explored and grows.

Krystal's home life is an ongoing issue through the book and it just plain annoyed me. I'm not cold-hearted. I appreciate the drama of the situation, but it is one of those things where if everybody had just told the truth at the beginning there would not have been all this hatred and misery for so long. Toward the end there is some kind of resolution, and Krystal seems to lose her angst and bad attitude but we'll have to wait until book two to find out for sure. Because Krystal aside I really liked all the other characters, especially Sasha and I'm quite excited to find out what the next ghost will want Krystal to help with.

If you're one of the people who are wondering where all of the black heroines are in the YA supernatural genre, then you'll be glad to know that Arthur gives you just that. You'll be even more glad to know that she has managed to write an interesting tale full of strange powers as well as ominous threats as well. Arthur has a very real talent for not only penning a good phrase, but also making us care about her characters' feelings. Krystal's anguish over her parents' divorce as well as being uprooted to a new area is one of the strongest themes of the book.

However where the story falls short is in character definition. While readers are sure to identify with her characters in at least some regard, many will long for a little more information & background on not only her main characters, but to her secondary characters as well. Since this is an ongoing series, hopefully this will change over time but some readers will still wish for a little more to start off with.

Overall this is a decent tale that is sure to entertain & while it doesn't stand out as much as series such as "SoulScreamers", it is one that I would recommend for any fan of YA UF.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Krystal's parents have divorced, and her mom moved her to a small town in Connecticut while her dad remains in the city. She also remarried a guy that Krystal doesn't really like. As if that isn't enough she has a dead guy following her around. His name is Ricky, and he needs her help solving his murder. Seeing dead people isn't a new thing for Krystal, but usually she is able to ignore them. Ricky's persistence makes that impossible. During the course of the book she teams up with two other kids from her high school who just happen to share a unique birthmark Krystal sports on her neck. They will need to use their special powers to help solve the mysteries lurking in Lincoln High.


I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the racial diversity that it offered. I also think the idea was a good one, but the plot's execution could have been smoother. I had trouble wrapping my head around all the deaths that took place in this small town, and why no one seemed to talk about it. I know so much world building must go into the first book of a new series, and squeezing it all into just a little over 250 pages has to be a laborious task. I'll still give the next book a chance because I liked the characters, and am intrigued by the connection they share. I look forward to getting to know the other Mystyx and Krystal better in the next book of this new series. I'm also interested in seeing how things progress between Krystal and her parents. There was quite a bit of tension, and intense revelations when it came to why their marriage ended.


I feel this series has potential. Fans of books with paranormal themes especially involving ghosts will enjoy this one.

Why I read this: I thought it looked fantastic and I love stories lately that have ghosts in it.

Plot: Here is where the book fell a little short for me. It felt a little cliche personally and I guess I really don't understand how you can fall in love with a ghost. But teens are teens and overall, it had a great supernatural feel to it, with a decent balance of growing friendships and a mystery to solve.

Characters: Probably the best part of the book were the characters. There was such diversity, we have the somewhat normal teen girl - our main character Krystal - who is knew and just sort of fits in. There's the popular annoying and mean girl, the good looking African American ghost, and then the boy from the other side of the tracks who has more responsibility at home than the two girls combined. I will probably read the rest of the books to get a closer look at the other two characters with special gifts.

Relatability: Definitely has a lot of teen issues in it - dealing with parents who aren't around, moving to a new place and school, feeling responsible for things out of your control... and most of all just trying to be yourself.

Cover Commentary: I really love it. Very fitting.

Everything changed for Krystal in the blink of an eye. Gone is the city and the father that she adores. In its place, it is a small town where nothing exciting ever happens and a new step-father who she loathes with a passion. Krystal believes that her life just cannot get any worse... that is until she starts hearing voices. With a new power she never asked for, life for Krystal is looking like it could become even more complicated than what it already is.

Manifest, for me, was really divided in what what worked and what did not. On the upside, the characters are very diverse not only in personalities but also in social class as well. You have Sasha, the Richie, Jake, the Tracker, and Krystal right in the middle. I loved that Arthur also features a family with a "broken" home. Krystal is shell-shocked so to speak. She does not understand what has happened to the happy family she believes that she had, and so she is trying to deal with it as best she can. I applauded Arthur on many levels for featuring a character that was a little damaged.

On the downside, Krystal was a pretty annoying character. For the most part, she had a negative attitude for just about everything. True, I understand that her life just took a dramatic turn. But instead of trying to be positive about anything in the novel, she always looks at the down side. While most teens would be thrilled or excited to some extent about having a superpower, Krystal completely rejects it in almost a childish manner by basically putting her hands over her ears, and trying to convince herself that this event is not happening. Now to be fair, I cannot say that to some extent I would not do the exact same thing in her position, but I would like to think that I would be more open to the experience.

Despite having a main character that I had a hard time relating to, Manifest is an enjoyable read that brings together some of my favorite elements in Young Adult paranormal fiction. While the story is not completely unique, it was definitely fun to have an author focus on supernatural powers vs. creatures. And although there is a lot going on in the novel, for the most part everything was very easy to follow along with. Manifest definitely has left me with a lot more questions than answers. And I will be look forward to the novel in the series in hopes that some of these lingering questions can be answered.

Krystal, a child of divorce, uprooted from the bustling New York City and planted into the quiet quaint town of Lincoln Connecticut. Her mother and new husband who doesn't seem to like Krystal and the feeling is mutual from her as well, deals with her moodiness, by seeking professional help for her.
With no friends to speak of Krystal integrates slowly into her new school. But when the voices invade her head that she's managed to block out or ignore for many years won't go away, she retreats to her safe haven, her bedroom. "Help me !" the voice continues to ask and "Ricky" appears in her room what will Krystal do?

When Krystal meets Sasha and Jake they reveal something each of them share. As they come together and use what makes each of them special, will this trio be able to assist "Ricky" and get him the help he seeks? As spirits continue to visit her, and someone or something is sending pictures to her phone and hacking into her email will the trio be able to put the pieces together. Will it be the answer to help "Ricky" or is this some spirt filled danger the trio has now become a part of?

This book was a great read, although targeted for the young adult readers I have to say I enjoyed it myself. I recommend this book to anyone looking for something a little different.

Melody Vernor-Bartel
Reader's Paradise
4 Bookmarks

Krystal is a young girl that just moved to Lincoln because her parents got divorced. Her mother re-married and she can't stand her or her new husband. Oh, and she can hear and see ghost. They have been bothering forever, but now it's more than ever.

Krystal is adjusting to her new life, but she has a bad attitude. She is rude with everyone, and when Ricky starts asking for Krystal's help, she can't take it. He is good-looking, and sweet, but he is a ghost. Krystal is freaked out because of this, she doesn't want to see or hear him, or any ghost.

As the protagonist, she was OK. I couldn't like her at first because she was so angry and unhappy with herself, and for me she was just spoiled. But she begins to change when Jake and Sasha start talking to her. They are very different, but at the same time, they are alike. All of them have some power, and soon their friendship begins while they are trying to discover more about them. Greek mythology is involved, also climate change...everything goes in this explanation!.

I felt like there was a lot of things going on at the same time. Her family, helping Ricky (and liking him), her powers. And there is some guy texting her to take some pictures of her...creepy!.

I enjoyed reading it, specially because the writing was great. It was easy to read, it felt light, and it caught me from the beginning. Maybe the end was rushed, I really wanted to know more about Krystal, Jake and Sasha's powers!.

I am glad to know it's the first book of a serie (Mystyx), because there are many questions unanswered. Like, why they have these powers? Are they the only ones?

Manifest is the first book in the Mystyx series, I cannot say that I fell in love with this first book but I throughly enjoy it. I mean with ingredients like mysterious new friends, dark creepy fog, supernatural powers, a couple ghosts and a first kiss that will give you the feeling of butterfly-wings in your 15 year old stomach - what's not to like?

The writing doesn't always flow all that easy due to too much and confusing weather information at times. That being said Artist Arthur did a great job creating creepy scenes that made me feel a little chill down my spine, that happened more than once actually.

The main character Krystal is just too depressed to care about anything, and understandably so, but she just annoyed me so much at times. Luckily that changed during the story but I prefer to have a good relationship with the MC from the very beginning of a book.

Krystal had people issues but all of the sudden she had somehow connected with two of her fellow students of the supernatural kind, Jake and Sasha. That made me wonder if I've missed something in the story where the characters bonded, it felt a bit unrealistic(same goes for the the part where she thought she fell in love with a ghost). Still I somehow managed to look past this and the author did a good job with the plot and managed to keep me interested in the story.

There was a point in Manifest that things sort of clicked for me and I saw the potential for something pretty gripping and distrubing (without giving too much away, there is a serious creep (in the real world sense) preying on the girls of Lincoln, and MC Krystal may be the next on his list. There was a dark, gritty and realistic edge to this side of the story that I didn't see coming, and it added much needed authenticity and danger. But this one almost-stellar aspect aside, Manifest fell flat for me.

One of the biggest problems was the main character, Krystal. Krystal is very, very hard to like for a good chunk of the book. She's angsty in the worst way, pouty and insolent, she's kind of obtuse and frustrating, and it was sort of hard for me to root for her. This did get better as it went along, and I realize that it was an intended progression because of things that had gone on in her life, but it doesn't change the fact that I didn't want to read her; I didn't want to be in her head. Of the other bigger side characters, Ricky was cliched, contradictory and silly, Sasha is a princess who has yet to grow on me (bad sign, as she's the star of book 2), and Jake, who I liked and felt was more developed, was often brushed to the side.

Another problem I had (and this was partly the result of my own expectations) was the cliched aspect of the novel, coupled with attempts to make it a more POC slant. I was looking forward to getting a new perspective, something more like a melding of urban fantasy and paranormal romance. But it never felt authentic to me. Ricky, the ghost gangbanger, wears his pants low and his Timbalands untied, and he speaks in alternating urban teen slang and well-spoken prepster -- sometimes both in one sentence, like this:
"I'll admit, if circumstances were different, I might try to holla at you. But your foul attitude would probably turn me off."
Really? What teen of any background talks in this weird mish-mash? And what teen says 'foul attitude', other than in a mocking way when they've just been written up for it? Overall, the way it was handled, I just felt like the author had to try to connect with an audience so she sprinkled some stuff in hoping it worked, or even worse, maybe thinking it rang true, and it didn't. For me, this was hard to get past, and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. The same is true of the "Mystyx" powers (and the name Mystyx) -- it was sort of too grandiose and I rolled my eyes. A lot.


But even though this bothered me, and I've been fairly negative so far, but truth be told, I did see potential. As I said in the beginning, there was a darker, more raw undercurrent that really could have made something of the book, and as is, saved it from completely flopping for me. I feel like Arthur has given herself room to grow over the series, and I'm curious enough, and saw potential enough, to be willing to read book 2 and see what she makes of it. I wouldn't push Manifest on anyone, but I wouldn't completely dissuade them from reading it, either. Caution, maybe, but not dissuade.

In the end, I went into Manifest with hopes of a good POC take on paranormal YA, with maybe some romance. What I got was a letdown: a cliched story of a hard to like main character, with slang and skin color thrown in to mix it up. But I also caught glimpses of something better, and I'm hoping to see it expanded upon.