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Mysterious Ways
A sharp and hilarious coming-of-age novel about a girl who quite literally knows everything , from award-winning author Wendy Wunder.
Seventeen-year-old Maya knows things. When she looks at someone, she instantly knows everything about their history, their private thoughts, their secret desires, their most tragic failures. She walks around with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Which is why she was sent to the Whispering Pines Psychiatric Facility, and also why starting at a new school is going to be such a challenge. Especially when Maya meets a guy she actually wants to be around, and must grapple with whether there’s such a thing as knowing too much.
Seventeen-year-old Maya knows things. When she looks at someone, she instantly knows everything about their history, their private thoughts, their secret desires, their most tragic failures. She walks around with the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Which is why she was sent to the Whispering Pines Psychiatric Facility, and also why starting at a new school is going to be such a challenge. Especially when Maya meets a guy she actually wants to be around, and must grapple with whether there’s such a thing as knowing too much.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2024
23 people are currently reading
12265 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
September 9, 2024
Mysterious Ways written by Wendy Wunder was a bit of a flop for me, I don't know if it was the writing style, no connection to the characters, or if it was too YA for me, but I just couldn't get into this book, it was extremely slow getting into, but even throughout the book it was very slow paced. I don't want my review to deter anyone away from this book, but these are just my thoughts and opinions, feel free to read this book for yourself. I saw that pretty cover, I mean who wouldn't want to read a book with a rainy cover? And the synopsis sounded super promising, so I'm a bit disappointed that Mysterious Ways didn't work out for me, but it's okay, it's not the end of the world. My three stars isn't necessarily horrible, this book was definitely interesting, but for the reasons I stated above, I felt like it was in my best interest to rate this book three stars, if you can't respect that, kindly keep scrolling. It's 2024, there's no need to be rude or hateful because someone didn't like a book, please, remember to be respectful of others. Just because this book didn't work for me, I will still recommend it to others because it might work better for you.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND ST. MARTIN'S PRESS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!
Maya is a seventeen year old that literally knows everything. I remember being seventeen thinking I knew everything, but boy was I completely wrong, I know many of you can relate to that, because what teenager never thought that before? In my opinion, Maya was a pick me girl, she was extremely rude, if you didn't agree with her or if you said something that wasn't correct, she made sure you knew you were 100% completely wrong. Maya is the type of person who has the world on top of her shoulders because of the way she acted, and she made sure you knew she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and you should feel sorry for her. When Maya looks at someone, she instantly knows literally everything about them, such as their history, their private thoughts, their secret desires, and their most tragic failures. I couldn't connect with Maya at all, I just feel like there's absolutely no need to be rude just because someone doesn't agree with you or has different views than you. As I kept on reading this book, I just wanted to knock some common sense into Maya's head because of the way she was acting toward others.
I'm going to keep this review short and to the point because it just wasn't really for me, but based off the information I have provided, the ball is now in your court. If you decide to read this book, I hope you enjoy it more than I did, but if you don't enjoy this book either, I completely respect your opinions.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND ST. MARTIN'S PRESS FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!
Maya is a seventeen year old that literally knows everything. I remember being seventeen thinking I knew everything, but boy was I completely wrong, I know many of you can relate to that, because what teenager never thought that before? In my opinion, Maya was a pick me girl, she was extremely rude, if you didn't agree with her or if you said something that wasn't correct, she made sure you knew you were 100% completely wrong. Maya is the type of person who has the world on top of her shoulders because of the way she acted, and she made sure you knew she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and you should feel sorry for her. When Maya looks at someone, she instantly knows literally everything about them, such as their history, their private thoughts, their secret desires, and their most tragic failures. I couldn't connect with Maya at all, I just feel like there's absolutely no need to be rude just because someone doesn't agree with you or has different views than you. As I kept on reading this book, I just wanted to knock some common sense into Maya's head because of the way she was acting toward others.
I'm going to keep this review short and to the point because it just wasn't really for me, but based off the information I have provided, the ball is now in your court. If you decide to read this book, I hope you enjoy it more than I did, but if you don't enjoy this book either, I completely respect your opinions.
October 17, 2024
3.5 stars
I'll be honest ... when I first started reading Mysterious Ways, I really did not like it. I felt like the book, despite its surreal premise, lacked direction and a thesis statement. You can also tell that the author has not been a teenager in a while. The humour just didn't work for me. However, as I approached the final act, I found myself really invested in this story. And I absolutely love how it ended. The character arcs and themes really found their footing, and I found myself enjoying the author's voice much more. As she delivers her final thoughts at the end of the story, you can feel the surety in her tone. And the themes themselves wrapped up in a way I really enjoyed. By the end of the story, the author had made profound statements on choosing to see the good in the world and put more good into it yourself. She also examined the strangeness of being a teenager and feeling stuck in between adult and juvenile beliefs and responsibilities. And lastly, I really liked how Maya's condition was never given a backstory or reason. I don't think it needed one, so I'm glad it didn't get convoluted. Overall, I was really surprised by this book. Although I really wanted to give the book a high rating by the time I got to the end, I do feel as though the first bit needed more revision.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review!
I'll be honest ... when I first started reading Mysterious Ways, I really did not like it. I felt like the book, despite its surreal premise, lacked direction and a thesis statement. You can also tell that the author has not been a teenager in a while. The humour just didn't work for me. However, as I approached the final act, I found myself really invested in this story. And I absolutely love how it ended. The character arcs and themes really found their footing, and I found myself enjoying the author's voice much more. As she delivers her final thoughts at the end of the story, you can feel the surety in her tone. And the themes themselves wrapped up in a way I really enjoyed. By the end of the story, the author had made profound statements on choosing to see the good in the world and put more good into it yourself. She also examined the strangeness of being a teenager and feeling stuck in between adult and juvenile beliefs and responsibilities. And lastly, I really liked how Maya's condition was never given a backstory or reason. I don't think it needed one, so I'm glad it didn't get convoluted. Overall, I was really surprised by this book. Although I really wanted to give the book a high rating by the time I got to the end, I do feel as though the first bit needed more revision.
Thank you to the publisher and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review!
May 17, 2024
I wrote this book, and I hope you like it!
Mysterious Ways is about knowing too much about everything and not knowing how to shut it out. It’s about the climate crisis. It’s about college admissions. It’s about girls embracing their power and what the patriarchy does to all of us, regardless of gender. It’s about the pressure to be liked and likeable. It’s about how the stories we tell ourselves are rarely the truth and about how we can never know it all. It’s about music and mothers, love and friendship, good and evil…wildlife, Buddhism, activism, kindness, and how to keep trying. It’s about mental health and filtering all of the above in order to find hope.
It also tries to be funny! I hope you like it.
*****AND THIS JUST IN! I'M GIVING AWAY A FREE, SIGNED, PERSONALIZED ARC ON MY INSTAGRAM PAGE.
GO HERE: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7FFV56u-q-/
TO ENTER:
Follow me on instagram
Tag a friend in the comments
Winner announced on 5/27!!
Mysterious Ways is about knowing too much about everything and not knowing how to shut it out. It’s about the climate crisis. It’s about college admissions. It’s about girls embracing their power and what the patriarchy does to all of us, regardless of gender. It’s about the pressure to be liked and likeable. It’s about how the stories we tell ourselves are rarely the truth and about how we can never know it all. It’s about music and mothers, love and friendship, good and evil…wildlife, Buddhism, activism, kindness, and how to keep trying. It’s about mental health and filtering all of the above in order to find hope.
It also tries to be funny! I hope you like it.
*****AND THIS JUST IN! I'M GIVING AWAY A FREE, SIGNED, PERSONALIZED ARC ON MY INSTAGRAM PAGE.
GO HERE: https://www.instagram.com/p/C7FFV56u-q-/
TO ENTER:
Follow me on instagram
Tag a friend in the comments
Winner announced on 5/27!!
March 27, 2024
DNF -All of this trash in the first 10% of the book:
👉🏻“The patriarchy wasn’t going to give a girl-child (or any child who was not a boy) any power, so if girls wanted any power at all, they had to try to wrestle it from each other. Boys weren’t just going to surrender any power to them; boys were content to bask in the golden glow of their princely superiority, which was so subtly but ubiquitously bestowed upon them by everyone in every sphere of life.”
👉🏻“But then Reagan was elected by a Christian Moral Majority (thanks to Phyllis Schlafly), and unless you were a white male, things got worse for you. But even white males won’t survive the climate apocalypse.”
👉🏻“It was an old story like that sixties TV show Bewitched, where Samantha, even though she could have dominated the mortal world with her magic, suppressed her power to become Darrin’s bitch. The whole show was a warning to any woman who dared to embody her power. Men needed to keep women in line. So they invested big Hollywood dollars in big propaganda to make women think that power was shameful. It worked.”
Absolute nonsense parroting every current msm talking point and clown world political narrative. It’s no wonder our kids are so misguided and indoctrinated when this narrative is everywhere. Sad. The story sounded cute, but the constant white male hate and climate change rhetoric ruined it for me. No thank you.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley.
👉🏻“The patriarchy wasn’t going to give a girl-child (or any child who was not a boy) any power, so if girls wanted any power at all, they had to try to wrestle it from each other. Boys weren’t just going to surrender any power to them; boys were content to bask in the golden glow of their princely superiority, which was so subtly but ubiquitously bestowed upon them by everyone in every sphere of life.”
👉🏻“But then Reagan was elected by a Christian Moral Majority (thanks to Phyllis Schlafly), and unless you were a white male, things got worse for you. But even white males won’t survive the climate apocalypse.”
👉🏻“It was an old story like that sixties TV show Bewitched, where Samantha, even though she could have dominated the mortal world with her magic, suppressed her power to become Darrin’s bitch. The whole show was a warning to any woman who dared to embody her power. Men needed to keep women in line. So they invested big Hollywood dollars in big propaganda to make women think that power was shameful. It worked.”
Absolute nonsense parroting every current msm talking point and clown world political narrative. It’s no wonder our kids are so misguided and indoctrinated when this narrative is everywhere. Sad. The story sounded cute, but the constant white male hate and climate change rhetoric ruined it for me. No thank you.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley.
July 27, 2024
Well, that was a disappointment... Although the novel seemed to have an interesting premise, it didn't come across as being a cohesive narrative. The multiple points of view didn't dovetail with each other, which then led to an almost scatter-brained story. And, I don't appreciate novels where the author's political views gets imbued into the storyline. One star DNF at 19%
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.
May 19, 2024
5 ⭐️.
Thank you to the author, publisher & Goodreads for this book, won in a giveaway.
This book was so amusing. The author perfectly captures how a teenage girl’s brain works lol. The book is factual, humorous, and filled with all the teenage shenanigans you can think of. I appreciate the delicacy, but honesty, that the topic of mental is approached. As a teenager that was institutionalized, I appreciate how normalized things were in this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher & Goodreads for this book, won in a giveaway.
This book was so amusing. The author perfectly captures how a teenage girl’s brain works lol. The book is factual, humorous, and filled with all the teenage shenanigans you can think of. I appreciate the delicacy, but honesty, that the topic of mental is approached. As a teenager that was institutionalized, I appreciate how normalized things were in this book.
April 14, 2024
This was a tough book to get through because it was so out of touch and every other sentence was a generalized stereotype. The main character, Maya, is supposed to be an all-knowing teen, but doesn’t really know how to be around other people. It was an interesting concept, but poorly executed.
I am gen z, but all the gen z characters (including maya) felt like some gen x’er had a conversation with a gen z on what they thought gen z was like and then only remember half the conversation and filled in the rest from the stereotypes. This book missed the nuance of people by a mile and replaced it with horoscopes, religion, and stereotypes to explain why people do stuff. It was a really unbearable book to read. The first third of the book is the worst, and while it gets a bit better around the halfway mark when the actual story starts, it is still hard to get to the story through the paragraphs of rambling about unimportant stuff. I never felt connected to any of the characters because they never felt like real people. Overall this was a book disappointing read.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am gen z, but all the gen z characters (including maya) felt like some gen x’er had a conversation with a gen z on what they thought gen z was like and then only remember half the conversation and filled in the rest from the stereotypes. This book missed the nuance of people by a mile and replaced it with horoscopes, religion, and stereotypes to explain why people do stuff. It was a really unbearable book to read. The first third of the book is the worst, and while it gets a bit better around the halfway mark when the actual story starts, it is still hard to get to the story through the paragraphs of rambling about unimportant stuff. I never felt connected to any of the characters because they never felt like real people. Overall this was a book disappointing read.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2024
Teenager Maya has a gift: She's can look at someone and know everything about them. But when she's placed in a psychiatric facility, she learns that knowing too much can be a curse. Until she's released and finds her gift can be used for good. Powerful!
August 26, 2024
Picked this up from the damaged cart at work. This was ok, felt like a good story and character in there, but she got lost somewhere between the Tesco and the Texaco.
Read
November 20, 2024easily one of the worst books I have ever read.
Not only was the main character the most annoying person alive, the plot was completely nonexistent.
Not only was the main character the most annoying person alive, the plot was completely nonexistent.
March 21, 2024
Maya can not only read minds, she knows everything about a person. She can mentally help heal people. Of course this is pretty overwhelming, so she finds herself in a psychiatric facility. Once she gets out, she needs to assimilate back to life and school.
Sounds like a great premise, right? Thats what I thought.
But I couldn't get into this book. I couldn't connect with Maya. And the writing felt like it was written as if an adult were trying to sound like a teenager.
I did read the entire book, which I often will not do if I can't get into it. But this held my interest just enough. But overall, I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was ok.
I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.
Sounds like a great premise, right? Thats what I thought.
But I couldn't get into this book. I couldn't connect with Maya. And the writing felt like it was written as if an adult were trying to sound like a teenager.
I did read the entire book, which I often will not do if I can't get into it. But this held my interest just enough. But overall, I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was ok.
I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.
September 2, 2024
Rating: 1/5 Stars
Pub Day: 8/27
•
Woooooofff.. Alright, I tried to be nice while writing this, but I don’t think its going to be that nice. Also this entire review is basically going to be a spoiler, if you plan to read it, you can move on, otherwise enjoy my ranting??
•
This story sounded unique, I was intrigued. Thought it would be like a cozy YA mystery of sorts with magical realism since the girl could know everything about a person…. WRONG… Right from the start until I finished (why do I refuse to DNF…) I felt like I was in a lecture… by a teen… who was really a boomer…. And lets not even get started on the dialogue…. it’s just got to goooo.
•
The main character, Mara is the definition of insufferable. Majority of the characters are if im being honest… And this book is the definition of all of the biggest social / news issues. Climate change, Rublicans vs Democrats, damn the patriarchy, feminism, religion.. If its something that could be considered a touchy subject, dont worry its in there. For me personally this is all a hard no, I read to escape, not to hear someone else’s POV on these matters. If you want to do it and make it funny - absolutely I’m game, but not in such a serious tone.
•
Also does NO ONE want to address the fact this child has a severe supiorority complex that not a single one of the adults address? I mean come on the kid clearly states NUMEROUS times that she believes she’s God…. (insert the 1 million eye roll emojis)
•
The entire story is just one big stereotype and there were way too attempts at referencing different things that this entire story became a jumbled mess. I am not even sure what the point of the story was. There were so many different flight of ideas that this was just so disjointed.
•
I listened to this one on audiobook.. Georgina Sadler narrated this one and she did fine, I just really didn’t like to story so I cant say much about the audio…
•
I can honestly say that I 100% was not the targeted audience for this book. Some people, will love it, and good for them, this was just not for me and unfortunately I cannot recommend it. I’m mad I wasted my time. Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Went Wunder for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Day: 8/27
•
Woooooofff.. Alright, I tried to be nice while writing this, but I don’t think its going to be that nice. Also this entire review is basically going to be a spoiler, if you plan to read it, you can move on, otherwise enjoy my ranting??
•
This story sounded unique, I was intrigued. Thought it would be like a cozy YA mystery of sorts with magical realism since the girl could know everything about a person…. WRONG… Right from the start until I finished (why do I refuse to DNF…) I felt like I was in a lecture… by a teen… who was really a boomer…. And lets not even get started on the dialogue…. it’s just got to goooo.
•
The main character, Mara is the definition of insufferable. Majority of the characters are if im being honest… And this book is the definition of all of the biggest social / news issues. Climate change, Rublicans vs Democrats, damn the patriarchy, feminism, religion.. If its something that could be considered a touchy subject, dont worry its in there. For me personally this is all a hard no, I read to escape, not to hear someone else’s POV on these matters. If you want to do it and make it funny - absolutely I’m game, but not in such a serious tone.
•
Also does NO ONE want to address the fact this child has a severe supiorority complex that not a single one of the adults address? I mean come on the kid clearly states NUMEROUS times that she believes she’s God…. (insert the 1 million eye roll emojis)
•
The entire story is just one big stereotype and there were way too attempts at referencing different things that this entire story became a jumbled mess. I am not even sure what the point of the story was. There were so many different flight of ideas that this was just so disjointed.
•
I listened to this one on audiobook.. Georgina Sadler narrated this one and she did fine, I just really didn’t like to story so I cant say much about the audio…
•
I can honestly say that I 100% was not the targeted audience for this book. Some people, will love it, and good for them, this was just not for me and unfortunately I cannot recommend it. I’m mad I wasted my time. Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Went Wunder for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
March 12, 2024
A physical copy of MYSTERIOUS WAYS was provided via the Goodreads' giveaway program. I am not being compensated for this review, and my review is not influenced by receiving the book for free.
DNF'd at page 178 of the ARC copy. This was a painful slog, filled with incredibly unlikable characters written by someone who doesn't have a firm grasp on how young people talk or think or act like. The main character is insufferable, and her 'romance' with her male classmate seems out of the blue and not convincing. Maya is very much written like the author didn't want to research what a actual teenager in the 2020s would be like, so she is given abilities and qualities to other her just so she can be different enough that it doesn't matter how non-teen she acts.
The "Maya looks at everyone and knows them" bit isn't even interesting enough to keep my attention. Plus, she can do that -and- give people subliminal messaging and suggestive thoughts whenever she can? That doesn't seem like the actions of someone who hates her abilities! There didn't seem to be any part of Maya grappling with the moral implications of being able to manipulate people's thoughts, just how it impacts -her- to hear all of these things.
There is a content warning for suicide at the start of the book, but not for eating disorders or sexual assault, which also come up during the part of the book I read. I have seen much more thoughtful and descriptive (without spoiling the book) content warnings than this one.
This book, from the marketing to the cover, wants to sell itself as a cute, funny tragicomedy romance, and it doesn't deliver on any of those promises. I couldn't finish it, which is a shame, because I always try to at least finish the giveaway books I win on here. Maybe it'll find its reader with someone else, but this one wasn't for me.
DNF'd at page 178 of the ARC copy. This was a painful slog, filled with incredibly unlikable characters written by someone who doesn't have a firm grasp on how young people talk or think or act like. The main character is insufferable, and her 'romance' with her male classmate seems out of the blue and not convincing. Maya is very much written like the author didn't want to research what a actual teenager in the 2020s would be like, so she is given abilities and qualities to other her just so she can be different enough that it doesn't matter how non-teen she acts.
The "Maya looks at everyone and knows them" bit isn't even interesting enough to keep my attention. Plus, she can do that -and- give people subliminal messaging and suggestive thoughts whenever she can? That doesn't seem like the actions of someone who hates her abilities! There didn't seem to be any part of Maya grappling with the moral implications of being able to manipulate people's thoughts, just how it impacts -her- to hear all of these things.
There is a content warning for suicide at the start of the book, but not for eating disorders or sexual assault, which also come up during the part of the book I read. I have seen much more thoughtful and descriptive (without spoiling the book) content warnings than this one.
This book, from the marketing to the cover, wants to sell itself as a cute, funny tragicomedy romance, and it doesn't deliver on any of those promises. I couldn't finish it, which is a shame, because I always try to at least finish the giveaway books I win on here. Maybe it'll find its reader with someone else, but this one wasn't for me.
July 4, 2024
1 Star ⭐️
YA Contemporary
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an audio ARC in return for my honest review.
Audio 🎧
Narrator 3/5
DNF @ 10%
Mysterious ways sounded pretty good given its description. It was supposed to be a book with a little magical realism and I wanted to see where the author would go with it. The main character has a power and can hear everyone’s thoughts, but it becomes too much and she ends up getting put in a psychiatric facility to help her balance her thoughts.
I read YA books because sometimes you can find a hidden gem. Also, I read them to find books to recommend to my kids. But this was absolutely awful - and I only made it 10% in, I can’t even imagine the rest of it. The first 10% felt like literal hell. It seemed like the author took all the talking points from the news and just slammed them into to this book. It started off with a trigger warning for suicide then straight into a girl reading the Bible and basically explaining how God makes all these mistakes and lies. Next, the feminist agenda was thrust upon the reader. Then, all the thoughts of the teenagers were just absolutely awful. Race, gender, religion, shaming- I could go on and on but I’m just disgusted with some YA writers feeling they need to make books like this. People wonder why the majority of our youth today act the way they do, with this type of garbage indoctrination, it is no wonder. I really don’t like DNF a book but I personally just could not keep going.
YA Contemporary
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an audio ARC in return for my honest review.
Audio 🎧
Narrator 3/5
DNF @ 10%
Mysterious ways sounded pretty good given its description. It was supposed to be a book with a little magical realism and I wanted to see where the author would go with it. The main character has a power and can hear everyone’s thoughts, but it becomes too much and she ends up getting put in a psychiatric facility to help her balance her thoughts.
I read YA books because sometimes you can find a hidden gem. Also, I read them to find books to recommend to my kids. But this was absolutely awful - and I only made it 10% in, I can’t even imagine the rest of it. The first 10% felt like literal hell. It seemed like the author took all the talking points from the news and just slammed them into to this book. It started off with a trigger warning for suicide then straight into a girl reading the Bible and basically explaining how God makes all these mistakes and lies. Next, the feminist agenda was thrust upon the reader. Then, all the thoughts of the teenagers were just absolutely awful. Race, gender, religion, shaming- I could go on and on but I’m just disgusted with some YA writers feeling they need to make books like this. People wonder why the majority of our youth today act the way they do, with this type of garbage indoctrination, it is no wonder. I really don’t like DNF a book but I personally just could not keep going.
August 17, 2024
Mysterious Ways is an insightful coming of age YA novel featuring Maya, a clairvoyant 17 year old. Maya struggles with the weight of hearing everyone’s inner thoughts, but it makes her empathic. She looks for the “why” behind people’s actions. This struck me, as I’ve found it’s important be kind, since no one knows what anyone else is going through.
As the mother of 2 teenagers, I thought the author was able to accurately capture this “anxiety generation”, with references to The Common App, grade inflation, always knowing the nearest exit in case of an active shooter, the mental health room at school, and “fighting the patriarchy”. The book was slow for me at times, not being the target audience, with an occasional over abundance of ancillary characters and subplots. I listened to the audio version and thought the single female narrator did a good job overall. I would recommend this to YA fans looking for a realistic teenage coming of age story. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Favorite quote: “Having hope is more important than getting what you hope for”
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
As the mother of 2 teenagers, I thought the author was able to accurately capture this “anxiety generation”, with references to The Common App, grade inflation, always knowing the nearest exit in case of an active shooter, the mental health room at school, and “fighting the patriarchy”. The book was slow for me at times, not being the target audience, with an occasional over abundance of ancillary characters and subplots. I listened to the audio version and thought the single female narrator did a good job overall. I would recommend this to YA fans looking for a realistic teenage coming of age story. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Favorite quote: “Having hope is more important than getting what you hope for”
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2024
~Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!~
This book felt like a lecture. The worst kind of lecture where you already know everything the teacher is talking about, but you're forced to sit through it because you need the credits.
Off the back, this book repeatedly punches you in the face about patriarchy, girls with severe body issues, self harm, etc. Normally, I'm all for these things! Yes, delve into those issues! But this book is not subtle about it, and any of what's said purely surface level.
It seems like Wunder was trying to show off how nuanced and progressive she is with the kids, but, in reality, it just takes away from the story and characters. It's really insulting to the readers intelligence, especially to teen readers, this book's primary demographic, when the author talks down to them like this.
Anyway, I cannot for the life of me recommend this book. Save yourself the lecture and go engage with other books than this.
This book felt like a lecture. The worst kind of lecture where you already know everything the teacher is talking about, but you're forced to sit through it because you need the credits.
Off the back, this book repeatedly punches you in the face about patriarchy, girls with severe body issues, self harm, etc. Normally, I'm all for these things! Yes, delve into those issues! But this book is not subtle about it, and any of what's said purely surface level.
It seems like Wunder was trying to show off how nuanced and progressive she is with the kids, but, in reality, it just takes away from the story and characters. It's really insulting to the readers intelligence, especially to teen readers, this book's primary demographic, when the author talks down to them like this.
Anyway, I cannot for the life of me recommend this book. Save yourself the lecture and go engage with other books than this.
December 9, 2024
This book is probably the most criminally underrated book I’ve ever stumbled upon on Goodreads. I felt a need to do it some justice by way of a thorough written review. Here are 5 reasons why this book is great, though there are many more:
1) The setting, New Hope, PA is the perfect place for this book to take place. For anyone who has never seen the magic in person, just know, the community is actually as cool as it’s described in the book. I didn’t know the book was set in New Hope when I borrowed it from the library, and was pleasantly surprised, as it’s where my grandmother lives. Mysterious Ways indeed. Wendy does a fantastic job of capturing New Hope’s whimsy.
2) Maya. Maya is an absolutely fantastic main character. She’s complex, funny, insightful, creative, kind and just awesome overall. Anyone on here labelling her as insufferable has probably forgotten what it feels like to be a teenage girl navigating your way through a complex internal and external world. Maya does so with grace, humour and deep insight. As a mid 20s gal who still remembers what navigating teenage girlhood was like, Wendy captured the experience extremely well.
3) This book is very self aware of the world in which it takes place. It has been accused in the reviews of being heavy handed with its politics/“touchy subjects” to which I’m curious if any of the reviewers have spent any time in even vaguely left leaning communities. To be blunt, I feel like the only way this book could come across as politically heavy handed, would be if your only source of current events is Fox News.
4) The pacing and plot is delightful. Once again, this book has been accused of being too all over the place or lacking a cohesive narrative. I found the complete opposite to be true, the story had good pacing, made sense, delved into the lives and minds of many characters in a way that really gave you insight into Maya’s larger community of peers, family and loved ones. The creativity infused into this book was refreshing and still fit well into the storyline. This book would make a great mini-series, in the same vain of shows like Sex Education.
5) There is actually very meaningful insight infused into this novel. As Maya navigates the world through the lens of her ability to know other people’s thoughts, she taps into a much deeper wavelength about what it means to be human. This perhaps, might have been my favourite part. It’s depth is seamlessly interwoven with Maya’s normal teenage escapades of friends, love, mental health and family relationships in a skillful way that I think is quite hard to do.
It may seem as though I have some personal connection to the author or skin in the game to give this book this sort of review. I can assure you, I do not. I found this randomly at my local library and almost didn’t check it out because of the Goodreads rating. I’m glad I decided to read the first 10 pages before I put it back because missing out on this novel would have been a massive shame. In the wake of booktok and trope-based narratives that have no soul, Mysterious Ways is a breath of fresh air and an extremely well written one at that. Bravo, Wendy Wunder!
1) The setting, New Hope, PA is the perfect place for this book to take place. For anyone who has never seen the magic in person, just know, the community is actually as cool as it’s described in the book. I didn’t know the book was set in New Hope when I borrowed it from the library, and was pleasantly surprised, as it’s where my grandmother lives. Mysterious Ways indeed. Wendy does a fantastic job of capturing New Hope’s whimsy.
2) Maya. Maya is an absolutely fantastic main character. She’s complex, funny, insightful, creative, kind and just awesome overall. Anyone on here labelling her as insufferable has probably forgotten what it feels like to be a teenage girl navigating your way through a complex internal and external world. Maya does so with grace, humour and deep insight. As a mid 20s gal who still remembers what navigating teenage girlhood was like, Wendy captured the experience extremely well.
3) This book is very self aware of the world in which it takes place. It has been accused in the reviews of being heavy handed with its politics/“touchy subjects” to which I’m curious if any of the reviewers have spent any time in even vaguely left leaning communities. To be blunt, I feel like the only way this book could come across as politically heavy handed, would be if your only source of current events is Fox News.
4) The pacing and plot is delightful. Once again, this book has been accused of being too all over the place or lacking a cohesive narrative. I found the complete opposite to be true, the story had good pacing, made sense, delved into the lives and minds of many characters in a way that really gave you insight into Maya’s larger community of peers, family and loved ones. The creativity infused into this book was refreshing and still fit well into the storyline. This book would make a great mini-series, in the same vain of shows like Sex Education.
5) There is actually very meaningful insight infused into this novel. As Maya navigates the world through the lens of her ability to know other people’s thoughts, she taps into a much deeper wavelength about what it means to be human. This perhaps, might have been my favourite part. It’s depth is seamlessly interwoven with Maya’s normal teenage escapades of friends, love, mental health and family relationships in a skillful way that I think is quite hard to do.
It may seem as though I have some personal connection to the author or skin in the game to give this book this sort of review. I can assure you, I do not. I found this randomly at my local library and almost didn’t check it out because of the Goodreads rating. I’m glad I decided to read the first 10 pages before I put it back because missing out on this novel would have been a massive shame. In the wake of booktok and trope-based narratives that have no soul, Mysterious Ways is a breath of fresh air and an extremely well written one at that. Bravo, Wendy Wunder!
November 14, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, Wednesday Books, Wendy Wunder, and Georgina Sadler (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Mysterious Ways in exchange for an honest review.
Mysterious Ways follows Maya, a girl who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. Nobody else in the world seems to have an ability like hers, so she often questions the divinity of this gift...or curse...
Because she can hear every person's thoughts, her mind can never escape to silence. She knows all the secrets, all the plans, and all the history encompassing an individual she may encounter. Because of this, she is sent to Whispering Pines Psychiatric Facility where she can talk in confidence about the ability that so burdens her. She finds it intriguing at the same time. Who wouldn't want to know if someone if plotting against you or planning something sinister? But then Maya meets Tyler.
Tyler is someone whose thoughts Maya wishes she can avoid. This is because it would not only be respectful for him, but she also worries that whatever he does think might affect the way she sees herself in his eyes. With the actual weight of the world on her shoulders, or rather in her thoughts, Maya is a bit degrading when it comes to others with opposing ideologies than herself, making her power even more of a burden. In the fight to maintain control of her mind (and maybe fine a cure?), Maya currently aims to accept what she knows, with the home that too much knowledge of others won't be detrimental to her life and those around her that she aims to keep close.
This book was okay. It didn't stand out to me as ultimately unique, as mind-reading has been seen worked in different plots and scenarios many times before. I was interested in Maya's drive to find a way to get the thoughts to stop permanently, but the way she went about it and her hypothesis discussion with the psychiatrist was a bit cringy.
The book is an enjoyable fix if you have nothing better to read, but there aren't many I would recommend this particular novel to. It does certainly have some merit though. I think readers seeking a teen romance with that little (minor, very slight) paranormal twist will enjoy this one.
Mysterious Ways follows Maya, a girl who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. Nobody else in the world seems to have an ability like hers, so she often questions the divinity of this gift...or curse...
Because she can hear every person's thoughts, her mind can never escape to silence. She knows all the secrets, all the plans, and all the history encompassing an individual she may encounter. Because of this, she is sent to Whispering Pines Psychiatric Facility where she can talk in confidence about the ability that so burdens her. She finds it intriguing at the same time. Who wouldn't want to know if someone if plotting against you or planning something sinister? But then Maya meets Tyler.
Tyler is someone whose thoughts Maya wishes she can avoid. This is because it would not only be respectful for him, but she also worries that whatever he does think might affect the way she sees herself in his eyes. With the actual weight of the world on her shoulders, or rather in her thoughts, Maya is a bit degrading when it comes to others with opposing ideologies than herself, making her power even more of a burden. In the fight to maintain control of her mind (and maybe fine a cure?), Maya currently aims to accept what she knows, with the home that too much knowledge of others won't be detrimental to her life and those around her that she aims to keep close.
This book was okay. It didn't stand out to me as ultimately unique, as mind-reading has been seen worked in different plots and scenarios many times before. I was interested in Maya's drive to find a way to get the thoughts to stop permanently, but the way she went about it and her hypothesis discussion with the psychiatrist was a bit cringy.
The book is an enjoyable fix if you have nothing better to read, but there aren't many I would recommend this particular novel to. It does certainly have some merit though. I think readers seeking a teen romance with that little (minor, very slight) paranormal twist will enjoy this one.
July 14, 2024
Mysterious Ways is a rather unique read, especially in YA. Diving into the mind of Maya, it’s an exploration of our modern world and Maya’s life in her small town as she deals with reading the minds of everyone and dealing with “only evil continually”, feeling herself as a godlike being here to take on the weight of the world.
The concept of Maya being able to read minds because women have to be likable was really interesting, and made for a good setup. What goes on in people’s minds can be quite interesting and sometimes disturbing. And through these thoughts, she’s grown pessimistic of humanity, and believes that soon, the world will be flooded again to erase evil and wickedness, much like in the story of Noah’s Arc. This ability also leads her to landing in the psychiatric hospital when the story begins. After the first 10% of the story, things pick up for me. Most of the story is told in Maya’s POV as she’s trying to live a normal teen life, but we do get small bits from others in the community, giving us a greater scope of what’s going on. However, through her life experiences, Maya does change and grow, and it’s fitting to the tone of the story.
The book has a “hippie” energy, but it fits the story, as Maya’s parents own a record store and the worldview and narration of the story leans very progressive (at least in terms of US politics).
The humor was well placed and the mostly lighthearted tone to the prose helped the story from getting too dark. This book deals with just about all the dark/triggering topics you can in YA, including (but not limited to) mental health, self harm, suicide, sexual content (the chapter “Maximumlism” deals with a slightly spicy scene), and naming specific news/current events from the 1950’s to now (mostly the tragic kind). Then again, it’s about “only evil continually” for Maya. There’s plenty of profanity as well.
The narration by Georgina Sadler was perfect for the tone of the story and did an excellent job.
If you’re looking for something that might give you a little levity in a world that seems hopelessly dark, this might be for you.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio. All opinions are my own.*
The concept of Maya being able to read minds because women have to be likable was really interesting, and made for a good setup. What goes on in people’s minds can be quite interesting and sometimes disturbing. And through these thoughts, she’s grown pessimistic of humanity, and believes that soon, the world will be flooded again to erase evil and wickedness, much like in the story of Noah’s Arc. This ability also leads her to landing in the psychiatric hospital when the story begins. After the first 10% of the story, things pick up for me. Most of the story is told in Maya’s POV as she’s trying to live a normal teen life, but we do get small bits from others in the community, giving us a greater scope of what’s going on. However, through her life experiences, Maya does change and grow, and it’s fitting to the tone of the story.
The book has a “hippie” energy, but it fits the story, as Maya’s parents own a record store and the worldview and narration of the story leans very progressive (at least in terms of US politics).
The humor was well placed and the mostly lighthearted tone to the prose helped the story from getting too dark. This book deals with just about all the dark/triggering topics you can in YA, including (but not limited to) mental health, self harm, suicide, sexual content (the chapter “Maximumlism” deals with a slightly spicy scene), and naming specific news/current events from the 1950’s to now (mostly the tragic kind). Then again, it’s about “only evil continually” for Maya. There’s plenty of profanity as well.
The narration by Georgina Sadler was perfect for the tone of the story and did an excellent job.
If you’re looking for something that might give you a little levity in a world that seems hopelessly dark, this might be for you.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio. All opinions are my own.*
December 11, 2024
Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC!
What an interesting read! I feel like I would go crazy if I could hear everything everyone was thinking all the time. I mean Maya did begin the novel in a psych unit, but only because she had a public freakout.
She struggles with her self identity and what she’s supposed to do with this gift. Is she a superhero? Supposed to have a God complex? She can hear all thoughts and read who a person is just by staring into their eyes.
After she gets out from the unit, she has a second chance at high school and tries to live it as normally as possible. She uses her gift to help her fellow bobcats— as well as legitimate bobcats (those college resumes right).
While a fun story, I got from this a girl who cares deeply and knows too much about the world at such a young age. But she tries to use all the resources available to make it a better places for her community and her loved ones. Sure they may think her weird, and she is, but she has a gift she can use for good.
Her tactics are very endearing, just as her thought process on how she could get rid of said gift. I thought that was very funny and very of her age.
What an interesting read! I feel like I would go crazy if I could hear everything everyone was thinking all the time. I mean Maya did begin the novel in a psych unit, but only because she had a public freakout.
She struggles with her self identity and what she’s supposed to do with this gift. Is she a superhero? Supposed to have a God complex? She can hear all thoughts and read who a person is just by staring into their eyes.
After she gets out from the unit, she has a second chance at high school and tries to live it as normally as possible. She uses her gift to help her fellow bobcats— as well as legitimate bobcats (those college resumes right).
While a fun story, I got from this a girl who cares deeply and knows too much about the world at such a young age. But she tries to use all the resources available to make it a better places for her community and her loved ones. Sure they may think her weird, and she is, but she has a gift she can use for good.
Her tactics are very endearing, just as her thought process on how she could get rid of said gift. I thought that was very funny and very of her age.
July 8, 2024
The main character, Maya, can hear what everyone is thinking. Instead of taking advantage of her ability, she wants to use it to help others. Using her school’s wellness center she learns the wishes and burdens of her fellow Bobcats (the school mascot) to start a “Save the Bobcats” campaign on her own and in tandem with a public campaign to save the actual bobcats native to her area from hunters.
Maya is intensely passionate about helping others, but knows very little about herself because she is always so distracted by the thoughts of others (an apt metaphor for teenage life, I think). This story takes the reader on an interesting journey from the perspective of a teen who just wants to fix everyone when everyone around her just wants to fix her.
This was fun! I liked it, but didn’t love it. This was oftentimes funny because the main character toed the line of seeming very intuitive and letting her secret out- all as a teenager with very teenaged thoughts, feelings and drama.
Maya is intensely passionate about helping others, but knows very little about herself because she is always so distracted by the thoughts of others (an apt metaphor for teenage life, I think). This story takes the reader on an interesting journey from the perspective of a teen who just wants to fix everyone when everyone around her just wants to fix her.
This was fun! I liked it, but didn’t love it. This was oftentimes funny because the main character toed the line of seeming very intuitive and letting her secret out- all as a teenager with very teenaged thoughts, feelings and drama.
May 25, 2024
This book was such an interesting delve into teenagers' minds. It was done in a really creative way. Seeing how Maya grew throughout the book was inspiring. It was an interesting reaction as she revealed her talent to people. It would have been better if there was a little more nuance and someone was reacting or guessing her talent. Overall, it was a downhearted view on humanity and the fate of the world with a bit of hope at the end. Just enough to keep going! I received this book from netgalley as an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
July 29, 2024
I was so excited to this read but unfortunately just ended up being confused and annoyed at Maya, the main character. There were so many topics and stereotypes touched on it made it feel chaotic and overwhelming. I was unable to latch on to a narrative that felt cohesive and ended up annoyed with the characters.
It feels like the book was trying to be relatable to "Gen Z" but comes off as feeling more like a "boomer" who had a couple of conversations with a "Gen Z" teen and wrote a book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It feels like the book was trying to be relatable to "Gen Z" but comes off as feeling more like a "boomer" who had a couple of conversations with a "Gen Z" teen and wrote a book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 27, 2024I was really looking forward to listening to this book but sadly I couldn’t finish it. Finally at 18% and I just stopped. I couldn’t connect with the MC. Some parts were funny. Especially with the mom having no filter at times. But the MC for some reason I couldn’t connect with. The narrator, Georgina Sadler does an incredible job portraying the MC and many voices very well but sadly I just couldn’t connect.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
August 9, 2024
(3.5 stars)
This book had parts that made me want to give this book 5 stars and parts that made me want to give it 1 star.
The parts that made me want to give it 5 stars were very good. I enjoyed the parts that showed how Maya felt and what she was doing. The parts that made me want to give it 1 star included Maya having a lot of odd conspiracies and theories, which I found boring, and made me want to put the book down.
All in all, I found the beginning slow, but as the book went on, it got better, and I really enjoyed the ending.
This book had parts that made me want to give this book 5 stars and parts that made me want to give it 1 star.
The parts that made me want to give it 5 stars were very good. I enjoyed the parts that showed how Maya felt and what she was doing. The parts that made me want to give it 1 star included Maya having a lot of odd conspiracies and theories, which I found boring, and made me want to put the book down.
All in all, I found the beginning slow, but as the book went on, it got better, and I really enjoyed the ending.
February 10, 2024
Maya is too young to be so jaded, but her extra ability results in her having strong opinions. Hearing thoughts from other people must really shape your character, though. I was a little put off by the political whining because books are my escape from the sounds of the world, and Maya is a teen that shouldn't have such strong political biases. Her strong opinions did play into her actions and expectations. This author did an excellent job of incorporating real issues such as bullying, social awkwardness, mental in stability, delusions, loss and grief - all woven into the story alongside normal teen issues such as developing identity, insecurity, social cliques, and anxiety about the future. The characters are strong and memorable, even the peripherals. One of my favorite Maya characteristic is that she makes band names out of her environment - very quirky and fun and randomly sprinkled throughout the book! Maya's progress through adolescence is characterized by authentic emotion and realistic consequences. The ending was not what I had expected or hoped. However, the story was very engaging, funny at times and evoked a lot of emotion.
March 1, 2024
Existential Philosophy Lite™
Big and small, necessary and frivolous, deep and superficial all at the same time and I loved every word of it.
Big and small, necessary and frivolous, deep and superficial all at the same time and I loved every word of it.
September 14, 2025
Maya is not crazy but can read other people's minds, which is an interesting premise. I related a lot to Maya's mom, who blames herself and her parenting abilities for Maya's struggles. This book had lots of good comments on gender stuff and younger people's stress over climate change.
Some quotes I like:
"[. . .] his confidence far exceeded his competence. This was a great way to move through the world if you could pull it off, because most people would never know you had no effing idea what you were talking about. Maya wished it wasn't the opposite for most of the girls she knew." (99)
"Thoughts are all stories. You can't count on thoughts. You can only count on actions. Sometimes you just need to act." (153)
"You're not alone. People love you and you haven't even met all the people who were put on the planet to love you. So much love to discover." (181)
"Nothing could take the evil out of the humans like music could." (257)
"Having hope is more important than getting what you hope for." (293)
Some quotes I like:
"[. . .] his confidence far exceeded his competence. This was a great way to move through the world if you could pull it off, because most people would never know you had no effing idea what you were talking about. Maya wished it wasn't the opposite for most of the girls she knew." (99)
"Thoughts are all stories. You can't count on thoughts. You can only count on actions. Sometimes you just need to act." (153)
"You're not alone. People love you and you haven't even met all the people who were put on the planet to love you. So much love to discover." (181)
"Nothing could take the evil out of the humans like music could." (257)
"Having hope is more important than getting what you hope for." (293)
June 16, 2024
Sadly I DNF’ed this about 15% in. It felt all over the place and I wasn’t connecting with the main character. Her quirks didn’t make her interesting enough and the chapter size/how they jumped around just made this too difficult to become invested in.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2024
Maya has been thinking of what to be when she grows up. She’s only 17, so she still has some time before she has to have it all figured out. But she has a very specific skill that could come in handy as, say, a bartender. Or an acrobat in the circus. Or as a god. Because when she meets people, she can read their minds. She knows what they’re thinking in the present moment, but she also knows their past. When she is in public, she is constantly hearing the voices of other people, which is how she ended up in the Whispering Pines Psychiatric Facility.
She’s not really crazy. She just knows things. She doesn’t know where the gift came from. And she doesn’t know how to get rid of it. But after taking a break from the public at large (her Grippy Sock Vacation, as she calls is), Maya is ready to go back home. And she’s ready for a new school. She had a bit of a meltdown at her old school, jumping into the pool fully clothed at a swim meet, just to get a moment of silence from all the other voices in her head. So she needs a new school. And Bobby will be there, at New Town High. She can keep an eye on him. He had been at Whispering Pines too, crying for a week, as they tried to regulate his meds.
At her new school. Maya was introduced to room 143, a place where kids could hang out when they’re feeling overwhelmed. And that is where she meets Tyler. Tyler is a Buddhist and known at the school as something of a slut, but he knows how to meditate. He teaches Maya how to meditate, and she tries to use it when the noise of the world gets too much for her. At school, Maya makes friends. She tries to fit in. And when she meets with her therapist Amy, Maya decides it’s finally time to let someone in on how she can read minds. And she finds her purpose.
Well, she’s not entirely certain that it’s her purpose. But it’s something that can help her. She’s going to save the bobcats. There are some wild bobcats around town that the local hunters want permission to kill. Maya is going to start a club to save the bobcats. But she’s also going to use the club as a way to save the Bobcats, the students of New Town High, whose mascot is, obvs, a bobcat. Now Maya can take her ability t read minds and put it to use helping people. Some tasks are easy, like getting the shy girl who just wants to be kissed into a room with the boy who has a crush on her. Some take some more work, like helping her friend acquire thousands of dollars to create a pop-up store for her sneaker designs.
But fixing everyone else takes a lot out of her, and one rescue attempt goes horribly wrong, with Maya breaking her arm, ending up in the hospital, and then back to Whispering Pines. She feels like everything she had learned, everything she had put her energy into, had all gone wrong. She had failed. She’s not a god after all. But she may find out that there are others in her world who care for her and will go to bat for her when she can’t do it for herself.
Mysterious Ways is a stunning book about the ways we come together and hold each other up in difficult times. It’s a coming-of-age story that is studded with sparks of pop culture, music, and Gen Z rage. Author Wendy Wunder brings together fears of climate change, rage at the patriarchy, pop music, first love, bullying, friendship, mental health, and umami to create this story of healing and hope. Maya is a genuinely unique character who struggles not with wondering what others are thinking about her, but of knowing exactly what they think of her. She has wisdom and naivete, maturity and youth, and a the weight of finding balance in a life no one else can completely understand. She is funny and smart and caring, and listening to her monologue throughout this book is an inspiring experience.
I listened to the audio book for Mysterious Ways, narrated by Georgina Sadler, and I thought she had the perfect voice for Maya. The way she dramatized Maya’s story was perfection. I couldn’t imagine a better narrator for Maya’s story, and that made an interesting book a phenomenal listen.
Egalleys for Mysterious Ways were provided by Wednesday Books, and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.
She’s not really crazy. She just knows things. She doesn’t know where the gift came from. And she doesn’t know how to get rid of it. But after taking a break from the public at large (her Grippy Sock Vacation, as she calls is), Maya is ready to go back home. And she’s ready for a new school. She had a bit of a meltdown at her old school, jumping into the pool fully clothed at a swim meet, just to get a moment of silence from all the other voices in her head. So she needs a new school. And Bobby will be there, at New Town High. She can keep an eye on him. He had been at Whispering Pines too, crying for a week, as they tried to regulate his meds.
At her new school. Maya was introduced to room 143, a place where kids could hang out when they’re feeling overwhelmed. And that is where she meets Tyler. Tyler is a Buddhist and known at the school as something of a slut, but he knows how to meditate. He teaches Maya how to meditate, and she tries to use it when the noise of the world gets too much for her. At school, Maya makes friends. She tries to fit in. And when she meets with her therapist Amy, Maya decides it’s finally time to let someone in on how she can read minds. And she finds her purpose.
Well, she’s not entirely certain that it’s her purpose. But it’s something that can help her. She’s going to save the bobcats. There are some wild bobcats around town that the local hunters want permission to kill. Maya is going to start a club to save the bobcats. But she’s also going to use the club as a way to save the Bobcats, the students of New Town High, whose mascot is, obvs, a bobcat. Now Maya can take her ability t read minds and put it to use helping people. Some tasks are easy, like getting the shy girl who just wants to be kissed into a room with the boy who has a crush on her. Some take some more work, like helping her friend acquire thousands of dollars to create a pop-up store for her sneaker designs.
But fixing everyone else takes a lot out of her, and one rescue attempt goes horribly wrong, with Maya breaking her arm, ending up in the hospital, and then back to Whispering Pines. She feels like everything she had learned, everything she had put her energy into, had all gone wrong. She had failed. She’s not a god after all. But she may find out that there are others in her world who care for her and will go to bat for her when she can’t do it for herself.
Mysterious Ways is a stunning book about the ways we come together and hold each other up in difficult times. It’s a coming-of-age story that is studded with sparks of pop culture, music, and Gen Z rage. Author Wendy Wunder brings together fears of climate change, rage at the patriarchy, pop music, first love, bullying, friendship, mental health, and umami to create this story of healing and hope. Maya is a genuinely unique character who struggles not with wondering what others are thinking about her, but of knowing exactly what they think of her. She has wisdom and naivete, maturity and youth, and a the weight of finding balance in a life no one else can completely understand. She is funny and smart and caring, and listening to her monologue throughout this book is an inspiring experience.
I listened to the audio book for Mysterious Ways, narrated by Georgina Sadler, and I thought she had the perfect voice for Maya. The way she dramatized Maya’s story was perfection. I couldn’t imagine a better narrator for Maya’s story, and that made an interesting book a phenomenal listen.
Egalleys for Mysterious Ways were provided by Wednesday Books, and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.
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