"The Mystwick School of Musicraft," by Jessica Khoury

From The Publisher
Humor, heart, and a symphony of magic take center stage in this middle-grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.

Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic. But then she botches her audition and her dream comes to 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.

Between a teacher who really dislikes her and a roommate who wants to see her expelled, life at Mystwick is harder than Amelia thought it would be. And that’s not even counting the mysterious something that’s starting to make the teachers worry. When supernatural powers threaten the school, can Amelia find the courage to be true to her herself, save Mystwick, and prove once and for all where she belongs?

Pros

• I found the main character and her supporting cast (Jai and Darby) to be likable.    
• Though there are a number of well-worn tropes at play in the plot, the author adds just enough of her own spin to keep the book from feeling contrived.  Beyond that, the book was interesting enough to listen to from start to finish.  I would even consider listening to another book in the series if one was written (and there are certainly enough loose plot threads for the author to write the book if she so chose)
• The message of self-acceptance at the heart of the book is a welcome one

Cons

• It also bothers me that music seems like such a huge part of daily life, but there are people who don't actively use it.
• There are a fair number of magical school YA tropes at play (the 4 schools, the magical games, etc), and broader story structure tropes, too (hero's journey, 3 act structure, etc etc
• A lot of the 7th grade class is disposable, and exist in name only
• 100% of the music is from the public domain (surprising no one, I'm sure)
• The plot contrivance to get the MC into Mystwick is pretty grisly (though the author may just have something to say about it before the book ends)
• There is an undercurrent of class consciousness (i.e. Amelia's rural upbringing versus the life of money and privilege of her classmates) that is hinted at but never paid off in a meaningful way (beyond "accept yourself").

Conclusion
For an Audible freebie, this one was easily worth the price of admission.  I even think that it is worth its asking price (of approximate $6 at the time of writing).  There are plenty of tropes to go around, but the likable characters, interesting setting / world-building, and message of self-acceptance mean it is sure to be a fun read for the young and the young at heart.  As long as you set your expectations appropriately, you are very likely to enjoy this book.

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