Fog & Fireflies is a magical story about Ogma, a girl living in a world where children fight against a mysterious fog that will take anyone who is an adult. The world building in this was done so well- from the first pages, the reader is immersed in a world of mysterious fog creatures, the shifting fogs, and those who travel among the fog.

This is classified as YA, but as an adult reader I found this to be incredibly engaging. The book is YA in the sense that it doesn’t delve into adult content and the protagonist is a girl, but the adventurous nature of the plot linen and depth of characterization makes it appropriate for all ages. It’s been a long time since I read a fantasy I enjoyed this much, and I hope this author writes a second book set in this world to continue Ogma’s story!

Ogma, our female protagonist, lives in a very dark, strange world, where a fog full of nightmare creatures surrounds her town, and where towns move around in the fog on their own, so when you do get the rare day or two when the fog lifts, you never quite know what you will find. The fog only attacks adults, so the kids have to man the wall around the town to keep the fog from moving over the walls, into the town. Ogma, through a series of unforeseen events, ends up lost in the fog, and when she meets up with some caravaners who had been visiting her town, she sets off to figure out where the fog comes from, and how to get rid of it.

I love dark fantasy books with excellent world building, and this book gave me all of that, and more. The characters were interesting, the plot flowed nicely, and the book was a fast read because I didn't want to put it down.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Aspen & Thorn Press, and T.H. Lehnen for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Fog and Fireflies.

The world building seems well-written, but just not my cup of tea. Plot is original. I believe the book just went on for too long, as I absolutely loved the beginning, but towards the second-half, I lose interest. Wouldn't recommend to readers in general, but would recommend to fantasy and YA readers

What would your life look like if your village was surrounded by a fluid, magical fog that could kill any adult that got too close? How would you cope when the fog whispered and howled like your friends in pain, contorted into horrible beasts, desperately trying to trick you into leaving your post? How would the world work if, instead of growing out of your fear of the dark, you grew into it?
This is what life is like for Ogma and her friends. The children of the village live in the watchtower and patrol the wall while the adults stay locked inside, hiding from the fog. The children use bells to identify themselves and communicate in the fog because trusting a voice when you can’t see where it came from can mean death.
When an unconscious boy in strange armour is spotted outside the walls, the story tumbles into action. This book is full of strange creatures, stranger magic, gods, gnomes, and shadows at every corner. It’s a beautifully told tale that feels like watching a Ghibli film with its unique twists and turns, idyllic landscapes, and insidious villains.
With children in charge of protecting the village it’s hardly surprising that this story deals with themes of parentification, though this doesn’t drive the main plot. The characters in this story drive the plot along – it’s their actions and bravery that carry this book to the heights that it does, along with the creative variety of secondary characters that we meet along the way. The human adults are almost background characters and it’s an adventure book through and through as Ogma is forced to face her fears and step up to save her village. I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this book and it more than satisfied the quota of weird and wonderful creatures I was looking for after reading the blurb.
The beautifully ominous cover and the imminent dangers that our characters face don’t stop this story from being joyful. These characters experience many joyful, heart-warming moments that will have you fighting the urge to squish them into a bearhug or tuck them away in a pocket to keep them safe.
This beautiful story left me with many, many questions about the smaller ways that these characters function in a world governed by fog, as well as the greater consequences of the climatic ending. It’s my understanding that this is a standalone story, but I would snap up a sequel or another book in this world in a heartbeat.
I would heartily recommend this book to fans of T Kingfisher, Margaret Rogerson, and Studio Ghibli films.
Fog & Fireflies by T H Lehnen comes out on the 11th April 2024.

“I am almost at a loss on how to describe how wonderful this book was. Reading it made me feel like I fell through a wardrobe and was exploring something new and completely undiscovered. The characters and the world building are so fantastical I wanted to pack a bag and walk into the fog just to join them. Every time I started to feel like I had a grip on what was happening the story would change and fold into so many different parts. This book tells a tale of a world so rich in wonders that I devoured every page.

This book has a grip on my soul and I really hope there is more to come.“

This is my first net galley read and I did the review wrong and posted it to Goodreads first before sending feedback here. I really hope there is more to come, I enjoyed this story immensely and I will be recommending it to my friends that teach middle school. This book reminds me a lot of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, not necessarily by the plot but the wonder and excitement the world brings feels the same to me and the story telling is similar as well.

Not only did I get the e-ARC but I received the physical ARC too. Thank you so much! I went into this kind of skeptical but I’m so glad I took the chance on this one. My older daughter will absolutely love this book — she already scammed it off my shelf.

Great vibes, but not the book for me. It was hard to get attached to any of the characters except Ogma, since they kept being pulled into and out of the story. The ending was predictable and not overly compelling, and I didn't understand all the lore.

Fog & Fireflies is... an experience.

What attracted me to the story first is the cover; it gives me the vibes of Pan's Labyrinth meets Death Note meets the spirit world in Avatar: The Last Airbender (all of which I thoroughly enjoyed). Reading the synopsis of the story, I was extremely curious, especially as it was described as being a novel for "readers who enjoy rich worldbuilding" which describes me to a T (worldbuilding is my forte).

Initially, I found myself a little disappointed in what I read. The story was slow to start and almost felt as if I was missing something. However, I did not have to read too far into the story for that opinion to change in a very drastic manner. Lehnen's prose is captivating and his characters are a delight to read. The darker theme of the story kept me hooked and I found I was soon at a place where I couldn't put it down.

The vivid descriptions make every part of the story feel real and alive as you read it, and Lehnen pays just the right amount of attention to each and every detail, ensuring the reader is drawn deep into the story, one page at a time. If you enjoy a blended fantasy experience; if you enjoy any of the references listed above; if you are a fan of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli; if you fall into any of these categories, then I recommend this book for you.

4.5 Stars (rounded up), though it could have been an easy 5 stars had I been able to get hooked earlier in the story.

Fog & Fireflies is a beautifully written dark fantasy YA novel about innocence, bravery, and the magic of found family that harkens towards the imaginative and wonderful world-building and storytelling of Hayao Miyazaki. T.H Lehnen’s prose weaves together an incredibly vivid world full of magic and delight that leaves readers wishing for more.

The only thing that really prevented this from being a 5-star read for me was the rapid pace in which we are thrown into the story and world, with little explanation or details before the events of the story unfolds which made it a bit hard for me to get into and engage with the book at first, and the somewhat lengthy chapter lengths took some getting used to. It wasn’t until about a third of the way through that I got more of a sense of the characters and their setting. Additionally, I loved Ogma as a strong female lead character as well as the other fantastical cast of characters we meet along the way.

Overall, I loved this book and am excited to see more from the author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing this eArc in exchange for a honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Wow, I LOVED this book! I was unsure what to expect going in, but the cover is beautiful and the blurb drew me with mentions of "echoes of golden age fantasy." Fog & Fireflies absolutely fulfilled that promise! I was swept into a fantastical world that I find myself wanting to return to.

The story follows Ogma, a girl who has grown up watching the fog. The fog that surrounds her town can attack adults, but children are immune, and must stand guard on the walls to drive the fog back. They also look out for fog breaks, which may reveal other towns, or the mystical caravaners, inhuman beings that travel the fog to trade. When her town is attacked, Ogma gets lost in the fog. Her only hope to get home is to venture into the unknown.

Ogma is such a fun central character. She's tough and confident. At the same time, she has so much love to give, loyalty, and a strong sense of adventure. In following her story, we also get glimpses into the minds of other characters, through a sort of omniscient narration style that fit the world well. I also really liked the way that the names and the slang terms used in the book added to the rich worldbuilding, really bringing me into another realm.

If you like found family, fantastical world building, and coming of age stories, you will enjoy this book. It is a YA novel, but I loved it as an adult, and would recommend it to those of all ages!

The comparison to Hayao Miyazaki is absolutely spot on. The themes and story in Fog and Fireflies fit the Studio Ghibli vibe and you find yourself instant warming to these characters. The setting as well is so vivid and I truly felt like I was there on the wall with those kids watching out for the fog.
If feels between middle grade/YA at times but on the darker side but everything was handled with care. I LOVE middle grade so this wasn’t an issue for me at all but felt the need to let others know!
Ogma is definitely a new favorite character!

Thank you to NetGalley and T. H. Lehnen for this eARC.

In the first 40% of this book, I was mesmerized, I thought the concept was fascinating, and the writing executed the idea very well. That was until the REST of the book happened.
I genuinely could barely push myself to read this, it felt like some of the ideas weren't fleshed out very well. The lore with Dunkirk and the wizards was poorly described in the story, I just felt lost. This book also didn't need to be as long as it was, the middle and the end dragged on forever. I found myself only being able to read a few pages at a time before getting bored and bogged down.
I think the author has great potential, but didn't deliver this story to the best of their ability.

Ogma is a child - and like all children in her village, she stands watch against the fog, to keep the fog, and the phantoms it contains, from overtaking her village. Only children can do this job; once they get too old, they are no longer effective at keeping the fog away. Adults in their village live in the center, away from the walls that the children patrol. Villages like the one Ogma lives in shift with the fog; when the fog lifts, sometimes they find themselves near another village. When that happens, there is trade, of both things and people, as young adults trade villages to find mates. Sometimes, instead of a village appearing, Caravaners appear, with items to trade from the villages they've visited as they sail the fog, the only people in the world who can safely be out when the fog falls. But some villages have too few children to watch their walls, and in their desperation, they search for any children they can find, even if it means stealing them from their homes. Ogma is lost in the fog during such a raid, and is saved by the Caravaners who had recently visited her village. Together, they try to find Ogma's village, but instead, they find a mystery to be solved - the mystery of the stolen children.

This is an intriguing and engrossing novel, with characters - particularly Ogma - who readers will want to root for. Not all the people are human, and just they are is open to interpretation; the Caravaners themselves admit that no two of them are alike, and the puppeteers who travel with them are different still. Recommended for readers middle school to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book from the first page, and I won't be surprised if it is one of my favorite books of the year. It definitely lives up to all that it claims to be while also managing to surprise and delight in ways I was not expecting. Even with so many characters, they all have their moments to shine. The magic and world-building is intricate and unique. The plot is sometimes slow but allows the reader to take time to contemplate and enjoy the ride. I will be highly recommending this book when it comes out in April!

This felt reminiscent of folk tales whispered over a campfire; like your mother's warnings about a strange fog rolling over the fields.

This novel takes place in a world that is absolutely glowing with magic. This is the definition of a book that hits you with whimsy and wonder at first glance, only to unveil something darker later. There are certainly spooky elements to this story, and I think they absolutely shine through with the author's writing style. Our main protagonist, Ogma, is so brave and curious - and the author makes her come off of the page. Ogma is extremely likable, and I found myself looking forward to following her story more.

My only real complaint, like other reviewers have said, is that the chapters themselves are an awkward length. I'm no stranger to epic fantasy novels, but at a certain point the 60ish page chapters can feel unwieldy and difficult to stay hooked to. If you're someone who doesn't mind longer chapters, this book is for you! If you're someone who likes to put a book down after a chapter or two, this might be a little tough to dive into.

Overall, I think this is a book that you need to have on your shelf.
A massive thank you to both the Author and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this novel!

This is a Refreshing fantasy, reminiscent of of older "Fairytales" or old cultural stories.

Told primarily from the perspective of children who's responsibility is to protect walled towns from the supernatural fog, that brings with it, several types of specters, and beasts.

As per the normal fantasy, one night things change with the appearance of an older injured boy. Strange magic, beetle inspired armor.....it's all so strange....things move along quickly and interestingly.

This tale, besides having magic, was itself, MAGICAL. very clear, understandable prose that painted a beautiful picture...

I would happily read another story from this author, in this world.

Initially drawn in by the cover and spooky vibes. There are almost no grown ups in this town, where the fog has creatures that will try and distract and snatch you, where the children keep watch using bells and firefly lanterns to find each other.

The story follows Ogma, a brave and sensible girl who is instantly likeable as she pushes her fears aside to rescue a boy after hearing a terrified scream.

The world building throws your in quick with some aspects not entirely explained, therefore it took me a moment to get into it and begin picturing everything however as the story developed it then turned into a movie as I read and I could easily feel it playing out before my eyes.

Overall I really enjoyed fog & fireflies!

I did enjoy this book and the idea from it, the dark fantasy theme really grabbed me into choosing this. However it was a little difficult for me to get into as you really do jumped into the book without many details and many jumps between characters. The book does a very good job with it description of the story along the entire book. In the end everything wraps and it all makes sense. The story is really good and keeps you wanting to know more.

'Why do we grow more scared as we get older?'

I really liked this book. It read like a Studio Ghibli movie. The book blended fantasy and reality, had compelling characters, and an independent female hero. The way of worldbuilding spoke to me. A lot of the fantasy aspects are not really explained, they are just there. That makes the story feel more authentic.
The story flowed smoothly, and even though everything is nicely wrapped up in the end, there is still room left open for a sequel to the story.

The author also opts for a good amount of 'show, not tell', which works very well. Puzzle pieces click together naturally, and nothing is overly explained. This made the story progress even paced.
Not everything will be explained though. Some questions will stay unanswered.

The characters are very nicely written. Ogma has been proven a worthy main character. She is the embodiment of brave. She will do what she has to do, no matter if she's scared. It's easy to root for her.

I would have liked to hear a bit more about the wizard war, and how the fog came into existence.

All together, it was a great story, and I recommend it to everyone who likes Studio Ghibli movies, and reading about found family, hope, and a compelling female hero.

"Fog & Firefles" is a dark fantasy that enchants children with a thrilling adventure laced with dark undertones. The setting comes alive with vivid descriptions, while the characters navigate an enchanting yet mysterious realm behind the fog. The dark tones add depth, fostering resilience in the face of challenges.

This book masterfully balances whimsy and suspense, providing young readers with a captivating journey into a fantastical world filled with secrets and unexpected twists.

This book is an imaginative and nuanced tale that keeps the pages turning.