I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It reminded me of a Ghibli tale, with children at the forefront going on a grand adventure. The characters were detailed and endearing. There are several plot points I'm excited to learn more about in the sequel(s).
The writing style flowed very well, and the book was a quick read.
One of the characters did not speak the common language. Using the Kindle app, I was able to highlight and translate everything he said which was very helpful. I would suggest having some form of glossary or translation available in the physical book so readers know what is going on.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley and Aspen & Thorn Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ogma is in her tenth season from a windmill village in which the children watch the fog from the walls. The fog is deadly to adults in which everyone carries bells with them to alert one another from the North wall, West wall, etc of any alarms, or such. One night, Ogma is awoken by numerous bells in which the children are being kidnapped. She chases them out into the fog to find herself suddenly lost and away from everyone. Throughout her journey, Ogma finds likely allies in which she considers friends. (Remember the "friends", as that becomes important as the story progresses). Eventually, Ogma locates the missing/kidnapped children and what shocks her is that they are OLDER! Not only are they eight seasons older, but Ogma looks exactly the same as she did when she got lost in the woods. The ending is very bitter sweet and I'm excited to see if there is more for Ogma and her friends.

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

"We sail the fog"

I love this book it's almost like a pan's labyrinth retelling with the monsters and the Aesthetic five star read

Fog and Fireflies is a dark fantasy novel that tells the story of this mystical fog that takes adults. Children of villages keep watch and ward off fog phantoms, all while trying to keep the adults safe.

When the fog clears, Ogma’s windmill village is attacked by cravanners who try to abduct children. In the chaos Othman becomes lost in the fog and must try to find her friends and her home.

Opinion: I really enjoyed this book! It was a beautifully written dark fantasy. When I saw the cover and read the description on Netgalley, I knew I had to read this!

I loved the main character, Ogma. She was written to be a strong and brave character yet at moments you can feel her fear, which is nice!

The visuals in this are described so well that it’s easy to picture them. I could picture the villages, the fog, and the wagons clearly.

I think this book could have benefited from having the chapters a bit more split up. There’s a total of 10, long chapters in the ARC copy. Since the chapters are long, it feels like it jumps around a lot. I didn’t mind it too much, but at times it was hard to keep track of what was happening at what time.

Overall I rate this book 4/5 stars and I can’t wait for more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I chose to read this book based off the cover it reminded me of the labyrinth meets HD Lovecraft. This book for me was a bit difficult to follow, it jumps you straight into the book really no world building or character building. If you stick with the book, you eventually start to understand the characters more. If you stick through the book, you will like the FMC.

T.H Lehnen creates a fantastical world of dimensions and worlds surrounding a lovely young woman who is helping those around her to stay safe in the face of a frightening fog which causes everything and everyone to disappear without warning. It is a powerful story of learning and growth as the characters learn about love and loss.

I have to echo other reviewers and say that the cover is what first drew me to this book. It reminded me of Pan's Labyrinth, but also vibe of the witch from Narnia. As an avid fantasy reader from probably age 8 onward, I was interested to see what new YA Fantasy looks like these days.

Color me enthralled.

The world is both whimsical and mysterious, though it did take me a little while to feel truly immersed in the story. Fans of rich worldbuilding won't mind that though, as the payoff is worth the investment.

While this book is labeled Young Adult, I enjoyed it as an adult reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aspen & Thorn Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting middle grade novel with fantasy world building, found family, and friendship. There was adventure and thrills, as well as monsters. The concept of a mostly adult free world that moves is unique and it had a very 'summer camp' feel in the beginning. As the adventure progressed, the genre morphs pulling the reader into caravans, markets, and something that is vaguely pirate like. As a reader, it took me a little while to get into the world and the characters, but once I did it was a rewarding read.

Thank you NetGalley and the author T. H. Lehnen for an eARC of this book.

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What I liked:

This book was such an adventure. The characters were so loveable and strange and magically nonsensical at times and I absolutely fell in love with all of them. I loved how the author played with time and the lore/legends told through the story. I loved the world and it’s ever-changing foggy landscape. This novel felt so much like a true fairytale. Not the Disney-afied version of one but the original story with the genuine mysticism that makes fairy tales so enchanting. I’ve yet to read a book by Erin Morgenstien but from what I’ve heard it sounds like fans of her would adore Fog & Fireflies.

Now for what I didn’t like as much:

The thing I struggled with the most in this book was it’s pacing/sectioning. It almost felt like I read two completely different stories that loosely joined together at the end. The first ~40% felt almost entirely like exposition and lead-up to the “main plot event” that I kept waiting for. Instead this event was just the starting point for the second section and was never truly resolved? I think this section should have been made much shorter to focus on the rest of the novel where the main storyline takes place.

The next ~40-45% was just as, if not more, enjoyable as the first “section” but the 180° transition between the two was a little jarring and took me out of the story a bit. From about the 45% mark it almost felt as though I was reading exposition again for this new story. Eventually, in the last 20% or so of the book, everything does start to come together to create a far more cohesive ending, yet I still felt like not all question were answered nor loose ends tied up. It was as if the very second the main problem was solved, the book ended. I would’ve liked at least a handful of pages or even a epilogue that neatly wrapped up the novel and its characters.

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Overall, I still think Fog & Fireflies was an enjoyable read and would still recommend it to those who love strangeness and fairytales with a touch of eeriness and a lot of found family. Based on this debut novel, I believe the author has a ton of potential and I am very excited to see what they create next.

The cover of this book really drew my attention and it started off really strong. But near about 25% it started to drag and I found myself really struggling to keep going.

The plot got more complex than needed and I just couldn't find myself enjoying it.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

What an adventure !!! I loved everything about this book. From the world to the unique characters. This left me wanting to explore more of this world.

Amazing book!
I was captured by the cover art and pulled in further by the overview.
Fog & Fireflies is labeled as YA but I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, definitely a book anyone age 9+ will enjoy.
The author did such a great job world building, his descriptive writing is incredible, I felt like I was watching a movie while reading.
His character development is unbelievable, I fell in love with almost each person in the story.
The plot is remarkable, if you have a young person that you are trying to introduce to reading this is a great book to start with.
There is always that one book that leaves an impression on you growing up, that you remember started your love of reading… this is that book!

What a great story about the strength, power, and resilience of children. The story is a fantastical world of mist, monsters, and unlikely heroes. The prose is descriptive, lively, and draws the reader into the plight of our protagonist, Ogma, and her village. She is one of the protectors of the village and shows equal parts commitment to her call, and ignorance of youth. She’s quite likable, and becomes more so as more is learned of her personally and character throughout the story. As the story goes on, you fill the anguish and pain of Ogma as she is desperate to return to her people, and help them fight off the new threat that attacked them. Lehnen gives Ogma strength, determination, drive, but also vulnerability and dependence on her new friends. We are reminded that she is still a child trying to fill the shoes an adult should, but can, and will, not. But bit by bit, Ogma grows in wisdom and we cheer her on until the very end.

T.H. Lehnen created a wonderful fantasy story with a variety of characters and a story that will grab ahold of your imagination. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of his work. 4.5 stars.

Starting off with an intriguing and magical premise, Fog & Fireflies sweeps you away to a mysterious land beholden to the coming and goings of a malevolent and never-ending fog. Our main character Ogma is swept into a wondrous journey through the depths of the fog with a charming caravan of shepherds, uncovering old and forgotten things along the way. I do think some of the characters were underutilized and kind of random, but overall, I really enjoyed this story and the world-building. I definitely would love to learn more about the mysterious wizards and other secrets hidden within the fog itself. While this book did not conclude on a cliffhanger, it definitely promised more, and I'm already looking forward to the second book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an early copy of this book!

⭐️2.75⭐️

I definitely still think that this book is worth picking up because to another reader this story may scratch the fantasy itch they've been needing!

Now to my review:

I feel like this book had so much potential. Roughly the first 30% of the book had me super excited and interested to see where this story would take our characters! But I feel like it was not long enough to achieve what the author was trying to do with the story. It felt like it jumped the pace of the story at odd times. I feel like the first bit could have been cut down to be able to expand on the true adventuring of the book as well as the history of this world. At one point it felt like it was grasping at straws to make everything flow together. I know this is the author's first published book so I believe that they can only go up from here and make even more interesting and fully fleshed out stories!

The writing in this book is really impressive, along with the world building being well written. The fog part reminded me of another book that's coming out but otherwise original.

That being said, it wasn't my cup of tea, and I really wanted it to be. It seemed like it was too long for what we were told. If it was shorter and to the point, it would've been more impactful for me. I lost interest halfway through the book and had to push through to finish it. I recommend it to fantasy readers.

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.