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.

This story was magic. Pure magic. The melodic and artful way it was written made the story come alive off the page. The characters were vibrant, the descriptions were vivid, and it made my imagination come alive. I wish this was an animated series or a game, I’d love nothing more than to be able to see it all play out in front of me. Everything came together at the end and wrapped up in such a way that there’s plenty of room for the author to continue for many books to come. The only faults I can find are the chapter lengths and the odd melding of real language/names with the fantasy. The chapters were entirely too long and it made the book itself feel too long. The Norwegian language spoken by one of the characters clashes with the Irish namesake of the main character. It felt like the author was pulling from too many real sources but pretending it was not to make it part of the story so I struggled with that. But overall this is an absolutely beautiful tale and I’m thrilled Netgalley gave me the chance to read it.

Its cover immediately attracted my attention. Dark atmosphere with Pan's Labrynth vibes.

Children (almost without adults) live in a town and vigilantly keep guard against a strange fog by strategically estabilished windmills. Anyone who stupid enough to go out is taken by vast, devouring creatures called fog phantoms. Eerie voices and cloudy shapes try to lure the youngs away from their posts, so they use bells to keep their attention focussed. Bells and lanterns filled with fireflies also help them to find each other in the dark. The fog fades away from children but snatches the grown-ups. And, at some point, everyone grows up...

The main character is Ogma, a brave and responsible girl, who started a rescue after a scream, and found a severely wounded boy speaking in Norwegian (I enjoyed decyphering his sentences). Then, soon after he healed up, something came from the fog, and Ogma gets lost in the wilderness...

T. H. Lehnen's prose is glamourous, part like a heartfelt folktale featuring adorable children, enchanting adventures, and mysterious dreams - and part dark fantasy with frightening monsters, mercyless attacks, bloody wounds and killings. He has a good sense for making the scenes vivid and impactful, portraying the dynamics easy to understand, yet fluid enough not to seem simplistic. During the suspense I often heard the intensifying epic music in my head. I like stories in which experiences of hearing, smelling, touching are just as important as seeing; it greatly enhances immersion. Representation of thoughts and feelings organically blends into the text, allowing the story to flow smoothly without abrupt perspective shifts.

I loved how the story unfolded from a fantasy children camp to an exciting adventure with darker tone, impressive creatures, life-or-death-level pledges, and perhaps more in later books.

It is not so long, and the description is right: there is a noticable similarity with the art of Hayao Miyazaki. So I recommend it those who like that style.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley, I read an advanced reading copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I just wanted to start out by saying this books as a wonderful idea. Reading the summary, I thought this book was going to be amazing. The idea intrigued me and I was dying to read it.

Now, I am a harsh rater. The beginning of the book didn’t really grab ahold of me. It took some time to get myself to like the characters and get a feel for what’s going on. You have this fog with voices and bells, and that’s all I really got from the beginning. It didn’t really feel like it was going anywhere till about 35% of the book. That’s when it kind of reached out to me.

I liked the idea about growing up and how the adults couldn’t do much and it relied on the children. It gave a slight ‘Spirited Away’ vibes.

When Ogma got lost in the woods and was trying to fight her way back, that’s when the book was getting good. It actually made you feel like you were in Ogma’s situation and you felt what she felt.

Overall, it’s not a bad book, but not a book I would reread.