I would like to thank Netgallery and publishers for the audio copy.

I was immediately interested in this book by the cover and the description of the book. This book for me read more for younger than YA, possibly middle school level. I enjoyed the overall story but it took a bit for me to really get into it. You're thrown into the book with no idea what's happening in the world around these children and it made me space in and out of the audiobook. The pacing felt a bit weird for me as well but I would be willing to read the next book and see what happens next.

3.5

This book has left me more annoyed than anything else I've read or listened to this year, and not in a "can't wait to see what's next" cliffhanger way, but a "this should have been a better experience" way.
First, the story itself was good. I was invested in Ogma and Weaver and the rest of the cast of characters. The action is slow to build but picks up eventually as little. However, I had a couple issues with the audio book. First, the chapter lengths- several of them are over an hour long, one was close to 90 minutes. But then there would be a 21 minute chapter. This contributed to the feel of the story dragging a lot. Second, the narrator (which is surprisingly the author) has a tendency to make all of the females sound whiny, no matter what they are saying. I could tell it was sometimes meant to imply a young age, but having all the females sound whiny and annoying was, well, annoying. I know if I were reading the words I would not have read Ogma as such a whimpering character. I feel she in particular was done an injustice with the whining inflection. Third, the narrator comes across as flat during exposition. When characters weren't talking, the narrator's tone had very little change, making these long passages blend together. My mind wandered several times because the narration become a drone. Even during battle scenes, there was no tension from the narrator- it was the same monotone used to describe monsters like the Cheshires attacking the caravan as was given to a description of the wall of the town.
I have mixed feelings with this audio book. I feel like this is a story I would have enjoyed better as a traditional book rather than an audio book, but at the same time, I also feel like the narrator had the opportunity to make this audiobook more exciting than it was. And this is incredibly disappointing to feel when it is the very author of the book making their work come across so one-note.
The story as a whole is slow. Again, it may be the narration more than the actual storyline. The characters are likeable and they have depth to some of them.
Would I recommend this book? The print edition, maybe. The audiobook as it is? Not to most; it would take a specific style of listener who can make it through the slow pacing and awkwardly-long chapters. If I could separate the storyline for a review, I'd give it four stars, but the narration only two stars. Since I can't specify, I'm splitting the difference with three stars, but it's a frustrating three stars.

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by T.H. Lehnen and I really enjoyed the dramatic retelling. Fog and Fireflies is an enthralling fantasy adventure that seamlessly weaves together complex world-building and remarkable characters. In a fog-drenched realm where children must defend their homes from terrifying creatures, the story follows the courageous Ogma as she ventures into the perilous fog to rescue her friends and discover her own inner strength.
Lehnen's imaginative world, is truly fascinating; the floating villages and the rich lore of the wizard-war create a vivid and immersive setting that charms readers from the very first page. Ogma's journey is a rollercoaster of tension and emotion, highlighting themes of friendship, courage, and self-discovery that resonate deeply with readers of all ages. Indeed, I think this will be a hit with my ‘early-teen’ book club!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

That was interesting. It seems to be the first in a series, so I'm feeling more charitable towards it than I would have if it stood alone. This felt like a lot of world building with us learning stuff with the characters, which was good, I actually liked the story-time aspect of the exposition. The characters seemed like individuals who were not actually fleshed out, if that makes sense. I completely believe the writer saw them own as individuals, but I the reader just... Wanted them fleshed out more. Anyway, I think this author has potential, I just think he didn't meet it in this book.

A dark fantasy and mysteries, I am enjoying parts of the story and getting confused in some parts. Overall it was a good book .

The narrator was great in narrating the book.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher Aspen & Thorn Press.

Let me start by thanking NetGalley for the advanced copy of the audiobook for review!

I wasn't sure what I was going to get into with this book, but the cover looked quite dark--even for a YA. 

Once I was in, I was hooked. This is high fantasy, so we have these moments where the book is full of description because the hart isn't what a hart looks like. The ghostly shapes in the fog are detailed, and the author hooks us on these details.  You can feel the cold biting through laters, the damp of the earth.

There were also moments of high intensity that had me asking WHAT NEXT?

I will also add, since this is the audiobook, I enjoyed the author narrating the book. He has a good voice. He adds accents sometimes to characters, but not always so I sometimes got confused about who was speaking. That being said, good pacing, clear voice, and it was an enjoyable listen (for note, I listen at 2x speed and found it to be very understandable and paced like other 2x reads).

I enjoyed this title very much and look forward to book 2 to see how the world continues to build.

This was a really interesting book with a premise that was very new and novel to me. The world was beautifully atmospheric, it was very easy to imagine the world and visualise the characters within it. I thought the law and magic within this book was also very enjoyable and very well written!
I think Ogma was a really great MC, I liked that she made mistakes and was not perfect as she is a child in this book and it made her actions very believable.

One of the issues I had was the pacing I felt like it was great up until about 60 to 70% of the way through which it then got a little slow paced, then sped up very quickly in the final 5 to 10%.

I also think that this book is more for a younger audience. Appreciate this is a YA book, but it does read a little bit young in that demographic.

But for a debut fantasy novel I think this was brilliant. The audiobook was so much fun to listen too, It was very immersive and easy to follow.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book.

This book was different than the books I normally read. I liked it! I would read another book by this author.

I really enjoyed listening to this novel. The narrator started out a bit dry but perked up as the story got going. The World building is immediately immersive, from the first chapter.
I listened straight thru to the end!
It begins in a dystopian world where children are the protectors over villages and the adults who live in them. They are menaced by a fog that tries to envelop the village and contains many different creatures (both real & ghostly) who wish the children harm. Other villages are far away or unseen due to the fog. When a caravan arrives while the fog has pulled back, the village is hoping to set up for trading.
From this point on the story leaps into adventure, fantastical creatures, friends captured and reclaimed. Ending includes solving a mystery and maybe another novel for this possible series.
Jump in and enjoy the ride. I absolutely recommend this story to fantasy and horror readers. #Netgalley #Fog&Fireflies

For me, this is 2.8 stars, rounded up to 3.

The cover is beautiful but if you're worried about the spookiness factor, the cover art is way more menacing than the story is - this is perfectly appropriate for a younger YA audience. The story is more about children having to grow into their very real adult responsibilities and having to be brave to push on when things don't go to plan. It describes the connection of childhood to adulthood and the unknown that bridges the former to the latter - some taking more direct routes, some taking roundabout, and many thrust to adulthood without much choice in the matter. The whole book felt like an eerie, elaborate campfire tale, albeit one that simply passes by.

The audiobook listening experience: the male narrator speaks softer than my personal preference but he does a decent good job at conveying emotion, etc, in the dialogue, including yawning words when appropriate. Echos were also added when written into the story which was a nice touch. There are several somewhat discernible audio changes (between recording sessions, perhaps) but my brain could quickly settle in, disregard, and continue listening.

Overall, for me the plot left something to be desired and there was a subset of plot elements that seemed only tenuously connected. I did enjoy the feelings evoked and the lore within the story.

Many thanks to T.H. Lehnen, Aspen and Thorn Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Fog & Fireflies was labeled as a Young Adult fantasy, but I found its themes, characters, and tone more aligned with Middle Grade. While marketed as having lush worldbuilding akin to Hayao Miyazaki and vivid characters in the vein of Maggie Stiefvater, comparisons of new authors to established authors don’t do either author justice, in my opinion. In truth, every author brings their own voice and style, and Fog & Fireflies carves out a unique place for itself with its whimsical, fairy tale-like but also grim storytelling.

The story unfolds in a world where a fog threatens adults, leaving children to protect their communities. Initially, this premise felt like a way to remove adult figures from the equation, and later evolved into an exploration of how growing up can make a person susceptible to becoming the villain. The discussion about becoming more scared as we grow older struck a chord with me.

While I expected a darker atmosphere via describing the world around these characters, the whimsy caught me by surprise. There were moments when the book leaned into a more ominous tone, it didn’t fully resonate for me until the end of the story. The idea of the fog being dangerous to adults reminded me of His Dark Materials, where children navigate threats that seem to uniquely target those who have crossed a certain threshold into adulthood. (Haha, there I go comparing authors like a hypocrite. 😆)
That said, there were moments of charm, particularly in the way some characters embodied the capricious nature of traditional faeries—neither fully kind nor fully cruel, a coin flip between helpful and menacing. The concept of found family also played a role, emphasizing the resilience of children working together to build autonomy when guardian figures were absent. This is a theme that younger readers, especially middle grade audiences, might find relatable and engaging.
In terms of pacing, it took a while before I felt the plot truly emerged, making it difficult to stay engaged early on. The audiobook, narrated by the author, had a detached tone that felt more like reading aloud than storytelling, which I found disappointing. However, the book's core ideas—found family, self-reliance, and the transition from childhood—hold merit, and middle grade readers would enjoy stepping into this whimsical yet eerie world.

Overall, while the book didn’t entirely align with my expectations, its thematic elements and moments of unpredictability make it a unique read and good for those looking for books of found family. Readers who appreciate whimsical fantasy and layered allegories about growing up might find something to love in Ogma and Co's journey.

This was available for me through NetGalley as an audiobook, thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen.

I really enjoyed Fog & Fireflies. The author is also the narrator of this audiobook so it was nice to hear the story as it was intended to be told. That being said I did have to speed it up to gain a sense of urgency in the story. The author has a lovely voice but little inflection that left me having difficulty focussing on the story.

It takes place in a medieval fantasy setting within a wall-perimetered town, on which the town’s children keep watch to keep The Fog at bay. We later find out that The Fog moves towns around and that our town is harder to come across because of its windmills.

Our main character is one of the children of the watch who ultimately ends up getting lost out in The Fog.

There are so many clever ideas and elements of time displacement, magic, creation, destruction, and corruption.

I absolutely loved where the author took an idea of travellers (with the Caravaners), and painted such a lush and creative take on them. It’s so easy for fantasy writers to fall into stereotypes and cliches, but I was pleasantly surprised.

3.5 out of 5 because it was a little confusing at times where I had to stop and re-listen to chapters. Ultimately, I’d love to see/read more of this world!


Additionally, there seemed to be some technical issues with the audiobook as there was a single instance of background sound to support the narration, and then during chapter 5 and onwards the audio would randomly increase in volume startling me.

I read an e-ARC in tandem with an advanced audiobook.
Firstly, 5 Stars for that amazing cover! It's what drew me to this arc.
Secondly, Fog & Fireflies felt very unique. I really enjoyed the overall plot, the fog and monsters, the lore, the crucial roll of children, and the fear that comes with growing up. I was sucked in quickly. For me, it read lower YA/upper Middle Grade.
The pacing was a bit off for me. It slowed about 2/3 of the way through, then picked up again for the final act.
The audiobook is narrated by the author T.H. Lehnen, which I highly recommend. Lehnen has a melancholy, yet calming voice; perfect for the foggy and dreary setting and circumstances throughout Fog & Fireflies.

Thanks to NetGalley and Aspen and Thorn Press for an eARC and the audiobook!

Fog and Fireflies gripped me from page one. The world is like nothing I have ever imagined, a dark and terrifying world that hides it's wonder and enchantment beneath a veil of malevolent fog. I highly recommend this book!

This book had such a unique and wide cast of lovable characters! I would love to see this world brought to life. I went back and forther between the audio and the ebook for this one. I will say, i did enjoy the audio best just due to some formatting weirdness in the ebook.

The external part of the book such as the cover and synopsis are very appealing. I enjoyed the detailed world building as well as the characters. The concept of the fog and the characters that the fog creates is very interesting and original . I do feel like for a young adult book this read more middle grade. I would recommend this for higher level middle grade or younger level young adults who enjoy a dark and suspenseful fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aspen & Thorn Press for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Ogma, along with the rest of the children, protects the village from the fog. After an attack, Ogma finds herself on a journey to survive the fog and try to find her way home.

This book for T.H. Lehnen is a dark fantasy that seems well directed to middle school or young adult. The world building draws you into a magical place where danger is always nearby. It has a feeling of dealing with the fae, or the terror of being lost in the dark.

I found myself swept away in the story. I would absolutely recommend this one - it has some of the dark and magic of Ghibli movies like Nausicaa or princess mononoke.

I can't wait for more from the author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Things I enjoyed:
The atmospheric writing
The dark slice of life style ‘plot’, this book
The characters were well thought out and individual
The lore /world building was also interesting and I’m. Hoping we’ll get more answers

Things I didn’t like:
Our main character, whose pov you are in at all times, is a female child. The choice to have a male narrator was, I thought, disappointing. I didn’t understand the choice as I don’t believe this added anything to the story.
This was a slice of life book with very some pretty dark elements however near the last 15% or so there is a lot of movement in the story and then it’s just abruptly ends. I wish we would have had more closer. This can be done well but I feel…unfinished. This is the first in a series so hopefully we pick back up and finish out the kids story

There also should be a trigger warning for off page child death, kidnapping and on page volume y against a child.

Overall I think I’ll continue with the series but I won’t be top of my list.

I am reviewing this based on the narrator. I didn't like his voice, and I felt it wasn't appropriate to the character. The MC is a young girl, and it would have been nice to have a younger person with more enthusiasm narrate. I felt his voice was very neutral and literal. There was no intonation, and it was way too soft.
The story itself is great, and I gave the actual story a higher rating
The fog changes the landscape and moves villages to or away from others. Children are immune to fog, so they patrol the walls of their village until they are 18 seasons old. The fog also speaks, moan,s and changes into figures and creatures.
On rare occasions, the fog would break, and during that time, if a village was in sight, it was a trade break when they would barter and trade with the other villages. Also, during this time, older kids would leave their villages to experience others and learn new trades.
Fogs and Fireflies is a unique perspective on fantasy and I did enjoy the story. I also liked the characters and their interactions with others in the village.

The cover of this book is what drew me in. The artwork is absolutely stunning, so I knew I had to read it without even knowing what it was about. I listened to the audiobook, and while the story is really well written, the narrator was not my favorite. I think this is one I will physically have to come back to. I'm glad it's the first book in a series!