Into the Mists

Into the Mists #1

by Serene Conneeley

Enter the swirling mists of an enchanted land, and open your heart to the mystery...

Carlie has the perfect life. A wonderful family and a best friend she adores. A house by the beach so she can go surfing after school. A clever, rational mind and big dreams of becoming a lawyer. A future she's excited about and can't wait to begin.

But in a split second her perfect life shatters, and she is sent to the other side of the world to live with a stranger. In this mystical, mist-drenched new land, she is faced with a mystery that will make her question everything she's ever known about her parents, her life and her very self. A dark secret that made her mother run away from home as a teenager. An old family friend who is not what he seems. A woman in blue who she's not convinced is real. A shadowy black cat that she'd swear is reading her mind. A deserted old cottage she can't always find. And a circle of wild-haired witches who want her to join their ranks.

Will she have the courage to journey into the mists, and into her own heart, to discover the truth? And can she somehow weave together a life that she'll want to live - or will she give up and allow despair to sweep her away from the world forever?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

210 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2013

Reviews

[Chyina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has got to be one of the slowest, most redundant books I have read. Which is so sad. I came into this book with interest. Having read many good reviews, and the synopsis was intriguing. I thought I would really enjoy this book. It gave every indication that I should, that I wanted too. But alas I did not.

The author repeats herself so many times that by the third chapter I was ready to scream "I GET IT! MOVE ON ALREADY!" Sadly, she didn't. In fact, if you took the parts that actually have any action (and I use the term VERY loosely) in them you could probably fill two chapters, and that's being generous.

The rest of the time you read nothing but repeated teen anger, guilt, self-loathing, sorrow and so forth. Once the MC does decided she's being a bitch and a sorry sack, she decides to change. Okay, Great! ... well, maybe not.

Now we delve into "I need to change" then two sentences later "I'm still a sobbing bitch sack". And we start the cycle over again. I need to change... I can't... I need to... I can't... I must... oops, nope, can't. Along with this we still get to hear about her sorrow, guilt, anger, confliction, self pity and so on... again.

When she does finally take a turn and actually STARTS making changes then all you hear about is a repeat of how grateful she is, how blessed, how grateful, how blessed.... oh but still, let's not forget that though she is not so much a bitch anymore she is still angry, sad, conflicted, self-loathing...

You may think I'm exaggerating... and god knows I wish I was... but I'm not. I nearly couldn't finish the damn thing. But I have only ever not finished a book once in my life. So I drudged on.

The author also seems to think we readers can't remember things, as not only does she continually pound into our head with a sledge hammer how the MC is feeling, she also likes to repeat facts A LOT. I mean honestly, do you really think I can't remember what fact you placed before just a few paragraphs before, without repeating it, nearly word for word, SEVERAL more times!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won't even get into the contradictions in some places that damn near drove me nuts. Some small, like she was wearing pants two paragraphs prior, but now she's twirling in her skirt! Others, larger and more illogical and unrealistic.

Things to make you question whether the author knows what a godparent actually is and what legal rights they have when the parents of their godchild die. Or why the author thought it more reasonable to ship the MC off to the other side of the world because the MC's mother had once said to send her there "Only if necessary". The godmother had every legal right to keep the girl, there in her home, with her friends, in the same school, the place she had grown up in and known, and loved. BUT NO! Let's send a HEAVILY grieving child to England instead!

I'm also not entirely sure if the author realizes just how difficult (if not impossible) it would have been for the MC's mother to migrate to Australia as a teenager and stay no less! Having been through the prossess myself (in fact, still going through it) and known many who have as well it is not a simple matter! Even if done properly and as an adult. Neither of which seems to have occurred in the MC's mother's case.

From Synopsis
"A dark secret that made her mother run away from home as a teenager." --- Not dark, just her stupid ass teenaged mother, making a stupid ass mistake.

"An old family friend who is not what he seems." --- You mean the guy who use to be your mum's Best Friend and Boy Friend and who tried to warn your dumb ass mother? The one who also only got about two or three paragraphs in the book?

"A shadowy black cat that she'd swear is reading her mind." --- If the cat does read minds, it's not made known in this book. Actually I don't think the MC ever really says that she thinks the cat can read her mind. *shrugs* Makes for a good catch line though, doesn't it? Oh and there are two black cats, not one, so which one is she referring to?

"A deserted old cottage she can't always find." --- Well this part is true, sort of. She finds it three times in the book and while there NOTHING HAPPENS! She finds a book that she thinks belonged to her mother, but the first couple of times you don't even really find out what's in it. Not until the third time does the author actually reveal anything worth reading about it. And that's all the cottage has to offer.. oh and the second black cat.

"And a circle of wild-haired witches who want her to join their ranks." --- Nobody in this casual appearing coven says anything about her joining their ranks. Any involvement is done by the MC's own free will, and there is actually only one instance of this, and the MC pretty much stood back and watched for 98% of the time. I don't recall anyone asking her to join them in the way the synopsis implies. Like they are trying to bewitch her into something.

To be honest, there is very little actually magic to this book. You are laid out two rituals in painful detail (if I wanted to know EXACTLY how to do it I'd have bought a book about it), and one festival celebration. The MC herself does one ritual and that's it and this being at the beginning of her "discovery" of her supposed magical past. The other magic that occurs in the book never seems to originate from the MC, or from within her by accident, or even through her by other forces. Mainly, it seems, that she is simply in a (somewhat) magical place, and is observing what it can do in very, VERY small and limited glimpses.

Anyway, I'm done ranting I guess. I had really hoped this book would be better than this. I really, really did. I so wanted to enjoy it, but just couldn't. It was all I could do just to get to the end and call it finally done! Oh and the ending sucks too.

On a positive note the author does seem to know her RL magical workings as she (mentioned previously) gives great detail to the actually mechanics of magic work, such as placement of candles or herbs and so forth, and least in about three place of the book. I wouldn't mind reading a book about the how-to of spell crafting from this author.

I still have yet to decide if I'm going to continue with the series. The premise has really great potential, but I am very leery of the other books, especially if they are written in the same manner as this one. We shall see. I may try to revisit this series after I read a few other books to clear my weary head of this one.

[H.M. Gooden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book. While the story was a good read, I found it difficult to follow at times due to he point of view- sometimes it was omniscient, sometimes first person, I frequently felt like I was hopping heads. I think if that had been smoother it would have been an amazing read, instead I can only give it three stars at this time. I would read more from this author

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/30/2020)! 🎁

[ThatReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book was not for me. Or rather, I am not the right reader for it. Went in convinced I'd be getting something, and I didn't. It was not what I thought it would be, and it did not resonate with what I look for in a book. I'm sure other readers will love it, but I am not one of them.

[Lily Malone]

I picked this up in a special promotion a week ago, along with the two other books in the author's 'Into The Mists' trilogy. This is book 1.
I had no real expectations before reading this book, as faeries and magic (and dovetailing those with YA) isn't something I'd normally select, but I was keen to read this author as she's someone I've known personally and recently reconnected with, and these days we've discovered mutual friends through our writing.
My favourite aspect of Into The Mists ended up being the faery stuff: black cats and mists, magic books and spells, cottages with ghostly candles, and all things that go bump in the night. I really enjoyed the discussion of 'cards' and the descriptions of what the individual cards mean and how they interweave with the person selecting those cards. If it's possible, those were the sections where I really 'felt' the magic.
I now have the two other books on my kindle and am looking forward to following the progress of Carlie and her grandmother (and the cats!)

[Tien · Rating 3 out of 5]

I met the author, Serene, at a bookclub meeting through Read3r’z Re-Vu and what really appealed to me was Serene’s own loveliness and the book covers. I thought the description was decent but didn’t particularly appeal to my reading taste.

It was a struggle to get through the first half of the book because it was just so choked full of grief that I could only read a small portion at a time. It should be acknowledged that the author has written it well if it could affect me in such terrible ways. However, I did persevere as I was assured of better things to come.

To be honest, I expected this to be more of a fairy story but if it was supposed to be so, that’s definitely not what I got in this first book. What I did get, however, is some education about paganism. The book lost me a bit here as I must confess that I have no interest whatsoever in paganism and at some parts, I felt that it dwelt a bit too much into theories behind it. However, I think for someone who loves paganism or even if curious, this may be something they’d love to read. They are lovely theories but they’re just not for me.

There was one particular part that I really really liked, and without telling too much, it explored a ‘what-if’ for the protagonist. What I really liked was the way the story was written; I just love this type of story (and I can’t tell you or it would spoiled). And at the end, the book raised quite a few more questions that I’d like to find the answer to so I think I’d try the rest of the trilogy and hope for more ‘what-if’.

Thanks to the author, Serene Conneeley, for copy of book in exchange of honest review.

[E.C. Hibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully-written tale of personal growth and redemption. I immediately linked with the main character Carlie. She is strong and believable, and her character arc is a joy to behold. She begins the story depressed and full of self-loathing: a teenager uprooted from her home and bitter about everything in life. But by rediscovering the truth about her own past and that of a family she never knew she had, she begins an inspiring journey to be free of her tragedies.

The backdrop of rural England is like walking into an old painting, full of mystery and beauty. I really liked how Carlie often draws parallels between her new home in England and her old life in Australia, comparing and contrasting them to drive the story along. And the mystical parts add a great depth to the book, which kept me guessing and thinking back on their significance even after I’d finished it. The depiction of paganism is wonderfully done: enchanting and truthful, showing that there is no ‘fantasy-style magic’ here – only the magic Carlie finds inside herself to better her life.

Into the Mists is a beautiful story. The plot, setting, characters, twists and turns all work so well and play off each other brilliantly. It demonstrates the power of human resilience through hard times; opening up to love and leaving destructive pain behind. There are some real kernels of wisdom in these pages, which can speak to all ages, but it’s all threaded in gently and doesn’t destroy the story. For as specific as Carlie’s tale is, there are a lot of details which anyone can relate to: shifting friendships, loss of loved ones, embracing change.

This is one of those stories which I didn’t want to end, but I couldn’t help but devour it in just a few sittings. It’s definitely one I would read again, and would highly recommend checking out!

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every morning Carlie wakes to the same hellish realisation, her parents are dead and it is all her fault. With no family left to take her in, Carlie is sent halfway round the world to live with a grandmother she never knew existed. How terrible must her grandmother be if her mother ran away from her and never spoke to her or of her ever again?

Carlie may not understand her grandmother, or why her mother left her childhood home never to return, but she does understand grief and loneliness. Living with guilt is horrible enough, living with a stranger in a foreign land is even worse. But then something happens, out of the mist Carlie begins to uncover her mother's past and discovers a way to heal.

Into The Mists, on a moon lit night, Carlie will step through the past, glimpsing a life that could have been but for miscommunication, before re-emerging into a life filled with forgiveness and magic. This is a novel of healing, acceptance and the courage to continue after those we love have moved on. A story filled with love, loss, lyrics, and the tenderness of hope.

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An emotional and heartfelt story. I found the pacing to be very slow and found myself skimming at times. The story did come together eventually.

[Nisareen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the tragic death of her parents in a car accident, 17 year old Carlie has to leave her life in Australia and go to live with the grandmother she has never met in England. Carlie assumes that her mother never got a long with her grandmother which is why she suddenly upped and left home when she was Carlie’s age. Initially Carlie, in her grief, is hostile towards her grandmother. Gradually over time however, Carlie uncovers the truth behind her mothers decision to leave when she is given the opportunity to glimpse into the past..

Into the Mist is the first instalment of the Into the Mists trilogy and was my first introduction to the author. The plot focuses on a teen girl trying to come to terms with the immense loss of both her parents, who is suddenly uprooted to the other side of the world. One moonlit night, Carlie is able to step into the past and catch a glimpse of her mother’s life - a life that once was and could have been, if not for a fateful decision made by a desperate woman. By understanding her mother’s reasons for leaving, Carlie and her grandmother are able to emerge into a life of acceptance, forgiveness and healing as well as the courage to move on.

The author has done an admirable job in depicting an otherworldly feel when describing the English landscape. I felt as though I was there with Carlie, experiencing the extraordinary sights, smells and sounds. The woman in blue was particularly intriguing. My only criticism is that the book was a tad long winded and repetitive at times. Having said that, I was impressed by her knowledge of the mechanics of magic, card reading and paganism.

Carlie’s journey from a girl suffering from survivors guilt, bitterness and self loathing to someone who through love and healing tries to rise up from her pain and loss, was a revelation. I feel that the author has laid the groundwork with her characters and offered us a brief tantalising insight into a magical world that she has merely touched upon. I look forward to exploring what she has in mind for Carlie in the next instalment.

I received an advanced free audible copy of Into the Mists which was narrated by Gabrielle Baker. I was impressed by the way she was masterfully able to bring each character to life with their own unique voice, switching effortlessly between characters and accents.

[Martha Dunlop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Into the Mists. It is a coming of age story, an exploration of grief and a journey through time and the character’s roots.

Carlie moves to England to live with the Grandmother she didn’t know existed, after her Mum and Dad die in a car accident. She is wracked with guilt at having crashed the car and turns her anger onto her Grandmother. Carlie’s mother left England years before Carlie was born and didn’t tell her anything about her early life. Carlie assumes her parents mistreated her. But as she spends time in Glastonbury, she starts to learn about the history her Mum kept secret and the mystery deepens.

When strange things start happening, Carlie gains new insights into the past, but can she piece together what really happened and find peace with her Grandmother?

Themes of grief and growing up run all through this novel, alongside the spiritual background of Glastonbury with its myths and legends. Reiki, divination and the Sabbats of the year are seamlessly woven through the story, and as Carlie learns about the pagan heritage her mother left behind, she discovers a new passion.

Into the Mists is perfect for anyone who likes YA with magic, mystery and mysticism.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

She had to shake off all this miserable self-pity - she was annoying herself now, and was thoroughly sick of her gloomy goth-horror mood.
Into the Mists, page 4.


Turns out this book was written for nanowrimo, which makes sense. The plethora of dream sequences, the embarrassing excerpts of lyrics (there were a lot), the endless repetition, the pointless description of mundane, everyday actions... All it needs is an appearance by the travelling shovel of death and this book could be the poster-child for your average completed NaNo project. It's not good, folks.
This book is boring as hell, it's all flat characters being introspective and wangsty, and the plot is lacklustre and riddled with holes. I was expecting more of a fairy-tale mystery rather than new-age crystal-healing pagan stuff I got.
But if you're after an internal journey of healing grief and trauma through paganism and moon rituals then this book is for you.

[Mererid Evanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very emotional book, dealing with a month in the life of a teenager consumed by grief, guilt and anger after her parents' death. Although the chaos of her feelings is well conveyed, the beginning of the book is difficult to read. The beauty and numinous quality of the English landscape as well as the slow revealing of hidden truths through dreams and visions gradually heal her. I do feel that if the spiritual background of the book had been Christian instead of pagan, with the "messenger faery" being an angel, many readers would find it overly "preachy". Beliefs and rituals are described at length and everyone is almost too kind and understanding. However, I found the information genuinely interesting and the tone of the book warm, wise and gentle.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version after receiving the audiobook from the author.
The first hour is painful to listen to. The book opens with Carlie having lost her parents in a car accident and being convinced it is all her fault since she was driving. The anger, the tantrums, the emotional trauma is certainly well represented, but it nearly made me give up on the story.
After Carlie is sent from Australia to England to live with a grandmother she never knew, things slowly change. There is a bit of witchcraft and god and goddess worship.
I don’t know what I expected in picking up this book but it wasn’t what I got. I liked the book all right. It was a lot about grieving and finding out the truth about her mom.

[Cherokee - Books With A Chance · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this story; following our main character after tragedy strikes, to a land half way across the world with a grandmother she never knew existed and a mystery bigger than she could ever imagine.

I enjoyed the read as much as I could, but it was too slow building for me, without any real development. The book also seems to divert back to the same thing, running in circles, again no real development leaving me wanting more and making it hard to stay focused/interested.

I believe the story would have been good as a short story, there just wasn't enough substance for a full novel.

[D.L. Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlie is a grieving teenager who is sent to England to be with her grandmother after her parents die in a car crash. They've never met, and Carlie has always believed her mother and grandmother didn't get along. So this is an emotional exploration for both parties who are grieving for the loss of the same person. I read this book a few months after a family member died, and I could totally relate to Carlie's up and down moods. One minute she wanted to stop grieving, the next she was in tears. That's what made this book so lovely. I could relate to Carlie. I look forward to reading more of her story in the follow up books.

[Olivia Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this whole book on audible in less than 24 hours. I love the story and it really connects with my life. My only criticism is that the author really doesn’t need to summarize the whole plot at the beginning of every chapter. We read up until that point after all. Not really a realistic rendition of grief (loosing loved ones) either. I can tell you after 3 months I certainly wasn’t ready to pick myself back up after loosing a parent. It took a year before I felt normal again. Overall really enjoyable though albeit kind of slow. Would highly recommend if you don’t mind zoning out or skimming certain parts.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the mists we follow a young teenager who’s life has suddenly been uprooted. From what she dreamed to becoming to suddenly changing in a link of a eye. She’s the sole survivor and since she is a teenager she has to leave her old life behind and move to a whole new country and meet her maternal grandmother. This book for me at least, was a way for Carlie to forgive herself and discover the new her. I would recommend this book for teens. I think they would enjoy it.

I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narrator was fine. She was the perfect voice for Carley. I did listen to it at a faster pace.

[NefariousButterfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wiccan not paranormal

This book is well written, descriptive, and informative in some ways. The story line is much slower than I expected but part of that was due to the story not being quite what I expected either. When you read that it's about witches you immediately think more the paranormal sort. However, this is more the Wiccan sort. It touches on some of the mythology, tricks of the trade/beliefs, and healing with nature all while telling the story of a girl finding who she is because of her concealed family history. It's a decent read more for a teenager than an adult but it was interesting in it's own right.

[P.M. Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Layers of Delight and Wisdom

This was the first book I’ve read from this author but it certainly won’t be the last. There are multiple layers to this story. While the plot revolves around the deaths of the protagonist’s parents and her (undeserved) guilt that she caused the accident, it becomes the story of a new life far richer and deeper than the one she left behind. The magic of the Tor, the mists, and the cabin that is there at times and not at others, are seamlessly woven so it is all entirely believable. There were many instances where words of wisdom are sprinkled; like fairy dust, it is subtle and yet powerful. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Vivienne Fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Into the Mists a gentle and inspiring read. After I finished it, I read some of the goodread reviews and appreciate this book is not for everyone. If you want a book with Harry Potter style magic, this isn’t for you. If you want a fast paced book full of twists and turns, this isn’t for you. If you want to read a coming of age story with main character connecting with her past, entwined with old style elemental magic, then you will enjoy this.

Read the full review at

https://thebookbubble.com/2021/01/awe...

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful story in a narrative format. Not a style that I read, but the story was enticing enough to keep me interested. In short order, Carlie goes from tragic loss to rebirth. I look forward to the next story.

Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Haunting. Informative. Inspirational. Scary. Tear-jerker. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

I received a copy of this book as a gift from the author. This is my honest review.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a story of survival. One of grief and lost. There is death, and domestic violence in it. There is no course language. Spiritual belief, new friendship and relationships. and love.
Narrated by: Gabrielle Baker the story draws you into the story.
Bringing the characters to live, with how she portrays them.
I found myself pull into the story wondering that happen.
I was given this book for a honest review.

[Amber K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Into the Mists by Serene Conneeley is the 1st in this series and also my first introduction to this author. I liked the storyline and think it has potential, but kept getting distracted with repeating information. The audio version of the book was enjoyable to listen to.

[Sassafrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another one that just wasn’t for me. It was interesting and well written, but felt a bit young for me and just didn’t really grab me. So I stopped reading about 60-70%, and it’s been in my currently reading for 4 years. It’s time to let it go.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining and I loved the ambiance of it. Felt a bit repetitive here and there but I liked the grandmother-granddaughter relationship and the idea of a magical village in Britain :)

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantasy and witchcraft normally isn't my thing, but I definitely recommend this book who does enjoy things like that! Even though the genre wasn't my cup of tea, I think anyone with an appreciation for stories about witchcraft would definitely enjoy this book. Carlie's character development was portrayed very well and I was very empathetic with the pain of both her and her grandmother. I think my favorite part was definitely learning about Fiona/Violet's past and the secrets she kept from her mother as a teenager. Overall, I think this book was definitely worth the read!

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - would definitely recommend

Carlie looses her parents in a terrible car accident and it changes her life forever. She ends up moving to England to live with a grandmother who did know she existed. She angry at every especially herself, I love her journey through her grief and learn that magick is in her blood.

As someone who is still really at the beginning her journey as a witch, I really connected with Carlie.

Can't wait to read more of Serene's books

[Julie Embleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Into the Mists follows Carlie, a teenager suffering immense loss who finds herself uprooted from her home and living with her estranged grandmother. Serene Conneeley capture the angst of Carlie with perfection, while building a wonderfully dreamy world within the tale. With lots of dream sequences, this tale has an otherworldly feel and any reader with an interest in the esoteric will enjoy Carlie's discoveries of her mother's past. A great start to the series.