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Canens Chronicles #1
Fog & Mist
Enslaved. Hunted. Running out of time.
On the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Crown Princess Winterberry is set to ascend the throne of Canens. But before she can claim her birthright, a ruthless betrayal rips her from the palace. Kidnapped, sold into slavery, and stripped of her name, Winter enters a deadly game of survival—all at the hands of her stepmother, Queen Blanche.
The only thing keeping Winter alive is the Crown’s Curse, an ancient prophecy that dooms anyone who spills royal blood. But Queen Blanche is nothing if not determined, and she thinks she's overcome the curse.
Trapped in enemy territory, Winter’s only hope lies in an unlikely ally: a rival prince willing to risk his throne—and his life—to find his missing sister. Forced together in a perilous fight against fate, Winter and the prince must outwit a queen who will stop at nothing to claim the crown.
Inspired by the legends of Snow White and Red Riding Hood, Fog & Mist is a spellbinding tale of betrayal, resilience, and the fight for freedom. Perfect for fans of dark fairy tale retellings!
On the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Crown Princess Winterberry is set to ascend the throne of Canens. But before she can claim her birthright, a ruthless betrayal rips her from the palace. Kidnapped, sold into slavery, and stripped of her name, Winter enters a deadly game of survival—all at the hands of her stepmother, Queen Blanche.
The only thing keeping Winter alive is the Crown’s Curse, an ancient prophecy that dooms anyone who spills royal blood. But Queen Blanche is nothing if not determined, and she thinks she's overcome the curse.
Trapped in enemy territory, Winter’s only hope lies in an unlikely ally: a rival prince willing to risk his throne—and his life—to find his missing sister. Forced together in a perilous fight against fate, Winter and the prince must outwit a queen who will stop at nothing to claim the crown.
Inspired by the legends of Snow White and Red Riding Hood, Fog & Mist is a spellbinding tale of betrayal, resilience, and the fight for freedom. Perfect for fans of dark fairy tale retellings!
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2019
10 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Kelsie Engen
22 books88 followersKelsie Engen spent her youth in North Pole, Alaska, a short way away from Santa Claus' house. It was a unique youth, suffering negative fifty degrees every winter only to be rewarded with ninety above and constant daylight in the summers.
Kelsie is constantly at work on new things spanning a variety of topics. Among them: fairy tales, England, Alaska, running, family life, heartbreak, and hope. Follow along with her writing journey at KelsieEngenAuthor.com and sign up for her mailing list.
Currently, she is finishing up her fantasy series loosely based on Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. She's also dabbling in a Jane Austen fantasy variation with dragons.
Kelsie is constantly at work on new things spanning a variety of topics. Among them: fairy tales, England, Alaska, running, family life, heartbreak, and hope. Follow along with her writing journey at KelsieEngenAuthor.com and sign up for her mailing list.
Currently, she is finishing up her fantasy series loosely based on Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. She's also dabbling in a Jane Austen fantasy variation with dragons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Did not finish
December 4, 2024This seemed like it was going to be a good fantasy but the FMC is sexually harrassed in the first chapter. That I haven't seen mentioned in any other reviews. Would have been nice to have that trigger warning before going into a book.
February 6, 2021
I received an ARC for this book in return for an honest review so here it is.
Lets start with the good parts. The worldbuilding is great. For a story based on the fairytale of Snow White it would have been easy to go the usual route, here we get history and lore and I loved it. The plot itself was well thought out and a bit dark at times though there were some headscratching moments for me at times.
My issue comes with the characters, or mostly Winterberry. Blanche was an ok villain if not a bit cliche. The prince I actually liked a lot and I wouldn't mind reading more about him. It's princess Winterberry that I just couldn't seem to connect to with even though she's likable enough. She made decisions that made me want to yell at her for being stupid.
I enjoyed this book but wasn't gripped so much that I'm hungering for the next in the series.
Lets start with the good parts. The worldbuilding is great. For a story based on the fairytale of Snow White it would have been easy to go the usual route, here we get history and lore and I loved it. The plot itself was well thought out and a bit dark at times though there were some headscratching moments for me at times.
My issue comes with the characters, or mostly Winterberry. Blanche was an ok villain if not a bit cliche. The prince I actually liked a lot and I wouldn't mind reading more about him. It's princess Winterberry that I just couldn't seem to connect to with even though she's likable enough. She made decisions that made me want to yell at her for being stupid.
I enjoyed this book but wasn't gripped so much that I'm hungering for the next in the series.
June 14, 2019
An evil queen full of magic. A princess cast from her home into slavery. A country under a curse.
Fog and Mist is a loose retelling of Snow White, with similar character types but a plot all its own. Told through multiple POV’s, this story moves at a swift pace. The plot is full of violent adventure, political machinations to rival any great historical novel, and magic belonging to a dark and sinister fairytale.
I immediately fell in love with the three main storylines and delighted in their coming together through this telling. I cannot wait to see what will happen to these characters, and if good will be able to triumph without more bloodshed.
Fog and Mist is a loose retelling of Snow White, with similar character types but a plot all its own. Told through multiple POV’s, this story moves at a swift pace. The plot is full of violent adventure, political machinations to rival any great historical novel, and magic belonging to a dark and sinister fairytale.
I immediately fell in love with the three main storylines and delighted in their coming together through this telling. I cannot wait to see what will happen to these characters, and if good will be able to triumph without more bloodshed.
October 16, 2019
Such a clever story! The author has created a vivid world full of delights for the senses. Her story telling is engaging and thoughtful. A unique fairy tale inspired novel, looking forward to the next one!
May 10, 2021
Fog & Mist has a powerful beginning, the prologue draws you in and lets you know the story is about to be a good one.
Immediately, we are shown into a world with a long history and many magical secrets. Upon meeting our main character, Winterberry, I instantly knew she was going to be a fighter, one who had gone through a lot already and still the story promised she would have to go through more. Watching her journey of slavery was difficult, my heart went out to her. She had never seen such horrible things, she never deserved to go through them. However, it had given her a reason to fight. She wants to become Queen so she can change the lives of these slaves, something she might never had realized was a problem until she went through it herself. This first book in the series mostly is about her journey through slavery, but there is more to the story. We also get the perspective of the Queen, we get to see her wants and desires, her reasoning behind why she hates Winterberry and wants her dead. Usually I find the villain's perspective to be so cliche that the book would be better without it, but that isn't the case in this story. The different perspective was necessary to tell the story properly, it gave us a behind-the-scenes look at what is really going on. We also have a third perspective, Prince Rus, the prince destined to save the princess. He falls into the role by accident, his mission was to save his sister, in the process of doing so he comes to meet Winterberry.
A loose retelling of Snow White, this book has all the major elements you would expect from a retelling, but it is clearly its own story. It doesn't depend on the plot of the original story to carry it, no, it can stand by itself. The new elements might take it in a different direction in the next book of the series. I look forward to reading that book because there is still so much that I think needs to happen. This first book was about the journey of Winterberry and forced her to decide if she wanted to fight for her rightful place on the throne and to save her people.
I enjoyed getting to know these characters and their stories. Each character was written well and fleshed out. The writing gave great detail and made me feel like I was there, living with these characters, seeing the world around them. Fog & Mist is emotionally gripping, I don't think I will be able to let go of these characters any time soon.
While it is a fairytale retelling, it comes across as a dark fantasy at times. There is torture, violence, sexual slavery. It has a darker tone to it, one that wrangles your heart and makes you want to change the way things are for these characters.
If this is just the beginning of the series, then I have a lot to look forward to. I have to know how the story ends. I need to know what happens to the characters.
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
Immediately, we are shown into a world with a long history and many magical secrets. Upon meeting our main character, Winterberry, I instantly knew she was going to be a fighter, one who had gone through a lot already and still the story promised she would have to go through more. Watching her journey of slavery was difficult, my heart went out to her. She had never seen such horrible things, she never deserved to go through them. However, it had given her a reason to fight. She wants to become Queen so she can change the lives of these slaves, something she might never had realized was a problem until she went through it herself. This first book in the series mostly is about her journey through slavery, but there is more to the story. We also get the perspective of the Queen, we get to see her wants and desires, her reasoning behind why she hates Winterberry and wants her dead. Usually I find the villain's perspective to be so cliche that the book would be better without it, but that isn't the case in this story. The different perspective was necessary to tell the story properly, it gave us a behind-the-scenes look at what is really going on. We also have a third perspective, Prince Rus, the prince destined to save the princess. He falls into the role by accident, his mission was to save his sister, in the process of doing so he comes to meet Winterberry.
A loose retelling of Snow White, this book has all the major elements you would expect from a retelling, but it is clearly its own story. It doesn't depend on the plot of the original story to carry it, no, it can stand by itself. The new elements might take it in a different direction in the next book of the series. I look forward to reading that book because there is still so much that I think needs to happen. This first book was about the journey of Winterberry and forced her to decide if she wanted to fight for her rightful place on the throne and to save her people.
I enjoyed getting to know these characters and their stories. Each character was written well and fleshed out. The writing gave great detail and made me feel like I was there, living with these characters, seeing the world around them. Fog & Mist is emotionally gripping, I don't think I will be able to let go of these characters any time soon.
While it is a fairytale retelling, it comes across as a dark fantasy at times. There is torture, violence, sexual slavery. It has a darker tone to it, one that wrangles your heart and makes you want to change the way things are for these characters.
If this is just the beginning of the series, then I have a lot to look forward to. I have to know how the story ends. I need to know what happens to the characters.
I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.
October 11, 2021
Good story, very loosely based on Snow White, but for me it was a bit up and down. There were exciting and compelling parts, such as Winterberry’s attempt to break out of the dungeon and Rus’ first part of his journey through the forest of Canens. I won’t list the other parts as they would be spoilers, but there are some really good ones.
But then there were parts when I lost interest a bit, because they seem a bit too drawn out or seemed irrelevant, for instance when Winterberry is transported with the other slaves to the magistrate’s house, it didn’t need that length of the story to understand it was long, arduous and harrowing. Other parts felt disjointed and I didn’t really understand the significance of the scene as I was reading it, but was hoping this would reveal itself further along in the book and I was intrigued enough to persevere with the story.
The world building was very good and while the characters were well thought out, I couldn’t become invested in any of the three lead characters. To really enjoy a novel I have to identify and/or empathise with the protagonist or if there are multiple ones with at least one of them. Unfortunately, I found Winterberry was a bit too meek, immature and indecisive and I couldn’t connect with Blanche at all. Rus was possibly the most likeable of the three, but his single mindedness and disregard for people he had no use for was off putting to say the least. The character I liked the most was Rus’ advisor Cito Fati, but while quite important to the story, he is not a lead character.
I am still interested in how their stories continue, but may not continue with the series, because there are so many other books to be read and possibly some that I would want to read more..
I received this book as complimentary copy from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.
But then there were parts when I lost interest a bit, because they seem a bit too drawn out or seemed irrelevant, for instance when Winterberry is transported with the other slaves to the magistrate’s house, it didn’t need that length of the story to understand it was long, arduous and harrowing. Other parts felt disjointed and I didn’t really understand the significance of the scene as I was reading it, but was hoping this would reveal itself further along in the book and I was intrigued enough to persevere with the story.
The world building was very good and while the characters were well thought out, I couldn’t become invested in any of the three lead characters. To really enjoy a novel I have to identify and/or empathise with the protagonist or if there are multiple ones with at least one of them. Unfortunately, I found Winterberry was a bit too meek, immature and indecisive and I couldn’t connect with Blanche at all. Rus was possibly the most likeable of the three, but his single mindedness and disregard for people he had no use for was off putting to say the least. The character I liked the most was Rus’ advisor Cito Fati, but while quite important to the story, he is not a lead character.
I am still interested in how their stories continue, but may not continue with the series, because there are so many other books to be read and possibly some that I would want to read more..
I received this book as complimentary copy from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.
April 9, 2019
I love a good fairytale retelling, and this one definitely hit the mark. While there are some of the classic Snow White tropes (stepmother controlling the throne, beautiful princess, dead king, etc.), the author put her own spin on many of them, setting the story in a beautiful, well developed world that feels diverse and fleshed out. The "bad guy" or queen, is well rounded, having her own reasons for her actions that self-justify her unsavory choices. And the other two POV characters (the princess and the prince) pulled me in, showing naive beliefs and opinions that balance against their righteous intensions, making them really enjoyable characters to root for. And the ending... oh, the ending! It left me feeling like the character accomplished some of their goals, which was very satisfying, even if it wasn't how I expected. And a well placed cliffhanger has me craving the next book in the series!
My only real trouble with it was I don't usually enjoy first person-present tense. But that is more of a personal preference and only tripped me up a few times.
I would recommend this book for adults and very mature teenagers. No explicit scenes, but we see girls who have been taken into the sex trade and some conversation speaking of the results of that. There is also some intense violence in a couple of scenes; not what I would call overly gory, but everyone has their own preferences, so be aware.
Note: I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of that copy.
My only real trouble with it was I don't usually enjoy first person-present tense. But that is more of a personal preference and only tripped me up a few times.
I would recommend this book for adults and very mature teenagers. No explicit scenes, but we see girls who have been taken into the sex trade and some conversation speaking of the results of that. There is also some intense violence in a couple of scenes; not what I would call overly gory, but everyone has their own preferences, so be aware.
Note: I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of that copy.
November 18, 2019
I really enjoy fairytale retellings and this Snow White retelling is unique and intriguing. What I loved most was the depiction of the evil queen (Blanche) and the chapters from her POV. This was a bold move by Engen but she pulled off the perfect balance between power-hungry queen who was at times a little evil, yet still human. It's easy to see the queen's motives (whether right or wrong), which is sometimes what's lacking in fairytales. She didn't seem evil 'just because'. Instead, the reader is given insight into a complex character who clearly believes she's doing the right thing. I cannot wait to read the next book to see what's in store for Winterberry, Rus, and Blanche.
April 22, 2019
Whilst this is based on a fairy tale (Snow White), this is not for kids!
It was tense, hot and very, very cold (it was winter!!!).
Lots of suspense, especially at the start, so intense that I almost put it down!
There is a lot going on for the first few chapters, lots of characters to meet and a plot to outline but hang in there, it's worth it!
I'm definitely glad I read it and look forward to more like this!
Note: I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of that copy.
It was tense, hot and very, very cold (it was winter!!!).
Lots of suspense, especially at the start, so intense that I almost put it down!
There is a lot going on for the first few chapters, lots of characters to meet and a plot to outline but hang in there, it's worth it!
I'm definitely glad I read it and look forward to more like this!
Note: I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of that copy.
February 13, 2021
This is a retelling of Snow White and like the more originals of the tale it is brutal in parts. Princess Winterberry is sold into slavery by the Queen. Magic is frowned upon in their kingdom but it does exist in the world. Prince Rus is from a different kingdom that is not allied and he is in disguise looking for his sister who was also taken into slavery.
There is quite a lot of development into a curse and the motivations of the 3 point of view characters.
I received a copy from StoryOrigin. All opinions are mine
There is quite a lot of development into a curse and the motivations of the 3 point of view characters.
I received a copy from StoryOrigin. All opinions are mine
April 25, 2019
This dark fairy tale retelling had my attention from the beginning. With a first person point of view from three intriguing and very different characters, I couldn't help but want to know what was going to happen next! I could feel the cursed, cold land in my bones as I read, desperately wanting the protagonist to be free of her situation. It all led up to an ending that was riveting and intense—I can't wait for the next book!
May 16, 2019
What a great story! This land of the Seven Kingdoms drew me in. I was fascinated by this new world, with different languages and climates. The characters were very good and drew me in, rooting for the good, hating the evil queen (but also wondering what she was going to do next). I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
July 20, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this very original, and more 'grown-up', retelling of the 'Snow White' story. There's shades of other fairy tales in the story, and the addition of curses and magic (more so than the original) just adds that extra bit of interest. I would give the story 4½ stars if it were possible, I dropped it half a star purely because of a number of editing issues, but I enjoyed the story so much that I had to nip straight over to Amazon to buy book two 'Fire and Frost
December 16, 2019
Color me impressed.
Fog & Mist exceeded my expectations with great world building, an interesting cast of characters, and a detestable villain who sees herself as a savior to her barren, snow-cursed kingdom.
Kelsie Engen's writing is polished and engaging. The allure of grabbing and reading book two is irresistible. I must know what happens next.
Fog & Mist exceeded my expectations with great world building, an interesting cast of characters, and a detestable villain who sees herself as a savior to her barren, snow-cursed kingdom.
Kelsie Engen's writing is polished and engaging. The allure of grabbing and reading book two is irresistible. I must know what happens next.
December 9, 2022
A dark epic Snow White retelling set in perpetual winter, loved it!
I loved this dark mashup retelling of Snow White with elements of the Snow Queen, Red Riding Hood, as well as Grimm’s Snow White/ Rose Red (with Rus as the bear). The book is 400 pages and has lots of well-crafted descriptions, which, for me, make it veer into the epic genre. Winterberry has been systematically erased from her kingdom’s rule by her stepmother Queen Blanche who has usurped the throne but can’t kill the princess, else she die herself as per an ancient prophecy. But she can task her Huntsman to be cruel. This is a rather dark retelling with slave trading, strapping of dignity, torture (the shoes were brilliant, but awful), death and murder. I liked how Rus, the crown prince of the neighbouring kingdom was relentless in trying to find his sister and can’t wait for his and Winter’s love story (I hope). I also liked how the author managed to show the evil queen not as pure evil but as morally grey - painting the greater good as a reason to be evil. I adored Caleb (similar to Doc) and the twist of how the princess met the 7 dwarves. I particularly liked the fae dragon legend and that greed was painted the source of all evil that started the winter curse. An enjoyable, but not a fast-paced read that draws you in and stays with you. I’ll definitely be looking out for book 2.
Recommended for lovers of Sj Maas and Holly Black, who enjoye dark and twisted fairytale retellings, epic fae fantasy with unwavering headstrong heroines and action-adventure.
Trigger warnings: might be difficult to read for survivors of mental and physical abuse; depictions of teen death, murder and torture (but without much gory details).
I loved this dark mashup retelling of Snow White with elements of the Snow Queen, Red Riding Hood, as well as Grimm’s Snow White/ Rose Red (with Rus as the bear). The book is 400 pages and has lots of well-crafted descriptions, which, for me, make it veer into the epic genre. Winterberry has been systematically erased from her kingdom’s rule by her stepmother Queen Blanche who has usurped the throne but can’t kill the princess, else she die herself as per an ancient prophecy. But she can task her Huntsman to be cruel. This is a rather dark retelling with slave trading, strapping of dignity, torture (the shoes were brilliant, but awful), death and murder. I liked how Rus, the crown prince of the neighbouring kingdom was relentless in trying to find his sister and can’t wait for his and Winter’s love story (I hope). I also liked how the author managed to show the evil queen not as pure evil but as morally grey - painting the greater good as a reason to be evil. I adored Caleb (similar to Doc) and the twist of how the princess met the 7 dwarves. I particularly liked the fae dragon legend and that greed was painted the source of all evil that started the winter curse. An enjoyable, but not a fast-paced read that draws you in and stays with you. I’ll definitely be looking out for book 2.
Recommended for lovers of Sj Maas and Holly Black, who enjoye dark and twisted fairytale retellings, epic fae fantasy with unwavering headstrong heroines and action-adventure.
Trigger warnings: might be difficult to read for survivors of mental and physical abuse; depictions of teen death, murder and torture (but without much gory details).
March 21, 2026
I did manage to finish this book but only because I really needed it to complete my r/fantasy bingo challenge and didn't have enough time to swap it out. This book was brutal what happens to the slaves and particularly the female characters was beyond horrible. The writing was choppy and at times missed words in sentences. The ebook I borrowed from kobo plus has chapters with missing letters at the beginning which was definitely frustrating and disappointing. The characters for the most part were horrible to follow I could have done without blanches pov completely and Rus was only interested with his own quest. There were wag too many fairytale references and abilities that the characters ended up with that just came out of left field. Just not a book for me.
December 13, 2023
*I received a copy in return for my honest review*
Grimdark. That is the word I'd use for this book. I understand it is a brutal world of eternal winter, but I feel that could have been shown in better ways.
--Something besides child sex slavery. And nearly everyone making up the world being horrible monsters with no other personality traits other than that.
The writing itself was fine, but the characters felt very not like people and instead caricatures. I can't get behind a character that wipes out an "evil foreigner" camp and acts like it's no big deal when talking to their orphans, and then leaving them behind to fend for themselves.
Or someone named Winterberry amongst all of this.
Grimdark. That is the word I'd use for this book. I understand it is a brutal world of eternal winter, but I feel that could have been shown in better ways.
--Something besides child sex slavery. And nearly everyone making up the world being horrible monsters with no other personality traits other than that.
The writing itself was fine, but the characters felt very not like people and instead caricatures. I can't get behind a character that wipes out an "evil foreigner" camp and acts like it's no big deal when talking to their orphans, and then leaving them behind to fend for themselves.
Or someone named Winterberry amongst all of this.
December 30, 2023
I think this is the first book in a captivating new series for me. Well written with strong characters that can hold their own. I really like how each chapter focuses on one character. It is not my usual read but I plan on reading the series. Suspenseful with an evil queen that creeped me out. To find out more get a copy and enjoy.
September 21, 2019
I received an advance review copy/ARC from the author for a review. This is my honest opinion.
I have a few thoughts about this book. On the one hand I feel the story, the premise, the mystery and worldbuilding were, overall, really interesting. The lore around the kingdoms, information about the rest of the world, it all sounds so interesting and I want to hear more! Every setting felt detailed, and I could picture it so easily in my head. They background and side characters helped the world feel alive and I really enjoyed chapters where new places were introduced
One the other hand, the characters were somewhat hard for me to connect to, and I didn’t feel they changed very much throughout the book, even with all of the obstacles they had to go through or overcome. The last few chapters really turned up a notch quality-wise, so I’m hoping the next book will be much better on this front.
Blanche, one of the pov characters fell flat for me. She felt too much like a stereotypical evil villain, and her character would switch between being empathetic, and cruel for the sake of being cruel. I couldn’t empathize or care for her at all. Winterberry didn’t make me feel one way or another, and she never seemed to change, even after all she went through.
Rus, on the other hand, I felt was a good character. I knew what he wanted, and it was something unique to him and his character. Through his speech and the way he acted, it really made me believe that yes, this is a prince, who right now is keeping his cool even though he’s a fish out of water. Rus’s chapters also felt the most interesting to me, and I always looked forward to them.
Overall it was still worth the read, and I’m excitedly waiting for the sequel!
I have a few thoughts about this book. On the one hand I feel the story, the premise, the mystery and worldbuilding were, overall, really interesting. The lore around the kingdoms, information about the rest of the world, it all sounds so interesting and I want to hear more! Every setting felt detailed, and I could picture it so easily in my head. They background and side characters helped the world feel alive and I really enjoyed chapters where new places were introduced
One the other hand, the characters were somewhat hard for me to connect to, and I didn’t feel they changed very much throughout the book, even with all of the obstacles they had to go through or overcome. The last few chapters really turned up a notch quality-wise, so I’m hoping the next book will be much better on this front.
Blanche, one of the pov characters fell flat for me. She felt too much like a stereotypical evil villain, and her character would switch between being empathetic, and cruel for the sake of being cruel. I couldn’t empathize or care for her at all. Winterberry didn’t make me feel one way or another, and she never seemed to change, even after all she went through.
Rus, on the other hand, I felt was a good character. I knew what he wanted, and it was something unique to him and his character. Through his speech and the way he acted, it really made me believe that yes, this is a prince, who right now is keeping his cool even though he’s a fish out of water. Rus’s chapters also felt the most interesting to me, and I always looked forward to them.
Overall it was still worth the read, and I’m excitedly waiting for the sequel!
March 31, 2021
A Snow White re-imagining with elements of The Snow Queen and even a bit of Red Riding Hood. It channels the endless, cold, dreary days of mid-winter, when the first snow's novelty has worn off, and the days seem endless until spring will come again. This land is cursed into a permanent winter and the coldness has seeped deeply into the denizen's hearts.
This was a slower paced story with a princess who seemed dragged along in her story rather than pushing the narrative. This is not to say that she was cowed, but rather that she seemed lacking in options and constantly at the mercy of others. She is one to sacrifice herself in the hopes of saving others and pays for it. A foreign prince seeking his sister. He is a man with compassion and mercy traveling through a land that is too harsh to allow for any. A misguided Queen who believes she is doing all to save her country only to be reviled by her people. And a prophesy that draws them all inexorably together.
Revolving around slavery, the story does get very dark at times but shies away from the worst and most gruesome bits with a fade to black and a mention of the aftermath or leaving things implied. Almost makes some of it even more callous. The pace picked up at the end when everything started coming together at the end to the point where I was concerned it would have a rushed ending but it didn't. Have to read book 2 now with all that was left unresolved but I prefer that to the rushed overly-neat convenient ending.
Book 1 in The Canens Chronicle, this book does resolve a major conflict, but leaves an even bigger one open, so not really a cliff hanger, but many many questions left unanswered and problems left unsolved for later installments.
This was a slower paced story with a princess who seemed dragged along in her story rather than pushing the narrative. This is not to say that she was cowed, but rather that she seemed lacking in options and constantly at the mercy of others. She is one to sacrifice herself in the hopes of saving others and pays for it. A foreign prince seeking his sister. He is a man with compassion and mercy traveling through a land that is too harsh to allow for any. A misguided Queen who believes she is doing all to save her country only to be reviled by her people. And a prophesy that draws them all inexorably together.
Revolving around slavery, the story does get very dark at times but shies away from the worst and most gruesome bits with a fade to black and a mention of the aftermath or leaving things implied. Almost makes some of it even more callous. The pace picked up at the end when everything started coming together at the end to the point where I was concerned it would have a rushed ending but it didn't. Have to read book 2 now with all that was left unresolved but I prefer that to the rushed overly-neat convenient ending.
Book 1 in The Canens Chronicle, this book does resolve a major conflict, but leaves an even bigger one open, so not really a cliff hanger, but many many questions left unanswered and problems left unsolved for later installments.
November 11, 2021
Fog & Mist: the Canens Chronicles book 1 by Kelsie Engen ARC provided by the author through StoryOrigin REVIEW An awesome story! A delight for the senses, this retelling of a beloved fairy tale Snow White. Everything is described so vividly! The tale is dark, however, much like a brothers Grimm fairy tale.
January 2, 2020
A usurper queen on a stolen throne.
A princess imprisoned, enslaved, and believed dead by her people.
A foreign prince searching for his sister.
Each entangled in a curse that threatens all of the Seven Kingdoms.
Crown Princess Winterberry's stepmother will do anything to prevent her ascension—even if it means assassinating her. And on the eve of the princess's twenty-first birthday, Queen Blanche arrests Winterberry under false claims of treason.
Although a long-standing prophecy proclaims death to anyone who kills a Canens royal, Blanche is determined to find a way. Step one goes off without a hitch: auction off the true heir as an incognito slave and send her halfway across Canens with Blanche's most trusted huntsman.
But on the other side of the Seven Kingdoms, an enemy prince gambles his throne and his life, crossing into Canens after his kidnapped sister. The farther he travels, the more entangled he becomes in the Canens Curse, the slavery underworld, and Princess Winterberry herself. Soon, even he doesn't realize how much more is at stake.
Enter the cursed world of the Seven Kingdoms in book one of this Snow White retelling, where you will find elements of Red Riding Hood and other beloved faery tales.
This is a brilliant read and magical retelling of some classics combined!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
A princess imprisoned, enslaved, and believed dead by her people.
A foreign prince searching for his sister.
Each entangled in a curse that threatens all of the Seven Kingdoms.
Crown Princess Winterberry's stepmother will do anything to prevent her ascension—even if it means assassinating her. And on the eve of the princess's twenty-first birthday, Queen Blanche arrests Winterberry under false claims of treason.
Although a long-standing prophecy proclaims death to anyone who kills a Canens royal, Blanche is determined to find a way. Step one goes off without a hitch: auction off the true heir as an incognito slave and send her halfway across Canens with Blanche's most trusted huntsman.
But on the other side of the Seven Kingdoms, an enemy prince gambles his throne and his life, crossing into Canens after his kidnapped sister. The farther he travels, the more entangled he becomes in the Canens Curse, the slavery underworld, and Princess Winterberry herself. Soon, even he doesn't realize how much more is at stake.
Enter the cursed world of the Seven Kingdoms in book one of this Snow White retelling, where you will find elements of Red Riding Hood and other beloved faery tales.
This is a brilliant read and magical retelling of some classics combined!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
February 3, 2021
Solid, but unspectacular read. But I liked the work and I'm glad I took a few days to read it.
I'm not often into high fantasy, feeling rather at home in contemporary/urban fantasy, but the description caught me and I was able to receive a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I had a fun time reading the work and I was really able to connect with several POV characters, especially Winterberry and Rus. I could feel their situations and I've never seen too many characters fall into as much trouble and hopelessness as Winterberry, yet only to receive a ray of hope that keeps you reading.
Rus was by far my favorite character. He exemplifies a hero/protagonist in many qualities, yet he's still flawed, which makes him beyond believable. I can tell how much he cares for his sister and just how evil the slave trade of the cursed nation of Canens is.
On the downside, I wasn't impressed with Blanche, our main antagonist. She's too stereotypical and I'll admit that I was so bored reading her POV scenes that I found myself zoning out. She's too predictable and there wasn't much originality there.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. It seemed like the author repeated things a few times in specific scenes and gave a lot of stage direction. Far more than was necessary to keep the story moving.
Overall, it's full of action, tension, and despite its length, is a page-turner that will leave you wondering where the hours went when you look up at the clock. I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author and the Canens Chronicles.
Besides, that ending will leave you wanting more.
I'm not often into high fantasy, feeling rather at home in contemporary/urban fantasy, but the description caught me and I was able to receive a free review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
I had a fun time reading the work and I was really able to connect with several POV characters, especially Winterberry and Rus. I could feel their situations and I've never seen too many characters fall into as much trouble and hopelessness as Winterberry, yet only to receive a ray of hope that keeps you reading.
Rus was by far my favorite character. He exemplifies a hero/protagonist in many qualities, yet he's still flawed, which makes him beyond believable. I can tell how much he cares for his sister and just how evil the slave trade of the cursed nation of Canens is.
On the downside, I wasn't impressed with Blanche, our main antagonist. She's too stereotypical and I'll admit that I was so bored reading her POV scenes that I found myself zoning out. She's too predictable and there wasn't much originality there.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. It seemed like the author repeated things a few times in specific scenes and gave a lot of stage direction. Far more than was necessary to keep the story moving.
Overall, it's full of action, tension, and despite its length, is a page-turner that will leave you wondering where the hours went when you look up at the clock. I'm looking forward to reading more books from this author and the Canens Chronicles.
Besides, that ending will leave you wanting more.
December 29, 2019
I Hate Stupid Heroines
This book started so well for me, but then it went off the rails. I was intrigued by this Snow White retelling in the very first chapters that introduced us to the new king of a different land, the Snow White character, and the evil stepmother character. What completely derailed the book for me is the fact that the author chose to make the Snow White character stupid. There's not much that infuriates me more than when an author does this. The princess, who has the true right to ascend to the throne on her 21st birthday--which is only days away when the book starts--is arrested by her evil stepmother and imprisoned. Through the use of magic that came to her in her cell, she is able to escape it. But she doesn't get far, though she is able to rescue some other prisoners (the seven giants??). These strapping, strong brothers offer to help her escape, but she refuses. I thought this was odd in itself. She gave no reason. They knew she was the princess and bow down to her, yet she commanded them to leave. Why? Then inexplicably she goes back to her prison cell where she is, of course, subjugated by the evil stepmother. Seriously, why would she go back there after she had escaped? It boggles my mind. The only answer is... that the author needed her to do so for the plot to be what the author wanted it to be! That has got to be the worst possible reason for a character to take an action. Seriously, I was just disgusted by this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
This book started so well for me, but then it went off the rails. I was intrigued by this Snow White retelling in the very first chapters that introduced us to the new king of a different land, the Snow White character, and the evil stepmother character. What completely derailed the book for me is the fact that the author chose to make the Snow White character stupid. There's not much that infuriates me more than when an author does this. The princess, who has the true right to ascend to the throne on her 21st birthday--which is only days away when the book starts--is arrested by her evil stepmother and imprisoned. Through the use of magic that came to her in her cell, she is able to escape it. But she doesn't get far, though she is able to rescue some other prisoners (the seven giants??). These strapping, strong brothers offer to help her escape, but she refuses. I thought this was odd in itself. She gave no reason. They knew she was the princess and bow down to her, yet she commanded them to leave. Why? Then inexplicably she goes back to her prison cell where she is, of course, subjugated by the evil stepmother. Seriously, why would she go back there after she had escaped? It boggles my mind. The only answer is... that the author needed her to do so for the plot to be what the author wanted it to be! That has got to be the worst possible reason for a character to take an action. Seriously, I was just disgusted by this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
March 14, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. The idea is good, and it seemed like it had potential, so I pushed through the first third even though I really just wanted to put it down and read something else. My main issues from the beginning:
Winterberry is a stupid name. No one else has a name similar. It's hard to take her seriously, and she is very immature for her age. I was surprised every time I remembers she is 21 because she acts about 13.
First person present tense usually throws me off, and it did here too. It is especially off because there are multiple points of view, and sometimes these things are happening at the same time, so you can't always be reading as things happen, because 2 chapters would logistically be happening at the same time.
The little hint at the seven dwarves was completely unnecessary, and making them large men instead of small is silly. It took me completely out of the story.
That being said, the book did get better as time went on, but I wasn't really a fan. Things happened just to move the plot the way the author wanted and not in ways that the characters would have done had they had free will.
I won't be continuing the series.
Winterberry is a stupid name. No one else has a name similar. It's hard to take her seriously, and she is very immature for her age. I was surprised every time I remembers she is 21 because she acts about 13.
First person present tense usually throws me off, and it did here too. It is especially off because there are multiple points of view, and sometimes these things are happening at the same time, so you can't always be reading as things happen, because 2 chapters would logistically be happening at the same time.
The little hint at the seven dwarves was completely unnecessary, and making them large men instead of small is silly. It took me completely out of the story.
That being said, the book did get better as time went on, but I wasn't really a fan. Things happened just to move the plot the way the author wanted and not in ways that the characters would have done had they had free will.
I won't be continuing the series.
September 7, 2021
This was a very good story! I was thrown off at first by the multiple 1st person reading from different characters...with that said, once I got into the groove of the structure, it was very well written! I try to not read about a book too much (especially fantasy), as it may taint my thoughts of where the writer is taking me as a reader.. in this book, I am glad that I did not reference this as a Snow White type book, as I did not see it that way at all. This, to me, was an out of control power hungry (in more ways than one) Queen with a stolen crown, and SO MANY wrongs she is doing to keep the crown, and to harm others. The only thing I have to not care for, was the ending... I felt a little dropped, even though I understand it is to leave open for the next book. This book is actually exactly what fantasy is all about... not comparing it to real-life events, just going wherever the words take you. So, Thank You Kelsie Engen for a great story!
January 7, 2021
Great story I can’t wait to start the next one! Solid world building, good POV switching, and interesting characters give this book a solid foundation that draws you in. I was especially happy that none of the characters made any really stupid/annoying decisions that would make me less sympathetic to them. I love them all, but I kinda hope we get some of Elaine’s POV next book.
Also I need to learn more about Winterberry’s light(magic?) and I’m curious about what exactly the Queen thinks she’s doing to save her people? I found the dissonance between the queen and her people to be very interesting and I want to learn more!
Also I need to learn more about Winterberry’s light(magic?) and I’m curious about what exactly the Queen thinks she’s doing to save her people? I found the dissonance between the queen and her people to be very interesting and I want to learn more!
February 7, 2021
I have once again fallen in love with another re-telling of a fairytale. Fog and Mist by Kelsie Engen, a darker version of Snow White and the first book of the Canens Chronicles. I really enjoyed the world-building and the writing style of this author in particular. It was fresh and really engaging. The villains in this story had enough of a detailed backstory for me to truly feel and understand their motives for why they did what they did, which I thought was really interesting. I liked the soft version of trouble with the naivety of the Princess and the Prince's POVs and them trying to work it out in their own ways. I would recommend this book!
January 22, 2020
With rumours of a curse that will kill anyone who kills the Heir of Canens, Blanche falsely accuses Winterberry of treason and sells her as a slave to the Magister (otherwise known as The Queens Huntsman). Told from 3 different point of views, Winterberry, Blanche and Rus (a foreign prince searching for his kidnapped sister) this wonderful tale is based on the fairy tale every child knows but also has variations of the darker side of the tales such as the iron slippers from Grimms tales.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 28, 2019
Fog and Mist is a loose retelling of Snow White, emphasis on the loose. Kelsie knows how to make a story her own! The three storylines weave together beautifully and the pacing is fast enough to keep even the most distracted reader engaged.
The world building is fantastic. It’s so complex and deep, without seeming that way. Look, i’ll stop gushing about this book. Do yourself a favour and read it!
The world building is fantastic. It’s so complex and deep, without seeming that way. Look, i’ll stop gushing about this book. Do yourself a favour and read it!
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