It starts typically enough. A camping trip with a friend's family, with a campfire to sit around and tell scary stories - except Rosie's dad says this one is true. According to legend, the house across the lake hosts a strange curse, a missing daughter and a threat that anyone who ventures close will meet the same fate. Rosie and Jenny shrug the story off, but as events escalate, it becomes crystal clear that the curse is real and someone else is the next target.
Although they try to deny the truth, a note from an unlikely source confirms their deepest fears. Lies unravel, allies form and the truth about what happens back then threatens to come to light. But one answer remains shrouded, haunting all involved: Will they escape the mist before it comes for them or are they doomed to be lost forever?
After reading Moore Field School and the Mystery by Liam Moiser, and not liking it very much, I was a bit wary about reading this book. But this book promised a campfire and a spooky story. And with Halloween season approaching, it was the perfect time to read it. It was short and enjoyable, and it’s a great book to read during this time. Even though it contained spooky elements, Devil’s Mist wasn’t spooky and intense enough for me.
Thank you to the author, Liam Moiser and LibraryThing, for sending a copy of this book my way, in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis:
Rosie, Rosie’s father and Rosie’s friend Jenny go on a camping trip. When the dad tells the girls a spooky story about a missing girl, they don’t believe it too much. But their curiosity gets the better of them, and they head towards the lake to find the old house and the lake surrounded by mist. And then they realise – this story is probably true.
My Thoughts of Devil’s Mist:
Devil’s Mist started really good. It had a very spooky atmosphere, where the campfire and the telling of a scary story sets the pace. The mystery behind this missing girl in the story and the two curious friends looking for answers. But this is where the spooky atmosphere stops.
They come back to the city and a very intriguing plot twist takes place that puts Rosie in danger, as she uncovers more secrets that are connecting the past with the present. After this, the delivery and execution of this book was poor.
It was really intriguing to learn more about the mystery of the disappearance of Lucy. And to my disappointment, this was revealed early in the book, and we continued with Rosie’s storyline instead. I really enjoyed the camping trip setting. The lake, the mist and the abandoned house. But this setting only featured at the beginning, while the rest of the action mostly happens in the city.
I also feel like James’s character was not needed at all in this book.
I couldn’t care less about what happens to him. It seemed like his role was added more out of convenience than anything else. Jenny could have been a way more suitable alternative, and I would have actually cared about that part of the book then.
The curse and its story was intriguing, and I liked that part. It was introduced to us in a very peculiar way though. It was still intriguing, nevertheless.
Even though it contains spooky elements, Devil’s Mist wasn’t spooky and intense enough for me. However, I do think that younger audiences might enjoy it more, as I assume this is who it was written for in the first place. It is, however, an entertaining short story with mysterious and fantastical elements, and can be a good Halloween choice.
An incredibly short book (68 pages) that does far too much for a short story to really let anything develop. It has the basis for a good story and if it ever developed into a novel length story it could be great. However, it is hard to enjoy a book that teases with some great atmosphere and then doesn't deliver. There are some hints at some spooky moments, but through a lot of contrivance and unknown characters, we get to the end and it's just a disappointment. I do think this is a great idea and has some great moments, but is ultimately let down by the length preventing any sort of development, connection or tension.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a short book and it is well written and full of adventure and paranormal action. This story feels like it is targeted to a younger audience however I still enjoyed the book. The ending makes me believe it could be leading to a sequel which I would love to read.
I managed to get this copy of Devil's Mist by Liam Mosier off of Library Thing in exchange for an honest review. I was surprised when a physical copy arrived through the post instead of it being sent to my kindle. Straight away I noticed how incredibly thin this book was, but I was happy as I would not have had time to read a thicker book.
I did enjoy this book, not as much as others as it was a big change from reading books with plot twists and more in-depth characters. It's perfect if you haven't read a lot of mystery/thriller books and would like to get into them. The whole story of the mission girl and the mist is a very interesting story and found myself wanting to find out what happened to her. However, a few characters were just dropped into the story towards the end without much context behind them bein there. The story as a whole was very interesting to read and I enjoyed it, but it could be structured a bit better to make it flow easier to the reader.
I very kindly received this ARC from the author through LibraryThing. Right from the beginning of this story I was captivated. It was very action packed and never had a dull moment. The mystery was very intriguing and I enjoyed following the characters as the story began to unfold. The only criticism I have is a character that was introduced at the very end of the book suddenly became very relevant! I would have liked to have to have seen more of James a bit earlier on. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wouldn’t mind reading it again sometime.
Devil's Mist is a short spooky tale about a young teenager, Rosie, getting caught up in an old local legend about a disappearance ages ago and a mysterious mist that engulfs part of the town. Rosie and her friend, Jenny, soon learn the scary legend in their town is true and must figure out a way to escape the curse that already fell on Lucy a long time before. Throughout this short story, Rosie and Jenny promise to save Lucy from her fate as they try to keep Rosie safe as well. Secrets unravel around these young characters.
The premise of this short story is intriguing and captured my attention at first. The beginning started off a bit solid and set up the legend and the secrets surrounding it well. It had the right amount of spooky atmosphere that made me excited to uncover the secrets of Lucy's disappearance along with Mr. Brown's (Rosie's father) involvement in Rosie's present day predicament. But just as quickly as this story started, the plot jumps at an even faster speed. The pacing was too quick for me. It felt very rushed from the middle and onwards.
And although it was a quick read, the jerky jumping ahead personally felt like a slough to read. Characters were introduced but weren't fleshed out well. Even the main characters (the girls) weren't fully developed; although, they did have more promise, especially Jenny. The dialogue felt forced at times, especially towards the end. Each new mystery brought anticipation of something spooky and the promise of being a big climatic surprise only to be revealed abruptly and fall flat. Which was unfortunate because I felt there was great potential with this story had it been more fleshed out and not rushed.
Also the secondary characters seemed to be introduced randomly and then weren't given a purpose other than to move the plot along with no satisfaction. Almost like they were an afterthought. For example, James was randomly and briefly mentioned in one scene. Later during the climax of the story, he demands to be apart of the girls plan to save Rosie and Lucy from their fates when that was our only glimpse of him in his first scene.
[Spoilers in next paragraph]
[Major Spoilers]
Overall, this short story has great promise and much more potential if more supporting detail is given, the paced allowed to progress at a more natural pace, and fleshing out the characters and spooky mystery. It has a great concept that would flourish better as a novel. This story is perfect for a younger, middle school audience.
I received this book from an Early Reviewer list. Here's my opinion on some pros and cons:
Pros: Easy, quick read (I was able to read it in one sitting). Good bones.
Cons: A lot of the dialogue seems forced. There's little-to-no character development, making it hard to be invested in the characters' journeys. Everything feels rushed, and a lot of that comes off as an after-thought for convenience. Believability is just not there.
In regards to a lack of believability, here are a few specific examples -- Why would the Ryan Tillson not change his name when being published in a newspaper for hundreds of years? We introduce James very late in the game. With the audience not knowing him at all, why would he just sacrifice himself for Rosie? It would be more believable if it had been Jenny. At the end of chapter 10, Rosie goes to talk to Lucy and Jenny on a Wednesday morning and it says they were waiting in a corner for her and they all planned to go to school together. Where would they be on a Wednesday morning, if not at school? Especially since Lucy would probably be with Mrs. Wilson. If Mrs. Wilson is the head of the English dept. with a don't-mess-with-her reputation, how come Rosie didn't recognize her?
Overall, this story has good bones and makes for a chill afternoon, but there's some work that could be done to improve it even more.
I won a copy of this book from a giveaway that took place on LibraryThing.
Obviously I did not enjoy this book and I will briefly breakdown why.
Writing style: I personally found some of the word choices repetitive within the same sentences as well as the ones after. The 3rd person POV was very ineffective. It left me a little confused about who was feeling what.
Length: The story would benefit in being a bit longer. I think this would have helped create a more interesting and slightly intricate story. Although I do think almost the entire story could use a revamp and slight change of direction.
Characters: The characters all blended together to become this one card board cutout in the shape of a human with only a paper with the characters names written on it taped to the cardboard "face". Everyone was very bland. Rosie and Jenny gave me 12 year old vibes. There were characters (for example James) who were given a "big" purpose without much if any background info. This left me with the consistent questions of "so what?"and, "Why should I care?".
It’s an interesting idea about a child disappearing in the woods and the mist that follows. I don’t mind a short book at all but the biggest issue with this story is that it’s just so rushed. If the story was longer with more detail that would help with the overall mystery. It would also help build the characters who are hard to tell apart. Right now there’s just too much packed in. Such as James who popped up out of nowhere. Or how Lucy starts to deal with her life. Or stealing items? The newspaper articles feel too modern and so do some of the names. I could go on and on. There’s a good story in there but as of right now it’s way too rushed.
Rosie and Jenny go on a camping trip, while there Rosie's Father tells them a tale they do not believe. He tells the tale of a house, a curse and a missing girl. Soon strange events happen and the girls begin to believe there may be some truth to this curse after all. Amid this mystery secrets are revealed and the girls may be in danger, unless they come up with a good plan.
A fast paced story with an interesting plot, mysterious events, secrets and supernatural happenings. Although this is a short story, there is plenty to tell. I was hooked from the beginning until the end. Overall I enjoyed Devil's Mist and highly recommend to those who love a haunting tale. Perfect for middle school/young adults and adults as well.
I’m sorry, this just is not good writing. I wanted to like it. I thought maybe I could hand it to my kids? But our bookshelves are filled with plenty of books with quality writing, consistent and sufficient character development, natural pacing, appropriate use of third person, and intriguing stories. Devil’s Mist simply does not employ any of those things. The blurb on the back is written better than the stuff inside. The dialogue is unnatural and jumpy. The setting is at first spooky and ominous and then just… not, for most of the book. I hate to give such a poor review, but I have to be completely honest and say this just isn’t a well-written book, period.
I was gifted an ARC through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. All opinions are my own.
A spooky short story for preteens, that is very engaging right from the get go. The characters are all very interesting and the suspense of the story keeps you intrigued throughout. Though this is a short book it is very well written and full of adventure. The paranormal action is tactfully composed as not to be completely terrifying for youngsters but still has an edge. The ending makes me believe it could be leading to a sequel!
a really short book but i was hooked once i started reading it. it was a great and a fast read, which is what i usually go for. honestly i really enjoyed it, while the ending was really unexpected. i really enjoyed the characters portrayed in this short read, especially the protagonist. thank you to the author for sending this book, i enjoyed it sincerely!!!
Devil's Mist is a short book that tells a very intriguing story. Because it is short (68 pages), it is a quick read. The storyline is a little rushed and the character's stories could be developed a bit more. This being said, the book is a great read for a pre-teen/early teen and the suspense of the story, albeit quick, does keep you intrigued. Hoping for a sequel!!
A camping trip, a cursed house, a missing daughter.
At only 68 pages it's a very short story but one that had me from the first page. I really didn't see how they could come to a conclusion with so few pages but he did it. I'm not a big fan of such short stories but this one I would recommend reading.
Quick read with an entire storyline. The story is intriguing throughout and made me want to read it within a few days. This is one book I would recommend if you have a short car trip or are short on time and want to read a book.
I received this book from LibraryThing for a honest review. I enjoyed the story of mystery and paranormal. It is a thin book that you can read in one sitting. The book would be great for preteens. I plan to donate the book to our local library.
Reminiscent of the old Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. This is a fun, quick read with every popular element right now. This story has Magic, mystery, disappearances, and a battle between good and evil. But, it’s only marginally scary.
I received this book from Library Thing. I thought it was a good read for the tween set. It was very short, but was suspenseful enough for this age group.
When Rosie goes camping with her dad and friend Jenny, her father tells a scary story while they sit around the campfire. Pretty typical, right? Wrong. He says the story is real and soon the girls are forced to confront the possibility that he is telling the truth.
This was a fun read! I'd definitely recommend reading this book at night! I did and even felt a little creeped out at times. Particularly if you're younger and reading Devil's Mist, as it is juvenile fiction, the scare level is perfect. The plot was interesting and easy to follow.
The many grammar errors were unfortunately quite distracting. I often found myself rephrasing sentences in my head instead of paying complete attention to what was happening. Some characters felt as if they were thrown in a little randomly as well.
*Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy via LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review!*
This is a very short story that sounded great until it wasn’t. It really needed way more character and plot development. I didn’t connect with any character and most of the time I found myself re-reading sentences or paragraphs because things would just happen out of nowhere with no answer to back it up.
It has the potential to be better if this was developed into a longer book