Of Mist and Murder

Daughters of Eville #5

by Chanda Hahn

Captured by an evil sorcerer, I'm forced to become his apprentice and learn forbidden magic. Teetering on the edge between good and evil, I trade my soul for power. Allemar wants to control me, but little does he know the shifter he's caged--is not easily tamed. My training draws me closer to Aspen, the forsaken prince, wanted for treason against the crown. My sisters have always feared him, but I can see the man beneath the cloak of hate. For I am Maeve, one of the adoptive daughters of Lady Eville. I hunt the truth, seeking the one who murders my shifter friends. But what will I do when all evidence points to Aspen and the dark magic he wields? Unleash the beast within.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Romance, Audiobook, Young Adult, Magic, Fairy Tales

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2021

About the author

Chanda Hahn is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Reign An Unfortunate Fairy Tale. She was born in Seattle, WA, grew up in Nebraska and currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their twin children. She attended North Central University in Minneapolis Minnesota for Childrens Ministry. She was also a children's pastor, bookseller and children's librarian.

Books published by Chanda include the UnEnchanted series a.k.a. (Unfortunate Fairy Tale Series) and The Iron Butterfly series.

Chanda is represented by Mark Gottlieb at Trident Media Group. You can direct any inquiries regarding foreign, film, audio and translation rights to him. www.tridentmediagroup.com

Reviews

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one turned out so good. I really loved and got into it. I have no idea which fairytale this is a retelling of though. If anyone knows please let me know cause it's driving me crazy. The romance in this one had me all over the place. We basically hate the male love interest and now all of a sudden you don't hate him so much and by the end we love him. WTH? I loved it but it was a bit confusing.
I love Maeve. She's immature and makes lots of mistakes. But I love that about her. Even her darker side, and compared to the books about the sisters before her, she has a much darker side. It makes her so real and kinda relatable. I truly love Maeve.


How I choose my rating:
1* Didn't like it at all. These are rare as I usually just don't finish any book I dislike this much.
2** Didn't like it. Again usually DNF if I dislike it this much, but occasionally I feel it still has potential and I try to stick with it to the end.
3*** I liked it. It wasn't great but it was enjoyable enough. It is unlikely I'll ever reread it but I'll probably finish the series if it is a part of one.
4**** I really liked this book. Maybe not a work of genius, but highly entertaining. I might reread this at some point, and I will finish the series if part of one.
5***** I loved this book. I found little to no issues with it at all. I will probably reread this and possibly more than once. I will finish the series if it's part of one.

[Aragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm surprised by the balls of this author to make a main villain into a love interest but it was masterfully done. 4.5/5

[Lauren Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

5th Book! So angsty! Dark broody MMC. The bad guy’s love story. I loved this one. It was so good. Darker FMC with a heart of gold. Sisters pulling each other through excruciating times.

[Gia · Rating 1 out of 5]

His face red, he raised his hand as if he were going to strike me.

um, seriously? I can understand being angry when she poured hot soup on him. But he was mocking her like an asshole. And anyway, raising hand on her? Problematic. Big turn off.

“I’m sure there is a reason for you to have come into my room half-naked.”
“I’m clothed,” I argued.
“Half-clothed. And a lesser man would have already taught you a lesson for barging in wearing next to nothing.”

Excuse me? What's up with this??? Not funny. So she was in her night clothes and he thinks her dressing would make men take liberates and make assumptions?? Yes, knocking is important but this dialogue oh god! TAUGHT her a lesson?! How?? Hit her? Kiss her? Rape her? I mean that would vary man to man I suppose then? Like her clothing allows them to do anything they like? I hate to point out but this what rape apologists say. I can't believe I read this shit in a book. I'm appalled at the thinking.

Then this dialogue:

Was he going to kiss me? I held my breath as he leaned down and whispered into my ear. “Maeve, not every man has as strong as a resolve as I do. Don’t come into my room again, or else I can’t guarantee the outcome . . . or your safety.”

Nope. Consent, bro? I agree she should've knocked but ugh this dialogue implying somehow he can't control himself over her clothing? You SHOULD guarantee her safety no matter what state of dress she is in! I get it they have attraction going on and this dialogue might seem sexy (I guess to our heroine) but nope, this is seriously problematic and giving men's desires "excuses". Plus, not every man has resolve as he does? Like how the hell is this shit sensible? What is being promoted? They are supposed to have resolve! Will he justify another man not being able to control his "resolve" and making sexual advances just bcs of her clothing? Ugh.

[Christine Manzari]

Nope.

[noor..!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

BYFAR my most favorite book in the entire series. enemies to lovers, plot driven, strong female main character GAWD this whole thing was just PERFECTION. writing this months after i finished the book im still cheesing over the love interest LIKE U HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME this book specifically has me in a chokehold so strong even god wouldn’t be able to save me. compared to her sisters maeve puts up a hard fight and is a strong heroine, she refuses to give up and is stubborn in her resolve. a refreshing character if you ask me, her love of mischief and vengeance makes her far from the cliche fmc we always see in fantasy books. the writing in this one is much more fast paced then the others and gawd damn the plot twists in this one were different then the other but in a good way, i still thoroughly enjoyed them.

[Brandy Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am beside myself with how this book went. There was so much emotion. Maeve has to overcome so much. I am not sure if she will ever recover. She puts up a hard fight. You are going to love this book. Just like the other ones. Each sister has to over come their flaws. There are some strong life lessons in here. I hope everyone likes this book as much as I did.

[Rachel Gatewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and finished it in a day I couldn't put it down. I really liked Maeve and learning more about her shifter self. I also loved that this book had lots of past characters and we got to see more of them. My favorite is Rosalie familiar. I loved seeing him again and hope to see him again in future books.. I also loved Violet. I even enjoyed Aspen more in this book which I didn't think would be possible. I love when a book changes my mind on characters and you grow to love them. This book was a great read and I loved meeting new characters and learning more about past characters. I can't believe there is only two sisters left to learn there stories. I'm loving this series so much and I will need to own them all in paperback.

[Avely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hahn pole siiani pettumsut valmistanud selle sarjaga.
Väga meeldis see kuidas ta suutis panna varasematest osadest oma negatiivsete aspektidega hiilganud tegelase järsku meeldima.
Tegelaste areng oli piisav ja oli palju huvitavaid uusi tegelasi.
Ootan juba järgmist osa :)

[Kaitlyn Monique ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story going on throughout these books has just gotten better with each, but I think this was my favorite love story of them so far.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED that the “villain” in the last five books is the love interest! Definitely one of my favorite books out of the series, right behind Of Sea and Song!

[Kristina Stangl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chef’s kiss. Best in series.

[Roisin Giles · Rating 3 out of 5]

As before, I'm still enjoying this series! I am not sure what this book was a re-telling of though, so if you know, please comment! Slightly less dark than the previous book, but Maeve is the darkest daughter so far, which is a direction I loved. I like learning about each individual daughter's personality and their differing traits, and Maeve's love of mischief, vengeance and her own version of justice was refreshing to read as it is a different outlook from her sisters. She is still a likeable character though as she is relatable in other ways, such as innocent about boys and the wider world as she was sheltered with her family, and also quite insecure and jealous (but in a kind way if that makes sense?) of her sister's who are more typically charming and wholesome. She is also very protective, which shows as she begins to get friendlier with Velora, Marco and Aspen, who she counts as her family, as she tries to ensure their safety and especially for Velora, taunt their bullies with harmless magic. Her personality also helped her connect with Aspen, and help me as the reader connect with Aspen, as their similarities showed how their relationship could work, as in the beginning it was hard to adjust to Aspen being the potential love interest as I was used to him being the villain's apprentice.

I like how this fifth instalment tied back to the first book, with Rosalie's brother, Aspen, being one of the main characters. It also seems (hopefully this isn't too pre-emptive as it's not the final book in the series) that Allemar has been defeated finally, so I wonder who the antagonist for the next few books will be as there are two more sisters to read about, or if he will make a surprise return? I also wonder if Velora will continue to feature, as she is now a friend to Aspen and Maeve, even with her tricky past with Meri.

I also loved Maeve's main power, shifting into other forms, as it brought a new element of magic to this book - although Maeve has been mentioned in the previous books so it wasn't new information, just developed more - especially with the twist near the end of her being powerful enough to be able to shift into multiple forms and being the Shifter Queen. Another example of her being sheltered until just the right moment.

As usual for me with this series, I really enjoyed reading this book but I wanted it to be slightly longer so that the information wasn't so packed in. I do like Maeve and Aspen as a couple, and we did learn about Aspen's past which gave us an insight into how he ended up as Allemar's somewhat reluctant apprentice, but again the romance was slightly rushed and predictable, and could potentially have benefited from a further 50+ pages to slow down the pacing. I might be biased though as I do love a good, long book. Again, I will be pre-ordering the next book which comes out in four months time, in December.

[avi ౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ೃ𝐎𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐡༄*ੈ



꒰ა 𝐌𝐚𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 ໒꒱
Maeve Eville one of the more trouble maker of the group was rescued none other by the enemy. In order to survive she must pledge a blood oath, be trained by her enemy, and live with them until she was strong enough to strike back. Torn with the lost of her adopted family Maeve was broken inside but hid it from the world making sure nobody saw her breaking.

꒰ა 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧 ໒꒱
Prince Aspen an accolade of Alamar and the master of none other of Maeve, his biological sister's adopted sister. Aspen and Maeve both hate each other but need each other through the challenges ahead. Aspen has went through hell in his past and still wars it inside of himself until a great threat poses and he needs to redeem himself not to his people he was born to rule over but to himself.

꒰ა 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ໒꒱
This is my favorite book out of the whole series no joke the story is so heart wrenching and yet so perfect. I loved every aspect and it made me want so much more. I love the redemption this book especially Aspen's redemption arc. it was so inspiring and so sweet. And I also love Maeve she was the most misunderstood out of all the sisters and probably the most relatable in my opinion.

[Jner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I had a very difficult time getting through it. I put it down multiple times to enjoy other books and only resorted to finishing this one while waiting my turn for a book in the Libby app.
Maeve is immature and snarky. I know Haun was trying to portray a dark and brooding sister, but I got so tired of her back-and-forth emotions. It was like she was bipolar or something.
I did like how the author portrayed Maeve’s feelings of hopelessness and shame after making so many bad choices. It was a good parallel for those who feel they might be lost forever or that there is no way out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves.
I was glad to see Aspen’s story, but I felt like their relationship was so dysfunctional. Their continuous snarling name calling didn’t spell love for me.

Not my favorite of her books. The plot felt messy, not to mention there were some grammatical errors (too instead of to). That might be reaching a bit, but it did distract me from the story.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maeve’s story is a incredible journey of love and forgiveness. I don’t know how the author continues to pull these stories from. Each installment gets better and better. Maeve is such a strong character. Her temper sometimes gets the best of her, but without that there would be just a ordinary character. What we get is a extraordinary main character who fights for what she believes in and those she loves. We see Allemar in this installment and it was a incredible show. There are new characters—shifters, which I enjoyed as well. The tale of shifters vs humans, and can they all co-exist together? The mystery of what happened in the past, and who can they trust. This book was a fun and exhilarating ride. The fifth installment doesn’t disappoint and I binged it less than 24 hours. It was so good and unputdownable!!

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m hiking again which means I’m listening to this cursed series

[❆ Ash ❆ (fable link in bio) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teetering on the edge of 2 vs. 3 stars. I’m feeling generous tonight.

“I hate you.” “The burn of rejection.” “I wish I never met you.” “Who have I become?” “You’re a monster.” Congrats, you’ve read the whole book now. I can’t do the physical abuse against Maeve. Pretty disgusting.

I felt this one was more trite than the others. Maybe it’s because I didn’t really like Maeve or the MMC ESPECIALLY since he was the villain which is a bold move in itself making him the love interest. The enemies to lovers trope is just not my jam.

ɪ ɢᴀᴢᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ʀʜᴇᴀ’ꜱ ꜱʟᴇᴇᴘʏ ꜰᴀᴄᴇ. “ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ?” ꜱʜᴇ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ. “ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ.”

“ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀʀᴍ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʜᴀʀᴍ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ, ʜᴇʀᴇ,” ꜱʜᴇ ᴛᴀᴘᴘᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ꜰɪɴɢᴇʀ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ɪɴ ᴀ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇ ʀᴇʙᴜᴋᴇ. “ꜱᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴀ ꜱʜɪᴇʟᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ, ʙᴜʀʏ ɪᴛ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴀ ᴡᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ɪᴄᴇ ꜱᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀʀᴍ ʏᴏᴜ.”

“ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴏᴋᴀʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴍᴘɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴜʀɴᴀᴍᴇɴᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴀʟꜱᴏ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ'ꜱ ᴄʜᴀᴍᴘɪᴏɴ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪɴ, ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪɴ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛꜱ. ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ?”

“ɪ’ᴍ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴋɪꜱꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ’ᴛ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ꜰɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ.”

[#ByFelicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bow to the queen! Chanda Hahn has done it again. I was so excited for Maeve’s story and Hahn did not disappoint. I highly recommend it and it’s definitely become a favorite of mine.

Of the daughters of Lady Eville, Maeve is known as the worst of all. Temperamental and quick to strike, she is considered dangerous. Lacking control of her magic, she is proven deadly. I absolutely loved Maeve’s story. I knew it would be epic. That twist was not expected and but greatly deserved.

Aspen has long been the forgotten prince. Pitted against the Eville sisters as a pawn in Allemar’s fight for power and revenge. Lost and broken with no hope, we learn the reason for his downfall and only Hahn can make you love the villain. If ever there was a redemption arc, it’s Aspen’s.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series, and the authors writing. She does such a good job of putting a fun twist on fairytales. This was my favorite of the series so far! Maeve had to overcome so many different obstacles in her life and she fought hard to break her chains. I also really enjoy a redemptive story line and this one includes one that is tied to the other books and it made me so happy! Looking forward to the next one.

[Find Me Behind a Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible and a must read in my opinion. I loved being back in this world. Chanda Hahn did an outstanding job with this story from beginning to end. Maeve is such an amazing character and so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. I love the interactions between her and Aspen. As much as I wanted to hate Aspen, I just couldn't. I felt that he definitely redeemed himself in this story and made me love him. Both Aspen and Maeve do a lot of internal growing in this story and improve themselves in a way that makes them happy with themselves. I feel like I need to read this one all over again already.

[Carmin Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly found this on audible, expecting not to finish it and I was so pleasantly surprised. A story about orphaned shifter who gets captured by an evil Allemar and meets a morally grey Aspen. She discovers her true nature and that not everything is as it seems (quite literally because she can never see through someone’s glamour). It’s a little cliche but this series is apparently a retelling of fairy tales so what should one expect.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maeve is still my least favorite of the daughters of Eville, but this ended up being my favorite of the stories. The character arc for Aspen, especially with where he was at even as far back as book 1, was super well written.

[Vita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally loved it. Didnt want to sleep because wow. Just wanted to know the ending.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was good
Enemies to lovers *chefs kiss* also we get some more side characters from other books in here which I really enjoyed having them again

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely done!

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars.
There was a lot more drama, and the found family was nice but could be explored more.

[Katharine Knoodle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great twist on Swan Lake, I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would and loved the loop back to book 1.

[Crystal K · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I liked this—way better than the last one, with more plot twists. Nice!

[Roxi Zamora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series so far. Loved the dark side of Maeve and Aspen.