Into the Mists

Into the Mists Trilogy, Book 1

De: Serene Conneeley

Narrado por: Gabrielle Baker

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?

©2016 Serene Conneeley (P)2017 Serene Conneeley

Beautifully written magical story

Where was this book when I was a teen? Perfect for those young adults who find themselves drawn into new age stores but don't really know why or what to do once there.
Beautifully written, lovable characters, set in a perfect little town.
This magical novel for all ages walks you through grief and loneliness and healing, showing you can survive and thrive with loving support.
I found the narrator a bit slow at first as I am a fast reader but after the first chapter I was used to her style.
I would recommend this book to young adult readers and anyone who loves to find magic in their life.

A tale of redemption

I think a lot of people experience their lives being ripped apart at one point in their life, and I appreciated that this story really took that to a whole next level. Our main character faces a lot of inner conflict and has to come to terms with who she is and what she should stand for. I thought the story was well done and I enjoyed the listen. The author did a beautiful job at sharing the story with enough detail to really transport the reader and build that excitement about what could happen. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Enjoyable!

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.

Less paranormal, more about grief and recovery

When I went into this book, I expected something like The Secret Circle or Charmed. What I got was a miserable teenager who took half the story to stop being so down and self absorbed. Which is BAD. I'd imagine someone going through real grief would be likely to feel this awful for that long. The pacing was just slow and I really struggled to get through it.

The story picked up about halfway through (when more characters and elements were introduced) and it was nice getting to know the mystery behind her mom's sudden disappearance. I just wished I'd known it wasn't going to be as supernatural as it is more Wiccan.

If you're into crystals and healing and rituals for wellness, then this is a great representation of the craft! I do appreciate the details in this story and even though I personally didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, I could tell a lot of time and care had been put into it.
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I enjoyed Baker's performance, but one thing bothered me above all else: Carlie is Australian. The narration should have the proper accent. It makes absolutely no sense that her voice is Aussie, but her thoughts are not. That's the only thing that bothered me, because I DEFINITELY think to myself with an American accent, so a story about me living in England wouldn't be narrated with a British accent if it were my thoughts and perspective.
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All in all, I am interested in Carlie's life as she grows! I have a sneaking suspicion that this first book was just a slow start and that the real juicy material will come in the later installments. So I am eager to get to those as see how they turn out!

Just ok

The book was good, but just not for me. There was no real emotion I felt from the narrator, and the book just fell flat for me.