Heart of Mist: Book I: The Oremere Chronicles

I began this book before I left North Carolina for our trip to Ireland. I read it at the airports. I read it on the plane. I read it while waiting on the room to be available. I read it when I had that first night of hardly any sleep due to exhaustion and excitement... I kept reading because I couldn't stop piecing the puzzles together in my mind. Helen Scheuerer has not only painted a stunning setting with her words - lands from sea coast to ancient forests to courtly cities - and those are just the ones the characters actually step foot in! I can see the fiery land Fiore hails from and I cannot wait to imagine the continent of Oremere.  Another thing that captured me was her ability to make sure each character came to life. She definitely did not fall short in making me care, even for one character that I tried not to care about. When I end a novel and I feel like I cannot stop asking more questions or feel I need a break just to collect myself - it's a novel worth sharing.

Heart of Mist is an excellent fantasy adventure - in fact, one of the best self-published fantasy books I've ever read. It has just the right mixture of interesting characters, complex storylines that weave together and hints at romance that I hope will be developed later.

I'm a sucker for a book with a map, and the map in Heart of Mist is just gorgeous. With a complex world covering several continents, there's plenty of room to explore. The the stores Valia Kindred were an interesting society - badass female warriors, with an interesting dynamic between the elite warriors and the others who live on the forest floor. Then there's Swinton and Fiore. What a great bromance!

Bleak is surly, but also vulnerable. Her magic is an interesting gift -the ability to both read minds gently but also to shatter them. I'll be interested to see how she develops from here.

The only downside to this book was that it built up and up, but then just ended before any major climax. Having said that, all the way through there were exciting scenes, and twists and turns and secrets around every bend. I can't wait to see what happens in book two.

I have three requirements for books I love:

1. Decent writing
2. Strong plot
3. Female characters that function without male aid

The Oremere Chronicles is one of a very few books that meets all three requirements. It is incredibly sad how many female-protagonist books focus way too much on romantic relationships, or involve damsel-in-distress scenarios in which an otherwise strong and capable woman becomes, for whatever reason, incapable of handling her situation and needs a man's help.

At first, Bleak, the anti-hero female protagonist of the Oremere Chronicles, is hard to stomach. She is rude, selfish, mean, and insensitive. However, she does grow and change, and it is so refreshing to see a female character's plot not revolve around a man. Bleak is not the only female character that this is true of; Henri and her Valian warriors also fit the bill.

I adore Helen for writing these books. If you are looking for a genuinely good read, look no further. If you, like me, long for fantasy novels that have female characters that aren't sickeningly dependent, definitely read this book and the ones that follow.

So many well thought out, flawed, beautiful characters. The story started off interesting and never quit. I am frustrated with the enormous amount of unanswered questions... But I will just have to wait for the next book!

It was an interesting story, different from what I read. You get engaged very fast and there are interesting twist throughout the book.
It ends with a cliffhanger so now I’ll wait for the next installment to see what will happen to Bleak, Henri, Dash and the other characters

I love a book that gives you multiple characters and their POVs that keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire story. I couldn't put the book down made it especially difficult bc it was a work day and had to be a grown up for a few hours.

Looking forward to the next installment and finding out where our heroes, unexpected saviors and vilans landed.

This is a well-written novel, I was honestly surprised to see it's the first published work from the author. The characters are all very unique, and each take up their pages in believable ways with actions that fit their values and individual goals. I really can't wait for book two because I have a ton of questions.

Great story and characters I'm excited for part 2. Just readers beware, assault trigger warning. Nothing happens, as the girl is rescued after like 2 sentences, but the event is discussed/ referenced throughout the rest of book, and it's something I wish I'd known before starting the book so I figured I'd pass the info along for anyone else that might need it. Great read though!

I downloaded this book because the cover caught my attention. I started reading not knowing what to expect. The words really painted a clear picture of the characters and landscape. If you enjoy reading about strong women during times when it was unheard and want to get lost in a good fantasy i highly recommend this book. Can't wait to see what happens next.

I really loved this book! Being the first book in a series, it had a lot of world building. Usually those kind of books are boring but a lot went on in Heart of Mist. One thing about this book is there was no real climax, i feel like the climax was the ending. It definitely leaves you with a cliff hanger, and I definitely can't wait for the next in the series!!

The story line is interesting and grammatical editing is mostly correct (there are a few missed edits; such as, repeating sentences, and "he " instead of "she", etc...) but I think it is minimal and basically an enjoyable book. I look forward to reading the next book.

I really enjoyed the writing, and the unconventional heroine. Bleak is not always good, she has her demons and vices. and it makes her real. And that's something some authors forget to put into their characters. No one is pure good.