Review: The Young Stag (Islands in the Mist, Book 5) by J.M. Hofer
A powerful closing chapter where legacy, loss, and hope walk hand in hand.
Tour dates: January 19 – February 20, 2026. To see the full schedule of stops, visit the iRead Book Tours page here:
iRead Book Tours – Islands in the Mist Tour Schedule.
Disclosure: I received a copy of The Young Stag (Islands in the Mist, Book 5) as part of an iRead Book Tours event. All thoughts are my own.
Series note: This review is part of a five-book iRead tour run for J.M. Hofer’s Islands in the Mist series.
About The Young Stag
The Young Stag By J.M. Hofer
Series: Islands in the Mist #5
Published by KDP on 10/29/2021
Genres: Fantasy
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 472
Soon after Arhianna begins her training at Dun Scáthach, restored memories throw her into a perilous emotional tailspin that results in deadly consequences. Her path winds into ever darker places in her search for redemption, triggering a painful transformation.
Taliesin, desperate to gain the skills required to defend his loved ones against the ancient powers that stalk them, commits to an apprenticeship under Amergin the Bard. His journey takes him far from Caer Leon, leaving Igerna to bear the heavy secret of Morgen’s parentage alone.Igerna shoulders her responsibility well, at first, raising Morgen as twin sister to her only son, Arthur. A twin birth is auspicious, and the people of Caer Leon rejoice that their king and queen have been so blessed. As the years pass, however, Morgen’s birthright becomes more apparent, inciting gossip among the house servants. Morgen is, as expected, an enchanting and special child, gifted with supernatural abilities in spades. Unable to reach Taliesin and fearful that Morgen may soon become the object of ridicule—or worse, persecution—Igerna takes matters into her own hands. She journeys home with her children to seek the advice of the one other person in the world she feels might be able to help her daughter.
The wheel of fate turns as Morgen and Arthur come of age, sending them in separate directions. Once outside the safety of Caer Leon, those seeking to influence the two promising youths close in quickly, some well-intentioned, others ruthless and opportunistic.
Arthur is catapulted into the position he was born to fulfill, though perhaps not in the way anyone expected. Morgen, too, finds herself pulled toward an expected destiny, but conversely, one marked by efforts to prevent it, rather than facilitate it.Both stand poised on the precipice of immense power, pulling everyone around them into their wake as they step into the roles that will be sung of for centuries to follow.
Review at a Glance
| Genre | Adult Fantasy / Arthurian Retelling |
| Setting | Britain & mythic Celtic landscapes |
| Length | 571 pages |
| Content Rating | Adult (18+) |
| My Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quick Take | An emotional, deeply satisfying conclusion that blends Arthurian legend and Celtic myth with grace, loss, and enduring hope. |
Content Considerations: Themes of aging, loss, and death appear as part of the long arc of the series. These moments are balanced with hope, resilience, and emotional closure.
My Thoughts
The Young Stag opens with a brief recap of earlier events, which is helpful — but I still strongly recommend reading the Islands in the Mist series in order for the richest experience. This is a long, layered saga, and the emotional resonance builds book by book.
What impressed me most is how familiar this world feels without ever becoming stale. Even five books in, Hofer continues to introduce new characters, settings, and perspectives that draw the reader deeper rather than simply repeating old ground.
While Arhiana and Taliesin remain prominent, this installment felt, to me, like a story about Morgen and Arthur. Watching their connection form and deepen added a powerful emotional throughline, grounding the mythic elements in something deeply human.
As often happens in longer sagas, there is a darker side here. Time passes. Characters age. Some are lost to death. Those moments carry real weight — but they are never without balance. For every moment of sorrow in The Young Stag, there is light.
By the final pages, I was left with a strong sense of hope and resilience for characters I have come to truly adore. This is an emotional, gripping retelling that beautifully blends Arthurian legend and Celtic myth, and it feels like a story that has earned its ending.
In Conclusion
The Young Stag brings the central journey of the Islands in the Mist series to a deeply satisfying close. The story honors the passage of time, the cost of leadership, and the quiet strength required to carry legacy forward.
While The Young Stag brings the central journey of the series to a satisfying close, Hofer leaves the world itself open-ended — not as a promise, but as a quiet reminder that history never truly stops.
For readers who have followed this series from the beginning, this final installment is both emotionally rich and thoughtfully earned.
If you missed my thoughts on the earlier books in the series, you can find my reviews here:
- Book 1: Islands in the Mist
- Book 2: Across the Sea
- Book 3: Rise of the Pendragon
- Book 4: Into the Shadows
About the Author
About J.M. Hofer
From J.M. Hofer:
As a child, whenever anyone would ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I would answer, “I want to write books!” That enthusiasm has never wavered. Fifty years later, I still feel most fulfilled when I'm writing.
As a reader, I regularly devour books on mythology, folklore and fairy tales. I believe the stories we choose to tell generation after generation are doorways into the heart of humanity. These are the stories that assure us we're not the first to doubt ourselves or face what seems an impossible challenge; the stories that help us realize we're not alone in our struggles. Most importantly, they inspire us to summon the courage to leave behind the familiar and find out what we're made of--to face the dragon, resist the trickster, and heed the advice the village elder gives us.
My aim as a storyteller is to transport you to a world that feels ancient yet somehow familiar, where the veil between realms is thin and magic is very, very much alive.
Where to Buy
Also available from Books-A-Million.
Book Trailer
Prefer video? You can watch the official book trailer here:
Watch the trailer for Islands in the Mist series
Giveaway
Enter to win signed copies of the Islands in the Mist book series (all 5 books) (one winner) (USA only). Ends February 27, 2026.
ISLANDS IN THE MIST by J.M. Hofer Book Tour Giveaway
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Giveaway link
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Author: @jmhoferauthor | iRead: @iReadBookTours
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