First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

Here is the truth, this is what I know: I was walking on the beach with Emma. It was cold and very foggy. She let go of my hand. I stopped to photograph a baby seal, then glanced up toward the Great Highway. When I looked back, Emma was gone.

From this moment unfolds the spellbinding story of Abby Mason – a photographer, fiancée, soon-to-be-stepmother – and the consequences of her greatest error. A riveting drama of how life can change in an instant, of a family torn apart by the search for the truth behind a child’s disappearance, and of one woman’s unwavering faith in the power of love, The Year of Fog is a profoundly original glimpse into the mysterious and wondrous workings of the human heart, all made startlingly fresh through novelist Michelle Richmond’s incandescent sensitivity and extraordinary insight.

It’s the end of the workweek—yay! I hope the week has been kind to everyone and that you’re all ending it on a high note. Just like that, we are already in the ninth month of the year. This also means that the feared Ghost Month, which extended until September 10, has come to a close. Ghost Month is often considered an ominous period, during which businesses experience slowdowns and travel is discouraged. With Ghost Month over, I hope you’re being showered with blessings and good news. How time flies! Time takes its natural course, with little regard for us. I hope the first eight months of the year have been promising. As the year progresses, I hope the last four months shower everyone with blessings and good news. May the hard work you have put in be repaid. With the weekend finally here, I hope everyone has a great one. It’s time to dress down and spend the long weekend resting from the rigors of a demanding career, pursuing your passions, completing household chores, spending time with loved ones, or simply relaxing.

After weeks of relentless rain—it has been raining practically the entire month of August—the coming weekend is brimming with promise. The sun has finally shone over the past two days, a rarity. I hope the weather will be better in the coming days and weeks. Some parts of the country are still experiencing rain. The monsoon season has certainly made its presence felt. Ironically, the southern part of the country has been experiencing extreme heat caused by the super El Niño. Wherever you are in the Philippines or elsewhere in the world, I hope you’re all doing well—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Anyway, with the end of the workweek comes a fresh First Impression Friday update. Following two months of literary adventure across the extensive Asian literary landscape—a place closer to home—I commenced a new literary journey in September. Crossing the Pacific, I am now venturing into the works of American writers.

American literature has been a staple of my annual literary journey. With American literature being one of the most readily available, I guess one can never escape it. I also realized that I have several works of American literature in my ongoing reading challenges. Among these books is Michelle Richmond’s The Year of Fog. It was during a random venture into the local secondhand bookstore that I came across the American writer and her novel. I had no inkling of who she was or what the book was about. However, The Year of Fog is a New York Times bestseller, which naturally piqued my interest. I used to be easily persuaded by such tags on book covers. Unfortunately, it suffered the same fate as most of my books. It was left to gather dust on my bookshelf. I guess Richmond being an unfamiliar writer, at least to me, contributed to this. It is for this reason that I included the book in my 2026 Beat the Backlist Challenge.

Originally published in 2006, The Year of Fog opens with Abby Mason, a photographer and soon-to-be stepmother. She is at Ocean Beach looking after her fiancé Jake’s six-year-old daughter, Emma, while Jake is away on a trip to console a friend who is having marital troubles. It is a foggy day at the beach, but Abby and Emma are holding hands as they walk along the shore. While Abby is busy taking photographs, Emma is playing on the beach. Emma is looking for sand dollars, which fascinate her. However, a brief moment of distraction irreversibly alters Abby’s life. As Abby looks away toward the Great Highway for mere seconds, Emma is enveloped by the fog and vanishes inexplicably. This brief moment of inattention leads to heartache and turmoil, prompting a desperate search. News of Emma’s disappearance fills the news. However, it is all for naught, as there are no traces of Emma to be found.

Soon after, the police lose interest in the case. There are no leads. All trails have gone cold. However, Abby’s life begins to unravel. Emma’s disappearance consumes Abby with guilt. Blaming herself, she keeps replaying that moment in her mind, hoping to find clues as to how Emma mysteriously disappeared. She refuses to accept the possibility that Emma could be dead. Abby holds on to the unwavering hope that Emma is still alive. Jake, on the other hand, is shattered. Days soon stretch into weeks, yet Abby remains resolute in her desperate quest for answers. This inevitably collides with her own childhood memories. Richmond also skillfully captures Abby’s internal turmoil. She feels both joy and fear about becoming a mother figure to Emma. She is cognizant of the space she has to fill in Emma’s life. Jake believes she will do better than Emma’s ex-wife. These are her thoughts as she takes pictures of Emma at the beach.

Despite her apprehensions about stepmotherhood, Abby feels an undeniable connection to the child. Abby wanders the beaches, searching for any signs. She even questions shopkeepers and café regulars who might have noticed something untoward that day. She relentlessly searches for fresh leads. Emma’s disappearance under her care profoundly affects Abby’s psyche. Her determination leads her to unexpected places, both geographically and emotionally. However, with the passage of time, fliers with Emma’s face fade from view. The once-bustling search efforts dwindle. Emma’s name is no longer mentioned in the news. Still, Abby’s hope remains. It keeps pushing her forward even when everyone seems to have given up hope. The case also creates a chasm between her and Jake, who leans on religion and scientific theories even as he loses hope. Abby, despite societal pressures, continues her pursuit. This journey becomes her obsession.

Will Abby get to the bottom of Emma’s disappearance? The quest for truth and answers eventually takes a toll on Abby. Her fixation with Emma’s disappearance leads her to alcohol, something she rarely indulged in before Emma’s disappearance. The Year of Fog is a vivid exploration of how losing a child can adversely affect a parent, or, in Abby’s case, a stepparent. It is slowly transforming into a profound meditation on hope and resilience. Photography is also symbolic, as it is a medium through which memory can be captured. The novel is also Abby’s own journey toward self-discovery as she grapples with the past. I did not expect The Year of Fog to have such rich layers of suspense. Still, it is a compelling read that has commanded my attention, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

I am nearly done with the book, and I am looking forward to seeing how the mystery unfolds. How about you, fellow readers? What are you reading this weekend? I hope you’re enjoying your current book. Happy weekend!