inktails's review
2.0
2.5 - Didn't quite like this one as much as Rules for Vanishing. It's a lot more ambitious in terms of theme and world-building, and I appreciate the author for just fucking going for it, but unfortunately this falls short of being entirely coherent. The romance in this book is also a little fast-paced and unnecessary, but it didn't put me off finishing the book entirely.
Still a spooky and fun read though - I'll be reading the author's future work for sure.
Still a spooky and fun read though - I'll be reading the author's future work for sure.
msbandthebooks's review
5.0
Our Last Echoes was SUCH a good book! It was a little weird and so unlike anything I’ve read, but in the best way ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Our Last Echoes follows Sophia Novak as she journeys back to Bitter Rock, Alaska after getting a mysterious call. Throughout her life she has had weird not quite memories of what she thinks is Bitter Rock and is determined to find out what happened to her mother there. Upon her arrival, Sophia begins to realize that the things going on in Bitter Rock are far beyond anything that she could have known. But what she does know? Is that something is drawing her to Bitter Rock and that something wants her.
I highly recommend this book! It’s good for spooky season or just if you’re looking for something a little spooky that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Our Last Echoes follows Sophia Novak as she journeys back to Bitter Rock, Alaska after getting a mysterious call. Throughout her life she has had weird not quite memories of what she thinks is Bitter Rock and is determined to find out what happened to her mother there. Upon her arrival, Sophia begins to realize that the things going on in Bitter Rock are far beyond anything that she could have known. But what she does know? Is that something is drawing her to Bitter Rock and that something wants her.
I highly recommend this book! It’s good for spooky season or just if you’re looking for something a little spooky that will have you on the edge of your seat.
antarcticsloth's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Cursing, Death, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, and Torture
ellakostka's review
3.0
★★★☆☆ 2.5/5
thank you to penguinteen and netgallery for the arc!
this book was... okay. i’m not a huge fan of the horror genre overall, but i’m kind of on a horror kick lately so i thought i’d give this one a try. and although it had a really interesting idea, i felt like it kind of fell short. the action was overwhelming and was pretty much constant for 400 pages. the book was far too long and extremely repetitive. i didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the romance felt forced.
one thing i did enjoy was the back-and-forth between present day and past, and how the past was told through video journals and interviews. it was a nice break from the chaos of the present day storyline.
it’s frustrating when authors suddenly give a new character a POV and just... don’t acknowledge it. the change was extremely confusing unless you figure it out right away and i just didn’t enjoy it.
thank you to penguinteen and netgallery for the arc!
this book was... okay. i’m not a huge fan of the horror genre overall, but i’m kind of on a horror kick lately so i thought i’d give this one a try. and although it had a really interesting idea, i felt like it kind of fell short. the action was overwhelming and was pretty much constant for 400 pages. the book was far too long and extremely repetitive. i didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the romance felt forced.
one thing i did enjoy was the back-and-forth between present day and past, and how the past was told through video journals and interviews. it was a nice break from the chaos of the present day storyline.
it’s frustrating when authors suddenly give a new character a POV and just... don’t acknowledge it. the change was extremely confusing unless you figure it out right away and i just didn’t enjoy it.
hollsbooks78's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
allejaid100's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
danilanglie's review
4.0
I'm glad I've decided to keep reading this author's work, because truth be told I don't pick up a lot of YA novels anymore and this gives me a chance to dip my toes into the genre! I also don't read horror as a rule, so reading horror aimed at teens is maybe the right move for me. This shit is spooky!
I think that's where Marshall's greatest strengths lie, in describing the atmosphere and the creepy, supernatural elements. In that regard, this book was stronger than her last, Rules for Vanishing. I also appreciate how she's creating a "cinematic universe" of sorts. These books are not direct sequels or anything, but they exist in conversation, and have the unifying theme of the Ashford files tying them together.
That was another element where it feels like this book improved on the last: the way that we see pieces of the story through narration, and then other pieces through video records and interviews. By the end, the story has caught up with itself and we're getting pieces woven together through camera footage and then through recounting later on as well. That was really neat and gave the book something unique!
I will say that on the characterization front, these characters are not particularly well-rounded or complex, and I found the romance between Sophia and Liam to be incredibly flat. I kept wondering if Abby and Sophia would become a thing, but I guess not! In any case, I'm glad I read this and will certainly read whatever she's got planned next in this world!
I think that's where Marshall's greatest strengths lie, in describing the atmosphere and the creepy, supernatural elements. In that regard, this book was stronger than her last, Rules for Vanishing. I also appreciate how she's creating a "cinematic universe" of sorts. These books are not direct sequels or anything, but they exist in conversation, and have the unifying theme of the Ashford files tying them together.
That was another element where it feels like this book improved on the last: the way that we see pieces of the story through narration, and then other pieces through video records and interviews. By the end, the story has caught up with itself and we're getting pieces woven together through camera footage and then through recounting later on as well. That was really neat and gave the book something unique!
I will say that on the characterization front, these characters are not particularly well-rounded or complex, and I found the romance between Sophia and Liam to be incredibly flat. I kept wondering if Abby and Sophia would become a thing, but I guess not! In any case, I'm glad I read this and will certainly read whatever she's got planned next in this world!
dianacally's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0