The writing is good, however I did not buy the plot or how the characters were written for me, they wanted to be strong, but it felt very much surface level. The dialogue was not that great either for me. I simply could not suspend my disbelief - maybe if more in depth world building would've been made and more believable...

Echo: The Curse of The Blackwood Witches was a fun and addicting debut novel. I was hooked from the moment I read it, finishing it in 2 sittings. I liked the different magic used and it even twisted typical sci fi elements making them magical. All the secondary characters were complex in their own right and every flashback scene had me clinging to my ebook in anticipation. Ebba, Viessa and Doyle being some of my favourites but honestly they were all great.

There were a few things that stopped it from being a 5 star for me. I think the pacing could be a bit odd at times. Time would span for months sometimes causing the story to feel longer. In a few cases we were told things instead of shown and I feel like scenes that should have been delved into longer were breezed over. Also out of all the characters I failed to connect with Echo. Her humor didn't always hit the mark for me and at times she felt like a outside character who was just there so we could see the stories of the others. And she's the MC. It wasn't until her character split for a bit that I was invested. If you know you know.

There was a little bit of romance, which was utterly sweet but for the most part this was a book about moving past trauma and grief and how your friends can become the family that supports you. And the craziness of magic of course. I had a lot of fun reading Echo and am curious to see what Maher publishes next.

Echo is quite a character. Strong, intelligent, witty, but even she isn't quite prepared for the revelation that she is a witch, a powerful one, who according to a prophesy is the only one who can save the world from a dastardly evil enemy. Don't you just hate it when that happens! What follows is totally awesome as we follow and watch Echo's journey as she grows, blooms and develops her powers to be ready for the inevitable showdown on the horizon. The weight and pressure of knowing how much she, and the rest of the world has to lose, knowing she is the only one... An enjoyable and exciting ride, I was hooked from the first page!

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. Echo goes from a normal girl to a witch. It is a lot for her to struggle with. The struggle of being a good witch or will she be taken over by the dark magic. She makes connections along the way and she has to figure out if she going to follow in her ancestor's footsteps for the evil she now faces was created by that ancestor. I am trying to not give away too much. It is really worth the read. The world this takes place in is amazing, great fight scenes and the adventure is just even to add to the fast pace of this book.

This book is actually good! I like the story, and I like the mystery element in it. But, I found myself difficult to "dive" into the story. I thought it was because this book has too many dinkuses. Hence, the scenes change too fast.

I really wanted to love this book. The story line is great, I love the characters and how their world was flipped upside down with the new knowledge of them being witches and having to save the world. It truly is a great book but there was too much dialogue for me and not enough world building. When the author did describe scenes happening, for example the first chapter, it was breathtaking. The way she described what was happening made me feel like I was there in the book, and I think having more of that would have elevated the depth of the world Echo not only lives in but her new world and training as well.

Rating: 4/5
I received this book for my honest opinion

One the day of Echos sister’s wedding, she thought she had the perfect life. She was engaged to a handsome doctor, she was going to school to become a lawyer, she had her close family and friends. However, the night of her sister’s wedding she is thrown into a world she thought never existed. She was raised to not believe in magic, witches or anything supernatural, but she can’t hide from the fact that she is a witch and on top of everything she finds out she is either the chosen one to end Jivar or she will become his biggest supporter to unleash his fury and destroy the world.

In this book you follow Echo and her journey to understand her heritage, not only is she a witch but she is a Blackwood witch. Her ancestor is the one that created the immortal monster known as Jivar, and she is chosen to be the witch that will end his life. You will see Echo's transformation from a normal human life to now a witch. You will be taken on a journey to find out if she is “a good witch”or if she is like her ancestors and will follow in the black magic. I really enjoyed the friendships that Echo develops throughout the book, and I like that she does what feels right to her even though everyone else is telling her not to. I did like that in the book you get a little back story of the other characters in the book, it really helps tie together the loose ends to the questions you start building up. This book is fast-paced, with great characters, great fighting scenes and epic adventures, love interest, betrayal and so much more. This book is one that I would recommend to someone who is wanting to test the waters of a fantasy read.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this eARC

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this. I really enjoyed the book and will recommend it to others.

Witches, prophecies, hidden power, and don't forget the end of the world as we know it! Add in some hellish creatures, lost family, and a touch of Butterfly Effect and its a fast- moving adventure that will keep you reading into the night.

The Review

The author did such an incredible job of crafting a memorable and captivating fantasy and paranormal read. The book immediately grabs the reader’s attention, balancing great character development and hinting at a challenging backstory with the horrors and thrills of the supernatural threat facing the protagonist and her new allies. The backstory and history of the cast of characters were so intricately detailed and did an amazing job of keeping the reader invested in the narrative.

Yet it was the wealth of mythology and world-building the author did that kept me invested in this story overall. The way the author built up the family drama in Echo’s life and childhood and made it feel just as impactful as the apocalyptic nature of the threat they all faced was a great sign of the author’s creativity and focus on character-driven narrative. The journey that led Echo to discover her dark powers, her connection to the villainous Jivar, and the struggle to balance her hope to save the world with the destructive aspect of her gifts made this such an intriguing plot.

The Verdict

Thought-provoking, entertaining, and action-packed, author Yasmine Maher’s “Echo: The Curse of the Blackwood Witches” is a must-read urban fantasy novel of 2022. The drama, adrenaline-fueled narrative, and shocking twists and turns in the story will have readers hanging off of the author’s every word.

Reading the opening pages I thought this is going to be a good story, reading on I found a story that was well written, complex and captivating, with a cast of well developed characters. Well worth a read. What’s going to happen next, I can’t wait to find out. Thank you to Fables and Facts publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

This is the story of a previously-unknown magical world with family secrets, other dimensions, special powers and a race to save our world. The imagery is so unique and rich that you are fighting alongside Echo. The story will draw you in, and you will feel Echo's inner struggle and her determination to win the war. I loved the flashbacks that helped to clarify her family's past. And Echo's blending of light and dark magic kept the outcome in a state of flux until the end. A truly original story that I greatly enjoyed in one sitting!

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me to be honest. The writing style was quite simplistic, but on the plus side this made the story easy to get in to and a pretty quick read.
I liked Echo’s character development as she went from naive young person to the Blackwood Witch she was destined to be.
The story contained some twists and turns that keep you engaged and wanting to know what happens next.
Overall it’s an enjoyable read that I would recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Echo Blackwood appears to be your average college student, studying law with a cute boyfriend who is a doctor. The adventure begins at her sisters Tara's wedding when the guest is attacked by monsters. From that moment, Echo's life changes she learns that she is a witch. Not just any witch, a Blackwood witch, a name synonymous with using black magic to create an immortal monster. Now Echo needs to learn magic because she is the Chosen Witch to destroy the monster her ancestor created. This story follows Echo through learning magick, seeking her grimoire, and fighting many battles. She does this with Kirby and Vanna, who help with the fighting and the teaching. Echo's relationship hits a snag, she drops out of college as she focuses more and more on learning and perfecting her magic for the final battle that will determine the survival of humanity. It is a faced paced read once you understand the author's style, it is a truly riveting book.

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read Echo.

I feel like I just kinda fell into this story. We start off at a wedding and the story starts to rapidly progress from there. The MC learns she’s a witch, she finds out there’s a prophecy about her, and discovers there’s monsters in the world. Instead of feeling like an info dump, this was actually really attention grabbing and had me hooked from the first chapter. I liked how fast paced this story was, I liked the characters, and I liked how this book was written. I would definitely recommend this to others.

Echo discovers she is a witch who must save the world from the consequences of an ancestor's mistake.

The book reads as though it was meant for children or young teenagers. It is written simplistically and the characters aren't particularly enticing. In fact, at the start, the MC comes across as unappealingly naive

However the plot contains quite bit of action and the book is a fairly entertaining and quick read

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC

Just finished reading Echo by Yasmine Maher. I’m trying to review without leaving spoilers for those who have not read it yet.

What a unique and thrilling book, it has characters you grow to love, and brings out a lot of emotions.

I found sometimes it was hard to keep up with what was going on with characters and wish we had gone more in depth with Doyle and his relationship with some of the characters but hopefully that leaves the doors open for a future read. I would have loved to see more romance between characters, but it was a unique read which brings out the magic in the reader.

LOVED this book! So unique and cool—amazing writing, amazing world building, and I truly can’t wait enough for more from this author. 5/5 stars, well-deserved.

Echo: The Curse Of The Blackwood Witches. 3.5 Stars

This book is full of action, magic and adventures. As we follow Echo Blackwood, a novice witch learning to use her newfound powers to fight an immortal enemy. Echo tries desperately to gain control of her magic while trying to find answers from her past. Luckily, she has a few wise teachers to guide her.

As Echo's story progresses, she picks up key allies which come in handy for fighting the big bady. So, bucket up and hold on tight, I didn't come up for air until the last few chapters. Which was to organize the large cast of interesting side characters in my head, before the final battle.

All in all, this book was a quick pace, and plot driven. Interesting enough to hold my attention. It delivers all the feels and is pretty good overall.

Thank you, NetGalley and BooksGoSocial, for providing me with a digital ARC for an honest review.

I can honestly say I read both book in one afternoon I absolutely couldn’t put it down great Yasmine Maher you kept me on the edge the whole time.