Echoes
by Alice Reeds
Published by Entangled: Teen
Book #1 in the Echoes Series
They wake on a deserted island.
Fiona and Miles, high school enemies now stranded together. No memory of how they got there. No plan to follow, no hope to hold on to.
Each step forward reveals the mystery behind the forces that brought them here. And soon, the most chilling discovery: something else is on the island with them.
Something that won't let them leave alive
Genre
Triggers
Violence, Memory Loss
I would like to thank #Entangled for providing me an #ARC of #Echoes by Alice Reeds, via #NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Echoes by Alice Reeds is a mystery/thriller, young adult book, centering around two teens: Fiona and Miles, two seventeen-year-old high school enemies who are both selected to work at Briola, a bio-med company in Germany for their summer internship. They both wake up in a broken up plane on the beach of a deserted island, but they quickly learn they are not alone. The book is told from Fiona's point-of-view.
In truth, this isn't an "ARC", because it was actually published in 2018, but the description was intriguing, so I requested it. I'm glad I did. I will admit, at first, I kept getting "Lost" vibes, but I've quickly determined that it's not because Echoes is unoriginal, but because any story that involves a plane crash, a deserted island, and a thrilling mystery, is going to remind me of that show. I promise you, Echoes is original. The story itself is intriguing, but I will admit, a touch confusing. Echoes goes back and forth between two stories ... timelines? I'm not sure. While a touch frustrating not to have the answers you want as the reader, I also appreciate being put in the characters shoes. One of the things I loved about this book was how unpredictable it is, which, props to Alice Reeds, because it's rare that I read a mystery and not solve it myself before the characters do.
The characters were interesting and well-written, but I didn't feel like there was enough there to really connect with them. I rooted for them, of course, but I just couldn't fall in love with them. Fiona is a tough, strong, brave and intelligent young woman. I love a good female protagonist, especially one who is fighting gender stereotypes, and is the physically strong one of the duo, being a trained fighter. Miles is interesting, because we are led to believe he is a rich jerk, but in reality, he is actually quite sweet. Kind, also strong and brave, and unlike Fiona, tends to wear his heart on his sleeve. The two personalities and strengths brought together by circumstance leads to a strong pair.
Echoes definitely lives up to it's genre, with a mystery that actually leaves you scratching your head, much like our protagonists. For every answer they get, there is ten more questions it seems. If you are looking for a quick conclusion, I hate to disappoint. Literally as of a few days ago though, Alice Reeds has published the second book, Fractures, so unless there is plans for more books, perhaps the answers to this thriller is in there. If you enjoy a book that leaves you guessing, and like young adult, you will really like Echoes.
Fiona: "Put your arm over me."
Miles: "I'm flattered, really, and I don't dislike the idea, but is now the right time for that?"
Miles: "Ha, you laughed. That means you can't hate me."
Fiona: "Says who?"
Miles: "Me."
Miles: "It's a known fact that we've never gotten along, and I'd like to change that, even though I find your sass toward me very entertaining. I'll be the first to admit it, getting you all riled up and annoyed is fun, but while we're here, it won't help us."
Fiona: "You have a cat?"
Miles: "Yeah, he's big, fluffy, and a bit fat, but we're working on it. He kind of reminds me of you."
Fiona: "Wow, thank you, you really know how to make a girl feel special."
He rolled his eyes
Miles: "Not in the fat sense. Just like you on first glance, he's all claws, but if you give him time and are friendly to him, he's the nicest cat you can imagine."
Fiona: "What if I'm actually all claws and no cuddles, though?"
Miles: "Then I doubt Melany would be your best friend."
I raised one eyebrow
Fiona: "What if she's into it?"
Miles: "And you say I'm the one with the dirty mind."
Miles: "You're impressive. I'll give you that."
Fiona: "I know."
Fiona: "I'm sorry, but have you already forgotten the snakes guarding it? I don't know about you, but I'd very much like to not sleep next to them, or just get bitten when trying to walk past."
Miles: "So, there is something the great Fiona Wolf is afraid of after all."
Fiona: "I wouldn't call it fear. Rather, common fucking sense."
Miles: "I have a theory."
Fiona: "Unless you are a hundred percent sure this theory will work -"
Miles: "I'm not."
Fiona: "You're such an asshole."
Miles: "You're welcome."
Miles: "I hate to disappoint, but not everything they do in the movies is factual."
Fiona: "Wait, so Darth Vader isn't real?"
Miles: "Any other rich people stereotypes you'd like to have debunked or proven?"
Fiona: "You have a pool, right? Wait, it's Florida, so of course you do."
Miles: "Two, actually. And a whirlpool."
Fiona: "Five cars?"
Miles: "Just four."
Fiona: "Well, damn, Miles, and here I thought you were a proper rich person, but how could you be with just four cars?"
Miles: "I know, I struggle with that fact every day."
Fiona: "How about a butler?"
Miles: "You mean like Lurch? I think we used to have one, but then my father fired him for whatever reason some years ago."
Fiona: "Got too expensive, huh?"
Miles: "You're awful."
Fiona: "Right back at you."
Fiona: "How crazy do you think I am?"
Miles: "I don't think you are crazy at all. I think you are extraordinary, passionate, and smart, smarter than any girl I've ever known. And you look beautiful, especially in that dress, with your hair that's been every color of the rainbow."
Fiona: "You know, usually things like this born out of situations like ours don't last."
Miles: "Considering we might die tomorrow, I think that's something we shouldn't worry about right now. I won't let them hurt you."
Fiona: "Mr. Echo, is this the alcohol speaking?"
Miles: "Do you want it to be the alcohol?"
Fiona: "No."
Miles: "I promise this is not just some game. This is me kissing you because I want to. Besides, we promised each other to be honest."
Miles: "You'd think we're still kids playing in the sandbox, with our mothers claiming that me pulling your hair is just my way of showing you that I like you or something."
Fiona: "How lucky you are that I am not opposed to a little hair-pulling."
Miles: "Fiona."
He practically groaned and leaned forward, letting his head drop against my shoulder, his hair hiding his face, while I burst out laughing.
Miles: "You trusted me. And you looked fear in the eye, showed how strong you are. I knew you could do it."
Fiona: "I thought about you. What you said."
Fiona: "I suggest we show them they've chosen the wrong teens to fuck with."
I raised my hands toward Mile's face, and put them lightly against his cheeks and looked him in the eyes.
Fiona: "Do you trust me?"
He put his hands on my waist and pulled me a little closer.
Miles: "You'll lead, I'll follow."
Miles: "Despite all of this, everything your parents have done, I want you to remember that I'm still on your side. And maybe she lied whenever she told you she cared about you, but I truly do mean it."
Miles: "There's on more thing that I want you to know before we leave."
Fiona: "What is it?"
Miles: "I ... I love you."
Fiona: "What?"
Miles: "I have no idea what will happen next, where this journey will take us, so I ... I just wanted you to know that."
Before we'd talk to them, listen to why we ended up on the island and what would happen next, there was one thing I felt needed to be said. It was something Miles already had, yet I didn't, even though we both knew it was true. I watched that beautiful smile grow on his face as I said, "I love you, Miles Echo."
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