**This is the abbreviated review. For the full review, please visit The Review Board.**

4.5 out of 5, but beautiful enough to round upward.

What starts off as a search for one’s brother turns out to be so much more. Adara is a young teen with a wonderful talent who is brave and headstrong. It is this talent which makes her a prize to those around her, so she constantly has to try to figure out who is friend and who is foe.

Along the way, she encounters different types. One set of people was always painted to be her enemy, yet they are the very ones who have proved to be allies. In the words of the late Tu Pac Shakur, “Keep your enemies close; watch your homies.”

I really loved the pace of the story. The action picked up at quite the right spots, and I was drawn in from start to finish. I also loved the comedic bits sprinkled in this work. Some parts that linger in my mind are the banter between Adara and Wirt; the snide comments exchanged among Marcellus and Eadgard; and the adjustment to different types of cuisine among the travels.

The first calling of the birds was very vivid to me, reminiscent of a scene in Stephen King’s “The Dark Half” that featured the flying of the sparrows.

I enjoyed reading the dialects of the characters as well as how the surroundings were described. The author took great care in getting the reader invested in the characters’ experiences, particularly when they were discovering new tastes, new methods, and new animals. I smiled at Adara’s wonder of what I would refer to as a kitten. There’s something about rubbing an animal’s fur that is calming and soothing, but I think that is the animal lover in me. You could really see the story: snapshots of the locations, the appearance of the different people, and their reactions.

One aspect I did battle with was if the intensity in the conflicts and the heroine’s reactions really match? Part of me says, “Not quite”. The other part reminds me: “The heroine is very young and not adult as of yet. Perhaps this is a typical teen response to these situations.”

In addition, there may be some readers who prefer to read a work only if it serves as a stand alone and/or if it doesn’t have a lingering effect. For those readers, Echoes from the Lost Ones may not provide that remedy.

In lieu of these things, this dystopian read was very enjoyable, and I’m in love with Adara, Wirt, and the rest of the crew. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment to see if Adara really achieves her destiny and discovers her brother in the process. The author’s method of storytelling is compelling, and the delivery is not only page worthy but audio worthy as well. ( )

**This is the abbreviated review. For the full review, please visit The Review Board.**

4.5 out of 5, but beautiful enough to round upward.

What starts off as a search for one’s brother turns out to be so much more. Adara is a young teen with a wonderful talent who is brave and headstrong. It is this talent which makes her a prize to those around her, so she constantly has to try to figure out who is friend and who is foe.

Along the way, she encounters different types. One set of people was always painted to be her enemy, yet they are the very ones who have proved to be allies. In the words of the late Tu Pac Shakur, “Keep your enemies close; watch your homies.”

I really loved the pace of the story. The action picked up at quite the right spots, and I was drawn in from start to finish. I also loved the comedic bits sprinkled in this work. Some parts that linger in my mind are the banter between Adara and Wirt; the snide comments exchanged among Marcellus and Eadgard; and the adjustment to different types of cuisine among the travels.

The first calling of the birds was very vivid to me, reminiscent of a scene in Stephen King’s “The Dark Half” that featured the flying of the sparrows.

I enjoyed reading the dialects of the characters as well as how the surroundings were described. The author took great care in getting the reader invested in the characters’ experiences, particularly when they were discovering new tastes, new methods, and new animals. I smiled at Adara’s wonder of what I would refer to as a kitten. There’s something about rubbing an animal’s fur that is calming and soothing, but I think that is the animal lover in me. You could really see the story: snapshots of the locations, the appearance of the different people, and their reactions.

One aspect I did battle with was if the intensity in the conflicts and the heroine’s reactions really match? Part of me says, “Not quite”. The other part reminds me: “The heroine is very young and not adult as of yet. Perhaps this is a typical teen response to these situations.”

In addition, there may be some readers who prefer to read a work only if it serves as a stand alone and/or if it doesn’t have a lingering effect. For those readers, Echoes from the Lost Ones may not provide that remedy.

In lieu of these things, this dystopian read was very enjoyable, and I’m in love with Adara, Wirt, and the rest of the crew. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment to see if Adara really achieves her destiny and discovers her brother in the process. The author’s method of storytelling is compelling, and the delivery is not only page worthy but audio worthy as well. ( )

What an amazing read! Not only world building but language building as well! So much of the setting comes through in the language of the characters. Adara is a fantastic heroine and protagonist. She is strong, smart and unaware of her true powers. I can't wait to read more in the series.

I cannot stress enough how much I loved the mythology and history of this future world. The cadence and language of the book is amazing. ( )