Received an e arc from Netgalley for an honest review!!


Sadly DNF at 40%. Not my type of book, I already figured out one thing I’m sure will be a plot twist at the end and I’m not a fan of big scary monster bugs in books, feels childish to me... personal opinion !

The writing is very interesting and I was interested in what was happening but I just found myself bored and disappointed with the giant bugs...

This book was so differently and quirky! Definitely good for Maze Runner fans, with bonus time travel epic-ness. I reviewed on my booktube channel https://youtu.be/u3msLQ8KJQc?t=9m20s

Okay, I was not expecting this book to be as good as it was! It had some flaws, there were a few annoyances and clichés but overall it was actually really good.

Within the first chapter or two, I got a Groundhog Day vibe, mixed with the original Saw movie — minus the gore and such, though — just in the being trapped in a decrepit room and needing to find a way out.

I didn’t know what to think at first, and admit I was a little annoyed at first. Once I got into the groove of what the author was going for, I just went with it. (Hint: things are repeated, but with reason).

I read the first 40% of the book in one sitting and was actually really engrossed in what was happening. The middle was harder to trudge through, and the ending . . . I’m unsure of how I feel about the ending.

The twist took some time to get to, which was a bit annoying, especially since for a large chunk of the book it felt like it was going nowhere. There were some foreshadowing twists along the way, but the ending just didn’t really feel complete.

I did get a Maze Runner vibe, but in a different way.

I feel like this book should be an episode of Black Mirror. (Disclaimer: I’ve only seen two episodes of Black Mirror because I’m waaaaaay too much of a fraidy cat for things that qualify as horror-ish.). The Echo Room definitely had that otherworldly, spooky, outside-the-box feel to it. I loved that!

While some parts of the story are simple—a boy, a girl, a quest to find an item—other parts are not so simple. Rett and Bryn have really fractured memories. They make assumptions from the clues around them, but we start to piece things together almost before they do, which creates all sorts of interesting nail-biting tension.
The beginning has a kind of repetitive rhythm to it (on purpose), but the way it’s written, you notice different things each time a repetition happens, so it feels like peeling back layers of the mystery, and that feeling kept me reading page after page.

I found Rett and Bryn both really likeable. There’s a good balance between the plot with its sci-fi elements and the characters, which is a must for me when I read sci-fi. So The Echo Room definitely satisfied there.

Though this is a very different kind of story, I think The Echo Room would appeal to readers who like Hayley Stone or Claudia Gray. I highly recommend it.

This reminded me A LOT of The Maze Runner but more confusing. Rhett wakes up and doesn’t have a clue where he is or how he got there. He realizes he isn’t alone, and enlists the girl, Bryn in trying to decipher why they are there and how to get out. There is much more to the story than that but I don’t think you should know anymore when you go into the book. ✨✨✨For the first 30%, I was strongly considering DNFing it but I was sick of the repetitive scenes. Once it finally got past that point, I was more interested in it, but I still found myself wanting the story to be over so I could read something else. Finally, I got to a point where the story was actually making sense and I was enjoying it. Overall, it was just okay. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read the description for this book and my immediate thought was "Saw" for YA!!! I LOVE the Saw series of movies! Once I started reading, this book is, of course, very different. Rett and Bryn wake up inside a sealed building together with no memory of how they got there. With both having a history of moving through the foster system, they are mistrustful of each other and try to piece together the mystery of their situation of the building as they continuously find themselves in Groundhog Day-like scenarios.

So, while I can see people loving this book, where the author went with all of it just wasn't for me. The idea that there was control by a 'secret organization' was a little too cliche for me. Events in the story line got a little repetitive, but by the end I was pulled back in and liked it a little more. There seems to be a set-up for a possible second book. We'll see!

I had a hard time getting into the book and getting used to the repetitiveness of the story. I felt sorry for Rett, as all he did was trying to help find a way out. And Bryn really get on my nerves with being all rude and counterproductive. But I liked the world building and the ending was much better than the beginning, so it was more than an ok read for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen!

This book is very boring. The writing felt stilted and I lost interest about a quarter of the way into the story.

First, I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital copy of this book for me to read and provide an honest review.

This book was not for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and just couldn't get past the "Groundhog Day" feel I had while reading. While I found the storyline interesting and unique, by the time I got to the halfway mark of this book I just didn't care anymore.

I tried. I really did.

First of all, I'd like to thanks NetGalley and the publisher of this book for giving me an eARC of this book to read in exchange for an honest review!

The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse came out September 11, 2018.

This is a book about a Boy, Rett, a ward at Walling Home. Walling Home is a boarding house for orphans, most of whom have parent's that have died or are sick with cancer. Rett's Mother is one of those parents, she sent him to Walling Home with promises of coming back to get him as soon as she had enough money to support the both of them. We learn that she is in a workhouse, where inhabitants work in order to get the treatments they need.
Rett wakes up in a strange room, someone else's blood on his white jumpsuit, along with a girl, Bryn. This book follows them as they try to figure out where/why they are there and how to get back home.

***SPOILERS AHEAD!***

When I first started reading this book I was kind of bored. The beginning was pretty slow and not much happened, apart from us finding out that somehow Rett and Bryn are repeating the same day. The book did start to pick up after this and was actually turning out to be pretty good. We soon learn that there are big 'bugs' and the house that Rett and Bryn are in are in the middle of some sort of wasteland.

Once they got out of the house and started figuring more out about where they are and why they're there. I do wish that there was more on Scatter and what this alloy is that made the device in the wasteland and the mechanisms in the kids' heads. Also the ending was a bit eh, like they got out and away from Scatter, but what now? What is Scatter going to do when they find out that their device is broken and none of the kids can time travel anymore? Maybe there will be a second book where Rett, Bryn and the other Wards, along with some others will attempt to take down Scatter.

Overall it was a pretty good book, but I just wish there was a little more than there actually was. I do recommend it if you like Dystopian Fiction, with a little mystery + time travel.

Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read/review this!

A young man named Rett wakes up on a cold and dark floor. He doesn’t know where he.He has no recollection on how he got there.While trying to figure out where he is and what is going on, he notices blood on the front of his shirt. Rett has no idea how the blood got there. He soon discovers he is not alone. There is another person, a young woman, named Bryn with him in the room. .Bryn also has no idea how she came to be in this room. However, she fears that Rett has something to do with it based on all the blood on his shirt. The only thing they both know is that they are locked in this room together. The question is why? Rett tries to escape from the room alone, but will he make it out?

I found the beginning and ending of this book extremely engaging. While I initially struggled with the middle of the book, ultimately it was the repetitiveness of the story that became lackluster for me.

I copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a while since I’ve picked up a post-apocalyptic novel, but I’m glad that I chose The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse. This book is so suspenseful as the characters’ purpose is revealed, and I enjoyed both of their personalities. The writing style is also eerie, and there are many twists throughout the book. This is the perfect read to curl up with this fall.

This book tells the story of a boy who wakes up every day trapped in a room with a girl. They are determined to escape, however what’s outside may be scarier than what is inside. What I found interesting is the fact that the beginning of the book is essentially the same scenario over again as the days repeat, but I didn’t find it repetitive or boring. Each day is fresh, and there is a change of scenery after the first couple of chapters. If you are a fan of post-apocalyptic novels, I would definitely recommend this one.

I enjoyed both the main characters in this book. Rhett and Bryn are both resourceful and courageous, and I was drawn in by the fact that they have no memories of the past. Their relationship really develops throughout the book as they learn to trust each other and work together instead of going their separate ways. Of course, they each have their moments, but I enjoyed my experience with them overall.

One of my favourite aspects of the story is the writing style. Since the main characters don’t know what happened to them, it is very mysterious, and the reader only receives new information when the characters do. There is a lot of introspection since there aren’t many people to talk to, and this helped me really understand the main characters. The world is also complex, and I enjoyed the big reveal at the end. I love suspenseful writing, and I was glad that this book was able to deliver it.

The Echo Room is a mysterious post-apocalyptic novel with two main characters who develop. I loved the writing style and the twisty plot. This book is reminiscent of The Maze Runner, and I would recommend it to fans of the series.

So, as usual, we're just going to break it down into the yays and nays! (P.S.- this book is nearly impossible to review properly without spoilers, so it's going to be pretty vague. But let's be honest, since when do I "review properly" anyway?)

The Things I Liked:

•It's quite a unique book. I don't think I have read anything like it, and that is always good.

•Once I got a sense of what was going on, I started to really enjoy it. Again, vagueness is our friend here, but once I got to a certain level of understanding, I was able to get much more invested.

•The atmosphere is on point. I mean, the author wants you to get that these characters are in a bad old situation in the middle of nowhere, and you definitely do get that impression. It was vividly depicted, and I really appreciated that.

•The whole concept of the world and the premise were fabulous, and well-depicted. Once I finally got the gist of what was going down, things were really quite interesting in regards to the world and the situation that the characters found themselves in.

The Things I Didn't:

•I felt a bit disconnected from the characters. This is probably just because of the way it was set up, it is hard to feel a real connection over the course of a few (repeated) hours, but yeah.

•The beginning confused me a bit, and was a little draggy. I get that we weren't exactly supposed to know what was happening, but I was just kind of bored since I had no idea where the story was headed, why the same stuff was happening over and over. Once it began to pick up, it was a lot more exciting, but it took awhile to get there. I think slower or confusing could have worked, but both... is rough.

•I was just a bit underwhelmed in general. Like- the ending was fine, I just... my mind was never fully blown at any point, I guess?

Bottom Line: A very cool premise that was certainly intriguing, if a bit lackluster at first, manages to pick up by the second half. Also so hard to review without spoilers, so I am proud of me.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Tor Teen for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!

Even though the synopsis sounds super interesting, this book was difficult for me to get into and I didn't really like the repetitiveness of the book. I didn't care for Bryn's character much, and felt she was far too rude to Rett. I get that Rett is a stranger and everything, but he's only trying to help!?
The world building was pretty great, as was the overall plot (once you get past the repetitive bits).
The ending was much better than the beginning and helped to redeem the book a bit for me. So if you can handle books that take a bit of getting into but end well, this book might be for you.

This wasn't a bad book, but it's a case of expectations shaping my reading experience - from the cover and blurb, I assumed this was a horror/thriller and was in the mood for an entirely different story from what it shaped up to be in the end. It didn't help that on Netgalley, it was only filed under YA and the description was of 'a smart, claustrophobic, speculative young adult thriller with an immersive psychological mystery', which backed up my assumptions. However, if you take a look at the Goodreads page, (spoiler alert) its genre is listed as YA science-fiction/time-travel which is much more accurate. 

Once I recalibrated my expectations of The Echo Room, I still didn't find it easy to get into with the first several chapters being a Groundhog Day scenario with the characters repeating the same day over and over, with slightly different results. Normally I enjoy this kind of plot on a show like The X-files or Stargate SG-1 where I already care about the characters, but when we're just being introduced to them and aren't invested yet, it didn't help having their dynamic reset back to square one repeatedly.

I found Bryn to be pretty unlikeable - sure, I understand that waking up in a locked facility with a stranger isn't ideal, but Rett kept trying to reassure her and offer assistance and make tentative gestures towards an alliance, and her cold hostile reaction to him each time didn't endear her to me. Again, I can see how this is a troubling situation to wake up in, but given that we're in Rett's head and seeing that he is genuine in his concern and desire to work together, it's no surprise that it makes me annoyed rather than sympathetic towards her. I think it would've been more effective to change perspectives so that we could see things from Bryn's point of view and sympathize with her more easily. 

Since the central mystery had hooked me, I decided to persist with this novel, which ended up being a rewarding decision after about the halfway mark - it was a long way to go before finally liking both protagonists and their interactions, but once I began to view it more positively, it quickly snowballed into an addictive and compelling read. I really enjoyed the story once Rett and Bryn were allowed to work together and started to grasp a little of what was going on and the complexities of their situation. The second half was mind-blowing and I honestly freaked out at revelation after revelation, with some excellent plot developments and thrilling twists. 

The Echo Room is a slow-burn read that takes a while to show its potential, but if you stick out the repetitive beginning, it reveals an intricate plot, clever creative writing and great world-building. I started off with a dozen questions and these were answered very satisfyingly and with a fantastic payoff, so I finished this book on a high.

A young man named Rett wakes up on a cold and dark floor. He doesn’t know where he is or how he got there. Confused and curious, he gets up and begins to walk around to figure out just where he is and what is going on. He notices blood on the front of his shirt. How did it get there? Did he hurt someone? After exploring his surroundings, he discovers he is not alone. There is a young woman there with him, named Bryn. She has no memory of how she got there either. She asks Rett where the blood came from, and after hearing he has no idea what happened, Bryn fears her safety. Can she trust Rett? Is he telling the truth? The only thing they both know for certain is that they are locked in this room together. The question is why? Rett tries to escape from the room alone, only to wake up suddenly on the floor all over again….

This book was interesting and had my interest from the very start. I was curious to find out why Rett and Bryn were locked together in a cold and dark room and why they had no idea where they were or how they got there. I was wanting to solve the mystery or just what exactly was going on. A few times they kept making progress it seemed, until they all of a sudden woke up on the cold floor of the same room again and again, as if everything was reset. I was interested in finding out why the story seemed to reset itself, and each time the story turned out a bit differently.

Slowly all the pieces come together and you slowly learn what exactly is going on. I was frustrated when the story kept resetting and the day seemed to start all over again and was initially confused as to what was going on, but it made sense after a while. A few parts of the story for me I found dragged on a bit, but it picked up again for me near the end.

Overall this was a pretty enjoyable read.
3.5 stars

When I started this book, I thought I was about to read a psychological thriller, and for most of the first half, it does feel that way. Rett is trapped in a sealed building with Bryn, both of them with no memory how they got there, and their upbringing in a foster home has them paranoid and mistrustful of the other's actions. They both have to figure out a way out of there, but every time, we see them starting over in a Groundhog Day scenario. I entertained the possibilities of simulation and time travel, and I won't tell you what it really was because that would be spoilery and ruin most of the first half of the book.

The story, while repetitive in the first half, is captivating enough because of the details that emerge in each iteration, and while the characters forget, we can still piece together the mystery. The second half is them slowly learning what they were doing there, and how they got there, and where they go from there. The world-building is sparse, but post-apocalyptic scenarios are a common enough trope to fill in the blanks. Their very survival depends on the thin trust they have in each other, and the hostile elements on the outside make their decisions pretty much life and death, which is why the simple fact of Rett's bloodstained clothes has a different result in each iteration. Soon, their shared upbringing and commonality in instincts bring them together in a tentative friendship that develops subtly. The romance was superfluous, to be honest, but yeah okay, I will ignore it, because the rest of it drew me in so well with the writing nicely balancing that level of terror in Rett and the uncertainty of his whole situation, but not sacrificing the pace.

The ending of the book leaves us at a good resolution, so this may be a standalone. It is slightly open-ended as to only the state of the world. There were a couple of things that I felt unaddressed by the end - like who made that device (because it could be replicated, right?) and where did the bugs feature in all of this? (I figure these questions are vague enough without context to be spoiler-y) Ultimately, it was an enjoyable read.

Rett and Bryn continually awaken in the apocalyptic future in the Echo Room.

Step 1: Rett wakes up in a locked metal room with no memory of how he got there. He has blood on his clothes and hands. Soon he sees Bryn, who is also locked in the room with no memory of how she got there. As they talk, they discover they are both from the government-run shelter for abandoned youth, Walling House. Rett tries to discover a way out of the room. He finds a broken lock on one door. He finds hidden doors to two other rooms. However, there is no food or water immediately available—just a bin filled with empty water bottles and another with strangely glowing green tubes. The only clue is the phrase “SCATTER 3” on one of the walls.

Step 2: Explore. Get scared. Repeat Step 1. Rett and Bryn learn a bit more with each repetition.

The mystery is intriguing. The setting in a wrecked near future world is eerily unsettling. Even though it’s marketed as young adult science fiction, the Echo Room works well as an adult thriller too. While the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, the plot kept the reader engaged. The book will make a great movie someday. It is perfect for fans of puzzles and intriguing situations like in the Maze Runner.

A sequel is hinted at toward the end. I’m looking forward to that book. This one deserves 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher, Tor Teen, and NetGalley for an advance copy.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but I was quickly hooked within the first few pages. For the first quarter of the book, I was really interested in figuring out what was going on and why it was happening - but that interest did eventually turn more a bit toward boredom as the middle of the book became monotonous.

The writing itself is good, and the pace of the story was quick enough to keep me turning the pages - but I just didn't feel invested once things started explaining themselves and the action began picking up again. Unfortunately, the repetition happening in the majority of the story was off-putting for me, and I found that I wasn't enjoying it by the end nearly as much as I had for the first 25%.

For those who don't mind the sort of Groundhog Day-esque repetition featured in The Echo Room, I'd definitely recommend it - Parker Peevyhouse' writing is entertaining, and I'd be interested to see what else she comes out with!

Updated Full Review:

Review of Debut Novel Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse
ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 BY SUSAN CROSBYIN 2018, REVIEWS, SCI-FI/FANTASY, SEPTEMBER, YAEDIT
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3.5 Stars Publishes on September 11th

Netgalley and Torteen provided an e-galley of EchoRoom for an unbiased review.

Parker Peevyhouse turns out a solid debut in Echo room, which begins with a ground hog day motif. This tool could have dragged on but works because like Rhett and Brynn, readers have no clue what is happening.

In all honesty, I am a sucker for narration that can’t be trusted. First person point of view comes courtesy of Rhett who awakens with a gash on his head and has no clue how he came to waken in this huge, enclosed chamber with Brynn. All he knows is that he keeps waking up in it, in the same manner, day after day.

Sean Bean: His Movie Career is Groundhogs Day. He is a walking spoiler
Sean Bean: His Movie Career is Groundhogs Day. He is a walking spoiler.
Bit by bit they are able to put together pieces of information. The earth has been decimated, torched with nothing but huge bugs running around it. This is interrupted by the “of course” moment in the book.

Sparks fly between the two main characters. This wasn’t necessary. Brynn is a strong, independent character in her own right. But. There it is… Rhett and Brynn figure out there’s more of a connection and interest between them than they first realized. Moving on…

The end kind of just happened. That was a bit disappointing. Once they realized that the earth was pretty much toast (literally) and that there were ginormous … ok maybe I haven’t gotten the enormity of the bug issue across…

Bryzgalov

….like that big, someone who I picture being played by Woody Harrelson if there was a movie comes along and just mind vomits a bunch of essential information (about the bugs, the government… I’m keeping this vague on purpose… you don want to read the book, yes?) to them. At that point the book basically ends. There are some great philosophical debates that could have been more flushed out.

At some point you have to at least start wondering just how bad this chamber is compared to what is waiting for them on the other side. Ultimately, you know what decisions the character makes but at least have the debate. Make them think through it. Especially after Woody Harrelson gives them the whole low-down. Wrap-that up into the ending and have the sequel start off with the answer and take-off from there. Just a thought.

Now you are wondering… wait did she say sequel? Let’s be honest. This is the young adult world. When doesn’t it sequel? One simple tweak would make for a huge upgrade coming from Brynn’s point of view. She is a much more interesting character than Rhett. Even for those that liked Rhett’s point of view, it would be a good way to mix things up.

If you like vague, untrustworthy narration where you are in the dark with the characters for the first part of the book, you have a better shot of liking this book than others. I imagine I like the book more than those that don’t like that kind of specific type of writing.