*ARC kindly given by @netgalley for my honest opinion.*

"Echoes" by Alice Reeds is a gripping YA thriller that keeps you guessing until the final page. Reeds' skillful writing and compelling characters draw you into a suspenseful journey of survival and secrets. With its twists and turns, "Echoes" is a fast-paced and thrilling read that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

DNF at 25%. It's been over four years since I received this ARC. I gave it a go and have decided it is not for me. It interested me then and no longer does now.

This was an awesome YA thriller. Kept you reading it way into the early morning hours. I finished this book so fast I didn't realize that I was even done. I can highly recommend it for everyone.

This book surprised me. I went into it blind and I feel that was the best thing. It was such a quick read that I finished it in one day. I know a lot of readers will devour this story as it is suspenseful, relatable, and engaging. The book ended with such a hook that I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

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.

Echoes is an intense book to read.

Fiona and Miles are supposed to be starting an internship in Berlin, but nothing is as it seems and everything falls apart quickly. In another chapter they also find themselves remembering a plane crash and waking up on a deserted island. Which experience is real? Or are they both?

There were so many twists and turns the plot took, and they definitely keep you guessing on what is really happening. A few parts felt repetitive and I would have liked to get Miles point of view here. It did keep me entertained, though, and I am definitely going to check out the next book.

This book was a pretty average YA/Sci-fi story. It was fast paced and exciting but unfortunately I found it really difficult to connect with the characters as they were a bit bland. The book was a bit over explanatory and I didn't love the writing style.

Wow! What a wild and crazy read. Poor Fiona and Miles have no idea what to think or how to process what is going on in their lives and neither do I. This book will definitely keep you on the edge on your seat and needing more. The book ends in a cliffhanger but it's worth the read. This is my first book by Alice Reeds and I love the suspense and mystery.

Wow.
I am stunned.
Obliterated.
Wholly unprepared for what I just read.

This was an incredible story of Miles & Fiona. A romance in the sweetest sense, born of desperate times.
I spent most of this book trying to fit square pegs into round holes, hoping that it would come together in a way that made sense to me. But with alternate lives happening, it was super difficult, and I loved it. I am unsure, even after finishing, what part was real, and what part was contrived.
The ending left me completely astounded, and I cannot wait to dive back into their story, find out what is truly happening.

This book was okay! The pacing just felt off and I wish the characters were more well-developed! But, the suspense surrounding the situation along with the unique plot made me like it a bit more.

this book was so good, it gave me literal chills. i was completely hooked from the beginning, wanting to find out what happens to the two main characters next. and that cliffhanger at the end, oh my god! i can't wait for the sequel.

Loved reading this! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book is so much more than I first thought! So good!

DNF. I just could not connect to the main characters. I will be giving this two stars as the premise was awesome, but this book was not for me.

Two parts LOST, one part THE HUNGER GAMES, ECHOES is intriguing, complex, at times confusing, but a fast, fun, satisfying read. The story opens with a plane crash on a deserted island before flashing back to a trip to Germany seventeen hours earlier. At first, it seems like two separate storylines, and I wasn’t sure which one was real, but it ultimately resolves clearly, so stick with it. High school students Fiona and Miles are recipients of a swanky internship for tech-giant, Briola, in Germany. They’re flown on a private jet and set up in an expensive hotel, but it all falls apart when they take a cab to Briola only to find an empty warehouse with every physical and online trace of Briola wiped from existence.

On the island, Fiona and Miles struggle to survive. Their own relationship is fraught with distrust and animosity. Miles is a trust-fund kid and Fiona is a scholarship recipient at his private academy. They have nothing in common except this internship, which doesn’t make sense to Fiona since she doesn’t see herself as being nearly as qualified as Miles. While the two of them work to remain alive, they have to first learn to trust each other. Surprises and mysteries lurk around every corner, and the more they learn, the more dire their situation becomes.

Plot
The plotting is flawless, with heart-pounding tension, plenty of twists and turns, and unexpected surprises. The relationship development between the two characters is woven through the story so that it’s an extension of the plot rather than the main focus. The author kept me guessing until just the right moment.

The Characters
Both Fiona and Miles are complex characters. Told only from Fiona’s point of view, we see Miles evolve through her eyes. Their assumptions about each other fall away as they’re forced to work together to live another day and get off the island. Fiona is a tough-as-nails kickboxer with a string of trophies to show for it. Miles is a spoiled rich boy with far more to him than just that. Both will learn there is more to themselves and each other than what’s on the surface.

Top Five Things I Loved About ECHOES
1. Twists and turns. I love when I reach the end of a chapter and NEED to turn the page to find out what happens next. Alice Reeds ended nearly every chapter with something that made me not only want, but need, to read on.

2. LOST-ness. The similarities to LOST were an homage to the groundbreaking television show. It both grounded me in the story as well as intrigued me. The parallels begin and end at the setting, though. ECHOES is very much its own story.

3. Fiona. She’s determined and brave, but with a believable vulnerability that suits her character.

4. Miles. He defies stereotype and is a swoonworthy romantic lead.

5. The writing. Author Alice Reeds does phenomenal job of pulling the reader into the world she’s created so you can breathe in the humid ar, taste the salty air, feel the grit of sand on your skin.

Bottom Line
A perfect blend of terrifyingly thriller elements mixed with a swoony teen romance.

Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My rating: Two stars.

The story begins on an island. An airplane has just fallen and Fiona wakes up in the rubble. She feels bewildered and in the chaos that follows she seeks out Miles, the only person she can be there with him. They are upset and can not believe that the plane they were traveling on has fallen. Both unscathed by the incident will be found for the surrounding island to survive and the memories of Berlin, in which they had been before leaving with that plane. Everything is strange, the plane seems never to have left, a ferocious beast is in the jungle inside the island and the corpses are inside a cave. Fiona and Miles, who hated each other in their school, start a collaboration. They make discoveries that will leave them shocked and memories of Berlin will always be more vivid than ever.
What happened to the two in Berlin? And what will happen on the island? Will they be able to go home and get out safely?
The plot is particularly curious. From the first moment I considered this book I was impressed and could not wait to read. Only one mystery is alive and this is what attracted me if I have to tell the truth. The fact that everything was so enigmatic and mysterious bewitched me, too bad that it did not reflect my expectations at all.
The cover is certainly interesting. The idea of ​​the island is even if I do not find it particularly involving in terms of visual interest. Mass as it is is never so important. What do you think about it? With the title, unfortunately, no particularly intelligent work has been done. Ok ... so that at this point you're wondering what's wrong with the title. Initially I also did not find anything wrong. My role is almost a free spoiler of part of the story as soon as it is said that Miles is Echo. Curious is not it? Think of me, good truffle dog for these things, with the evidence I do not know if it is the idea of ​​the author or the publishing house but they certainly made a mistake in this respect.
The setting varies depending on where we will find the characters. In the present moment I'm on an unidentified desert island and we move on to sudden changes in which we talk about an episode from the island to Berlin, just before the plane fell where the two young, Briola, for an interesting project. The era is modern and set in our day..
The characters in this story are really very few. That is, we will only find Miles and Fiona on which we can make a comparison because they are the only ones we will meet in almost the whole book. The rest are contour characters and there will be a little something relevant only in the final. Between the two I can not tell you who I preferred because both were not particularly interesting during the reading. Miles is predictable and obvious, Fiona is shrewd and intelligent but does not seem to have a precise connotation. It almost seems that the author did not know how to handle it.
Fiona is a blue-haired Kick Boxing champion, she does not have a particularly wealthy family but she does not even get hurt. His father has accustomed her to fighting and pain so she can get away with it in difficult situations. She is perspicacious, intuitive and also very practical even if perpetually confused both towards Miles and towards herself. I will explain to you all further on face that the speech is much wider than it seems.
Miles is the classic rich dude, full of himself who knows how to whimper and make fun of others. At least as described by Fiona in the first pages of the book. The two in fact do not have a happy past and both in the same class never speak. Miles lives with his father and with his money he knows he can do anything and he knows his father is not interested. He's a guy who will unfold as he reads and will be far from how Fiona has always seen him. A discounted and predictable character in all respects.
The central pivot of history lies precisely in the island. Why have they crashed but the plane from the box inside it seems to have never left? How come the two in Berlin do not find the Briola company with whom they had an appointment. Why are there corpses on the island? A great mystery surrounds the island and it is up to the boys to try to solve it.
The author's style is particularly simple and quick to read if it were not that the story slows down a bit 'everything and instead of putting a little book seems to last an eternity.
Let's start with the things that in this book are incredible, in a negative sense. That is practically all.
The title and I said it a while ago. The thing is paradoxical because going forward in the history in which I was shot. Change because Miles reveals something to Fiona who has never said anyone else before and then I understand a story the title and where the story will go. And the most beautiful thing? What I got in full! Thanks for the title A careful reader understands after two seconds and a longer rate does not take long.
The story begins in and even here the thing stinks. The two fell from an airplane but nothing is done. Paradoxically, they are made more masculine in what Fiona tells of what happened in Berlin. Ok that then we will know certain on the plane and everything else was a bit 'realistic even for the two protagonists. Is it possible that I should have been so stupid enough to think that they are practically as well as miraculous, even unharmed? Ridiculous, do not you find?
Realism on the island. Miles and Fiona are not stupid, this seems clear to me but seems too ready for something like that. Fire, water, fishing and even the search for food seemed TOO easy. I believe that I reconsider the dear and old Robinson Crusoe (who has had his time broken the balls on that island with his detailed instructions) but that is surely REALISTIC. That is, I did not seem to ask too much but it is so. If you decide to read this book - which I certainly advise you - you will notice with your own eyes.
The worst thing of all is the confusion. We know that I should do in Berlin to go to this company called Briola. We know little and nothing about this company because I had to talk vaguely and they seem to know how hard we are going there. I should finish it and I do not know how they got there (ok the plane but in the end there is not even a shred of answers on how they got there in that way) nor the rest related to the elusive paratrooper that then please Going forward. I would have preferred there was a chapter of a person in the open to the protagonists who explained all that was behind it. Not that everything would remain so TREMENDLY CONFUSED. The Briola has no head or tail and the whole story of Joe has very little sense for how it was placed. It would have been smarter to introduce it in another way.
The love story that can be avoided in all respects. No need to add meat to the fire. After all the chaos that the author created would have been clever trying to keep the two protagonists friends, with intelligent and productive collaboration. Not with "kiss, kiss and kiss" that is not used by anyone.
The only thing that keeps standing is the curiosity to know if I ever come home. I found positive the fact of the ending that differs from the classic final genre (even here however it was predictable to a careful eye).
The book was really disappointing. There is no curiosity, pathos or emotion in this story. I find myself giving two stars even if I wanted to give less but I can not because it is not serious grammatically speaking or things like that. But at the level of history, Echoes, has no head or tail.
Alice Reeds seems to grope in the dark much more than her two protagonists. At the end of the book you will be even more confused than when you started it. Even now I can not figure out where he wanted to go, who they are all and why what happened in this book was done. One mystery after another that will remain inexplicably unsolved.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

First that ending just wow really just wow. This is a brilliantly written book. When I began I wasn’t really sure how I would feel. Even as I was reading I was wary and a little bit meh but I am so glad I continued. This was a mind trip. You begin to wonder if what you are reading is really happening or all a rouse. You feel like Fiona and Miles, struggling to keep what is real and what isn’t from your mind.

Fiona and Miles when I started the story were not high on my list to like. Miles seemed arrogant and Fiona was determined but a wee bit whiny and irritating. We see them grow up and mature due to the circumstances they are in. We watch Miles open up to Fiona and show her that he has depth and character. Miles becomes my favorite character and that is because we see him peel away the layers and open up. He also shows who he truly is and the arrogance goes away to reveal a kind smart kid in a home situation where it seems no one cares. Fiona does change but she is still needs to mature a little more for me. She learns to trust and let Miles in but we don’t see her open up as much. We learn about her home life and do definitely feel sad for her in the end but it doesn’t really change my feeling that there is more growth in her.

When Fiona and Miles begin the story they are opposites in so many ways. In fact it seems they don’t like one another. I think for Miles though that was a front to protect himself. He seems to like her too much and deeply respects her. Fiona learns that Miles really is more than he seems and when the adventure and danger begins, they must rely on one another to survive.

The story is full of danger, suspense, intrigue and has you question yourself and the story as well. You are brought into the moment with Fiona and Miles as they unravel the mystery of their internship and what is happening in their lives. As they learn to trust each other and find out who the other really is. As you watch them fight to stay alive and find a way home. Or do they get home is the question? And do they want to after all that is revealed? There is betrayal, greed, mystery, murder and a romance has begun as Fiona and Miles must rely on one another to survive.

On the surface, two teens have been selected to participate in a coveted internship in Germany. Author Alice Reed launches Echoes as Fiona and Miles prepare for their plane trip. What follows is something quite murky.

Alternating chapters have the teens on a deserted island following what initially appears to be a plane crash — and in Germany where they have discovered something fishy with the internship program. As a reader, I couldn’t quite get the traction needed to really immerse myself in the storyline because of those two completely different scenarios. Regardless of which chapter unfolded, it was clear that the teens were in trouble.

Since Fiona and Miles started out disliking each other, it was interesting to watch their relationship evolve. Forced to rely on each other, they had to put their animosity aside as they sought answers. Their relationship dynamic seemed to improve as they shared personal stories.

It’s when the two experiences seem to merge — deserted island and Germany — that the storyline took a turn for the bizarre and made me feel like I was on the set of The Matrix. Hallucinations, implants and even a contract killer were highlighted as the story moved to a resolution.

While I give the author kudos for an incredible imagination, I felt overwhelmed with the twists and turns. The ending certainly packed a punch, but I left the story feeling rather unfulfilled.

I requested a copy of this novel purely on reputation. A few blogger friends of mine said that this was supposed to be good and I trust their opinions, so I requested a review copy. I never read the blub, so I was in for a wild ride. Echoes is a young adult novel about survival with a bit of a science fiction twist. It was pretty good and kept me reading because I was so curious about what would happen next.

The characters were mediocre in my opinion. They were your run of the mill young adult male and female characters. They didn't feel like anything special. They weren't badly written or anything, they were just ordinary and a bit boring. By themselves they didn't stand out, but that was okay. This happens in a lot of young adult books, and if the plot and rest of the book is really good, a lot of time no one notices.

The plot was pretty interesting and really is what kept me reading. There were two alternating realities, one where Miles and Fiona were stranded on an island. That was the reality that I found most interesting. It felt similar to Cast Away at some times. In both that movie and this book people were trying to survive on an abandoned island that they had crash landed on. Cast Away is one of my favorite movies, partly because I love survival stories. I find it interesting trying to make it in the wild all alone and Miles and Fiona had to work to survive.

In the other reality, Miles and Fiona are stuck in Berlin where they were supposed to have a summer internship. The connection between the two realities and the plot where someone was after them kept me guessing. I felt curious and had questions that kept me reading throughout the whole book. But unfortunately some of those questions never got answered, the ending leaves you hanging without wrapping up some pretty important plot points.

The writing was more tell than show in some parts. For example, I was told about how Fiona's relationship with her father affected how she acted with male authority figures rather than shown that through her behavior and her actions. I think this was part of the reason that I never felt emotionally connected to the characters or the story. A lot of big moments fell flat and no matter what the characters went through it felt like it was conveyed in the same tone. The writing wasn't bad, it just failed to grip me emotionally.

The pacing was kind of slow, but the writing was good enough and the plot interesting enough that I kept reading. I expected it to be a lot better than it was though. I think that since I never felt emotionally connected to the characters it made the novel fall flat for me. It was okay, but it really wasn't anything special, I could take it or leave it. The ending was really disappointing though, I expected a lot of things to be explained and was left without some necessary explanations. It wasn't even a cliff hanger, rather than an unfinished story.

Echoes by Alice Reeds is so confusing yet interesting at the exact same time.
Alice Reed’s latest novel is super vague in its synopsis with two teens (Fiona and Miles) applying for an internship and somehow waking up on a deserted island with no recollection of how they got there in the first place.

I can’t tell if my feelings are a good thing or a bad thing. I have so many thoughts and feelings about Echoes, so I’m going to run around in the middle. 🤔

Echoes is confusing AF
Reeds lays out this book in two time periods – Berlin and the island. Berlin is supposedly right before they got to the island, but I am left with so many questions of how they even got there.

Heck, I’m left with so many questions after finishing the novel. If that was Reeds’s intention, she did a phenomenal job with it, because I’m confused AF with a vague idea of what even happened.

There is instalove
You don’t even need to try to know that this is instalove and enemies to lovers on the spot. Fiona and Miles are high school enemies – they’ve hated each other from the moment they met and somehow ended up on an island together. Alone. What else is going to happen in the world of book tropes? 🤷

To be honest, this book makes you think
I don’t think I’ve walked away even one step ahead from each chapter without having to retrace my steps and think about what really happened. This might be why I’m still super confused – I’m constantly asking, “How did this happen?” and “Why did this happen?”

I had to step away a lot because I was confused. My brain was just pure:
[mind blown GIF]

I’m still lost and I have not returned from this lostness. (Maybe I was tired.)

It still kept you interested despite the confusion
I nearly DNFed this book, but I wanted to know what happened and what will happen at the end. Fortunately for fictional books, I don’t get killed for being curious.

The characters felt pretty flat and writing was meh
I didn’t care too much about Fiona and Miles – sure I want them alive, but do I care? Not really… I cared more about how they got there in the first and how they got from Berlin to a deserted island. All I got from the characters is:

1. Fiona is a champion kickboxer
2. Miles is a wealthy and popular kid at school
3. Their fathers didn’t really give a shit about them

Plus the writing! First of all, let’s set aside that confusion and focus on the writing by itself, which was okay, but definitely not the best. There was a lot of telling and descriptions that made me want to roll over and fall asleep than “I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.” And for me, meh writing + confusion = does not have the desire to continue the book.

Honestly, Echoes is just plain confusion, which is great if you want to be confused. I just felt like I had no answers by the end of the book when all I wanted were answers.

Stranded on a desert island, Fiona and Miles try to survive both the island and each other. I liked the chapters explaining the pre crash time too. Definitely kept me guessing.