Echo of the Evercry

I enjoyed reading this, it did everything that I was hoping for in this type of book, the description did a great job in creating this world and having the reader engaged. I enjoyed how good the characters were and thought they were written perfectly. E. J. Dawson has a great writing style that left me wanting more.

"Larissa curtailed her wonder and sat in the chair before an ornate desk. The desk bisected the gallery, an odd position, barely enough room to pass on one side. Theras stood behind it and lit a few more candles. It did little to banish the gloom; they may as well have been in deepest night for all the intimacy of the setting. “You have doubts.” Theras swept aside her skirt to sit in the gnarled chair behind the desk, carved in twisted, meandering shapes. “About the magic you sense, rather strong in the untrained, but that is why we chose you.”

Reminiscent of more modern fantasy books like The Black Witch by Laurie Forest, this book tells the tale of a girl who feels she is meant for the path she has always been taught is wrong. Captivating and lovable, this book has you hooked from the very beginning and will have you unable to keep from turning the page to continue. Cant recommend enough

Magic, secrets, adventure, and a few plot twists are what you have in store with this amazing book of fantasy! Larissa, the main character, begins the story uncertain of where she belongs. She has lived her life serving the Fair Lady and has been training to be a knight but she doesn't like to fight. When her trial to complete her training comes, it sets in motion the rest of the story. Larissa begins a new path as a darkkin, a wielder of magic, that has her hearing the call of the Evercry, the chaos of the world and it's magic. With an adventure that gives a Wheel of Time vibe, Larissa faces danger as she uncovers parts of her past and her future while figuring out who she can trust and who is thwarting her every move. I loved being along for the ride!

My favorite quote from the book speaks to those times in our lives that have a crossroad and we aren't certain which way to go: "We sometimes find ourselves in situation outside of our control, but it isn't the end, or what defines us. You'll do well with the darkkins. You have the call of magic within you."

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for sending this electronic book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this story! I thought it was clever and well written. It had me hooked right from the start, to finish!

I usually don’t go for this genre but the plot had grabbed my attention and it did not disappoint!

Thank you for the chance to read and review to give my honest feedback.

Echo of the Evercry is a high stakes fantasy filled with magic, secrets and twists that leave you vying for more. The story begins with our female main character Larrisa Westwynn struggling to find where she truly belongs as a knight in training for the Fair Lady's order, a sisterhood whose sole purpose is to hunt sorcerers that are corrupted by what is known by Evercry. However Larrisa finds herself unable to kill, much to the disapproval of her absent mother. Larrisa also finds herself harbouring a dangerous and sinful secret; she is drawn to magic and feels its pull continue to grow stronger and stronger. After failing her graduation test into knighthood, Larissa finds herself being welcomed by the darkkins, a group of people who study and wield magic in the fight against the Evercry. A message from her mother whom went missing on a mission years prior arrives, urging for Larrisa's help in defeating a formidable sorcerer that only she can defeat. Desperate to help save her mother, Larrisa embarks on a journey which is what the majority of this book is centered around. I personally really enjoyed the pacing of this book. Nothing felt too rushed or overlooked, nor was I finding my bored with the story dragging. The magic system is unique and the story itself is very immersive. I found myself on a journey with Larrisa as a character as she works to discover who she is as she faces dark truths about the sisterhood and her heritage. I definitely recommend giving this book a read.

How amazing it is when books surprised you and surpass your expectations. I really enjoyed this book: I loved the magic system and story-telling. It's a great high fantasy with bad ass women coming into their own. I loved the main trio of women and how different each of them were. This book is full of magic, secrets, adventure, and a few plot twists that will have you at the edge of your seat at some points. I would highly recommend this story to lovers of epic fantasy and extensive world building and intriguing and interesting characters.

I received and reviewed an ARC, but my review has not been influenced in any way by the author or publisher.

History is not always sung by heroes. It is sometimes written by the villains who told their story first.

In Dawson's Echo of the Evercry, it can be hard to work out who is a hero and who is a villain. Yes, there are characters that are fighting against the evils of magic users gone bad. And yes, there is clearly a problem with the corruption that stems from unchecked use of magic. But it's not ever that simple in the real world, nor is it simple here.
There is a lot of conflict in this book, between characters and between factions. What keeps it interesting is that while the cause of conflicts is often apparent, it's not always what it first seems, and there is often not a 'good' and 'bad' side. Dawson has created characters that are complicated, have mixed feelings, don't always act in their own best interest, and sometimes need a good slap over the back of the head... in other words, they are people.
Mild spoilers ahead, read at your own risk.
<spoiler>There are a faction of knights, called to destroy the magic users who have been corrupted by power. The knights are well trained, respected (or feared), and powerful. But they also rely on their own magic users to know their enemy. But who is the enemy, really?</spoiler>
The lead cast are all women, with a matriarchal organisation of great power. Men exist in this world, have positions of authority and otherwise, but are not the focus of the story at all. There are hints of romance, but much more than that there is a classic story of growing up being forced into a way of life that is not by choice, and learning that you have a choice.
I heartily recommend this book, and I'm left wanting to know what happens next.

I love it when you get blindsided by a book you went into with no real expectations and you get sucked into the world so completely it's like you've been transported there.

Echo of the Evercry was a fantastic mix of a large number of good things. From likable, and flawed characters, to complex and often twisting plotlines and sub-plots that folded upon themselves so much it was this writhing mass of uncertainty that just dragged the reader along with it.

Delicious world building, a structured, yet flawed set of lore and beliefs, magic and mayhem all mixed in with a youthful, but not childish, cast of young women. Characters with differing strengths and weaknesses, hidden pasts and pre-planned futures, the way they play off each other and work together, was well crafted and kept my interest the entire story.

Do I have questions about what's going to happen after the events in this book? Yes. Is this part of a series or trilogy? I don't know, but I sure hope so. Will I read more by this author? Absolutely!

If you're a fan of epic fantasy, of magic and spells, grand fantasy settings and colourful and rich world-building I think you'll enjoy this book. The writing is honed and well edited with a clear voice and engaging lilt. It will leave you wanting to keep reading well past your bedtime, and fill your dreams with haunting wolfish cries.

Are there things in the story I'd change? Yes, but this isn't my story, it's Larissa's and that means the reader gets to be a witness to all that she endures and enjoys. Every weary step and hot bath.

Covering themes like not belonging, dealing with expectations of our elders and coming to terms with having to question the things we've been told are true our entire lives, this book allows the weight of those themes to breath and be explored fully by not only the characters, but the reader also.

Why not 5 stars? The opening, although hook enough to keep me reading, did drag on a little, and the first chapter or two took a little time to get into. I think this is a slight disservice to an otherwise strong and thoroughly enjoyable book.

**Note: I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley**

This is definitely my preferred genre, and with the sheer volume of reading I do, it is not often I read a book and argue (in my head at least!) with the characters, or find myself actively hoping for one outcome over another - that is the power of this book. The world and character building are such that you will be drawn into the world, actively wanting one result or another. It is truly an immersive and enjoyable story, remenicient of my favorite epic fantasy stories. I am really hoping to read a lot more in this world.

This is Larissas story; It is a retelling of her quest, of her coming into her own, of her echo of the evercry. Filled with adventure, magic, bad ass female knights (and creatures and castles too) we're thrown into a world with an abundance of FMCs, it's a sisterhood- yes, while men do still exist in this world, the women are the ones mostly running all factions with the fair ladys order being of most importance here.

The world building was so immersive, it sucks you right in. Add fantasticly written complex main characters and this book has everything you want from a fantasy read. I have definitely been left me wanting more of the story!
(Crossing my fingers hoping its gonna be a series 🤞🏻)

I would definitely say to grab this one for anyone into fantasy reads; it's written beautifully and worth the read.