Lingering Echoes

Lingering Echoes #1

by Erica Kiefer

Alternate Cover Edition for 9781940534299.

“You can’t change the past… no matter how much you want to.”
If only Allie Collins could go back to that tragic day one year ago, perhaps she could escape the guilt that haunts her. In reality, there was no altering her cousin’s death or the role she played. Then she meets Damien Michaels, a dark-haired stranger on a dirt bike, who seems to watch Allie and know more about her than he should. Veiling his own secrets, including a mysterious scar and unexplained tattoo, Allie knows she shouldn’t trust him—especially as she digs up a past Damien desperately wants to forget. She also doesn’t believe in summer romances, yet she finds her attraction to him growing beyond his striking grey eyes.

Unfortunately, Allie discovers too late that he is hiding a dark past which is far from over, endangering her life and those she loves.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary Romance

388 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2013

About the author

Erica Kiefer’s debut novel Lingering Echoes was published by Clean Teen Publishing in November 2013. She continued the series with Rumors (A Lingering Echoes Prequel) and her newest release Vanishing Act. All of her books can be read as stand-alone contemporary YA fiction, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.

Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. One day, she hopes to dust off her collegiate rugby skills and dive back into the game.

Reviews

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

This book was just okay for me. I have had a review copy of this book for over 4 years but never felt compelled to actually read the book until now. I must say that I am happy to finally be able to mark this book off of my list of books to read. I found this to be a pretty quick read that held my attention but it was never the kind of book that totally grabbed me.

My feelings are pretty mixed about this book. I think one of the main things that I didn't care for in this book was the fact that it was another teen romance featuring a love triangle. I am not usually a fan of love triangles. In the case of this book, Allie has two boys falling for her. Aaron is always there to support her and gets her through a lot of tough times. Damien is the dangerous older guy that drives a motorcycle and has a few stalkerish behaviors. Guess who she picks?

I think that Allie's behavior was another major hurdle for me to overcome with this book. I am the mother of a teenager and not a teen so I do realize that I am probably not the target audience for this story but Allie was too much at times. She kept telling everyone that she was going off to college soon so she could make her own choices. Of course her father was telling her what she needed to do because on her own she wasn't doing too great.

I had a few other issues with the story. I thought that Damien's past was way to easy to figure out. We do eventually get more details but even then I thought everything seemed a little too perfect. Allie has a moment towards the end of the book where she suddenly remembers something that she had forgotten for the past year and it just felt really odd. I also could not believe that Allie's father and step-mother never addressed her step-brother's behavior towards her. He was terrible to Allie and then suddenly they started getting along.

There were some things that I did like about the story. Allie had a lot of grief and guilt to deal with from an event in the past. It has obviously had a great impact on her life and I did like seeing her work through those emotions. Allie and Aaron's friendship was a high point of the book. Aaron was probably my favorite character in the story and I liked his connection with Allie. While the big action scene at the end of the book seemed far-fetched, I still found it to be rather exciting.

I do think that a lot of readers will like this one a lot more than I did. I was entertained by the story even when I was questioning a character's behavior. I am glad that I read this book even though I feel like it was a pretty forgettable read.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Clean Teen Publishing via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
This was okay. It's probably not a book that will really stay with me long term but I was entertained. The book does pick up the pace towards the end with most of the excitement happening during the last 25% of the book. I thought that a lot of the story was predictable.

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

LINGERING ECHOES is a young adult story that flirts on the edge of danger. It takes place over a summer vacation with ties to the previous summer.

Allie is spending her summer vacation with her dad and his new family. They are vacationing where the previous summer a tragedy happened that leaves Allie harboring survivor's guilt.

Damien is a broken teen who has a haunting past that won't let its grip of him go. He's drawn to Allie and tries to help overcome her daunting past.

"You must make that walk. Connect your past to your present."

Prequel & Standalone:

Rumors is a prequel novella to Lingering Echoes

**ARC courtesy of Clean Teen Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Erica Kiefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

INSPIRATION behind writing Lingering Echoes:
The first scene came to mind years ago when I was in college. It was a crisp, fall day and as I walked to class, the wind and swirling leaves at my feet created a scenario in my head. When I became bored during my humanities class, instead of taking notes, I started writing a descriptive scene that was intended to simply end as a piece of poetry. Instead, I couldn’t stop thinking about this girl who I envisioned in my head, grieving beside a river on a cloudy, cold day. (I even kept thinking about it while on a rugby road trip, of all things!) I didn’t know until a couple years later when I picked up that piece of writing again that this poetic scene would transform into chapter two of Lingering Echoes.

As for the STORYLINE, some of Allie Collin's (MC) thought processes come from my own childhood experiences. For instance, the idea of falling in love: In high school and early college, I was a terrible skeptic of love and fearful of marriage. I'm sure some of this was because of witnessing my own parent's marriage fail (but I still love my parents to death!). There is a conversation that Allie has with Aaron that derives from something a high school boyfriend said to me. (*If you've read it, it's the conversation when they go camping and talk as the sun sets.) Fortunately, my husband was patient and helped cure me of these fears and we've been married since May 2005.

I love connecting with readers! If you have any questions, please send me a message on Goodreads or facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericakiefera...
You can also visit my website for author interviews: http://www.ericakieferbooks.com

Happy reading!

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does a teenaged girl recover from the undeserved guilt of not being able to save a loved one? Allie was there the day her young cousin died in a freak drowning accident and life has never been the same for her. While staying with her father and his new family at a summer cottage getaway, Allie is forced to face her fears without success. Already filled with grief and guilt, the bullying from her step-brother only makes things worse. Enter Damien, a dark and mysterious young man who at first scares Allie, but when curiosity gets the best of her, she discovers and amazingly caring and giving person who is struggling with his own demons. Can Allie help Damien as much as he has helped her? Will her family and friends finally see the real Damien and not the boy who lives under the cloud of rumor and accusations? Two lonely souls, two young people who truly understand what the other feels, this is one of the most touching tales I have read.

Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer will not only pull at your heartstrings, but practically rip them out of your chest as Allie’s story unfolds. Damien’s hidden truth come out later, and is timed perfectly by this talented author. I was “into” this tale heart, mind and soul from start to finish! So much pain, so much lack of understanding, perhaps it takes one who knows the burden you carry to truly help bring you out of the darkness and into the light of living again.

Erica Kiefer has written one of the finest stories of love and redemption I have ever read, never missing a beat with her characters and their effect on the story. The emotions she allows her characters to reveal are so human, so natural and completely understandable, if misguided; one cannot help but hope for their futures to be filled with joy. If an author can achieve that kind of reader involvement, they have done their job, and done it well.

I received this copy from Clean Teen Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Lingering Echoes - Book 1
Publication Date: January 4, 2014 (October 30, 2013)
ISBN: 9781940534299
Genre: YA/NA Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 388 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***


Lingering Echoes is a fast paced young adult romance. This story is about young girl named Allie who is struggling with guilt after her cousin Maddie drowned. Her parents are split up however; her father is determined to help her. Allie reluctantly goes on a vacation, the place where her younger cousin died the year before. She meets Damien, who has a secret of his own.

This book a drama filled heartfelt story of romance, friendship, loss, mystery and suspense with twists and turns that will keep you interested. Although it had a mysterious vibe I still felt the book was a little predictable.

“Seems like you have some secrets of your own.” ~ Allie





Writing: 3.5/5
Character development: 3.5/5
Story Line: 4/5
Steam: 3/5
Ending: No Cliffhanger
Recommend? : Yes

Book Rating: *3.5 Stars*

[boosh511 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished it--- I had to let my toddler watch enough Dora to make her head explode to make it happen. "I'm the map..I'm the map....." sigh....

But, I loved it! The men are blush-worthy. The protagonist doesn't take any nonsense (I'm a fan of no-nonsense protagonistas) -- and there are enough heart flutterings and cliffhangers for all.

I read quite a bit of YA fiction, especially all the dystopian/Hunger Games/Uglies/Divergent/Delirium/Graceling/Maze Runner, etc. favorites - and I love them. I also like some fantasy and supernatural -- Sookie Stackhouse series, Great and Terrible Beauty, Goose Girl, Game of Thrones, etc. But, it was nice to read something that didn't require any huge leaps of faith from reality. Sometimes, when I'm describing to my husband what I'm reading -- it all sounds quite silly -- I mean -- how fierce do we really think teenagers are against massive government control? Devour a pizza -- yes -- organized rebellion....hmm....

I really appreciated feeling the chemistry between the characters without being bombarded by any oversexualization. No bad language - and a honest view of how gang loyalties can stealthily creep into the lives of normal teenagers. I also appreciate the honest wrestling with grief, depression, and survivor guilt. I think it would be a great launching pad for some discussions on dealing with these issues days, weeks, or years after tragedy.

I would definitely recommend it.

The Hunger Games
Divergent
Graceling
The Goose Girl
A Game of Thrones
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Dead to the World

[Rayleigh Wendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge reader, and as such, have read many young adult novels. This definitely makes it to my top 10 list along with Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Lord of the Rings. It's not very similar to these books in that it is a realistic fiction and has nothing to do with fantasy or sci-fi. But it is similar to these books because of how original it is. I started it around 6:00 in the evening and stayed all up through the night until 2:00 in the morning. I hadn't done that since I first read Hunger Games four years ago. The characters are lovable, and the love story downright delicious. It's also extremely refreshing to read such a great book and not have to worry about vulgar language. I would absolutely recommend this to ANYONE. I love Clean Teen Publishing and I love Lingering Echoes!!

[Kimber Wheaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

It's been a while since a book sucked me in from the first page the way Lingering Echoes did. The first few pages really set the tone for the novel. Allie is suffering survivor's guilt, coupled with a broken family life. The fact that everyone is having fun around her and trying to pretend nothing is wrong with this boating outing is almost comical. At this point the reader doesn't know about the tragedy that struck her last year. Though we don't know what happened yet, it's impossible to miss how upset and terrified Allie is, and yet her friends and family are ignoring it.

I felt so sorry for Allie, what she endured will be very difficult to recover from emotionally. Though her family means well, the way they go about helping her doesn't help much in Allie's eyes. Add to her emotional burden an older step-brother with a major attitude problem and a huge chip on his shoulder and it makes life horrible for her. I couldn't stop thinking, she really needed to handle one trauma at a time. Being stuck in a cabin with her father, his new wife, and her annoying son is trauma enough. Add in her tragic past and my heart bleeds for the girl.

Enter Damien, the mysterious yet gorgeous stalker. Okay so he isn't really a stalker but he does like to follow Allie around and seems to show up wherever she is. He has his own tragic past that he's hiding from. Allie and Damien have been through events that are difficult for anyone to understand who hasn't experienced them. They are drawn to each other, recognizing their own pain in the other. Damien is one of those closed-lipped guys and keeps his past a secret. When Allie discovers it and confronts him, he doesn't explain, just makes a grand statement and runs off.

While I really enjoyed the beginning of the novel, the middle lagged a bit. No worries though, since it did pick up again about two thirds of the way through. In fact, the last part of the novel is a real page turner. It was interesting how the point of view switched when it was time to reveal Damien's story. It kept us from experiencing that inevitable info dump that tends to happen in first person POV novels. It also allowed the reader to experience Damien's emotions and understand his motivations.

I recommend Lingering Echoes to everyone high school and up that enjoys a romance with a bit of mystery and suspense. This novel isn't a walk in the park; it can't be when the two main characters lives were shaped by tragedy. There is quite a bit of angst and emotion. I did find the ending rather satisfying, though, everything was wrapped up rather nicely. Don't miss the prequel novella Rumors (it's free right now on Amazon).

[☾ Dαɴιyα ☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Having a bad past doesn't make you a bad person, does it?“

Young adult books are not my usual reading material. I've had some bad experience with them, so I usually try to avoid them. But somehow, I wanted to read this one. Still, I proceeded with caution, part of me expecting that something will happen to make me want to throw the book away. I'm happy to report that that did not happen. Of course, I'm certain I would have enjoyed it more if I were younger, but it was a decent read.

I must say that at the very beginning, Allie, the heroine, annoyed me a little bit, but I stopped and remembered myself at her age, and it all made more sense. Plus, to be fair, Allie had reasons to act the way she did. She was dealing with her family (the part of her family that she didn't have the best relationship with), she was in a place filled with bad memories, she was full of guilt because of an accident that had happened there, all of which is a lot for a seventeen-year-old girl to take.

Then he came along. Damien. A handsome boy, a little older than her, and apparently full of secrets of his own, who always appeared unexpectedly by her side. I thought it was a bit strange how Allie trusted him without knowing much about him, except for the awful rumors surrounding him, but it was really sweet how they helped each other overcome their demons.



But the thing is Damien's demons came in a form of very bad men, which led them in a dangerous situation. Quite frankly, I could have gone without that part - to me the book would have been perfectly fine if it was solely focused on Allie's troubles. But, okay, there were a lot of parts of the story that could appeal to younger readers, including those I didn't particularly enjoy.

Of all the characters, the one I liked the most was Aaron. He was a friend anyone would want to have. The way he was always helping Allie, even though he had no obligation to do it whatsoever, was pretty remarkable, as was his ability to help mend the relationship between Allie and Nick.

One thing that left me puzzled was the ending. It left me with questions regarding what happens after that. What happens to Allie and Damien? What?


A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Melissa (thereaderandthechef) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw, I knew I was going to need a hug and a tissue after reading this book. Lingering Echoes has left me with a very heavy heart, despite its really nice ending. It's just that the pain inside is so raw and so real that there's no way you can't feel the pang and sadness for Allie and Damien. Most of the time I just wanted to jump right in and kick that river's derriére and knock out the people that hurt my friends. However, this story also shows how there's always going to be a light at the end of the darkest tunnel, but only if you stop running from it and finally face your fears.

Lingering Echoes managed to suck me right into the story from the start. The author gave her characters full control over the story and I was practically seeing everything through their eyes (mainly from Allie's) and pain. The plot is REALLY good and well planned out as this book likes to build up the tension and give out its secrets piece by piece. Nothing like a good old mystery to solve!

I have to admit that at first I didn't like Damien that much, he was sort-of creepy and quite a stalker when we first meet him, but later on I felt guilty for thinking that bad of him. I can't say I fell head-over-heels for him like Allie does, but he's a good guy and I did come to appreciate him a lot.

Also, somewhere around the beginning of the book Allie mentions that her sisters would join her on the "family vacation" but they never did show up. It stuck out with me and I can't get that out of my mind. I wanted to meet them, but I guess they weren't important enough to show up on the plot. Why mention it though?

Still, I'm really glad to have read Lingering Echoes. The best part? It's a clean read, so I didn't have to deal with steamy scenes that I sometimes get tired of reading (or skipping) in NA books. This way is perfect and it gives me way more liberty to recommend to any reader out there looking for a great emotional read to immerse with.

*This review is based on a copy downloaded for free from Netgalley. You can also find it at The Reader and the Chef *

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

BookWhores BR: http://bookwhorebr.blogspot.com.br/20...

Resenha em português e inglês / Review in Portuguese and English

Primeiro tenho que agradecer ao NetGalley pela oportunidade de descobrir esta autora.
O livro é muito bem escrito e nos deixa imersos na história do início ao fim.
Nossa heroína está em uma situação complicada, é obrigada a passar férias com o pai, a madrasta e o filho desta. A relação entre eles não é boa e além disso tudo ela está enfrentando uma crise pessoal, pois no verão anterior ela e a prima se afogaram no rio, mas ela foi a única que sobreviveu.
Ela se sente responsável pela morte da menina e apesar de ter sido um acidente ela se sente culpada e atormentada pelo ocorrido.
E aí ela encontra nosso herói que também é atormentado pelo passado e muito misterioso.
Os dois se sentem atraídos um pelo outro, mas nada é simples para este casal.
Acompanhamos uma montanha russa de emoções e nós adoramos cada minuto.
Nossos heróis nos levam em uma jornada de auto descobrimento e redenção. Temos cenas bem emocionantes e tocantes.
Recomendo muito a leitura deste livro.

------------------

First I have to thank the NetGalley the opportunity to discover this author.
The book is very well written and leaves us immersed in the story from start to finish.
Our heroine is in a complicated situation, is forced to spend vacation with her father, her stepmother and her son. The relationship between them is not good and to top it off she is facing a personal crisis, because the previous summer she and her cousin were drowned in the River, but she was the only one who survived.
She feels responsible for the death of the girl and despite having been an accident she feels guilty and tormented by what happened.
And there she finds our hero which is also plagued by the past and very mysterious.
Both feel attracted to each other, but nothing is simple for this couple.
We follow a roller coaster of emotions and we love every minute of it.
Our heroes take us on a journey of self discovery and redemption. We have very exciting and touching scenes.
I highly recommend reading this book.

[Lynsey is Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know what she did last summer.

I enjoyed Lingering Echoes. I would definitely recommend it as one of the better New Adult reads, and Lord knows there are some doozies out there already, even in such a new genre. I didn't find it quite the blub-fest I was expecting, though, it has to be said—certainly not in the same way as Sea of Tranquility, which it's been compared to, but it was close.

Allie is spending the summer in her father's cabin retreat with his new wife and her new "brother". Though she tries to put on a brave face, the situation is less than ideal. Firstly, brother dear is a complete butt nugget, and second, it's the very last place she wants to be as it holds some painful and shameful memories from the summer before.

After some fairly obvious foreshadowing, we meet love interest Damien. In true New Adult fashion he displays some unnervingly stalker-like tendencies, before ultimately revealing his true nature. Which was, I'm glad to report, that of a very nice young man. Crap, I sound old! He has some dark secrets of his own, of course, which take a while to come to the surface. Allie and Damien's relationship develops well; they're both very sweet people. And the plot builds up to a dramatic and thrilling conclusion.

All together, an enjoyable read and a welcome addition to any New Adult lover's shelf.

4 Stars ★★★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recommended to me by a friend so I took a chance. There were some fun moments with the characters, but overall it was amateurish and lightweight, with some distracting typos and some lightly veiled racism that made me uncomfortable. It also was similar to the Twilight franchise in its disturbing theme of a girl inexplicably drawn to a bad boy who is borderline physically abusive.

[Eileen Dandashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the Story: Whether Allie Collins wanted to or not, she was visiting her dad for the summer and he’d decided to head over to Pines, the place they’d always gone for the summer, where Allie’s cousin had died.

Allie hadn’t spent any time with her dad’s new wife, Clara, who seemed to be nice enough. But her son, Nick, was just plain rude AND nasty. Who would want to spend time with him?

Brooke Cannon had been invited to join the group, some girl Allie’s age, she really didn’t like. Brooke had her eye on Aaron Jackson, a friend of Nicks, who had been invited for the summer. Although it was of Allie’s opinion, how could anyone like Nick have a friend?

But go she must. She could see that the summer would be full of anger and emotions. She was angry with her father, too. He’s the one that made her come.

The summer proved to be exciting and then some. Allie was jumpy and fearful ever since her cousin's accident. As people tend to do for entertainment, while in the woods, they tell ghost stories while sitting around a campfire. One she’d heard, and apparently true, was about a local boy, close to her age, killing his family, burning them to death in his family’s house.

Brooke was a guy chaser getting herself into trouble. Allie was more the level-headed teen who tried to look out for her. Aaron liked Allie, enjoyed Brooke and tried to look out for both of them. Adventures became near mishaps, where evil was thought to be, wasn’t. No, it came from an entirely different place.

My Thoughts: This young adult romance just blew me away. It was packed with action, fear, definitely suspense and finally dread. This is a story where two young people, Allie and Damien, whose pasts have colored and changed their lives forever start to face them with help from each other and those who care about them. It was superbly written, leaving me on the very edge of my chair throughout its journey.

Allie was running from her guilt. Guilt which had hidden heavy on her soul for the last year. Her cousin lost her life, only 9 years old, and Allie very nearly had, too. But Allie kept on replaying events in her head. If she had just insisted her cousin not try to cross the creek one more time. The rocks were slippery, it was starting to rain, and the wind was blowing. Why hadn’t she stopped her? But can a teen of 14 accept she couldn’t keep her cousin safe? Hadn’t she been taught to take care of her cousin? The guilt crushed Allie’s spirit, her joy of water sports and her desire to meet people. She only wished she could have taken her cousin’s place.

When Allie’s dad didn’t give her a choice about joining his new family up at a cabin for the summer, Allie felt trapped and angry. Why couldn’t they just leave her alone? She would never, NEVER, get into the lake again. She would never, EVER, get into water again. It paralyzed her, she’d panic.

Then there is Damien Michaels, quite an enigma. He was a terribly handsome boy of 19 or 20 who just seemed to be there. When Allie was at her most fearful, he would appear. No spoilers here, but he has a heavy heart with a past, he, too, is running from. He protects Allie, but sees that to further protect her, would only bring her more danger.

Here’s an excerpt early in the story (chapter 2) which kept me turning pages! I was totally hooked!

My hand brushed against the coarseness of the tree trunks, tracing the lines and curves of the bark with my fingers. Haunting laughter filled my mind, bidding me toward the river I knew too well. With an aching heart, I followed. I kneeled by the river’s side, collecting the fallen pine needles and cones. I tossed them in, watching the ruthless current drag them along. The leaves glanced off protruding boulders before they were sucked underneath the surface.

I let out a long sigh and glanced upwards, allowing drizzling rain to kiss my face. A silent flash of light lit up the darkened sky, followed by a mumble of thunder. As the sky shed its heavy tears, I remained huddled on the muddy soil, staring up into the grayness.

The abrupt rumble of a motor caught my attention, clashing against the sounds of nature. I stood up, straining my eyes through the curtain of rain to find its source. Across the river I could make out a figure on a motorcycle. He was dressed in dark clothing, his head sheltered with a helmet.
He seemed to be staring at me.

Curious, I stared back. Neither of us moved.

What was he doing out in the rain? He was probably wondering the same thing about me, wondering what I was doing outside all alone. Wiping water from my eyes, I took a step backwards, not taking my eyes off him. What was he still staring? I stepped backwards once more, assessing this stranger.
He revved the motor, once, twice, three times. Then he seemed to come to a decision. His bike roared towards me, closing the gap between us. The bridge was off to my right. I didn’t wait to see if he was going to cross it.

Unsure of his intentions, instinct told me to run. I spun around, sprinting towards the cabins. Adrenaline fueled my blood, warming my cold limbs, as I dodged trees and bushes. I didn’t look behind me, even when I was sure the motor was becoming louder, closer. I kept running.

The cabins were in sight. Only then did I dare to glance over my shoulder, my heartbeat thumping in my ears too loudly to hear the motor for sure.

He was gone.

Just as a shiver of relief course through me, I slammed into a body, shrieking as I beat at this chest. His strong arms grabbed me, holding me captive.

“What the—Allie! Stop!”

With wide eyes and a quick intake of breath, I stared up at Aaron. His arms were wrapped around me, pining my forearms against his chest, ending my struggle.

“Let go!” I shoved against him, uneasy with his restraint, and he released me. Still panting, I glanced over my shoulder once more, swiping rain from my vision.

“What happened? Are you ok?” Aaron put a hand on my shoulder, turning me around to face him. This time I didn’t shake him off, now welcoming the familiar face.

“There was someone—someone out there,” I said, but except for the rain playing its unique melody against the pine leaves, the forest was quiet. Aaron raised an eyebrow. Drenched and hysterical, in combination with my outburst yesterday on the boat, I knew he thought I was insane. (end excerpt)

The secondary characters of the story were well-defined. I saw them clearly. The author’s description of nature, the lake, and the feel of the weather, had me experiencing all. As the summer unfolds lots of changes take place with Allie, Nick, Aaron, Brooke and Damien. It’s a great story.

I highly recommend this book. It is one of the better ones I read this summer. Its elements of fear and suspense, knowing something was going to happen, not knowing what, kept me reading with trepidation, eyes riveted to the page. I loved hearing the story from Allie herself, feeling what she felt. If you are so inclined to read this author, I noticed she has a prequel to this book, Rumors, at this writing, no cost on Amazon.com

[Jenny - Book Sojourner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Excuse the rambling...
I chose this book because I was excited to read a "clean teen" book, and was hoping to find a refreshing young adult novel without the more mature situations that find their way into YA books. And I can say this book is pretty "clean," not containing sex or strong language, and some violence. I read the prequel novella, Rumors, and it interested me enough to see what would happen with Allie. I didn't love Allie in the novella, but I hoped to get to know her more here and see how her story played out and how she dealt with the aftermath of her cousin's death. I think this would have been better suited as another novella instead of a full novel, however. But I felt like the overall idea of the story had potential and I stuck in there to see where the author was going to take things. Unfortunately for me, the story got worse instead of better, and by the end I just wasn't feeling it.

There were a few key things that turned this book off for me:

1. This one started out okay. The novel became progressively slower in plot and pacing. It was just too long, with added scenes that slowed things down the pace and didn't build up and add to the storyline. Adding so much extra fluff and poorly executed angst took away from what I think could have been a really nice story.

2. It had a very unlikeable MC. I just never connected with Allie. She was rude and I just never bought into these two guys liking her. There wasn't much I found appealing about her. Yes, I empathize with her situation, but one can befriend her or be kind to her without falling in love with a girl who so not endearing.

3. The love triangle was just so forced and awkward and unbelievable. There's just no way these two guys would have fallen for this girl. At least here Damien and her formed some sort of bond over their shared tragedies. Aaron only played basketball with her, and that hardly develops the depth of a relationship he seemed to think he had with her.

4. I actually liked Damien more than Allie, even though he was a bit weird and stalkerish. But he still felt like an incomplete character. Even with the whole info-dumping episode about his backstory, he still didn't feel like a real character. I think he could have been really interesting, but there was just something about him that was missing.

5. There was weird parenting going on here: From Allie's step-brother's obnoxious borderline-bullying behavior and the parents doing nothing about it, to Brooke never seeming to have any parents anywhere, to Allie's parents never getting her therapy after her cousins dying, her near-death experience, and then her teacher's death (which she witnessed in Rumors).

6. We have Damien as the "older" guy, which to me was crazy because he was only two years older than Allie. She was 17 and about to start college and he was 19. Not the dramatic, intense age gap the author seemed to think it was. The author also used the term "one night stand" in the Rumors novella, when she was only referring to the girl kissing the boy the night before. I think the author should have reconsidered the way she phrases things and their actual meaning.

*7. The biggest turn-off came for me in the second half of the book: what I'm calling Low-grade Racism. The Samoan gang thing was beyond offensive, as well as the "ethnic" references. I would have rather the author maintained her all-white cast of characters rather than throw in a few "ethnic" characters and then have them all be bad. We get the ethnic guy/ethnic culprit at 60%. Then at 70% we meet the Samoan gang. And the description of the Samoan gang members was offensive and funny at the same time, because it was so outlandish:

"Their dark brown skin stood out among the sea of comparatively skinny, white flesh. You'd almost have to tape two of us together, standing side by side, to stand a chance against their broad build. Their legs were walking tree trunks, covered in jeans and hanging chains. A couple of them wore cut-off white shirts, exposing their biceps. From shoulder to elbow, they were decorated in tattoos - pictures and words inked into their skin. One of them wore his afro long, pulled back into a ponytail, while the others sported cornrows. I knew enough about ethnic California to gather they were Polynesian of some sort."

There were other parts I could have quoted, but you get the picture. As a white girl and a native Californian, I found this offensive. I'm sure the author's intent was not to sound racist and offensive, but I think her writing comes off as naïve and she should have reconsidered her choice of words and portrayal of non-white people/cultures better. Or she could have at least included some ethnically diverse people who weren't "bad guys."

Overall, what started out with potential became a too lengthy novel dragging in its pacing, with unappealing characters, and problematic writing when it comes to race and ethnicity. I had been looking forward to a "clean teen" read, and am disappointed this wasn't the book for me. I think this author has potential as far as creativity in her story ideas, but for me she needs better guidance achieving a good final product.

*Note: I received a copy of this novel via NetGalley for an Honest review.*

[Lori Palle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There’s something about you…I don’t hurt as much when I’m with you. And I don’t know why.”—Allie

A year later and Allie is still struggling under the crushing grief of losing her beloved cousin. Forced to return to the place of her cousin’s death—and Allie’s own near drowning—for a summer vacation with her dad and his new family, she’s certain the summer before she goes off to college will be horrible, to put it lightly. Unexpectedly, she meets local bad boy Damien who is quite familiar with her constant companions—guilt and sorrow. Together, they’ll find the courage and strength to heal. That is, if Damien’s past doesn’t come back to destroy them first…

“It was nature’s purpose in life for all things to connect—to be together, but why did it have to be so difficult to define?”—Allie

I can’t believe I had this book on my Kindle for so long being unread! Once I picked it up and started reading it, I was completely engrossed in the story and didn’t want to put the book down! I wish there was an easy way to describe and summarize this book—but there’s not! There’s so much going on in here that makes it so emotional and such a beautiful story.

Well, we’ve got to start somewhere, huh? First off, I loved Allie and Damien. Their characterization was fantastic and I felt like I could understand them and their actions. Not only does Allie have to deal with her grief, she has to deal with her father’s new family, which includes a new stepmom wanting to know her and a stepbrother ready to hate her. Luckily, stepbrother Nick comes with a super awesome best friend, Aaron. Allie also has her bestie Brooke. I didn’t like Nick since he seemed so cruel to Allie until we hear his reasoning. I loved the fact that the author made these characters feel so real. No one is really good or bad, they just have their own priorities and loyalties, which can put them at odds with each other.

And as for local bad boy Damien, he knows how priorities and loyalties can push you over to the bad side—at least in everyone else’s perspective. We learn about his horrifying story through rumors and gossip, but when we actually get to read his side, it’s so much worse! And by worse, I mean worse by the injustice of it all! Reading his view point even though we knew what the end result was still so emotional to read, and I wished his back story had a happier ending.

I loved the connection between Damien and Allie, and I didn’t want the story to end. Although there is resolution in the end, it’s a bit open ended so that there could be more books in the series (crossing fingers!). Aside from Damien and Allie, I loved all the relationships in the story and how they evolved over time: the broken and damaged relationship between Allie and her father, the rivalry and dislike between the new stepsiblings, the budding love triangle with Aaron, and so much more. There were some entertaining parts, but most of the book was emotional and pulled on the heartstrings. There was also some mystery to add some tension and danger as Damien’s past comes back to haunt him. The romance itself was sweet, clean, and PG. Overall this is a 5 out of 5 for me!

(Originally posted on my blog; I received a Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lingering Echoes is written by Erica Kiefer and published by Clean Teen Publishing . It is an older young adult/new adult story with elements of romance, mystery, and suspense.

I read Rumors, the FREE prequel novella to Lingering Echoes, and I believe that reading it prior to reading this story helped me to understand and sympathize with the main character and also gave me a little more insight into the family dynamics that take place in the story.

Allie is a broken and guilt ridden 17 year old that is unable to move forward.  She feels responsible for the drowning death of her 9-year-old cousin and her father is concerned that she isn’t mentally well enough to head off to college. He hopes that a summer vacation at the same cabin where the tragedy took place will give her some closure, help her heal, and at the same time connect with him and get to know her “new” family.

Allie is a character that I didn’t really fall in love with but that I did want to see succeed. She is in pain and wracked with guilt. She isn’t one of those bubbly characters that you just want to hang out with. She is the character you want to help but that is hard to reach.

Damien is the bad boy. But is he really? I flip flopped back in forth on this one several times. The author does a great job of creating suspense in discovering who Damien is and what his past holds.

More tragedy and suspense follow as Allie learns the mysteries of Damien’s past and it is in these moments that Allie finally realizes that life is fleeting and begins the process of healing and living in the present.

"Now let me ask you something," Damien said. I waited expectantly and he continued. " Do you believe everything happens for a reason?" I turned my head upwards in thought, taking in the calm, clear sky above us. "I don't know about all things," I said, "but certainly some." 

"Even hard situations?" Damien questioned.

"Maybe especially the hard situations. I think it helps make us stronger, and helps us connect to the right people. I didn't always believe that, but I do now." 

This is a story of character growth, healing, and new beginnings. Be sure to pick up the FREE prequel novella, Rumors and then read Lingering Echoes. It isn’t a must read prior to reading Lingering Echoes but I believe it adds a lot to the story.

[Chelsey Nichols · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer tells the story of Allie Collins, a young woman who is dragged along on a blended family vacation by her father—directly back to the place where a horrible tragedy took place. Trying to move on and heal from her past mistakes is a long and difficult process for Allie—enter Damien: tall, dark, handsome and with a dangerous past. These two have more in common than they realize, but will they be able to overcome their difficult pasts and move on together?

This novel definitely started strong for me. Allie was an interesting character going through a hard time in her life—Kiefer definitely nails those feelings and I really enjoyed reading about the secondary characters in the novel, especially her stepbrother, Nick, who starts out horrible but develops into a more interesting person as the story goes on. Aaron was also an interesting and fun character to read about—aside from the blind attraction he seems to have for Allie, with no instigation on her part. Kiefer is definitely able to write how it feels to be a teenager—how overwhelming everything feels, how often hopeless—and it really resonated with my memories of childhood.

That being said, I found the love interest, Damien (can we please stop naming “bad boy” characters Damien?), kind of weak and sometimes emotionally and physically abusive. I know he’s going through a hard time, but it’s hard for me to sympathize with a character who is often a little stalkerish and creepy. I didn’t really like the relationship between Allie and Damien and I kind of found the whole, long, process of it developing a little unbelievable. I also didn’t enjoy the random perspective shift—where Damien tells part of the story from his point of view—it just comes across as weak story telling.

My biggest issue, however, was with the “trouble makers” in the novel. I was more than a little disturbed by the fact that it seemed that whenever some trouble makers came into the story they were described as “ethnic.” I’m sure it’s not intentional by the author, but it really stands out in my mind as a very us versus them mentality—and it made me distinctly uncomfortable. Anyone is capable of less than good deeds, but when your story continually points out that the trouble makers are “ethnic” or “Samoan,” well, I can’t help but feel that you’re alienating part of your potential fan base by equating ethnicity (so, not white) with bad deeds (not to mention, it comes across as distinctly racist). It happened more than once, though most distinctly at the end, and it definitely affected my impression of the novel overall—especially because I know it could have been handled in a more tactful way.

There were parts of this novel that I really enjoyed and there were parts of this novel that I distinctly did not enjoy, but I thought the writing was sold and I believe that, in the future, Kiefer will continue to develop her craft and bring forth new and exciting stories. If you’re looking for a story about troubled teens looking for redemption through love, this one is for you.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started to read this book with an open mind since this is a new author for me. The synopsis struck up a interest and the rest is history. There is nothing paranormal involved even if the title suggest that. Now let's get into the story itself.
A young girl named Allie is having a vacation in Hidden Pines with her father, step mom, step brother, step brother's best friend and her best friend. But she can't fully enjoy it since the place where they are having their vacation is the same place where a terrible accident involving Allie happened awhile ago. She haven't been the same since. To make the matter even worse is that she still has some anger towards her dad. She still blames him for having an affair behind her mom's back and she is also not that happy that she got a step brother now.

Among all these crazy things in her life right now, Allie met the local and mysterious Damien. She felt an instant attraction/connection to still there is something off about him. He shows up on the most unusual places and it seems like he is watching Allie's every step. Is he a stalker or a killer? It was here when I thought the story finally took off and moved forward. I was excited to reveal more information about this Damien and I had a theory. Quite early in the story, we found out about a local family (parents, and a little sister) were burned to death by the son in the family. But there wasn't enough evidence to charge him and he walked away with lots of inheritance. He didn't had a good rumor around town so everyone was totally convinced that he killed his family. So my theory was that I thought the guy in this story was in fact Damien. Did I got that correct? You will have to read this book to find out!

It was this suspense of is he or is he not that got me interested until the end. Even the blooming romance between Allie and Damien was one of the high light in the book. They sooth each other's mind and the dark memory that Allie has of Hidden Pines will be dealt with. The thing is that she couldn't move on from it and stop blaming herself for what happened. It was an accident, no one wanted it to happen. It's nobody's fault. The one who made her realize that was Damien.

There were other romantic directions that the author wanted to take the story. Such as step brother's best friend, Aaron's growing feelings for Allie and Allie's best friend, Brooke's interest in Aaron. Many things is going on in "Lingering Echoes" but the writing style and story-telling made it really easy to follow and the end didn't disappoint. I actually love the ending portion since it was action packed. Things that the author built up from the beginning is getting it's climax which made it very exciting. My heart kept beating since I wanted to find out what will happen with Allie and Damien when his's secret is out.

In summary, it was a great read from a new author and I enjoyed it.

[Michelle Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review of: Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer

“Lingering Echoes” was a nice surprise. I quite enjoyed the book and Ms. Kiefer’s writing. The story touches on some tough emotional subjects and how they affect two teens, Allie and the mysterious Damien. Somehow Kiefer managed to do this without losing the readers in a dark maze of emotional quicksand.

I thought the story was somewhat original. There were areas that I was able to pick out what would happen next, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. There is a lot of subtle blending of mysterious encounters and comments throughout that kept me reading. I had to find out just what that person meant when they said that…or why was that person standing there watching from the bushes.

The romance built slowly, which on one hand was nice. I like a book that doesn’t suffer from insta-love. Yes, Allie was intrigued by Damien from the beginning. Teens are like that. Something or someone will spark an interest and stay in the forefront of their mind. And for teen girls, that’s usually awesomely hawt boys on motorcycles. But Allie didn’t profess her undying love and devotion for Damien on page one, or even in chapter one of the book. (I actually thought the romance could have moved a little faster.) So that was refreshing. In fact, I loved the development of their relationship. It was sweet and just, sigh.

The characters in the book were nicely done. They weren’t all nice. They had conflict of their own, but there was also conflict between the characters. That made them believable. Allie was a likeable character. Damien was to an extent. It was hard to connect with him because he was somewhat closed off—but that WAS his character, and it worked well. The secondary characters were great. I think the author did a really wonderful job of trying to develop them and bring them into the story to give them meaningful roles.

The writing style was a little hard for me to get used to. I’m not sure why and it is a subjective area. So I don’t base my review on that because other readers may like it fine. I thought some of the wording was odd, such as using the word “handbag” for a teen. It didn’t gel for me. I don’t even call it a handbag. However, to be fair, I never read an author’s biography before I read their book. In fact, I haven’t read Ms. Kiefer’s bio. So, it may be a regional term. All in all, it doesn’t matter, the strength of story doesn’t hinge on that.

BOTTTOM LINE: I enjoyed “Lingering Echoes” a lot. I thought it had some pacing issues, especially in the middle, but they were easily overlooked. The story was passionate, emotional and poignant. I recommend it. I wouldn’t hesitate to read Ms. Kiefer’s work again, and I’m looking forward to the second installment in the series!

[April Hollingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth
Hauntingly Beautiful. Designed for pre – teens I would recommend this for adults too. This is Erica Kiefer’s first novel and she has proven to be an author to remember her name as you will want to read any book she creates.
Opening Scene:
Standing on the weathered dock, I stared into the shadowy lake.
The Review:
Allie Collins is forced to spend the summer with her father and his new family which is bad enough as her step mum’s son and Allie can’t stand each other. But the fact that they are staying in Hidden Pines a beautiful place Allie visit through her childhood and loved visiting until tragedy struck last summer. A tragedy that haunts Allie and that she doesn’t want to face as guilt and regret swarm her.
Upon running into Damien a local boy with secrets of his own, Allie is surprised at the connection she feels towards him. The only thing she knows about him is his first name and yet she finds herself drawn to him in ways she never imagined.
As past mistakes come back to haunt both Allie and Damien will they find the forgiveness they seek or will the haunting echoes of the past consume them both dragging them deeper into the murky past.
Notable Scene:
Pulling my knees up, I cradled the mug close to my chest. My fingers tapped the top of the porcelain, stalling.
“Will you tell me what happened?” he asked.
He wasn’t asking if I wanted to tell him, but asking would I. They were two very different things.
It was silent for a couple of minutes after that, neither of us saying or doing anything. Just sitting – Damien with his persistent inquiry, and me with my unyielding privacy.
I put the mug down and turned to face him, taking in his defined, dark eyebrows and the cut outline of his jaw. “I don’t even know who you are.”
He studied my face, observing me with his calm confidence. “But do you trust me?”
My mouth opened in surprise, taken aback by his question. How could I trust him when I barely knew him? Haunting words floated into my mind – Alina Ivanova’s voice low, eerie, and so penetrable that I could almost smell the incense.
“Be careful who you trust…….”
A brief moment of fear breached my emotions, tapping my senses. And yet an indiscernible force drew me towards him, summoning me.
“Something happened up here last summer. I’ve never really talked to anyone about it.” I stared into the safety of his eyes, and he willed me to continue, securing me in his gaze. He gave a brief nod.

FTC Advisory: Clean Teen Publishing provided me with a copy of Lingering Echoes. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Liz's Book Bucket List · Rating 3 out of 5]

{Thank you Clean Teen Publishing and Netgalley for providing this in return for an honest review}

This book covers loss, guilt, and regret flawlessly. I liked that this book touched on deeper subjects and was not just a fluffy read. This book is full of emotional situations that defiantly pulled at the heart strings. Although I was in love with the end of this book, I did not get invested in the story until about the halfway mark.

I liked the overall plot of Lingering Echoes; it was filled with romance, mystery, and emotional drama. I feel like the pacing of this book was alright, but it did not capture my attention right away. I wish that this book was a little more detailed with the setting and characters, I felt like I had to create everything myself because nothing was described. I liked the mystery in this book, it really kept my attention and although it is fairly predictable, I did not see the ending coming. The ending was extremely fast-paced and exciting; I could not put it down. However, my biggest issue with this book was plot holes. At one point in the book, Allie’s twin sisters were suppose to arrive, but then they never showed up and nothing was mentioned of plans changing. There was also a couple of editing issues with the eBook structuring that was very distracting at times, however, this could have been because this was an advanced readers copy.

I liked Allie as a main character; she was vulnerable and strong at the same time. I found her past history to be heart breaking, but was glad that she was able to overcome her fears. I did not like Damien as the main romantic interest of Allie. He lacked personality and I found that he was a little abusive. Although his stalker behavior was addressed at the end of the book, I still could not get over the fact that he was sometimes rude to Allie and came off as possessive. I actually was rooting for Allie to dump Damien and be with Aaron instead. I thought he was a better character for Allie because he was supportive and never treated Allie badly. I never felt the connection between Allie and Damien and felt they were only drawn to each other because of their damaged pasts. I did like the other supporting characters, Brooke, Nick, and her father.

Overall, I would have rated this book two stars if it were not for the ending. I felt like the ending of this book and the emotional connection I felt with Allie was the only redeeming qualities to this book. However, I do think that some people would really enjoy this book and I would recommend it to readers looking for a contemporary book with a little mystery.

[Alison Jansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC is exchange for an honest review.
It has been a while since I read a YA novel and I forgot how lovely they can be. For a YA novel, there are some pretty intense themes going on. I really enjoyed this book, I love reading books about people healing, I guess it is because of the work, that I do, its nice to read about people who can overcome things in their lives.

I felt incredibly sorry for Allie, for such a young girl, she had so much guilt and anger and was really struggling after being present when her young cousin died. Even though Allie tried all she could to save the girl, Allie has held onto the guilt and grief, which has caused her to shut down emotionally. As well as this, she is having to deal with her parents splitting up due to her fathers cheating, and subsequent remarriage to a woman with a teenage son, who is coming to terms with his own troubled up bringing. Having not dealt with these emotions, they just increase and manifest until she really is just a shadow of her former self, and for such a young girl this makes me sad. It really seems that her family have let it go for too long, if I was her parent, I would have her in intense therapy, but we do discover later that they have an intervention in place for her.

Allie is on holiday at Hidden Pines the place that her cousin died the year before, with her father, stepmother and step brother, her father determined to help Allie through the grief that she is living with. Allie, who just wants to be left alone, finds herself drawn to a strange boy who keeps turning up where she is. Damien, has secrets of his own that he is hiding from, but finds himself wanting to save Allie. Allie, begins to trust the older boy, as he teaches her how to live again, and she finds herself forgetting about what has stopped her in the last year of her life. They become closer and closer and the connection between them is intense and although not physical, they seem to have a connection that goes deeper than that. When we hear about Damien's story, it really gives us a chance to get a deeper look into his soul, and why he is the way he is, and why he wants to help Allie.

This was a lovely YA read as I mentioned before, It's sometimes nice to read something that is not full of swearing and sex and adult themes, I would definitely recommend this book to any parents looking for a clean read for their kids, with a bit of mystery and emotion mixed in for good measure.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Your past returns, an emergence you must face! Do not shy away from it, for it will fight to consume you if not conquered."

30% in and I'm almost ready to give up. The main character Allie is messing with my head... I can't find anything I like about her at all.

_____________________________________

Review: Well, as you can see from my Goodreads update, I was ready to give up on this book at the 30 percent mark. But I decided to keep going for a little bit longer and see if things improved any. I have to say that not long after that the story did pick up a bit in it's intensity, so I kept reading until the end. But I don't know that I ever really felt any great connection to the characters, even by the time that I got to the end of the book.

The story turned out to be quite interesting once Damien's past was revealed. But his actions of the past didn't make for a really likeable person. I couldn't really sympathise with him over the choices that he made. And those choices led to some devastating, life altering results. The choices here between what was right and what was wrong were so obvious, no matter if he was acting out or trying to fit in.

And then there was Allie. I was so torn with her. I was so sad over what she had experienced. The tragedy, the loss, and the guilt. But she was just so short, defensive and snappy with everyone. She did settle down a little be as the book went on but just not enough for me to like her a great deal.

Then there was the romance between Damien and Allie. I didn't feel it. I couldn't understand Damien's attraction to this person that to me seemed so wrapped up in herself. And then once Allie knew some of what happened in Damien's past, I couldn't understand why she would still be so interested in him. In the last few chapters of the book, I could see the attraction a little bit more, but by that stage I just couldn't jump on board.

One of the stand outs throughout the book was Aaron. He was just so sweet and caring. Always there at every turn to help Allie out. I felt that these two had the much greater connection and I was really wanting the romance to go in that direction.

As for the writing, there was nothing that I could find fault with. My reading experience comes down to my connection with the characters, and I just didn't have any with the main ones of this story unfortunately.

2.75/5 Stars

Copy received via NetGalley for an honest review.

[Christie72 (Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I received a copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.***

When I read the synopsis for Lingering Echoes, I was intrigued. It surpassed my expectations. It was a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, and family with mystery woven within the pages.

Allie has returned to the lake with her father, his second wife, and stepbrother. She is not very happy to return to the place that has caused her so much pain. She and her cousin were swept into the water the summer before during a storm that took her small cousin's life. She lives everyday with survivor's guilt. In addition, she has major issues with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother. The only bright spot for Allie is meeting Damien, the mysterious boy that keeps showing up where she does. As they get closer and he plays a huge part in her healing, she learns that he has some very dark secrets himself. Can she trust him, or does he pose an even greater danger to her?

I loved so many things about this book. I liked almost all of the characters. I even grew to like Allie's stepbrother, Nick. It was nice to see Allie and her father breach the huge gap separating them and to see her and Nick put aside their differences and try to have a civil relationship. I also liked Aaron and Brooke. Aaron especially played a great role in her healing. My favorite scene is when he gets Allie back on the wakeboard. You can feel the exhilaration Allie has as she rediscovers her love for the water. I loved Kiefer's descriptive writing. I felt like I was there at the lake with them feeling the wind blow through my hair and feel the coolness of the water on my skin. The twists and turns were a great added bonus too!

I am glad I got the opportunity to read Lingering Echoes. It was more of a YA book rather than an NA book, but I loved it! There wasn't a lot of steam, but the love story was very sweet and believable. I noticed there was a prequel available for free on Amazon. I have downloaded it. I hope we get to see more from these characters. Kiefer has a new fan in me!

[Alison (Ali's Books) Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lingering Echoes sucked me in from the beginning with its mystery. That's funny because I wouldn't normally say I love to read mysteries, but this book left me wanting to proudly proclaim my love for the genre! It has an almost paranormal feel, too.
To add to the mystery of the plot, you have the very mysterious Damien. His mysteriousness is one of the very things that makes his character so great, but you don't know until the end whether he's the good guy or the bad. As a matter of fact, I absolutely DREADED getting to the end. I just knew he was going to be the bad guy, but I sooo wanted him to be the good guy.
Then there's Aaron. Aaron is completely crushing on Allie alongside Damien. The deal here is that you know Aaron's a good guy. You know he'd be perfect and a healthy choice for Allie. It's kind of like in the Infernal Devices series when you know you want to see both Will & Jem happy, but it's really Will, the darker character, that should be with Tessa.
Then there's Allie. She's dealing with some major stuff all on her own. Between feeling guilty over the loss of a loved one and dealing with the new step-brother, Nick, she has her hands full. I have to say though, that she has an absolutely amazing bff to help see her through. I thought Brooke was nothing but ditzy in the beginning, but she really comes through for Allie.
Now back to the mysterious plot. It all comes to one massive climax at the end. I was absolutely terrified!! I felt complete and utter heartbreak! But, don't think that I'm giving the ending away, because I'm definitely not!! That's just the climax!!
As far as the ending goes, there's no cliffhanger for all you cliffhanger haters. However, the story doesn't feel complete. It leaves you wanting to know what's next. I sure hope we get more!!
*I received a copy via NetGalley and Clean Teen Publishing/AuthorBuzz in exchange for an honest review.*

[Sarah-Jayne Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received this book for free, through NetGalley, in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

When I downloaded this book from NetGalley, I couldn't actually tell what it was about. (Apparently, it still hasn't occurred to me to cross-check on here...) But I was intrigued by the front cover of this book. It's one of the more appealing ones I've seen.

I was pulled quite easily into this book. The first person perspective worked for the most part, with the only exception being Allie referring to her eyes as being hazel. I understand the whole description angle, but I honestly don't think that anyone who wasn't quite self-absorbed would thing, 'He looked into my hazel eyes...'

I was able to empathise with Allie fairly quickly, apart from that, though. She was well-rounded and her struggles to deal with separated parents really resonated with me. Plus, I really liked how her relationship with Nick developed over the course of the book. I felt that was one of the strongest aspects.

Aaron and Brooke did confuse me a little at the beginning. I wasn't clear on how Brooke knew Allie and I think I would have liked to see something of their first meeting. Plus... the love triangle thing really didn't sit right with me. In a way, it felt forced.

I liked Damien as a character and it was really good to see the whole mystery surrounding him. I felt there was some good use of foreshadowing through the book, though there were one or two scenes I felt weren't necessary and didn't add a great deal to the story.

Towards the end of the book, I did find it more intense, though I felt that switching to Damien's POV didn't really work and jarred me out of the story. I did like the ending of this book and I did think it all really worked well by the end.

I think I would probably be interested in reading the next book in this series sometime in the future. I did enjoy it and it was a really entertaining read.

[Patricia Hurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

love it when I can find a great Young Adult Thriller that as a family, we can all enjoy, comment , and share around the table and on the phone. Lingering Echoes is one of those books. As I immersed into the protagonist so very authentic emotions she led me through a journey of tears, happiness, adventure, danger and ultimately, healing. Allie, the main character, has just graduated from High School, and is spending the summer with her dad and her dad's new family. She is not happy at all to be around her dad who is the reason for her life changing divorce. Allie lets me see the pain and challenges a young adult goes through as she is forced to adjust to the new life her unfaithful father has chosen for himself. The very strong Allie also carries with herself the very heavy burden of guilt for the accidental death of her much loved little cousin. The story took me through some very surprising twists when the protagonist gets tangled up with a very enigmatic, handsome older boy, Damien, while I was hopping she would notice her, not very likable, stepbrother's best friend, Aaron, who is not only cute, but sweet, attentive,sensitive, and ultimately very brave, and has true affections for her. Damien, who is also very caring, has a very dark and dangerous even brutal past. I love it that, even though the author portrays the intense, strong sexual emotions teenagers can go through,( I still remember them :-)) it also shows how it is possible to be able to contain them and out of respect and love, have them under control. I gave her an extra plus for that. For the young adult or the young adult in you if you are older like me, I highly recommend this book. It will take you in a roller coaster ride of emotions, keep you awake with all the twists and turns, leaving you with no alternative but to turn to the next page. Great book! (Patricia Hurt, Las Vegas NV)

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lingering Echoes is kind of a tough book. It is beautiful but in a sad and broken way for a lot of the story. It is tragic and emotional, but Erica Kiefer deals with some really hard deaths. I liked the summer time, lake/ cabin setting. I think the setting was perfect because it allowed all the characters to basically be together 24/7, so they forged quicker bonds. There was mystery, mixed in with some pretty great character growth. This whole story was about growth.

Allie seems like such a broken girl at the start of the story. At first she comes off cold and and kind of rude, but then I reminded myself that even coming back to this place was super hard for her. Even when she was being kind of cold, I always was on her side rooting for her. There is just something about her that you can't help but like. And then when she started to open up, and when she was with Damian, I really started to like her. She is just a teenage girl that is dealing with a huge amount of grief and guilt.

And then there is the whole Damian aspect of the story. He seemed to be really good for Allie. He made her feel safe and he pushed her to go outside her comfort zone with the water. It was just really nice to watch Allie blossom with him. And Damian seemed to grow and open up when he was around Allie too. They were good for each other.

There were lots of twists and turns in Lingering Echoes, some were predictable and some that I didn't see coming. It was a nice mixture. The story has great pacing. It wasn't too fast or too slow, but towards the end it did pick up quite a bit during some of the more frantic events. People that like emotional reads, will really enjoy this beautiful story dealing with death and dealing with grief, and how to move on when you don't think that you can. I loved watching Allie start to become ok again. It was a great character journey to witness.

[Shannon L. Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lingering Echoes
Erica Kiefer
Can They Find Redemption When Their Actions Caused Deaths?


High School graduate Allie Collins has one last summer before college and is requested to spend it with her father and his new wife. The family cabin where they will stay has a mixture of happy memories but is also scarred with tragic ones.

As Allie comes to grips with her father leaving, remarrying and now desperately trying to make amends, she has to decide what is important to her. She has a new step-brother that she abhors, which is a reciprocated feeling. As the summer progresses, she has to deal with actions of a previous summer that resulted in the death of a family member; one which she blames herself for. Then add in mysterious dark, brooding Damien that happens to be in the right place at the right time every time Allie needs rescuing.

If Allie thought her past is haunting her, Damien has an even greater past that is more of a poltergeist than just a haunt. The two find comfort in each other as they grow in trust and overcome small hurdles that kept them from their lives before. These two young adults find themselves and they help each other find peace. Of course, anything as tragic as this has to have complications and it rears its ugly head in life threatening ways. In order to truly find redemption, one or both might die or they might save each other once again.

Author Erica Kiefer wove a fascinating tale full of misadventures, emotion and young adult angst. You can’t help but feel for these characters and root that they will find the much sought after peace but more importantly a way beyond the tragedies of their past.

To see other titles by Erica Kiefer visit her website at: http://ericakieferbooks.com/


FTC Disclaimer: I was loaned an ARC of this title by Net Galley for review purposes only, no other compensation was awarded.