Echoes of Reckoning

by Ron Shaw

Following an unexpected demise, Clayton "Clay" Mitchell is thrust into the labyrinthine confines of Purgatory. With a heart fueled by twin desires—to find his treasured fiancé, Ava, who preceded him in death, and to escape the spectral chains binding him—Clay embarks on an odyssey unlike any other.Azrael "Az" Angue, the chilling embodiment of Death, shadows his every move, seeking to erase the memories that empower Clay's spirit. As the countdown to oblivion grows ever louder, Clay forms bonds with a band of other lost souls, all battling their own internal demons and external threats. Together, they strive to decipher the riddle of the elusive gateway that offers a return to the world of the living."Echoes of Reckoning" takes readers on a riveting expedition across the vast expanse of love, redemption, and the eternal struggle between life and death. Can Clay outpace his fate, reuniting with his love and reclaiming his place among the living? Plunge into this mesmerizing thriller and explore the lengths to which a soul will journey for a second chance at life.

Genres: Paranormal

357 pages, Hardcover

Published December 12, 2023

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what to expect with this book as a debut novel, but it knocked it out of the park. There were so many beautiful moments when we think about loss and letting go, but also many twists, (especially the end), that I didn't see coming! Highly recommend!

[Alinar Den · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible!
Not exactly what I expected, but it is everything I wanted it to be!
A mysterious and unpredictable afterlife story, filled with deep and meaningful emotions.
I loved it, and I can't wait to read the second book of this series! 🤩

[Alfred Muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting

Reminds me of the story style Tolkien took with the two towers. You get two stories in this one and very interesting the way they come together. I had ablast with this one.

[Brittany Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this unique story and unique world from start to finish! This follows Clay through his series of unfortunate events that lands him in purgatory. This purgatory was much different than any I have read about before and Clay is also finding out that it’s not what he assumed either.
If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s Insomnia- this gave me the same feels that one did! The stories are no where near the same but it gives the same otherworldly/alternative realm feeling!
I cannot wait to read the second book! I loved Clay! Actually I loved most of the characters! I am even very intrigued with death himself- Az.
This was an amazing journey from the first to the last page! By the end of the book you’ll be so sucked in you HAVE to know what comes next!

[Audrey Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me. It was not what I was expecting, but it was so good. It takes you into the lives of Clay and Ava, two people in love who plan on spending the rest of their lives together, but as this book shows us, nothing is ever permanent. As they plan for their futures together, tragedy strikes, and Ava passes away. Clay has a hard time dealing with her loss when tragedy strikes again, and Clay dies ending up in purgatory. Then you get into all the twists and turns, and Az comes into the picture. A demented grim reaper. The story goes on to tell us about Clay's time in purgatory, and then it goes into Ava telling her story. This book is just an amazing story of love, loss, and grief. The ending, though, is epic and has me starting book two now because I have to know what happens. This book is a definite five-star read for me, full of amazing characters that I will never forget and will recommend to everyone I talk to. In conclusion, I want to go on record and say I do not like Uncle Joe, and I hope he gets what's coming to him. Just saying. Go get this book and read it. You will not be disappointed.

[Heather Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-Provoking and unusual novel.

I didn't know what to expect from this book, and it was a fascinating and curious literary adventure for me. I did not expect the ending! This was a unusual and unique take on the subject matter and as someone who used to live in Chicago, I loved all of the familiar landmarks and streets. A great debut novel from what I understand, and I'm plunging right into the next one immediately!

[J. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written.

The afterlife is one of my favorite things to read about. This book didn't disappoint. It gave a unique view of what the afterlife might be like.
It was emotional and beautiful.
I cried a few times, laughed, and felt the frustration of the MC.
Ready for book 2!

[Lynn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing!

Not only did the author Ron Shaw give us a thrilling story with all kinds of twists and turns, but he discusses what happens in the world of purgatory. He made this adventure unique and I'm excited to continue this story in his second novel!

[Roxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this is not typically a genre I’d pick up, the writing is great. The character development is well done. The world building is brilliant.
You’re taken through the lives and deaths of the MMC and FMC. The book gets good when they traverse through what could be called purgatory. Everyone starts to question everything going on around them. And answers they may not have wanted come to light. This book ends on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait to read book two!

[Blue Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful emotional dive into life after death. I look forward to reading more from Ron soon.
This story takes the reader on a journey with a soul as they are called to something more in their next life. What would you do to have a greater destiny?
Great Read!

[TaleshaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was an amazing read! I was completely enamored with the relationship between Clay and Ava! The love they refused to let go of even with knowing they could be waiting forever for the next time to reunite was so beautiful! Also, the twist at the end, it has me ready to see what comes next!

[Maggie Forbush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I really enjoyed this book! It was easy to become invested in the main characters. The story is unique and I can’t wait to pick up book 2 to find out what happens!

[Alexandra Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Ron does an amazing job of world building in a way that you can actually see in your mind what the characters see and feel. The book is well written and keeps you interested. I’m so glad I came upon this book because it really is a great read. The characters are well developed too. I won’t give anything away but I’m now reading book two and can’t wait for book three!!

[🐷Shay loves books🐷 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a book like this before, but I could not put it down! The way this book was written was phenomenal! It sucked me in from the very first sentence and I cldnt put it down. I’m still trying to process all my feelings for this book. Although we meet many characters in this book, the main MMC is Clay, as we follow his story we find the FMC Ava. This book follows their story in purgatory. Clay is determined that he will not let AZ, who is the Angel of death, take all his memories so he can pass on, because he knows things aren’t right and is determined that he can come back to the living, he just has to figure out how. We also follow Ava, the FMC, who was killed in a bus accident, who has also found herself in purgatory. While there they remember each other and try so hard to find each other again, because they were engaged to be married in real life, even in purgatory they still had such a strong connection. I 100% recommend this book, it’s so good, and it leaves us with a cliff hanger, which I’m hoping gets resolved in book 2.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great breakout book by this up-and-coming author! I look forward to reading what's next

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Echoes of Reckoning is a very different book from what I expected, but in a good way. This is a story about an average man who lives an average life, but his story and life was so compelling, and his character so relatable, that I found myself unable to put down the book. I think that being told in the first person helped with this as you can't help but be sucked into the story.

The story has quite a slow burn to it, but it was so engrossing that I enjoyed the backstory we were given to Clay's life and his relationship with Ava. Normally, this would not have appealed to me at all as I prefer to discover this information as I read about the main conflict, but again, I found the storytelling engaging and interesting. Being written in the first person connects you to him so when he suffered the biggest loss of his life, I suffered right along with him, shocked at how brutally everything changed even though I was expecting it. While I would like to say my favourite part was when he was in Purgatory, it wasn't as I appreciated both parts of the book for different reasons. However, I did really enjoy the atmosphere of Purgatory as well as the creativity of the setting; it certainly made me think about my own life and the choices I've made throughout the years and how they could affect my own afterlife.

Clay was an enjoyable character and I enjoyed his development quite a bit. I was happy to learn more about Ava as the story progressed as I didn't feel like I really knew her until she landed in Purgatory; the part about how they finally connected was fascinating and it gave me some food for thought when thinking about my own relationships. I particularly enjoyed Grayson and would have liked to learn more about him as he was such an intriguing character.

Echoes of Reckoning was a slow-burn type of novel that definitely drew you into the setting, the characters, and the story. Even though there wasn't a lot of action, the author had a way of connecting you to the story and the characters which made it very compelling and hard to put down. And that ending caught me completely off guard. I am hoping there will be another book after this because I need to know what happens to my buddy Clay next. Highly recommend this book!!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a digital copy of this book from the author, Ron Shaw, on tiktok. I had already purchased it on KU but it is what it is. Took me a hot minute to actually start reading this book because this is not a book I normally gravitate to. I was not disappointed! It isn't heaven, and it isn't h*ll. It's somewhere in between. Clay finds himself in purgator years after the death of Ava.... the love of his life. This story is about him navigating through the unknown in search of Ava. But things are not always what they seem, and who can Clay trust? When he finds his love... is it really her? This place is ruled by no man but an entity who calls themselves Azreal. A very unexpected ending that will leave you needing book 2!

[courtney small · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this Ebook from a Tik Tok Giveaway just following the author. I have to start off by saying this is a book I would never have picked up otherwise. With that being said I am so glad I won! This book was beyond good, beyond earth as well. This is a story of finally finding love, all for it to end. The main character has finally found love, but then on the way to her bachelorette party she’s in a deadly crash. Will he ever see the love of his life again? Is their in afterlife? Is someone controlling when we die? Our main character goes on a dark journey through the afterlife searching for his love, will be find her? Will he like what he finds? All the while forgetting memories he shared with his love, will be completely forget her before time is up? This is a race against the clock a race against vanishing forever into the unknown.

[A.R. Redington · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional tale of the afterlife with an exciting twist.
Echoes of Reckoning is a gripping, emotional read that dives deep into grief, love, desperation, and the weight of past choices. The characters are complex and real, and Shaw’s writing keeps you hooked from start to finish. It’s not a light read as there’s a lot of introspection and heavy themes, so if you're looking for something fast-paced or uplifting, this might not be for you. But if you enjoy stories that stick with you and make you think, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

[Cheris Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of Reckoning is the debut novel by indie author Ron Shaw.

This story follows the main character Clay Mitchell through his journey through Purgatory after his untimely death of being hit by a bus.

He first introduces himself with a look at his life. You know, the good points, but mainly some really traumatic moments.

Then, his arrival into Purgatory ushers in some interesting characters who try to help him make a good transition, or at least most of them do.

We get to encounter Azrael – Az, for those who have the unfortunately opportunity to encounter him. The Angel of Death. The Grim Reaper. He presents himself as a helpful guide, a supernatural taxi from one level of existence to another. But there is just something not quite right about him.

What is his intentions with Clay?

This book had me in tears, and it had me wanting to throw my e-reader across the room. It had me cheering.

I am the type of person to rewatch a comfort show a million times to find all the possible connections, foreshadows, as well as all the boom mics caught in scenes. Ron’s writing style has me wanting to do the same with Echoes of Reckoning. My only struggle now is to decide whether I’m going to reread, or continue on Clay’s journey in Broken Reflections. Hmm, perhaps later…

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always a fan of fiction books that delve into the topic of the afterlife. There are so many possibilities, and I love reading them and taking them in. This is another one of those stories, with a twist that you don't see coming. This book was a little slow for me, but near the 75% mark, it really ramped up, and everything came together. I am looking forward to the next books in the series to see where it takes us!

[Laura Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a debut novel this book had me turning each page to find out what happens next. The story flowed seamlessly between a love story and experiences in purgatory. The story wasn’t at all what I expected and I cannot wait to read the second book.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book! Could not put it down, read it in 24 hours. Blown away by the entire storyline and love story. Cannot wait for the next one.

[Colin Massey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you start reading, it’s hard to put down. I needed to know what happened next. Highly recommend! After finishing the book, you feel like the story is just getting started!

[Gillian Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and poetic meditation on love, loss, and the lengths to which we will go for those we hold dear. I’m so glad to be able to continue the story in book two!

[Michelle Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very different but wonderful

This book is captivating. The way it shows life, death, grief, and the afterlife is perfectly done. This book follows Clay throughout his journey in life and after. It’s emotional and creative. This is an interesting perspective of the afterlife. The twist at the end makes me want to jump right into book two

[Megan Russ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not where you want to end

The other side of the light isn't always happiness and rainbows.
After tragic accidents both Clay and Ava find themselves in purgatory.
It is up to them to find their way out. If only Az was on their side.

[Y.K.Y. SADEK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of Reckoning is such a unique and gripping read! The mix of heartfelt moments, sharp humor, and a mysterious afterlife kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s the kind of story that makes you laugh, reflect, and wonder about second chances all at once—definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a while, Cannot wait to read the second book 🤩

[Veronica Millen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO good- a quick and compelling read. Characters are relatable and interesting with just enough detail to visualize without getting bored. Can’t wait to read more from this emerging talent!!

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good beginning of something new. The writing is captivating and kept me turning the pages until I realized I had finished. A bit of a cliffhanger at the end, but that just makes everything so much better. I look forward to reading the next book when it comes out.