“The Echo Trails” series is an homage to all the Supernatural and Reylo fans out there who either weren’t’ ready to say good bye, or who hated the way things ended. Or both, honestly. Marae has managed to capture the deep seeded vibe of those fandoms and turned it into an original series that has road trips, ghost hunts, demons, reapers, and the best hellhound anywhere in the realms. In “Nowhere Knights” things are finally starting to come to a head with reclaiming Eden’s lost memories, and finding Mab’s missing sister. Oh, and dealing with magical cults in small mountain towns. For such a thick book though, the pacing is flawless and leaves me craving more!
Full disclosure: I read and critiqued an early version of “Nowhere Knights”. But that was honestly a few years ago and the book has gone through massive changes since then, so I went into this novel almost completely new to the contents of the story and Marae’s lovely writing style. Truly, she has a knack of really showing you how these characters feel with some really gorgeous imagery. The entire series is a love letter to the authors favorite series and fandoms, and I honestly love when authors are so unapologetic about the things they love inspiring them, and being talented enough to make that inspiration feel unique while maintaining the ethos that drew them to that fandom in the first place. Plus, the dichotomy between light and dark is so deliciously strong in this book that Reylo fans will appreciate it in this latest story even more than the previous books, and any Inquisition fans out there will also enjoy the nod Marae gives to that franchise, as well.
All the characters in this series grow and evolve, and while that is evident in this book for all the characters, it’s especially strong with Laz and Eden who begin to navigate a new relationship while clinging to the people they’ve grown to be before the specters of the past can change them. Having the threat of the cult looming constantly in the background really helped the pacing of this book as the tension was always simmering, making me want to keep reading. That and Zeke’s and Mab’s friendship is always just a fun delight to read, as always. Marae has really nailed the found family trope with this crew, which I couldn’t be happier about! But, be warned, unlike the other books, this book’s ending is a bit more cliffhanger-y then the rest, but that ending? Oh my goodness, so, so good!
I’m doing my best not to spoil anything, as “Nowhere Knights” is a great continuation of the previous books, building off of what all these characters have been through and then rewarding them with the answers they’ve been hunting for, no matter how much the truth hurts. And, if it’s been a while since you read the other books (like me), never fear! The author is great with including a recap that feels natural to the story as a whole. But honestly, it’s the gorgeous writing and deep character development of “Nowhere Knights” that will stick with me for a long time to come, so of course this gets 5 stars from me!