What do you think?
Rate this book
The Echo Archives #2
The Last Soul Among Wolves
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the brilliant second installment in Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives series, a whip-smart adventure fantasy featuring cursed relics, sapphic romance, and a magical murder mystery.
All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend asks for help, she can’t say no, even if it means a visit to a run-down mansion on an isolated island for a will reading. She arrives to find an unexpected reunion of her childhood friends—plus her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch, there on a mysterious job. Then the will is read, and everything goes sideways.
Eight potential heirs, half of them Kem’s oldest friends.
Three cursed relics.
The one by one, the heirs will die.
The prize for the lone A wish. And wishes are always bad business.
To save their friends, Kem and Rika must race against the clock and descend into other realities once more. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous—and more personal—than they could have imagined.
All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend asks for help, she can’t say no, even if it means a visit to a run-down mansion on an isolated island for a will reading. She arrives to find an unexpected reunion of her childhood friends—plus her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch, there on a mysterious job. Then the will is read, and everything goes sideways.
Eight potential heirs, half of them Kem’s oldest friends.
Three cursed relics.
The one by one, the heirs will die.
The prize for the lone A wish. And wishes are always bad business.
To save their friends, Kem and Rika must race against the clock and descend into other realities once more. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous—and more personal—than they could have imagined.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2025
76 people are currently reading
2282 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Caruso
11 books1,031 followersMelissa Caruso is the author of THE TETHERED MAGE, first in the Swords and Fire trilogy, out now from Orbit books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
September 7, 2025
4.5✨
« … a person who had become so integral to my life that the idea of living without them felt hollow. »
I simply CANNOT get enough of this series. It was so comforting to get back to this world and its characters! The romance between Kembral & Rika is just so sweet and tender 🥹 can’t get enough of them.
I was curious as to what could follow the events of book one but I was pleasantly surprised. I will say the ending was running around in circles for 50 pages but I still loved every second of it. I loved the set of secondary characters and I hope Jaycel is back in the next book!
« … a person who had become so integral to my life that the idea of living without them felt hollow. »
I simply CANNOT get enough of this series. It was so comforting to get back to this world and its characters! The romance between Kembral & Rika is just so sweet and tender 🥹 can’t get enough of them.
I was curious as to what could follow the events of book one but I was pleasantly surprised. I will say the ending was running around in circles for 50 pages but I still loved every second of it. I loved the set of secondary characters and I hope Jaycel is back in the next book!
August 31, 2025
just two former rivals now girlfriends finding themselves the victims of yet another locked room mystery only two months since they almost died
Bookstagram | Blog
Bookstagram | Blog
November 17, 2025
I was intrigued about what kind of story could follow the wild ride that was the first book in this series, and was pleasantly surprised to find this one is a fantasy murder mystery, a mix of genres that seems to be gaining some popularity (or at least I hope it is 😆)
Once again we follow Kembral, who this time is tasked to undo a curse set on her childhood friends. But as they gather in a secluded manor, people begin to die, suggesting a murderer might be trying to speed up the curse for their own benefit.
I loved coming back to this strange world and seeing the world building expand in this second book.
Kembral is very much the self sacrificing hero type but I really enjoy her inner monologue. She’s one part investigator, one part action hero, and one part tired mom, and I love that mix 🤣
In contrast, Rika isn’t my favorite character, I preferred their dynamic from the previous book although I think they complement each other well.
I enjoyed the investigation more than the resolution of the mystery, but there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming.
I expect we’ll get more books in this series, and I'm looking forward to the bizarre adventures that Kembral and Rika will have next time!
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit via NetGalley for providing an eARC
Once again we follow Kembral, who this time is tasked to undo a curse set on her childhood friends. But as they gather in a secluded manor, people begin to die, suggesting a murderer might be trying to speed up the curse for their own benefit.
I loved coming back to this strange world and seeing the world building expand in this second book.
Kembral is very much the self sacrificing hero type but I really enjoy her inner monologue. She’s one part investigator, one part action hero, and one part tired mom, and I love that mix 🤣
In contrast, Rika isn’t my favorite character, I preferred their dynamic from the previous book although I think they complement each other well.
I enjoyed the investigation more than the resolution of the mystery, but there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming.
I expect we’ll get more books in this series, and I'm looking forward to the bizarre adventures that Kembral and Rika will have next time!
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit via NetGalley for providing an eARC
May 31, 2025
JUNE 2025? I AM SAT. So excited for this... Hopefully I can get an ARC for this like I did with the first!
August 17, 2025
I love it when an author clearly understands what it was about the first book that everyone liked so much. Melissa Caruso has stayed true to the spirit of The Last Hour Between Worlds with this sequel. Once again Kembral Thorne and Rika Nonesuch are back for a magical multiverse adventure. This time Jaycel (one of my favorite characters from the first book, if you forgot her, she’s the one who’s entire personality is challenging people to duels and making witty remarks) has dragged Kembrel to a will reading. But with Kembrel’s friends, you know this can’t be normal.
This one had most, if not all of the magic of the first entry--I admit, I did miss some of the fancy party vibes of the first one--can the third have more pretty dresses please? But it was great to see more of the city and get a sense of its history. Also if you know me, you know I’m a sucker for an opera subplot.
If you read and liked The Last Hour Between Worlds, then you should absolutely pick this one up. If you’re trying to decide if you should start the series, first, you should definitely start at the beginning, and know that the first book was written by Caruso on a dare from her editor who said “if you like party scenes so much you should write a whole book set at a party.” This series is very sparkly, very fun, and a great magical world to escape into. It’s also literally laugh out loud funny. (And text your friends screenshots funny, which is maybe a higher compliment.)
Recommended for fans of The Princess Bride, Lies of Locke Lamora, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
I received an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
This one had most, if not all of the magic of the first entry--I admit, I did miss some of the fancy party vibes of the first one--can the third have more pretty dresses please? But it was great to see more of the city and get a sense of its history. Also if you know me, you know I’m a sucker for an opera subplot.
If you read and liked The Last Hour Between Worlds, then you should absolutely pick this one up. If you’re trying to decide if you should start the series, first, you should definitely start at the beginning, and know that the first book was written by Caruso on a dare from her editor who said “if you like party scenes so much you should write a whole book set at a party.” This series is very sparkly, very fun, and a great magical world to escape into. It’s also literally laugh out loud funny. (And text your friends screenshots funny, which is maybe a higher compliment.)
Recommended for fans of The Princess Bride, Lies of Locke Lamora, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
I received an ARC in exchange for this honest review.
December 18, 2025
The review for this is more tepid than the book deserves simply because it's not quite so incredibly fun as the first book was. It was, make no mistake about it, great entertainment when viewed objectively; it just didn't qutie carry me off quite as well as the first book.
Still, a very good book, and continues my Caruso fandom.
Still, a very good book, and continues my Caruso fandom.
September 25, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I wanted to love this second installment so much considering how much I enjoyed the first book, but I think I was maybe comparing it too much to the first book? And so I didn't enjoy it quite as much?
I did like this book - it's got that fun mix of chaos and mystery and magic that I loved from the first book, of course I absolutely adore the romance and the tender way Kembral and Rika approach each other, and I loved that a few of the side characters like Jaycel appeared in this one. I also loved the eerie vibe that this one had to it, as murders take place. I think I just preferred the setting of the first one, with the countdown through the parallel realities and being set pretty much in one room - this one didn't quite have that same level of tension for me. However, I am still absolutely going to continue with the series and I'm very intrigued to see where the author will take these characters next!
I wanted to love this second installment so much considering how much I enjoyed the first book, but I think I was maybe comparing it too much to the first book? And so I didn't enjoy it quite as much?
I did like this book - it's got that fun mix of chaos and mystery and magic that I loved from the first book, of course I absolutely adore the romance and the tender way Kembral and Rika approach each other, and I loved that a few of the side characters like Jaycel appeared in this one. I also loved the eerie vibe that this one had to it, as murders take place. I think I just preferred the setting of the first one, with the countdown through the parallel realities and being set pretty much in one room - this one didn't quite have that same level of tension for me. However, I am still absolutely going to continue with the series and I'm very intrigued to see where the author will take these characters next!
October 12, 2025
I want Jaycel and Vy to be my best friends. Liked this even more than the first one.
June 20, 2025
I enjoyed the eerie vibe and the unique wolf mythology, but I missed the depth in character development that the first book handled so well. Overall, while The Last Soul Among Wolves was an entertaining enough read, it was one of those books that I’ll forget about by tomorrow.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2025
The best part of the book was the murder mystery, and going along with Kembral while she's trying to save her friends when she's on a time crunch. In that Caruso did manage to capture the feel of the first book, but I just wanted more than what it gave me.
The world building in The Last Soul Among Wolves is really flat. I felt Caruso wrote this book on the premise that readers have already read the first book. It didn't add much to the world itself, but we did get to see more of Kembral's relationship with her childhood friends, and her blossoming relationship with Rika. I did read The Last Hour Between Worlds so I do understand the significance of what was going on.
Kem and Rika's relationship was also surface level, and the only real character development was from Rika. Getting to know more about Kem's childhood friends was a delight but again, surface level stuff in my opinion.
A solid sequel in The Echo Archives, but I felt it missed a little on a lot of things so it ended up being a meh read but I was entertained.
3.25 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The world building in The Last Soul Among Wolves is really flat. I felt Caruso wrote this book on the premise that readers have already read the first book. It didn't add much to the world itself, but we did get to see more of Kembral's relationship with her childhood friends, and her blossoming relationship with Rika. I did read The Last Hour Between Worlds so I do understand the significance of what was going on.
Kem and Rika's relationship was also surface level, and the only real character development was from Rika. Getting to know more about Kem's childhood friends was a delight but again, surface level stuff in my opinion.
A solid sequel in The Echo Archives, but I felt it missed a little on a lot of things so it ended up being a meh read but I was entertained.
3.25 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2025
i loved this one as much as the first, and i LOVE that there is going to be a third. i really hope this becomes a series. the world is so interesting and unique and i AODRE kem as a protagonist and i ADORE rika as her love interest. it was so fun seeing them as an established couple now, though still new and figuring their dynamic out while getting into whacky echo nonsense! this is just, such a fun premise for being able to have some shenanagins that the girls get into, with the overarching emperyan arc following them. i just... really love this world and these characters, and i love getting to follow an established sapphic couple!! i wish we had more series where that happens and i really really hope this one goes beyond a third bc yeah, trilogies are fun but i feel like we hardly get longer series with sapphics at the forefront, and i adore these ones so much and it has such potential to go and explore longer. i cannot rec these two enough and i will be pre-ordering the third the second that i can same as i did with this one. i listened on audio and read along and moira quirk was as fantastic as always. i really love her voice for rika, it's so dreamy.
if you like fantasy and sapphics and shenanagians i cannot rec this enough. i want 6 and then a movie pls and thank.
if you like fantasy and sapphics and shenanagians i cannot rec this enough. i want 6 and then a movie pls and thank.
September 2, 2025
Kembral is back, along with Rika and the others, to solve another mystery involving relics and the Emperyans.
This second book of the Echoes Archive Saga really delivers everything that the first story did. There are exceptional characters and such cool magic, including the echoes of time. The relationships are deeper and the banter is wickedly sharp!
Moira Quirk is such an accomplished voice actor. She brings multiple accents, serves up all emotions and delivers the quips and curses like no one else. She narrates this book perfectly.
my rating is 4.5 rounded for GR
This second book of the Echoes Archive Saga really delivers everything that the first story did. There are exceptional characters and such cool magic, including the echoes of time. The relationships are deeper and the banter is wickedly sharp!
Moira Quirk is such an accomplished voice actor. She brings multiple accents, serves up all emotions and delivers the quips and curses like no one else. She narrates this book perfectly.
my rating is 4.5 rounded for GR
August 17, 2025
4.75
thank you to orbit for the e-ARC
I love this series! sapphic fantasy with clever and mindbending worldbuilding, a mystery plot, friends, foes, family (derogatory), and family (endearing).
this book has a lot of similar vibes to book one, but with the time loop replaced by a murder curse and hijinks.
so much fun, the most endearing characters, and then so many fun and interesting antagonists. plus a sweet continuation of the romance that I actually liked in book one! and still like here!!! anyways read this book!
thank you to orbit for the e-ARC
I love this series! sapphic fantasy with clever and mindbending worldbuilding, a mystery plot, friends, foes, family (derogatory), and family (endearing).
this book has a lot of similar vibes to book one, but with the time loop replaced by a murder curse and hijinks.
so much fun, the most endearing characters, and then so many fun and interesting antagonists. plus a sweet continuation of the romance that I actually liked in book one! and still like here!!! anyways read this book!
July 11, 2025
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the ARC!
This is the sequel to The Last Hour Between Wolds and this book starts roughly six months after the events of the previous book. We are thrown into a murder mystery, with Kem and Rika working to solve it!
I really like the worldbuilding that the author has done here to flesh out what was established in book 1. The murder mystery is a locked room one, which is one of my favourites! It's tense and fun and definitely kept me guessing.
I also really liked the secondary cast of characters here. The dynamics were playful and fun and interesting, and I liked getting a glimpse into Kem's past as these are her childhood friends. As things get more dangerous, the tension heightens and it brings a new element to the group of friends. I really liked this aspect and almost wish we could've gotten more of this, because I think it was so unique.
The only part I found slighly lacking was the relationship between Kem and Rika. I wanted to see a bit more development in their relationship. I still liked their scenes, but I just wish that there was more of them!
I'll definitely be looking to pick up the next book in this series!
This is the sequel to The Last Hour Between Wolds and this book starts roughly six months after the events of the previous book. We are thrown into a murder mystery, with Kem and Rika working to solve it!
I really like the worldbuilding that the author has done here to flesh out what was established in book 1. The murder mystery is a locked room one, which is one of my favourites! It's tense and fun and definitely kept me guessing.
I also really liked the secondary cast of characters here. The dynamics were playful and fun and interesting, and I liked getting a glimpse into Kem's past as these are her childhood friends. As things get more dangerous, the tension heightens and it brings a new element to the group of friends. I really liked this aspect and almost wish we could've gotten more of this, because I think it was so unique.
The only part I found slighly lacking was the relationship between Kem and Rika. I wanted to see a bit more development in their relationship. I still liked their scenes, but I just wish that there was more of them!
I'll definitely be looking to pick up the next book in this series!
October 11, 2025
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Fresh take on the multiverse trope with strong world-building. Engaging characters. Lots of intriguing action and a few well-placed twists The story leaves plenty of room for a new installment, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger.
Cons: The murder mystery isn't near as exciting as the magical quest. The main character comes across as more vulnerable and less resourceful than she did in Book 1.
WARNING! Blood, body horror, torture.
Will appeal to: Those who enjoy modern fantasy, vintage detective stories, (deadly) alternate realities, former-enemies romances that don't swallow the plot, and new moms being badass.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
KEEPING MOMENTUM
I read the first installment in The Echo Archives series last year - drawn by its alternate-realities premise - and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed a story that ended up involving a few aspects I'm usually less keen on. For those who are new to this universe, a brief introduction (I'm quoting from my review for Book 1):
[...] the setting is a world similar to our own - albeit steeped in magic and giving off an early-20th-century vibe - except in this world twelve layers of reality exist: the root universe, or Prime, and its eleven Echoes, getting more and more grotesque and dangerous the farther you stray from their paradigm.
Our protagonist Kembral belongs to a guild tasked with retrieving people (or things) that get abducted/swallowed by the Echoes. She and her old nemesis (now girlfriend) Rika have barely recovered after saving their hometown from a cursed Echo relic, when they get dragged into a new mess involving not one, but three artifacts this time, in which the lives of eight people (half of them old friends of Kembral's) are at stake. I'm happy to report that TLSAW doesn't suffer from second-book syndrome - not at all. Weaving multiverse madness with a cozy (so to speak) old-style whodunnit and a still tentative, at times rocky romance, plus drawing on a huge twist from the first installment, Caruso produces an effortlessly entertaining sequel with action, character development and surprises to spare. There are scenes that will have you hold your breath (Kem's power is incredibly fascinating, but comes with very real consequences), and the Echo world and its creatures are vividly depicted. Also, did I say surprises? Because, while some were a tad too easy to see coming in the first installment, the author covered her tracks well this time, and there's a twist in particular - involving one of the new characters - that will elicit horror and compassion at the same time... [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Fresh take on the multiverse trope with strong world-building. Engaging characters. Lots of intriguing action and a few well-placed twists The story leaves plenty of room for a new installment, but doesn't end on a cliffhanger.
Cons: The murder mystery isn't near as exciting as the magical quest. The main character comes across as more vulnerable and less resourceful than she did in Book 1.
WARNING! Blood, body horror, torture.
Will appeal to: Those who enjoy modern fantasy, vintage detective stories, (deadly) alternate realities, former-enemies romances that don't swallow the plot, and new moms being badass.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
KEEPING MOMENTUM
I read the first installment in The Echo Archives series last year - drawn by its alternate-realities premise - and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed a story that ended up involving a few aspects I'm usually less keen on. For those who are new to this universe, a brief introduction (I'm quoting from my review for Book 1):
[...] the setting is a world similar to our own - albeit steeped in magic and giving off an early-20th-century vibe - except in this world twelve layers of reality exist: the root universe, or Prime, and its eleven Echoes, getting more and more grotesque and dangerous the farther you stray from their paradigm.
Our protagonist Kembral belongs to a guild tasked with retrieving people (or things) that get abducted/swallowed by the Echoes. She and her old nemesis (now girlfriend) Rika have barely recovered after saving their hometown from a cursed Echo relic, when they get dragged into a new mess involving not one, but three artifacts this time, in which the lives of eight people (half of them old friends of Kembral's) are at stake. I'm happy to report that TLSAW doesn't suffer from second-book syndrome - not at all. Weaving multiverse madness with a cozy (so to speak) old-style whodunnit and a still tentative, at times rocky romance, plus drawing on a huge twist from the first installment, Caruso produces an effortlessly entertaining sequel with action, character development and surprises to spare. There are scenes that will have you hold your breath (Kem's power is incredibly fascinating, but comes with very real consequences), and the Echo world and its creatures are vividly depicted. Also, did I say surprises? Because, while some were a tad too easy to see coming in the first installment, the author covered her tracks well this time, and there's a twist in particular - involving one of the new characters - that will elicit horror and compassion at the same time... [...]
Whole review here.
November 28, 2025
Review originally on JamReads
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the second book in the mystery fantasy series The Echo Archives, written by Melissa Caruso and published by Orbit Books. After the sheer chaos that were the New Year events, we return to this world to have a new multiverse adventure, with Kembral being dragged to a will reading; the excuse that propels a murder mystery adventure involving more echoes, relics and Kembral's childhood friends, seasoned by the marvelous relationship between Kembral and Rika.
We will again be following Kembral, tasked this time with undoing a curse set on her childhood friends; as they gather together in a secluded manor, people begin to die, suggesting there's somebody trying to speed up the curse in exchange of their own benefit. But as Kembral continues investigating together with Rika Nonesuch, they will discover more layers behind the curse, with old acquaintances involved, revealing much more personal implications while they are just trying to survive and keep alive as many people as possible until the help comes.
Kembral was already a gem of a character in the first instalment, still that person trying to save as many as possible, even if that means putting herself in danger; a smart character who would love to just have a quiet life to take care of her daughter. Rika continues being a complicated character, the more chaotic in the pair and still holding some secrets that might be relevant to Kembral; Caruso continues developing the relationship between our two lead characters, fleshing it and delighting the readers with how the bond strengthens. At the end, they complement each other so well, creating an almost unstoppable pair if they manage to not kill the other in the process (just joking).
If the first novel was basically a big party scene, the second one is a really engaging murder mystery; the reader is invited to create their own theories about who is involved, while more hints are gathered by our characters. During this investigation, the world of this series is expanded, putting in the spotlight more of the complicated power fights that is established across the Echoes. The pacing is equally agile as what we had in the first instalment.
The Last Soul Among Wolves is an excellent sequel novel, a murder mystery fantasy that continues delighting us with two strong lead female characters, complicated power equilibriums and a charming romance. A worthy sequel that leaves me needing the third one as soon as possible!
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the second book in the mystery fantasy series The Echo Archives, written by Melissa Caruso and published by Orbit Books. After the sheer chaos that were the New Year events, we return to this world to have a new multiverse adventure, with Kembral being dragged to a will reading; the excuse that propels a murder mystery adventure involving more echoes, relics and Kembral's childhood friends, seasoned by the marvelous relationship between Kembral and Rika.
We will again be following Kembral, tasked this time with undoing a curse set on her childhood friends; as they gather together in a secluded manor, people begin to die, suggesting there's somebody trying to speed up the curse in exchange of their own benefit. But as Kembral continues investigating together with Rika Nonesuch, they will discover more layers behind the curse, with old acquaintances involved, revealing much more personal implications while they are just trying to survive and keep alive as many people as possible until the help comes.
Kembral was already a gem of a character in the first instalment, still that person trying to save as many as possible, even if that means putting herself in danger; a smart character who would love to just have a quiet life to take care of her daughter. Rika continues being a complicated character, the more chaotic in the pair and still holding some secrets that might be relevant to Kembral; Caruso continues developing the relationship between our two lead characters, fleshing it and delighting the readers with how the bond strengthens. At the end, they complement each other so well, creating an almost unstoppable pair if they manage to not kill the other in the process (just joking).
If the first novel was basically a big party scene, the second one is a really engaging murder mystery; the reader is invited to create their own theories about who is involved, while more hints are gathered by our characters. During this investigation, the world of this series is expanded, putting in the spotlight more of the complicated power fights that is established across the Echoes. The pacing is equally agile as what we had in the first instalment.
The Last Soul Among Wolves is an excellent sequel novel, a murder mystery fantasy that continues delighting us with two strong lead female characters, complicated power equilibriums and a charming romance. A worthy sequel that leaves me needing the third one as soon as possible!
August 22, 2025
Rating: 4.75
I really feel like there's a huge gap in trad pub sapphic romantasy and THIS was exactly the type of story I've been craving. The first book is still my favorite, but this is a great sequel with plenty of adventure, additional world building, and an added magical murder mystery to boot.
The romantic stakes are upped in this book but it's done in such a refreshing manner. The characters are in the awkward first few months of dating, they're allowed to be flawed and loved regardless, and the fact that Kem exists on the ace spectrum adds a different perspective to the typical tension found in romantasy.
I wish the third book was already here :(
I really feel like there's a huge gap in trad pub sapphic romantasy and THIS was exactly the type of story I've been craving. The first book is still my favorite, but this is a great sequel with plenty of adventure, additional world building, and an added magical murder mystery to boot.
The romantic stakes are upped in this book but it's done in such a refreshing manner. The characters are in the awkward first few months of dating, they're allowed to be flawed and loved regardless, and the fact that Kem exists on the ace spectrum adds a different perspective to the typical tension found in romantasy.
I wish the third book was already here :(
December 11, 2025
Einfach tolle Fantasy! Die Charaktere sind, wenn auch teilweise sehr exzentrisch, einfach so lebendig, ich mag den trockenen Humor und ich konnte das Buch gar nicht aus der Hand legen!
July 3, 2025
Hot take - I actually enjoyed this second installment more than the first. Melissa Caruso expands on the world she created in The Last Hour Between Worlds; the world building is more detailed and we are introduced to new settings, echoes and side characters all which help make this a more vibrant story than its predecessor. Ken and Rika set out on yet another quest to save their friends lives but this time we get to learn more about Kem’s relationship with not only her friends, but past versions of herself. I was super excited to get more Kem and Rika and this book did not disappoint.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2025
Even better than the first one!! My biggest issues with book one was how oblivious Kembral could be, but she was way more on top of things this time around! I am obsessed with the world building in this series, it’s so unique and fascinating!! I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here, as long as I get more of Kem and Rika then I’m happy!!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
July 17, 2025
A decent sequel to the Last Hour Between Worlds. There continues to be lots of beautiful imagination and world building. I love the concept of Echos, mortals and Empyreans. The naming of the Empyreans continues to be a little nugget of joy for a fantasy fan.
I found Kembral to be more engaging this time, perhaps because the reference to her out of scene daughter were fewer and I loved the scenes with her and Rika Nonesuch, who continues to be fabulous.
But, there was still something missing for me. Rika continues to be a far more engaging character and I think I would have preferred her POV. Her character and her background are so fascinating, especially her relationship to her mother.
So much context and key information is told to us. A big character point for Kembral is that she works this insanely adventurous and dangerous job while having an infant daughter at home. Yet we never much time at all with her or in Kembral’s alluded to world outside of her current heist. It is hard to care about things we are not shown. I feel this book tells us a lot about where we should care and how we should feel (such as how scary the echoes are) but doesn’t quite deliver.
I think overall if you were a big fan of book 1, you’ll also love this.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I found Kembral to be more engaging this time, perhaps because the reference to her out of scene daughter were fewer and I loved the scenes with her and Rika Nonesuch, who continues to be fabulous.
But, there was still something missing for me. Rika continues to be a far more engaging character and I think I would have preferred her POV. Her character and her background are so fascinating, especially her relationship to her mother.
So much context and key information is told to us. A big character point for Kembral is that she works this insanely adventurous and dangerous job while having an infant daughter at home. Yet we never much time at all with her or in Kembral’s alluded to world outside of her current heist. It is hard to care about things we are not shown. I feel this book tells us a lot about where we should care and how we should feel (such as how scary the echoes are) but doesn’t quite deliver.
I think overall if you were a big fan of book 1, you’ll also love this.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2025
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Last Soul Among Wolves feels a bit like a Knives Out meets school reunion story. There's very much this sense of a ticking clock as friends start dropping like flies, but there's this added component of friends of Kem. We get to know these side characters and they give Kem a chance to confront her past versions of herself. Who were they all before life gets rolling? Not only that, but in order to save them, she must be even more clever than ever before. Let's get this straight, I was reading to see more Kem and Rika. And I was rewarded.
The Last Soul Among Wolves feels a bit like a Knives Out meets school reunion story. There's very much this sense of a ticking clock as friends start dropping like flies, but there's this added component of friends of Kem. We get to know these side characters and they give Kem a chance to confront her past versions of herself. Who were they all before life gets rolling? Not only that, but in order to save them, she must be even more clever than ever before. Let's get this straight, I was reading to see more Kem and Rika. And I was rewarded.
August 11, 2025
Murder mystery. Death curses. Stuck on an island. Impending doom….. unpopular opinion but dare I say I like this book more than the first!
Kembral was actually really funny - in a witty, sarcastic way, which I love. It was fun to see her and Rika team up again whilst also watching their relationship grow (we love the sapphic dream team). I also really loved the expansion of the different guild not just the hounds and cats - I would love for novellas focusing on different characters from the various guilds!
The plot did wrap up quite conveniently and outlined the premise for the next instalment. Was it a tad predictable? Yes. But ultimately I enjoyed this book with this ensemble of characters, and am looking forward to continuing with the series!
Thanks NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this arc.
Kembral was actually really funny - in a witty, sarcastic way, which I love. It was fun to see her and Rika team up again whilst also watching their relationship grow (we love the sapphic dream team). I also really loved the expansion of the different guild not just the hounds and cats - I would love for novellas focusing on different characters from the various guilds!
The plot did wrap up quite conveniently and outlined the premise for the next instalment. Was it a tad predictable? Yes. But ultimately I enjoyed this book with this ensemble of characters, and am looking forward to continuing with the series!
Thanks NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this arc.
November 24, 2025
Final rating 3.5/5 stars.
It seemed like such a simple request: tag along with a friend to a will reading and offer support. It didn't take a moment for investigator Kembral Thorne to agree. But it doesn't take long for the situation to become much more complicated. For one, many of the other heirs of this strange will are old childhood friends of Kem's. For another, the will is actually cursed. Over the next few days, it will kill off one heir after another until only one remains. Last person standing gets the ultimate prize: a wish. Kem and her rival-turned-lover Rika will have to plunge into the other Echo realities that lay in parallel to their Prime reality to find a way to unravel the curse before it can kill all of Kem's friends.
THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES is full of adventure, if a bit thin on character work. Like the previous installment, we are treated to a standalone mystery. Kem needs to not only break the curse on the will, but also figure out who is trying to help the curse by taking out the competition so they can inherit the wish. Unfortunately, I felt that the mystery element of the story lost out to the bigger storyline of adventuring through the echoes themselves. The new characters-turned-suspects felt a bit wooden, especially compared to previous works of the authors.
The real focus of the story is a power struggle happening in the Echoes and how that ties to Kem and Rika. The story is at its best when the two are dealing with the Empyreans, the powerful beings that rule the Echoes. There's daring heists from mysterious castles and tense negotiations. Empyreans have certain rules and tropes they have to follow to align to their core self, or they start to lose power. Figuring out how to use those rules to their advantage is the highlight of the story.
But navigating the Echoes also started to strangely feel a little rote. Characters go too many levels down, then have to make it to the exit while being chased by deadly creatures multiple times; towards the end of the story, it felt a bit like "here we go again."
If you like mysterious relics and curses, weird realities, and daring adventures, THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES is here for you. While the mystery portion felt a bit underserved, I still had a fun time running along the rooftops of the Echoes, racing against the clock to find a solution before all hope is lost.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
It seemed like such a simple request: tag along with a friend to a will reading and offer support. It didn't take a moment for investigator Kembral Thorne to agree. But it doesn't take long for the situation to become much more complicated. For one, many of the other heirs of this strange will are old childhood friends of Kem's. For another, the will is actually cursed. Over the next few days, it will kill off one heir after another until only one remains. Last person standing gets the ultimate prize: a wish. Kem and her rival-turned-lover Rika will have to plunge into the other Echo realities that lay in parallel to their Prime reality to find a way to unravel the curse before it can kill all of Kem's friends.
THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES is full of adventure, if a bit thin on character work. Like the previous installment, we are treated to a standalone mystery. Kem needs to not only break the curse on the will, but also figure out who is trying to help the curse by taking out the competition so they can inherit the wish. Unfortunately, I felt that the mystery element of the story lost out to the bigger storyline of adventuring through the echoes themselves. The new characters-turned-suspects felt a bit wooden, especially compared to previous works of the authors.
The real focus of the story is a power struggle happening in the Echoes and how that ties to Kem and Rika. The story is at its best when the two are dealing with the Empyreans, the powerful beings that rule the Echoes. There's daring heists from mysterious castles and tense negotiations. Empyreans have certain rules and tropes they have to follow to align to their core self, or they start to lose power. Figuring out how to use those rules to their advantage is the highlight of the story.
But navigating the Echoes also started to strangely feel a little rote. Characters go too many levels down, then have to make it to the exit while being chased by deadly creatures multiple times; towards the end of the story, it felt a bit like "here we go again."
If you like mysterious relics and curses, weird realities, and daring adventures, THE LAST SOUL AMONG WOLVES is here for you. While the mystery portion felt a bit underserved, I still had a fun time running along the rooftops of the Echoes, racing against the clock to find a solution before all hope is lost.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
September 12, 2025
That was great. 10/10. Cannot wait for the next book. Second-book-syndrome? Never heard of her. We only know masterpieces in this house.
I genuinely have nothing negative to say about this. Loved the worldbuilding, loved the characters, I love the lore, I love the scheming and the intrigue. Slay.
Also, fuck ***** and I hope they die a million terribly agonising deaths🩷
I genuinely have nothing negative to say about this. Loved the worldbuilding, loved the characters, I love the lore, I love the scheming and the intrigue. Slay.
Also, fuck ***** and I hope they die a million terribly agonising deaths🩷
September 26, 2025
I’m a big Melissa Caruso fan & this is a terrific book. Kind of one of those stories where everyone’s locked in a mansion dying one at a time a la Agatha Christie or Clue, but with Echoes & Empyreans & Caruso’s typically deft & delightful approach to protagonist and love story.
November 21, 2025
This one wasn’t a page turner for me however it was an easy enjoyable story to follow and written very well!!!
August 5, 2025
Earlier this year I read The Last Hour Between Worlds (The Echos Archives #1) and the sequel - this book, The Last Soul Among Wolves - quickly became one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Needless to say, I had some pretty high expectations and I'm delighted to report that I enjoyed reading this one just as much as the first.
I was excited to dive back into this strange world and see what type of chaos these characters were presented with. Like with the first book, I was hooked from the very beginning and didn't want to put it down until the very end. I'm not always a fan of a slow burn but I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Kem and Rika, and can't wait to see what happens next in book #3!
Thanks to Orbit & NetGalley for providing me with an advance review copy to read!
I was excited to dive back into this strange world and see what type of chaos these characters were presented with. Like with the first book, I was hooked from the very beginning and didn't want to put it down until the very end. I'm not always a fan of a slow burn but I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Kem and Rika, and can't wait to see what happens next in book #3!
Thanks to Orbit & NetGalley for providing me with an advance review copy to read!
June 20, 2025
While not quite as strong as The Last Hour Between Worlds (though I definitely think that Moira Quirk’s narration will elevate the audiobook immensely), The Last Soul Among Wolves was engaging, clever, witty, and built upon the characters and world(s) introduced in book one. Rika especially got to shine in this one; I liked seeing beyond her role as the mysterious will-they-won’t-they who seems to defy expectations and logic and show up where you least expect her. We got to see her vulnerable and scared and fucking up, and that did a whole lot to cement her and her relationship with Kembral in my mind.
The timeline was a little wonky to me. A whole heck of a lot of things happened in less than two days, to the point where I kind of wanted a little bit more rigidity as far as the passage of time (like maybe each chapter header included what time it was or a countdown to the next scheduled character death) because I definitely thought it was like a week but then it all happened in less than two days and I was like “wait what?”
Sign me up for book 3!
{Thank you Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
The timeline was a little wonky to me. A whole heck of a lot of things happened in less than two days, to the point where I kind of wanted a little bit more rigidity as far as the passage of time (like maybe each chapter header included what time it was or a countdown to the next scheduled character death) because I definitely thought it was like a week but then it all happened in less than two days and I was like “wait what?”
Sign me up for book 3!
{Thank you Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
Read
October 4, 2025I enjoyed coming back to this serie. The world is still as intriguing but I was missing some depth on the characters arcs so I wasn't as engaged this time
Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews