Shattered Echoes

Toxic Legacies #2

by L.A. Marin

The academy was only the beginning.
Now the curse runs deeper, the enemies are closer, and the bonds that tie us together may be the only thing keeping me alive.
Elmaris is not as ruined as I was led to believe. Shadows stir, crowns fracture, and every choice drags me further into the war my bloodline began. My Axis is fractured, my heart divided, and the goddess herself is watching.
Survival is no longer enough. If I want to reclaim what was stolen, I’ll have to decide whether to burn for my Echoes… or crown myself in ruin.
Shattered Echoes is Book 2 of the Sanctified Echoes trilogy — a dark, gothic, why-choose romance filled with fated mates (with a twist), obsessive bonds, and the kind of love that can break kingdoms.

Genres: Why Choose

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2025

Reviews

[Kerry Morris]

3.75 ⭐️
This was way better than book 1. I do find it odd though that none of these men offer comfort except Elias. Not even cuddles or touching her. You’ve got the twin who stares and they have not so much as kissed. I’m also confused about vaerill, isn’t he her cousin? That can’t be good, cousins doing it 😂 I don’t know if it’s on purpose but these guys just want to have sex sometimes and offer protection but otherwise closed off. It’s very confusing. I need epic love stories with lots of murder in my romantasy. I did enjoy it though.

[M]

The writing style is a little less 🤏🏽 pretentious than the first one but still not great. So much repetition! I’m invested enough in the plot to continue the series.

[LottieLace]

I came into this book wanting to give the series a chance, and idk if I’m going to even bother with the 3rd book.

Some 🚨Spoilers🚨 Below:

Plot: 3/5
- The story didn’t live up the potential it had in the first book.
- Felt like the author put a lot of effort into foreshadowing for the plot twist, yet it lost its appeal and it fell short. 🚨75% of the story was this big build up regarding her magic and her paternal family’s origins. I mean it was a surprise that she’s a demigod, but didn’t have the impact it should’ve have.🚨
- 🚨Also, a little over 60% of the book she’s with only one of her MMC and it’s a why choose romance. Like I understand the circumstances but it didn’t feel like a why choose romance until the last 40%.🚨
- I find it incredibly annoying that the author had repeated the same discussion the characters had discussed at least 6 times in the last 10-15 chapters.

Writing: 1/5 — Repetitiveness
- Still dislike it.
- It did have some parts that were a is significant improvement, but others where the it revered back.
- One annoying and big difference here is the dialogue; it got worse. It feels short, choppy, and awkward. It is also repetitive as hell.
- The characters discussing the same thing over and over. It feels like the authors wanted to reach a specific word or page count with how many time they repeated the same thing over and over and over again.

Pacing: 1/5 — Slow
- Maybe I didn’t come into this with a happy or excited mindset, but the repetitiveness just felt like the story dragged on unnecessarily long.

World Building: 3/5
- The way Elmaris was described seemed interesting but the other issues in the story overshadow it.

Characters: 2/5
- They all fall flat, still.
🚨Did not like or appreciate the plot twist about the 6th mate, nor do I like him. Feels like a William 2.0 (FMC’s father and antagonist) with a fuck boy personality.🚨

Spice: 2/5 — Mehh
- Pretty good. But some lines and actions were used by the multiple characters. Felt boring, repetitive, like they all mushed together instead of being individual love interests.

[Lauren]

****spoilers if you have not read the book**** read if you haven't!!!

If you have not started this series then do it! I read tons of dark romance rh fated mates shifter, I mean most the I have tried to read. So I'm saying go start the book it will be so worth it.


Another cliffhanger but instead of shock and frustration because come on cliffhangers can piss you off lol. I love how L.A. Marins cliffhangers get built up so you kind of know what might happen. So to the book slow start but I love how they added another echo and he's another dragon 🐉 I mean two obsessive dominate possessive men well I guess 6 because they are all like that. I'm looking forward to her getting to know her 2nd dragon. Her father coming back and her finding out she's vampire and how resurrection magic is wild and I thought the necromancy was cool. But being from a god line too. She is a super badass fmc!!

[NovaKnows]

I enjoyed this more than book 1, notably the first half of the book where Celeste is discovering who she is and building relationships with those in Elmaris. I had fun with the storyline and the plot twists. The characters are interesting and the dynamic between them is unraveling more in each book.

However, personally I’m still disconnecting with the writing style. The dialogue between characters feels abrupt and incomplete with lots of repetition which I found took me out of the story and made it hard to truly connect with the characters.

Especially once the axis finally all reconnected - I found their reunion disjointed and although I understand the need for each member to rebuild individually with Celeste, it didn’t flow genuinely for me nor did it seem to fit their personalities. Especially Villin and Elias. I found it hard to want to pick this up towards the end.
3-3.5 ⭐️

[Christy]

again 3 stars for the story alone

I have tried, I really have, to like this authors writing style. The Poetic sonnets were at least few and far between in this book only to be replaced by constant repetition. I think there were repetitions in this book that read word for word a few short chapters apart. I literally had to check the chapter to make sure I hadn’t lost my place and reread something I’d already read. The actual plot is quite good, but there is no chemistry between the characters. No growth really except slightly in the FMC. It has to be the most awkward why choose romance I’ve ever read. I’m struggling with this series.

[Jamie Wright]

Celeste is the Best

I lived the first book in this series and this one is even better!!!! The writing pulls you in and wraps around your soul in a way you want to stay in the story!!!

Celeste is the most perfect FMC cause she is flawed and accepts that about herself so she can grow and become a better version of herself. She does this knowing she can’t do it alone and does lean on her Axis.

This has to be one of the best Dark Gothic Academia. reverse Harems I have read in years. Truly amazing!!!!

[Andireads]

2.5 ⭐️ for me - again I really want to be enjoying this more than I am. It is rough to get through, repeating paragraphs, terrible errors, choppy writing and things that just don’t make any sense. I’m sure there are people that would enjoy this writing style it is just not my favorite. I am going to finish the trilogy because that is just how my brain works I literally can’t not finish a book. I also do feel like the the base story happening has a lot of potential and I want to see what she does I just wish there weren’t so many plot holes.

[Ellie]

There was a sandwich in this book, but not the twin sandwich we want. This book was slightly better than the first one, but not enough to warrant another star. But there is still a lot of fluff and a lot of repeating conversations, which get annoying after every other chapter is "I miss my Axis" for like ten chapters. Am I overreacting by saying ten chapters? I probably am, but it was a good length of chapters that repeated that.

[Amber]

I am very glad to admit that both of these books in this series have currently been a 24-hour binge read for me. I love the characters and how the story flows so easily. Having echoes and fighting for your birthright makes everything more exciting, plus who doesn't love a dragon in a harem.

I can not wait to see what this Author does next. I will be keeping my eye out

[Thea RH]

I really love Celeste’s story and I enjoyed her quest to sovereignty so far. She's a strong FMC but she's not "rude in your face" strong, she's got that inner power and I saw a difference from the first book.
And Vaeril?!?! Oh my...😍
The spice was 🥵
I'm glad I gave this new author a chance and I can't wait for the 3rd book in the series and more to come.

[Stacy Martin]

Overall great second book in the series. Not all the bonds get equal time which is a bit disappointing. Feels like some were favored more and others didn’t get their time to shine like you would expect.

[Kim ♡]

DNF at chapter 9. I couldn't get past the way it's written... I can't connect with the characters at all. I am sorry. I really wanted to enjoy the book. The outline for the base of the series sounded so good. It's also super repetitive with the words.

[Elisa Castro]

separate no more

Shattered Echoes is book two in the series Toxic Legacies by author L.A. Marin. This one will keep you on your toes. There’s so much happening in between these pages that it will make your head spin.
Enjoy!!

[J]

better

Better than the first book, that’s for sure. More exploration of relationships, friendships etc. not fully there but there enough. Still odd language to use through out and still very descriptive writing in the wrong areas but better. I may finish/continue.

[Emilie]

I like the story, but the writing is too repetitive. Feels like I read 10 chapters of the same conversation over and over again towards the end.

[milly2611]

Dnf

[Lari]

Idk like it was too much going on and too much testosterone

[Jud]

It keeps being repetitive in the way it's narrated and the story feels like it has holes and the FMC it's playing favorites with the MMC

[ry]

DNF due to the writing. I can’t get through the repetitiveness, nor the (what feels like) incomplete dialogues. A shame because the storyline is interesting.