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The Echo Archives #3
The Last Star in the Void
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26The brilliant conclusion to Melissa Caruso’s Echo Archives trilogy, a whip-smart adventure fantasy where a detective has to solve the greatest mystery of all—her own murder.
Kembral Thorne is back on the job. Everything is going great—she hasn’t been in mortal peril for months, her daughter is learning to crawl, and she’s thinking about getting serious with her girlfriend, cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But then a simple mission goes wrong, and a mysterious Echo hires her for her most dangerous case yet.
This time, the murder Kembral must solve is her own.
Her first Watch out above you. It won’t be her last. The cryptic messages give Kem an edge against her would-be murderer—but there’s more at stake than her own survival.
Rips in the very fabric of reality are spreading through the Echoes, and Kem’s blood is the only thing that can close them. A traitor among her allies is willing to kill to stop her. To save all the worlds, Kem must figure out who she can trust—and Rika must decide how much of her humanity she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect the woman she loves.
Kembral Thorne is back on the job. Everything is going great—she hasn’t been in mortal peril for months, her daughter is learning to crawl, and she’s thinking about getting serious with her girlfriend, cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But then a simple mission goes wrong, and a mysterious Echo hires her for her most dangerous case yet.
This time, the murder Kembral must solve is her own.
Her first Watch out above you. It won’t be her last. The cryptic messages give Kem an edge against her would-be murderer—but there’s more at stake than her own survival.
Rips in the very fabric of reality are spreading through the Echoes, and Kem’s blood is the only thing that can close them. A traitor among her allies is willing to kill to stop her. To save all the worlds, Kem must figure out who she can trust—and Rika must decide how much of her humanity she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect the woman she loves.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Melissa Caruso
12 books1,095 followersMelissa Caruso is the author of THE TETHERED MAGE, first in the Swords and Fire trilogy, out now from Orbit books.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
HUGE thanks to NetGalley & Orbit books for a chance to review this arc! I know this is only due Nov 10th but I can’t stop thinking about it 🥺 I can’t believe this is the last one 😭
4.25✨
« Anyone who would blame her own failures on her daughter is a coward and a liar. Anyone who would blame her daughter for not allowing herself to be hurt is something far worse. »
It’s not a secret that I’ve absolutely loved this trilogy. The last hour between worlds was a 5 stars read for me & The last soul among wolves a 4.5 stars read. It’s always a bit difficult to review a conclusion without revealing too much ; but basically this trilogy follows two fmc’s (one of them has a baby) in their fields in the different Echo’s. Each book follows different problematics in the Echo.
I’ve always felt that this trilogy was plot centred and romance second, which is something I love. I will admit that the sapphic romance is what got me in the first place. The way it is written… I have chills. You can feel how much love they have for each other. This author is very talented in writing chill-inducing sapphic romances.
The character development in this conclusion was really well depicted. The pacing was a bit on the slower side but it dived into complex relationship feelings, which I appreciated. This instalment & the sequel had shown the impacts of an abusive relationship with a mother & her adult daughter and I appreciated how it was dealt with.
What I loved most about this conclusion is that it got everyone back together. I was beyond happy to read about Jaycel again! I did feel that the ending was rushed & didn’t offer full closure for some characters but I still really loved this read.
Overall, I highly recommend this trilogy. Especially if you’re looking for something different & a good sapphic romance.
4.25✨
« Anyone who would blame her own failures on her daughter is a coward and a liar. Anyone who would blame her daughter for not allowing herself to be hurt is something far worse. »
It’s not a secret that I’ve absolutely loved this trilogy. The last hour between worlds was a 5 stars read for me & The last soul among wolves a 4.5 stars read. It’s always a bit difficult to review a conclusion without revealing too much ; but basically this trilogy follows two fmc’s (one of them has a baby) in their fields in the different Echo’s. Each book follows different problematics in the Echo.
I’ve always felt that this trilogy was plot centred and romance second, which is something I love. I will admit that the sapphic romance is what got me in the first place. The way it is written… I have chills. You can feel how much love they have for each other. This author is very talented in writing chill-inducing sapphic romances.
The character development in this conclusion was really well depicted. The pacing was a bit on the slower side but it dived into complex relationship feelings, which I appreciated. This instalment & the sequel had shown the impacts of an abusive relationship with a mother & her adult daughter and I appreciated how it was dealt with.
What I loved most about this conclusion is that it got everyone back together. I was beyond happy to read about Jaycel again! I did feel that the ending was rushed & didn’t offer full closure for some characters but I still really loved this read.
Overall, I highly recommend this trilogy. Especially if you’re looking for something different & a good sapphic romance.
September 6, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC.
4.5 Stars
Melissa Caruso has done it again-- they are firmly cemented in my personal library as a favorite author. As this is the third series I have read of theirs, I can say that the third book is always an explosive finish to a lovingly crafted world. The Last Star in the Void is no exception to this well established rule. Every book in this series had a large stakes, universe ending problem that involve Kembral and Rika working together to thwart. But somehow, the third book continues to raise the stakes even higher than ever before. Which before reading it, I did not think was physically possible.
Something I still find refreshing about The Echo Archives, is our main character Kembral: she's a single mother, navigating returning to the work force, but now with the added on challenge of her girlfriend moving in to help raise her daughter. Fans of fantasy have recently began to point out the lack of diversity in our protags, with an emphasis on involving more older main characters. Mothers are a scarce commodity, and I absolutely love that Caruso decided to make Kembral exist for those who want and need to see this in their literature. It will be some time yet before Emmi is off to school, so Kembral's current role is in the perilous in between of needing to balance an income while taking care of a human that can't survive on their own just yet.
Now, I am sure most parents would know that there is no rest at home, especially with a young child below the age of five. Although Emmi is learning to crawl around, she is very much still dependent on her adult caretakers. Kembral is finally deciding to put herself at less risk in order to come home to Emmi and watch her grow. Unfortunately for her, the universe has decided that it's not done with her fixing it dissolving itself. At the end of the first novel in this trilogy, Kembral became the year namer and settled on calling it the year of hope. Like most others, Kembral focused more on the good aspects of this theme, with an optimistic viewpoint taking center stage. The flipside is that hope is not only for the innocent, as it is what evil preys on.
It is too much to hope that Kembral's first case back would continue to be low stakes. In fact, she stumbles on to a much bigger problem of her potentially being murdered. Her echo has not been having the best luck, and decided to take matters into their own hands (or at least, as much as they could) to keep on existing. Besides, at the end of the previous novel, Kembral made the big step of becoming Rika's anchor and the responsibility that comes with that. With a fledgling relationship, it takes some time to learn to balance your wants with your partner's needs, which Rika is working very hard on developing this balance. It's hard to keep it stable when your partner comes home with news of yet another attempt made on their life for unknown reasons. Even more so when your partner acts like it's just a normal Tuesday and kind of refusing to see the bigger picture, as well as taking the steps to ensure it never happens again.
Shortly after accepting the new case, Kembral was propositioned to join Blair on their first big excursion into the Echos, due to a tip off from a smuggler who ran screaming at something they say. Although we hope for Kembral and Rika's sake that it'll be fixed in no time, the hole into a oblivion is just a symptom not the cause of an issue to come.
Though I would love to go into more detail, any detail at all would spoil the bigger picture and I feel it is best to experience it yourself. If you read and loved the first two novels in this trilogy, you will love this one. We have a cast of returning characters, with a generous dose of humor added in. Caruso's previous works have not made me chuckle nearly as much as The Last Star in the Void. The balance on the plot actions and character development feels a little more zany than Caruso's usual, but it can easily be explained by a sleep deprived mother doing the best she could in the circumstances. Personally I enjoyed the more tongue in cheek commentary and would love to see more in future works.
At the end of it all, I am sad to see this world go. However, I am hoping Caruso will revisit the world again, perhaps from another perspective like they did with their two previous trilogies. Caruso has a way of making some of the most relatable characters, but in the most bizarre circumstances and we need more of that in life. Plus I just absolutely adore anyone who lets LGBTQ people exist as people beyond their sexual or romantic orientation-- Caruso makes it look easy because it really is just that easy.
4.5 Stars
Melissa Caruso has done it again-- they are firmly cemented in my personal library as a favorite author. As this is the third series I have read of theirs, I can say that the third book is always an explosive finish to a lovingly crafted world. The Last Star in the Void is no exception to this well established rule. Every book in this series had a large stakes, universe ending problem that involve Kembral and Rika working together to thwart. But somehow, the third book continues to raise the stakes even higher than ever before. Which before reading it, I did not think was physically possible.
Something I still find refreshing about The Echo Archives, is our main character Kembral: she's a single mother, navigating returning to the work force, but now with the added on challenge of her girlfriend moving in to help raise her daughter. Fans of fantasy have recently began to point out the lack of diversity in our protags, with an emphasis on involving more older main characters. Mothers are a scarce commodity, and I absolutely love that Caruso decided to make Kembral exist for those who want and need to see this in their literature. It will be some time yet before Emmi is off to school, so Kembral's current role is in the perilous in between of needing to balance an income while taking care of a human that can't survive on their own just yet.
Now, I am sure most parents would know that there is no rest at home, especially with a young child below the age of five. Although Emmi is learning to crawl around, she is very much still dependent on her adult caretakers. Kembral is finally deciding to put herself at less risk in order to come home to Emmi and watch her grow. Unfortunately for her, the universe has decided that it's not done with her fixing it dissolving itself. At the end of the first novel in this trilogy, Kembral became the year namer and settled on calling it the year of hope. Like most others, Kembral focused more on the good aspects of this theme, with an optimistic viewpoint taking center stage. The flipside is that hope is not only for the innocent, as it is what evil preys on.
It is too much to hope that Kembral's first case back would continue to be low stakes. In fact, she stumbles on to a much bigger problem of her potentially being murdered. Her echo has not been having the best luck, and decided to take matters into their own hands (or at least, as much as they could) to keep on existing. Besides, at the end of the previous novel, Kembral made the big step of becoming Rika's anchor and the responsibility that comes with that. With a fledgling relationship, it takes some time to learn to balance your wants with your partner's needs, which Rika is working very hard on developing this balance. It's hard to keep it stable when your partner comes home with news of yet another attempt made on their life for unknown reasons. Even more so when your partner acts like it's just a normal Tuesday and kind of refusing to see the bigger picture, as well as taking the steps to ensure it never happens again.
Shortly after accepting the new case, Kembral was propositioned to join Blair on their first big excursion into the Echos, due to a tip off from a smuggler who ran screaming at something they say. Although we hope for Kembral and Rika's sake that it'll be fixed in no time, the hole into a oblivion is just a symptom not the cause of an issue to come.
Though I would love to go into more detail, any detail at all would spoil the bigger picture and I feel it is best to experience it yourself. If you read and loved the first two novels in this trilogy, you will love this one. We have a cast of returning characters, with a generous dose of humor added in. Caruso's previous works have not made me chuckle nearly as much as The Last Star in the Void. The balance on the plot actions and character development feels a little more zany than Caruso's usual, but it can easily be explained by a sleep deprived mother doing the best she could in the circumstances. Personally I enjoyed the more tongue in cheek commentary and would love to see more in future works.
At the end of it all, I am sad to see this world go. However, I am hoping Caruso will revisit the world again, perhaps from another perspective like they did with their two previous trilogies. Caruso has a way of making some of the most relatable characters, but in the most bizarre circumstances and we need more of that in life. Plus I just absolutely adore anyone who lets LGBTQ people exist as people beyond their sexual or romantic orientation-- Caruso makes it look easy because it really is just that easy.
Read
August 2, 2026** THE VERSION OF THIS BOOK THAT I READ WAS AN ARC **
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit.
The only bad part of this book is that it ended and that I will no longer get to read any new stories featuring Kembral and Rika and this world. I'd love to see how their future goes and how their daughter turns out.
Usually when I write effusive five star reviews they come out kind of incoherent because I just want to say that everything is amazing. So I'll start by saying that there wasn't a single aspect of this book I didn't enjoy. It's the perfect conclusion to an excellent trilogy. All three books have been awesome, and this one is the cherry on top, tying up Rika and Kembral's story (or at least this part of it) nicely, and leaving us with a glimpse of how things will go in the future (Emmi trilogy when?). I would honestly be happy if the author made this one of those never-ending sci fi series with 25 volumes because that's how much I like the world and the characters. Not bad for a book I bought on a Kindle sale because the description looked interesting and the romance was sapphic lol.
First off, I find the world of Acantis and the whole concept of the Echoes (different versions of the Prime world that get more and more divergent and dangerous as you descend, with Prime being the regular world, the First Echo being just slightly different and anything past the Third being the sort of places where the puddles might eat you) to be really unique, and I've read a LOT of sci fi and fantasy. I'm sure there are precursors to this sort of thing, or that the author was inspired by other things, but I've never seen it done exactly like this before. It allows our characters to live in a relatively mundane world that's just a layer of reality away from world rending danger.
And the way the world is built is quite masterful. In the first book, the author managed to weave the lore of the world skillfully into the story without having pages of overly complicated exposition, and every book has built upon that base, adding new aspects to the world and new dangers that spring from those new aspects. In the first book Kembral named the year, in the second, we started to learn what that meant for her (and what her evolving relationship with Rika meant as well) and in the third, well, it's the payoff of all of it, as their actions in the first and especially the second books end up having consequences.
This is how the conclusion of a trilogy should be, introducing higher stakes while also bringing in aspects from the prior books and then wrapping things up in a way that fits the world and does justice to the characters and your investment in them.
In this book, Kembral and Rika and their friends have to find a way to solve Kembral's murder (which is a mind bending but fun concept in itself), and in doing so also stop a force that threatens to end the world completely. To say much more would be to spoil things, and I honestly wouldn't want anyone to miss out on figuring things out as they go along.
As with the first two, the plot is action packed and the writing is excellent. Kembral is a great protagonist, not perfect, but she cares so much for everyone and everything around her. She's stubborn and courageous, but just thinks of all of it as doing her job. She doesn't want anything except to raise her daughter, do her job well and come home to the woman she loves. She's got a strong voice, and a sense of humor that had me laughing out loud more than once, and she's just as awkward and unsure when it comes to interpersonal relationships as she is skilled at navigating the Echoes and facing down her enemies. Her personality drives the entire trilogy and it's a great one.
The romance between she and Rika is incredibly sweet and it's nice to see a relationship in a fantasy book where the two protagonists are absolutely totally in love with one another and determined not to let any stupid bullshit get between them, including their own insecurities. They work together to figure their shit out. The first two book were for them working through some of their more serious issues (Rika's literally cosmic overprotectiveness and Kembral's reluctance to ever ask for help or admit that there's anything wrong with her), and this book is just about them figuring out how they can get the rest of the world to stop trying to fucking kill them so they can be together. I've liked them together since book one, and this book is the best one in terms of their relationship because no matter how they feel about the rest of the world and the external forces arrayed against them, they're absolutely sure of their feelings for each other. [insert heart eyes emoji lol]
Usually, even in books I like I can find something that irritates me, but in this one, I just can't.
To sum up, great ending to a great trilogy. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? Anyone who loves good fantasy (great worldbuilding? check; great supporting cast? check; great action scenes? check; swoonworthy romance? check) needs to check this out.
(The only thing that might be better than reading them is listening to them. Moira Quirk, she of the Locked Tomb and knower of every English dialect on the island, does the narration and they're great.)
And just a note to Melissa Caruso: if you feel like writing more of these, I'll be first in line to buy em.
The only bad part of this book is that it ended and that I will no longer get to read any new stories featuring Kembral and Rika and this world. I'd love to see how their future goes and how their daughter turns out.
Usually when I write effusive five star reviews they come out kind of incoherent because I just want to say that everything is amazing. So I'll start by saying that there wasn't a single aspect of this book I didn't enjoy. It's the perfect conclusion to an excellent trilogy. All three books have been awesome, and this one is the cherry on top, tying up Rika and Kembral's story (or at least this part of it) nicely, and leaving us with a glimpse of how things will go in the future (Emmi trilogy when?). I would honestly be happy if the author made this one of those never-ending sci fi series with 25 volumes because that's how much I like the world and the characters. Not bad for a book I bought on a Kindle sale because the description looked interesting and the romance was sapphic lol.
First off, I find the world of Acantis and the whole concept of the Echoes (different versions of the Prime world that get more and more divergent and dangerous as you descend, with Prime being the regular world, the First Echo being just slightly different and anything past the Third being the sort of places where the puddles might eat you) to be really unique, and I've read a LOT of sci fi and fantasy. I'm sure there are precursors to this sort of thing, or that the author was inspired by other things, but I've never seen it done exactly like this before. It allows our characters to live in a relatively mundane world that's just a layer of reality away from world rending danger.
And the way the world is built is quite masterful. In the first book, the author managed to weave the lore of the world skillfully into the story without having pages of overly complicated exposition, and every book has built upon that base, adding new aspects to the world and new dangers that spring from those new aspects. In the first book Kembral named the year, in the second, we started to learn what that meant for her (and what her evolving relationship with Rika meant as well) and in the third, well, it's the payoff of all of it, as their actions in the first and especially the second books end up having consequences.
This is how the conclusion of a trilogy should be, introducing higher stakes while also bringing in aspects from the prior books and then wrapping things up in a way that fits the world and does justice to the characters and your investment in them.
In this book, Kembral and Rika and their friends have to find a way to solve Kembral's murder (which is a mind bending but fun concept in itself), and in doing so also stop a force that threatens to end the world completely. To say much more would be to spoil things, and I honestly wouldn't want anyone to miss out on figuring things out as they go along.
As with the first two, the plot is action packed and the writing is excellent. Kembral is a great protagonist, not perfect, but she cares so much for everyone and everything around her. She's stubborn and courageous, but just thinks of all of it as doing her job. She doesn't want anything except to raise her daughter, do her job well and come home to the woman she loves. She's got a strong voice, and a sense of humor that had me laughing out loud more than once, and she's just as awkward and unsure when it comes to interpersonal relationships as she is skilled at navigating the Echoes and facing down her enemies. Her personality drives the entire trilogy and it's a great one.
The romance between she and Rika is incredibly sweet and it's nice to see a relationship in a fantasy book where the two protagonists are absolutely totally in love with one another and determined not to let any stupid bullshit get between them, including their own insecurities. They work together to figure their shit out. The first two book were for them working through some of their more serious issues (Rika's literally cosmic overprotectiveness and Kembral's reluctance to ever ask for help or admit that there's anything wrong with her), and this book is just about them figuring out how they can get the rest of the world to stop trying to fucking kill them so they can be together. I've liked them together since book one, and this book is the best one in terms of their relationship because no matter how they feel about the rest of the world and the external forces arrayed against them, they're absolutely sure of their feelings for each other. [insert heart eyes emoji lol]
Usually, even in books I like I can find something that irritates me, but in this one, I just can't.
To sum up, great ending to a great trilogy. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? Anyone who loves good fantasy (great worldbuilding? check; great supporting cast? check; great action scenes? check; swoonworthy romance? check) needs to check this out.
(The only thing that might be better than reading them is listening to them. Moira Quirk, she of the Locked Tomb and knower of every English dialect on the island, does the narration and they're great.)
And just a note to Melissa Caruso: if you feel like writing more of these, I'll be first in line to buy em.
August 29, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
4.5 stars/5 stars
I've loved all the previous books in this trilogy, and this was a fantastic and fitting conclusion to a series full of magic, parallel universes, humor, and horror. Once again Kembral is drawn into a potentially world-shattering plot with all level of Echoes, the god-like Empyreans, and this time, the Void itself. Along the way though, she also has to consider whether or not to propose to her half-Empyrean girlfriend Rika, who is also struggling with balancing her Empyrean side along with her own humanity.
As always, one of the strongest aspects of the novel was Kembral and Rika's relationship; they've traversed past the enemies-to-lovers part back in the first book, tackled handling Rika's past and Empyrean mother in full in the second, and now here's where things get serious and they figure out what being partners and Kembral being Rika's anchor now really means. They still tease and banter, as their Hound and Cat personalities clash and meld, but they always have each others backs and love each other deeply.
Besides Kembral and Rika though, all the side characters are a delight as always. Blair comes back in this book and is charmingly disarming as a Raven and trying their best. It wouldn't be an Echo Archives book without Jaycel and her hammy shenanigans while providing much needed firepower, and I was glad that Rai also reappeared, this time for once on Kembral's side. We also get much more of the Raven guild in this book, and we even get to sort of meet one of Kembral's Echoes! It's a charming cast that makes the world feel so much more lived in and real, and what a world. The Echoes are as twisty and eldritch as ever the deeper you go, but now we get much more into the Void and what a year-namer really means. There's less Prime guild politics this time around, but with all the Moon vs. Void plots going on, and so many different twisty betrayals, you won't miss that.
Definitely read this to get the ending to Kembral and Rika's story, and if you haven't checked out the series before, you really have to!
4.5 stars/5 stars
I've loved all the previous books in this trilogy, and this was a fantastic and fitting conclusion to a series full of magic, parallel universes, humor, and horror. Once again Kembral is drawn into a potentially world-shattering plot with all level of Echoes, the god-like Empyreans, and this time, the Void itself. Along the way though, she also has to consider whether or not to propose to her half-Empyrean girlfriend Rika, who is also struggling with balancing her Empyrean side along with her own humanity.
As always, one of the strongest aspects of the novel was Kembral and Rika's relationship; they've traversed past the enemies-to-lovers part back in the first book, tackled handling Rika's past and Empyrean mother in full in the second, and now here's where things get serious and they figure out what being partners and Kembral being Rika's anchor now really means. They still tease and banter, as their Hound and Cat personalities clash and meld, but they always have each others backs and love each other deeply.
Besides Kembral and Rika though, all the side characters are a delight as always. Blair comes back in this book and is charmingly disarming as a Raven and trying their best. It wouldn't be an Echo Archives book without Jaycel and her hammy shenanigans while providing much needed firepower, and I was glad that Rai also reappeared, this time for once on Kembral's side. We also get much more of the Raven guild in this book, and we even get to sort of meet one of Kembral's Echoes! It's a charming cast that makes the world feel so much more lived in and real, and what a world. The Echoes are as twisty and eldritch as ever the deeper you go, but now we get much more into the Void and what a year-namer really means. There's less Prime guild politics this time around, but with all the Moon vs. Void plots going on, and so many different twisty betrayals, you won't miss that.
Definitely read this to get the ending to Kembral and Rika's story, and if you haven't checked out the series before, you really have to!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Outstanding! Amazing! Wonderful! Encore!
I had a fantastic time with the third instalment of this series, though I didn't realise it was the last entry. I feel each book was stronger than the last and this one was the best of the three.
I loved the characters, especially Kembral and Rika, and I was rooting for everyone and invested in their lives, decisions, thoughts and praying they all made it to a happy ever after. I loved the development of the relationship between Kem and Rika, it felt natural and so I was fully invested in seeing them together and happy. How they worked together, both professionally and personally, I thought was lovely and they really compliment each other.
The side characters were also great to the point I would adore a Jaycel book (HINT HINT! Please! I'm begging!). The relationship between Jaycel and Blair I really liked, and I enjoyed seeing the characters again, and I really liked how chaotic Jaycel was. Especially how she seems to keep attracting Empyreans left, right and centre.
I also really liked how Emmi and Kem were in the story. I enjoyed seeing how Kem balanced motherhood along with her job and everything else going on. Seeing them together was heartwarming and adorable, they were always scenes I looked forward to.
The story was fantastic, I genuinely gasped out loud a few times and there were several nights I went to bed far too late because I got stuck with "just one more chapter" mentality. I was engrossed from the very beginning and I loved the way the story developed and the twists and turns. I also felt the ending was good and I enjoyed it's conclusion, it was satisfying and I felt wrapped everything up nicely.
The writing was great, the pace was good where everything moved along at a nice clip. Not too fast I got confused and felt things were rushed and not too slow where I got bored. I laughed out loud a few times as well which was a nice contrast to the emotional moments.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and it made me keen to reread from the start, as I feel I would appreciate the first book even more. I can't recommend both this book and the series enough, a fantastic read from start to finish.
Outstanding! Amazing! Wonderful! Encore!
I had a fantastic time with the third instalment of this series, though I didn't realise it was the last entry. I feel each book was stronger than the last and this one was the best of the three.
I loved the characters, especially Kembral and Rika, and I was rooting for everyone and invested in their lives, decisions, thoughts and praying they all made it to a happy ever after. I loved the development of the relationship between Kem and Rika, it felt natural and so I was fully invested in seeing them together and happy. How they worked together, both professionally and personally, I thought was lovely and they really compliment each other.
The side characters were also great to the point I would adore a Jaycel book (HINT HINT! Please! I'm begging!). The relationship between Jaycel and Blair I really liked, and I enjoyed seeing the characters again, and I really liked how chaotic Jaycel was. Especially how she seems to keep attracting Empyreans left, right and centre.
I also really liked how Emmi and Kem were in the story. I enjoyed seeing how Kem balanced motherhood along with her job and everything else going on. Seeing them together was heartwarming and adorable, they were always scenes I looked forward to.
The story was fantastic, I genuinely gasped out loud a few times and there were several nights I went to bed far too late because I got stuck with "just one more chapter" mentality. I was engrossed from the very beginning and I loved the way the story developed and the twists and turns. I also felt the ending was good and I enjoyed it's conclusion, it was satisfying and I felt wrapped everything up nicely.
The writing was great, the pace was good where everything moved along at a nice clip. Not too fast I got confused and felt things were rushed and not too slow where I got bored. I laughed out loud a few times as well which was a nice contrast to the emotional moments.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and it made me keen to reread from the start, as I feel I would appreciate the first book even more. I can't recommend both this book and the series enough, a fantastic read from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely love this series. A different pace, with a great female lead who knows how to use her sword and strengths, while also carving out a normal life with her baby daughter when she’s off the job.
Kim, Rika are back in the third instalment of a fantasy adventure and mystery. Again battling monsters as they try work out what’s going on in order to save the day as catastrophe is looming in the world and the multilayered echo.
All while Kem is juggling this with trying to finding time to spend with her rapidly growing daughter, and struggling with her feelings and wishes towards her girl friend Rika.
Kem staying alive would also help, because just yo add to her problems someone is trying to kill her; which messes up her echoes no end.
Things don’t look good, but Kem is Year Namer, so she’s got HOPE! on her side, Rika to look after her back (yup, maybe don’t get in the way of Rika protecting Kem) and also an ancient (don’t ask how ancient, that’s not nice) dragon baby sitter who can knit many things (don’t disturb the knitting, you really won’t like the outcome) including really comfortable socks.
In reality the monsters are not Kem’s biggest problem. It’s not breaking her heart as she tries to find the future she’s hoping for. She’s not always good finding the right words, but she’s willing to put her heart on the line (if very nervously).
Start reading and HOPE! for the perfect ending.
Reading the first two books will give you lots of love, romance, monsters, battles, many weird echo levels, and hours of reading joy, and of course set the scene for this one.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Kim, Rika are back in the third instalment of a fantasy adventure and mystery. Again battling monsters as they try work out what’s going on in order to save the day as catastrophe is looming in the world and the multilayered echo.
All while Kem is juggling this with trying to finding time to spend with her rapidly growing daughter, and struggling with her feelings and wishes towards her girl friend Rika.
Kem staying alive would also help, because just yo add to her problems someone is trying to kill her; which messes up her echoes no end.
Things don’t look good, but Kem is Year Namer, so she’s got HOPE! on her side, Rika to look after her back (yup, maybe don’t get in the way of Rika protecting Kem) and also an ancient (don’t ask how ancient, that’s not nice) dragon baby sitter who can knit many things (don’t disturb the knitting, you really won’t like the outcome) including really comfortable socks.
In reality the monsters are not Kem’s biggest problem. It’s not breaking her heart as she tries to find the future she’s hoping for. She’s not always good finding the right words, but she’s willing to put her heart on the line (if very nervously).
Start reading and HOPE! for the perfect ending.
Reading the first two books will give you lots of love, romance, monsters, battles, many weird echo levels, and hours of reading joy, and of course set the scene for this one.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read The Last Hour Between Worlds twice in one year because I was such a fan so you could say that the ending of this trilogy was pretty important to me. Thankfully, you could also say that I was pretty (read: really) pleased with this conclusion. The Last Star in the Void is everything I want to see in the conclusion of a trilogy: stakes got raised, we got to revisit old friends and there was lots of fun (and plenty of time in the echos). It can be hard to add new characters in the last book in a series but some of the newbies were so so much fun!
I’m sad that this is the end of the journey for Kembral and Rika (I assume) but I’m so happy with how it all ended. I’ve really enjoyed this series and in particular this book. I think that Caruso does a good job of balancing heavy moments with lighter ones filled with friendship and the world feels fleshed out. It’s hard to review The Last Star in the Void in a vacuum (or void (sorry)) but I think it’s fair to say that fans of The Echo Archives will be more than satisfied (maybe even delighted) with this conclusion. I might not be planning on rereading this book this year, but this will be a series I come back to again and again.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC exchange for my honest review. 4.5 rounded up to 5.
I’m sad that this is the end of the journey for Kembral and Rika (I assume) but I’m so happy with how it all ended. I’ve really enjoyed this series and in particular this book. I think that Caruso does a good job of balancing heavy moments with lighter ones filled with friendship and the world feels fleshed out. It’s hard to review The Last Star in the Void in a vacuum (or void (sorry)) but I think it’s fair to say that fans of The Echo Archives will be more than satisfied (maybe even delighted) with this conclusion. I might not be planning on rereading this book this year, but this will be a series I come back to again and again.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this ARC exchange for my honest review. 4.5 rounded up to 5.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wrapping up the trilogy, The Last Star in the Void takes Kembral Thorne on an even deeper journey through worlds, solving an even more gripping mystery--arguably the one that the whole series has been leading to, and reaching new levels in her personal relationship with Rika. Anyone who enjoyed the first two books of the series, will likely be as pleased as I was with the way The Echo Archives resolves. And those who enjoy a fantasy mystery with quirky characters and alternate worlds, but have waited until the series is complete and binge-able, your time has come with the publication of this conclusion to the series.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I can not believe this series is over. I have absolutely adored this series. This book was such an incredible conclusion. I smiled so many times while reading this, which I needed right now. I feel like
Melissa Caruso is such an incredible writer. She knows how to create complex characters that readers will never forget. The ending of the book was just pure happiness. I truly hope that we will see these characters again. But I'm also excited to read another book or series by her in the future. I will be re-listening to this series again. I highly recommend this series!
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Caruso, and Orbit for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Melissa Caruso is such an incredible writer. She knows how to create complex characters that readers will never forget. The ending of the book was just pure happiness. I truly hope that we will see these characters again. But I'm also excited to read another book or series by her in the future. I will be re-listening to this series again. I highly recommend this series!
Thank you to NetGalley, Melissa Caruso, and Orbit for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC!
4.5 stars. A solid ending to the Echo Archives trilogy. It was a delight as always to follow Kembral on another fantastical Echo adventure, accompanied by Rika, Jaycel, and a fun new Empyrean. The pacing ramped up considerably from the halfway point to the thrilling end, and it was sweet to see Kembral and Rika work out their uncertainties about their relationship. Although the first book was still the most unique to me, I had a lot of fun reading the entire trilogy and definitely recommend it!
4.5 stars. A solid ending to the Echo Archives trilogy. It was a delight as always to follow Kembral on another fantastical Echo adventure, accompanied by Rika, Jaycel, and a fun new Empyrean. The pacing ramped up considerably from the halfway point to the thrilling end, and it was sweet to see Kembral and Rika work out their uncertainties about their relationship. Although the first book was still the most unique to me, I had a lot of fun reading the entire trilogy and definitely recommend it!
September 14, 2026
I'm a sucker for a third entry in a trilogy that is willing to go hard in the paint to raise the stakes, bring together lore and characters from the previous books, and just straight up get weird with it. Like bizzare talking squirrels, and having to solve your own murder. We get both Rika and Kembral seriously reckoning with their relationship as they try to keep one step ahead of Kembral's possible murderers, and a truly goddamn adorable climax moment for the two of them. Highly recommended trilogy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Last Star in the Void is a gripping, all-too-soon conclusion to the vividly-imagined and perfectly-executed Echo Archives series. It's everything I wanted and more in a series finisher.
The story is a page-turner from start to finish, much like the previous ones. From the moment Kembral begins to solve her own murder, I was on the edge of my seat, such that I read it all at once without meaning to. Caruso is a master of pacing, and of creating a tense, frenetic, borderline desperate atmosphere. There's such a cinematic quality to her work; I really felt the sense of racing through time and space alongside Kem and co. I'd pay big money to see their story, and their world(s), on screen.
As much as I love the mystery and the characters, it's that world - the idea of the Echoes - that blows me away each time, and this book takes it to some exciting places. As the team journeys through the layers, we see some now-familiar but still fascinating Echo quirks, along with plenty that's brand-new, very weird, and just the right amount of scary. I'd read about this world endlessly, and I hope that Caruso will return to it in the future.
But all good things must come to an end, I suppose, and The Last Star in the Void really delivers as a conclusion. It's got the biggest stakes yet, with all of reality in Kem's hands, and she's got more to lose than ever - not just Emmi and her friends, but now Rika, too. I love their relationship, and it's really satisfying to see them work together to solve the mystery and save the day. They learn to trust and rely on each other, and to accept themselves as they are, and it's all very sweet and heartwarming. The conclusion to their story is utterly perfect, down to the smallest of details. It's just so good - so competent - on every level.
The Last Star in the Void is easily one of the best books I've read this year. While I'm devastated that it concludes the Echo Archives series, I can't wait to read more from Melissa Caruso!
The story is a page-turner from start to finish, much like the previous ones. From the moment Kembral begins to solve her own murder, I was on the edge of my seat, such that I read it all at once without meaning to. Caruso is a master of pacing, and of creating a tense, frenetic, borderline desperate atmosphere. There's such a cinematic quality to her work; I really felt the sense of racing through time and space alongside Kem and co. I'd pay big money to see their story, and their world(s), on screen.
As much as I love the mystery and the characters, it's that world - the idea of the Echoes - that blows me away each time, and this book takes it to some exciting places. As the team journeys through the layers, we see some now-familiar but still fascinating Echo quirks, along with plenty that's brand-new, very weird, and just the right amount of scary. I'd read about this world endlessly, and I hope that Caruso will return to it in the future.
But all good things must come to an end, I suppose, and The Last Star in the Void really delivers as a conclusion. It's got the biggest stakes yet, with all of reality in Kem's hands, and she's got more to lose than ever - not just Emmi and her friends, but now Rika, too. I love their relationship, and it's really satisfying to see them work together to solve the mystery and save the day. They learn to trust and rely on each other, and to accept themselves as they are, and it's all very sweet and heartwarming. The conclusion to their story is utterly perfect, down to the smallest of details. It's just so good - so competent - on every level.
The Last Star in the Void is easily one of the best books I've read this year. While I'm devastated that it concludes the Echo Archives series, I can't wait to read more from Melissa Caruso!
September 3, 2026
A brilliant conclusion to this fantasy mystery series, with truly one of the most unique worlds I’ve ever read.
Kembral and Rika have a compelling and realistic relationship dynamic and it was so satisfying to watch it grow and develop over the last 3 books.
Sad it’s over but what a great ending!
4.5 stars.
Kembral and Rika have a compelling and realistic relationship dynamic and it was so satisfying to watch it grow and develop over the last 3 books.
Sad it’s over but what a great ending!
4.5 stars.
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