Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood

by Angel R. Sánchez

What happens when twelve storytellers unleash their darkest visions?
You don’t just read it. You experience it.
Echoes of the Forgotten is a multi-author folk horror collection designed to stay with you long after the final page.
12 Authors. 12 Books. Zero escape.

Blackwood -

For more than three hundred years, a curse has haunted Jess and Kathy’s bloodline. After their father’s death, they return to Blackwood Hollow expecting grief and old memories, only to find something far worse waiting for them.

At the center of it all is the witch who nearly destroyed their family long ago. Now, with the help of a handful of locals, Jess and Kathy must uncover the truth, break the curse, and face the evil waiting in the shadows.

But Blackwood Hollow was built on buried secrets, and the truth is far more brutal than they ever imagined.

Make sure to check out the rest of the books in the Echoes of the Forgotten collection. You don’t want to miss them!!

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 12, 2026

About the author

Angel R. Sánchez is a passionate storyteller who weaves mystery, adventure, and emotion into every page. Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, his love for ancient legends and stories of human resilience inspired him to dream of worlds where courage and hope defy the limits of the possible.

After publishing his first works in Spanish, Linajes (2014), the poetry collection Katharsis, and the anthology Coleccionando Cuentos, co-written with his best friend, Víctor L. Miranda, life took him on a long detour away from writing. For years, he stepped back from his passion, balancing work and family while carrying stories quietly within him.

In 2025, Angel returned to the page with renewed purpose, making his English-language debut with The Real Monster. This novel not only reignited his literary journey but also launched his shared horror universe, The Mortal Coil.

Through vivid storytelling and emotional depth, Ángel invites readers to cross invisible thresholds, confront the unknown, and discover pieces of themselves within each tale. His inspiration springs from everyday life, myths hidden in plain sight, and his firm belief that imagination knows no boundaries.

Above all, Angel is a husband and the proud father of an amazing autistic daughter. Beyond the books, he’s a regular guy who works as an industrial machine operator and, like so many others, does his best every day to keep his family strong and cared for.

Prepare to lose yourself in unforgettable adventures... and perhaps, to find yourself along the way.

Reviews

[Renee collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to thank the author for letting me read this ARC copy of the book. Wow I came into this book blind and haven’t read anything by this author before. The setting is erie and it follows a story of Mercy Blackwood who was accused of witch craft. The action was well written and the creep factor is 10/10 for me. I will be sharing this read with all my book lovers and horror addicts.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood
By Angel R. Sanchez
Publisher: Broken Spine
Published: June 12, 2026
ASIN: B0GZ1GL5TH
Page Count: 180

Triggers: Witch burning, fire-related death, grief, family trauma, religious horror, gore, body horror, reanimated corpses, psychological manipulation, demonic imagery, attempted sexual assault, victim-blaming, trauma related to sexual violence

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skull Dread Rating: ☠️☠️☠️

Favorite Line:
“Mercy was not born a witch. We made her one.”

And honestly? A line like that is basically an automatic read-the-author-forever situation for me.

What Did I Just Walk Into?
A cursed bloodline, a town drowning in secrets, nightmare fuel wrapped in folk horror vibes, and enough creepy atmosphere to make you side-eye every dark patch of woods for the next week. Blackwood Hollow feels like the kind of place where nobody should stop for gas, let alone move back to settle family affairs. Naturally, Jess and Kathy do exactly that.

Here’s What Slapped:
This book understood the assignment. The setting is eerie as hell from the very beginning. The whole story carries this heavy, rotting feeling like the town itself is holding its breath waiting for something terrible to crawl out of the shadows. And honestly? It delivers.

Mercy Blackwood’s story lingers over everything like smoke that never clears. The curse storyline could have easily gone predictable, but the way the horror unfolds keeps escalating into increasingly unsettling territory. The nightmares, the visions, the family history, the things moving where they absolutely should not be moving… yeah, this one kept the tension high the entire time.

The imagery deserves serious credit because some scenes were so vivid I could practically smell the ash and decay. The gore and body horror moments hit hard without feeling thrown in just for shock value. There’s a brutal emotional layer underneath all the supernatural chaos that gives the story weight beyond just creepy visuals.

Also, this novella moves. There’s no wandering around waiting 200 pages for something spooky to happen. The horror kicks in early and keeps stomping on the gas.

What Could’ve Been Better:
I honestly just wanted more time in Blackwood Hollow because this world was creepy enough to deserve an even longer stay. Which feels rude of me considering the town would absolutely kill me.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Folk horror, cursed bloodlines, haunted towns, witches, grim family secrets, creepy forests, and horror that feels damp, smoky, and deeply wrong.


Book Series:
Echoes of the Forgotten: Web of Malevolence
Part of: Echoes of the Forgotten (5 books)
By PD Alleva

Echoes of the Forgotten: The Last Exposure
Part of: Echoes of the Forgotten (5 books)
By Shaylynn Ryan

Echoes of the Forgotten: Warden Tree
Part of: Echoes of the Forgotten (5 books)
By Tiffany Royster

Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood
Part of: Echoes of the Forgotten (5 books)
By Angel R. Sanchez

Echos of the Forgotten: Curse of the Blue Bloods
Part of: Echoes of the Forgotten (5 books)
By Darcie Morin

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

[Charlene (Char) ❤︎ ❀˖° ❤︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏꜱᴘʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴅ. ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ʜᴏʀʀᴏʀ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢʀᴀʙꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴘᴀɢᴇ. ɪᴛ ᴜɴꜰᴏʟᴅꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ɢʀɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ, ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ʙᴜʀɪᴇᴅ ꜱᴇᴄʀᴇᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜꜱ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴡ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪꜱ ᴜɴᴍᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ! ɪ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴍʏꜱᴇʟꜰ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀꜱᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ, ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ꜱᴀɴɪᴛʏ. ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴꜱ ɪɴ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ʜɪꜱ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴄʀᴀꜰᴛ, ʏᴇᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋɪʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏ.

𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓸𝓻𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓭.

ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴏᴏᴅ, ᴀ ʟᴏᴄᴀʟ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀᴄᴄᴜꜱᴇᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴄʀᴀꜰᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇᴛ ᴀ ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ʜᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴀɢᴏ. ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅ ʜᴀꜱ ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ꜱᴘɪʀɪᴛ ɴᴏᴡ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇꜱɪᴅᴇɴᴛꜱ ᴏꜰ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴏᴏᴅ ʜᴏʟʟᴏᴡ, ᴀ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ ɪꜱʟᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱɪᴛꜱ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀʟᴇᴍ, ᴍᴀꜱꜱᴀᴄʜᴜꜱᴇᴛᴛꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴡɴꜱꜰᴏʟᴋ ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴜᴅᴅᴇɴ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ɪʟʟɴᴇꜱꜱᴇꜱ ᴘʟᴀɢᴜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ. ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴊᴇꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴀᴛʜʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱʜɪᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀꜱ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ᴘᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ ᴀꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ'ꜱ ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ. ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴜɴᴇʀᴀʟ, ᴀ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛꜱ ʙᴇɢɪɴꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴꜰᴏʟᴅ. ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴡɴꜱᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ. ᴍᴇʀᴄʏ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ꜱʜᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ ɪꜱ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴇ.

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴɢᴇʟ, ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʀᴄ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴘɪɴɪᴏɴꜱ ᴇxᴘʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ.

[Brandon Reviews Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC Review**
Author: Angel R. Sanchez
Book: Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood
Book Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: Horror

I want to thank Angel for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am really digging these Echoes of the Forgotten stories. This is the second one I’ve read, and it just proves to me how great this series is going to be. This is also my first book by Angel R. Sanchez, and I am eager to read his other works.

In Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood, we travel with sisters Jess and Kathy as they head back to their hometown, the Island of Blackwood Hollow, after the mysterious death of their father. When they attend their father’s funeral, they unknowingly unleash something that has remained trapped for over three hundred years.

This story was gripping and action-packed. The story opens with a bang and goes 100 MPH throughout the entire read-through. It was incredibly fun and kept me highly entertained throughout.

The writing style threw me for a loop a little bit, and it is one of the only complaints I have with the story. But other than that, this was a solid horror story that had a satisfying conclusion. But if you are one who wants a happy ending…then horror is not your cup of tea anyway.

You all need to check out Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood when it's released, as well as the other Echoes of the Forgotten stories. I can’t wait to continue with this series.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echoes of the Forgotten: Blackwood
by Angel R. Sánchez
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟(4.5 rounded up)

This is a spooky and non-stop exciting horror novella!

Jess and her sister Kathy are informed of their father’s passing, and they go back to Blackwood Hollow where he had been living to tie up loose ends. Once there, Jess immediately feels things are wrong and all sorts of horrors begin. She’s been having nightmares that feel very real. The sister's realize there’s been a curse on their bloodline for hundreds of years from a witch who won’t rest.

The book is very well written and the imagery is fantastic! It’s very detailed and I was able to picture all the mysterious, and hauntingly gruesome scenes.

I was lucky to get an arc of this entertaining horror novella! This is the second book that I’ve read from this author and he’s quickly rising up on my favorite list!

This is part of a multi-author series:
Echoes of the Forgotten

I’m looking forward to diving into other stories in this series as well.

**This books comes out June 12th and I definitely recommend the read!!**

[Amber Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

In typical Angel fashion, this novella is very fast paced and intense. I love that no matter what the subject matter is, Angel puts his own spin on it. This is the 5th book I have read by him and his voice always bleeds through in his writing.

Sisters Jess and Kathy have just lost their estranged father. They must now return to Blackwood for his funeral where almost immediately, things go awry. The entire town is terrified of an evil that they feel has now been unleashed and somehow Kathy and Jess are the key to stopping it.

This is a story of darkness, betrayal and cursed family lines. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think you will too!