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The Echoing
Rylee has an unusual gift. It brings good luck to those who are kind to her and misfortune to those who are not--at least, that's what the crazy woman in the woods tells her. But Rylee doesn't believe it until strange coincidences start happening to her classmates and friends. Her gift may not be a matter of luck but of life and death.
- GenresYoung Adult
224 pages, Perfect Paperback
Published August 9, 2016
3 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Blackburn
4 books23 followersJessica Blackburn is nestled in the beautiful Columbia Gorge with her husband and two littles that pack her home with magical chaos. When she’s not spilling her imagination into writing, Jessica spends her spare time eating any salty snack she can find in the pantry and exploring deeper into her faith. Jessica studied at Brigham Young University--Idaho and graduated from her local community college with an Associate of Arts Degree.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 10, 2016
A story with flowing descriptions that make you see and feel the story unfold before you. It leaves you thinking long after the story ends. It is original with a brief touch of mythology and biblical connections.
The ending of the story is utterly genius!
When I first started reading it, I noticed all the descriptions but didn’t really get to see into Rylee’s personality only what she saw in others. But as I read on I noticed that that is who she is. She is selfless and humble.
Rylee is in high school. She watches how people treat others. She notices the good in people. When she stumbles into an old woman with white covered eyes offering her a chance to be a “balancer” by looking into a mirror, she is first hesitant but then does what the woman says by looking into a mirror made of black onyx. When she does, she knows nothing will be the same anymore. She also notices a man staring back at her in the reflection. She screams and drops the mirror shattering it. From then on, everything is different! However someone treats Rylee, they get the same immediate treatment in return. Like the man she has always known who always helped others, stopped to help her fix her flat tire. The next day she hears that he won this large sum of money. She tests her theory on some bullies in school and they are given a hilarious karma treatment!
But with great gifts comes great responsibility! (Yes, I stole the words) When a man starts stalking her and threatening her things change once again. Her choices will have lasting consequences. I read it fast because I wanted to know where the writer was taking us. What would happen? I couldn’t read it fast enough! I cried! I smiled at her cute little brother! I swooned over her boyfriend!
If you want a book with just a touch of romance and that relationship is not what the book is about; some biblical references, mythological references; suspense, immortals, karma, waterfalls, sacrifices for the greater good, some death, painting, great friends, dogs, woods, good vs. evil, than this might be for you!
The ending of the story is utterly genius!
When I first started reading it, I noticed all the descriptions but didn’t really get to see into Rylee’s personality only what she saw in others. But as I read on I noticed that that is who she is. She is selfless and humble.
Rylee is in high school. She watches how people treat others. She notices the good in people. When she stumbles into an old woman with white covered eyes offering her a chance to be a “balancer” by looking into a mirror, she is first hesitant but then does what the woman says by looking into a mirror made of black onyx. When she does, she knows nothing will be the same anymore. She also notices a man staring back at her in the reflection. She screams and drops the mirror shattering it. From then on, everything is different! However someone treats Rylee, they get the same immediate treatment in return. Like the man she has always known who always helped others, stopped to help her fix her flat tire. The next day she hears that he won this large sum of money. She tests her theory on some bullies in school and they are given a hilarious karma treatment!
But with great gifts comes great responsibility! (Yes, I stole the words) When a man starts stalking her and threatening her things change once again. Her choices will have lasting consequences. I read it fast because I wanted to know where the writer was taking us. What would happen? I couldn’t read it fast enough! I cried! I smiled at her cute little brother! I swooned over her boyfriend!
If you want a book with just a touch of romance and that relationship is not what the book is about; some biblical references, mythological references; suspense, immortals, karma, waterfalls, sacrifices for the greater good, some death, painting, great friends, dogs, woods, good vs. evil, than this might be for you!
August 18, 2016
I am impressed that this is Jessica Blackburn's debut book. I thought that it was put together very well. I liked her characters, the setting, and the premise of the book. She did a wonderful job at capturing my attention and keeping me invested in the story.
The book is about a high school student, Rylee. She takes a walk with her dog and comes across an old woman living out in the woods in a run down shack. The encounter changes her life. She finds that when someone does something bad to her, they have immediate "karma". Same thing for good deeds, the have an immediate reward. This is a burden that is had for a young woman to deal with and it quickly puts her friends and family in danger.
The book has romance. I like Merritt. He is the perfect boyfriend for her. It helps that they have know each other since childhood. He believes in her and accepts her. Her BFF is also a pretty great character, it would have been nice to see a little more of her in the story.
This book was clean with some kissing. It also deals with some tough issues. One of them is death and putting yourself at risk to protect the people you care about.
The book is about a high school student, Rylee. She takes a walk with her dog and comes across an old woman living out in the woods in a run down shack. The encounter changes her life. She finds that when someone does something bad to her, they have immediate "karma". Same thing for good deeds, the have an immediate reward. This is a burden that is had for a young woman to deal with and it quickly puts her friends and family in danger.
The book has romance. I like Merritt. He is the perfect boyfriend for her. It helps that they have know each other since childhood. He believes in her and accepts her. Her BFF is also a pretty great character, it would have been nice to see a little more of her in the story.
This book was clean with some kissing. It also deals with some tough issues. One of them is death and putting yourself at risk to protect the people you care about.
August 13, 2016
Conceptually, I really loved this book. What a fantastic premise! It was what kept me reading when the execution was frustrating me. I really wanted to know what was going to happen and how everything was going to be resolved.
Everything was there in this book. The characters, the setting, the whole concept. This had the potential to be a fantastic book but for me there a disconnect in emotion. While I knew situations were sad or tense, I didn't feel it like I wanted to. I needed the words to be more than words. It may have been the first person POV that made this one tougher for me.
But, like I said, the whole concept of this book was fantastic. The book had a good, steady build and the ending climax was a page turner. I was always pressing forward because I wanted to know more.
This book is targeted to a YA audience and it is clean. That is a huge bonus in my opinion. It's tough to find books of this nature that are clean and you can pass of to your teenagers without worry.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Everything was there in this book. The characters, the setting, the whole concept. This had the potential to be a fantastic book but for me there a disconnect in emotion. While I knew situations were sad or tense, I didn't feel it like I wanted to. I needed the words to be more than words. It may have been the first person POV that made this one tougher for me.
But, like I said, the whole concept of this book was fantastic. The book had a good, steady build and the ending climax was a page turner. I was always pressing forward because I wanted to know more.
This book is targeted to a YA audience and it is clean. That is a huge bonus in my opinion. It's tough to find books of this nature that are clean and you can pass of to your teenagers without worry.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
August 8, 2016
Writing a book review about a beautifully written book is like attempting to replicate a slam dunk in order to describe one I saw on ESPN by a NBA player. It's not really fair for me to use my limited vocabulary and run-on sentences to try to let future readers understand what they are in for. But I'll give it a go!
The Echoing will draw you in because of the characters. You'll wish you were Rylee just so you could know the characters she is surrounded with. They are charming, funny, witty, original, and just so genuinely good. A large theme in this book is finding goodness in others or situations, and you'll find yourself wanting to be as good as a person as some of the characters. But that's just a happy by-product. For me personally, I really loved the characters. But the thrilling storyline keeps you eagerly flipping through the pages, laughing and crying a little in public while you steal a few more pages when you should probably be doing something else. You might find yourself considering if it is safe to drive and read. It's not. So commit yourself to making safe decisions before you begin the book. :) Fortunately it's a relatively fast read so you'll eventually be forced to go back to real life anyway.
I hate bringing up Twilight, because I'm a little embarrassed I read all the books, but I have to say it's kind of like if Twilight wasn't obnoxious and if the characters where likable this is what you would get. In the Echoing you kind of get to have that guilty reading candy with fun characters a lot of "what would I do if....", but with the byproduct of benefiting something after reading it. You feel comfort in love and loss and you are inspired to show kindness more. I will probably be buying this one several times as a gift for my adult friends and their teenage kids.
"Search for the sunlight in everything, Rylee. There will always be moments of greatness in life that make all the bad worth it."
The Echoing will draw you in because of the characters. You'll wish you were Rylee just so you could know the characters she is surrounded with. They are charming, funny, witty, original, and just so genuinely good. A large theme in this book is finding goodness in others or situations, and you'll find yourself wanting to be as good as a person as some of the characters. But that's just a happy by-product. For me personally, I really loved the characters. But the thrilling storyline keeps you eagerly flipping through the pages, laughing and crying a little in public while you steal a few more pages when you should probably be doing something else. You might find yourself considering if it is safe to drive and read. It's not. So commit yourself to making safe decisions before you begin the book. :) Fortunately it's a relatively fast read so you'll eventually be forced to go back to real life anyway.
I hate bringing up Twilight, because I'm a little embarrassed I read all the books, but I have to say it's kind of like if Twilight wasn't obnoxious and if the characters where likable this is what you would get. In the Echoing you kind of get to have that guilty reading candy with fun characters a lot of "what would I do if....", but with the byproduct of benefiting something after reading it. You feel comfort in love and loss and you are inspired to show kindness more. I will probably be buying this one several times as a gift for my adult friends and their teenage kids.
"Search for the sunlight in everything, Rylee. There will always be moments of greatness in life that make all the bad worth it."
August 12, 2016
Jessica Blackburn has written an exciting, fun, and thrilling story in her debut novel, The Echoing. It is about a young women, Rylee, and after an incident in the woods with an old woman, weird things start to happen. Depending on how people treat her good or bad things happen to them. In her novel, Jessica does an excellent job of capturing the attention of her readers from page one as she digs into their raw emotions and they become attached and involved in the development of the characters and the story. Teens especially will pick up this novel and not want to put it down until the very end.
Genre: contemporary, young adult, fantasy, paranormal
Publisher: Bonneville, a division of Cedar Fort Publishing
Publication date: August 1, 2016
Number of pages: 224
Category: Junior High+
Content Rating: PG, briefly mentioned LDS content, light paranormal activity
Book Rating: 5 stars
A review copy of this novel was provided by Cedar Fort.
Genre: contemporary, young adult, fantasy, paranormal
Publisher: Bonneville, a division of Cedar Fort Publishing
Publication date: August 1, 2016
Number of pages: 224
Category: Junior High+
Content Rating: PG, briefly mentioned LDS content, light paranormal activity
Book Rating: 5 stars
A review copy of this novel was provided by Cedar Fort.
February 25, 2017
One of the best books I've read in awhile. Such a fun read! It is the story of Rylee, a girl who has a special gift. It brings good luck to those who are kind to her and misfortune to those who are not.
September 1, 2016
Because... Five stars are just so pretty
August 20, 2016
The Echoing, by Jessica Blackburn, was a book that got better and better as it went along. It is a YA fiction novel that centers around a teenage girl named Rylee, who one day while taking a walk with her dog, encounters a strange blind woman in a hut. She introduces Rylee to a great gift she possesses, and gives her the choice to unlock this gift. Rylee makes that choice, and her life starts to change.
The concept of karma in this book is really interesting. Rylee has the power to bring good luck to those who are kind to her, and bad luck to those who aren’t. As she learns more and more about her gift, though, and continues to encounter the mysterious old woman, she realizes there is much more to her gift than she thought. She can’t help everyone she loves in the ways she wants, and there is one who would do anything to get access to her gift.
Rylee’s character was well-developed over all. It was clear the type of person she was, and though likable, she had noticeable faults, making her more believable and easy to relate to.
This book has everything that a reader would want – romance, friendship, cruelty, evil, courage, and suspense. I must say, some of the last events of the book were brilliantly written. I did feel the suspense, the danger, the burdens, and the heartache. Once an adversary was introduced to the story, as well as more understanding of the old woman, the book really took hold on me.
The Echoing is definitely worth reading, but for me, it wasn’t perfect. For the author’s and readers’ benefit, I wish to share what I didn’t like about the book as well:
The book began with a short prologue that was surprisingly spiritual, and I couldn’t figure out why it was there. After reading the book and going back to it, I get it, but I think there was a better option for the prologue. I think introducing us to the supernatural – perhaps the characters of Esther and Nathaniel, would have been a great way to foreshadow events in the book. Instead, I felt like the supernatural aspect was thrown in out of nowhere.
Some of the characters in the book were too perfect. I can’t think of any real flaws in Rylee’s mother or her childhood friend, Merritt. They were really admirable characters, but would have been much more believable had they had faults to overcome.
Shyler was Rylee’s best friend in the book, and happened to be a Mormon. While I admire the author’s courage in sharing her beliefs in a book setting, I felt that it was really random. Shyler being Mormon didn’t affect Rylee’s decisions or life in any noticeable way, so was thus irrelevant to the story. It felt forced. I also thought it very strange that a devout Mormon would be so attracted to the bad boy of the school, especially based on the way he treated her best friend. That didn’t work for me.
Once things started to get really dangerous and intense for Rylee, her character suddenly stopped acting like a teenager. Surely she would become more mature going through what she did, but she should still have had some characteristics of a teen to remind the reader who she really is.
Overall, I recommend reading this book. I think teens will love it, especially the girls. They will undoubtedly fall head over heels for Merritt, and be connected to Rylee.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The concept of karma in this book is really interesting. Rylee has the power to bring good luck to those who are kind to her, and bad luck to those who aren’t. As she learns more and more about her gift, though, and continues to encounter the mysterious old woman, she realizes there is much more to her gift than she thought. She can’t help everyone she loves in the ways she wants, and there is one who would do anything to get access to her gift.
Rylee’s character was well-developed over all. It was clear the type of person she was, and though likable, she had noticeable faults, making her more believable and easy to relate to.
This book has everything that a reader would want – romance, friendship, cruelty, evil, courage, and suspense. I must say, some of the last events of the book were brilliantly written. I did feel the suspense, the danger, the burdens, and the heartache. Once an adversary was introduced to the story, as well as more understanding of the old woman, the book really took hold on me.
The Echoing is definitely worth reading, but for me, it wasn’t perfect. For the author’s and readers’ benefit, I wish to share what I didn’t like about the book as well:
The book began with a short prologue that was surprisingly spiritual, and I couldn’t figure out why it was there. After reading the book and going back to it, I get it, but I think there was a better option for the prologue. I think introducing us to the supernatural – perhaps the characters of Esther and Nathaniel, would have been a great way to foreshadow events in the book. Instead, I felt like the supernatural aspect was thrown in out of nowhere.
Some of the characters in the book were too perfect. I can’t think of any real flaws in Rylee’s mother or her childhood friend, Merritt. They were really admirable characters, but would have been much more believable had they had faults to overcome.
Shyler was Rylee’s best friend in the book, and happened to be a Mormon. While I admire the author’s courage in sharing her beliefs in a book setting, I felt that it was really random. Shyler being Mormon didn’t affect Rylee’s decisions or life in any noticeable way, so was thus irrelevant to the story. It felt forced. I also thought it very strange that a devout Mormon would be so attracted to the bad boy of the school, especially based on the way he treated her best friend. That didn’t work for me.
Once things started to get really dangerous and intense for Rylee, her character suddenly stopped acting like a teenager. Surely she would become more mature going through what she did, but she should still have had some characteristics of a teen to remind the reader who she really is.
Overall, I recommend reading this book. I think teens will love it, especially the girls. They will undoubtedly fall head over heels for Merritt, and be connected to Rylee.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 2, 2016
I couldn't get my hands on our paper copy (son, daughter, and husband kidnapped it) so I finally got to read this book after getting an electronic copy. It was a great story, and I'm glad I didn't wait to read it. The beginning and middle were pretty mellow, but the end accelerates to an exciting climax with surprises and twists. It is a unique story and showcases the beautiful Columbia Gorge. There are numerous sensory descriptions that make things easy to picture. My 12-year-old son and teen daughter both liked this book, but it would appeal to adults too. It is clean with some tame kissing and mild violence.
December 30, 2022
My mind was BLOWN AWAY.
The book took turns in ways I thought were not possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is the story of Rylee, a girl who has a special gift. It brings good luck to those who are kind to her and misfortune to those who are not.
I finished this at 3 AM, and I couldn't sleep that night. LEFT ME SHOCKED.
{SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
The hermit woman creeped me out a lot, but once I found out the hidden goodness, and kindness inside of her, it made me regret my emotions. It took a while to get to the plot, but the rollercoaster of emotions this book gave me made up for everything. The way the author described Merrit, and how sweet he is made me fall in love with him. The way Merrit expresses his love for Rylee is incredibly sweet. There are many heartbreaking moments, but just as many loving ones too. Overall, great book if you are into crazy plots, and unexpected turns.
The book took turns in ways I thought were not possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is the story of Rylee, a girl who has a special gift. It brings good luck to those who are kind to her and misfortune to those who are not.
I finished this at 3 AM, and I couldn't sleep that night. LEFT ME SHOCKED.
{SLIGHT SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!}
The hermit woman creeped me out a lot, but once I found out the hidden goodness, and kindness inside of her, it made me regret my emotions. It took a while to get to the plot, but the rollercoaster of emotions this book gave me made up for everything. The way the author described Merrit, and how sweet he is made me fall in love with him. The way Merrit expresses his love for Rylee is incredibly sweet. There are many heartbreaking moments, but just as many loving ones too. Overall, great book if you are into crazy plots, and unexpected turns.
March 21, 2017
2.5 Stars
THE ECHOING was about a girl who struggles after finding out that she has a special role while also dealing with boys and a family in turmoil. The romance was sweet and the paranormal aspects unique. Those who enjoy YA with a twist may enjoy this one.
This was one of those reads that was really good in parts and not so good in others. I honestly struggled with parts of it. I really liked Rylee's friend and her family, but I also felt like a lot of the characters were so flat. My favorite part would have to be Rylee's relationship with Merritt. It was sweet and there was a solid friendship from when they were kids that formed a foundation for them. There were also some really tender scenes and I felt like they were probably the best formed characters.
The fantasy/paranormal aspects didn't quite click for me. I followed everything, but I didn't completely buy it. There were also some places where the dialogue or story didn't flow well, where it was choppy or when something was phrased in a way a teenager or character would never word it. There were also a few places where it felt like something had been edited out, but the story didn't reflect that edit the whole way through so that the reader could understand certain references.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a so-so read for me. I really liked parts of it and I actually liked quite a few of the characters, but then other areas were lacking for me. In the end, I wanted a lot more from this story.
Content: Some mild violence and innuendo, but clean.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.
THE ECHOING was about a girl who struggles after finding out that she has a special role while also dealing with boys and a family in turmoil. The romance was sweet and the paranormal aspects unique. Those who enjoy YA with a twist may enjoy this one.
This was one of those reads that was really good in parts and not so good in others. I honestly struggled with parts of it. I really liked Rylee's friend and her family, but I also felt like a lot of the characters were so flat. My favorite part would have to be Rylee's relationship with Merritt. It was sweet and there was a solid friendship from when they were kids that formed a foundation for them. There were also some really tender scenes and I felt like they were probably the best formed characters.
The fantasy/paranormal aspects didn't quite click for me. I followed everything, but I didn't completely buy it. There were also some places where the dialogue or story didn't flow well, where it was choppy or when something was phrased in a way a teenager or character would never word it. There were also a few places where it felt like something had been edited out, but the story didn't reflect that edit the whole way through so that the reader could understand certain references.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was a so-so read for me. I really liked parts of it and I actually liked quite a few of the characters, but then other areas were lacking for me. In the end, I wanted a lot more from this story.
Content: Some mild violence and innuendo, but clean.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.
September 8, 2017
Rylee finds she has an unusual gift that impacts her life in monumental ways. She can bring good luck to those who treat her kindly and misfortune to those who don't. This story makes you think about the consequences of our actions. We all have the ability to turn kind deeds done to us into good deeds done for others and visa versa. We don't have to be given a special gift. This is a pretty good story.
BUT... It was a very difficult read: awkward sentences, ie. "the sleeve of the coat was turned inside" etc. Way too many descriptive words. That made it hard to slog thru the first chapter. Jessica has talent for good story ideas but she really needs a really good editor!
BUT... It was a very difficult read: awkward sentences, ie. "the sleeve of the coat was turned inside" etc. Way too many descriptive words. That made it hard to slog thru the first chapter. Jessica has talent for good story ideas but she really needs a really good editor!
October 8, 2016
Ok so this book has a little bit of just about all that I require in a book! A lil romance, a lil suspense, a lil fantasy, a lil portrayal reality. Was definitely a quick read. I want more! The ending leaves off to be either a single or room for a second book... Harrison put down that rock!!!!!!!!!
November 30, 2016
I don't read a lot of YA books, and this one was just okay for me. I liked the idea of the kharma echoing back on others and the links between all the characters. The characters I never totally connected with so some of the emotionalness didn't hit me. Maybe that was because I don't read a lot of YA? I still thought the book was okay, but not very memorable.
September 28, 2016
Loved it! Jessica has a talent for writing a story, a compelling story, that grabs you from the first paragraph. I love mysteries, and this book did not disappoint! Keep writing Jessica!
January 2, 2017
A great book from a first time published writer!
July 25, 2017
A great debut from a new author! It was a little too wordy for my taste - very, very descriptive. But the story was interesting!
March 7, 2023
I really liked it. What else is there to say?
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews