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The Echo Room
The only thing worse than being locked in is facing what you locked out.
Rett Ward knows how to hide. He's had six years of practice at Walling Home, the state-run boarding school where he learned how to keep his head down to survive.
But when Rett wakes up locked in a small depot with no memory of how he got there, he can't hide. Not from the stranger in the next room. Or from the fact that there's someone else's blood on his jumpsuit.
Worse, every time he tries to escape, he wakes up right back where he started. Same day, same stranger, same bloodstained jumpsuit.
As memories start to surface, Rett realizes that the logo on the walls is familiar, the stranger isn't a stranger, and the blood on his jumpsuit belongs to someone--or something--banging on the door to get in.
Rett Ward knows how to hide. He's had six years of practice at Walling Home, the state-run boarding school where he learned how to keep his head down to survive.
But when Rett wakes up locked in a small depot with no memory of how he got there, he can't hide. Not from the stranger in the next room. Or from the fact that there's someone else's blood on his jumpsuit.
Worse, every time he tries to escape, he wakes up right back where he started. Same day, same stranger, same bloodstained jumpsuit.
As memories start to surface, Rett realizes that the logo on the walls is familiar, the stranger isn't a stranger, and the blood on his jumpsuit belongs to someone--or something--banging on the door to get in.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2018
75 people are currently reading
3501 people want to read
About the author
Parker Peevyhouse
3 books176 followersParker Peevyhouse is likely trying to solve a puzzle at this very moment, probably while enjoying In-N-Out fries, admiring redwood trees, and quoting movies about sentient robots. Parker's critically acclaimed collection of novellas, WHERE FUTURES END, was named a best book for teens by the New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, and Bank Street. Kirkus gave her science fiction puzzle-thriller, THE ECHO ROOM, a starred review, calling it "a thrilling ride." Her most recent novel is STRANGE EXIT, which Booklist called "compulsively readable" in another starred review. A former bookseller, Parker lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she currently works in education.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
September 12, 2020
I honestly feel like every time I read a Parker Peevyhouse book, my mind just gets thrown into a timewarp.
This was absolutely one of the wildest rides of my life and it totally broke through my reading slump.
I really do not think this is something I can quickly summarize for you, as every element of this book is a mystery from the beginning, and becomes revealed over time. There are two lead characters here, Bryn and Rett, and though Rett is the narrator, each is quite interesting. I found learning more and more about Bryn over time to be an especially entertaining experience; I was not sure whether to trust her or not, for a long time. The plot essentially repeats, but picking up on details bit by bit was an exceptionally interesting experience.
My overwhelming feeling reading this book was fear : fear about what on earth was going to happen next. Between the eerie writing and the repetition of the plot, you get a slow, sinister feeling of something being deeply wrong. And it is that sense of wrongness that makes this book such an enticing experience.
The Echo Room also does a fantastic job fitting in a point about our society - this entire sequence of events is essentially happening because a corporation has prioritized their profit over human lives, something that, in our current society, is worth worrying about. I find myself just slightly in fear not of if this occurs, but of when the reality of this book will show up.
I actually added this book to my Goodreads WHILE I was meeting this author and getting my copy of her Very Weird and Fucking Awesome debut Where Futures End signed, so I guess we've come a bit full circle.
release date: 13 Nov 2018
✨Arc received from the publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review.
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I really do not think this is something I can quickly summarize for you, as every element of this book is a mystery from the beginning, and becomes revealed over time. There are two lead characters here, Bryn and Rett, and though Rett is the narrator, each is quite interesting. I found learning more and more about Bryn over time to be an especially entertaining experience; I was not sure whether to trust her or not, for a long time. The plot essentially repeats, but picking up on details bit by bit was an exceptionally interesting experience.
My overwhelming feeling reading this book was fear : fear about what on earth was going to happen next. Between the eerie writing and the repetition of the plot, you get a slow, sinister feeling of something being deeply wrong. And it is that sense of wrongness that makes this book such an enticing experience.
The Echo Room also does a fantastic job fitting in a point about our society - this entire sequence of events is essentially happening because a corporation has prioritized their profit over human lives, something that, in our current society, is worth worrying about. I find myself just slightly in fear not of if this occurs, but of when the reality of this book will show up.
I actually added this book to my Goodreads WHILE I was meeting this author and getting my copy of her Very Weird and Fucking Awesome debut Where Futures End signed, so I guess we've come a bit full circle.
release date: 13 Nov 2018
✨Arc received from the publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review.
Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
August 19, 2018
Overall, this was an enjoyable read! The Echo Room, at a bare minimum, seems to be heavily influenced by The Maze Runner series, and while I would have liked to see a story that felt a bit more original, I appreciated what the author was trying to do here. The first 25% of the book had me completely hooked; I had no idea what was going on or why everything involving the room was happening, and the final 25% was really gripping and exciting. The middle chunk was quite repetitive though, and difficult for me to push through at times. All in all, I really did enjoy this one, but I probably would have tried to grab it from my library rather than purchasing if I hadn't received a copy for review. I'm definitely intrigued to explore Peevyhouse's work further!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
March 10, 2021
2.5 Stars
Well time loop stories are often quite repetitive.
Well time loop stories are often quite repetitive.
This was entertaining but a bit too long. I thought the confusion was really well captured as the main characters struggled to make sense of what was happening as they replayed the same scenes again and again. I liked that a sense of deja vu developed whuch allowed them to start making different choices. Unfortunately, when things are made a bit clearer the story started to fall a bit flat for me and I was easily lured away by other books. Just okay for me.
Well time loop stories are often quite repetitive.
Well time loop stories are often quite repetitive.
This was entertaining but a bit too long. I thought the confusion was really well captured as the main characters struggled to make sense of what was happening as they replayed the same scenes again and again. I liked that a sense of deja vu developed whuch allowed them to start making different choices. Unfortunately, when things are made a bit clearer the story started to fall a bit flat for me and I was easily lured away by other books. Just okay for me.
July 23, 2018
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Rett wakes up in an unfamiliar room, with a large scar on his head and no idea where he got where he is or even where he is. He quickly realizes that a young woman named Bryn is also trapped with him, also appearing to have had her memories erased. Deciding to trust each other, the two try and work together to find an escape. However, they soon became faced with another danger entirely- the danger of an outside world completely devoid of life. Or at least, of any human life. Rett and Brynn must decide if what is waiting for them out in the scorched world is scarier than staying where they are.
“The Echo Room” by Parker Peevyhouse is a YA science-fiction novel from the first time novel writer. Ms. Peevyhouse has won awards for her previous children’s stories and YA novellas, and “Echo Room” is her first venture into the full-length novel.
I may be alone in this, but I found a lot of similarities between this novel and “The Maze Runner” series (James Dashner). Two young people, one boy and one girl, who are in a strange location, with no memories of how they got there, the world as they know it has “scorched” and both of our protagonists seem to be under the control of a secret “government” organization. Oh, and of course, the massive bug-type enemies that keep trying to kill them. Although the science-fiction, time-travel component of this novel was a separate entity, I did feel that Dashner’s (fantastic) work was exerting, in the very least, a minor influence.
The “Groundhog Day” effect at the beginning of this novel got old fast, and I am happy to say that it didn’t last long. Once I made it through this repetitive bit of novel, I was quickly pulled into the storyline.
The novel itself is relatively creative, with powerful characters and strong plot development. “The Echo Room” was easy to follow, and hard to put down (once you got going). I had a vested interest in the characters’ outcome, and was really not all that surprised when the ending came around (a potential sequel? In a YA novel? Shocker!) but was relatively satisfied with the way it played out all the same.
Peevyhouse appears to have the writing chops to gain a strong YA audience, but I would be interested in reading a novel with a completely original storyline and see what Ms. Peevyhouse can do with it. A quick, entertaining read for fans of post-apocalyptic YA.
Rett wakes up in an unfamiliar room, with a large scar on his head and no idea where he got where he is or even where he is. He quickly realizes that a young woman named Bryn is also trapped with him, also appearing to have had her memories erased. Deciding to trust each other, the two try and work together to find an escape. However, they soon became faced with another danger entirely- the danger of an outside world completely devoid of life. Or at least, of any human life. Rett and Brynn must decide if what is waiting for them out in the scorched world is scarier than staying where they are.
“The Echo Room” by Parker Peevyhouse is a YA science-fiction novel from the first time novel writer. Ms. Peevyhouse has won awards for her previous children’s stories and YA novellas, and “Echo Room” is her first venture into the full-length novel.
I may be alone in this, but I found a lot of similarities between this novel and “The Maze Runner” series (James Dashner). Two young people, one boy and one girl, who are in a strange location, with no memories of how they got there, the world as they know it has “scorched” and both of our protagonists seem to be under the control of a secret “government” organization. Oh, and of course, the massive bug-type enemies that keep trying to kill them. Although the science-fiction, time-travel component of this novel was a separate entity, I did feel that Dashner’s (fantastic) work was exerting, in the very least, a minor influence.
The “Groundhog Day” effect at the beginning of this novel got old fast, and I am happy to say that it didn’t last long. Once I made it through this repetitive bit of novel, I was quickly pulled into the storyline.
The novel itself is relatively creative, with powerful characters and strong plot development. “The Echo Room” was easy to follow, and hard to put down (once you got going). I had a vested interest in the characters’ outcome, and was really not all that surprised when the ending came around (a potential sequel? In a YA novel? Shocker!) but was relatively satisfied with the way it played out all the same.
Peevyhouse appears to have the writing chops to gain a strong YA audience, but I would be interested in reading a novel with a completely original storyline and see what Ms. Peevyhouse can do with it. A quick, entertaining read for fans of post-apocalyptic YA.
September 10, 2018
It has been a while since I’ve picked up a post-apocalyptic novel, but I’m glad that I chose The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse. This book is so suspenseful as the characters’ purpose is revealed, and I enjoyed both of their personalities. The writing style is also eerie, and there are many twists throughout the book. This is the perfect read to curl up with this fall.
Full review on The Candid Cover
Full review on The Candid Cover
January 31, 2018
i think if i get a cute enough bunny, i can lure parker peevyhouse into a trap and make her write my books.
September 10, 2018
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Do you guys ever notice that at least once a week I have The Mixed Feelings™? Because I do. And today is no different, yay! So, as usual, we're just going to break it down into the yays and nays! (P.S.- this book is nearly impossible to review properly without spoilers, so it's going to be pretty vague. But let's be honest, since when do I "review properly" anyway?)
The Things I Liked:
•It's quite a unique book. I don't think I have read anything like it, and that is always good.
•Once I got a sense of what was going on, I started to really enjoy it. Again, vagueness is our friend here, but once I got to a certain level of understanding, I was able to get much more invested.
•The atmosphere is on point. I mean, the author wants you to get that these characters are in a bad old situation in the middle of nowhere, and you definitely do get that impression. It was vividly depicted, and I really appreciated that.
•The whole concept of the world and the premise were fabulous, and well-depicted. Once I finally got the gist of what was going down, things were really quite interesting in regards to the world and the situation that the characters found themselves in.
The Things I Didn't:
•I felt a bit disconnected from the characters. This is probably just because of the way it was set up, it is hard to feel a real connection over the course of a few (repeated) hours, but yeah.
•The beginning confused me a bit, and was a little draggy. I get that we weren't exactly supposed to know what was happening, but I was just kind of bored since I had no idea where the story was headed, why the same stuff was happening over and over. Once it began to pick up, it was a lot more exciting, but it took awhile to get there. I think slower or confusing could have worked, but both... is rough.
•I was just a bit underwhelmed in general. Like- the ending was fine, I just... my mind was never fully blown at any point, I guess?
Bottom Line: A very cool premise that was certainly intriguing, if a bit lackluster at first, manages to pick up by the second half. Also so hard to review without spoilers, so I am proud of me.
Do you guys ever notice that at least once a week I have The Mixed Feelings™? Because I do. And today is no different, yay! So, as usual, we're just going to break it down into the yays and nays! (P.S.- this book is nearly impossible to review properly without spoilers, so it's going to be pretty vague. But let's be honest, since when do I "review properly" anyway?)
The Things I Liked:
•It's quite a unique book. I don't think I have read anything like it, and that is always good.
•Once I got a sense of what was going on, I started to really enjoy it. Again, vagueness is our friend here, but once I got to a certain level of understanding, I was able to get much more invested.
•The atmosphere is on point. I mean, the author wants you to get that these characters are in a bad old situation in the middle of nowhere, and you definitely do get that impression. It was vividly depicted, and I really appreciated that.
•The whole concept of the world and the premise were fabulous, and well-depicted. Once I finally got the gist of what was going down, things were really quite interesting in regards to the world and the situation that the characters found themselves in.
The Things I Didn't:
•I felt a bit disconnected from the characters. This is probably just because of the way it was set up, it is hard to feel a real connection over the course of a few (repeated) hours, but yeah.
•The beginning confused me a bit, and was a little draggy. I get that we weren't exactly supposed to know what was happening, but I was just kind of bored since I had no idea where the story was headed, why the same stuff was happening over and over. Once it began to pick up, it was a lot more exciting, but it took awhile to get there. I think slower or confusing could have worked, but both... is rough.
•I was just a bit underwhelmed in general. Like- the ending was fine, I just... my mind was never fully blown at any point, I guess?
Bottom Line: A very cool premise that was certainly intriguing, if a bit lackluster at first, manages to pick up by the second half. Also so hard to review without spoilers, so I am proud of me.
June 20, 2020
THE DETAILS⇣
⇢ 3½ ✰STARS✰
⤏ MYSTERIOUS YA SCY-FY
⤏ FUTURISTIC DYSTOPIAN WORLD WITH TIME-TRAVELING
⤏ MY REVIEW IN ONE WORD: REPETITIVE
⤏ LIKE GROUNDHOGS DAY...BUT NOT FUNNY
⤏ WITH STARSHIP TROOPER-ESQUE BUGS AND SECRET BUNKERS
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 9 HOURS, 6 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS⇣
In the beginning, I thought that I had mistakenly touched my phone and made the audiobook rewind because it seemed to be repeating what I already listened too...but I didn't do that...the story actually just keeps repeating, at least for a little while...but it was subtlety different each time it repeated. Once I figured that out I was really into this mysterious, time-jumping, mild altering, sci-fi-ish adventure.
Eventually, though, it kind of lost me. The story is intriguing, the characters were likable...but I'm not sure that the plot line is something that could be pulled off in as many pages (only 306) that this was. Overall, I was not completely enamored with the writing, it left me feeling like I was missing something important.
Narration by Matt Godfrey was good...It didn't wow me but I also didn't have any issues with it. I would gladly listen to him again.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating⇢ 4¼ STARS
Plot⇢ 3.8/5
Characters⇢ 4/5
The Feels⇢ 3.5/5
Pacing⇢ 3.8/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 4/5
Originality/Believability⇢ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 3/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery⇢ 3.2/5
Ending⇢ 3.5/5
⇢ 3½ ✰STARS✰
⤏ MYSTERIOUS YA SCY-FY
⤏ FUTURISTIC DYSTOPIAN WORLD WITH TIME-TRAVELING
⤏ MY REVIEW IN ONE WORD: REPETITIVE
⤏ LIKE GROUNDHOGS DAY...BUT NOT FUNNY
⤏ WITH STARSHIP TROOPER-ESQUE BUGS AND SECRET BUNKERS
⤏ LENGTH OF AUDIO - 9 HOURS, 6 MINUTES
⤏ I LISTENED ON LIBBY THROUGH MY LIBRARY
MY THOUGHTS⇣
In the beginning, I thought that I had mistakenly touched my phone and made the audiobook rewind because it seemed to be repeating what I already listened too...but I didn't do that...the story actually just keeps repeating, at least for a little while...but it was subtlety different each time it repeated. Once I figured that out I was really into this mysterious, time-jumping, mild altering, sci-fi-ish adventure.
Eventually, though, it kind of lost me. The story is intriguing, the characters were likable...but I'm not sure that the plot line is something that could be pulled off in as many pages (only 306) that this was. Overall, I was not completely enamored with the writing, it left me feeling like I was missing something important.
Narration by Matt Godfrey was good...It didn't wow me but I also didn't have any issues with it. I would gladly listen to him again.
BREAKDOWN⇣
Narration Rating⇢ 4¼ STARS
Plot⇢ 3.8/5
Characters⇢ 4/5
The Feels⇢ 3.5/5
Pacing⇢ 3.8/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3.8/5
Theme, Tone or Intensity⇢ 4/5
Originality/Believability⇢ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style/Ease of Listening)⇢ 3/5
Twisty-ness/Mystery⇢ 3.2/5
Ending⇢ 3.5/5
Read
October 20, 2018like Parker Peevyhouse's first book, When Futures End, this book is intense and compelling with a concept so twisty it keeps you thinking about it for a long time afterwards. i thought this wasn't quite as good as When Futures End, but still un-put-down-able!
August 8, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
August 29, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!
I'll start off by saying I'm never a fan of the vague type of storytelling that just gives you nothing. This was a kind of Groundhog day to begin with, and I hated the repetition; I just wanted to know what the heck was going on and instead of being intrigued I was simply frustrated. Over and over and over again. Argh.
It did pick up a little, but even as the action increased and things changed, I had been lost early and never found myself enjoying this. There is a promise of good writing that just isn't held up by the actual story, and in all honesty, if this was from Bryn's POV it would be immensely improved. Rhet was kind of terrible (was that his name?) She was kick ass. I wanted more Bryn.
Not the greatest read, but it may still appeal to others. Two stars.
I'll start off by saying I'm never a fan of the vague type of storytelling that just gives you nothing. This was a kind of Groundhog day to begin with, and I hated the repetition; I just wanted to know what the heck was going on and instead of being intrigued I was simply frustrated. Over and over and over again. Argh.
It did pick up a little, but even as the action increased and things changed, I had been lost early and never found myself enjoying this. There is a promise of good writing that just isn't held up by the actual story, and in all honesty, if this was from Bryn's POV it would be immensely improved. Rhet was kind of terrible (was that his name?) She was kick ass. I wanted more Bryn.
Not the greatest read, but it may still appeal to others. Two stars.
September 16, 2018
I really enjoyed Parker Peevyhouse's first book, Where Future's End, as much for the writing as for the risks it took, and her followup didn't disappoint. The Echo Room is a weird story that turns in on itself and often left me with more questions than answers, but also had a satisfying ending. Peevyhouse is definitely an author I will continue to root for and read.
February 14, 2019
Compelling but confusing. This is one of those books where you should pay attention to details in order to be able to understand what's going on, but you can't dwell on them because you need to know what happens further...except that "further" more often than not morphs into "before" or "yet again, but in a different manner". And even if - like me - you love time loops, each time it feels like you've only half-digested what info you got. Also, the time-travel aspect is a bit out-there, almost crossing into magic territory. An entertaining read that will leave you with questions, and whose potential isn't completely fulfilled.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
February 27, 2018
Gripping, insightful, totally mind-blowing. Buy this book.
September 5, 2018
Review can be found on my blog here: https://booksonthebookshelf.wordpress...
Thank you Raincoast Books, St. Martins Press, and Tor Teen for the free copy of this book to read and review.
A young man named Rett wakes up on a cold and dark floor. He doesn’t know where he is or how he got there. Confused and curious, he gets up and begins to walk around to figure out just where he is and what is going on. He notices blood on the front of his shirt. How did it get there? Did he hurt someone? After exploring his surroundings, he discovers he is not alone. There is a young woman there with him, named Bryn. She has no memory of how she got there either. She asks Rett where the blood came from, and after hearing he has no idea what happened, Bryn fears her safety. Can she trust Rett? Is he telling the truth? The only thing they both know for certain is that they are locked in this room together. The question is why? Rett tries to escape from the room alone, only to wake up suddenly on the floor all over again….
This book was interesting and had my interest from the very start. I was curious to find out why Rett and Bryn were locked together in a cold and dark room and why they had no idea where they were or how they got there. I was wanting to solve the mystery or just what exactly was going on. A few times they kept making progress it seemed, until they all of a sudden woke up on the cold floor of the same room again and again, as if everything was reset. I was interested in finding out why the story seemed to reset itself, and each time the story turned out a bit differently.
Slowly all the pieces come together and you slowly learn what exactly is going on. I was frustrated when the story kept resetting and the day seemed to start all over again and was initially confused as to what was going on, but it made sense after a while. A few parts of the story for me I found dragged on a bit, but it picked up again for me near the end.
Overall this was a pretty enjoyable read.
3.5 stars
Thank you Raincoast Books, St. Martins Press, and Tor Teen for the free copy of this book to read and review.
A young man named Rett wakes up on a cold and dark floor. He doesn’t know where he is or how he got there. Confused and curious, he gets up and begins to walk around to figure out just where he is and what is going on. He notices blood on the front of his shirt. How did it get there? Did he hurt someone? After exploring his surroundings, he discovers he is not alone. There is a young woman there with him, named Bryn. She has no memory of how she got there either. She asks Rett where the blood came from, and after hearing he has no idea what happened, Bryn fears her safety. Can she trust Rett? Is he telling the truth? The only thing they both know for certain is that they are locked in this room together. The question is why? Rett tries to escape from the room alone, only to wake up suddenly on the floor all over again….
This book was interesting and had my interest from the very start. I was curious to find out why Rett and Bryn were locked together in a cold and dark room and why they had no idea where they were or how they got there. I was wanting to solve the mystery or just what exactly was going on. A few times they kept making progress it seemed, until they all of a sudden woke up on the cold floor of the same room again and again, as if everything was reset. I was interested in finding out why the story seemed to reset itself, and each time the story turned out a bit differently.
Slowly all the pieces come together and you slowly learn what exactly is going on. I was frustrated when the story kept resetting and the day seemed to start all over again and was initially confused as to what was going on, but it made sense after a while. A few parts of the story for me I found dragged on a bit, but it picked up again for me near the end.
Overall this was a pretty enjoyable read.
3.5 stars
dnf
May 15, 2019I’ve got to stop DNFing books but I just couldn’t get into the writing style😕 maybe my standards have been inadvertently raised in the time I’ve been away asdfghjkl
August 4, 2018
Finished reading: August 3rd 2018
"He'd known other empty places, knew how quickly they could fill with dread."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
June 27, 2018
It was an okay read. There was nothing really memorable about it, plus nothing really happened until about halfway through the book. I felt for the characters Rett and Bryn since they had no but each other. Other than that, it was just a mediocre book for me. It’s also more sci-fi than thriller, which is not particularly my favorite genre.
December 24, 2018
SHORT SYNOPSIS
When Rett wakes up on the floor of a cold, dark room, he has no clue how he got there. The thing is, he isn't alone. A girl named Bryn is with him, who decides she can't trust Rett due to the mysterious bloodstain on his jumpsuit, so he tries to escape on his own. When he realizes its too big of a feat, he tries to regain Bryn's trust and escape with her help.
PLOT
While the plot was very intriguing and well-developed, it was very repetative. The first at least half of every chapter was repeating what happened in the last chapter. I understand it was with purpose, I just found it annoying, to be honest.
CHARACTERS
Out of the two characters, Bryn was a lot more interesting to me as there was more mystery to her. Rett was constantly being explained and the book was mainly in his perspective, but Bryn was almost just there. I would have loved to learn more about her as I had (and still have) a lot of questions about her. That being said, as I mentioned earlier, there was something intriguing about her mystery, so maybe I don't want to learn more, actually.
WRITING
This novel is written in such a way that helps convey the eerie, suspenseful tone. There is a lot of risk in the way Peevyhouse wrote in such a mysterious way, but I was quite fond of it.
PACING
I don't know where I stand as far as my opinions on the pacing of this novel as I thought that in some places, it was being unnecessarily dragged out and other places where very important information was being completely ignored. I understand this is a mystery thriller so you aren't supposed to dwell on the important for too long as it gives away the suspense, but for someone who isn't used to reading in this genre, I was bothered nonetheless.
I believe I would have given this novel five stars without a doubt if mystery thriller was my primary genre of reading. Being it isn't I had a lot of issues with this novel regarding things that are commonly seen in mystery thrillers therefore oftentimes skipped over in reviews. I enjoyed it, nonetheless, however, taking all of the above into consideration.
When Rett wakes up on the floor of a cold, dark room, he has no clue how he got there. The thing is, he isn't alone. A girl named Bryn is with him, who decides she can't trust Rett due to the mysterious bloodstain on his jumpsuit, so he tries to escape on his own. When he realizes its too big of a feat, he tries to regain Bryn's trust and escape with her help.PLOT
While the plot was very intriguing and well-developed, it was very repetative. The first at least half of every chapter was repeating what happened in the last chapter. I understand it was with purpose, I just found it annoying, to be honest. CHARACTERS
Out of the two characters, Bryn was a lot more interesting to me as there was more mystery to her. Rett was constantly being explained and the book was mainly in his perspective, but Bryn was almost just there. I would have loved to learn more about her as I had (and still have) a lot of questions about her. That being said, as I mentioned earlier, there was something intriguing about her mystery, so maybe I don't want to learn more, actually. WRITING
This novel is written in such a way that helps convey the eerie, suspenseful tone. There is a lot of risk in the way Peevyhouse wrote in such a mysterious way, but I was quite fond of it. PACING
I don't know where I stand as far as my opinions on the pacing of this novel as I thought that in some places, it was being unnecessarily dragged out and other places where very important information was being completely ignored. I understand this is a mystery thriller so you aren't supposed to dwell on the important for too long as it gives away the suspense, but for someone who isn't used to reading in this genre, I was bothered nonetheless. I believe I would have given this novel five stars without a doubt if mystery thriller was my primary genre of reading. Being it isn't I had a lot of issues with this novel regarding things that are commonly seen in mystery thrillers therefore oftentimes skipped over in reviews. I enjoyed it, nonetheless, however, taking all of the above into consideration.
August 17, 2018
Rett is terrified to wake up in a strange, dark room with the door jammed shut and an unfamiliar girl singing an eerie song. He doesn’t remember her or how he got there. It’s clear they’ll have to work together if they want to escape, but there’s danger outside of the bunker as well as within. When a mistake has deadly consequences, Rett wakes up in a strange, dark room with no memory of who he is or how he got there. For some reason, he’s reliving the same day again and again until he and Brynn find what they were put there for.
I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Macmillan-Tor/Forge. This is a solid science fiction/dystopia novel, and if those were my genres, I think I would have rated it higher. The Echo Room is very well put-together and masterfully structured so that reading about the same day doesn’t get boring or repetitive. Rett discovers new things about Brynn and the bunker each time so that it feels like things are happening and the characters are developing even though time isn’t moving forward. It’s a little like a video game in the way that they have to complete certain steps in a specific order before they can move to the next “level”, or escape the bunker and find what they’re supposed to find. I was impressed by Peevyhouse’s controlled storytelling; it’s almost experimental without being difficult or off-putting to readers who don’t like experimental novels.
I didn’t really get attached to the characters, but I think it’s more personal preference than a lack of development. Rett and Brynn are both resourceful and a little ruthless, which are good qualities in a slightly futuristic world with widespread famine, disease, and poverty. Rett is the more compassionate and needy of the two, and Brynn the more cutthroat, which puts an interesting dimension in their relationship; they need each other, but it’s never clear whether they can trust each other. The dialogue is surprisingly funny for overall grim circumstances. I typically find romances unnecessary, but there’s a slow burn in there that fits well with Rett’s general character.
Books like this are rarely as interesting in explanation as they are in premise, so I was pleasantly surprised by the direction Peevyhouse takes it in. It’s a little more science fiction than I’m used to, but it’s well-explained and near enough to plausible that I didn’t feel like the rug was being yanked out from under me. The end provides enough closure to the plot but is still somewhat open-ended, and I was satisfied with the way things turned out. I would highly recommend it for fans of things like The Maze Runner (only with better writing).
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Macmillan-Tor/Forge. This is a solid science fiction/dystopia novel, and if those were my genres, I think I would have rated it higher. The Echo Room is very well put-together and masterfully structured so that reading about the same day doesn’t get boring or repetitive. Rett discovers new things about Brynn and the bunker each time so that it feels like things are happening and the characters are developing even though time isn’t moving forward. It’s a little like a video game in the way that they have to complete certain steps in a specific order before they can move to the next “level”, or escape the bunker and find what they’re supposed to find. I was impressed by Peevyhouse’s controlled storytelling; it’s almost experimental without being difficult or off-putting to readers who don’t like experimental novels.
I didn’t really get attached to the characters, but I think it’s more personal preference than a lack of development. Rett and Brynn are both resourceful and a little ruthless, which are good qualities in a slightly futuristic world with widespread famine, disease, and poverty. Rett is the more compassionate and needy of the two, and Brynn the more cutthroat, which puts an interesting dimension in their relationship; they need each other, but it’s never clear whether they can trust each other. The dialogue is surprisingly funny for overall grim circumstances. I typically find romances unnecessary, but there’s a slow burn in there that fits well with Rett’s general character.
Books like this are rarely as interesting in explanation as they are in premise, so I was pleasantly surprised by the direction Peevyhouse takes it in. It’s a little more science fiction than I’m used to, but it’s well-explained and near enough to plausible that I didn’t feel like the rug was being yanked out from under me. The end provides enough closure to the plot but is still somewhat open-ended, and I was satisfied with the way things turned out. I would highly recommend it for fans of things like The Maze Runner (only with better writing).
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
August 9, 2018
Rhetts awakens to a blistering pain in his head, locked away with a strange girl, with no memory on how they got there. They don't know who to trust, and that is not aided by the fact that Rhett woke up with somebody else's blood on his hands. Why are they there? Why are they locked in? What have they locked out? A thriller/ mystery, The Echo Room cannot be described without giving away parts of the plot, which is unfair to any future readers. To prevent giving away any of the many plot points, this is as far as my description will go.
Now to my thoughts on the story. I was bored. I was promised thrills unparalleled, but what I received was luke-warm confusion. I found that the story was an odd hodge-podge of a wanna-be horror, and dull thriller, and an odd and unexpected vomiting of science fiction. I found Rhett was a flat character, as was Bryn (his semi-companion), which was a huge negative influence on the rest of the novel. Plot wise, I see where it was trying to engage the audience, but I feel it fell short of its desired plan. The story just didn't do it for me, and neither did the characters. I don't really recommend The Echo Room and give it the rating of TWO AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
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July 22, 2025
The only readers I could possibly fathom recommending The Echo Room to are die-hard fans of the last couple of seasons of Lost (which are the seasons I think of as going downhill quality-wise). It’s difficult to give my rationale for this without revealing specific spoilers, though.
It’s hard to imagine a book being more unnecessarily repetitive than this one, which made it an extremely boring read for me.
Peevyhouse’s previous book, Where Futures End, was excellent. It’s a collection of loosely connected short stories that ended up being a 4.5 star read for me! But because her first book was made up of short stories, I think she might not have known how to write a full length story. This feels more like a very dragged out, pantsed rough draft than a finished book. It also lacks the heart that her other book possessed. I didn’t care nearly as much about the characters as I wanted to.
Even though this was only a 2 star read, I’m still going to give her third book, Strange Exit, a chance, because I’m hoping it’ll be more in the vein of Where Futures End than this one.
It’s hard to imagine a book being more unnecessarily repetitive than this one, which made it an extremely boring read for me.
Peevyhouse’s previous book, Where Futures End, was excellent. It’s a collection of loosely connected short stories that ended up being a 4.5 star read for me! But because her first book was made up of short stories, I think she might not have known how to write a full length story. This feels more like a very dragged out, pantsed rough draft than a finished book. It also lacks the heart that her other book possessed. I didn’t care nearly as much about the characters as I wanted to.
Even though this was only a 2 star read, I’m still going to give her third book, Strange Exit, a chance, because I’m hoping it’ll be more in the vein of Where Futures End than this one.
September 26, 2020
So I thought this book was going to be better than it was. The cover is really cool and the story has a good premise but it's just really repetitive. Rett and Bryn are teenagers who wake up in an abandoned building in the middle of a wasteland with giant killer bugs. Sounds good right? Every time something really bad happens, they black out and wake up back in the abandoned building and the whole thing starts over again. That's where it gets really repetitive. I almost DNF. But a little over halfway through it starts getting better and the repetition stops. I liked it but didn't love it and I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone. So read at your own risk.
August 21, 2023
Who would have guessed that the time-loop genre would prove time and time again (lol) to be one of my favourites. This book was like The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle for teenagers, which I think is huge praise.
I loved being too confused by what was going on to even try and stop to figure it out. I much prefer sci-fi that forces the reader to just go with the flow rather than being over explained to death, and this book definitely delivers on that front. If you like YA fiction and Blake Crouch, this one is worth checking out!
I loved being too confused by what was going on to even try and stop to figure it out. I much prefer sci-fi that forces the reader to just go with the flow rather than being over explained to death, and this book definitely delivers on that front. If you like YA fiction and Blake Crouch, this one is worth checking out!
September 5, 2018
Just under 4 stars for me! Don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but if you enjoyed Annihilation or movies like Cube and Memento I would recommend this book. It's a fun fast-paced thriller with some really interesting sci-fi elements. A lot of the book feels like a puzzle room, which I loved!
March 18, 2022
DNFed on page 107.
This book is just stupid. Large insects. Rett and Bryn constantly waking up and not knowing anything. It's annoying. Repetitive and boring. Not worth it. Don't waste your time.
This book is just stupid. Large insects. Rett and Bryn constantly waking up and not knowing anything. It's annoying. Repetitive and boring. Not worth it. Don't waste your time.
September 24, 2018
The Echo Room starts with some intriguing questions. How did Rett find himself locked in a small depot with a terrible headache and a bloodstained jumpsuit? Who’s that girl singing an oddly familiar song and what’s that ominous scratching outside the door? The mysteries deepen as the pages turn, pulling the reader into a fascinating world filled with dangers, both physical and psychological. This was a gripping read that stole a weekend away from me because I couldn’t put it down. It engages the mind and the heart in the best way. Plus, there are giant bugs.
December 16, 2018
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Likes
This started out pretty intriguing. Rett wakes up and he doesn’t know where he is. He doesn’t know why there’s blood on his jumpsuit. He doesn’t know who this girl - Bryn - with him is. Can they trust each other? Where are they? Definitely the start of a promising story!
It became similar to The Maze Runner very quickly - it’s hard not to compare it. (I’ve never actually read Maze Runner, only seem the movies, and spoiler, I was disappointed by that too.) This story also reminded me of the TV series LOST - people stranded and they don’t know where or when they are. So, yeah, I was excited! While this is marketed as a “thriller,” its very psychological and a bit sci-fi.
One thing I strongly dislike is unreliable narrators, but in this case, I didn’t feel like Rett was unreliable, so that wasn’t an issue for me.
The story had high and low points. It started out great, then it went downhill, but then a plot development near the middle had me interested again and I was hopeful for the end….sadly, the ending was disappointing to the point I regret even wasting my time reading this.
Dislikes
First off, the names Rett and Bryn bother me. Listening to the audiobook, it was actually difficult to understand these were even the names. They sound very similar. There are a few other characters who have equally odd names - I’m ok with fantasy names, but these names just bothered me and I couldn’t move past it.
The plot didn’t feel original. It felt exactly like Maze Runner. Wake up in an unknown place, have to solve some sort of puzzle, need to survive and not get eaten by a giant monster. It’s bland. I was willing to give it a chance, but the day would “reset” and they would have to start over so often, I was bored before it even hit 50%. It was the same old, same old. Each time they would get a little farther, something would change, but not enough that I was interested.
In the second half of the story, it begins to feel a lot like LOST and that had me anticipating that the second half would pick up and I would be pleasantly surprised, but such was not the case.
“The Echo Room” itself is explained halfway through the story, but it feels like a weak explanation and I was disappointed. It’s only briefly touched upon, and I had been hoping for more answers. Overall, I expected more from this story, but it felt very repetitive with each ‘day’ being reset and repeated with only slight variations for more than half the book.
Audiobook Thoughts
I decided to listen to this as an audiobook and the audio isn’t bad. It’s a male voice and I am picky with male voices - but I liked this one. I don’t think it added anything to it, but if audio is your thing, go for it. I had no issues with this audio and enjoyed listening to it.
Recommend?
Regrettably, I would not recommend waste your time with this book. The ending was one of the most disappointing I’ve read in a long time. Any question you may have while reading this - it’s NOT answered.
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Likes
This started out pretty intriguing. Rett wakes up and he doesn’t know where he is. He doesn’t know why there’s blood on his jumpsuit. He doesn’t know who this girl - Bryn - with him is. Can they trust each other? Where are they? Definitely the start of a promising story!
It became similar to The Maze Runner very quickly - it’s hard not to compare it. (I’ve never actually read Maze Runner, only seem the movies, and spoiler, I was disappointed by that too.) This story also reminded me of the TV series LOST - people stranded and they don’t know where or when they are. So, yeah, I was excited! While this is marketed as a “thriller,” its very psychological and a bit sci-fi.
One thing I strongly dislike is unreliable narrators, but in this case, I didn’t feel like Rett was unreliable, so that wasn’t an issue for me.
The story had high and low points. It started out great, then it went downhill, but then a plot development near the middle had me interested again and I was hopeful for the end….sadly, the ending was disappointing to the point I regret even wasting my time reading this.
Dislikes
First off, the names Rett and Bryn bother me. Listening to the audiobook, it was actually difficult to understand these were even the names. They sound very similar. There are a few other characters who have equally odd names - I’m ok with fantasy names, but these names just bothered me and I couldn’t move past it.
The plot didn’t feel original. It felt exactly like Maze Runner. Wake up in an unknown place, have to solve some sort of puzzle, need to survive and not get eaten by a giant monster. It’s bland. I was willing to give it a chance, but the day would “reset” and they would have to start over so often, I was bored before it even hit 50%. It was the same old, same old. Each time they would get a little farther, something would change, but not enough that I was interested.
In the second half of the story, it begins to feel a lot like LOST and that had me anticipating that the second half would pick up and I would be pleasantly surprised, but such was not the case.
“The Echo Room” itself is explained halfway through the story, but it feels like a weak explanation and I was disappointed. It’s only briefly touched upon, and I had been hoping for more answers. Overall, I expected more from this story, but it felt very repetitive with each ‘day’ being reset and repeated with only slight variations for more than half the book.
Audiobook Thoughts
I decided to listen to this as an audiobook and the audio isn’t bad. It’s a male voice and I am picky with male voices - but I liked this one. I don’t think it added anything to it, but if audio is your thing, go for it. I had no issues with this audio and enjoyed listening to it.
Recommend?
Regrettably, I would not recommend waste your time with this book. The ending was one of the most disappointing I’ve read in a long time. Any question you may have while reading this - it’s NOT answered.
October 27, 2018
Cool dystopian/sci fi blend
This was pretty fun to read. At the beginning, Rett keeps waking up in the same place with no memory of what happened or how he got there. As he and Brynn start to trust each other and piece together what's happening, things get crazy. I liked the plot a lot, it was kind of twisty and I liked seeing things fall into place. The pacing was good and kept me interested. I also really like that it's a standalone book, so it wrapped up pretty well.
This was pretty fun to read. At the beginning, Rett keeps waking up in the same place with no memory of what happened or how he got there. As he and Brynn start to trust each other and piece together what's happening, things get crazy. I liked the plot a lot, it was kind of twisty and I liked seeing things fall into place. The pacing was good and kept me interested. I also really like that it's a standalone book, so it wrapped up pretty well.
September 10, 2018
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It’s been quite a long time since I’ve been this conflicted about a book. This one surprised me in ways that I didn’t expect. There were elements about it that I expected to just be ok that absolutely blew my mind. Then, the elements that I hoped would be the strongest, ended up being weakest. It’s confusing so I hope that I can explain myself clearly.
First of all, let me start with the positives. The book starts off with a bang! This was one of the most captivating first chapters I’ve read in a long time! We are thrown into a situation right along with the two main characters. There’s no warning, no explanation, and no subtle introduction which was very effective. We meet Rett and Bryn as they wake up in an abandoned bunker of sorts. Neither one has a recollection of how they got there, they don’t recognize each other, and one of them is covered in blood. We learn very quickly how dire and dark their situation is and are immediately thrust into a game of who and what to trust. Normally suspense isn’t something I enjoy – AT ALL! But in this case, I couldn’t get enough! The way the beginning of this book was written was just so gritty and dark! These characters are desperate, afraid, and confused, and I felt like I could feel all of these emotions along with them. The atmosphere she creates is fascinating!
My second favourite thing about this book was the Groundhog Day effect. If there’s ever a book, movie, or TV show that has this, I will consume it no matter what. I am a complete sucker for this! If you aren’t aware of what this means, it’s where a person re-lives the same day over and over again. If you react in the same way, the day will play out exactly as it did the first time. But if you start to chance subtle things, there’s a domino effect of the day ending a little differently every time. Check out the movie Groundhog Day! I was a little confused at first though as there was no indication that this was happening. Each part of the book is separated by time stamps, so when the same things were repeating along with the times, I finally figured it out. If I would have known that’s what was happening, I would have been less confused and been able to focus more on the story. So I hope that by telling you this, that you will be a little less confused than I was. This was one of my favourite things about this book though, confusion aside.
After the first half of the book is where things went downhill. I enjoyed the first half IMMENSELY!!! But, little by little, the book started to feel familiar. It reminded me so much of other dystopians that I’ve read in the past (specifically The Maze Runner) – so much so, that I could predict what was going to happen. It didn’t feel completely original. Still well written, but not unique.
And then came the truth of the whole situation…… ugh! I’m sorry but no. It just didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it’s because I went into this expecting a thriller/crime mystery or not – but that’s definitely not how this one ends. The big reveal just didn’t make sense and it felt a little too far fetched. I guess I felt as though it was unnecessary. I understood how it all worked and came together, but it was just – weird. I can’t really explain it either. I just didn’t enjoy the direction it went.
As much as I really didn’t enjoy the ending, I will say that the first half of this book completely sold me on her writing abilities! It takes a lot to give me the chills, creep me out, and doubt who to trust. But this one completed that expertly! But due to the lack of originality, and the weird ending, I rated this one 3 stars.
Thank you to Raincoast Books and Tor Teen for providing me with an advanced copy. All opinions in this review are truthful and uninfluenced.
It’s been quite a long time since I’ve been this conflicted about a book. This one surprised me in ways that I didn’t expect. There were elements about it that I expected to just be ok that absolutely blew my mind. Then, the elements that I hoped would be the strongest, ended up being weakest. It’s confusing so I hope that I can explain myself clearly.
First of all, let me start with the positives. The book starts off with a bang! This was one of the most captivating first chapters I’ve read in a long time! We are thrown into a situation right along with the two main characters. There’s no warning, no explanation, and no subtle introduction which was very effective. We meet Rett and Bryn as they wake up in an abandoned bunker of sorts. Neither one has a recollection of how they got there, they don’t recognize each other, and one of them is covered in blood. We learn very quickly how dire and dark their situation is and are immediately thrust into a game of who and what to trust. Normally suspense isn’t something I enjoy – AT ALL! But in this case, I couldn’t get enough! The way the beginning of this book was written was just so gritty and dark! These characters are desperate, afraid, and confused, and I felt like I could feel all of these emotions along with them. The atmosphere she creates is fascinating!
My second favourite thing about this book was the Groundhog Day effect. If there’s ever a book, movie, or TV show that has this, I will consume it no matter what. I am a complete sucker for this! If you aren’t aware of what this means, it’s where a person re-lives the same day over and over again. If you react in the same way, the day will play out exactly as it did the first time. But if you start to chance subtle things, there’s a domino effect of the day ending a little differently every time. Check out the movie Groundhog Day! I was a little confused at first though as there was no indication that this was happening. Each part of the book is separated by time stamps, so when the same things were repeating along with the times, I finally figured it out. If I would have known that’s what was happening, I would have been less confused and been able to focus more on the story. So I hope that by telling you this, that you will be a little less confused than I was. This was one of my favourite things about this book though, confusion aside.
After the first half of the book is where things went downhill. I enjoyed the first half IMMENSELY!!! But, little by little, the book started to feel familiar. It reminded me so much of other dystopians that I’ve read in the past (specifically The Maze Runner) – so much so, that I could predict what was going to happen. It didn’t feel completely original. Still well written, but not unique.
And then came the truth of the whole situation…… ugh! I’m sorry but no. It just didn’t work for me. I don’t know if it’s because I went into this expecting a thriller/crime mystery or not – but that’s definitely not how this one ends. The big reveal just didn’t make sense and it felt a little too far fetched. I guess I felt as though it was unnecessary. I understood how it all worked and came together, but it was just – weird. I can’t really explain it either. I just didn’t enjoy the direction it went.
As much as I really didn’t enjoy the ending, I will say that the first half of this book completely sold me on her writing abilities! It takes a lot to give me the chills, creep me out, and doubt who to trust. But this one completed that expertly! But due to the lack of originality, and the weird ending, I rated this one 3 stars.
Thank you to Raincoast Books and Tor Teen for providing me with an advanced copy. All opinions in this review are truthful and uninfluenced.
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