Reviewed by Cecelia Hopkins for Readers' Favorite

Echo: The Curse of the Blackwood Witches by Yasmine Maher commences as Katarus invade Tara and Jackson’s wedding. Echo manages to save her grandfather with the help of a psychic and Kirby. When she wakes up, nobody else remembers the incident. Echo visits Kirby and Vanna at their pet store and begins training for her destiny as a curse-breaking witch. The story goes through twists and turns as the villainous Jivar is revealed. His minions include Viessa, Doyle, and Zaros. We learn more about the background and destiny of each, and Echo remembers why she came to hate the park. The arrival of great-grandmother Lu opens the possibility of time travel and the timelines change. Vanna and Kirby must find their true names while Echo gathers her forces for the final battle against Jivar.

Echo by Yasmine Maher is an original fantasy with a well-developed plot that contained several surprises. I liked the way the characters on both sides of the conflict were composites of good and bad, and capable of revealing many facets. I enjoyed learning more about each individual as the story progressed, and the relationship changes were fascinating as players evolved into their destinies. The battles were exciting and fulfilled the sense of calamity which had built up over the pages. Innovative magical solutions were developed to enable the protagonist, Echo, to succeed against what appeared to be overwhelming odds. The attention to cause-and-effect logic was especially impressive. I can recommend this book to readers who enjoy magical stories of self-discovery with a touch of apocalyptic drama.