Ahoy there me mateys! I absolutely love Sharon Shinn and featured her works in me Broadside No. 2. I finished the Elemental Blessings series, was sad and then Matey Nicole @ bookwyrmknits told me that this YA series existed and of course I had to track it down. The author’s website describes the world of these books as:
In the Kingdom of the Seven Jewels, many of the highest nobles are attended by one or two or three echoes—creatures who look exactly like them, who move with them in perfect synchronicity, but who have no thoughts or volition of their own. Centuries ago during wartime, the echoes were a gift from the triple goddess, who bestowed them as a way to keep nobles safe from constant attempts at assassination. But what if an echo wasn’t always exactly as it appeared…?
I read the three books back to back and enjoyed them. Just be forewarned about two things:
a) the echoes and how they work make no real sense; and
b) each plot is basically the same: young non-noble girl meets rich noble man, doesn’t recognize him, insta-lust ensues, shenanigans ensue, happy ever after.
Now normally both of those things would irk me to no end. However, this is Sharon Shinn and I love her writing. Sure things don’t make sense and these plots are super problematic but I still enjoy the world building and characters. Even if even the characters were kinda special snowflakes and things worked out for them rather easily. The echoes are a concept are fascinating and so I loved reading about them. Each book focuses on a slightly different aspect of echoes. Just don’t think too hard about them cause inconsistencies abound. I needed a distraction from life and these worked perfectly for the mood and moment.
This were fun and fluff but I have no urge to own them. I also got them as part of Kindle Unlimited and so didn’t have to pay the absurd ebook price for them. The concept is both the strongest and weakest part of the book. These are not her best books (in fact may be her weakest) and I wouldn’t recommend them but I am so very glad I read them.
If ye be interested in any of Sharon Shinn’s works, I suggest ye hoist those sails and visit her amazing website. Literally one of the best author websites I have ever seen. Arrrrr!
Please note: the links below lead to the author’s pages for each novel with a more in-depth description of each plot and each webpage has further links of where to buy the books.
The Uncommon Echoes books:
Echo in Onyx
Echo in Emerald
Echo in Amethyst
To visit her website visit:
To see a complete list of all books she has written visit:
To add this series to Goodreads go to:
I freaking love you. Thank you for owning the fact that you love these books that are silly, predictable, and non-sensical. Who cares?! As long as you’re enjoying your reading experience, I don’t think it matters what you read. 🙂 Wonderfully fun review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are times where sometimes I just want fun. Glad ye love me and me reviews 🙂 I read another silly one about where knights joust and race with cars. Absolutely silly and ridiculous and yet I adored it. I haven’t written the review yet cause I think I will read them all and then do one post. I think fluff is just fine. I hope ye and the baby are doing well.
x The Captain
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fluff is what we all need in this crazy, crazy year. I am definitely about to read the entire Trials of Apollo series by Rick Riordan. Plus my vampire smut. I’m just going to own it. More fluffy books, please!
LikeLike
I’m glad you enjoyed these, even though you’re right—the concept is wonderful but makes no sense. I felt like the first book was the weakest of the three, and it colored my enjoyment of the others a little. Still, I do wish there had been more exploration of why the echoes were there in the first place other than “the goddess did it.” It seemed to me like we were finally starting to move toward an explanation in book three, but it never quite materialized.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I too was hoping for more about then “the goddess did it.” I can’t decide if I liked two or three better. I go back and forth. For such fluff, I do spend a lot of time thinking about them. Which makes them more fun.
x The Captain
LikeLike
I also thought about them a lot more than I expected to given that they were such fluff! I’d be curious to see a short story or something written about the first echoes. That might go into the hows and whys more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh that would be lovely. A prequel about the first echoes. Now we just have to get the author on board. Arrr!
x The Captain
LikeLike
I don’t think I’ve read these BUT I also love Sharon Shinn so I’m always up to try out more of her work. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are ridiculous and yet wonderful. But expensive.
x The Captain
LikeLiked by 1 person