Echoes - An Indie Review

Let's Talk about Indie Novels

An indie novel is a story that has been independently published or published outside of a traditional publishing house. This can involve self-publishing, hybrid-publishing, or publishing through smaller boutique presses (publishers that are not considered one of the Big Five).

Indie novels sometimes get a bad rep, because of the perception that these books weren't "good enough" for traditional publishing. However, this stereotype ignores what makes indie books so special. The beauty of indie stories is that they give the author more creative control, and make room for innovative stories and ideas that might get passed up by large presses who reduce creative works to their perceived financial profit. This creates a bubble of writing that is more accessible, more personal, more free to be the quirky, lovely stories that they were meant to be.

Indie authors often don't have the same financial backing as the big five publishers, so when you buy indie novels, chances are your money is more directly supporting the author and/or the small team that turned this passion project into a reality. Thus, the beauty of supporting indie authors, is that you often support unique voices, as well as the people who pour their hearts into amplifying that voice.

I have a small hobby of reviewing books on instagram, but I always try to pay homage to indie books on that account. These books need reviews more than the mainstream reads, because the attention can quite literally make or break the book. So, I decided to post a book review on Vocal for the first time, and what better book to start with, than the debut novel of my dear friend, Marissa Lete.

What is Echoes?

Echoes is a Young Adult novel about 17-year-old Laura, a girl who can hear echoes -when she enters a room, it is already full of all the noise that occurred in years prior. Such an ability is often more of a curse than a gift, as the noise is chaotic and distracting more often than helpful. However, one day Laura begins to hear the echoes of herself, interacting with a boy named Maverick - but she doesn't remember these interactions. The book is a mystery just as much as it is a thriller - who was Maverick? What happened? Is Laura being followed?

Don't like my little summary? Here's the back cover blurb:

What if you heard yourself falling in love with someone you’d never met?

Seventeen-year-old Laura Jones has always heard the echoes of the past wherever she goes. She’s gotten used to them, of course, and has learned how to live a relatively normal life despite hearing last year’s teachers in her classrooms, the past chatting in the hallways, and even herself talking to her family at home during years prior.

But one day, Laura hears her past self meeting Maverick exactly one year ago, and she doesn’t remember him at all. At first, she thinks it’s just a small encounter she forgot about, but when Maverick starts to pop up in Laura’s echoes more often, her confusion grows. Had they dated? Why doesn’t she remember? Soon enough, a new threat appears: a menacing black Suburban that begins to follow Laura wherever she goes.

Will a boy she doesn’t remember guide Laura to the answers she seeks, or will echoes of a forgotten past push Laura deeper into a dangerous future?

What did I think about it?

I thought that Echoes is a brilliant and creative debut novel by Marissa Lete. The premise is so unique, and the writing is funny, witty, and suspenseful. I recommend this book to fans of YA novels - Echoes has everything you're looking for! It has romantic banter, thrilling chases, unexpected twists, and of course, a sprinkle of good, old-fashion high school drama!

Where can you find Echoes?

Marissa Lete's book can be found on Amazon, where it is available as an audiobook, ebook, or paperback edition. If you are a Kindle Unlimited loyalist, you can read Echoes for free!

Where can you find more about Marissa Lete?

Marissa Lete can be reached at her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even a TikTok (all linked). She also hosts a podcast titled, Creative Conversations. In this podcast, she interviews various creative writers on their craft to unlock the secrets of how we find inspiration in our day-to-day lives. That podcast can be found here.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Marissa Lete over Instagram live, if you'd like, feel free to check it out below: