Scan barcode
fseely's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Antisemitism, and Suicide
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, War, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Death of parent
book_reader_lover's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have not read a book so beautifully written in a long time. Davis wrote a heartfelt book. Her writing is engrossing, effective and heartfelt in The Echo of Old Books.
Ashlyn can feel the Echo of Old Books when she holds them. It's a gift she discovered at age 12. She owns the bookstore An Unlikely Story. One day she gets a call from her friend, Kevin, who has just gotten a box of books in. Ashlyn picks one of the books up and gets nothing, until she opens the book. There's no author, copyright, or publisher in the book. She's never heard of the book, but something draws her to it. Soon, another book appears with the same thing just a different title. Ashlyn is soon on the hunt to figure out who wrote them and what happened in their lives.
Part mystery, part love story, but a whole lot of descriptive beautiful writing. There are flawed characters with great character development. I have never read Barbara Davis before, but know I want to read all her books, especially if they are all beautiful and well written, as The Echo of Old Books is. I highly recommend this book!
đ Happy Reading đ
#carlislepubliclibrary #lonokecountylibrarysystem #barbaradavis #theechoofoldbooks #readaway2024
Ashlyn can feel the Echo of Old Books when she holds them. It's a gift she discovered at age 12. She owns the bookstore An Unlikely Story. One day she gets a call from her friend, Kevin, who has just gotten a box of books in. Ashlyn picks one of the books up and gets nothing, until she opens the book. There's no author, copyright, or publisher in the book. She's never heard of the book, but something draws her to it. Soon, another book appears with the same thing just a different title. Ashlyn is soon on the hunt to figure out who wrote them and what happened in their lives.
Part mystery, part love story, but a whole lot of descriptive beautiful writing. There are flawed characters with great character development. I have never read Barbara Davis before, but know I want to read all her books, especially if they are all beautiful and well written, as The Echo of Old Books is. I highly recommend this book!
đ Happy Reading đ
#carlislepubliclibrary #lonokecountylibrarysystem #barbaradavis #theechoofoldbooks #readaway2024
Content Warnings
Minor: Religious bigotry, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, War, Cancer, Confinement, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide
shaybunchanumbers's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I definitely enjoyed The Echos of Old Books more than I thought I would. The well placed reveals of tragedies and other charactersâ backstories were so well done and left me on my seat. I know I audibly gasped at Heleneâs heritage reveal. I closed the book with a smile on my face and am excited to watch my friendsâ reactions reading it, too.
The book describes itself as a mystery genre but the only mystery that really existed in it were the real names of Hemi and Belle (one of whom didnât last very long) and how such a misunderstanding occurred in the first place. But, even that, wasnât really a mystery.
The book describes itself as a mystery genre but the only mystery that really existed in it were the real names of Hemi and Belle (one of whom didnât last very long) and how such a misunderstanding occurred in the first place. But, even that, wasnât really a mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Death of parent, and Mental illness
ams5x9's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Antisemitism
Minor: Forced institutionalization
jennswan's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Mental illness, Infidelity, and Antisemitism
tiiiger35's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book had so much more depth to it than I expected. The dual timelines were interwoven so beautifully giving the story a consistent fluidity. As a highly sensitive person, I was drawn to Ashlynnâs gift as a book empath. What she considered a curse, became the very thing to change her life for the better.
This story is about more than romance, it deals with grief, heartbreak, remorse & survival. It also has some darker undertones surrounding; suicide, anti-semitism & the factions of Nazi supporters building in America during WW2.
Itâs been a long time since Iâve felt the need to highlight so many quotes. I felt as if the words had been plucked from my own mind at times.
This is definitely a new favourite of mines that Iâll be recommending to my friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, and Emotional abuse
Minor: War, Cancer, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Abandonment
chacharlotte's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I was gonna give this 5 stars at first, but the last part really lets this book down in my opinion. Itâs too much of a Hallmark happy end for what started out with beautifully written, complicated but compelling characters. I also didnât like how Ashlynâs story was suddenly cast aside in favor of present day Marianâs viewpoint.
What also bothers me are Ashlynâs magic powers, that seem like an afterthought/just thrown in there to give Ashlyn motivation to pursue the story of the two lovers. I think there couldâve been a way to tell this story without the magic - it doesnât really add much, and it doesnât really fit the vibe of the rest of the book. If youâre gonna add magic (which Iâm not opposed to), I would think it would have more impact on the story and/or the characters. It just seemed kind of lazy?
The âplot twistâ was pretty obvious as well, and I donât think we needed all those chapters with Marian to reveal it. I think this would have been a much better book if Ashlyn had been the one to figure out the misunderstanding and Marian/Hemiâs reunion had been left to the imagination/not happened on page/not happened at all even.
What also bothers me are Ashlynâs magic powers, that seem like an afterthought/just thrown in there to give Ashlyn motivation to pursue the story of the two lovers. I think there couldâve been a way to tell this story without the magic - it doesnât really add much, and it doesnât really fit the vibe of the rest of the book. If youâre gonna add magic (which Iâm not opposed to), I would think it would have more impact on the story and/or the characters. It just seemed kind of lazy?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and Toxic relationship
Minor: Car accident, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Mental illness, and Child death
sdt0087's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Grief, War, Antisemitism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization
redheadorganist's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Antisemitism, Death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Confinement, Terminal illness, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Blood and Car accident
Minor: War
dany_casimiro's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Long Story Short: lots of echoes, very little books.
Finally, a fiction book that breaches the topic of antisemitism in the 1940s USA â a great way to foster its discussion.
I really liked the idea behind book empathy â some people are sensitive enough to touch an object and feel emotions from its past. Granted, the book part earned most of my interest in this case. Sadly, it was more of an initial plot device to be used only as the plot demands than an actual integral part of the story. By the end of the 430 pages, it makes a feeble reappearance to remind readers that it has been there all along when the protagonist is sharing her ability with her love interest.
It has âbooksâ in the title, the main character recovers and sells old books, and the only physical plot device is indeed a book. But on the topic of books, thatâs pretty much it. The focus shifts completely to the story behind the book that Ashlyn, the protagonist, is reading and where her quest to find out more leads her. Romance, mystery, social critique â everything feels but halfway done. An exception is due when it comes down to Ashlynâs traumatic experiences, as the author clearly couldnât decide between an abusive marriage, a traumatic divorce, or witnessing the death of a soon-to-be ex-husband. So, she chose all the above. It would have been more passable if these instances had been better explored, rather than merely used as â again â a plot device for an extra layer in romance building. It became increasingly frustrating and boring, especially because every issue got solved so easily. Their point besides plot reasons is beyond my comprehension. The literary quotes at the beginning of each chapter did not help at all; they quickly became an insistent reminder that this was supposed to be a book about books, and it became a doomed romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Antisemitism and Death
Minor: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting