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kaitlynreadsonemore 's review for:
Echo Fort
by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
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
“We are all monsters in each other’s nightmares.”
Echo Fort by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is the second book in the Sins of the Zodiac series. The story follows Vesper and Everest as they’re thrown into a brutal war filled with betrayal, forbidden bonds, and unleashed power. Grief, captivity, and shifting loyalties force them to choose between vengeance and the greater good at the cost of sacrifice, fractured love, and a world on the brink of destruction.
✨ Tropes:
True enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Dark fantasy
Multiple POVs
Vesper and Everest are messy and raw in the best way. Their growth while still clinging to loyalty was heartbreaking to read at times. I loved learning more about Bastian. And Kasian… listen, I’ll always root for a morally gray, damaged MMC, and he’s exactly that.
There are a lot of minor characters, but they’re not hard to keep track of. Some are only out for themselves and looking to get ahead, while others show up to support and care for the FMCs. Then there are those whose intentions are still unknown, which adds even more tension to the story. Galomp needs his own shoutout because he’s so wholesome and caring, an unexpected bright spot in the darkness.
The plot is action-packed with twists and connections that kept me hooked. The last few chapters had me saying “what just happened??” in the best possible way. The writing is sharp, full of banter and tension, and so bingeable. I flew through it. At its core, this story digs into loyalty, grief, identity, and the painful unraveling that happens when you start questioning everything you’ve ever known.
🖤 What worked: everything. The world-building, the character arcs, the banter, the twists. There were moments that tore me apart and left me wishing things could be different.
❌ What didn’t: the fact that it ended. I need book three (Cinder Vale) immediately.
This series is quickly becoming a favorite, and Echo Fort is an absolute must read for anyone who loves dark fantasy.
Have you read it yet?
Echo Fort by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti is the second book in the Sins of the Zodiac series. The story follows Vesper and Everest as they’re thrown into a brutal war filled with betrayal, forbidden bonds, and unleashed power. Grief, captivity, and shifting loyalties force them to choose between vengeance and the greater good at the cost of sacrifice, fractured love, and a world on the brink of destruction.
✨ Tropes:
True enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Slow burn
Dark fantasy
Multiple POVs
Vesper and Everest are messy and raw in the best way. Their growth while still clinging to loyalty was heartbreaking to read at times. I loved learning more about Bastian. And Kasian… listen, I’ll always root for a morally gray, damaged MMC, and he’s exactly that.
There are a lot of minor characters, but they’re not hard to keep track of. Some are only out for themselves and looking to get ahead, while others show up to support and care for the FMCs. Then there are those whose intentions are still unknown, which adds even more tension to the story. Galomp needs his own shoutout because he’s so wholesome and caring, an unexpected bright spot in the darkness.
The plot is action-packed with twists and connections that kept me hooked. The last few chapters had me saying “what just happened??” in the best possible way. The writing is sharp, full of banter and tension, and so bingeable. I flew through it. At its core, this story digs into loyalty, grief, identity, and the painful unraveling that happens when you start questioning everything you’ve ever known.
🖤 What worked: everything. The world-building, the character arcs, the banter, the twists. There were moments that tore me apart and left me wishing things could be different.
❌ What didn’t: the fact that it ended. I need book three (Cinder Vale) immediately.
This series is quickly becoming a favorite, and Echo Fort is an absolute must read for anyone who loves dark fantasy.
Have you read it yet?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexual content