This book I reviewed Echo, was a book about a boy that is currently still in High School and his name is Justin. He hears a voice inside his head that tells him to get up in the morning. This book made me realize that no teenager is perfect, he is going through changes after his bother just recently died. Although Justin is supposed to be on medication for his depression, he quit taking it. The voice inside his head makes him relive his brother's death on a daily basis. His mother is hostile towards her remaining son. ( )

This is a very fast read -- in fact I read it cover to cover in under 40 minutes while waiting for the pharmacy to open -- but definitely not a light one. Some plot devices intrigue me; some just annoy me. In this case, I thought Morgenroth did an excellent job with the whole "echo" thing, and the characterization was very good especially considering how short the book was.

For a different (but just as good) treatment on the same topic, try Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe. ( )

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

It's never easy to lose a sibling. When you actually see your younger brother die in front of you, though, it's even worse.

That's what happened when Justin, playing around with his twelve-year-old brother, Mark, saw his brother accidentally shoot himself in the head with their father's gun. For almost a year now, Justin has been plagued by ever-increasing problems. The guilt is horrible, as are the questions that keep running through his mind: Was Mark's death his fault? Did Mark really shoot himself by accident?

Although Justin is supposed to be on medication to help with his depression, he's stopped taking it. There's a voice inside his head that makes him relive his brother's death over and over again on a daily basis. His mother is alternately hostile and nonchalant towards her remaining son. His father doesn't have much to say beyond "don't upset your mother." In this family, guilt is a constant, nagging reminder of what could have been, and what is instead.

Ms. Morgenroth is great at creating realistic situations and characters that pull at the heartstrings. Although you can see this family breaking down inside the pages of ECHO, it's not immediately clear how each family member is dealing with Mark's death -- or, rather, not dealing with it.

I recommend this book for older teens, especially those who have dealt with loss and/or depression. ECHO is a psychological thriller that you won't want to miss. ( )

A year previously, Justin's little brother Mark accidentally shot himself as Justin looked on. A year later, Justin, a social outcast, begins hearing voices in his head. That day, Justin, accidentally shoves a boy down the stairs. Thinking the boy is dead, Justin goes home and attempts suicide. Instead of dying, he wakes up to live the previous day again, a pattern that keeps repeating.

This book was a slog, and at 144 pages, that's saying something. Justin is not likable or sympathetic, and while that may be the point, it makes it hard to care about what happens to him. The twist at the end of the book makes what came before clear, but it's work to get there. (cross-posted from MeriJenBen) ( )

Interesting concept, but too repetitive for my liking. I felt like the other students' responses toward Justin were not that well explained and I would have preferred more of a backstory rather than the same day over and over. ( )