Book Review: Echo

• Book Blurb

  The Devils of Vitality always hit their mark.

  Rabbit Trace is a musical prodigy with a secret.

  Ever since an event that took place a year ago, he gets terrible stage fright before every performance. With a famous mother who’s dedicated her entire life to her craft, and the weight of her expectations heavy on his shoulders, Rabbit is only one panic attack away from crumbling. He knows it’ll be easier to escape if he stops running from the memory of that night, but he’s stubborn and doesn’t want to remember something so horrible his mind thought fit to erase it for him. Monotony has helped him make it through, and he’s settled into a dull routine that keeps his mind occupied, the worst of the attacks limited to just before performances. That is until one of the infamous Devils of Vitality suddenly takes notice and decides to invade his life, whether he reciprocates or not.

  Baikal Void has many titles.

  Each of them comes with a responsibility attached to it. Future Dominus, head of the Vitality Brumal Mafia, is just one of them. He’s always known he’d one day have to take the crown, he just never realized it’d be so soon. With his father dying and the inevitable changing of power looming, Baikal struggles to keep his deranged nature under control as he grapples with the upcoming loss. Then one night he’s dragged to a recital for his university and sees him for the first time. After one glance he knows he’s found his saving grace in Rabbit, the reserved musician who looks like he’s battling demons of his own. Just like that, he’s got a new title to add to the list. He’s going to be the owner of one little ethereal bunny.

  Rabbit doesn’t understand Baikal’s sudden and intense interest, or why the Brumal Prince has gone out of his way to collect enough dirt on his mom to force his hand. Blackmailed into a relationship of sorts, Rabbit fights against Baikal’s constant advances and his own tumultuous feelings. Everything Baikal inflicts on him is wrong and twisted, and yet the longer he’s made to endure, the more codependent Rabbit finds himself becoming. Baikal promises freedom from the predetermined fate he’s always been a slave to, but only if he gives himself over to him completely.

  And if he doesn’t do so willingly? A devil is always prepared to take what they want, and Baikal Void is no exception.

  The Devils of Vitality always hit their mark.

  Rabbit Trace is a musical prodigy with a secret.

  Ever since an event that took place a year ago, he gets terrible stage fright before every performance. With a famous mother who’s dedicated her entire life to her craft, and the weight of her expectations heavy on his shoulders, Rabbit is only one panic attack away from crumbling. He knows it’ll be easier to escape if he stops running from the memory of that night, but he’s stubborn and doesn’t want to remember something so horrible his mind thought fit to erase it for him. Monotony has helped him make it through, and he’s settled into a dull routine that keeps his mind occupied, the worst of the attacks limited to just before performances. That is until one of the infamous Devils of Vitality suddenly takes notice and decides to invade his life, whether he reciprocates or not.

  Baikal Void has many titles.

  Each of them comes with a responsibility attached to it. Future Dominus, head of the Vitality Brumal Mafia, is just one of them. He’s always known he’d one day have to take the crown, he just never realized it’d be so soon. With his father dying and the inevitable changing of power looming, Baikal struggles to keep his deranged nature under control as he grapples with the upcoming loss. Then one night he’s dragged to a recital for his university and sees him for the first time. After one glance he knows he’s found his saving grace in Rabbit, the reserved musician who looks like he’s battling demons of his own. Just like that, he’s got a new title to add to the list. He’s going to be the owner of one little ethereal bunny.

  Rabbit doesn’t understand Baikal’s sudden and intense interest, or why the Brumal Prince has gone out of his way to collect enough dirt on his mom to force his hand. Blackmailed into a relationship of sorts, Rabbit fights against Baikal’s constant advances and his own tumultuous feelings. Everything Baikal inflicts on him is wrong and twisted, and yet the longer he’s made to endure, the more codependent Rabbit finds himself becoming. Baikal promises freedom from the predetermined fate he’s always been a slave to, but only if he gives himself over to him completely.

  And if he doesn’t do so willingly? A devil is always prepared to take what they want, and Baikal Void is no exception.

• My review

  I’m giving this five stars, and I genuinely mean it — even though personal stuff got in the way of me fully sinking into it. If I’d read this at the right moment, it would’ve gone straight onto my favorites list. That’s how good it is.

  The Story

  What makes Echo work where so many others fail is how cleanly it pulls off the genre blend. I’ve read a lot of books that try to mix mafia with other subgenres and end up feeling like a salad — none of the flavors belong together. This one doesn’t have that problem. The sci-fi and mafia elements don’t fight each other; they slot together like they were always meant to share the same world. The worldbuilding is genuinely spectacular — there are small details everywhere, from the types of flowers and vegetation to the color of the sky, the instruments, and casual references to interplanetary travel. It’s the kind of world that feels fully realized rather than decorated.

  This is also, unmistakably, a fast-burn story. The steam is real — it’s an extremely spicy read — and consent is one of the central themes being explored throughout. That’s not a caveat, that’s the point. If that’s your thing, you’re going to have a great time. If it’s not, this one isn’t for you, and that’s fine.

  The Romance and Characters

  Rabbit is one of those characters who’s just easy to see. The physical details — nearly white hair, very pale skin, violet eyes — made him immediately vivid to me. I pictured him almost albino. But what really sold me was that his personality is just as defined as his look. He’s 22, a musician, and the way his craft is woven into the story goes beyond flavor. The specifics of how his instrument works, the pressure of being considered a prodigy, the particular weight of performing — those small details are the kind that elevate a story from good to memorable.

  Baikal is exactly what you’d expect from an alpha male in a mafia setting — dominant, morally questionable, the kind of romantic interest that should come with a warning label. The author nailed it. I loved everything about the questionable things he does, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.

  If something was scaring his tiny obsession, something other than him, of course, he’d deal with it. No one got to touch Rabbit and live. -Baikal

  Final Thoughts

  Echo is the second book I’ve read from this author, and it’s confirmed I’m a fan. It’s a well-crafted, deliberately provocative read that commits fully to what it is — a dark, spicy story with a morally gray love interest, a beautifully built world, and a romance that earns its intensity. Make sure you check the trigger warnings and the Kings section before diving in. If you’re good with what’s listed there, you’re going to love this.

  I’m giving this five stars, and I genuinely mean it — even though personal stuff got in the way of me fully sinking into it. If I’d read this at the right moment, it would’ve gone straight onto my favorites list. That’s how good it is.

  The Story

  What makes Echo work where so many others fail is how cleanly it pulls off the genre blend. I’ve read a lot of books that try to mix mafia with other subgenres and end up feeling like a salad — none of the flavors belong together. This one doesn’t have that problem. The sci-fi and mafia elements don’t fight each other; they slot together like they were always meant to share the same world. The worldbuilding is genuinely spectacular — there are small details everywhere, from the types of flowers and vegetation to the color of the sky, the instruments, and casual references to interplanetary travel. It’s the kind of world that feels fully realized rather than decorated.

  This is also, unmistakably, a fast-burn story. The steam is real — it’s an extremely spicy read — and consent is one of the central themes being explored throughout. That’s not a caveat, that’s the point. If that’s your thing, you’re going to have a great time. If it’s not, this one isn’t for you, and that’s fine.

  The Romance and Characters

  Rabbit is one of those characters who’s just easy to see. The physical details — nearly white hair, very pale skin, violet eyes — made him immediately vivid to me. I pictured him almost albino. But what really sold me was that his personality is just as defined as his look. He’s 22, a musician, and the way his craft is woven into the story goes beyond flavor. The specifics of how his instrument works, the pressure of being considered a prodigy, the particular weight of performing — those small details are the kind that elevate a story from good to memorable.

  Baikal is exactly what you’d expect from an alpha male in a mafia setting — dominant, morally questionable, the kind of romantic interest that should come with a warning label. The author nailed it. I loved everything about the questionable things he does, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.

  If something was scaring his tiny obsession, something other than him, of course, he’d deal with it. No one got to touch Rabbit and live. -Baikal

  Final Thoughts

  Echo is the second book I’ve read from this author, and it’s confirmed I’m a fan. It’s a well-crafted, deliberately provocative read that commits fully to what it is — a dark, spicy story with a morally gray love interest, a beautifully built world, and a romance that earns its intensity. Make sure you check the trigger warnings and the Kings section before diving in. If you’re good with what’s listed there, you’re going to love this.

Character & romance details

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