A Crown of Echoes (A Crown of Echoes, #1)

by Brindi Quinn

“I’ve wondered what you taste like for so damn long. You taste better than I ever could have imagined… my queen.” He shouldn’t be calling me that. Beau was his queen. And I had a problem. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way.

Queen Merrin might be the least queenly queen in all the realms. After all, queens don't typically sneak out at night to drink with their guards. When her best friend and neighboring queen, Beau, goes missing, Merrin won't leave rescue to the knights. She sets out from the civilized world and into the wilds to retrieve her lost friend, but with ancient hexes, stolen power, and a mountain of giants' bones, Merrin stumbles into something much greater than a simple rescue mission. Get ready for a swoony whirlwind of dark magic and forbidden romance, as Merrin finds strength in the whispers of the forest and comfort in the arms of a guard with tantalizing abilities.

• ISBN10: 1949222233
• ISBN13: 9781949222234
• Publish Date: 9 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Never and Ever Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 260
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

It's that time again! Brindi Quinn has just released a new novel, once again bringing fans back to a fantasy world of her making. A Crown of Echoes is the first novel in a new series of the same name, one that is set in a magical land of intrigue and danger.

Queen Merrin is one of several queens in her realm. In her mind, she may not act like a perfect queen, but at least she sincerely cares for those she is in charge of. She also cares deeply for at least one of her fellow queens, Beau.

That makes Beau's disappearance all the more devastating for Merrin. Now she'll go through whatever length necessary to save her fellow queen and friend. Even if it means strolling through patches of dark magic and woods.

“I suppose the first indication that something was wrong was that very night in the treetop fort.”

A Crown of Echoes is a thrilling fantasy novel unlike any others out there. It is the tale of magic and friendship. Of crowns and love. It takes the concept of realms and magic and throws it into a whole new adventure.

Queen Merrin is bright and alive – a refreshing change for somebody with the title of queen. She's vibrant and passionate and still feels very young in many ways. Yet none of that was enough to stop her from starting this journey.

I've noticed that many of Brindi Quinn's characters tend to be bright, compassionate, and caring. Yet they always also have their own spin to make them stand out even in that format. Merrin is wild and is accurately compared to a lioness on more than one occasion.

The worldbuilding for this new series is on-point, which didn't surprise me at all. While we've only been offered a glimpse into a couple of the realms, it feels like there is so much more to this world. Even Merrin's own realm feels like there is a hidden depth to it, and that is one that we see the most.

As for the magical system? That alone was enough to get my curiosity going. I'm looking forward to seeing what Quinn reveals in future novels. Though what was portrayed here was tied so carefully with the lore of the world, and thus it carried weight.

Naturally, there's a romantic plot as well. That's hinted at in every description of the book, and it does not let down here. It starts off subtle but quickly goes from slow-burn to full romance, with a few surprises here and there along the way.

All things considered, it was absolutely worth the wait to get to read A Crown of Echoes. Brindi Quinn is easily one of my favorite indie authors, and I always treasure her releases. In fact, I may have bought this book digitally to read it asap, only to also buy a physical copy to add to my collection (don't judge me!). I can't wait for the rest of this series!

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks