Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry

Dec 08, 2019 Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth rated it it was amazing

TITLE: ECHOES BETWEEN US
AUTHOR: Katie McGarry
RELEASE DATE: January 14, 2020
GENRE: YA Romance
THEMES & TROPES: Alcoholism, Addiction, Illness
RATING: 5 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No

What a pleasant surprise this story turned out to be! And so unlike any other I've read recently! This story took twists and turns I didn't see coming and had my head spinning. I'm new to Katie McGarry's books but now I'm eager to read more!

At first glance Sawyer is the typical popular guy in school. Good-looking, ...more

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Jan 07, 2020 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-books, arc-book-read

4.5 Stars!

When you open one of McGarry's books, you not only know you are going to get one heck of a story but you know it will be one that will be filled with emotions and one that more often than not, will rock you to your core. Will change you in ways you didn't even know a story could do.

And like all her books, this was filled with romance, heart ache, happiness, friendships, love, and with it being something different, ghosts.

Like it's counter novel, Only a Breath Apart, Echoes Between Us ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 Kris (frantic4romantic) rated it really liked it

This book was everything I didn’t know I wanted.

I consider Katie McGarry one of my favorite authors, so I was really grateful I got a chance to get an advanced copy of her upcoming book, Echoes Between Us, through NetGalley.

One super popular guy, one extra quirky girl — two very complicated stories.

Sawyer is your stereotypical cool guy. Cool friends, suave attitude, star athlete. He works hard at keeping up that facade, because his life is anything but perfect.

Veronica is the carefree weirdo ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Pavlina Read more sleep less blog❤❤ rated it really liked it

Shelves: best-cover, arc

4 stars

I love this author and I couldn't wait to start this one.I find it interesting and unique.The beginning was a little bit slow for my taste but soon when it picks up , it was very good!

Both characters intrigued me from the beginning! Sawyer and Veronica have a great relationship, I feel these two were perfect.They grow together through the story.I find them sweet and cute!

Overall, it was a great read.

...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Jennifer Kyle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.75 GHOST Stars ...more

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Sep 08, 2019 Cassie rated it it was amazing

This book will forever hold a special place in my heart and I’m so blessed to have read this early, but to also just read it in general.

This story follows our two main characters as they both struggle with a lot of obstacles in their life.

Veronica, or V, has a brain tumor, which causes her terrible migraines. She also sees her mom’s ghost, because her mom died from her own brain tumor. Veronica is also really close with her dad, which is something that I related to and loved seeing their ...more

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Oct 27, 2019 Jennifer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss

3.5/ 5 stars

Echoes Between Us is a standalone Young Adult contemporary novel.

This book is contemporary. It has romance. It also has a paranormal aspect (view spoiler).

I have read and enjoyed previous books by this author. So I was very excited when I saw that she had a new book coming out.

The book alternates between the male and female POV of two high school seniors (Veronica and Sawyer). At the beginning of Sawyer's chapters we have snippets of a diary ...more

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Jan 12, 2020 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, 2020, bookish-first, own-print-arc, reviewed

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I had such a good time with this book! It has been years since I last picked up Katie McGarry's work but I knew that I had to give this book a try. Once I picked this book up, I couldn't stop reading and ended up spending most of the day cuddled under a throw with this book in my hand. I can't think of a better way to spend the day. This was one of those books that you just don't want to put down. I am really glad that I decided to This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I had such a good time with this book! It has been years since I last picked up Katie McGarry's work but I knew that I had to give this book a try. Once I picked this book up, I couldn't stop reading and ended up spending most of the day cuddled under a throw with this book in my hand. I can't think of a better way to spend the day. This was one of those books that you just don't want to put down. I am really glad that I decided to give it a try.

Veronica believes in ghosts. Of course, she sees them all the time so it would be hard not to believe. Veronica lives with her father in the top two floors of an old house, that happens to be haunted. She has a pesky little tumor in her brain but she isn't going to let that have any control over her life even though the headaches she gets, as a result, can wipe her out.

Sawyer lives with his mom and 6-year-old sister. They move into the rental unit that takes up the first floor of the house that Veronica lives in. Sawyer is responsible and spends a lot of time taking care of his sister and his mother. He excels at swimming and has an addiction to adrenaline rushes. He does not believe in ghosts.

I loved Veronica and Sawyer. They were both dealing with some pretty big issues and I thought that they really saw each other in a way that no one else did. They had wonderful chemistry together and I loved it when they were able to be together and just be themselves. They both go through some pretty rough stuff in this book and I loved the way that they were there for each other and supported each other. Their actions really showed how much they care for one another.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a very well done story with amazing characters. The story took a few turns that I didn't see coming which made it even more exciting. I plan to read much more from Katie McGarry soon!

I received an advanced review copy of this book from Tor Teen via Bookish First. ...more

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Dec 06, 2019 Richelle Robinson rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary, bookish-first, 2020-releases

* I received a review copy from Bookish First and voluntarily provided an honest review*

So after reading the blurb I decided to give this book a chance. Not going to lie when I first started reading this book I struggled. I had a hard time connecting to the story. Even though the story is told in Sawyer and Veronica's point of views I felt like they were both the same person and their personality really didn't show at first.

Honestly, I thought about dnfing the book but something told me to keep ...more

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Nov 08, 2019 Renee (The B-Roll) rated it it was amazing

Literally, as soon as I saw a synopsis for this book on BookishFirst I knew that I had to read this one either early or when it comes out (Jan 2020). I fell head over heels in love with the setting (my lovely home state of Kentucky!), the overarching storyline, and the apparent sweet romance that blooms between enemies/unlikely friends. Not to mention, the cover art for this book is gorgeous and just kept pulling me in.

This book is set in a small town in Kentucky somewhere near Lexington and Literally, as soon as I saw a synopsis for this book on BookishFirst I knew that I had to read this one either early or when it comes out (Jan 2020). I fell head over heels in love with the setting (my lovely home state of Kentucky!), the overarching storyline, and the apparent sweet romance that blooms between enemies/unlikely friends. Not to mention, the cover art for this book is gorgeous and just kept pulling me in.

This book is set in a small town in Kentucky somewhere near Lexington and Louisville. It tells the story of Veronica, an enigmatic 17-year old who suffers from horrific migraines as a result of a small malignant brain tumor. She isn't too phased when the high school golden boy Sawyer, and his family move into the downstairs apartment of their rambling old house in the historic district, even though his friends regularly make fun of and gossip about Veroicnia for being weird. Veronica finds herself in a predicament when she is left without a group to complete her senior thesis project and through a series of events convinces Sawyer into being the rest of her group in order to complete her dream project on proving that ghosts exist. Over time, the two grow closer. When things begin to take a turn for the worse in regards to Veronica's health, the story deepens.

I cannot say enough how much I loved this story and how enveloped in it I was, and still am now that it's over! There was so much for me to love and I honestly have few to no complaints. While the story itself seems a bit simple upfront, there are actually a lot of different topics folded into this story. I love how complex it and the characters are. In this story, you encounter teen romance, young love, alcohol addiction, addiction in general, medical drug use, child abandonment, dyslexia, divorce, environmental pollution, blended families, rural setting, outcast characters, terminal illness, truck driving, the swim team, high school drama, folklore and legends of Kentucky, suicide, ghost hunting, historic tuberculosis sanatoriums, historic documents as primary research, psychics, off the grid living, and college life. But seriously, I am probably missing some other subjects from this list.

First, I love the enemies of lover story and just how sweet the romance between the two is. I love that Sawyer is a really soft guy who loves his sister and takes care of her while trying to keep his life straight, make money at a side job, attend AA meetings for his addiction to dangerous high jumping. and keep his grades just high enough to keep swimming. I also loved that Veronica is a beaming and strong personality that is set on living her life for herself because she seems to understand that you never know when it will end. Watching the connection between these two grow and bloom into something even larger was so special and I really enjoyed that part of the story. They make me want to read more romance.

I enjoyed how well-written all the characters in this story are, and there are plenty of them. Because there are so many that play huge parts in this story, I expected some of them to not be as fleshed out but that is the opposite! While you don't get to spend much time with Veronica's friends Scarlett, Jesse, Leo, and Nazareth, each of these characters are so well developed that you actually can get a sense of who they are especially in regards to Veronica. The same is the case for other secondary characters like Veronica's Dad, Sawyer's Mom, Glory, and Nazareth's Mom.

While the love story is very sweet and the ending is satisfactory, I also got a kick out of the storyline related to ghosts and hauntings. That entire plotline felt so well developed; obviously, McGarry did her research and wanted to make these parts as sound as possible. I love the attention to detail and how these things were taken as scary or creepy but just as natural parts of life here. The revelation about ghosts and hauntings at the end of this book really got me and struck something in me. McGarry's take on these sorts of phenomena, and the idea that perhaps all the negative gets left behind once someone dies and that we can have haunted lives without physical ghosts and eerie presences really struck something at my core. I love those deeper ideas and how they meshed so well into this story. It's not every day that you read a YA contemporary romance and can take away some larger concepts about life and death that stick with you.

And as a small note, I LOVED McGarry's hidden or veiled comments on environmental pollution and the effects of dangerous environments created by large companies. Both Veronica's and her mother's brain tumors were the results of environmental degradation by a large company in a city they lived in previously. I am glad that McGarry added this element into this story; it gives a starting place for young readers (and adult readers!) to think about pollution and its effects on our bodies, and perhaps a story that readers can connect something this disastrous with. Thank you McGarry for adding this in and creating a space for contemplation and discussion.

The last little thing I want to mention is McGarry's use of a historic diary from a Tuberculosis patient back in the early 1900s. It is so AMAZING that she figured out a way to work a primary source into this story but then directly used it for the beginning of Sawyer's chapters. I love this; it is brilliant! Thank you, McGarry, for creating a space where historical research and using primary sources is beneficial, beautiful, and fun. Great job on this and hopefully it will make others interested in history!

Overall, a fantastic book. I basically read it in a day, even though I marked it as two on Goodreads. I really don't have any huge complaints; there were a few places where the language read strange, but nothing huge jumped out. McGarry obviously knows how to write a good story and keep the reader hooked with what is going to happen. I applaud her use of a strong female character (who is a little weird) because she is someone who many others could relate to in some aspect or characteristic. I truly loved this book and can't wait for it to come out in January 2020 because I think it will end up on some big lists! Thank you BookishFirst for the ARC copy; I am so grateful! ...more

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Dec 07, 2019 Athena (OneReadingNurse) rated it it was amazing

Thank you so much to BookishFirst and Tor/Forge Books for my advanced copy of Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry!

I do not read a lot of young adult contemporary because as a 30 something year old, I can never identify with the characters or stories, and I am SO HAPPY to say that this is not the case with this amazing book.

First I just want to comment on the location: I originally thought that the book took place in Saranac Lake because of the TB hospital and note up front, but there is a portion Thank you so much to BookishFirst and Tor/Forge Books for my advanced copy of Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry!

I do not read a lot of young adult contemporary because as a 30 something year old, I can never identify with the characters or stories, and I am SO HAPPY to say that this is not the case with this amazing book.

First I just want to comment on the location: I originally thought that the book took place in Saranac Lake because of the TB hospital and note up front, but there is a portion of a real diary included in the novel from a patient at the hospital. The book actually takes place somewhere in Kentucky, but I still was jumping at home being mentioned in a book at all.

I loved the characters and the lessons they learned. Veronica is dealing with a brain tumor and believes that she is living life to the fullest... or is she just waiting to die? Sawyer is a popular kid who has a whole houseful of his own issues, and the unlikely couple end up empowering each other to confront their fears.

The book revolves around a school project that Veronica and Sawyer are doing together, to prove or disprove that ghosts exist. The themes about residual hauntings are absolutely beautiful, concluding that these are caused by emotions and events too powerful to leave the mortal world, and they can haunt a person in their day to day decisions. There may or may not be evidence of other ghosts in the story, but those are part of the fun of reading.

It is not a ghost story though, I thought it was shaping up to turn into one but it really isn't, it is SO much more. The book deals with delicate and important themes like depression, alcoholism, enablers, addiction in general, and mortal illness. Poor little Lucy, Sawyer's younger sister, seems to be the wildcard in the story and I just felt so bad for that little girl.

The one part that I wasn't quite thrilled with was Sawyer's voice when we first met him, I don't really like cryptic language that usually means a poor attempt at foreshadowing. Stick with him though because it ends up making sense, and he ended up being my favorite of the dual points of view.

I think Veronica and Sawyer have a great relationship though and their groups of friends are really, truly good friends, which is shown towards the end of the book. Their dad's are also great characters, V's dad is a big amazing papa bear and I loved him, then Sawyer's dad at the end stepping up and taking care of his kids was a good message as well. I think this is a great book for young adults and teens and even adults to read, as it made me think a lot about some of the aforementioned themes.

I would totally recommend this book to ANYONE, which is rare for me. It publishes January 14th so check it out if it sounds up your alley! ...more

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Dec 28, 2019 Olivia Wildenstein rated it really liked it

This book was beautifully written. It was the first time I've read McGarry (even though I own so many of her books) and definitely not the last time.

The characters were fleshed out and it was easy to grow attached to them. I particularly liked Veronica. She was different and quirky, and strangely enough, emotionally endearing even though she wasn't a reliable character due to her illness.

The romance with Sawyer was sweet and added an uplifting touch to an otherwise pretty sad story.

I think ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Madison rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, paranormal, mental-health, young-adult

As a devoted Katie McGarry fan I was a little worried when this book was marketed as a breakout novel and a move into a new genre. I shouldn’t have worried. Echoes Between Us is everything a Katie McGarry novel always is - heartbreaking, emotional, addictive, thrilling and romantic- with ghosts. It’s actually not much different from its companion novel Only A Breath Apart, which introduced a touch of the supernatural to the main story of family complexity and romance. Echoes Between Us As a devoted Katie McGarry fan I was a little worried when this book was marketed as a breakout novel and a move into a new genre. I shouldn’t have worried. Echoes Between Us is everything a Katie McGarry novel always is - heartbreaking, emotional, addictive, thrilling and romantic- with ghosts. It’s actually not much different from its companion novel Only A Breath Apart, which introduced a touch of the supernatural to the main story of family complexity and romance. Echoes Between Us encapsulates so many emotions and such important topics around grief, learning difficulties, illness and addiction.

Veronica can see her mother’s ghost. It, along with crippling migraines, is a constant reminder that she has a brain tumour, like the tumour that killed her mother. But she’s not afraid to die. Veronica is curious about the footsteps and rumbles in her own home, the rumours of ghosts that haunt the abandoned TB hospital, the stories of a girl who walks along the stretch of road where she died. When Sawyer moves into the rooms above Veronica’s house, he is sceptical of the warnings he receives about it being haunted. Even more sceptical of Veronica and her band of friends. He’s got bigger troubles, like taking care of his mother and sister, and resisting to urge to get adrenaline highs from cliff jumping. But Sawyer and Veronica are drawn together, and in order to hide a secret, Sawyer agrees to partner with Veronica on her ghost hunting senior project.

There are many familiar faces from Only A Breath Apart in Echoes Between Us. I loved returning to the tight friendship group of Jesse, Nazareth, Leo, Veronica and Scarlet. And it was fabulous getting to know Sawyer and his group of friends. At first they seem cruel and rude - and they are, but they learn and as the reader gets to know them better there is so much more to discover about their stories. My heart broke for Sawyer. He carries so much and feels so bad about the ways in which he is cracking under the weight. As he moved from judging Veronica to finding in her someone he can trust and share his secrets, he also learns to open up to others.

This book deals with addiction. Sawyer is addicted to adrenaline rushes, his mother is an alcoholic. It takes a long time for Sawyer to be able to admit to this. Watching his journey from staying apart from people to learning to get help was amazing and so important for teen readers. This book is all about casting off shame and stigma. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite - all about being open and understanding, both to others and to yourself.

I loved how Katie McGarry wove her story of ghosts, faith and the scepticism of others. The book is open in every way. Each of the characters has a different explanation for the phenomenon they experience, whether that’s ghosts, God, medical symptoms, reflections of one’s mental health or something else. Readers can make what they want of the explanations, can bring their own beliefs to the story and see it through that lens. Echoes Between Us is not an overly scary ghost story, it’s certainly not a horror story, but there are a few hair raising moments. It’s mostly a love story, with a big emphasis on family, friends and trauma. The supernatural parts reflect the internal battles of the characters so well.

There is diversity and acceptance and themes about learning to be accepting of others, which is so important in YA fiction. I particularly admire Sawyer and his approach to his dyslexia, his support of his friend after her coming out, the way Sawyer and his group of friends learn not to judge Veronica and her friends for being different and for the way in which Veronica must face her grief and fear.

I loved this book. Loved the way Katie McGarry handled every single detail. I can’t wait to see what she writes next, and I’d really love to return to this main group of characters again.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Madison rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, paranormal, mental-health, young-adult

As a devoted Katie McGarry fan I was a little worried when this book was marketed as a breakout novel and a move into a new genre. I shouldn’t have worried. Echoes Between Us is everything a Katie McGarry novel always is - heartbreaking, emotional, addictive, thrilling and romantic- with ghosts. It’s actually not much different from its companion novel Only A Breath Apart, which introduced a touch of the supernatural to the main story of family complexity and romance. Echoes Between Us As a devoted Katie McGarry fan I was a little worried when this book was marketed as a breakout novel and a move into a new genre. I shouldn’t have worried. Echoes Between Us is everything a Katie McGarry novel always is - heartbreaking, emotional, addictive, thrilling and romantic- with ghosts. It’s actually not much different from its companion novel Only A Breath Apart, which introduced a touch of the supernatural to the main story of family complexity and romance. Echoes Between Us encapsulates so many emotions and such important topics around grief, learning difficulties, illness and addiction.

Veronica can see her mother’s ghost. It, along with crippling migraines, is a constant reminder that she has a brain tumour, like the tumour that killed her mother. But she’s not afraid to die. Veronica is curious about the footsteps and rumbles in her own home, the rumours of ghosts that haunt the abandoned TB hospital, the stories of a girl who walks along the stretch of road where she died. When Sawyer moves into the rooms above Veronica’s house, he is sceptical of the warnings he receives about it being haunted. Even more sceptical of Veronica and her band of friends. He’s got bigger troubles, like taking care of his mother and sister, and resisting to urge to get adrenaline highs from cliff jumping. But Sawyer and Veronica are drawn together, and in order to hide a secret, Sawyer agrees to partner with Veronica on her ghost hunting senior project.

There are many familiar faces from Only A Breath Apart in Echoes Between Us. I loved returning to the tight friendship group of Jesse, Nazareth, Leo, Veronica and Scarlet. And it was fabulous getting to know Sawyer and his group of friends. At first they seem cruel and rude - and they are, but they learn and as the reader gets to know them better there is so much more to discover about their stories. My heart broke for Sawyer. He carries so much and feels so bad about the ways in which he is cracking under the weight. As he moved from judging Veronica to finding in her someone he can trust and share his secrets, he also learns to open up to others.

This book deals with addiction. Sawyer is addicted to adrenaline rushes, his mother is an alcoholic. It takes a long time for Sawyer to be able to admit to this. Watching his journey from staying apart from people to learning to get help was amazing and so important for teen readers. This book is all about casting off shame and stigma. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite - all about being open and understanding, both to others and to yourself.

I loved how Katie McGarry wove her story of ghosts, faith and the scepticism of others. The book is open in every way. Each of the characters has a different explanation for the phenomenon they experience, whether that’s ghosts, God, medical symptoms, reflections of one’s mental health or something else. Readers can make what they want of the explanations, can bring their own beliefs to the story and see it through that lens. Echoes Between Us is not an overly scary ghost story, it’s certainly not a horror story, but there are a few hair raising moments. It’s mostly a love story, with a big emphasis on family, friends and trauma. The supernatural parts reflect the internal battles of the characters so well.

There is diversity and acceptance and themes about learning to be accepting of others, which is so important in YA fiction. I particularly admire Sawyer and his approach to his dyslexia, his support of his friend after her coming out, the way Sawyer and his group of friends learn not to judge Veronica and her friends for being different and for the way in which Veronica must face her grief and fear.

I loved this book. Loved the way Katie McGarry handled every single detail. I can’t wait to see what she writes next, and I’d really love to return to this main group of characters again.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 Lindsay (pawsomereads) rated it really liked it

Echoes Between Us follows the story of Veronica and Sawyer as they navigate the hardships in their lives that eventually bring them together. Veronica has a brain tumor that causes her to see the ghost of her mother and Sawyer has all of the responsibilities of a parent watching over his little sister after his own parents divorced.
This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but in the best way. It covers so many different genres and topics in such a compelling story told through ...more

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Jan 10, 2020 Fernanda Granzotto rated it really liked it

*Thks Netgalley and publisher for e-arc of this book for a honest review. All opinions are my own*

This book has so many layers that is difficult to talk about it without spoil something,so I decide do talk about what is in the book and how I felt about it.

Veronica- I really like her,she is a very strong character that have very strong believes that make her annoying sometimes,but at the same time I like to read how she fought for what she believe was right.

Saywer- I just love him, he is a truth ...more

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Dec 13, 2019 Stacy Fetters rated it really liked it

"The only time I live is when I'm with you."

I'm no stranger when it comes to ghosts or the paranormal. I've had my fair share of occurrences with ghostly beings and it's quite the picnic when they come around. Recently, I had a ghost follow a friend and me as we were walking and it started to whistle. But when we turned around, no one was there. These occurrences happen quite often and they never get easier to deal with. But do you believe? Veronica is a believer and she may change your mind.

"The only time I live is when I'm with you."

I'm no stranger when it comes to ghosts or the paranormal. I've had my fair share of occurrences with ghostly beings and it's quite the picnic when they come around. Recently, I had a ghost follow a friend and me as we were walking and it started to whistle. But when we turned around, no one was there. These occurrences happen quite often and they never get easier to deal with. But do you believe? Veronica is a believer and she may change your mind.

Veronica sees and feels the presence of ghosts but the one that gets her attention the most is the one of her Mother. Her mother passed away from something that Veronica is going through now but won't tell her Dad just how bad it's getting. She has a brain tumor that causes her to have black-out migraines that can debilitate her for days on end. She should go to the Doctor to let them know that her condition is worsening but she's made peace with death.

With her Father being on the road a lot, that leaves her alone most of the time. That's okay with Veronica since she likes to be by herself most days but things change when Sawyer and his family move in downstairs. His Mom and sister move in downstairs because the house that is being built for them isn't ready yet but their mother is keeping a big dark secret from him.

Sawyer is drawn to Veronica after they team up for a group project at school. Spending more and more time with each other seems to bring out the best in both of them. But they both carry around burdens that they hide from one another.

Can someone who thinks that they have nothing to live for find something in the boy with the daredevil heart? Or will their demons capture them both?

McGarry did something so monumental here that other authors should pay close attention to. She combined ghostly beings, romance, and medical issues into this phenomenal book without sugarcoating anything or leaving anything out. She knows how to lay out all the information in a great way to keep you interested.

Echoes Between Us was a fantastic read. It is definitely one of those books that tugs at all of your heartstrings and won't let go. Every single detail of this book was perfect and it captivated me instantly. I've never read anything like this before and I'm honored to say that I have.

...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Sara (A Gingerly Review) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: physical-2019, 2019, dreaded-line

What an achingly beautiful story. This is one that will stay with me for a long, long time.

Huge thanks to the publisher for trusting me with an arc. Frtc.

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Dec 30, 2019 A Book Vacation rated it it was amazing

Wow!

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Oct 03, 2019 Dee/ bookworm rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-2019

Publisher synopsis: Echoes Between Us is bestselling author Katie McGarry’s breakout teen contemporary novel about a girl with everything to lose and the boy who will do anything to save her.

Veronica sees ghosts. More specifically, her mother's ghost. The afterimages of blinding migraines caused by the brain tumor that keeps her on the fringes and consumes her whole life haunt her, even as she wonders if it's something more...

Golden boy Sawyer is handsome and popular, a state champion swimmer, ...more

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Nov 02, 2019 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dyslexic, tumor, migraines

My full review can be found on the Epilie Aspie Chick blog!

Thank you to Tor Teen for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is everything! Veronica and Sawyer may be totally different people, but the unfolding of their connection shows just how much we are all the same inside. If that's not enough, they also find this incredible way to support and see the true versions of each other everyone else misses. It's an incredible book that I know is going to stick with me a long ...more

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Jan 13, 2020 JenacideByBibliophile rated it really liked it

Shelves: coming-of-age, important-issues, contemporary, heart-smashers, fiction-ya-teen, romance, fiction-ya, mental-health, pre-teen, paranormal-ghosts

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Frontlist, via Edelweiss+ for an honest review.

If you feel like crying, you’ve come to the right place.

description

“The only reason people come to live in this small town is to hide or die.”

Veronica has always been labeled as the weird girl in school. Surrounded by her group of misfit boys, and always doing the opposite of what is to be expected, rumors and cruel words have always found their way to her ears. But Veronica doesn’t care what the ...more

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Oct 14, 2019 Joanna Bennett rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-earcs, 2019-reads

I started reading this one after a much needed break from fantasy. Don’t get me wrong, I love fantasy but sometimes I just need to find myself immersed in another genre. This book was definitely different than what I thought it would be. It wasn’t in a bad way and I did find myself liking it for the most part but like most other books, I did have a few issues while reading through it.

Veronica is an interesting character. She dresses differently and also sees ghosts. She also is dealing with a I started reading this one after a much needed break from fantasy. Don’t get me wrong, I love fantasy but sometimes I just need to find myself immersed in another genre. This book was definitely different than what I thought it would be. It wasn’t in a bad way and I did find myself liking it for the most part but like most other books, I did have a few issues while reading through it.

Veronica is an interesting character. She dresses differently and also sees ghosts. She also is dealing with a brain tumor that is the same that took her mother. I liked that Veronica didn’t let the tumor consume her life. She didn’t tell people about it or want people to know to garner sympathy. She wanted people to see her for her. I also enjoyed how her dad’s nickname for her was peanut because that is what my dad has called me. It definitely did make me feel connected to her in a way.

The one character that she lets in besides her friends and dad is Sawyer. He is the complete opposite of her when it comes to social status at their school. Before partnering up with her on an English project, he knows who she is and his friends talk a lot about her. His mother even mentions how weird she is. That is one thing that annoyed me. I am just not a fan of the weird/strange girl falling for the jock trope. It’s just been done a lot. I will say that Sawyer may hang out with a lot of people and fit into that trope but since he is hiding an addiction it makes him seem more realistic. It proves that even though on the outside his life may be perfect, it doesn’t mean that it is.

Let’s also talk about his mother. She is a real terrible mother. She is the worst and it has a lot to do with her drinking problem. Sawyer is the one that has to pick up after her and is raising his sister. It’s a sad thing to read about but it is an important topic to discuss and I think it was handled nicely.

When it came to the other more minor characters, some felt a bit one dimensional. This is definitely one of those books where the main characters are the star of the plot and that was okay. I didn’t mind.

As for the plot, it was interesting and not really what I was expecting. There are paranormal aspects but not in the way the synopsis talks about. I think more or less it was really about how the past haunts us and to always be aware who we let in.

The romance/relationship in this book just wasn’t for me. They hadn’t known each other for long and they were already falling in love. It did remind me of A Walk to Remember in some ways. Even the fight they had was very reminiscent.

My favorite part about this book was the inclusion of quotes from a girl who had tuberculosis. They were real quotes from her life in one of those hospitals back in the early 1900’s. The outbreak and treatments of those patients have always fascinated me and being where I live near Louisville, KY helped make this book extra special since I live 10 minutes away.

Although I ran into a few issues, I still thought it was a good read all in all.

eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Nov 28, 2019 Amy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, 2020, review-books

When it comes to Young Adult novels, Katie McGarry is my go-to author. So, when I heard about Echoes Between Us, I just knew I had to get my hands on it. I mean, have you seen the cover for this book? It is just stunning!! I took one look at it and knew this book was going to be a winner and I was not disappointed.

Echoes Between Us follows the story of Veronica and Sawyer. Veronica is the unique outsider. She’s considered weird or strange by most. However, there is more to her than meets the When it comes to Young Adult novels, Katie McGarry is my go-to author. So, when I heard about Echoes Between Us, I just knew I had to get my hands on it. I mean, have you seen the cover for this book? It is just stunning!! I took one look at it and knew this book was going to be a winner and I was not disappointed.

Echoes Between Us follows the story of Veronica and Sawyer. Veronica is the unique outsider. She’s considered weird or strange by most. However, there is more to her than meets the eye. She’s fearless and makes the most out of each and every moment. She’s not afraid to be her true self and isn’t about to let her blinding migraines get her down. Oh, did I mention she also sees her mother’s ghost? And then we have Sawyer. He’s the golden boy. He’s handsome, popular and an amazing swimmer. However, the pressure from having to perfect all the time and the responsibilities life has handed him has led to one crazy addiction. When times get tough, he likes to dive off cliffs. He can’t get enough of the high and is afraid he won’t be able to stop. His life is crazy and chaotic. His mother can’t be counted on and his dad isn’t really around. What happens when the weird girl and golden boy cross paths?? You’re just going to have to pick up Echoes Between Us to find out…

Overall, I thought this book was a really fascinating read. As with every Katie McGarry book, this one sucks you in instantly and completely consumes you. This story intrigued me as much as it thrilled me. I loved seeing Veronica and Sawyer come together. They started off as enemies and quickly became more. Their relationship was sweet and honest. I loved how real these two were with one another. Veronica and Sawyer both had a lot of layers and I loved getting to know each of them. Their story was powerful and dealt with a lot of tough subject matter. I loved how well the author not only researched their issues, but how true she stayed to the characters.

Echoes Between Us was a consuming and heartfelt story. I devoured it easily in just one sitting. The characters were entertaining and left me hanging on every word. I enjoyed getting to know Veronica and Sawyer and had a great time getting swept up in their story.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review* ...more

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Nov 18, 2019 Joanna E.Lopez rated it it was amazing

I will be there for you as the world falls down.

Sawyer moves into the first floor of Veronica's dad's house with his mother and sister. Sawyer's father has left his mother and gives her a divorce. Sawyer and Veronica go to the same High school however, they run in different social circles. Sawyer is the popular, great-looking jock and Veronica is the "freak" weirdo With own clique of friends. Sawyer and Veronica only speak to each other when Sawyer breaks social circle norms and decides to ...more

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Jan 13, 2020 Roger Hyttinen rated it it was amazing

Because of the blurb, I went into this thinking that it was going to be a YA paranormal, given that it follows our main character Veronica who has the ability to see ghosts, specifically the spirit of her recently deceased mom. But I’d classify Echoes Between Us more as a hard-hitting contemporary romance as the paranormal aspect of the story is secondary to the other themes.

Now a good portion of Veronica’s life is consumed by a well-kept secret: she has a brain tumor – the same kind that killed Because of the blurb, I went into this thinking that it was going to be a YA paranormal, given that it follows our main character Veronica who has the ability to see ghosts, specifically the spirit of her recently deceased mom. But I’d classify Echoes Between Us more as a hard-hitting contemporary romance as the paranormal aspect of the story is secondary to the other themes.

Now a good portion of Veronica’s life is consumed by a well-kept secret: she has a brain tumor – the same kind that killed her mom -- whose symptoms include crippling migraines. She lives her life with the knowledge that her time on the planet is quickly running out.
But when Veronica ends up working on a school project with Sawyer, the super-popular golden boy/swim team jock at her school, her life completely changes. She discovers that there’s a lot more to Sawyer than first meets the eye. He quite a troubled boy, and because of his dyslexia, he struggles with maintaining his grades, and his family life is unraveling quickly. Moreover, he has resorted to a coping mechanism that could prove deadly for him.

It’s also worth mentioning that the project that Veronica and Sawyer are working on is to prove, through hands-on experience and research, that ghosts exist. So when this unlikely pair comes together, they end up questioning their stereotypes, and both end up learning and growing in the process. They each also have to make some extremely difficult decisions about their present life and their future. And of course, they fall in love.

What I enjoyed about this book is how it alternated between the POV of Veronica and Sawyer, so we got to see what was going on in each of their heads and where each of them was coming from. Additionally, most of Sawyer’s chapters include snippets from a diary written in the early 1900s by a girl named Evelyn, who had Tuberculosis and was hospitalized in a TB sanatorium (the quotes are actually from a real-life diary, which added an extra-special aspect to the story). I also enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers element of the story, one of my favorite tropes, which was exceptionally well done here and felt that Sawyer and Veronica fit together perfectly, with each of them complementing the other.

The characters, especially our two main ones, are so well-written and so realistic that they practically jump from the page, and I couldn’t help but become immediately attached to the both of them. I loved Veronica. She’s strong, brave, resilient, and feisty, and I adored how she lived life on her own terms and to hell what anyone else thought of her. Sawyer is also an admirable character who is also strong, complex, resilient, and confused – and someone who has to make some tough choices regarding his family. They both have to deal with some pretty intense and serious emotional issues.

This ended up being quite a hard-hitting but empowering story. Addiction is a huge theme in this story where Sawyer is addicted to dangerous adrenaline rushes, and his mother is an alcoholic. What I liked was how the novel approached this theme in a non-judgmental and positive manner.

The novel also dealt with several other sensitive topics such as death, enablers, grief, terminal illness, mental illness, depression, alcoholism, the pressure to be always perfect, bullying, dysfunctional families, acceptance, and love. So what I thought was going to be a fluffy ghost story ended up being an intense emotional journey.

Echoes Between Us is such a multi-layered story with several different storylines and moving parts, all of which blend together beautifully. And the ghost hunting aspect of the story is a lot of fun and adds a compelling additional element to the narrative.

This book wrecked me in the best and most unexpected ways. It’s a sucker-punch of a story that blew me away. It’s emotional, sobering, and profound, and I enjoyed every single moment. From start to finish, this endearing story held me in rapt attention, and I would definitely read more by this author. ...more

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Jan 01, 2020 Yolanda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

**Review will be posted on my blog http://pastmidnight.home.blog on January 7, 2020, nearer to publication date.**

*4.5 stars*

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this eARC.

After I sped through this book last night, I wondered why they didn’t release for October because it was the perfect fall read for me! Why? Because of the ghosts! The creepiness factor of this book was SO unexpected, I literally had some chills reading this late past midnight. I almost stopped ...more

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Dec 22, 2019 Nay Denise rated it it was amazing

Pure. Cute. Comical. Real. Heartwrenching. Perfection. I adored this story. Need a moment to gather my thoughts. Full review to come.

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Received an ARC from the publisher for review.

This was by far a shockingly good story. I always go into contemporaries with out much of an expectation. Granted, I do find that I love Katie McGarry's writing and how she writes YA contemporaries. This story was real with the issues it focused, relatable with the family dynamics, Pure. Cute. Comical. Real. Heartwrenching. Perfection. I adored this story. Need a moment to gather my thoughts. Full review to come.

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Received an ARC from the publisher for review.

This was by far a shockingly good story. I always go into contemporaries with out much of an expectation. Granted, I do find that I love Katie McGarry's writing and how she writes YA contemporaries. This story was real with the issues it focused, relatable with the family dynamics, heart-wrenching with how real it is and funny with the banter.

Veronica is a girl who tries hard to enjoy life and can see ghosts. She also has a brain tumor that causes severe migranes. Veronica is a such a strong yet vulnerable character. She knew how things would have ended, but she still looked to enjoy her life as best as she could. She was funny, very loyal, loving and smart. She was seen as a misfit which she didn't care for much. She lived for herself while still being bound to her mother's death.

Sawyer is the popular guy that every girl wants to date and every guy wants to be friends with. He's a great swimmer and very loving towards his family. I enjoyed him SO much! He does have an addiction to adrenaline -- he loves to JUMP. He's treated as a charity case by many in his circle because he has dyslexia. Sawyer is a guy with a huge heart that takes on too much. He also holds a grudge against his father while covering for his mother's stupidity.

The romance was E V E R Y T H I N G to me. It was pure, adorable and realatable (I said it again). They started off being enemies and slowly grew to friends and then built a relationship. I adored their cute, flirty banter. I loved how real they were with one another. They grow through having to be English project partners. They mesh together. They slowly acknowledge their feelings and grow to truly love one another through the good and the bad.

Leo was a friend of Veronica's that she loved. He also loved her, but his fear of her tumor caused him to be a major dick. I couldn't stand how protective and annoying he was toward her. He pissed me off! Lucy is Sawyer baby sister and she was so damn cute! Loved her. Glory was a friend of Veronica but also helped her deal with the spirits inside her house. I enjoyed her a bit.

Sylvia was Sawyer's friend and she irritated me. I loved that she was a lesbian, but I hated how her parents made her feel. I also disliked how annoying she got when Sawyer started hanging with Veronica. Sawyer's parents were interesting. His mother was terrible. She was irresponsible, liked to put on act for appearances and had an issue with alcohol. She just pissed me off from beginning to end. His father could have done a better job at getting to chat with him and Lucy. Veronica's father was such an amazing father. He was a truck driver, but he was all about loving his daughter, being there for her in her struggle and working hard to provide. He was an awesome man!

Overall, this took me on a rollercoaster and I definitely plan to re-read and annotate my ARC copy. Beautiful from beginning to end. ...more

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Dec 28, 2019 Suzanne (The Bookish Libra) rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry is a heart-wrenching story about love and loss, family and friends, and about facing your fears. It follows Veronica, who is a senior in high school and who suffers from debilitating migraines that are caused by a brain tumor. And not just a brain tumor, but the same kind of brain tumor that killed her mother. So while all of her friends are preparing for life after high school, Veronica lives knowing there’s a possibility that there may be no life after high Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry is a heart-wrenching story about love and loss, family and friends, and about facing your fears. It follows Veronica, who is a senior in high school and who suffers from debilitating migraines that are caused by a brain tumor. And not just a brain tumor, but the same kind of brain tumor that killed her mother. So while all of her friends are preparing for life after high school, Veronica lives knowing there’s a possibility that there may be no life after high school for her. Veronica is also a girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. She does what she wants to do, dresses however wild she wants to dress, and celebrates holidays on random days of the year and only a core group of friends appreciates Veronica and her originality. Most of her classmates, including golden boy Sawyer and his friends, think Veronica is a weirdo and have nothing to do with her. That is, until Sawyer and his family move into the apartment that Veronica’s dad rents out. Once he starts spending time with Veronica, Sawyer realizes how truly special she is and his whole outlook on life changes.

I can’t even express how much I loved both Veronica and Sawyer. Veronica captured my heart right away. I loved the way she lived her life to the fullest, even with a tumor and these horrible migraines hanging over her head at all times. She’s just this fearless dynamo who always speaks her mind and it was so admirable to watch. I also adored her close relationship with her dad. It broke my heart that she would hide that her condition was worsening from him, but I could completely understand why. It would clearly crush him to lose both his wife and his daughter this way and Veronica wanted to protect her dad from that pain for as long as she could. Sawyer was a character it took me a few pages to warm up to, but once I did, I fell hard. He may seem like the golden boy on the outside, but he is fighting demons of his own in the form of an adrenaline addiction, as well as having to deal with a less than ideal home life. As much as my heart hurt for Veronica and what she was going through, my heart hurt just as much for Sawyer. They are both in impossible situations and need each other more than either one of them ever could have thought possible. I loved watching their friendship blossom and my heart just ached for them, knowing how fragile Veronica’s health was.

I don’t want to give away anything about how Echoes Between Us ends so I’m just going to say it was one of the most moving and emotional reads I experienced in 2019. Many tears were shed, both happy and sad. If you like a story that will constantly tug at your heartstrings, pick up a copy of Katie McGarry’s Echoes Between Us. 4.5 STARS

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Nov 26, 2019 Slyth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-arc-read, books-i-own

Veronica, who also goes by V, is the MC we follow as she enters her senior year of high school. Though she does not imagine much after that because she has a brain tumor, like her mother did. Her mother's spirit is still present at their home, which comforts Veronica. Her father Ulysses is unaware of her spirit: so Veronica bases her senior thesis on proving spirits/ghosts exists so when she passes, her dad will be able to see both her and her mother and know he's not alone.

Then there's Sawyer: ...more

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