Day’s YA – ECHO NORTH - Macmillan Library

Happy Friday, YA librarians!

Spring is around the corner (or so they say…), but the setting in this fairy tale retelling is as frigid as they come. Bundle up!

ECHO NORTH by Joanna Ruth Meyer
9781624147159
Ages 14 And Up
Available now from Page Street Kids

As a child, Echo Alkaev was brutally attacked by a wolf. Her scars from that day have made her an outcast, but Echo, ever the bookseller’s daughter, has always been able to find comfort in reading . . . until the day her father disappears and is presumed dead. Six months later, Echo finds him half-frozen in the woods, guarded by the very same wolf who scarred her years ago.

In exchange for her father’s freedom, Echo agrees to live with the wolf but to never look at him between midnight and dawn. During her year in captivity, Echo cares for the wolf’s magical castle, explores the enchanted library, and inevitably grows closer to the wolf. Those familiar with East of the Sun, West of the Moon will recognize the trope, but Meyer puts her own spin on it (#nospoilers).

Ya’ll. I LOVE a good fairy tale retelling (see my *glowing* review of another favorite) and ECHO NORTH does not disappoint. It’s a refreshing take on a classic tale with an extremely satisfying twist at the end. The epic love story is captivating and the snow-covered, Russian-inspired setting is brutal and breathtaking. This dreamy tale is an ideal read for fans of THE HAZEL WOOD by Melissa Albert and GIRLS MADE OF SNOW AND GLASS by Melissa Bashardoust.

But don’t just take my word for it! ECHO NORTH has received two starred reviews!