Resurrection Road (Book 1 of The Echo Trail); Hannah Marae

*sings* “Carry on my wayward son, there’ll be peace when you are done…” Good, now that I have summoned Supernatural fans worldwide, come, sit right here and let me tell you about this fabulous debut novel, “Resurrection Road.” We follow a mage with no memories from beyond 5 years ago, and two cousin hunters doing their thing, when one broken down car brings this trio, and their literal best dog in the world, together to find a missing friend. And, because we’ve got two hunters leading the search and rescue party, there’s many a detour along the way to put down ghosts, releasing them back into the Good Night where they can complete their journey. But not all the spirits and monsters this group encounter are what they seem, while others are exactly what they seem to be. All the while, through the hunting and searching, these three characters grow in incredible ways, from not being trusting of mages—and people in general—to trying to prove their worth not just as a hunter, but person, to deciding not to run from some mysterious past, but toward a grounded future. Honestly, there is a reason why I summoned you SPN fans here, and that’s because this book is for you!

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Marae really captures the essence of what made Supernatural one of my favorite shows, she understands that while ghost and monster hunting is important, and it does make up the core of who Lazarus and Zeke are, it’s not the heart of the story. Marae’s ghost and monster hunting scenes are insanely entertaining, don’t get me wrong (plus, I enjoyed the breadth of ghosts and monsters she had, where some were exciting because they were what I expected and wanted, and others completely blew me away with their creativity). The pacing with these little side missions is spaced out perfectly along the path of helping Eden find her friend, and while the characters make these detours, the plot never does. You never lose sight of what the ultimate goal is, of where these characters need to go, and what they have to accomplish, you never once feel lost or confused, or forget what’s happening. But it is the characters that make the book so unique and special.

Each character is so distinct from one another, and each has their own path of self-discovery and growth… They are all so well rounded and deep with their own goals and dreams, which don’t always line up with the other characters goals, making for some wonderful tension. Plus, some have tragic backstories which you can’t help but eat up. The relationships in this book were wonderful too, and who doesn’t like a found family trope? But, you know me, I am a sucker for the slow burn romances, and this book has that in spades!

Marae does a fabulous job weaving her mysteries, too. So, rest assured, while this book is its own complete story, there are so many things teased, hints sprinkled throughout, that are so intriguing! This first book sets such a strong foundation for later books in the series without ending before I felt like things properly started, which has to be applauded in Urban Fantasy series since most seem to love ending on these crazy huge cliffhangers. Which is honestly why I am giving this book 5 stars: the pacing was spot on, the tension delicious, the banter laugh out loud worthy at times, and the story is a complete arc from start to finish. It really has it all for such a quick read!

I do need to mention, on a personal note, that I was an early beta reader for Resurrection Road, however that does not impact this review whatsoever. How/why? Because I base my reviews on the finished novel, not what I’ve read in early iterations. I have since bought my own copy of this book because I truly love the content so much. The genuine progress this story has made since I first looked at it is commendable; this author is going to have such an amazing career. So, get in on this before she blows up so you can be a hipster with me and say “I liked it first.”