The Books

Echo Star is Always Listening

Echo Star is Always Listening

by Melinda Salisbury

ISBN: 9781839942730

Ruby Brookes and her best friend Deva have won free places at the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp over the summer, but only if their school grades seriously improve. So when Deva suddenly starts getting high marks in all their subjects, leaving Ruby behind, she is confused and jealous. Until she finds out Deva's success is down to EchoStar, a new app that's helping her get ahead. Ruby is desperate to start using it too, but there is much more to it than she has imagined. Because EchoStar is always watching and listening ...

Reviews

Hareem - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

In my opinion, the book itself is amazing and the style of the story is written nicely . The genre of this book is very clear and it is a realistic thriller. I like the words which have been chosen to represent the story

Hawwa - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

There was so much going on in such a short book. The whole thing was page-turning and I would definitely read the next book. I loved the plot twist about the EchoStar AI. Overall it was a great read.

Zoey - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

Quick read. Page-turning. Nice buildup. I really enjoyed this book!

Diana - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I liked the tense drama of this book, and how the AI is mysterious. I also liked how the technology seemed to get more and more sinister, until a really interesting climax. I also liked the cover illustration. I didn't really like how the main character was punished for doing the right thing, but the book overall was very good.

Charlotte - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

Very good story line and good twists and turns. Kept me interested and I couldn't put it down. A great ending too and it made me want to read the second book. Such a cliffhanger!

Elizabeth - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

This was a very interesting book. It had me hooked right to the end. I absolutely loved the ending. I recommend reading it!

Hana - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

The emotions in this book were written very well with an interesting plot

Jenny - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I enjoyed reading this book and I liked how it is a situation that lots of people might be in - the part where they are struggling with school work. I did think that the book could have been a bit longer though to go in to more detail. Thank you for writing this book.

Clemmie - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

It was a really good book. Nice and short. Easy to read good ending.

Emily - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I loved how the book slowly came to the understanding of what and who was controlling the Echostar app and how you can't trust everything on the Internet. I also loved when the same boy kept turning up and that it didn't draw to much attention to him either. There could have been more suspense but overall it was a great book and I really enjoyed reading it.

Tabi - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I loved it! As a big reader, I am always happy to find a book that really connects with all my wants in a book. I have never really enjoyed Sci-Fi, but this really made it more enjoyable and fun for me. Thank You.

Mia - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I don't usually like books like this, but I actually liked this one.

Sarah - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

Well written book. I generally like this type of book, especially as there was the mystery of who Ryan actually was and what he would do.

Milena - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I liked the twist of fate when Ruby found out that EchoSTAR was actually a human, not AI and I also liked how her mum got a virtual assistant after everything that had just happened. I didn't like how it doesn't say if she went to the ATF camp in the end. I loved the book though.

Annie - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

This book was very exciting and I especially loved the detail of how you can't always trust AI. I fully recommend this book for people who enjoy drama, but the book also holds a message that you shouldn't always trust random people on the internet and don't spend your entire life on the screens.

Kristen - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

The plot was interesting but I think the book can be a bit longer since I like longer stories to be honest.

Maria - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

Its a really good book and really drew me in. Its so Interesting and I couldn't stop reading It! I totally recommend It and can't wait to read the next one!

Emma - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I thought that this was quite a good book but I found it a bit confusing. Towards the end of the book is did start to give me nightmares.

Sophie - Bramcote College - 2025

The book echostar is thrilling and mysterious. With different words adding to the eerie atmosphere building up throughout the book with a shocking plot twist. It is a good book for mystery book lovers. Would recommend.

Thomas - Bramcote College - 2025

I feel really strongly about this book, the plot, the story, the plot twists, they all get me trapped into reading more. I love the thought put into making the characters as well as the ending, it always kept me guessing what was going to happen next. In theory, this book is amazing, there are a few things that could be better but overall, it's, amazing.

Elodie - Bramcote College - 2025

Ruby and her best friend Deva both love drama and have recently won places for the Ash Tree Foundation Performing Arts Camp. However, they can only go if their school grades improve. But it is only when Deva suddenly becomes one of the top pupils in the class, that Ruby discovers Echo Star, an app to help improve your school grades, harmless right? This is a good book if you like a plot-twist, however I found it quite unsettling, hence the lower score. I did like the characters though and the way that it was almost like looking through their eyes.

Erin - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I really enjoyed this book as it demonstrates the dangers of AI and technology. I would definitely recommend.

Evie - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

I really enjoyed ECHOSTAR because of the plot twist at the end. This could also be helpful to younger readers to not download sketchy apps. I'm excited to read the next book when I can.

Amaira - Bramcote College - 2025

This book is wonderfully thrilling. I like how it acknowledges the dangers of cyberbullying while making it spine chilling!

Eliana - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

It was a very interesting and good book with lots of plots twists and drama.

Abubakar - Bramcote College - 2025

Really good thriller and shows the dark side if technology if used by the wrong people also looks towards friendships.

Lilah - Bramcote College - 2025

Echostar is a very good book, it has a very strong connection to the modern world being overtaken by social media. There were some emotionally intense parts, as the main character undergoes hard times. I loved the cliffhanger at the very end. The only thing I'd say is that it all felt a bit rushed. Would recommend to anyone who likes a bit of drama.

Grace - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

I really liked this book because it was very interesting and it made me very curious.

Connie - Bramcote College - 2025

As I read this book I absolutely fell in love with it, I could not put it down. I read it in 4-6 days, less than a week! Even now it stays in my mind and I truly do think that the book cover works perfectly with the story. This is definitely a book that I will be recommending to my friends.

Szymon - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

The first few pages were a bit boring but once it got into I really enjoyed all the plot twists.

James - Magnus Church of England Academy - 2025

If you're interested in Artificial intelligence, you might love this book. It was a well written book but I feel like the story was a bit rushed. Reading this book was intense and gave me anxiety, I felt really bad for the character in some scenes, I'd say this book was probably for more mature readers and I wouldn't recommend this for younger ages. I do think older readers will relate to it more.

Komal - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I loved this book! It was so fun to read and the twist at the end was amazing. It was so good and l could not stop reading it! l am so exited to read the next book

Georgie - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

Amazing book! Its very scary, but also thrilling. It is such a page turner and I loved this book.

Grace - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

This was the book for me. I found it very intriguing and interesting!

Yishan - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

This book is really good. It's really interested me.

Darcy - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I enjoyed Echostar because it started off strong and did not take a long time to get to some drama. I also liked how they gave hints about things (like the boy on the bus) . Overall, I enjoyed the book.

Sophia - Bramcote College - 2025

Echostar is an amazing book with cliffhangers and twists. It is easy to read and enjoyable. It is about an AI app and shows you how you should always know who is on the other side of the phone.

Minnie - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I enjoyed Echo star because the story had me gripped and at the end of each chapter there was a cliff hanger which made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next. However I did find the story slightly creepy because it is based on someone being stalked. The ending was clever because it was setting the scene for the next book making you want to read it.

Sophie - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

I found it so interesting couldn't stop reading echo star is always listening. It was so good !

Isaac - Bramcote College - 2025

I loved how Chloe and Deva kept secretly getting attacked by EchoStar and the mystery with him following Ruby. And how at the end ruby decides not to go to Ash Tree Foundation.

Robyn - Bramcote College - 2025

I really enjoyed this book and especially how EchoStar was always supporting Ruby even when Dena had fell out with her. I would definitely recommend this for an short enjoyable read.

Niamh - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I thought this book was one of my favourites as I loved how it was so engaging. I think this book is amazing.

Holly - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

This book is a quick read but a very entertaining one. The fact that its not super long makes you more motivated to read it, knowing you could finish it easily but there is also a downside, the ending feels rushed and there's almost no time to comprehend what's really happening. The cover is also definitely very captivating. The mysterious vibe of the cover definitely attracts readers. I liked the chapters and small cliffhangers leading onto the next chapter. Great book.

Annabel - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I think that Echostar is a very inspirational and interesting book .

Esme - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I loved this book as it was amazing well written. I loved the cliff hangers at the end of the chapters. I loved all of the characters and I liked how much it made me dislike and lean towards opinions about the other characters. I would have liked more at the end as it was a little bit rushed. I would have liked to know more about her new school, and how she was feeling. Overall it was a great book and I am excited to read the next book [Adelaide].

Heidi - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I really enjoyed Echo Star it was a gripping book and it made me read every single night to see what happened next! I liked it was straight to the point of the book, the end of the book was a bit rushed for me when the mum got "Adelaide" and when she moved to her new school and I would like to know how she was feeling and maybe a bit more detail but apart from that I loved it!

Lily - Nottingham Girls High School - 2025

I think Echo Star kept you on your toes and made you think about what might happen next. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I didn't like the ending. It didn't give me the same feeling that the rest of the book did. It was very straight forward, simple and rushed. It didn't give much information about the new school, the new robot or how the girl felt after finding out Echo Star was a person.

Taylor - Bramcote College - 2025

This book at the start was a little bit boring, but then there was the twist and that changed it all. And Ruby I think at the end wasn't as scared and wanted to move schools. Overall this book was alright.

Dylan - Outwood Academy Kirkby - 2025

It was a good book, very spooky.