You are not alone! The Seeker will find you. Don't lose hope.

I hope you're listening is an interesting YA thriller. I love the idea of a podcast that helps finding missing people. I wish it was real and that it could save lives. With a terrible past, Dee comes with the idea of Radio Silent, a podcast about missing people. She couldn't save her best friend, but maybe she could save someone's else life.

I'm not gonna lie, the book went slow at the beginning. But at the half, when the action started, I was mystified. I couldn't read faster! I needed answers and I needed them fast! There were some twists and tensions that I didn't think of. When you think you know the truth, you find out something new and every idea falls out. For a YA thriller, I hope you're listening is pretty good.

Thank you TBR and Beyond and Tom Ryan for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

"I didn't start Radio Silent to bring myself attention. I started it for the opposite reason, to bring attention to cases and people who deserved it. To draw my own obsessive attention away from the mystery that's haunted me for more than half my life.

It's never been about me. It's about the people who need finding."

Reading I Hope You're Listening was such a roller coaster ride! The book is mainly about the aftermath of the disappearance of our protagonist's bestfriend. Dee was with Sibby the day she disappeared and naturally, she somehow blames herself for what happened. Some days she still finds herself thinking, "what could I have done differently to prevent her from being abducted?" The trauma is still haunting her and her true crime podcast helps her with dealing with this.

This book has been marketed under the Thriller and Mystery genre and even though those are correct, I can't help but still be terrified as if what I'm reading is a Horror book. It's probably because I know that this kind of stuff happens in real life. The book truly captured the horrifying and heart-breaking events of having someone being taken away from you without you and that someone's consent. I Hope You're Listening was fast paced and truly an absorbing read. Each chapter leaves you interested and wanting for more. With Tom Ryans very readable writing, it's not hard to get lost on Dee's world and life. You'll find yourself feeling like she does. Wondering like she does. And wanting the truth like she does.

Dee is a great character, she's not perfect in any way but I found myself rooting for her. Tom Ryan penned realistic and likeable characters and as the thrill and mystery solidify, you can't help but think that one of them is the "bad guy" I didn't have any issues with the characters at all, however, I did hope that the romance aspect was executed in a different way. I admire the fact that Dee doesn't have to come out at any point in the book, but I wished that Dee getting together with that particular character didn't happen so fast.

As I Hope You're Listening is a mystery thriller, plot-wise, I would say that they mysterious atmosphere was well done! It kept me guessing and I really didn't foresee how everything will be wrapped up. Even though I hope that the "revelation" should've been MORE, I was still satisfied and contented with how it was done and finished.

Overall, I would recommend I Hope You're Listening to every mystery thriller junkies out there! I Hope You're Listening truly delivered, it will keep you engrossed 'till the very end.

"There were only two of us in the woods that day. One of us is missing, and one of us is left behind."


When two girls went out at the woods to play they couldn't imagine what was lurking for them there. Something that would change their lives forever. One goes missing and the other one stays behind with what happened there haunting her for the next decade.

Our heroine is the one who's left behind and now ten years later a similar case happens at their hometown and she can't escape her past. She needs to face her demons and delve deeper than she wanted to. At the same time she is the secret host behind a famous podcast that its own goal is to help cases of missing people. But when there's another case of a missing girl, in her own hometown and specifically in the house she used to live in when her best friend went missing , they are wondering if this case is connected to the one from the past. A new girl moves in across the street and she starts asking questions and comes close to our heroine.

Wow! You guys I recently read this book and it was so good!! It's been a while since I've read a mystery that I couldn't predict and I'm so happy! I did have some questions that weren't exactly answered and some explanations were a bit weird to me, but other than that it was a great one. As the story progressed it became more interesting. And the suspense by the end had me biting my nails and just eating it up!! If you're in mood for a mystery, this is a such a good one 💜

3.5 stars

I Hope You're Listening tells the story of seventeen-year-old Delia "Dee" Skinner, a girl whose life changed drastically after the abduction of her childhood bestfriend, Sibby, when they were playing at the forest ten years back. Ever since, Dee hasn't moved on entirely and the survivors guilt she feels has lead her to creater her own escape, a podcast named "Radio Silent" where she's The Seeker: an online persona who helps solve disappearance cases. Things take an unexpected turn when a little girl goes missing on her own town, in a very similar way Sibby did, and she starts to question if both cases are connected.

This is a very light book to read. Ryan does a great job at telling the events of the story in a very straight-forward and inmersive way. I Hope You're Listening is the kind of book you coukd read in one go, partly because of this but also because once you familiarize with the plot and the characters, all you want to do is find out the whole truth.

Dee is a very well written character. I liked how as you read her story and get a look inside her thoughts, you can see how the events of the past have contributed to the girl she is today. She's very mature, being forced to grow up so fast because of the tragedy that marked her life, but you can also feel her desire to be a normal girl and stay away from the limelight.

As this boon deals with abductions and crime scenes, there's the inevitable involvement of the media. Ryan portrays the different aspects of journalism, the lack of ethics of some reporters and the true and genuine intentions of real professionals who just want to report the truth.

More than anything, this book speaks about the importance of seeking the truth and answering all the unanswered questions hanging above your head. About fighting for justice and for closure, whether the outcome is good or bad. But it's also about teenagers who were forced to grow up on the spotlight in a negative circumstance and how they deal with it. It shows the reader that while it's not good to live in the past, it's not right to let it go without doing the best you can to fix what's wrong from it.

There's just two things that make me rate this book anything under 4 stars: the mystery element and the romance. I like my mystery books full of plotwists and unexpected turns, and this wasn't the case, though I was surprised a couple times throughout the book. If you like mystery books that are a little more "light" and relaxed, this one can be great for you.

About the romance included... I think it was a bit unnecessary. I feel like it didn't contribute anything to the plot and the growth of Dee's character, and I don't think it would've make a difference if it wasn't included. It also had an insta-love kind of vibe I didn't like.

All in all, I'm happy I read this book. The ending was great and it tied all the loose ends and all the characters had a proper closure, and that's always a good feeling. I felt satisfied when I closed this book.

If you liked Radio Silence, Sadie and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, check out I Hope You're Listening!

Dee was only seven when here best friend Sibby was taken, right in front of her. Now at seventeen she has never forgotten that day and the guilt that she hadn't been able to do more to save Sibby has stayed with her. But now she has another personality just at night she is the Seeker a personality for her Podcast Radio Radio Silent, True Crime crime focused on trying to find missing people with the help of "lap top detectives". When another little girl goes missing very similarly to Sibby in the same neighbour hood Dee begins to wonder if she can help, how much should she put out there of herself? Should she come out from behind the lap top to find the new little girl and maybe even find out what happened to Sibby?

Tom Ryan writes a very atmospheric book that I found myself immediately drawn into, the descriptions of Redfields was so vivid I felt like I was there and could picture it all. There was also an odd spooky feeling to the town that wasn't outright but just on the edge not overt but just spooky enough to make this a great October read. To build on top of the great atmosphere Tom Ryan has done a great job with character development. Well Dee is the most developed character many of the side characters have a great development and stories. I think my favourite being tide between Burke and Dee's Dad.

There was also a lot of great representation in the book between minorities (particularly the mention that their cases of missing people go under reported and under searched), and LGBTQ rep.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA mysteries or is interested in trying them out. In this genre I found this book to be one of the best. It is also a great October read for someone who might not want a super spooky read.

Thoughts and Themes: This is a story that hooks you in right from the first few pages in which you meet young Sibby and Dee playing in the forest. From those first few pages, you want to know what really happened that day, and want to know if this book is going to reveal that to you.

I wanted to know if the new missing person case had anything to do with the past and what really was going on in this small town. I really enjoyed the short snippets that we get of podcast episodes and really want to listen to this book on audio now because I feel that would really add to the atmosphere in this story.

I really enjoyed how quickly the pace picked up towards the end of the book and how quickly things changed for everyone. I don’t want to give you any spoilers though so I can’t tell you much about what happened except that this book wrapped up nicely. I thought the characters developed nicely throughout the story and really liked seeing how different events affected them and changed them.

Characters: You get three main characters through this story, Dee, Burke, and Sarah. Dee is the main character of the story whose best friend went missing 10 years ago and things have never been the same for her since then. That case is now resurfacing as a little girl has gone missing from the home that Dee lived in when Sibby went missing. I really like how she develops throughout the story from the start where she is closed off and secretive about her feelings to when she shares things with Sarah.

Burke is Dee’s best friend who is the only one who knows that Dee is behind the podcast, Radio Silence. I love how supportive he is of Dee’s podcast even if it isn’t something that he is interested in, and love how supportive he is of the relationship between Sarah and Dee.

Sarah is the new girl in town who knows nothing about what happened 10 years ago and has no clue why the media suddenly has an interest in Dee. I really like how Sarah seems to come in and save the day when Dee needs her and is patient with her. I like that she never demands answers from her and gives her time to want to reveal any information to her.

Writing Style: This story is told through the perspective of Dee and through transcripts from her podcast, Radio Silence. I really enjoyed the way that the podcast was included in the story and how we got to read through some of the episodes. I thought it was a good way to see a different part of Dee’s personality and see the change in her.

I also liked how this story told both the present and the past through flashbacks from Dee as she explained things to others. I thought that the flashbacks were included at just the right moments and also thought that they were able to make you feel like you had gone back in time to those moments. I liked the way that you could tell that it was a younger Dee remember those moments and you could feel the way that she felt throughout those times.

I Hope You’re Listening follows Dee, a kidnapping survivor who feels haunted by guilt and remorse for failing to help her best friend when she was taken ten years prior, who now runs a popular true-crime podcast in order to help find missing people all over the country.

The was the plot starts really pulled me into the story and I was always so intrigued. he podcast scenes were really gripping and some of my favorites. I’d imagine the different voices in my head with every new episode.

Dee was such a strong, mature young woman. Traumatic events force people to grow up faster and Dee never felt like a 17-year-old high school girl. She was kind, curious, tenacious, and she had a purpose, you can even call it a calling. These were the qualities that really made me instantly like Dee but she was not without her flaws. She was impulsive and even reckless at times, jeopardizing her safety in search of the truth. I was so scared for her sometimes and completely invested in what was happening at all times.

The writing style was beautiful and compelling and I quite liked it. All the while I was reading, I jolted down my theories and what I thought were clues foreshadowing the culprit and in the end, I got a thing or two right but it was still a very surprising ending.

With all that being said, I give this book: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall, I really quite enjoyed I Hope You’re Listening and I’m interested in reading more from this author. I recommend it if you like YA mysteries like A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson or One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus.

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the synopsis of this story, and was very excited to jump in. Unfortunately, I did not love this book as much as I hoped I would. If the first half of the book was similar to the second half of the book I would have enjoyed this book a lot more.

One of my biggest struggles was with Dee. I found her a very unlikeable main character. While I understand she has a tragic backstory, she was still very unlikeable. I also did not like the fact that I guessed a lot of the story's mysteries.

I did appreciate the romance of the book. It was a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the unique take on how Dee deals with her survivor's guilt. Turning her tragedy into a way to help others? I really enjoyed that! I just wish it had been done better to make me like Dee more.

When she was seven, Dee went into the woods with her best friend Sibby. Sibby never came back — Dee watched her abduction and told the police everything she could, but Sibby was gone.
A decade later, Dee is still haunted by the loss of her childhood friend and obsessed with missing persons cases — so much so that she’s become the (heavily disguised) voice behind the popular Radio Silent true crime podcast. Dee and her team of internet detectives have even racked up an impressive record of solved cases — bringing the podcast to the attention of mass media, which Dee definitely doesn’t want. Meanwhile, another little girl goes missing from Dee’s family’s old house, and Dee can’t helping making the connection to Sibby’s disappearance all those years ago. Could this be her chance to finally find out what really happened to her best friend?
I enjoyed I Hope You’re Listening, which was fast-paced, engaging, and peopled with likable characters. The plot got away from itself here and there and it felt over-written in places — have editors just stopped actually editing books? Is that not a thing anymore? — but I liked Dee enough to stick with her, and I’m glad I did. So much of what happens to us as kids and teenagers shapes who we become and the ways we choose to live, and I loved watching Dee realize that, accept it, and counter it on her own terms. Not all of us deal with being the spare kid in an abduction scenario, obviously, but we’re all tangled in our own history, often in ways we don’t realize. I think the book did a nice job of illuminating that. And, of course, I loved the Radio Silent community — there’s a part at the end where they play kind of a big role, and I’m not going to lie, I got a little weepy thinking about the way that strangers can be friends thanks to the connections we forge on the internet.
So a solid read for me, even with some sloppy storytelling. I’d recommend it for your YA reader obsessed with true crime.

Tom Ryan has proven himself to be a solid YA writer and this book is no exception. The main character, driven by a childhood trauma to help others is compelling (and I would totally listen to the podcast she comes up with to help locate missing persons). The romance, while not central to the plot is still engaging and the scene with the Dee getting ready for the dance with her parents' help is lovely. Some of the clues Dee picks up start to feel a little unlikely toward the end quarter of the book but by that point there is enough momentum going that it doesn't matter, the reader will be deeply invested.

Ten years after that day in the woods, Dee is still dealing with the guilt and grief of watching her best friend’s kidnapping. To help her cope, Dee now runs a podcast, Radio Silence, which sheds light on kidnapping cases in the hope of bringing in more information from listeners. When another girl goes missing in her small town, memories begin to resurface that Dee would rather leave buried.

I really enjoyed the mystery/ thriller element of this book, but I enjoyed the discussion of grief and regret even more. Dee’s emotions were conveyed in every part of the story, from the vivid descriptions of the setting to the transcripts of her podcast. I often feel like fear is the driving emotion in mystery/ thrillers, and don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of creepy moments in his book, but the grief and regret just added another layer to the story.

I did feel that some of the relationships, both friendships and romantic relationships, were rushed. I also think some people will find Dee’s character annoying if they do not take into consideration her past, but overall I really liked this book. I will definitely be looking out for the audiobook to re-read this as I always loved audiobooks that have podcasts in them!

I’m obsessed with podcasts so I knew I needed to read I Hope You’re Listening as soon as I read its synopsis. Additionally, I couldn’t resist the fact that it’s a mystery thriller which made it perfect to read in October. I’m so glad I read it!
I read 50% in one sitting and I only stopped because I needed to work and while I was at work, I kept thinking about this story. As soon as I got home, I finished it because I literally couldn’t wait. I guess you can tell I was really hooked! I totally was. From page one, this book kept me on my toes. Guessing, guessing, guessing. There’s something about Tom Ryan’s writing that captivated me completely and I just couldn’t stop reading. I NEEDED to know what, who and why, especially regarding the main mystery. Yes, there’s more than one mystery!
Dee is an amazing character, she kept so much to herself, she carried so much on her shoulders and even when she was being self-absorbed, like any teenager especially a teen that went through what she did when she was a child, I absolutely loved her. Burke, her childhood friend, was also a great character, their friendship was solid even with its ups and downs and I loved their moments together. I wish we could’ve seen more of Burke as the story developed. I also loved Dee’s Dad, he was so funny and sweet. I really enjoyed the fact he was a stay-at-home Dad. Sarah, who moves into the house across the street, was a great addition to the story. She played a major role in Dee’s character development and I really liked how their relationship grew. She was exactly what Dee needed.
There were a few things that I felt weren’t explained well or at all. Sarah figures something out and I didn’t get how she grasped it. It bothered me that Dee didn’t even ask Sarah how she figured it out which made me feel like there was a piece of the puzzle missing. Also, one of the mysteries, the one wrapped up at the very end of the book, is solved but I couldn’t figure out how too. I don’t think we got the details of how the person who solved it got to the bottom of it or maybe I missed something? Anyway, I really loved how the main mystery is wrapped up, though, as well as the mystery that Dee, as The Seeker, was helping to solve on her podcast. This was the first book written by Tom Ryan I’ve read and it definitely won’t be the last.
Overall, I Hope You’re Listening is a gripping, emotional, fast paced, entertaining, solid YA mystery thriller. I recommend it to readers who enjoy this genre or that are looking for an enjoyable mystery October read.

Rep: LGBTQIAP+
TW: Drug use; Child Abduction/Kidnapping.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.*

Imagine you’re in the woods, playing hide and seek with one of your closest friends and after counting down, you run to find her being tied up and taken by two strangers in ski masks. Imagine if your friend was never found, and you’re left with the guilt of knowing she was taken and you were left to live the tale.

It’s a bit like survivors guilt, and Dee is in that exact position. “I Hope You’re Listening,” tells the story of Dee, a high schooler who runs the 11th most popular true-crime podcast in the nation, “Radio Silent,” which covers stories of missing people in hopes of spreading the word and to potentially help solve the cases. Dee started this after her friend, Sibby, was abducted 10 years ago in the woods. In the current day, a little girl goes missing and everyone rushes to both find her and potentially find the clues to where she is, with one of the most prominent clues linking Sibby’s abduction to this girl’s abduction.

What launches after that is a 500 page (I read this on my phone!) story about Dee, her hunt to stay hidden as the host of “Radio Silent” and find out what happened to that little girl.

Overall, “I Hope You’re Listening” is a cute, but sometimes stiff story. I think that Dee is written very interesting in that she is stiff and at times a little rude or cold, but what she’s been through reflects in her actions. Most of her life has been consumed by true crime, and her guilt of that day in the woods is evident in her weariness to trust others, and especially her random moments of emotion or not feeling well while this girl’s search is going on. That being said, it was a little frustrating from a reader standpoint to have a main character who is so stiff, but it makes sense given her past.

Something that did fall a little flat for me though was the podcasts. I love a good opportunity to use mixed media but the podcasts seemed a little boring and didn’t catch my attention. I found myself either dozing off or thinking of something else when I was reading them. They do manage to pick up in the second half of the book though, and I enjoyed the second half a lot, asides from a couple of disruptions.

I think the second half has some great pros but a blaring, red, con which is the ending. The ending is very anti-climatic which is upsetting for such a book of its length. If it had been just a bit longer and laid out how the conclusion was reached and everyone involved, I think it would have been a much more rewarding ending. On the flip side though, the relationship between Dee and Sarah helps warm Dee up in her world and to the reader which creates a better reading experience in the second half.

The Verdict
“I Hope You’re Listening” is a cute and fun read that appeals to a wide audience and showcases several issues not normally talked about such as abductions, dropped cases, and a wide variety of other topics. Although it was a bit bumpy and the lows were a bit low for my personal experience, there are a lot of good aspects about this book that deserves your attention. Although I haven’t read any other books by author Tom Ryan, he seems like a promising author who does a great job at writing books with good representation while maintaining an interesting story.

My fina rating: ⅘ stars

Oh, I loved this book! Spooky, clever and queer. Perfect for a little creepy Halloween reading this month. Just look at that cover art too! So beautiful.

I really liked Dee, a 17-year-old who witnessed her best friend being abducted a decade ago. She's secretly started a podcast that reports of people who've gone missing, which has spawned its own Laptop Detective Agency – a group of true crime addicts who work together online to help put the pieces together that the police sometimes miss. However, no one knows who Dee is.

Then suddenly a series of events launch the story into action. A badass babe, Sarah, moves in across the road and she just happens to be a fan of the podcast – and of Dee. Then a young girl, who lives in Dee's old house, goes missing and their small town is launched into yet another search. News reporters flock to the town again and it's not long before they try and join the dots between two missing girls who are linked by Dee.

While I like thrillingly creepy stories, I often get freaked out too quickly (and then struggle to sleep) but this YA book hit just the right amount of scary without going too far. Yes, I'm really lame but I just have an overactive imagination. I also liked the fact that even though this is a YA book and the protagonist is queer, it's not a coming-out story. Everyone already seems to know that Dee likes girls and it's a non-issue. It's so refreshing to think that this is the reality for some queer teens these days.

I enjoyed this book so much it would have been a five-star review from me except for one thing: it ended too quickly. I felt like the story was building at such a great rate and then all of a sudden it was wrapped up and done. It really could have done with being about 20-30% longer, giving space and time for Dee and Sarah's relationship to grow a little more and allow for a few more plot points before the big reveal at the end.

Other than that, this was one of the best books I've read so far in 2020. Highly recommend it.

I love! Podcast mystery books! Such a good time every time, so much fun. The Podcast part is always my favourite part, and this one had a really solid mystery. I liked Dee enough, and I really liked her and Sarah together. Some parts of this were unrealistic, but I read almost exclusively YA mystery thrillers so I have a healthy suspension of disbelief and was completely unbothered. This is a great spooky time read, very nice fall atmospheric book. I recommend!

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of I Hope You Are Listening by Tom Ryan in exchange for my honest review.~

I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan is a fast paced, tense mystery novel. We follow Dee, who ten years ago was the only witness to the abduction of her best friend, Sibby. The story takes place in the present, where another child goes missing.

Ten years after her best friend goes missing, Dee cannot recall much about the abduction. To help cope with this, she creates a podcast (which no one knows about) about true crime and solving unsolved cases with the help of her followers. Another child is abducted and she realizes that there is a possibility that her identity might be revealed.

Starting with the positives, I loved that this book had great LGBTQ+ representation. I also loved that Dee's dad was a stay-at-home dad. We as a society should start normalizing these types of thoughts, however I was guilty of being shocked (a good one!). Another thing I would like to add is that Dee is seventeen years old and is written like a seventeen year old. Some books can't do that well but I think Tom Ryan did it beautifully.

I believe that this was a good read. It wasn't extraordinary or groundbreaking but it set what it intended to do. However, I think it lacked a deeper meaning. Because Dee was a very private main character, I feel like we as readers weren't able to sink deeper into her own thoughts, into what she was directly feeling as things unfolded.
This book is a more of a character-driven novel with mystery aspects. It takes a while before she starts investigating herself halfway through the book. But when you get to the mystery part, it's fast paced and flows really well. The ending was alright, pretty satisfactory (but pretty easy to guess).

So, if you’re looking for a solid YA mystery that’s more character-driven, this is the book for you

I really enjoyed this book, a strong heroine, that was believable. a heroine we care about as we watch her growth and her courage. a mystery that has haunted her since her childhood and how she handles the guilt she has taken on. her lesbianism is just an accepted fact. male author but believable as a female narrator

Wow, this was a great YA thriller mystery. I don't normally love YA thrillers because they tend to not be realistic and things don't always add up. I really really enjoyed this entire book and read it in one sitting. I am a sucker for a book with a podcast in it and this one had it! We are following Dee who runs a podcast that is incredibly famous. It is to help find missing people, she started this because her best friend was abducted 10 years ago. Dee survived the abduction, but her best friend was kidnapped. I think the idea of a podcast to help solved missing person cases is amazing.

I really loved how this showed the aftermath of what Dee has been dealing with for the past 10 years. I don't know how I would handle being the girl who wasn't taken while my best friend was. Dee is trying to help solve a current case of a little girl who has gone missing and it is eerily similar to her best friends case from 10 years ago. I think this is a solid thriller that literally keeps you on the edge of your seat. While it did have some faults, they were so minuscule that they don't even matter! I would highly suggest reading this if you've been looking for an exceptionally written YA thriller full of great characters and an amazing plot.

This started out kind of slow, but it quickly snowballed into a fully fledged mystery that had me on the edge of my seat. It starts off with a podcast. One I would probably listen to in real life. The premise of the podcast is someone putting out missing person cases out into the world for their listeners to help solve. That's when Dee comes in. She is The Seeker. She started this podcast so she could help others when she couldn't help the one person she wanted to the most all those years ago. Now y'all can read the rest of the summary for yourselves so I'm gonna get to the rest of the review. Spoilers ahead!!

What I loved:
- Sarah and Dee's relationship. Oh gosh they were so so cute. We didn't see quite as much as I was hoping for but it was still amazing.
- The complexity and sort of intertwined-ness of the main two cases. They were two separate things that were forced together. I loved that the story had me guessing for a lot of it.


What I didn't love:
- Burke. Just...he had the potential to be such a great character. I wanted to love him but he was just not good. He constantly trivializes Dee's trauma and tried to make it his own. He made some good points in his arguments that Dee wasn't the only one affected by Sibby's abduction...but he also made it seem like Dee was always saying that she was. Dee was perfectly aware that others were affected. But she had a right to feeling the way she did. He also constantly was pushing her to get involved in the new case, even after she said she was too close and that it was hurting her. She should've had been allowed the time and care to come to the realization that she, herself, needed to be involved for her own peace of mind. But all he did was push her and stop talking to her.
- For all the times Dee talks about how she's on high alert and doesn't trust people/strangers...she sure did just randomly trust strangers throughout the whole book. Just got into a strange man's van, drank and ate whatever was given to her without second thought, trusted that yeah going into the basement with only one exit is totally safe.
- okay I both loved and didn't quite love that Dee's queerness isn't all that upfront. I love it because it was so natural for everyone to just accept that she liked girls and often teased her about her crush on Sarah. But also...I really like when, in the story, characters are like "oh yeah, I'm a lesbian" or "I'm queer". Again I didn't hate it, I was quite fond of the situation. It was also a relief that there was almost no homophobia in this book. There's only a brief subtle mention of it for maybe 2 pages.

Again, it started off kind of slow and, for me, didn't really get super interesting or pick up until 70% of the way in. But this was a really quick and exciting read. I definitely recommend if you're in the mood for a mystery!!

4.5. stars

WOW. This needs to be turned into a movie immediately!

Ten years ago, Dee Skinner witnessed the kidnapping of her childhood friend, Sibby Carmichael. Throughout the years, there has been no signs of Sibby, and all Dee has been left with are the haunting memories of being in the forest when her friend was taken. Now, in order to deal with pain, Dee runs an anonymous podcast called Radio Silent, where she discusses missing person cases and encourages her listeners to help her solve these cases. Shockingly, another girl goes missing--from the family who moved into Dee's childhood house. With potential links to Sibby's case, Dee gets a chance to finally find some answers after all these years.

<i>I Hope You're Listening</i> was fantastic. It's a mystery/thriller that will keep you on your toes, especially as the book advances. Dee's pain and trauma are written respectfully and while this isn't the first book I've read about a secret podcast, it was still entertaining. I also appreciated the lovely queer representation. There were no conversations about gay suffering and woes about coming out--it was just two girls who liked each other and decided to be girlfriends. I thought this was quite refreshing and the subtleness worked well with the story since the main focus was on Dee finding out more about Sibby. The ending was far from disappointing; I was pleasantly surprised with how nicely things wrapped up.

I did think that the beginning was a bit slow (it definitely took me a few tries to get into this book) and there were some elements of the plot that were jumped into too quickly, but overall, I thought Tom Ryan's approach to a thriller was excellent. Again, the beginning took some time to get into, but after pushing passed that, I read the last 60% of the book in one sitting. Would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in YA thriller/mystery, especially one with LGBTQ representation!