I really wanted to like this book. Not that I didn't, but I wanted it to be a 5-star read. It wasn't. I love reading the occasional mystery thriller, they always surprise me. However, I was a little disappointed with this one.

My main gripe is with the characters. I felt no connection to any of them, and Dee didn't have much in the way of a personality. Several side characters are completely irrelevant to this story and the romance just came out of nowhere. This was quite a quick read, but there's definitely more space to explore the characters.

The setting is pretty creepy. The snow-covered town and the surrounding woods give off a perfectly mysterious atmosphere and I loved it. I also enjoyed the podcast episodes and how Dee uses the podcast to help people. It makes the story really heartwarming and I'm really glad everything worked out well.

Sometimes you just need something to go right, especially in 2020.

I love listening to podcasts! And especially true crime ones. Mystery novels are some of my favorite stories to read and I was just super excited for this blog tour and this book. I hadn't heard of the author before but I can tell you I really liked his writing style and will definitely pick up more books by him in the future.

We get a really compelling mystery. Ten years ago a girl was kidnapped and our main character was left behind. And now another girl has gone missing. Are the cases linked? Or do we have two separate cases? I really liked following this mystery and of course I tried to solve it before our characters do. About 75% into the story we got a tiny clue that helped me solve about half of the mystery. I was so proud of myself haha. And I really liked the way that part played out. The other half I didn't guess at all! And I'll admit I think that part went a bit fast. I would've liked to see that developed a little bit more.

Delia 'Dee' Skinner is our main character and I really liked her. She experienced something incredibly traumatic and I can't even imagine going trough that. Her parents are very supportive and I enjoyed their dynamic. She started her podcast to try and help in a way she couldn't when her best friend got kidnapped. I loved the little snippets we got of the podcast. Burke is Dee's other best friend and he was quite interesting. I would've liked to see a bit more of him and think he was a bit under-utilised. He was also super supportive and deals with the trauma in his own way. And lastly we have Sarah, Dee's new neighbour. She was an okay character, we don't really learn that much about her and I didn't particularly care about her. She was only important to me because she was important to Dee.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and the characters. The mystery was good and loved trying to solve it before Dee did. I will for sure pick up another book by Tom Ryan!

Wow! It was such a fun book!

The story follows Dee, an inconspicuous teenager from a small town. There are two unusual things about her: as a child she'd witnessed her best friend's kidnapping, and now, she's the host of a very popular crime podcast.

Now she's investigating disappearances on the other side of the county, while a little girl disappears from the home she used to live in as a child. Here to help, is a friend, Burke, and a new friend, Sarah, who may become something more soon enough *wiggles eyebrows*

The characters were lovable and the story just flew seamlessly, making me think of old-fashioned crime dramas (Veronika Mars, anyone?). The crime mystery and its conclusion came in as a surprise. It was really difficult to predict what would happen. But worry not, all ends well. It's not Sharp Objects. It's more like Fluffy Objects. And the romance sub-plot is as non-invasive as possible, yet quite cute.

I was really excited to grab this one. It seemed the perfect timing with it. If you are like me you reach for more atmospheric books or more thriller/mysteries at this time of year. I Hope You’re Listening did not disappoint.

When Dee, was 7 years old she witness her best friend Sibby get kidnapped while they were playing out in the woods. From then on Dee was never the same. Who would be really? Learning to live with the guilt of being the gilr left behind while trying to move on with her life, Dee helps solve missing person cases by by being the anonymous voice behind a famous podcast. When another girl goes missing 10 years after Sibby’s disappearance, Dee is forced to look into her past to find answers.

I really enjoyed the format of I Hope You’re Listening. Though most parts are in Dee’s POV, we do get a couple chapters that are transcripts from the podcast and its current investigation. I do wish there was an audiobook for it, I would’ve loved to listen at the same time and have a full on cast for these.

I really enjoyed Dee’s character. I thought she was very personable and precisely what I envision a person with her life story would be like. She was a bit of a loner, always questioning what she could’ve done to help her childhood friend while trying to move one from her past.

Also, can we just take a moment to acknowledge that thoughq Dee is queer there is no coming out tag line here. It’s just so natural and organic. She doesn’t explain it or tell people, it’s just already a known fact. I appreciated this a lot. I find that in a lot of books there’s always a coming out moment and though I understand why sometimes this just felt super natural and refreshing to just have it there already, if you understand what I mean.

Without spoiling aything, I have to say that the book took a twist that I was not expecting at all. I thought I had it figured out right from the start but turns out I was way off, lol. I really liked that it surprised me in that way. Sometimes these type of books are very predictable but I thought Tom Ryan brought something inexpected to this one.

If you are looking for a good mystery thriller with a feel of true crime, I highly suggest grabbing I Hope You’re Listening.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

Ever since listening to and absolutely loving Sadie last year, I've been on the hunt for more mysteries/thrillers that utilise the podcast format and I'm glad that I found that in I Hope You're Listening. Even better, the use of the podcast here shed light on an interesting aspect of true crime-solving that I've never seen mentioned explicitly before in either YA or adult mysteries. There were some unexplained deductions that confused me but I still really enjoyed this book and sped through it in a matter of hours!

I thought this was a well-written mystery and Ryan really managed to pique my interest and suck me in from the beginning. There were actually a few mysteries to solve in the story, but the main mystery was quite intricately woven. It ended up being a lot bigger than I expected and took a direction that I didn't foresee, which kept me eager to know what happened. But I do feel Ryan relied on a lot of coincidences to solve it.

Our protagonist, Dee, was an interesting character and there's a somewhat despondent aura that hangs over her. She feels responsible for her best friend's kidnapping when they were just children, and has let that feeling consume her life. But it also resulted in her starting the podcast: Radio Silent--my favourite aspect of this story. Although I'm guilty of never having listened to true crime podcasts IRL, I imagine Radio Silent would stand out for what it sets out to do, which is to mobilise Laptop Detectives to help solve disappearances. It's such a cool concept to think of all these people listening in and working together to solve mysteries and then actually solving them too! I really liked that this book recognised the work they do to help. It was fantastic!

Dee lives with her family in a different house in the same town but she never got past the "survivor's guilt". She has a wonderful support system from her parents who were lovely and I wished we saw more of them! Dee's secretive, smart, and determined, but I have to admit that I struggled with her at times. For such a smart person, she made some fairly non-sensical decisions, but she was also quite selfish. I suppose that could be her "teenage attitude", but it frustrated me when it came to her friendship with Burke. They've been BFFs since they were kids (including with Sibby), and my heart really broke for him in this book, especially with some of the things he says. I felt that he DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER than Dee's friendship. He was always there to support her and did a lot to help her, but I felt she always discounted his opinions and friendship, plus where was she when he needed her most?

There was an f/f romance that I thought happened very abruptly--one minute it was tiptoeing around feelings and the next it was full-on and I wish it had been better developed. It didn't play that big a role though so I wasn't too bothered, and it did eventually help Dee shrug off her reluctant shell. What did frustrate me though was how certain things were left unexplained. For starters, someone solved the mystery of who The Seeker was and we never learn how. Dee kept herself anonymous on the podcast and being found out was one of her main worries, yet when this person figured it out, Dee never asked how? It didn't fit. My other frustration had to do with how the final mystery was solved. I *still* don't know how the person came to this conclusion and it confused me since it was a light-bulb moment that seemed to come out of nowhere, and then it was solved.

TL;DR: If you love the podcast format in mysteries/thrillers, you should definitely check this out. It takes a format that's been used a few times now but introduces a new and unique aspect by focusing on the Laptop Detectives that help solve cases. This was a well-written book with several mysteries woven into the story, and while that might seem overwhelming, they were all so compelling and intriguing! If this gets an audiobook, I think it will be even more amazing :)

Relies too much on coincidence, though its characters were compelling enough to pull me through the plot problems. A decent enough mystery, but I expected better from this author after his terrific debut. Alas!

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.