
Member Reviews

This book is not an easy read. Goldie, our main protagonist, can be a difficult character/narrator/person to connect with. She borders on "way too much" at times, but I still see her as a symbol (almost) for the parasocial relationship with celebrities. Echo, on the other hand, felt real and fully fleshed out. I couldn't put this book down and while the ending could've used something (hmm, I still can't figure out what), I really really enjoyed this one. I think fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emma Brodie will enjoy this one -- with a dash of Jessica Knoll for good measure.

Smart, thought-provoking, and utterly unputdownable, WHERE ARE YOU, ECHO BLUE? follows two very different, yet equally complex young women, child star Echo Blue, who disappears at the turn of the millennium, and journalist Goldie Klein, an Echo superfan who's determined to find her. But as Goldie embarks on an ambitious quest to uncover the truth about Echo's disappearance, she just might be forced to face the harsh reality of Echo's life—and the role she might have played in it.
I loved this book! I enjoyed following both Echo and Goldie's journeys, and felt like Krischer did a great job of balancing both of their perspectives. They're messy, complicated characters, but that makes them all the more interesting to read about, and their eventual self-awareness and growth were both really well-done. Another highlight for me was the story's exploration of celebrity culture and how, although the book is set mainly in the 90s and 2000s, so much of it is still relevant today—how women are so heavily scrutinized in the public eye and are so often defined by the men in their lives rather than by their own successes and achievements, the fine line between admiration and obsession, how parasocial relationships and various fandoms can be a source of community in a way, but can ultimately be damaging to both the celebs and the fans. In terms of things I maybe would have changed or expanded on a little more, I did wish the ending was a little bit more drawn-out—however, that might just be because I didn't want the story to end! I felt like there could have been a little more buildup of the resolution. Additionally, as other reviewers have mentioned, there were a few strange and uncomfortable scenes from Goldie's POV that, while they kind of made sense for her character and it was understandable that they'd be a bit tough to read, I felt like probably could have been left out. Otherwise, I would highly recommend WHERE ARE YOU, ECHO BLUE? and will definitely be checking out Hayley Krischer's other books! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

I loved the general idea of this one but had such a hard time getting into it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ahead of time but it just wasn’t for me.

I’ve always been into celebrity gossip, so I figured this would be an interested read. Child star Echo Blue disappears at the turn of the new millennium. Goldie, a journalist and longtime Echo super fan, is determined to figure out where she is.
I enjoyed Echo’s chapters very much. She was so Drew Barrymore coded in this. I could’ve done without most of Goldie’s chapters though. She was incredibly strange and not as fun to read about.
Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

When I came across this book on NetGalley, I was curious about it. The premise sounded intriguing a did the year it was set in, 2000. Thank you, NetGalley, and Dutton Books for my DRC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My feelings on this tail are mixed. I was not anticipating that our primary narrator was going to have such a complex history with Echo Blue. While I appreciate the story shining a light on America’s obsession with celebrities, how it interplay with the narrator became distracting. And honestly, I just didn’t like her. I wanted the story to be about Echo Blue, not the narrator. And both were given equal weight in this story.
This was an interesting story, and really told about the constant judgement young female celebrities faced during the 90s and early 2000s. The double standards women faced in that industry were infuriating and honestly they still probably hold true today. And for that I am to be spoken about makes me glad I picked up the book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Where Are You, Echo Blue?" by Hayley Krischer is a gripping and thought-provoking exploration of fame, obsession, and the darker side of celebrity culture.
When Echo Blue, the beloved child star of the nineties, vanishes on the eve of her highly anticipated television appearance, the public is left speculating about her sudden disappearance. Enter Goldie Klein, an ambitious young journalist and Echo's biggest fan, who embarks on a determined quest to uncover the truth behind Echo's disappearance.
Krischer masterfully weaves together the narratives of Goldie and Echo, offering a multifaceted perspective on fame and its consequences. Through Goldie's relentless pursuit of the truth and Echo's own revelations about her tumultuous life in Hollywood, the novel delves into themes of identity, ambition, and the complexities of storytelling.
As Goldie delves deeper into Echo's world, she is forced to confront her own complicity in perpetuating the cycle of celebrity obsession. Krischer skillfully navigates the blurred lines between admiration and obsession, inviting readers to reflect on the ethical implications of telling other people's stories.
"Where Are You, Echo Blue?" is a riveting and emotionally resonant read that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Krischer's insightful exploration of fame and its consequences makes this novel a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.

Thanks for the review copy. This is a solid three star book for me. It was a quick and fun read. I liked the alternating povs.

I got 30-something percent through and had to throw in the towel. The part of the book written from Echo’s PoV was interesting and enjoyable enough, but any time it was Goldie’s turn, I inwardly groaned.
I DNF’d the book after a completely unnecessary and extremely uncomfortable *intimate* scene.
Thanks anyway to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC.

Solid story with a few slower parts that kind of drug the pace of the story down for me. I liked it overall but the slower parts may bother some readers.

I flew through this book! First, the cover drew me in, but then the story captivated me and made me eager to keep going. I read this in two sittings but could've probably read it in one - it was that good. It was interesting, easy to read, and I loved the characters. There was *just enough* of a story here without it being drawn out or too long. Everything felt purposeful. It kept me interested and I could not WAIT to get to the ending to see what the conclusion was. I'd definitely recommend this book to friends or family who are looking for a captivating read.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions.

Where Are You, Echo Blue was an insightful look at celebrity culture in the 90s/early 2000s that made it easy to insert your favorite 90s child star into Echo Blue’s role. While I loved the concept and the plot moved at a great speed, I did not understand the need for “current day” to be in the early 2000s. Since there weren’t many references to it, reminding me of it almost took me out of the story.

this book is a little difficult to review, because it felt a little bit everywhere, so I'll do it in bullets.
what I liked:
- alternating POVs
- rather unique storyline, concept, and resolution
- a few of the side characters were likable
what I didn't love:
- the recurring and rather strange sex scenes
- a strong preference for Echo's POV than Goldie's
- ending came quickly

Overall I liked this book but I did not like Goldie's story and found myself reading as fast as I could just to get back to Echo's story. Goldie wasn't really believable as a journalist and I feel her back story didn't really line up with the plot at all. I also felt the ending was unrealistic and a little too quick. Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 – I really loved the premise of this story, as it takes next to nothing to intrigue me when there's a Hollywood story to be told. The story is told in alternating perspectives between Echo, who has gone missing from MTV on New Year's Eve, and Goldie, who's now covering the story but is also an ardent fan who has been obsessed since childhood. As other reviews have mentioned, there are some random sex scenes in Goldie's POVs throughout the book felt uncomfortable – given Goldie's character, it kind of makes sense that those scenes were difficult to read, but they didn't really add anything and felt superfluous. Overall, I did enjoy the story and would recommend!

Thank you to Dutton for the ARC.
This redemption story gives US an insider look at the difficult life of a child star born into fame. But fame is not as glamorous as it seems, and America’s Sweetheart is anything but innocent. And yet deep down, what she really wants is her father’s unconditional love and support. Fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid will enjoy this take on the trials and tribulations of a young starlet and the journalist who idolizes her. In one’s search for the other, they each find themselves.

Thanks to start to NetGalley, the author, and Penguin Group for an ARC of this novel. All opinions stated in this review are my own.
This was an interesting read for me. For much of the time reading, I enjoyed half of this book and was uncomfortable/didn't really enjoy reading the other half. The story is told essentially from two perspectives, the protagonist, Goldie Klein, a young reporter seeking her big break while dealing with her own demons/obsessions, and her subject/obsession, Echo Blue, a young, successful actor who has disappeared on the night of the turning of the millenium. From the beginning, I was fully absorbed into Echo's story, while at the same time finding Goldie's story difficult and finding it difficult to like Goldie. There were times I distinctly did not enjoy reading the "Goldie" sections of the novel, just pushing through to get back to Echo's story. Ultimately, however, it feels as though this is intentional to a degree - but its intentionality is hard to describe without risking spoilers. Let's just say it is clear the author recognizes the things that makes Goldie an unlikeable character and there is some sort of resolution in which Goldie maybe realizes it too.
That being said, I do feel like the ending and the resolution came very quickly and felt a bit rushed. The key relationship at the end of the book could have used a bit more time building it up. This may have required the novel being longer, but I think it would have paid off in the end by really providing closure to the story. As it is, it felt a bit abrupt and the redemption that exists feels thin.
Overall, a very good read by an author I would definitely read again.

What a good book. Echo Blue was a child star who made the transition, albeit with some issues, to adult, Oscar winning star. She comes from parents who were both in show business as well. The adults in Echo's life don't seem to have her best interests at heart.
Finally, Echo just disappears.
A hyper fan, Goldie, who is now a journalist, wants to take on the assignment of finding her. Goldie has her own many problems, and it's often easier to look at other's problems rather than your own. She gets caught up in attempting to find her, and this starts affecting her life as well.
The story is told in the voice of Echo and Goldie, travelling back and forth in time. It works well. Otherwise, I don't think I would've felt I "knew" Echo. The characters are well developed.
It also makes one think about the whole child star, adult star boundary issue. Are they fair game because they know it goes with the territory, and if not, where is the limit.
Thank you to Penguin Group/Dutton and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Dutton Books for my arc in exchange for a review.
This story blew me away. I went into it thinking i was getting a gritty dark thriller about a missing child star but this became so much more. The story is told in two different perspectives Goldie the journalist who worshiped Echo Blue growing up and is the first to try and find her as well as Echo Blue as we follow her side of the story throughout her childhood leading to her disappearance. This story touches on what it means to be a woman in a male run society as well as reclaiming your narrative as a woman. I loved how flawed both Goldie and Echo were, they show you that women don't always have to be perfect. We can be messy and I really enjoyed this.

3.5 rounded up. Echo Blue is the worlds most famous child star who’s parents are also incredibly famous. Echo disappears without a trace on NYE 2000 and Goldie, and journalist and her biggest fan, knows there is more to the story and is determined to find her. Goldie heads to LA for what could be her biggest story yet, but ends up getting Echo’s interests mixed up with her own. I really enjoyed the alternating POV between Echo and Goldie, but could have done without the odd and somewhat uncomfortable sex scenes with Goldie. Overall I really enjoyed this quick and fun read! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Really enjoyed well written a fun read.The dual perspective of echo and Goldie kept me interested turning the pages.An author to follow very entertaining.#netgalley #penguindutton