This book is at risk of being called a Sadie copycat and it really deserves so much better than that. I Hope You're Listening is the story of Dee, a girl whose best friend was abducted in front of her when she was very young. As a teenager, she now secretly runs a podcast which aims to help find missing people. When another girl is taken from the house her best friend used to live in, Dee finds her worlds starting to collide as she struggles to keep the podcast a secret and find out what happened to her best friend.
This was a really enjoyable YA contemporary with some thrillery elements thrown in. Dee was a fantastic protagonist who felt very real and also very likeable. She's queer and I loved how a female/female relationship was woven effortlessly into the story. Early on I was worried the solution to the mystery was obvious, but thankfully it went in a different direction and things were not as predictable as I suspected. I actually felt the plot went in a really interesting direction and that helped distinguish it a lot from similar things. Tone-wise, it really is nothing like Sadie and has a more down-to-earth and less bleak vibe, so also be aware of that if you're interested in reading this.
Overall, I would definitely recommend checking out this book. It tells an intriguing story using characters with a lot of heart, with some nifty representation thrown in. The podcast element is a core part of the story and isn't an attempt to cash in on the trend, and I really liked the plot and writing style.
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