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If You're Out There
After Zan’s best friend moves to California, she is baffled and crushed when Priya suddenly ghosts. Worse, Priya’s social media has turned into a stream of ungrammatical posts chronicling a sunny, vapid new life that doesn’t sound like her at all.
Everyone tells Zan not to be an idiot: Let Priya do her reinvention thing and move on. But until Zan hears Priya say it, she won’t be able to admit that their friendship is finished.
It’s only when she meets Logan, the compelling new guy in Spanish class, that Zan begins to open up about her sadness, her insecurity, her sense of total betrayal. And he’s just as willing as she is to throw himself into the investigation when everyone else thinks her suspicions are crazy.
Then a clue hidden in Priya’s latest selfie introduces a new, deeply disturbing possibility:
Maybe Priya isn’t just not answering Zan’s emails.
Maybe she can’t.
Everyone tells Zan not to be an idiot: Let Priya do her reinvention thing and move on. But until Zan hears Priya say it, she won’t be able to admit that their friendship is finished.
It’s only when she meets Logan, the compelling new guy in Spanish class, that Zan begins to open up about her sadness, her insecurity, her sense of total betrayal. And he’s just as willing as she is to throw himself into the investigation when everyone else thinks her suspicions are crazy.
Then a clue hidden in Priya’s latest selfie introduces a new, deeply disturbing possibility:
Maybe Priya isn’t just not answering Zan’s emails.
Maybe she can’t.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2019
About the author
Katy Loutzenhiser
3 books150 followersKaty grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, dabbling in many art forms and watching age-inappropriate movies. After college, she found an unlikely home in the Chicago comedy scene and regularly sang improvised musicals in public. Now she writes YA books in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 394 reviews
November 21, 2019
This was totally not what I expected.
Well, that’s not quite accurate. This is exactly what I expected, but I have learned to expect the opposite of my expectations.
When I hear “young adult contemporary mystery,” I want to expect exactly what it sounds like - a mystery for young adult readers set in a contemporary time.
But I am well-versed in the marketing language of young adult books, and I know I am way more likely to get a YA romance with a lot of high school drama and a little bit of mystery. Maybe.
What a pleasant surprise to get what I wanted from this.
In all honesty, this was a little slow and spent way more time making everyone doubt the protagonist than on making the eventual Big Reveal seem believable, but it’s fine.
I’m just happy that the romance was actually the subplot here. (Although it would’ve been fine with me if it didn’t exist at all. But I won’t be unreasonable.)
Bottom line: Yippee.
----------
it wasn't Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
but it was...good??
i know. i liked a YA book. it's unbelievable.
review to come / 3.5ish stars
----------
i'm a simple girl. i see a book get compared to Where'd You Go, Bernadette, i read that book
Well, that’s not quite accurate. This is exactly what I expected, but I have learned to expect the opposite of my expectations.
When I hear “young adult contemporary mystery,” I want to expect exactly what it sounds like - a mystery for young adult readers set in a contemporary time.
But I am well-versed in the marketing language of young adult books, and I know I am way more likely to get a YA romance with a lot of high school drama and a little bit of mystery. Maybe.
What a pleasant surprise to get what I wanted from this.
In all honesty, this was a little slow and spent way more time making everyone doubt the protagonist than on making the eventual Big Reveal seem believable, but it’s fine.
I’m just happy that the romance was actually the subplot here. (Although it would’ve been fine with me if it didn’t exist at all. But I won’t be unreasonable.)
Bottom line: Yippee.
----------
it wasn't Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
but it was...good??
i know. i liked a YA book. it's unbelievable.
review to come / 3.5ish stars
----------
i'm a simple girl. i see a book get compared to Where'd You Go, Bernadette, i read that book
May 23, 2020
Edit: I read this in the height of the my depression. If I have the time, I will re read and review it again. ❤
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:
Tucker: 1. How long did it take you to write If You're Out There?
Katy: Drafting the book took a little over a year. (I'm a slow writer; I wish I could change that but I can't!) Once I got an agent...[Read more]
Doctor: Ma'am. I'm sorry. Tucker didn't make it.
Ma'am: What happened?
Doctor: I'm afraid... His mind was blown.
You guys, this book was so good.
It's about a girl named Zan, who's friend moves to California and ten out of nowhere ghosts. The word "ghosting" is relatively new. It came about a little after 2010. It basically refers to when someone stops all online contact with you.
When Priya begins to ghost Zan, Zan does what any friend would do. She investigates. And what a wild ride it was. Every page had me hooked and I just wanted to keep reading. By the end, my heart was literally pounding in anticipation.
Bottom Line:
4/5 Stars
Age Recommendation: 13+ (Swearing, some violence, scary themes)
Cover: 3.5/5 (It is good but I feel like it could be better. A little more detailed)
Plot: 3.5.5 (Occasionally slow at times but usually fast and amazing)
Characters: 4/5 (Funny, real and emotional. The characters were all so amazingly written.)
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
Thank you to HarperTeen for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:
Tucker: 1. How long did it take you to write If You're Out There?
Katy: Drafting the book took a little over a year. (I'm a slow writer; I wish I could change that but I can't!) Once I got an agent...[Read more]
Doctor: Ma'am. I'm sorry. Tucker didn't make it.
Ma'am: What happened?
Doctor: I'm afraid... His mind was blown.
You guys, this book was so good.
It's about a girl named Zan, who's friend moves to California and ten out of nowhere ghosts. The word "ghosting" is relatively new. It came about a little after 2010. It basically refers to when someone stops all online contact with you.
When Priya begins to ghost Zan, Zan does what any friend would do. She investigates. And what a wild ride it was. Every page had me hooked and I just wanted to keep reading. By the end, my heart was literally pounding in anticipation.
Bottom Line:
4/5 Stars
Age Recommendation: 13+ (Swearing, some violence, scary themes)
Cover: 3.5/5 (It is good but I feel like it could be better. A little more detailed)
Plot: 3.5.5 (Occasionally slow at times but usually fast and amazing)
Characters: 4/5 (Funny, real and emotional. The characters were all so amazingly written.)
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
Thank you to HarperTeen for sending me an Advanced Reader Copy
December 26, 2022
This one caught my attention from the moment I read the blurb. Your best friend moves away. But you still have phones, social media, etc, so it’s not like she’s disappearing off the face of the earth, right? But when Priya seems to do just that, breaking up with her boyfriend, telling her bestie Zan that she needs space and refusing to call, posting random social media pictures of trees and scenery that frankly anyone could have found and don’t exactly say “proof of life”, Zan starts to worry. What if something really is wrong?
The way this builds tension is really great, Zan and new guy in town Logan slowly sifting through clues, trying to figure out where Priya could be, even though they’re almost completely in the dark. You’re left imagining a host of possibilities, each more terrible than the last. This spins up with some great twists as it nears the end.
The way this builds tension is really great, Zan and new guy in town Logan slowly sifting through clues, trying to figure out where Priya could be, even though they’re almost completely in the dark. You’re left imagining a host of possibilities, each more terrible than the last. This spins up with some great twists as it nears the end.
June 27, 2021
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Over quarantine, my friends and I have been exchanging bags of books. IF YOU'RE OUT THERE was one of the titles I got in my bag. I am such a sucker for thrillers of all kinds and the premise of this one really hooked me. Zan and Priya are best friends, but when Priya moves from Chicago to California, she suddenly ghosts Zan on all of her accounts and starts Instagramming like she's Queen of the Basic Bitches, with captions like "live, laugh, love." It doesn't add up and it freaks Zan out, especially because all of the adults in her life seem totally unconcerned about it and tell Zan to just let her "reinvent."
The only person who seems to believe her at all is Logan, the new boy at her school with a mysterious past. He humors her Nancy Drew investigations, even when they turn to things like B&E, and suddenly, Priya's disappearance starts to look a little more sinister. Especially when certain clues pop up that suggest that maybe she never actually wanted to ghost Zan-- at least, not completely-- in the first place.
This was a pretty fun book, if I do say so myself. I loved the effortless diversity in the large cast of secondary characters. The family dynamics were interesting and I thought it was cool how the author explored parents who question their sexuality late in life and how that can effect their extant relationships. Logan is a great beta hero, the sort of love interest you could bring home to mom, and for most of the book I had no idea what was going to happen.
I dinged a few stars for this book because I personally felt the reveal was a little silly. Zan was also crazy obsessive. Granted, in this case, her hunch paid off, but when someone ghosts you, 99 times out of 100 you should probably move on. I know this is a tale of friendship (and quite a positive one) but it ended up coming across as a little weird. But hey, teen me was weird and obsessive and if one of my friends had just disappeared and started posting weird stuff on their socials, I'm not sure what I'd have done.
3 stars
October 3, 2018
This is one of the most heartfelt testaments to female friendship I've ever read--it plunged me back to a time when indeed "ladies before mateys" was the way we lived. In Katy Loutzenhiser's YA debut, Zan's best friend Priya ghosts her, but the story of their long and close friendship is told in flashback, with moments of intense sweetness and humor. If you come away with any one lesson from this novel, it's that true friends really do have your back--they don't give up on you *no matter what.*
What I loved most: the depictions of shared memories, shared language, and the easy way girls of a certain age have with each other--the feet-in-your-lap confidences, the way they can know things about each other without being told. Remembering how they watched Beaches together at age 12
"huddled up under blankets", Zan says, "We were still getting to know each other then, but it felt like something miraculous was happening. It was easy, and natural, like we already knew how to be friends." Which makes Priya's total disappearance all the more baffling.
This book is about love in many forms, love that endures and love that doesn't. New love (Zan's mom is head over heels for her new girlfriend, Zan is getting to know the hunky and loyal Logan), family love (Zan and Logan both have much younger siblings), parental love (missing parents, missing in action parents, hovering parents). Love that gets renewed after a long hiatus. Love that endures even after death.
And throughout this tightly woven mystery, the thread of hilarity that had me laughing out loud on nearly every page. Loutzenhiser was trained at Second City in Chicago and it shows--her dialogue snaps, her comic timing is impeccable, and the repartee between Logan and Zan has the feel of great improv. I loved this novel and I know you will too. Highly recommended. [note: I read the ARC provided by the publisher].
What I loved most: the depictions of shared memories, shared language, and the easy way girls of a certain age have with each other--the feet-in-your-lap confidences, the way they can know things about each other without being told. Remembering how they watched Beaches together at age 12
"huddled up under blankets", Zan says, "We were still getting to know each other then, but it felt like something miraculous was happening. It was easy, and natural, like we already knew how to be friends." Which makes Priya's total disappearance all the more baffling.
This book is about love in many forms, love that endures and love that doesn't. New love (Zan's mom is head over heels for her new girlfriend, Zan is getting to know the hunky and loyal Logan), family love (Zan and Logan both have much younger siblings), parental love (missing parents, missing in action parents, hovering parents). Love that gets renewed after a long hiatus. Love that endures even after death.
And throughout this tightly woven mystery, the thread of hilarity that had me laughing out loud on nearly every page. Loutzenhiser was trained at Second City in Chicago and it shows--her dialogue snaps, her comic timing is impeccable, and the repartee between Logan and Zan has the feel of great improv. I loved this novel and I know you will too. Highly recommended. [note: I read the ARC provided by the publisher].
June 26, 2019
wow I really enjoyed this! way more than I thought I would. loved the friendship and the romance SO much.
August 5, 2019
Prawdziwa przyjaźń potrafi nawet uratować życie jak w młodzieżowej opowieści sensacyjnej „Jeśli tam jesteś” Katy Loutzenhiser.
Gdyby Wasz najlepszy przyjaciel wyjechał, obiecał pisać i dzwonić każdego dnia, ale nie odzywałby się przez długi czas i nie odpowiadał na Wasze wiadomości, to co byście sobie pomyśleli?
„Jeśli tam jesteś” to jedna z tych młodzieżowych opowieści, które wciągają czytelnika bez względu na jego wiek. Katy Loutzenhiser zadbała o to, by całość przeżywało się niemal jak porządny, pędzący na łeb na szyję film, zakończony zaskakującym, pełnym akcji finałem. Mamy tutaj opowieść o nastoletniej przyjaźni, mamy szkolne perypetie, mamy nastoletni romans, mamy zwroty akcji i wątek sensacyjny, który jakkolwiek mało prawdopodobny, to jednak przyciąga uwagę czytelnika. Bohaterowie są wyraziści, tacy, jak to w młodzieżówkach bywa – miejscami nieco przerysowani, miejscami zbyt emocjonalni, ale to młodzi ludzie, więc wszystko można wybaczyć, a ich egzaltacja jedynie nadaje całości prawdopodobieństwa.
Powieść Katy Loutzenhiseer to porządnie skrojona sensacja młodzieżowa (chociaż nie tylko dla młodszych czytelników), która na wakacyjne, leniwe i spokojne zaczytanie będzie jak znalazł!
Gdyby Wasz najlepszy przyjaciel wyjechał, obiecał pisać i dzwonić każdego dnia, ale nie odzywałby się przez długi czas i nie odpowiadał na Wasze wiadomości, to co byście sobie pomyśleli?
„Jeśli tam jesteś” to jedna z tych młodzieżowych opowieści, które wciągają czytelnika bez względu na jego wiek. Katy Loutzenhiser zadbała o to, by całość przeżywało się niemal jak porządny, pędzący na łeb na szyję film, zakończony zaskakującym, pełnym akcji finałem. Mamy tutaj opowieść o nastoletniej przyjaźni, mamy szkolne perypetie, mamy nastoletni romans, mamy zwroty akcji i wątek sensacyjny, który jakkolwiek mało prawdopodobny, to jednak przyciąga uwagę czytelnika. Bohaterowie są wyraziści, tacy, jak to w młodzieżówkach bywa – miejscami nieco przerysowani, miejscami zbyt emocjonalni, ale to młodzi ludzie, więc wszystko można wybaczyć, a ich egzaltacja jedynie nadaje całości prawdopodobieństwa.
Powieść Katy Loutzenhiseer to porządnie skrojona sensacja młodzieżowa (chociaż nie tylko dla młodszych czytelników), która na wakacyjne, leniwe i spokojne zaczytanie będzie jak znalazł!
July 27, 2022
kind of predictable and the mc was kind of annoying, but it all worked out in the end.
logan was cute but it felt insta lovey and very superficial.
anyways not bad, just a short ya-mystery(romance?)
logan was cute but it felt insta lovey and very superficial.
anyways not bad, just a short ya-mystery(romance?)
March 16, 2019
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This was such a fun, yet heartfelt book! I'll admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in. The premise was great, but I could also see how it could get cheesy? Well, good news friends! It was unequivocally not cheesy, and instead full of fabulous! We meet Zan, who has a real case of the sads cause her best friend Priya has moved away. And that is not a fun situation, as I am sure most of us have experienced. Only instead of the long phone calls and non-stop texts and emails Zan assumed would be coming from Priya, there's radio silence. And Zan just knows deep down that Priya wouldn't just quit their friendship.
There are a lot of pros to this one, so let us start with all the stuff that made me happy!
The Things I Liked:
•Female friendship rep was phenomenal. Because look, these two were just lifelong buds, there were no two ways about it. They trusted each other with everything, and while I don't want to get into spoiler territory, you'll really see how much Priya means to Zan.
•The plot was really quite entertaining! So it's a contemporary, so obviously I wasn't expecting non-stop action, but it was completely engaging! And I truly didn't know how things were going to turn out for Zan or Priya. Was it going to be something sad? Sinister? Mundane? Miscommunication? Otherworldly? Supernatural? Occult? Who knows! I mean, okay, I do, but I am not telling you.
•Friend/love interest Logan is so endearing. I ship it. He's just a really fun person to be reading about, and I was so incredibly glad that Zan found someone who would help her, and wouldn't just dismiss her love for her friend like so many other people in her life tried to.
•I laughed a lot. I really enjoyed the sense of humor of both Zan and Logan, and their banter was phenomenal. Really, all the characters had such personality, it made for a story that it was easy to be invested in.
The Things I Didn't:
•The only thing I kind of wasn't sure about was some suspension of disbelief, though it definitely wasn't enough to outweigh all the good. Not even close, tbh.
Bottom Line: Completely charming and entertaining, this book that highlights the strength of friendship shouldn't be missed!
This was such a fun, yet heartfelt book! I'll admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in. The premise was great, but I could also see how it could get cheesy? Well, good news friends! It was unequivocally not cheesy, and instead full of fabulous! We meet Zan, who has a real case of the sads cause her best friend Priya has moved away. And that is not a fun situation, as I am sure most of us have experienced. Only instead of the long phone calls and non-stop texts and emails Zan assumed would be coming from Priya, there's radio silence. And Zan just knows deep down that Priya wouldn't just quit their friendship.
There are a lot of pros to this one, so let us start with all the stuff that made me happy!
The Things I Liked:
•Female friendship rep was phenomenal. Because look, these two were just lifelong buds, there were no two ways about it. They trusted each other with everything, and while I don't want to get into spoiler territory, you'll really see how much Priya means to Zan.
•The plot was really quite entertaining! So it's a contemporary, so obviously I wasn't expecting non-stop action, but it was completely engaging! And I truly didn't know how things were going to turn out for Zan or Priya. Was it going to be something sad? Sinister? Mundane? Miscommunication? Otherworldly? Supernatural? Occult? Who knows! I mean, okay, I do, but I am not telling you.
•Friend/love interest Logan is so endearing. I ship it. He's just a really fun person to be reading about, and I was so incredibly glad that Zan found someone who would help her, and wouldn't just dismiss her love for her friend like so many other people in her life tried to.
•I laughed a lot. I really enjoyed the sense of humor of both Zan and Logan, and their banter was phenomenal. Really, all the characters had such personality, it made for a story that it was easy to be invested in.
The Things I Didn't:
•The only thing I kind of wasn't sure about was some suspension of disbelief, though it definitely wasn't enough to outweigh all the good. Not even close, tbh.
Bottom Line: Completely charming and entertaining, this book that highlights the strength of friendship shouldn't be missed!
March 7, 2019
Zan was beside herself, when her best friend, Priya, moved to California, but they promised to keep in touch, write, text, Skype, and visit on breaks. That was the plan, but then Priya ghosted her. Zan's texts, emails, and phone calls went unanswered. She couldn't believe Priya would do that to her, but she was going to give up on her.
• Pro: Fierce female friendship for the win. Yes! I loved that Pryia and Zan were a bestie-second-generation (their mom's were best friends), and they knew and understood each other on such a deep level, which was obvious throughout the story.
• Pro: Zan might have been feeling slighted by her friends, but she was seriously loved. Her family and her work-family were wonderful! It was great how hands on her mom was, and I also liked the way Loutzenhiser explored Zan's relationship with her dad.
• Pro: The book's progression was rather interesting. It was fairly light and fun and gradually got more serious. The beginning came across as a standard contemporary and then questions started arising concerning Pryia, and from there, a little bit of a mystery, with some drama, began to unfold.
• Pro: And, then there was Logan. I liked him a lot and adored the way he became part of Zan's world. He was also very complicated with a super sticky backstory, but his darkness was contained, and he was also gifted with a fantastic sister and aunt to support him.
• Pro: Logan + Zan = 😍 I was all about these two making a love connection. They had the chemistry and the banter, and when everyone else more or less dismissed her, Logan believe that there was more to the Priya situation than met the eye. A fantastic coupling!
• Pro: Though I wish I got a little bit more at the end, I will say I loved all the things Loutznhiser did for the characters. Everyone's near future was shared with us, and the developments made me warm and fuzzy. I especially liked where Zan ended up, because it fit with what I had learned about her over the course of the story, but it was also surprising.
Overall: An ode to friendship, family, and finding yourself infused with humor, romance, and a little mystery.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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• Pro: Fierce female friendship for the win. Yes! I loved that Pryia and Zan were a bestie-second-generation (their mom's were best friends), and they knew and understood each other on such a deep level, which was obvious throughout the story.
• Pro: Zan might have been feeling slighted by her friends, but she was seriously loved. Her family and her work-family were wonderful! It was great how hands on her mom was, and I also liked the way Loutzenhiser explored Zan's relationship with her dad.
• Pro: The book's progression was rather interesting. It was fairly light and fun and gradually got more serious. The beginning came across as a standard contemporary and then questions started arising concerning Pryia, and from there, a little bit of a mystery, with some drama, began to unfold.
• Pro: And, then there was Logan. I liked him a lot and adored the way he became part of Zan's world. He was also very complicated with a super sticky backstory, but his darkness was contained, and he was also gifted with a fantastic sister and aunt to support him.
• Pro: Logan + Zan = 😍 I was all about these two making a love connection. They had the chemistry and the banter, and when everyone else more or less dismissed her, Logan believe that there was more to the Priya situation than met the eye. A fantastic coupling!
• Pro: Though I wish I got a little bit more at the end, I will say I loved all the things Loutznhiser did for the characters. Everyone's near future was shared with us, and the developments made me warm and fuzzy. I especially liked where Zan ended up, because it fit with what I had learned about her over the course of the story, but it was also surprising.
Overall: An ode to friendship, family, and finding yourself infused with humor, romance, and a little mystery.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
September 20, 2018
This is a must-read for anyone who likes: rom-coms; mysteries; adorable little siblings; compelling and tremendously sympathetic MCs; and just plain old-fashioned (yet contemporary) storytelling. Just clear your calendar, because you won't wan to put it down!
January 31, 2019
Having been ghosted by one of my closest friends last year, If You're Out There was a deeply personal read. There's a lot about this book that I probably liked more because of that experience, and there's also a lot that I like less for that same reason.
If you've never had someone ghost you who you thought cared, you might spend this book yelling at Zan to get over it already. Pretty much everyone in her life is telling her to move on. That's what I heard too, but it's difficult to move on without closure. I've had quite a few friends dump me in my life, and it sucks huge balls, but being ghosted was so much worse, because you don't know why it's happened. Deep down, it hits you in this place where you wonder why you're so easy to leave, even for someone who claimed to love you and had always had your back. Plus, because nothing went wrong that you're aware of, it's hard to really write the person off as an asshole and take that closure.
So yeah, I identified hardcore with Zan in this situation, who is being told to accept that Priya doesn't want to be in her life anymore but is instead checking her Instagram trying to understand, hoping that one day Priya will reach out and love her again. It's pretty heartbreaking, though I do wonder if anyone who hasn't experienced this will understand why she's been upset for so long. TBH, it's the year anniversary of my friend ghosting me and I'm only just beginning to find my closure, and it still fucking hurts, so I'll just say that Zan's behavior is totally believable and realistic. The things she says and thinks about it are so on point for how I've felt over the last year. And I get Zan's trust issues, because she had only this one super close friend who has disappeared without a word.
Outside of the ghosting aspect of the book, I was engaged, but I didn't connect as strongly with the rest of it. The romance with Logan was okay, but I feel like there needed to be more with him to really make it work. They become close randomly, and I don't really understand why she initially let him, nor why he was so determined to be her friend initially. His arc feels half-assed merely because Zan's so focused on her own shit. I do love Zan's psychiatrist mother (and her girlfriend! wish there'd been more of them!), and her relationship with her dad has a nice arc, though again very minor. Zan's brother Harr comes up a lot but I could not tell you one thing about this kid other than that he doesn't like bad words.
Personally, I didn't care for the mystery plot line or the way it resolved. Zan begins investigating Priya, feeling like something bad has happened to her to cause her to have changed so much. The rest goes in the spoiler tags, but I will say part of why I'm unhappy with this part is because of what I've been through.
My feelings are super duper mixed on this one, and it's all so personal to my own life that I suspect this book could be 100% different for other readers. I will say that I would absolutely read another book by Loutzenhiser.
If you've never had someone ghost you who you thought cared, you might spend this book yelling at Zan to get over it already. Pretty much everyone in her life is telling her to move on. That's what I heard too, but it's difficult to move on without closure. I've had quite a few friends dump me in my life, and it sucks huge balls, but being ghosted was so much worse, because you don't know why it's happened. Deep down, it hits you in this place where you wonder why you're so easy to leave, even for someone who claimed to love you and had always had your back. Plus, because nothing went wrong that you're aware of, it's hard to really write the person off as an asshole and take that closure.
So yeah, I identified hardcore with Zan in this situation, who is being told to accept that Priya doesn't want to be in her life anymore but is instead checking her Instagram trying to understand, hoping that one day Priya will reach out and love her again. It's pretty heartbreaking, though I do wonder if anyone who hasn't experienced this will understand why she's been upset for so long. TBH, it's the year anniversary of my friend ghosting me and I'm only just beginning to find my closure, and it still fucking hurts, so I'll just say that Zan's behavior is totally believable and realistic. The things she says and thinks about it are so on point for how I've felt over the last year. And I get Zan's trust issues, because she had only this one super close friend who has disappeared without a word.
Outside of the ghosting aspect of the book, I was engaged, but I didn't connect as strongly with the rest of it. The romance with Logan was okay, but I feel like there needed to be more with him to really make it work. They become close randomly, and I don't really understand why she initially let him, nor why he was so determined to be her friend initially. His arc feels half-assed merely because Zan's so focused on her own shit. I do love Zan's psychiatrist mother (and her girlfriend! wish there'd been more of them!), and her relationship with her dad has a nice arc, though again very minor. Zan's brother Harr comes up a lot but I could not tell you one thing about this kid other than that he doesn't like bad words.
Personally, I didn't care for the mystery plot line or the way it resolved. Zan begins investigating Priya, feeling like something bad has happened to her to cause her to have changed so much. The rest goes in the spoiler tags, but I will say part of why I'm unhappy with this part is because of what I've been through.
My feelings are super duper mixed on this one, and it's all so personal to my own life that I suspect this book could be 100% different for other readers. I will say that I would absolutely read another book by Loutzenhiser.
September 18, 2018
Once upon a time I read THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTOON approximately 753 times and this book makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside for those days of fun and addictive teen thrillers. Fresh, funny, emotional, and compulsively readable. You won't be sorry you picked this one up.
March 25, 2019
This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd
ACTUAL RATING: 3.5 Stars
MY THOUGHTS
Admittedly, the cover was the first thing that drew me into this book, but this book also seemed to focus on a normal topic that we hardly see in YA novels. This novel shows us a character whose best friend has moved and is not responding to her emails, something many readers likely have experienced. Yet, it combines the sadness of missing a friend and the ordinary life with the mystery of a friend simply wanting answers.
Zan and Priya have been best friends for years, never without each other. When Priya moves to California over the summer, they have a tearful goodbye, promising to keep in touch, but they don't. Zan sends emails and phone calls, but she receives no answer. Zan suspects that something else is going on, that Priya would not just stop talking to her, but everyone around her just tells her that she needs to move on and make some new friends. This is just what happens when friends move away. Everyone, except Logan, the new kid at school. He listens to Zan and decides to help her found out why Priya isn't talking and whether there is something else going on.
The combination of genres in this novel was very interesting and worked fairly well for the most part. While the book combines contemporary with mystery, the book has a strong contemporary feeling for a majority of the book. The main focus is on Zan as she struggles with her loneliness now that her other half has moved away, but the contemporary feeling of this book goes further.
Part of this is just by placing her in ordinary surroundings. Zan still has to go to work and go to school. She also has her mother's girlfriend moving into the house, her brother to look after, and occasionally going over to her dad's. All of these things weren't things Zan was struggling with but they were parts of her life that had become normal. I really liked seeing her interact with others in these settings. These places and relationships made me understand her character more than her lost friendship or the mystery plot.
Again, the plot of Zan missing her friend is a major part of this book. She goes through many emotions as she deals with this and the fact that Priya seems to have abandoned her. But there is a true show of friendship in this book because Zan does not want to give up on Priya. When her family or others tell her that this is just how things are, that friendships end and she needs to move on with her life, she keeps going. Zan knows Priya better than anyone and knows that Priya would not just distance herself, and from Priya's social media, Zan can tell that Priya is not acting like herself. As a reader, we see from Zan's viewpoint and are told that we have to believe Zan when she says that Priya might need help. From an outside perspective, this is crazy, but we see how much Zan believes this, so we go along. One of the things that does cause disbelief from the reader's standpoint is this: we never get to meet Priya before she moved away. We only have what Zan remembers about Priya to understand their friendship.
This goes into the mystery aspect of the book. Zan starts to suspect that something bad has happened to Priya and starts sleuthing with her new friend/love interest Logan. This mystery plays into that fantasy that when our friends stop talking to us, maybe they can't talk to us. This book turns this fantasy into reality. I thought it was interesting how the mystery tied into the contemporary storyline and I thought it was a great way to explore the narrative because this was a mystery that Zan would want to solve that most people don't get the opportunity to try to solve. I had issues with the mystery later on in the book. Seeing the characters discover the mysteries, that was great, but once the mystery was solved it felt like it went too quickly and I am still not quite sure what exactly happened. I'm not really satisfied with where the mystery went.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did like this book. I read through it fairly quickly and thought that the author did a great job using this topic. I preferred the contemporary aspects of this book to the mystery but mainly because I was not satisfied with where the mystery went and it wasn't really clear what happened. I do think this would be a great book to read and I will keep my eyes open for the author's sophomore novel.
ACTUAL RATING: 3.5 Stars
MY THOUGHTS
Admittedly, the cover was the first thing that drew me into this book, but this book also seemed to focus on a normal topic that we hardly see in YA novels. This novel shows us a character whose best friend has moved and is not responding to her emails, something many readers likely have experienced. Yet, it combines the sadness of missing a friend and the ordinary life with the mystery of a friend simply wanting answers.
Zan and Priya have been best friends for years, never without each other. When Priya moves to California over the summer, they have a tearful goodbye, promising to keep in touch, but they don't. Zan sends emails and phone calls, but she receives no answer. Zan suspects that something else is going on, that Priya would not just stop talking to her, but everyone around her just tells her that she needs to move on and make some new friends. This is just what happens when friends move away. Everyone, except Logan, the new kid at school. He listens to Zan and decides to help her found out why Priya isn't talking and whether there is something else going on.
The combination of genres in this novel was very interesting and worked fairly well for the most part. While the book combines contemporary with mystery, the book has a strong contemporary feeling for a majority of the book. The main focus is on Zan as she struggles with her loneliness now that her other half has moved away, but the contemporary feeling of this book goes further.
Part of this is just by placing her in ordinary surroundings. Zan still has to go to work and go to school. She also has her mother's girlfriend moving into the house, her brother to look after, and occasionally going over to her dad's. All of these things weren't things Zan was struggling with but they were parts of her life that had become normal. I really liked seeing her interact with others in these settings. These places and relationships made me understand her character more than her lost friendship or the mystery plot.
Again, the plot of Zan missing her friend is a major part of this book. She goes through many emotions as she deals with this and the fact that Priya seems to have abandoned her. But there is a true show of friendship in this book because Zan does not want to give up on Priya. When her family or others tell her that this is just how things are, that friendships end and she needs to move on with her life, she keeps going. Zan knows Priya better than anyone and knows that Priya would not just distance herself, and from Priya's social media, Zan can tell that Priya is not acting like herself. As a reader, we see from Zan's viewpoint and are told that we have to believe Zan when she says that Priya might need help. From an outside perspective, this is crazy, but we see how much Zan believes this, so we go along. One of the things that does cause disbelief from the reader's standpoint is this: we never get to meet Priya before she moved away. We only have what Zan remembers about Priya to understand their friendship.
This goes into the mystery aspect of the book. Zan starts to suspect that something bad has happened to Priya and starts sleuthing with her new friend/love interest Logan. This mystery plays into that fantasy that when our friends stop talking to us, maybe they can't talk to us. This book turns this fantasy into reality. I thought it was interesting how the mystery tied into the contemporary storyline and I thought it was a great way to explore the narrative because this was a mystery that Zan would want to solve that most people don't get the opportunity to try to solve. I had issues with the mystery later on in the book. Seeing the characters discover the mysteries, that was great, but once the mystery was solved it felt like it went too quickly and I am still not quite sure what exactly happened. I'm not really satisfied with where the mystery went.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I did like this book. I read through it fairly quickly and thought that the author did a great job using this topic. I preferred the contemporary aspects of this book to the mystery but mainly because I was not satisfied with where the mystery went and it wasn't really clear what happened. I do think this would be a great book to read and I will keep my eyes open for the author's sophomore novel.
June 29, 2019
My review for If You’re Out There is up on my blog now!
https://bookreviewsfromanovelnerd.wor...
https://bookreviewsfromanovelnerd.wor...
August 9, 2018
I just finished this amazing book in the span of one day, and wow. World, look out. Katy is such a fresh voice in contemporary YA. There are so many things to love about this book - the mystery and intrigue, the diverse cast, the hilarious and gritty voice, the adorable love interest, and more!!! I could seriously go on and on forever. I'm not kidding when I say that some of the lines in this book had me laughing out loud so hard that I choked on my water!
I also love that the heart of the story is about a girl who wants to find her friend, who believes in the strength of friendship to the end, and never gives up on Priya. I love that although there is romance, it's a backseat to a strong friendship story - the kind of friendship I experienced in my teen years and didn't see as much reflected in YA contemporary. Give me more books like Katy's! Give me the books with girls who lift each other up and whose friendship rises above all.
If you're a fan of Becky Albertalli's works, I honestly think you're going to adore IF YOU'RE OUT THERE. If you're a fan of heartwarming, hilarious, thought-provoking, and suspenseful and fast-paced books - then boy are you going to devour this. I feel so lucky to have met the author and read an early copy, and I can't wait for this book to debut in 2019 and make a splash in YA contemporary. :)
I also love that the heart of the story is about a girl who wants to find her friend, who believes in the strength of friendship to the end, and never gives up on Priya. I love that although there is romance, it's a backseat to a strong friendship story - the kind of friendship I experienced in my teen years and didn't see as much reflected in YA contemporary. Give me more books like Katy's! Give me the books with girls who lift each other up and whose friendship rises above all.
If you're a fan of Becky Albertalli's works, I honestly think you're going to adore IF YOU'RE OUT THERE. If you're a fan of heartwarming, hilarious, thought-provoking, and suspenseful and fast-paced books - then boy are you going to devour this. I feel so lucky to have met the author and read an early copy, and I can't wait for this book to debut in 2019 and make a splash in YA contemporary. :)
March 23, 2019
Ehm, didn't I start this one yesterday!? Ha, I sure listened fast! I really got into it and wanted to know wtf was wrong with Priya.
Zan had the best BFF. And then she got ghosted. All while Priya shows sunny pics on instagram and talks to everyone else.
So I had a hundred ideas. Priya was a bitch. Priya and Zan had a lover's quarrel. Priya was taken? This one was the darkest. I needed to know. And no one believed Zan, they just said that besties grow apart.
Logan was the best! Everyone should have a Logan, someone who just believe you, no questions asked!. And yes of course I hoped this budding friendship would turn into more too.
A fast read that has you clamoring for more. What is up with Priya is the thought on every page and I rushed to the end to find out more.
Narrator
Kate Rudd had a nice range of voices and everyone was distinct. She kept the doubt and suspense coming. It flowed well.
Zan had the best BFF. And then she got ghosted. All while Priya shows sunny pics on instagram and talks to everyone else.
So I had a hundred ideas. Priya was a bitch. Priya and Zan had a lover's quarrel. Priya was taken? This one was the darkest. I needed to know. And no one believed Zan, they just said that besties grow apart.
Logan was the best! Everyone should have a Logan, someone who just believe you, no questions asked!. And yes of course I hoped this budding friendship would turn into more too.
A fast read that has you clamoring for more. What is up with Priya is the thought on every page and I rushed to the end to find out more.
Narrator
Kate Rudd had a nice range of voices and everyone was distinct. She kept the doubt and suspense coming. It flowed well.
July 3, 2019
Fabuła tej książki mega mnie zaciekawiła. Była trochę w stylu książek Mirjam Mous, dlatego musiałam ją przeczytać jak najszybciej.
Z jednej strony bardzo mi się podobała. Mamy delikatny wątek miłosny, tajemnice, wątek kryminalny- po prostu to, czego potrzebuje dobry thriller młodzieżowy.
Jednak z drugiej strony autorka utrzymywała takie napięcie, że na końcu spodziewałam się czegoś wow. W głowie kłębiło mi się mnóstwo zawiłych scenariuszy, jednak żaden się nie sprawdził. Mam wrażenie, że autorka trochę nie wykorzystała tego potencjału. Po prostu na końcu spodziewałam się jakiejś bomby, a otrzymałam tylko mały wybuch.
Mimo to, pozycja ta bardzo mi się podobała i polecam ją zwłaszcza nastolatkom.
Z jednej strony bardzo mi się podobała. Mamy delikatny wątek miłosny, tajemnice, wątek kryminalny- po prostu to, czego potrzebuje dobry thriller młodzieżowy.
Jednak z drugiej strony autorka utrzymywała takie napięcie, że na końcu spodziewałam się czegoś wow. W głowie kłębiło mi się mnóstwo zawiłych scenariuszy, jednak żaden się nie sprawdził. Mam wrażenie, że autorka trochę nie wykorzystała tego potencjału. Po prostu na końcu spodziewałam się jakiejś bomby, a otrzymałam tylko mały wybuch.
Mimo to, pozycja ta bardzo mi się podobała i polecam ją zwłaszcza nastolatkom.
Read
January 7, 2020Hey, are you there?
Ever since Zan's best friend moved, it's like she's a whole new person. Zan tries everything to reach out to her, but suddenly Priya ghosts her. Everyone tells Zan to relax, that Priya's just reinventing herself, but Zan can't accept that things are over. Zan knows something isn't right and with the help of a boy from school, she investigates all the "clues" Priya's been leaving her through odd social media posts. What they uncover might be something far worse than the end of a friendship.
What happens when her best friend suddenly seems to disappear forever. What happens when the details just don't add up.
Trigger warning for depression, mention of parental death, divorce, addiction, and talk of overdose.
Sarcastic, insecure Zan was left with a hole in her heart when her best friend seemed to leave her completely behind. Her determination coupled with an aching soul and mountains of suspicion led her to some certainly unexpected answers. Hesitant to trust, especially in light of her current situation, Zan created a wall around her heart which made her give in to her temper more often than not. Flawed, hurting, and driven, Zan was relatable and I enjoyed getting to know her as she investigated her disappearing friendship.
From parental to familiar, from platonic to romantic, there was so much love within this mystery driven contemporary. Zan's mother always kept real it with her and advised her to go down the right paths. Her father may not have gotten it right, but he definitely tried. I adored everything about her little brother as his personality dominated every scene he was in. Even though she was largely absent from the story, Priya popped off the page as we got to know her through Zan's memories. As we got to see their friendship evolve through the years, it was incredibly clear as to why Zan didn't want to give up. Zan wasn't left alone for long, because soon the loyal Logan entered her life. Their chemistry was perfect as he followed her on this wild ride. I also enjoyed all the depictions of family - all different and dealing with their own struggles, but all of them were so full of love.
What would you do if your best friend left you in the dust? In a state of disbelief, Zan went on an emotional, somewhat cathartic journey full of friendship, love, and family. Although it took a while for the mystery plot line to take off, Zan and her fantastically crafted supporting cast brought If You're Out There to life. The more I got to know them, I just had to know what was going to happen to Zan, Priya, and Logan, as well as their relationships. Examining the complexities and feelings of old and blossoming friendships alike, Katy Loutzenhiser's debut was softly intense. Descriptive prose completely immersed me in Zan's life as she discovered all the surprising, new avenues that her relationships took. A beautiful tale about the power of friendship, this certainly will touch your soul.
If You're Out There, you need to read this book.
Ever since Zan's best friend moved, it's like she's a whole new person. Zan tries everything to reach out to her, but suddenly Priya ghosts her. Everyone tells Zan to relax, that Priya's just reinventing herself, but Zan can't accept that things are over. Zan knows something isn't right and with the help of a boy from school, she investigates all the "clues" Priya's been leaving her through odd social media posts. What they uncover might be something far worse than the end of a friendship.
What happens when her best friend suddenly seems to disappear forever. What happens when the details just don't add up.
Trigger warning for depression, mention of parental death, divorce, addiction, and talk of overdose.
Sarcastic, insecure Zan was left with a hole in her heart when her best friend seemed to leave her completely behind. Her determination coupled with an aching soul and mountains of suspicion led her to some certainly unexpected answers. Hesitant to trust, especially in light of her current situation, Zan created a wall around her heart which made her give in to her temper more often than not. Flawed, hurting, and driven, Zan was relatable and I enjoyed getting to know her as she investigated her disappearing friendship.
From parental to familiar, from platonic to romantic, there was so much love within this mystery driven contemporary. Zan's mother always kept real it with her and advised her to go down the right paths. Her father may not have gotten it right, but he definitely tried. I adored everything about her little brother as his personality dominated every scene he was in. Even though she was largely absent from the story, Priya popped off the page as we got to know her through Zan's memories. As we got to see their friendship evolve through the years, it was incredibly clear as to why Zan didn't want to give up. Zan wasn't left alone for long, because soon the loyal Logan entered her life. Their chemistry was perfect as he followed her on this wild ride. I also enjoyed all the depictions of family - all different and dealing with their own struggles, but all of them were so full of love.
What would you do if your best friend left you in the dust? In a state of disbelief, Zan went on an emotional, somewhat cathartic journey full of friendship, love, and family. Although it took a while for the mystery plot line to take off, Zan and her fantastically crafted supporting cast brought If You're Out There to life. The more I got to know them, I just had to know what was going to happen to Zan, Priya, and Logan, as well as their relationships. Examining the complexities and feelings of old and blossoming friendships alike, Katy Loutzenhiser's debut was softly intense. Descriptive prose completely immersed me in Zan's life as she discovered all the surprising, new avenues that her relationships took. A beautiful tale about the power of friendship, this certainly will touch your soul.
If You're Out There, you need to read this book.
June 1, 2020
There is not a lot I can say about this book. It's cute, it's nice, it's easy to read, but not overwhelming. Not amazing, but not bad.
December 8, 2018
Every character (even the adults) acted like middle school girls, Zan manipulated Logan from day one to help her, she regularly treated him like dirt and referred to his face as "stupid" when he wouldn't help her, there was no chemistry or anything these two talked about except Zan's missing BFF Priya so how did they fall in love, this was filled with lots of ya cliches (average semi loner girl instantly grabs attention of new hot guy at school who has a criminal record but don't worry, he didn't do anything wrong, he was protecting someone else and took the blame) and the reveal was a letdown. The last chapter was rushed and didn't fit with the story, but I was thrilled when it finished. This wasn't about Zan and her life. This was about Priya. Priya. Priya. Even though she wasn't the narrator. Thanks Edelweiss for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2019
Every time I looked at this book I had John Legend’s “If you’re out there” stuck in my head and I do now while writing this review. It’s a good song but I’m going crazy with it constantly being in my head.
I digress, this book made me miss my favorite city and Lincoln Park immensely. It was cool to read a book where I knew the locations and really have a real life visual even though it’s a fictional book. But I loved Logan even though Zan and Priya got on my nerves. It is a great story for YA and shows that losing a friendship is really hard and people don’t talk about how much it hurts, sucks, and takes over your mind when you don’t have closure. I found out about this book through Epic Reads, when author Ben Philippe said he recommended this book. So thank you Ben and I am now moving onto his book :)
I digress, this book made me miss my favorite city and Lincoln Park immensely. It was cool to read a book where I knew the locations and really have a real life visual even though it’s a fictional book. But I loved Logan even though Zan and Priya got on my nerves. It is a great story for YA and shows that losing a friendship is really hard and people don’t talk about how much it hurts, sucks, and takes over your mind when you don’t have closure. I found out about this book through Epic Reads, when author Ben Philippe said he recommended this book. So thank you Ben and I am now moving onto his book :)
August 6, 2021
*4.5 stars*
this book is VERY underrated, but i really loved it <3 if you like fun ya mystery contemporaries, then this book is for u! it’s a quick read that i was able to finish in one sitting 😅
i loved the aspects of family & friendship in this book. it wasn’t a super dark or thrilling mystery, it was actually pretty heartfelt. there was a good amount of romance and humor that i really enjoyed. there weren’t a lot of surprises and the end was a little predictable, but the plot was still fun to me. the characters are also pretty great
again, this book is super underrated but i’m going to keep recommending it to you all and on booktok! 💟🌟
this book is VERY underrated, but i really loved it <3 if you like fun ya mystery contemporaries, then this book is for u! it’s a quick read that i was able to finish in one sitting 😅
i loved the aspects of family & friendship in this book. it wasn’t a super dark or thrilling mystery, it was actually pretty heartfelt. there was a good amount of romance and humor that i really enjoyed. there weren’t a lot of surprises and the end was a little predictable, but the plot was still fun to me. the characters are also pretty great
again, this book is super underrated but i’m going to keep recommending it to you all and on booktok! 💟🌟
April 30, 2019
Oh my gosh, nice one Katy
December 31, 2019
3.5*
Very very readable. Had much more mystery/thriller then I was expecting. Not complaining there.
Very very readable. Had much more mystery/thriller then I was expecting. Not complaining there.
October 10, 2022
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC PLEASE READ IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️
October 3, 2022
Trigger warnings:
I loved this one so much! It was so entertaining, I loved the main character, the female friendships, the little bit of romance. 200% recommending this.
Full review coming soon on the blog! :)
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
I loved this one so much! It was so entertaining, I loved the main character, the female friendships, the little bit of romance. 200% recommending this.
Full review coming soon on the blog! :)
My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - Bookstagram - Bloglovin'
July 22, 2021
While this book didn't quite have me hooked from page 1, it didn't take long. I thought Zan's grief at her friend break-up was well-done, and the love interest was sweet. The story didn't turn out quite the way I expected, but it did keep me turning pages before bed until I could no longer keep my eyes open.
March 13, 2019
I really loved this book! It had amazing characters and a fantastic story. I loved how cute Logan and Zan was. AHHH so cute! I'll give a review soon.
March 6, 2019
This review was originally posted on Andi's ABCs
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I’m a sucker for a book with a good friendship aspect. I under the draw of writing the frienemy, but I love a good female friendship that has its ups and downs but still can withstand the test of time. And I love a story that deals with the possibility of losing that friendship and how that affects one or both parties. If You’re Out There is a book that explores but with a twist and it was done remarkably well.
In If You’re Out There Zan is starting the year off without her best friend, Priya, who just moved to California. As if that isn’t bad enough Priya appears to have ghosted her, only showing up on social media to post pictures of how wonderful her new life is. While trying to figure out how to navigate her Priya-less world, Zan meets the new guy at school, Logan. He isn’t anything Zan is looking for, but he is there for her when she needs him, especially after she starts to notice something strange in Priya’s photos that makes her think…maybe she wasn’t ghosted after all. Maybe Priya is actually in trouble.
What I loved most about If You’re Out There was the focus on how friendships are hard and tricky. Like all relationships they take work and when one person isn’t there the work feel harder and not worth it. It showed how easy it is to let go of a friendship if you don’t fight for it when there is something to fight for. Zan refused to believe that her friend would just ghost her. She knew her better than anyone else and she fought for that feeling, even when she seemed crazy to everyone around her and felt crazy to herself. She fought and fought for her friendship because she believed her friend would fight for it too if she could. To me that showed what true friendship is about and why I loved the book.
I also really loved the mystery aspect of the story. Was Priya really ghosting Zan or was she in trouble? I was never really certain to be honest. I never knew which way the story was going to go because both options seemed plausible. I also liked that Logan was there to listen to Zan when no one else would. That was another huge highlight. Also helped that he was adorable.
All in all I highly recommend this debut by Katy Loutzenhiser. It hits all the right notes and will keep you reading until the end. Definitely a need to read book to add to your TBR.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I’m a sucker for a book with a good friendship aspect. I under the draw of writing the frienemy, but I love a good female friendship that has its ups and downs but still can withstand the test of time. And I love a story that deals with the possibility of losing that friendship and how that affects one or both parties. If You’re Out There is a book that explores but with a twist and it was done remarkably well.
In If You’re Out There Zan is starting the year off without her best friend, Priya, who just moved to California. As if that isn’t bad enough Priya appears to have ghosted her, only showing up on social media to post pictures of how wonderful her new life is. While trying to figure out how to navigate her Priya-less world, Zan meets the new guy at school, Logan. He isn’t anything Zan is looking for, but he is there for her when she needs him, especially after she starts to notice something strange in Priya’s photos that makes her think…maybe she wasn’t ghosted after all. Maybe Priya is actually in trouble.
What I loved most about If You’re Out There was the focus on how friendships are hard and tricky. Like all relationships they take work and when one person isn’t there the work feel harder and not worth it. It showed how easy it is to let go of a friendship if you don’t fight for it when there is something to fight for. Zan refused to believe that her friend would just ghost her. She knew her better than anyone else and she fought for that feeling, even when she seemed crazy to everyone around her and felt crazy to herself. She fought and fought for her friendship because she believed her friend would fight for it too if she could. To me that showed what true friendship is about and why I loved the book.
I also really loved the mystery aspect of the story. Was Priya really ghosting Zan or was she in trouble? I was never really certain to be honest. I never knew which way the story was going to go because both options seemed plausible. I also liked that Logan was there to listen to Zan when no one else would. That was another huge highlight. Also helped that he was adorable.
All in all I highly recommend this debut by Katy Loutzenhiser. It hits all the right notes and will keep you reading until the end. Definitely a need to read book to add to your TBR.
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