I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong is part ghost story and part murder mystery and an altogether good read. Nicola Laughton is struggling with Cystic Fibrosis, but with the help of a new medicine she and her husband plan a few good years together. When Anton is killed in a car crash Nicola ends up doing a seance with a professor of parapsychology and then the strange things start happening and the bodies show up. The characters and the location on Lake Erie all add to the pleasure of finding out if Nicole and Anton will be reunited.

This started out really interesting but there was definitely a lull in the middle, where I kept waiting for things to happen. However, it picked back up at the end and packed a lot into the last 15-20%. So, there might be some pacing issues but I was invested enough in the story to keep reading.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll Be Waiting is classified as a paranormal horror book. While I don’t feel it has much of a horror aspect(maybe more thriller or edge of your seat type of book) I enjoyed it. I did figure out the twist early on, really it’s kind of hard not to. I enjoyed the characters and the premise of story. It kind of reminded me of a bad 80/90s horror film. So if you like the cheesy old school horror films(that aren’t actually scary)you will enjoy this. I gave it four stars because it did keep my attention and I am on of those people that like the cheesy horror films.

I’ll Be Waiting, by Kelley Armstrong
2.5-3/5⭐️⭐️⭐️

TRIGGER WARNINGS-
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Murder, death, gore, possession

The start immediately catches your attention asap but it wanes almost as fast. Doesn’t draw you in until about page 90 and it’s way too overly descriptive and rambly. I don’t know if some things seem overly descriptive because I’m Canadian and I’m familiar with some of the areas mentioned or just because it’s too much. But then there’s the main character who has CF, and I feel the same thing-too descriptive. I’m not familiar with the ins and outs of CF, but I feel that even somebody without CF can figure out what the vest does, for example. You don’t need a full rundown of the hows and whys of it, if the reader wanted to know more they could Google it. The last 150pgs were where things really picked up and the plot got good. The little twist was nice near the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for giving me an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Kelley Armstrong, the first part of this book took me a bit, it was a bit slow for me. Nicola was an interesting character and I found that I actually quite liked her changing/flip floppy as it was done very believable, was she being paranoid, misremembering, or are things happening? I thought I knew where it was going and was pleasantly surprised that I in fact did not. As the book went on the star amount went up ending in my 5 start rating. Another great story, I loved the first horror novel and now the second.

I am so glad Kelley Armstrong is getting into the horror genre because... DAMN! I loved Hemlock Island and I'm not surprised that I loved I'll Be Waiting too! It's so rare I find a book that I can't predict the ending, but this was one of them! There are so many unique elements to this séance horror - it will keep you on your toes! Even the set up was interesting, and when we get to the actual horror elements it really sucked me in. I couldn't put it down and sped through the last 60% of this book in one sitting (when I definitely should have been sleeping instead).

The story is told through a combination of present day and dream/haunting flashbacks to a couple of key points in the past. It's laid out in a way that isn't confusing, and receiving bits and pieces of the past throughout the story was engaging and made me want to keep reading on (to solve the current mystery AND learn the answers from the past one).

As always, I will read anything Kelley writes (and I hope she continues with more horror books because they've been great)! If I could rate her horrors higher than 5 stars, I would.

I enjoyed this book and did not guess the culprit until two thirds of the way through the book. I did wonder why she made the brother have an ex wife. It just confused the narrative. I also thought she doubted her husband too quickly. I did enjoy reading about the house and how she overcame her health challenges. Overall a good story.

My Thoughts

After all the years she battled Cystic Fibrosis, thinking she would die at a fairly young age, Nicola Laughton beat the odds thanks to a medical science breakthrough.

Not only that but she was able to meet and marry a wonderful man named Anton Novak who she had briefly known when they were in school together 22-years prior to reconnecting as adults.

For only a few years the pair were blissfully happy and then the unthinkable happened her wonderful husband died in a car accident and Nicola was left with only memories of their short time together.

Now 8 months later still trying to find closure Nicola and several others meet a renowned professor to perform one last series of seances in a final attempt to contact Anton.

What happens next took the reader through a harrowing series of events before everything was resolved and everyone’s secrets were revealed.

Part creepy mystery part scary paranormal and all the way interesting, even with parts that bogged down in places and could have easily been left out of the story without hurting its final execution.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

I would like to note that I received this ARC with the mindset that I would provide an honest review.
Now that I have said that I can scream from the roof tops of my excitement for getting this arc. I started reading Kelley Armstrong’s books in high school through her Bitten series. Her Casey Duncan books quickly became a favored series of mine; especially, with the fact that this series often released around my birthday in February. So when I saw her name on this book, I knew I just had to try! I honestly did not think I would get it.

Nicola is a strong character first with her diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis and then with the loss of her love, Anton. Though we will later learn that there is a lot more to her than what you think. I really like her character but I will say her decision making is a little wishy washy but then again, half of the plot would not occur without this.

This series gave me my first experience with a seance. It was a journey for sure but like with all of Kelley’s books, I enjoyed the journey that this book took me on. The mystery and “horror” were intriguing. I put horror in quotation marks because it was a little light on what I would dream horror in a book. It is very suspenseful and it kept me engaged throughout the whole book.

The first half of the book was definitely my favorite part of the book. As we reached the half way point, the plot started to repeat some and overall drag in some areas but once we moved past those scenes the book became more intriguing. Overall, I could not put this book down. I rated this book 4/5 stars and while I still love her other series more, I will definitely be buying this book to add to my shelf.

This book was fun and worth the read. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy reading suspenseful stories and to those that just enjoy a story that leaves you wanting more.

Thank you so so much Kelley Armstrong, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this fun read!

An amazing thriller/horror novel that keeps you guessing until the end, in more ways than one. For starters, its unclear whether the MCs experiences/past are truly paranormal or just suspicious, and the mystery aspect had me completely shocked at the twists!

Midway through the novel I was legitimately scared, and was having a blast try to see the next move. The ending was totally satisfying and I appreciated the quality of writing.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Well, this was a wild ride.

Nicola, living with cystic fibrosis, suffers the tragic loss of her husband not long after marriage.

In order to find closure from her loss, she forms a group to perform a seance.

A spooky read, while a tad farfetched, still enjoyable.

Another great book from one of my all time favorite authors, Kelley Armstrong. This is her second horror novel and it does not disappoint.

I’ll be Waiting is a taught thriller that brings a terminally ill woman to the brink of loosing her sanity as the tragic death of her husband Anton puts Nic on a dangerous path to get otherworldly answers.

Nic having made a new life for herself finding love and looking forward to a happy future has rarely looked back to teenage years when a seance gone wrong results in the death of a close friend and deep madness in the other.

After loosing Anton she has to know what his last words I’ll be waiting truly means. She despite her friends and families reservations moves back down the road of searching for mediums and using seances in an attempt to find closer to Anton’s senseless death.

Instead Nic is cast into a dangerous and dark situation pitted against a dark entity pitted on revenge. Will Nic survive or will she find out for herself what waits on the other side! I highly recommend this book it was a great thriller with a surprising twist ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of I'll Be Waiting.

I appreciate a unique plot line, which I think this was, I have never read a book with a seance plot. Unfortunately, that's where my praise ends. I found the story to be both boring and depressing, with about 80% of the story focusing on what happened back when she was a teenager (which isn't even included in the summary). Unless you are into cheesy and not-at-all scary stories, I would skip this one.

2.5 stars rounded down

Since losing her husband Anton in a car accident, Nicole Laughton has become a magnet for spiritualists due to witnesses reporting his last words - "I'll be waiting for you." Nicola had hoped that one of them would be able to connect with Anton's spirit, but has ended up with too many fake mediums. In the hopes of ending her search once and for all. A reputable medium, a professor of parapsychology is hired. It is decided to hold a séance at a beach house that Anton's family once owned. Strange things begin to happen and an incident from Nicola's past muddies the waters.
Fast paced page turner.
#I'llbeWaiting #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I'll Be Waiting was a haunting book not only in its supernatural forces but in an emotional force too. It follows Nicola and her story of trying to contact her husband Anton's spirit after he tragically dies in a car accident. Nicola has cystic fibrosis and always thought she would be the first to go so she really struggles with the concept of Anton dying first. She becomes desperate to contact his spirit after someone after the scene claimed to hear his ghost say I'll be waiting. She unveils many fraud mediums until she finally hires a college professor to attend a seance with her and a few of the people closest to her at once last attempt to connect with his spirit. Once they get to the Lake Erie Beach house Anton's family owned as a kid all kinds of crazy stuff starts happening. Without giving anything away there's secrets, horrifying twists, murder and Nicola's past all weaving together to make a thriller of a story. I honestly loved this book and how the author uses grief and imagery of all the horrors of past and present to reel the reader in. Horror fans are not going to want to miss this thrill ride!

ARC Review- A slow start, but definitely picked up mid-way through the book. A seat gripping thriller that will have you staying up late to finish this twisting story. Definitely did not see the ending at all! 😈

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy of I'll Be Waiting.

I'm a huge fan of Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series (as well as the Haven's Rock spin-off) but I haven't ventured into her other works. I wouldn't normally read a novel with supernatural elements but I was excited to give this one a try. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to suspend my reality enough for the novel to be believable. I found myself coming up with alternate plot points and an alternate ending. All this to be said, I still enjoyed the novel and I'm looking forward to Finding Mr. Write.

I love rep for disabilities and illness with a twist either it be fantasy or not,it's great being able to see from other perspectives in a way I normally wouldn't. This really made you root for the character

When Nicola's husband is killed in a car accident, she watches their plans go up in smoke. Months later, she's in his family home trying to contact him with the help of an occult scientist and some friends and family. As strange occurrences begin to haunt them, Nicola must discover if someone is playing games or if Anton has returned to her.

This was a twisty tale with supernatural elements. I enjoyed this story.