So this became slightly ridiculous and wholly over-the-top by the end, but I loved the build-up and the writing. The characters were fun too, though some of the twists weren't very surprising given who was well-developed and who wasn't. It was a fun popcorn read and a solid blend of thriller and horror, along with a meditation on grief and a potentially solid representation of a woman with cystic fibrosis where the plot doesn't remotely hinge around her disability.

I am such a fan of Kelley Armstrong and this book didn’t disappoint. This book is a wild ride from start to finish. If you are a fan of the supernatural and love haunted houses, spirits and seances you will eat up this book.

Nothing beats a good horror novel, and Kelley Armstrong delivered it with "I'll Be Waiting". With an unreliable narrator leading us through this story, readers are kept in constant suspense, wondering if everything and everyone is what they actually seem. Past horrors are uncovered through piecemeal flashbacks, and new relationships are constantly being questioned making the actual moments of terror even more intriguing. Was that real, or was it just a creaking floorboard? Instead of leaning on constant jump scares, there is just a general unease throughout the novel, and a heaping dose of skepticism from both the characters and the reader. This leads to a climax of epic horror movie proportions. The last 10% of the book had me in a chokehold desperate to see how this would all play out. This definitely jumps to the top 5 of my favorite ghost story novels and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for their next spooky read!

Another great book by Armstrong. She has a talent for making magic feel real, even when viewing it through skeptic eyes. This was story about dealing with the grief of losing a loved while holding out hope for a connection to them on the other side. With a healthy dose of mystery and suspense, this book will keep you hanging on the end.

I have been a long time fan of Kelley Armstrong and this story did not diminish my love of her writing or world building. I was unprepared for the immediate twist this story took, I should have known better than to think we’d ease into the story. Kelley has a way with creating a spellbinding narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Nic was CF (cystic fibrosis) as a child and never expected to live as long as she did or make the memories she was capable of having. Her husband, Anton was always in her corner, those two grew up together. What she didn’t expect was to be the one who survived a horrible accident. Imagine a terminally ill woman, who accepted her fate long ago, having to hold her dying husband. That is how we start this story! The emotional damage was immediate and I needed to find out what came next. Desperate and unable to let her husband go, Nic turns to the occult to stay in contact with her husband.

You get hints of a mysterious thriller with paranormal elements. Secrets are revealed, closure and growth start to unfold before you. This story captivated me. It was able to shed light on CF as well.

This was an absolute page turner! It had me at seances and ghosts! I absolutely loved her characters, and the book was scary and creepy! This was definitely right up my alley! The author knows how to hook a reader and keep them engaged, and the plot was riveting! If you like paranormal novels, definitely give this book a read!

First off thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read the free eGalley!

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to see she had a new book coming out. I was even more excited when I was chosen to read and review it. With that being said, I may be a bit biased, but this book was so so very good! From the way it was written, to the characters, to the storyline, and to the very last word! I stayed up until 2 in the morning to finish it, because I just couldn’t stop reading! This book would be a great read for many people from young adults to adults.
This book is a horror/thriller that brings witchcraft, ghosts, evil spirits, mystery, and so much more! The main character Nicola Laughton is a newly widowed woman with Cystic Fibrosis. She never expected to live as long as she did. Much less to get married and then outlive her husband, Anton Novak. Her last moments with her husband are now posted everywhere online because of bystanders hearing his last words and then finding out she has CF. After his death she gets many calls from mediums saying they can help her contact Anton. She keeps saying she’ll stop trying to contact him, especially knowing how dangerous it can be from past experience. Still she says one more. She hires a parapsychology college professor and rents out a lake house Anton’s grandmother used to own and they used to rent once or twice a year. She invites her brother-in-law and a new friend who’s mourning the loss of her sister to come along. She keeps experiencing things but not everything she can explain away. Is it her husband’s spirit or something more sinister?

I would highly recommend finding a well-lit corner to curl up and read this book. The further your get sucked into the story the more unhinged it gets questioning what is real and what is just a ghost story. Armstrong writes in a way that will make you question every creak or hushed noise you hear and either send you searching for answers, like the main character Nic, or diving under your covers.
Right from the first chapter you crash into the life of Nicola Laughton. No stranger to tragedies and hardships on her life as someone who has Cystic Fibrosis , she also has a darker past that is literally coming back to hunt her. When she loses her husband, she begins a dark spiral that unearths a part of her life that she would rather forget.
Its easy to debunk the myraid of mediums and charlatans that plague Nic with claims that they can reach her dead husband and she's ready to let sleeping dogs lie. When she's convinced to try one last time in order to give her closure, she is fine with the noises and whispers until she stumbles on the first body. Now she must decipher what's real and what's stranger than fiction.
If you have an active imagination, I would recommend reading this book, just not at night in the dark!

I struggled with wanting to DNF this book. The beginning was very slow for me. About halfway it did pick up though and i enjoyed the 2nd half.

I don't believe in ghosts, but I always love to read great ghost stories, and this book didn't disappoint. "I'll Be Waiting" by Kelley Armstrong is a fantastic paranormal tale involving a haunted house, séances, and murders.

Nicola Laughton was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child and wasn't expected to live long. Medical advances extended her life. A few months after her marriage, her husband died in a freak car accident, and his dying words were, "I’ll be waiting for you." She never expected to outlive her husband. Devastated, she seeks to contact him via mediums and séances, which turn out to be charlatans.

When her family finds a reputable medium—a professor of parapsychology—and proposes a séance at a secluded place, she agrees and decides to give it one last chance. The plot thickens when strange occurrences take place at the Lake Erie beach house they rented, reawakening old nightmares from her past.

I loved the book! There is nothing like a good spooky paranormal/ghost-hunting story to get your juices going. This is not your typical ghost story either! It is a creepy tale full of twists and shocking revelations with a spooky atmosphere. The book is written from Nicola's first-person point of view and combines flashbacks into her past. It explores themes of loss, grief, depression, trust, and family.

The book is well written with an engaging storyline, well-rounded characters, and a unique plot. The dark atmosphere was well sketched and convincing, with the creaking of an old dumbwaiter, creepy porcelain dolls, and eerie voices. The tense atmosphere and freaky supernatural occurrences get into your head and make you begin to doubt your own grip on sanity, along with that of the character, but it wasn't too scary if you get my drift.

The author takes the paranormal and adds it to real, normal life. She makes the unreal believable. The feeling of dread in this book grows with one incident after another. I did feel that the heroine took some unnecessary risks and acted recklessly. There were times I wanted to shake her, and I was afraid for her.

Overall, it was a great tale that kept me in suspense right up to the last page. I loved that we didn't know what was real and what wasn't, and the way the author combined past and present, real and unreal. I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to those who enjoy ghost tales with secrets, intricate relationships, and chilling paranormal activity.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

Nic has a terminal illness, so she did not expect to be the one to live when her husband died suddenly. Through her grief she goes on an endless quest to contact him through mediums, and her last attempt turns into a nightmare. This story was definitely horrifying, but I pretty quickly figured out who was the baddie. There were lots of little surprises though, and once I started I didn’t put it down. If you don’t mind sleeping with a nightlight then I definitely recommend.

Creepy!!

The story starts out with a bang. Definitely reads like horror. That ending was a total shocker. I didn’t see that coming a mile away. This is a departure from what I expect from this author. She’s branching out into new horizons. That’s a good thing. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next that’s for sure.
Tell me you are out there, somewhere. Tell me your last words weren’t blind and empty reassurances. Tell me you are waiting.

Emotional drama with paranormal suspense evolving from subtle chills to full-blown horror.

Nicola Laughton, who defied her cystic fibrosis prognosis to find love with Anton, is devastated when he dies in a car crash and leaves her with the promise, “I’ll be waiting for you.” Their private moment is exploited by the media, claiming Anton’s ghost spoke to Nicola. Now hounded by spiritualists, Nicola's friends arrange a final séance with a parapsychology professor at Anton’s family’s old Lake Erie beach house. As the group begins, strange and unsettling occurrences plague the house, dredging up Nicola’s buried past and hidden secrets. Amidst the paranormal disturbances and her own nightmares, Nicola discovers a chilling truth when she stumbles upon a body.

I’ll Be Waiting is a blend of poignant emotion and eerie suspense that will resonate with readers. One of the standout features of the novel is the author’s research into cystic fibrosis, which adds a layer of authenticity to Nicola’s experience. Through detailed descriptions of the symptoms, treatments, and daily challenges of living with the disease, it provides an educational and empathetic portrayal that enriches the narrative.  The novel also excels in its depiction of grief, capturing the raw, heart-wrenching pain of loss with striking effectiveness. Nicola’s journey through her mourning process feels achingly real, offering moments of profound heartbreak that will touch anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one.

As a slow-burn suspense tale, it takes its time to build tension, starting with subtle, almost dismissible disturbances that escalate into genuinely sinister and gory events. This gradual build-up keeps readers on edge, with each new revelation driving the need for answers and heightening the suspense. The novel’s structure is particularly intriguing, weaving together past and present through a paranormal lens. It expertly blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural, making it difficult to discern what is truly happening versus what might be a figment of the characters’ imaginations. This ambiguity keeps readers guessing and questioning the motives and trustworthiness of every character.

Overall, this is a beautifully crafted story that combines emotional depth with a chilling, suspenseful plot. It’s a compelling read for anyone interested in a nuanced exploration of grief and the paranormal through a haunted and heartfelt narrative.

Loved reading the engaging and exciting story. When Nicola's husband, Anton, dies in a car accident, Nicola is having a lot of difficulty getting over the death of her husband and wants to contact him. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story by the phenomenally awesome author, Kelley Armstrong.

Nicola Laughton, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a child, never expected a long life. She also never planned for her beloved husband, Anton, to die before her. A tragic car accident and his mysterious last words…I’ll be waiting lead Nic in several attempts to contact Anton’s spirit. One final attempt using a professor of parapsychology to host a séance in Anton’s family home might provide the answers she’s seeking…or she might have contacted something darker.

I’ll be Waiting follows a woman with a mysterious past seeking answers from the spirit world. I really wanted to love this one as the premise hooked me. One of the things that was disappointing was that the MC is introduced as a sceptic yet as the story progresses she is always the first one to jump to random conclusions of spiritual contact. The reader is told she has a mysterious past involving a seance gone wrong which is slowly revealed throughout the story. Despite many opportunities for this story to wow me it just felt kind of blah. If you’re looking for a quick supernatural read that’s not scary then this might be just the book for you.

This book kept me wondering. I enjoyed the main character being flawed and also her CF. It isn’t a diagnosis you see in books! I appreciate the author taking the extra step to ensure she got all the particulars correct in regard to CF as well!!!

I don't know where to begin with I'll Be Waiting! When Nic was a child, she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. Although she wasn't expected to live many years, thanks to a new medication she was able to reach adulthood and marry the love of her life. Then he passed in an auto accident, while she survived. What did Anton mean when he whispered "I'll be waiting"? Nic desperately turns to seances to contact Anton.

I enjoyed the first part of the book but then it became too farfetched and too far outside of the type of book I most like to read. I tried to stay with it but found myself skimming. I'm sure I'll Be Waiting will be loved by people who are into paranormal but I'm just not one of them. (I usually love everything Ms. Armstrong writes!!)

Many thanks to both #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of I'll Be Waiting. This book has an expected publication date of October 1, 2024.

#Ghosts #Paranormal #Possession

Uh, what?? I really like Kelly Armstrong, and her dipping her feet into more paranormal/fantasy kind of options has been very fun to read. This is a ghost story, and just like a good ghost story, it's pretty darn scary. A good camping read for sure!!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.

When I read the synopsis for this novel, I knew I needed to read it ASAP. As a lover of horror and creepy ghost stories, this was right up my alley. Not to mention the fact that Kelley Armstrong is a master of writing novels that just *grab* me. When I received this e-ARC I immediately dropped what I was reading so I could get a start on reading it.

This novel had me hooked from the very beginning. It had the most delicious creepy vibes and it felt like I was being told a spooky story while sitting around a campfire late at night. I definitely didn’t find this story to be scary as it takes a lot to scare me because I watch horror movies like it is my day job but it was still a very fun read regardless. I could not put this down.

The novel opens with Nicola visiting a medium to try and contact her dead husband. His last words before he passed were “I’ll be waiting for you”. But what did he mean? Is he stuck in limbo, waiting for her to follow? Has he moved on and is resting peacefully? These are the kinds of answers Nicola is after but with each visit to spiritualists or mediums, she’s disappointed. She has become very good at busting hoax séances.

So when her best friends hold a curb side intervention, they agree to one last séance. A week long event with a reputable medium that will hopefully give Nicola the closure she needs.

I found this novel started off quite quickly and it kept this pace throughout the story. I was completely enthralled and it would be torture waiting to read when I was unable to pick up the book.

I found the main character to be quite believable in how she was dealing with her grief and I never found myself questioning her actions. I don’t know much about CF so I can’t speak to how realistic it was portrayed but it felt very authentic.

If you enjoy creepy spooky novels, this one is for you!

Explore the creation of a folktale as well at its perpetuation, but with a supernatural twist. This is a great story about loss and the quest to find out what lies beyond death. The story is also a mystery about the original crime and similar crimes that span generations. It also makes a statement against life's observers that record the personal and tragic moments in a stranger's life instead of providing aid. Armstrong is skillful at weaving so many different threads into this wonderful ghost hunt.
The main character has Cystic Fibrosis, a terminal disease. She survives many losses in her life but the biggest blow is the sudden death of her new husband - in a relationship that was unexpected and doomed from the start because of her disease, she never expected to be a widow. Their last moments together were shared with the world via the Internet, sparking the unfounded and hurtful comments of trolls. In this world where nothing is private and everyone feels that they must comment on your life, she tries to grieve. Thus starts the ghost hunt to contact Anton's ghost.
Agreeing to one last seance, Nicola is forced to face the tragedies of her past, that dark forces do exist, that everyone has secrets and that CF can slow her down but not stop her.
This was an exciting read, but it was also heart-felt. Nicola is an authentic character that you can relate to on a personal level, because we all have challenges to overcome and a hope to connect to someone.