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.

I dove into this book blind only knowing the author from previous books. I was hooked from the first chapter! It does get a little repetitive detailing Nic and Anton's relationship and their love for each other, but I was very into Nic’s story and loved her as a character. I enjoyed the backstory of Patrice and Heather and loved how all of the question marks we read throughout the book are solidified with a period. I also appreciated the humor within the book! Nic's inner dialogue was great and really made me feel for what she was going through. I kind of, sort of guessed the ending, but it just kept going beyond what I was expecting which I really appreciated. Additionally, I loved the setting of the former B&B, and the cover is captivating! Thank you St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

**obsessed with the Green Day and My Chemical Romance shout out - my two faves!!!!

Very easy book to enjoy. The only negative feedback I would give is after the first half there seems to be a bit of repetition which is why I am knocking one star off but it didn’t stop me from loving the story!

This book was so good! I had a really hard time putting it down. It was scary, it was sad, it was mysterious. There were secrets that had you anticipated for basically the whole book. This was such an engaging and fast paced read. I read this over a few days before bed, and would have scary dreams each night, so the scare factor was definitely there and left me thinking about it until I could read some more. I highly recommend this one to all Paranormal lovers. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I was hooked on the premise of this book immediately. Unfortunately, while reading the actual story it fell flat. The story was good but really repetitive and it got old quickly. Overall an ok read.

The love of Nicola’s life dies in a terrible accident and his last words were “I’ll be waiting for you.” A book with a gripping synopsis written by Kelley Armstrong? You better believe I was chomping at the bit to read it!

I’m really struggling with my rating for this one but ultimately I have to be honest - it was just okay. I know it will find its audience but the story just wasn’t for me. I felt like there was a lot of repetition with the dialog and the story just dragged on. By the time the pace finally picked up and the story headed to its conclusion I had already guessed the twist. I will say that it wrapped up well at the end but if I’m going to recommend a Kelley Armstrong book to friends this one would not be my choice.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read an early copy!