*I own a physical copy*

In 2019 my health started going down hill and I didn't take into consideration what that would mean for my book reviewing. Sadly, I've been trying to play catch up for years and it's been affecting my ability to keep up with present day tasks. So I greatly apologize for this but I am going to clear out all these older review books and focus on present day. I will come back and update this review if I end up reading the book, which is very possible as a lot of these books are still ones I would like to read, I just don't think the pressure looming over me is helpful. Thank you for giving me a chance to early read these books and I am so sorry I wasn't able to provide what was needed.

Twisty, scary, and very atmospheric! Great for fans of Stephen King or T. Kingfisher, and anyone who likes a great horror-infused mystery.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This was a miss for me. The book read more as a science fiction/paranormal book for the 1st half or so and I was enjoying it and anxious to see where it where it was going. Then it seemed to try to turn into a horror novel which I don't think succeeded.

Not my favorite read of the year but not the worst. I'm very down the middle on this one. It's a good read but I think I was expecting more horror. It comes off more "suspense/thriller" I do love the pace of the novel and the author write's in a way that makes a chunky book seem a lot smaller. I would give his writing another read as this didn't disappoint me in any way.

This book really tended to mess with your mind as you answer the question "What about this new fad of helping people relax all the sudden makes them suicidal?" It was a pretty slow build, but a pretty far fetched ghost story that I really didn't find all that scary nor intense. I read a free copy of this book for my honest review.

This premise has SO much potential, so I’m kind of sad that it didn’t end up being a 5 star read for me. The first 200 pages or so really sucked me in and I was loving the slow burn mystery going on. However, the last 100 pages really let me down. It felt very over the top, cheesy, and unfinished somehow?? I don’t have a problem with open ended endings, but this just felt unfinished like I said.

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

This has the MOST FASCINATING premise. An app called Clarity that is designed to "shape our dreams", and there are these weird, creepy sleep songs that you listen to when you sleep. This book is a mix of Horror and Sci-Fi.

The first 200 pages of this book are so good, it's such a slow burn of a mystery, but I was absolutely obsessed and fascinated by the idea of this app. I love Horror/Mystery novels that deal with psychology and the human mind like this one.

I enjoyed this book, which scared the living daylights out of me! Especially the ending. The plot was also unique and smart, and the progression and development were well constructed. If you enjoy Horror and Sci-Fi, you should check out this book!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Where They Wait was a trippy, but less creepy than anticipated book about dream manipulation and reality. While the concepts were deep, the plot itself wasn't boring at all. However, I think the narrative delved too much into showing off the research the author had done for the book. At times it slowed down the pacing and the ending seemed very, very rushed.

I realized halfway through reading this that Scott Carson also wrote The Chill. This makes sense—both it and Where They Wait are darkly atmospheric books that lavish a lot of time and attention on character details. The premise of this book is brilliant—it takes a mundane technological phenomenon (a sleep app) and turns it into something terrifying. (Not going to lie, I do not feel the same way about Headspace after reading this book).

The ending of the book was a little uneven for me, but I enjoyed the ride immensely up until that point. For that alone, I was glad I read it—it had plenty of scares and was a nice way to wile away a weekend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Another winner by Scott Carson! An amazing combination of modern tech and timeless ghost story. A worthy successor to Stephen King!

This book was absolutely chilling. I couldn't stop reading, even though I was getting increasingly freaked out. Technology brings us together but it can also isolate us from the people physically nearest to us in favor of people online. And there's also the fact that it can open doors that maybe shouldn't be opened.

I'm not surprised that I loved this book. It's written by Michael Koryta, who's amazing. I'm glad that he's writing horror now, too.

Highly recommended.

This was an extraordinary tale unlike any I have read before. Not only is the story gripping and imaginative but the observations of the storyteller, almost as if casual asides, are thought provoking. I look forward to reading more of this author’s works. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley

This book was definitely different and creepy! The only thing is that I am burnt out on reading books about journalism/journalists. But, I stuck with this. The ending was somewhat “unfinished” for me for some reason. I give this 3 stars.

It's just a dream... or is it?

When an old friend calls out-of-work journalist, Nick, to offer him a job, he is hardly in a position to refuse. It seems pretty cut-and-dry at first, a quick puff piece on a new app being developed by a tech start-up in Nick's hometown. The app, Clarity, is designed to reduce stress and aid in sleep and meditation. Nick, forever a skeptic, is impressed when the foreboding sleep songs actually put him to sleep, but soon finds himself having disturbing and paralyzing nightmares. As the line between dreams and reality blur, Nick delves deeper into investigating the app, the creator of the company, and the origin of the songs. Long-buried secrets unfold and Nick realizes that his homecoming was never really business related at all...
I was almost immediately pulled into this story's clutches. I loved the descriptive imagery of this novel, to the point that I could see, smell, taste, hear and feel different elements of the story. I loved the use of true historical events peppered into the novel as well, and overall found the writing comparable to the Master of Horror himself, Stephen King. This book was exquisitely written and I look forward to reading more of Scott Carson's amazing work!

I found this book fascinating and extremely well written. The topical idea of an app interfering with your mind and controlling behavior doesn't seem too farfetched. Creep and atmospheric.

A bit slow, but also quite intriguing, which kept me reading the book in it’s entirety. I think the author definitely has an unique and chilling writing style and really made sure to strategically create the characters and this chilling world. While slow in many places, others were mind blowing good, so it evened out to a pretty fantastic read! Would definitely recommend to those looking for a scary book, which is sure to bring you some “nightmares”!

Do you dream? What if your nightmares could be replaced with sweet dreams - or just taken away altogether? What if there was an app that could promise just that?

Where They Wait is a slow burn thriller with a twist of horror for good measure. I especially love books where I don’t know who I can trust, as well as those with the kind of horror that might actually happen, and this perfectly fits both those bills. I read a lot of mystery/thrillers, and as much as I love them, the serial killer/murderer on the loose gets old sometimes, but this was a truly novel take on the genre. Well written and researched, and very definitely creepy, though I did think the plot lost a little steam in the second half. While all the loose ends were nicely tied up, the end seemed maybe just a little too neat. Still, I know I will be checking out Mr. Carson’s other book, The Chill very soon.... And maybe deleting a few apps from my phone, just in case. (Just kidding -- but Where They Wait is definitely recommended!)

I’m grateful to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read and review Where They Wait.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Very captivating with amazing character development. A man returns to his hometown and reconnects to friends. A start up with an app that helps you sleep. Songs and medication. Yet. Weird things start to happen to those who follow this app. People start to do things while we will say “under the influence.” When this reporter starts to look into it they start to get threatening messages and run out of town. How far will it go to keep the app alive. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved the shipwreck aspect. This was a good book but it was a little out of my depth with all of the research, that's both fascinating and terrifying. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy.