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.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an early reader copy of I’ll be Waiting!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

I was HOOKED on this book from the start. I read the first 60% in rapid time but then it felt like it dragged a bit and I wasn’t getting very far.

This was my first Armstrong book and I did really enjoy her writing style. There are only a couple of bits I would change like the teasing of the past trauma and more character development for the side characters. The twists towards the end kept getting twistier and I think it went one twist too far out of the element.

I found it to be fun and will be a great October read for spooky, haunted house, witchy seance vibes with murder and deceit!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of I'll be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong in exchange for an honest review. This was a new twist for Armstrong and a fabulous standalone book. Armstrong has written urban fantasy, thrillers, murder mysteries and young adult stories. Reading this book, I knew it would be a thriller, but I wasn't sure if it would bring a sense of supernatural or more. I was kept guessing almost till the end. I really enjoyed the questions of is this a haunting, is someone doing this, is it all Nic's imagination, or is she doing it for attention? I won't spoil the ending, cause that's just rude, and it was a lot of fun to find out. I recommend this book and will probably reread it myself multiple times.

I liked this one on the whole. The beginning was fabulous. I was completely engaged and exceptionally curious as to where things were going. I found the back-and-forth narration to be a great way to tease the reader about what might be possible in the story, and where things might be going. Things did shift onto a slightly less plausible track about 2/3 of the way in though, and from there it became a bit of a freight train to zany town... I still enjoyed the book. I'm a long-time fan of Armstrong's work and enjoy the way she tells a story. I've come to expect bizarre things from her stories over the years, so wasn't necessarily surprised when it happened here, but felt like it went a little far given the earlier tone of the book, which was much more methodical in its revelations. It was an enjoyable and easy read though, with plenty of chills and thrills.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an unpaid review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The atmospheric writing and suspenseful plot kept me engaged, but some plot twists felt predictable, and a few characters lacked depth. Despite these minor flaws, Armstrong's storytelling prowess shines through, making this a solid read for fans of ghost stories and supernatural thrillers.

Overall, this is a captivating read that keeps you guessing, even if it falls short in many areas. If you enjoy atmospheric ghost stories with a touch of horror, this one is worth a try.

My Rating Scale:

5 ⭐️ = changed my life
4 ⭐️ = must read
3 ⭐️ = liked it, entertaining
2 ⭐️ = didn’t like, avoid
1 ⭐️ = run. save yourself

A well written ghost story reminding us that life is not always easy or fair. The characters are well developed and bring the story to life. The ending is a doozy! I will always read anything this author writes! She never fails to pull the reader into the story and experience it alongside the characters!

I don't like it when a main plot device is referencing something from before the book, but they're not going to tell you until later. Stop bringing it up then! I know there's a traumatic back story, either tell me at once or not, but don't cookie crumb it around I find it so upsetting !

I have such mixed feelings about this one. One the one hand, a lot of the plot elements on their own are pretty interesting - a terminally ill woman’s husband dies tragically, her survivor’s guilt not the least among her resulting traumas; a mysterious tragedy as a teen left one girl dead and another confined to a mental institution; her gay brother’s ex-wife is best friends with his new husband, etc etc. I just think this book is trying to do too many things at once, and as a result devolved into the ridiculous in the last 2/3rds of the book. And this is coming from someone who regularly reads fantasy series, so if I cannot properly suspend my disbelief I think it’s safe to say it’s the book, and not me.

I’m still rating this 3 stars because I think it has potential, but some things could be addressed, in my opinion:

1. The middle third of the book feels like it drags on and on, and is a bit repetitive. I feel like we could have gotten the information in a more efficient way than it was delivered. I was super bored with the incessant inner monologue of “There Must Be a Logical Explanation For This.”
2. I realize the author needed a mechanism for Nic’s flashbacks, but having her dream them didn’t feel realistic. I’ve ever had a dream that’s a straight memory, or anything even remotely resembling anything factual that occurred in real life. This made me constantly question the accuracy of what we were being told, especially when Nic seemed to be experiencing lucid dreaming. I definitely thought she was only remembering what she wanted to remember. Also, it’s not always clear when she falls asleep and when she wakes. This may well have been intention to give the feeling of confusion and grogginess upon waking but it was distracting for to me try to figure out what Nic’s state of consciousness was at any given point.
3.. I figured out halfway through that Shania was probably behind the “haunting” and was somehow related to one of her teenage friends, but it still didn’t feel believable even after the explanation that she wouldn’t have known about one of her best friend’s siblings.
4. The climax and resolution is just too much, all at once. So now there are three ghosts - Anton, Patrice and this Lori person? It’s ridiculous, even for a book about books and seances. In the last 2 -3 chapters, I cannot count the number of times I muttered “Oh, come onnnn” to myself. Too much.
5. I really liked Nic at the beginning of the book, and even related to her sometimes snarky inner monologue, but sometime around mid-book she just became really unlikeable. I think the author was going for confused, disoriented and exhausted but she just came off as mean and spiteful. Enough so that when she was being tied up in the basement, I didn’t care that much and honestly had a few moments of “maybe she did do it.”

All in all, I really want to like this book. I wish we had more flashbacks of Anton, and I wish we had more of Nic being supported by her friends and family. There’s a compelling tragedy here, and I do think that could have been played up more in favor of ditching some of the sillier plot points.

Side note: seems as though the author enjoyed the movie Jennifer’s Body as much as I did. <wink>.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the pre-release copy. Below is my honest review.

I really enjoyed Armstrong's I'll Be Waiting, but it wasn't as near perfect as so many of Armstrong's books usually are. This one had some predictable twists, and there were some parts that dragged and felt a little repetitive.

Overall though, this one built good tension, set up an interesting plot, threw some entertaining characters at us, and threw some fun twists at us. I give it four stars and recommend it to Armstrong fans and horror fans. :)