Review: He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman

He'll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC via Inkslinger PR, all opinions expressed are my own.

When I read the description of this, I knew I had to read it.  It sounds like everything I want in a thriller.  I wasn't disappointed.  This is a YA thriller, so if you don't like a ton of graphic detail, gruesome descriptions, or violence this is one I'd highly recommend.  This is perfect for younger readers, those getting started in the thriller genre, or if you just want a break from violent and gory descriptions that you sometimes find in adult thrillers.

I the amnesia aspect was it was done really well here and gives main character Tess a bit of an unreliable narrator feel as she tries to piece together what happened to land her in the hospital.  She wakes up to find herself in the hospital with multiple broken bones, her body in pain, and her memory a jumble.  When her therapist suggests she start journaling to put her thoughts in order and try to recover as much as she can about what happened, Tess slowly starts piece the night back together.  She also starts to observe the strange behavior of the adults around her.  Her parents and some of the medical staff are keeping information from her, and some of her friends haven't been to visit her.

As Tess remembers what happens she also has to deal with some other things unrelated to her accident that she also remember that happened on that snowy Saturday that changed her life.  The more she remembers the more she wants to forget that it ever happened and her life is turned upside down when her memory finally returns.  While I kind of figured out the twists ahead of time I still enjoyed the reveals and thought they were well done.  I wouldn't say this was predictable, but avid thriller readers will see things coming before they happen in this one.  Not only do we get a well crafted YA Thriller, we also get a decent contemporary novel as well.  This also deals with alot of heavy emotions regarding the events that take place before, during, and after the accident.  Tess has to process quite a bit of stuff before she can move on from that event and figure out what to do next.  Alot of times we only see a short wrap up of what happens after the bad event in the thriller and the bad guy getting caught.  In this case, we stay with Tess for quite a while afterwards as she figures things out and processes everything.  It gets pretty emotional at times.

This is my first book by Liz Alterman, and I very much enjoyed it.  I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.  I had a hard time putting this one down!

Excerpt:

A blast of heat smacks my face as I walk through the automatic doors. I look at the monitors. If someone gave me a dime for every time the word “canceled” appears beside a flight, I could buy a private jet.

Stranded holiday travelers sleep on the floor using their suitcases for pillows. Families eat dinner slumped against garbage cans. Two men scream over who’s been waiting longer for an outlet to charge their phones. The stale air smells like French fries and feet. It’s chaos, and though I don’t want to drive again anytime soon, I’m jumpy to get out of here as fast as possible.

Circling the baggage carousels like a shark, I’m bursting with adrenaline after that hell ride. My shirt, damp with sweat, sticks to my skin. I feel chilled beneath Mom’s coat. I’m wondering how I’ll ever find Nick Lawrence in this sea of people when a guy walks up to me. At first, I think he’s going to ask me for money or a ride, but then I take a closer look. Dark hair, dark eyes, empty-looking duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He’s wearing a lightweight hoodie over a t-shirt. The neck is stretched out and wavy. He looks sloppy, not like a guy who attends a top university, but maybe he’s shot from finals too. His eyes, vaguely familiar, meet mine. He holds out a thick, clammy hand.

When our palms touch, an electric shock passes between us. He holds my hand a beat too long and smiles, a weird, goofy grin. I have the sudden urge to pull away, turn around, leave him standing there. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy James would befriend, but James always reminds me: Don’t judge a book by its cover.

 
View all my reviews