By Mariko Turk

On Sale: Apr 30, 2024
Page Count: 336 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316703437

$10.99

$13.99 CAD

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★ "By turns funny, heartbreaking, and beautiful, [I'll Be Waiting for You] deftly handles the complexities of grief, the possibilities of the universe, and the power of belief." – Booklist, starred review

Perfect for fans of the tearjerker You've Reached Sam, this emotional will-they-won't-they romance follows Natalie and Leander, two teens who navigate love, loss, and everything in between during a fateful summer internship.

Natalie and Imogen are inseparable, and wildly different—Imogen is infuriatingly humble and incredibly intelligent, while Natalie is brave, jumping into danger and new adventures. Still, one thing ties them together: their love of the supernatural. Every summer, they vacation with their parents at the famously haunted Harlow Hotel. Imogen is a true believer, while Natalie sees ghost stories as nothing but pure fun.

Then, Imogen suddenly passes away from an undiagnosed heart condition that no one saw coming, and Natalie is left to take on the summer before senior year alone.

Without Imogen, Natalie throws herself into her senior project. Her passion is still horror, so she plans to spend her summer back at The Harlow Hotel recording fun fake footage that will get her on the teen ghost hunting show of her dreams. And her plans would be a lot less complicated if Leander, her irritatingly attractive arch rival from school, wasn’t working on his senior project at the very same hotel.

The longer Natalie stays at the Harlow Hotel, the more she realizes that Leander might be helpful for her project. After all, she could use an extra hand to help record her fake footage.

But, when strange things start happening at the Harlow, Natalie wonders, could there really be something to these ghosts after all?

Readers of Emily X.R. Pan, Nina LaCour, and Dustin Thao will fall for this story that explores what it means to believe—in ghosts, in the people you love, and in yourself.

★ "Told via Natalie’s witty and organic first-person voice, this exhilarating novel is many things: an homage to a lost friend, a spine-tingling ghost tale, and a sweet, budding love story." – Publishers Weekly, starred review

Genre:

"By turns funny, heartbreaking, and beautiful, Turk’s sophomore novel deftly handles the complexities of grief, the possibilities of the universe, and the power of belief."
Booklist, starred
"Told via Natalie’s witty and organic first-person voice, this exhilarating novel is many things: an homage to a lost friend, a spine-tingling ghost tale, and a sweet, budding love story."
Publishers Weekly, starred
"Dreamy, atmospheric, and exquisitely tender."
Katie Cotugno, New York Times bestselling author of 99 Days
"A poignant exploration of the transformative nature of grief, I’ll Be Waiting for You beautifully blends humor, heart, and pathos. A perfect gem of a book."
Emma Mills, author of FOOLISH HEARTS and SOMETHING CLOSE TO MAGIC
"This tearjerker will make you ugly cry. Be sure to have tissues and ice cream on standby."
Ronni Davis, author of WHEN THE STARS LEAD TO YOU and THIS NIGHT IS OURS
“A poignant story that’ll have you clinging to the memory of a loved one and healing from loss. Turk masterfully weaves memories of a rich friendship and a winding journey of grief with gorgeously spooky undertones. You’ll have goosebumps as you return with Natalie to a vivid haunted hotel where she relives the memories of her best friend.”
Ream Shukairy, author of THE NEXT NEW SYRIAN GIRL
“A compelling story about ghosts, belief, and the ways in which we grieve. Mariko Turk’s writing is warm and full of heart, with just the right amount of humour. I’ll Be Waiting for You made me smile, shed a few tears, and even gave me goosebumps. Gorgeous.”
Tobias Madden, author of ANYTHING BUT FINE and TAKE A BOW, NOAH MITCHELL
"A non-horror novel for horror fans, I'll Be Waiting For You is a tender exploration of grief, deftly balanced with moments of humor and a well-matched romance."
Miel Moreland, author of IT GOES LIKE THIS and SOMETHING LIKE POSSIBLE
Praise for The Other Side of Perfect:

YALSA's 2022 Best Fiction For Young Adults

"Debut novelist Turk writes with a great deal of nuance.... A well-choreographed story of hope, resilience, and personal growth."
Booklist
"The writing is compelling, sentimental moments with please romance lovers, and the hopeful, yet realistic, ending is satisfying. A love story with a refreshing focus on confronting systemic racism."
Kirkus
"A strong portrayal of musical theater, ballet, the arts, and culture all merged into a coming-of-age story that will resonate."
SLJ
"A nuanced exploration of shattered dreams and new beginnings. Full of pain and beauty, like the best ballet."
Jenna Guillaume, author of What I Like About Me and You Were Made for Me
"A captivating story of love, loss, identity and rediscovering your truth. Perfectly en pointe!"
Wai Chim, author of The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling

About the Author

Mariko Turk teaches writing and rhetoric classes and works as a writing tutor at the University of Colorado Boulder. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children’s literature.

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From NOVL Nation

“I’ll Be Waiting for You has everything you could want in a “coming-of-age” book, featuring: enemies-to-more, ghosts, and learning how to grieve and become yourself!”

–Fabee, @devoured_pages

“Beautifully written, it touches on grief well. It wasn’t too heavy but at times I did get teary eyed. I liked the humor and paranormal aspect also.”

–Kiana, @goldenskin02

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