He’ll Be Waiting by Liz Alterman (Review by Lara Ferguson)

Rating: 4/5

Tess wakes up in the hospital, hurt and in incredible pain, with no idea how she got there or what has happened. The broken bones and head injury are just the beginning of the weirdness she is experiencing. Her best friend isn’t around and neither is her boyfriend. Her parents are behaving in a more bizarre manner than ever, and no one will tell her what is going on. Everyone is encouraging her to try and remember what happened, but does she really want to?

With He’ll Be Waiting, Liz Alterman has not only given us an intriguing and mysterious plot that begs to be read in one sitting, but also a host of interesting characters most of whom happen to be teenagers. The diversity of characters and situations, with the focus on a teenage viewpoint, feels authentic.

As Tess works through the details of the event that brought her to the hospital and moves beyond to her life moving forward, she must face the truth that the decisions that others make can and will have a lasting impact on her future.

Alterman uses her literary wiles to keep the reader guessing the details of the mystery until nearly the very end and even then continues to develop the characters and the story so that it ends with what seems like what could be a “true life” conclusion.

Gripping and heart-rending, He’ll Be Waiting, is a fantastic addition to the Young Adult genre…well worth the time.