The Dark Place is the story of Hylee who unwillingly disappears into the dark place for the first time as her brother goes missing. As Hylee attempts to find out what happened to her brother, she is also trying understand her space and time travel. The plot was interesting and pulled me in from the beginning. The characters were rich and strongly developed. It's scary, beautiful and hopeful all at once.

Can we get someone to stop calling her books horror? Don’t get me wrong, I really loved the last one, but for it to be about zombies, they were hardly in the story. It was just a bunch of descriptions about them having “dripping skin.” I thought since people were so adamant about it not being classified as horror that this one would be different. Alas, this one was magical realism and time travel so some sci fi. Because of that horror label I was left hella disappointed.

So this one was about a girl who just randomly disappears one day. I was already side eyeing it right then, but I still kept going. Since I had the audio I didn’t mind keeping going. When she re-materializes, she in the night that changed her forever…. When her brother is taken from her. But when she finally gets to where her bother is, it’s nothing like she thought. Now another thing y’all might know about me… I don’t like when the synopsis says everything that happens in the book. And that’s exactly what happens here. I don’t really know what the point of the rest of the book is for if you’re going to tell all of it on the back. I mean yeah, there’s some more depth to the books, but this is basically the over all thing and because of it it got boring.

I also don’t like the fact that this is called horror. There’s horror elements (like the trees growing through her brother and the ghosts) but there’s nothing scary in this entire book. And yes I know I’m an adult talking about a teen book, but I’m also a teen librarian who’s going to have to answer questions about this book; the first being “So what’s scary about it?” I’m so glad I rfead this because the synopsis doesn’t talk about that at all. Why? Because it literally doesn’t show up until the ending. By the time it got to it, it was the literal ending.

I also liked the romance. Time travel romances always trip me out because I get worried there’s an age gap, but they’re both from the same time frame and they’re about the same age. There’s nothing outrageous and for that I was thankful. The love interest was the person who helped her along the way to get to know more about the time travel and to solve the mystery of what happened with her brother. But, it basically overpowers the story. Basically I would call this like a romanticized horror book. (Is that a things???)

The reason I didn’t DNF this, was because I still did like her writing style. I love her writing, but I hate that y’all keep giving her buzz words to add to her books. Like it’s puling in the wrong crowd? Because us horror readers are fed up. I think if this had been called sci fi and/or fantasy, I would have liked it more. But because it was called horror, I kept looking for it to be scary.


This book was interesting and could have been so good, but they are really doing her a disservice. Even her covers give horror vibes, but the horror aspect in her books are always so small. In order for me to sing it’s praises, I think she needs a bit more time to nail down some things in the genre a bit more. I really think had this been pitched as something else, I would have given this 5 stars.

I read nothing about The Dark Place before I started reading it. I got it based solely on the cover. I am so glad that i decided to take a chance on something different.

Hylee is a senior in high school who has to adjust to moving to a new town with her Grandmommy. Something tragic has happened in Hylees past and she must move away to start over again. It is so hard to review this book without giving away too many spoilers.

The story was well written. I loved how we switched back and forth in time. Many people can relate to what is happening with Hylee as the learns to navigate getting older while she’s got this secret to contend with. There are some fantasy elements but the story is still set in present day.

Thank you so much to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Dark Place is such a unique thriller. I became obsessed during the first chapter and cast Marsai Martin as Hylee.
I normally dislike descriptive books as I like to paint my own mental picture of books, but this was a piece of art. I am very happy I was given the chance to read it since it wasn't really on my radar as a 39 year old.

This book drew me in with that creepy cover! Plus, the synopsis sounded so interesting. The Dark Place is a mix of horror and sci-fi. There’s time travel, alternate realities, mystery, and some romance. There were some creepy parts in this story that I loved. This was an intriguing read that I really enjoyed. I definitely recommend this book, especially for fans of sci-fi horror.

I really enjoyed this author’s first book, and especially the fact that it was set in KCK and also in a suburb of KCMO, places I’ve worked and lived. This second book from her was also a really good one and had a lot of intense moments. I liked the way the story fell into place and how what seemed to be all of a sudden and something out of the ordinary maybe wasn’t quite so much either one of those things. I liked how the connection led to her meeting a boy and then not only was it just a crazy thing that happened, it even kind of turned into a bit of sci-fi in a way with some time travel and thinking about how things might change as the character traveled and what she did or did not do when she went back. I really think this author has some great stories already and will be bringing us more in the future!

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Britney S. Lewis, Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I read Britney S. Lewis's debut last year and enjoyed it, so I was fascinated to check out her sophomore novel. I was very lucky to have gotten an arc and went into this story knowing absolutely nothing, not even the synopsis. I am really grateful for that, because I went in with no expectations and just got to watch the story unfold bit by bit. Lewis's writing was once again very easy to fall into, leading me to read half the book in one day.

Something that the author does so well in all her works is depicting relationships, both familial and platonic, as well as the complexities that come with them. Hylee's relationship with her parents and her grandmother had so much weight and tension, following Bubba's disappearance. It is very clear how much love there is between them, alongside some deep frustration and distance due to a lack of communication. I also appreciated the way that Lewis discussed grief, something she also did in her debut book, and the different ways that everyone showed their grief. I especially loved Hylee and Bubba's relationship. It just felt very real and heartbreaking how much they loved each other. A lot of sibling representation I see in YA books can be very quarrelsome, so seeing this one where they are so blatantly close and protective of each other was very sweet.

I really loved Eilam as a character. I think Lewis does such a great job creating very charming and endearing love interests. I enjoyed that we got to see a bit of his home life as well, with his baby brother and mom. I really enjoyed the little romantic moments between him and Hylee. I will say I would get frustrated at the conflicts that the two had (her reaction to something he opens up to her about especially irritated me), but when they were good, they were very good. I also really liked how Lewis depicted a very toxic friendship and a healthy, balanced friendship. It wasn't too much at the forefront of the story, but I really appreciated it, nonetheless.

I will say, I feel that the ending wrapped up a lot quicker than I was expecting. I also wish we got to see more of certain characters and that they got more page time.

Overall, I enjoyed this and will continue to check out Britney S. Lewis's future work.

Britney Lewis is now one of my favorite auto buy authors. This book was everything and more. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

2.5|5 ✩

This book started out strong for me, despite some minor confusion. I liked the concept of this mysterious world the character suddenly entered involuntarily. However, that’s where the interest faded for me.

The fmc annoyed me so much, it was very ‘woe is me’, everyone hates me, I’m always left out and isolated, and to be honest it came across very whiny. As for the other characters their behaviours didn’t make sense to me at all. The parents fobbed their daughter off onto the grandmother and didn’t seem like they cared that their daughter needed support and her supposed ‘best friend’ hated her because she did something normal teenagers would find really cool. If I saw my friend disappear and reappear and she told me she’d gone to another dimension, I would be VERY fascinated!

Finally, the story felt clunky and didn’t seem to come together very well at all, and despite the cool concept of time travel, it felt very rushed at the end and rather lacklustre.

I don’t know, this really wasn’t my cup of tea I’m afraid, and I hate writing reviews like this, but this wouldn’t be an honest review if I didn’t tell you what I truly thought.

The Dark Place by Britney S Lewis was a gritty, horror, gem of a book!!! I love thriller books and her writing is always an experience. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an Arc copy of this book. #netgalley #thedarkplace

This book!!

This haunting book will leave you heartbroken but also make you smile. Hylee is such well developed character you can’t help but feel with her what she’s feeling. From her disappearances to her broken family dynamic to lost family and friends to new family and new friends you will experience it all with her.

I also love Eilam’s character and that he came into her life when he did.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

One minute 17 year old Hylee is chilling at her family’s cook out, the next minute she’s in this dark place that appears to be the past except everything looks wrong, dirty, and rotten. Her parents are scared about the whole situation so they ship her off to stay at her grandmother’s house. Meanwhile Hylee is determined to figure out what’s happening to her and to find her missing brother no matter what.

The Dark Place is a very well written unique story. It’s fact paced and tackles some heavier subjects such as grief and loss. There’s a bit of a romance element too even though it’s not the main part of the story. Hylee is a very real and relatable character which makes this story more heartbreaking and gut wrenching at times.

Britney did it again! This book was amazing!

The suspense and twist will keep you on the edge to keep reading. I had to find out what was going on. I did not expect the time travel and I have to say I am loving that at the moment. Hylee disappears just like her brother did but in a different way. Now Hylee tries to figure out where her brother went.

This book is so much more complex and well written. Britney is an auto-buy author for me.

5/5⭐️

Is there such a thing as cozy horror? This book is chilling but also cathartic. Its the kind of story you curl up with on a rainy day to read with a hot cup of tea. It’s an emotional contemporary experience that makes your heart ache, all while the sweet romance gives your butterflies .

But it’s also horror, the lingering kind that leaves goosebumps on your skin as you put yourself in the character’s shoes. Not only was i emotionally invested, but the story seemed to suck me into the pages. Lewis’s writing is beautiful, poetic but conversational in a way that lulled me in to easily connect with the main character Hylee.

The contemporary elements make the story slow-burn at first but the sci-fi horror elements of time travel and alternate realities creates a compelling narrative infused with a unique, poetic and contemplative voice, addressing themes of grief, loss, trauma and the growing pains of self discovery and acceptance.

A mix of contemporary coming -of -age and psychological horror with a splash of satisfying nerdy pop culture (superhero comics and time travel, yes please), Lewis has done it again. This is perfect for fans of contemporary, slow-burn, emotional rollercoasters with science fiction and horror elements.

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

(Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley.)

I'm giving this book 3 stars - it wasn't awful, but it wasn't great. I don't think I'll recommend it to anyone however.

The summary was interesting and promised a story about "time, space, and reality," but the first half of the book was so slow and boring I had to force myself to finish it. The second half of the book was so rushed and everything happened with no explanation that it was jarring.

No one around Hylee wants to talk about what happens to her, and they instantly villainize her for something she can't control, can't explain, and can't talk about. Her only friend cuts her off, and her parents ship her away to live with her grandmother, who also will not acknowledge what happened: "...I had to live with Grandmommy because Mama and Daddy didn't know what to do with me after my sudden disappearance (and reappearance)." They treat her like a pariah despite her being a victim of what happened to her.

Beyond the gag order of her "curse," Hylee is forced to deal with the traumatic disappearance of her brother, that also no one wants to talk about, and we're left with a very confusing first half of the book where Hylee is forced into a very mundane routine where honestly nothing happens.

There's no "investigating" anything. Hylee and Eilam meet at a party and he tells her a few lines about what he knows about time travel (mostly from Marvel movies). Their relationship is so forced with very little chemistry, but Eilam is the only one who will actually talk to Hylee so of course they end up spending time together.

I wish the "dark place" would've been explored more. We're given no reason for it's existence or the strange creatures that live there or why the creatures have their horrific characters of no eyes and sewn mouths.

The ending was very sad and bittersweet, but I felt like we weren't given any time to actually feel it. There was no emotional connection before the book ended.

I wanted to like this book and thought we were going to have a nice "Corline" meets "Get Out" story, but it left a lot to be desired and didn't feel as fleshed out as it should've been.

(CONTENT WARNINGS:
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Racism )

A Must-Purchase for our high school library! Although it will shelved in Horror, 'The Dark Place' by Britney S. Lewis is so much more. A mystery, romance, realistic fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy this book will appeal to a wide audience. Lewis' ability to include current cultural references makes it timely and may lead to some students going down a rabbit hole. A heartfelt thank you to Hyperion and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Where can I even start? This was quite literally a magical journey, also a very emotional one. As soon as I opened the book I immediately fell in love with the writing style and the creepiness that captivated me: “sometimes, in the night, the house looked like it might devour every limb on our bodies and chew us into small, meaty pieces.”

Hylee is such a loveable character who just seems so real. I love a character who isn’t just this perfect cutout in a world that doesn’t reflect that. Both Hylee and her environment and the whole world of this story was set up in such a way that you were just drawn in.

In my opinion, this also featured such a beautiful depiction of love and soulmates and destiny. I’m such a hopeless romantic and it gave me hope. Not in a big gesture, over the top way, but in a way that comforted me. That lovers will find their way back to each other in any timeline. It also had such a strong sense of familial love. But it also shows the way that it can sometimes not manifest in ways that you need it and how difficult and cold that can be. I really don’t know exactly what it was about this book, but it spoke to a part of me that I often keep more under the radar.

I very much enjoyed The Dark Place, it was mysterious and dark but also had glimmers of warm hope threaded through it.

The Dark by Britney S Lewis

Thanks to Britney for gifting me a copy of her dark book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is giving Spider-man into the spider verse vibes but darker and more eerie and well, just better.

It hooks you from that first chapter and holds you in its grip.

The portrayal of Hylee is so relatable that you can’t help but like her and feel her pain at the people around her dismissing her obvious confusion and angst.

I really enjoyed the writing of this book and have seen that Britney does have a previous book out so I shall be adding that to my tbr.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would say that anyone who enjoys mild horror and/or sci-fi stories will enjoy this one!

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

The Dark Place has such a great foundation for a beautifully written book it just falls a little short. I feel like the book felt a little rush and would have better if there was more added to both of the timelines (alternative universe).

hylee’s brother disappeared nine years ago, but not like hylee disappeared recently. though her brother went missing, hylee is sure that, unlike her, he did not travel through time and space. when she does this in front of her parents and friend, her parents decide this is just too much, and send her to live with her grandmother. in her new town, she meets eilam, who she feels drawn toward. when hylee disappears in front of him, they decide to investigate the truth about time, space, and reality, as hylee is sure this is the key to finding her brother. the more they explore, though, the more hylee sees darkness in her surroundings and in herself.

i LOVED the undead truth of us, so i was very excited to pick this book up! i will definitely be reading anything else britney s. lewis writes. i loved going on this journey of grief, self-discovery, time travel, and love. being a teen is hard enough, but hylee had even more on her plate than most. i loved how all of the topics were explored and how each character/relationship was handled. i can’t wait to read more from this author!