Another win from Britney S. Lewis!

This gave me major Butterfly Effect (starring Ashton Kutcher) vibes with Lewis’ signature fast pace and mysterious tone.

The Dark Place draws you in immediately and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t put this book down. Lewis writes in such a way that pushes you to read cover to cover with such ease.

Hylee’s teen emotions force us to recall times that we may look back on as being over dramatic but we truly felt things as teenagers and I think it is easy to relate to Hylee as she tries to understand her family and navigates her relationships with friends and a possible love interest.

I love how Lewis delivers every time in her creative, unique and dark way

I will absolutely not be shutting up about this book for the next 4 months, WOW!! Britney kept me on my toes with every turn of the page. I grieved and gasped right alongside Hylee and every time I thought I knew what was happening, my expectations were completely flipped upside down. I’m so excited to see what’s next from Britney!

After disappearing and reappearing (in a supernatural ghost sort of way), Hylee’s parents send her to live with her grandma. Hylee has no idea what’s happening to her and no one is offering any answers. Her parents seem to be afraid of her, and her grandma refuses to talk about Hylee’s disappearance. What she hoped was a weird one time thing becomes a random and uncontrollable vanishing act that leads Hylee to keep materializing in the past on the night her older brother went missing. She refers to the place she appears as the dark place. It’s her past, but a dark, twisted version of it. Hylee hopes she can find out the truth about what happened to her brother.

Hylee meets Eilam at a party, they catch each others eye and hang out a few times. Their common ground is a saving grace for both of them and anchors their blooming relationship. A relationship that feels somewhat like deja vu. It’s their connection that allows Hylee to get the answers she’s been looking for.

Hints of horror is accurate way to describe this story. I enjoy Brittany’s sensory descriptions that helped paint horrifying imagery. Heavy on the science fiction since time travel is a big part of the story. And a splash of teen…I can’t think of a fitting word. Naturally romance comes to mind, but I also don’t think that’s accurate. Nor would I say teen love because they didn’t fall in love. More so a strong like.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the eARC!

All I can say is WOW! Britney’s ability to write characters that are relatable, multi-dimensional, and evoke every emotion in you is amazing and not something I see often at all from a lot of authors. I was so looking forward to her sophomore novel and she did not disappoint. That plot twist!! Did not see it coming. My jaw was on the ground. The pacing of the story was perfect. It picked up speed in all the right places. The dark place was so vivid and easy to imagine because of how it was described and written. I also like how the ending was not a “perfect” ending but still a relatively happy one with that tinge of sadness. But there was healing. Overall I couldn’t get enough of it and have already recommended it to multiple people.

~~Thank you to Britney Lewis and Disney-Hyperion for granting me an e-ARC!~~

I was so excited to have received this ARC from the author herself (She had a form for reviewers to apply; I thought I'd shoot my shot and got my copy less than 24 hours later!) because I loved her debut when I read it last year. Unfortunately, I thought The Dark Place was just okay.

The pace was agonizing. I have enjoyed many slow-paced books in the past, but I couldn't enjoy it here because a lot of it was repetitive and describing mundane things in such a dry manner. The horror imagery were really good, as I come to expect from Lewis, but I found myself skipping through when it wasn't creepy. Then when things start picking up in the climax, things got so rushed and left me thinking, "That's it?" when I finally reached the last page.

I found Hylee sympathetic, with the conflict with her family (Who were so insufferable and [the closure at the end was so rushed. Instead of the brother disappearing without a trace like he did in the original timeline, Hylee brought him from the titular dark place and back to robbery, which lead to him being killed. That, in turn, lead to the family gradually healing from the trauma together rather than being distant, uncooperative, and negligent of Hylee. It was explained all in a page and it was so annoying, especially after enduring a whole book of them being so terrible. The closure didn't feel earned to me.) and determination to get answers out of them, but I didn't like Eilam. He told her she wasn't "like other girls" and that she was the main character, all of which made me put my phone down so I could collect myself. He was too good to be true, [his only flaw seemingly that he lied to Hylee about him having time-travel powers, too. His reasoning was that it made other people freak out when he told people, but it's so dumb. Hylee points this out, too, when they talk about it. It can be excusable considering they're both just 17, literal teens, but what isn't for me is Eilam's lack of any other flaws. The romance, their banter and relationship, as a whole, was so lackluster for me.

As for the time-travel portion, relating to my pace problems, it took way too long for that plot thread to kick up and ran through it too fast in the end. Additionally, I don't like how it was just chalked up to genetics and nothing more. What in the genetic code can make one defy the laws of space and time? This question is never explained, which isn't necessarily a problem in itself. Magic/science systems don't need to be overly explained (I actually hate whenever that's the case in fantasy and sci-fi), but Eilam's grandpa was a scientist. Surely, he could've given some explanation more than, "Oh, it's all in the genes."

Although Lewis' sophomore didn't work for me, I still plan to pick up any work she puts out in the future. She does really well with horror imagery; I wanna see what other ideas she will pursue in the future.

Britney Lewis’s The Dark Place was an engaging teen read, which although it is quite tricky to categorise, will hold the attention of dark fiction fans, particularly those who enjoy a strong element of romance. The story is told in two timelines, primarily today’s ‘present’ when seventeen-year-old Hylee Williams is sent to live with her grandmother in Kansas. Why might you ask? Her behaviour has been erratic and unpredictable by her mother and it is clear she has some emotional problems which are connected to some years earlier when Hylee was eight. In this earlier timeline there is a violent incident in the family home after which her elder brother disappears and is never seen again. Lacking closure, a body to mourn, or any answers Hylee struggles with both grief and trauma and is is not handled very well by her family. But this is because they have secrets and a lot of them. I read this book relatively blind and I would be very interested to see how genuine teen readers take to it, as it develops into a dark thriller which is spliced with teen drama, science fiction (time travel) and the type of concepts explored in the Oscar winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once.

It is also worth pointing out that Hylee is Black but that race does not play a significant part of the story beyond the family being financially poor. The romance storyline plays a big part in The Dark Place and after Hylee connects with the very cute (and really nice guy) Eliam Roads you’ll see why. Initially the reader things Hylee suffers from blackouts, faints or loses her memory but quickly realise it is something much stranger, she physical disappears and the novel explores how this happens and its connection to the horrific events when she was eight. Time travel and romance are quirky bedfellows and even if it (beyond) highly convenient that another major character Hylee meets had the same gift I was happy enough to overlook it. Also, even though there was very little explanation into how this worked it was more than made up for by Hylee’s great character and commitment to bringing her family back together. The Dark Place also had a really great ending and if you do not mind the frequent f-bombs then any young teen might enjoy it. AGE RANGE 12/13+

First, can we talk about this cover? This is not a book that you walk past. This cover comes home with you and jumps to the front of your #tbr line.

Lucky for you I know what is beyond that cover and I will share: Secrets / Time travel / Family / Friendship / Mystery / Romance / Horror.

@britney.s.lewis filled these pages with a story that made me swoon, laugh, and gasp.

Set for release in August 2023, The Dark Place should be on your TBR list.

This is an honest review. Thanks to @disneybooks, Disney Hyperion for the advanced copy.

I don't even know what to say about The Dark Place. This book was captivating and everything I wanted it to be. Britney S. Lewis has a writing style that I absolutely love. I loved her descriptions and how easy it was to read this book. I also flew through it, wanting to know what would happen at the end.

One of my favorite things about The Dark Place is how she intertwined a little romance in a book with some creepiness. And I enjoyed the time travel/multiverse plot; it's not something I see in books that I read, so it was fresh, and I think her spin on it was done well enough that while introducing it, it didn't have to go so in-depth with it that you still could appreciate it and understand everything that was happening. I also loved every single reference, from Marvel to Frank Ocean; they made my heart smile big.

Britney is passionate about this genre, and I hope she continues to write masterpiece after masterpiece. I will always purchase a copy of everything she puts out. Also, her covers are always phenomenal; they alone make me want to read her books, even without knowing what they are about.

Thank you, Britney S. Lewis, NetGalley, and Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney Hyperion, for providing me with an eARC of The Dark Place. This review is being left voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

✨politely yells✨
ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR

I seriously hope this review does The Dark Place justice. Because this book deserves all the hype, love, and attention.

Britney’s writing is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. It’s poetic and descriptive in a way you don’t expect. It’s lush with details and full of what I can only call magic.

The story is full of twisted imagery and turns that can be guessed and some that just…can’t. It had me turning pages faster and faster to uncover more. I loved Hylee, she’s a not-so-typical teenager that is truly just trying to find her way through grief and past trauma’s. She’s raw and real in a way that is relatable.
Don’t even get me started on Eilam. He’s precious and should be protected at all costs. I love how he carries himself, and how open he is. His character really rounds out the whole plot.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a whole 300+ book in less than 24 hours, but this one had me hooked, like I still want more. I’m consumed by the thoughts of The Dark Place. Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Books for sending me an advanced copy. This review is being left voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Britney, Disney Publishing Group (@disneybooks) and @netgalley for this ARC.

The Dark Place explores time, and space, and reality, whilst wrestling with grief and learning moving on does not mean forgetfulness. Britney S. Lewis's prose is lyrical and sharp, and her characters are vividly drawn.

The book follows the story of 17 y/o Hylee Williams, a girl who against her will is transported to the dark place - a twisted version of the night her older brother went missing. She's yanked before she can fully process what's happening. One thing is clear though. She believes it might hold the key to her brother's disappearance. As Hylee navigates her disappearances and searches for answers, she begins to realize that the answers she's looking for may not be the ones she wants.

Hylee is a deeply complicated and complex character, and her struggles with grief and guilt and loneliness are portrayed with sensitivity and nuance. The other characters in the book, including the enigmatic Eilam who is a comfort to Hylee through her journey, is equally well-written and engaging.

The Dark Place is for anyone seeking a layered story featuring a swoony romance and a lot of emotional resonance! I highly recommend.

The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

Before the review, I need to thank Disney Publishing Group (@disneybooks) and @netgalley for this ARC.

17-year-old Hylee has started disappearing, literally. It begins at a party; Hylee vanishes in front of all her family only to find herself reappearing in a twisted version of reality. The people she loves have no eyes and sewn-shut lips, with the house itself overtaken by vines and weeds. When it keeps happening, she realizes she keeps returning to the one night that changed her life forever: the night her older brother disappeared after a home invasion. But why?

🤔🤔🤔

I wanted to LOVE this book based on the premise, but the foundation of the plot is shaky. Time travel is introduced, and alternate worlds; when you decide to play with those things in a book, the key is to have rules and consistency and there isn’t any at all! The plot movement was both slow and rushed at the end. When I had 20 pages left, I thought surely that couldn't be. Confusing plot mechanics were introduced late in the book that had nothing to do with much else. Transitions between scenes were also clunky and left me confused, having to go back and reread more than once.

It was a fun read, though! I enjoyed Hylee as a character, and I felt for her. Really didn't love her family like, AT ALL (except for Bubba). When someone who could potentially help her came on scene, I was super excited, and I was hooked on the budding relationships Hylee had with her friends; the idea of her being able to still have those connections felt important.

Read this if you like:

📖 books that build up the mystery until the very end
📖 a mystery that unravels slowly
📖 stories about alternate timelines
📖 Stranger Things

Overall, a book that had some stumbles, plotwise, but did manage to provide a solid story about family and secrets, with truths slowly leaking out.

This was a powerful and thriller tale of how we navigate grief and loss. I really enjoyed this book, and how it showed how families deal with tragedies and unforeseen events. It was fast paced and had me smiling and scared at times. Also Eilam has my whole heart.

Life is Strange meets Haunting of Hill House in this YA Horror about a girl that keeps disappearing from the present and reappearing in a strange version of her childhood home

i really enjoyed this book, the only grievance that i really had with it was that the pacing seemed a little off for me. but lewis’ writing style is so easy to follow and i was loving hylee and her adventure in the novel. there were a lot of twists and turns in the books which kept me captivated to the story and wanting to know more about the events that unfolded.

this book is marketed as a book for 12 and up. however, i would personally think that the age rating should be higher up than that. i have never read a book that is marketed for 12+ to contain a numerous amount of f-bombs and swear words. so, if you’re a parent looking to get this to encourage your pre-teen to read, i’d be weary of some of the language in the book.

overall, i would say that this is a great book. i really, really enjoyed reading it and i would definitely recommend it to our audience on bookstagram. the reason for the three stars is my issue with the pacing and the pop culture references to instagram (that’s a big pet peeve of mine and find that it doesn’t help me escape reality if it reminds me of it).

thank you so much for allowing me to read this book prior to publication.