YA, horror/thriller, magical realism, time travel, grief and self-discovery
When Hylee disappears and materialises in a dark, distorted version of her old family home on the night her brother went missing, she realises this moment could be the key to unveiling what really happened all those years ago. Before she can investigate further, she is pulled from the dark place back to our world. Her parents, unable to look at her the same after her disappearance, send Hylee to stay with her grandmommy, and neither her family nor her once-best friend will speak to her about her disappearance. Meeting Eilam at a party, a handsome boy who seems inexplicably familiar appears to signal a return to some sense of normality until she disappears in front of him. But unlike everyone else in Hylee’s life, Eilam listens to her, and together, they investigate the truth about time, space, and reality itself. As they dive deeper into time travel, Hylee realises that darkness isn’t confined to the dark place; it is pervasive, all-encompassing, and slowly draining her dry.

It’s hard to explain just how beautifully unsettling this book is. The Dark Place covers the devastating loss of a sibling, processing grief, the experience of Black culture as defined by its loss of ancestral history, and how complex childhood trauma affects every aspect of a person’s being.
Britney’s writing is poetic and magical. The way she uses words and literary devices to describe the dark place creates this sense of unnatural life, where it is so twisted that its very existence is an affront to the nature of life itself. There are a ridiculous amount of quotes from the book I could cite here as an example of this and one of my favourites is, “The darkness wrapped itself around me like a tourniquet, pressing into me until I felt my heartbeat throbbing against my neck.” This doesn’t just create the perfect unsettled feeling I want when I’m reading this type of horror but also paints an amazingly accurate and complex depiction of a child’s experience of trauma.

As a psychology student, I loved how Britney portrayed Hylee’s experience of trauma. The issues that we see Hylee struggling with (particularly with relationships and her sense of self) are typical of survivors of this type of trauma. The specific points that Hylee remembers from what happened and how she describes them, anthropomorphising her surroundings and being unable to remember much of what happened, felt so real to me. That sense of reality immersed me in the story, making me connect to and understand Hylee, her thoughts, feelings, and choices. Her journey of self-discovery and process of healing from her trauma through having to experience the ‘dark place’ shows us how it’s not possible for any of us to truly progress in our own self-discovery or healing journey without accepting our own dark places and experiencing them knowing we have loved ones waiting on either side for us to make it through.

I have seen some reviews expressing that it didn’t make sense that none of Hylee’s family members supported her or would talk to her about both her brother going missing and her disappearing, but once again, I think Britney did an excellent job of showing that dealing with grief and the way that affects familial relationships can look vastly different depending on a whole host of factors. Given what each family member had been through, the systematic culture of silence around Black issues in America, the family’s socioeconomic status, generational differences, and the inherent intergenerational trauma of growing up Black in America, it made sense to me that each family member reacted as they did. In this, Britney has shown just how much our individual and communal experiences shape how we view tragedies/trauma and how we respond to them, amongst other complex points, whilst still remaining firmly in the YA fiction genre, and that’s no easy feat. I will clarify here, though, that social issues and their effects on people’s behaviour are something I am studying, so I am aware that this was perhaps not as clear to other readers (especially those of the target demographic) and so should have been made more explicit. Bryanna Bond’s review of The Dark Place on Goodreads discusses this in terms of Black families and their response to trauma, and I would recommend reading that.

Finally, in terms of the exploration of time travel in The Dark Place, I enjoyed the depiction of the Butterfly Effect, how seemingly little things can shape and alter the future in significant ways, and also how big things like trauma and tragedies affect every aspect of people and the world down to seemingly little things. I haven’t seen this specific approach to time travel before (inherited ability and the ‘dark place’ concept) and appreciated the unique spin Britney has on it.
Although I understand that this is a YA book and we learn about the system of time travel through what Eilam has learned from his grandfather, I would’ve loved to understand more about the nature of time travelling in this universe and how that ability could be inherited genetically. Partly due to this lack of explanation of the time travel system, I felt Eilam and Hylee’s relationship and connection felt a little rushed, which did take me out of the immersion a bit towards the end.

Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to others looking for an unsettling YA horror/magical realism type read. It definitely isn’t quite the same, but the feelings this inspired in me reminded me of watching the Fear Street trilogy, and they are some of my all-time favourite films. Britney’s writing creates such a vivid and tense picture, and the depiction of complex childhood trauma and how that affected Hylee made me feel so deeply understood. I will definitely be reading Britney’s first work and eagerly anticipating whatever she creates next!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I normally don’t read YA books but as always Britney’s writing was top tier . The horror elements are just right and I was so emotional reading this story .

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc

I absolutely love Britney Lewis's work, and her ability to make me cry and feel unsettled at the same time. Like all the things that in any other contemporary novel, the MC's situation would make me sad. But in a Lewis, it also makes me feel off-kilter. I'm patiently waiting for the purchasable audiobook.

I did not expect to get so emotional over a YA horror novel, but here we are! The Dark Place is a story of grief, the pain of reliving your worst memories, and finding love in the most unexpected times. I adored this book, despite the ending feeling a bit rushed. I would still highly recommend it!

Judging a book by its cover absolutely exists and I picked this up solely for the cover—it's stunning! I wasn't expecting the sci-fi elements and wished for more horror, but I loved the romance and the sibling relationship. Lewis's plot and prose are immersive and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

This is the sophomore novel I was hoping for from the author, and it was fun to read. I wouldn’t call it YA horror; it is more like a low-grade creepy YA story with magical realism elements. I had expected this after her first book and was in the mood for this setting, but if you go in thinking it will be true horror you may be disappointed.

I loved the way the main character was still navigating YA friendships and romance, along with family dynamics. The story was a bit slow at first, but once I got about 20% in, I was invested. All in, a solid read and I’ll be interested in anything else the author comes out with.

Thank you to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for this complimentary book – I appreciate you!

A emotional, immersive read that falls into the sci-fi/comsic genre. This is a YA book.

I love the MC and love the world building that this author does with her novels. I also love the tone and setting of the book. It adds to the dark vibe.

It would be cool to see her write more adult characters as well because she does an excellent job with the plot. It’s long and fleshed out but not boring.

This is my first read by Britney S. Lewis and I’m definitely intrigued to read more of her work.

"The Dark Place" by Britney S. Lewis is a gripping tale of mystery and suspense that immerses readers in a world of secrets, intrigue, and the chilling atmosphere of a psychological thriller. This novel is a compelling blend of tension, twists, and the complexities of human psychology.

Lewis' writing style is atmospheric and suspenseful, creating a sense of unease that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The characters in the novel are intricately developed, each with their own hidden motives and fears that contribute to the depth of the narrative.

At the heart of the story is a suspenseful exploration of memory, trauma, and the blurred lines between reality and imagination. The author skillfully weaves together elements of mystery and psychological suspense, creating a narrative that keeps the reader guessing and second-guessing.

"The Dark Place" successfully balances the psychological aspects of the story with the fast-paced plot, resulting in a narrative that is both immersive and heart-pounding. The themes of identity, manipulation, and the consequences of past actions add complexity to the plot.

In conclusion, "The Dark Place" is a masterfully crafted psychological thriller that offers a roller-coaster ride of suspense and tension. If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns, this novel provides a gripping and thrilling narrative that will leave you captivated and intrigued.

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.