Scan barcode
A review by jessmarticorena
The Dark Place by Britney S. Lewis
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hylee Williams doesn’t know why she can disappear, only that when she does, she’s thrust into a dark, rotting version of the night that has defined most of her life: the night someone violently broke into her house and her brother went missing.
She’s convinced that this terrifying place is the key to understanding what happened to her brother, but she can’t seem to stay in that other place long enough to get the answers.
When she meets Eilam Roads, he seems all too familiar despite having never met. And when she disappears right in front of him, she has two options - lie or reveal her secret. “Together, Hylee and Eilam investigate the truth about time, space, and reality, with Hylee increasingly convinced her time travel holds the key to saving her brother. But the more they learn, the more Hylee begins to see darkness lurking in her world--and in herself.”
This book was stunningly creepy, and I could feel The Dark Place lurking on every page. There were so many things that I loved about this book.
The horror time travel element was so unique and effective and allowed us to really see all of these parts of Hylee and her internal world. It served so well to explore Hylee’s grief and processing of her trauma. I loved the bit of romance that develops (we all love to see a grounded, stable, positive love interest!!). Eilam is my favorite. And it’s so refreshing to read teenagers that actually act like teenagers! Britney Lewis does an incredible job at creating characters that make teenage decisions and say teenage things realistically, and I think that this book is going to be so important and meaningful in the hands of teens who need it.
In addition to the horror and time travel plot, we get complicated familial relationships, friendships, and Hylee’s own journey of grief.
I really enjoyed the end wherewe see how the closure of her brother's death allowed for a future where Hylee and her family healed together. I love to see our characters get the ending that they needed.
This is a wonderfully spooky book about coming to terms with the things we can't change and the ways that the past can fester and haunt us.
I devoured this in a single day and enjoyed every page.
Thank you Britney Lewis, NetGalley, and Disney Hyperion for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for an honest review!
She’s convinced that this terrifying place is the key to understanding what happened to her brother, but she can’t seem to stay in that other place long enough to get the answers.
When she meets Eilam Roads, he seems all too familiar despite having never met. And when she disappears right in front of him, she has two options - lie or reveal her secret. “Together, Hylee and Eilam investigate the truth about time, space, and reality, with Hylee increasingly convinced her time travel holds the key to saving her brother. But the more they learn, the more Hylee begins to see darkness lurking in her world--and in herself.”
This book was stunningly creepy, and I could feel The Dark Place lurking on every page. There were so many things that I loved about this book.
The horror time travel element was so unique and effective and allowed us to really see all of these parts of Hylee and her internal world. It served so well to explore Hylee’s grief and processing of her trauma. I loved the bit of romance that develops (we all love to see a grounded, stable, positive love interest!!). Eilam is my favorite. And it’s so refreshing to read teenagers that actually act like teenagers! Britney Lewis does an incredible job at creating characters that make teenage decisions and say teenage things realistically, and I think that this book is going to be so important and meaningful in the hands of teens who need it.
In addition to the horror and time travel plot, we get complicated familial relationships, friendships, and Hylee’s own journey of grief.
I really enjoyed the end where
This is a wonderfully spooky book about coming to terms with the things we can't change and the ways that the past can fester and haunt us.
I devoured this in a single day and enjoyed every page.
Thank you Britney Lewis, NetGalley, and Disney Hyperion for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Murder, and Death
This book largely deals with processing grief and trauma through the lense of time-travel and alternate realities. Death of a sibling, grief-torn family dynamics, and processing a murder/home invasion are large plot points/themes in this one.