A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui is a YA paranormal thriller that captures readers' attention quickly. Best friends Mira and Layla are on a college visit road trip when a car accident leaves them stranded in a small town, they soon find a motel to stop at. Mira begins seeing the ghost of her brother in the motel room and this prompts the girls to investigate the strange happenings in the motel. They team up with some locals to do some paranormal digging but the strangers have secrets of their own and the unraveling of this story isn't heading well for Mira.

Let me start off by saying this cover, this blurb, and the queer elements were all SPECTACULAR. The first half of the book really did it for me- a creepy mystery, ghosts, and an investigation, but the second half is where I lost interest. I felt that the story and elements of the characters and their lines became almost repetitive in the second half and it really just irritated me. I tend to find that a lot in YA books, but I thought this one may be different. Although I did find it a bit lacking in the end, the overall book was super chilling and mysterious and it really sets the vibe while you read. I would certainly recommend this book to all my YA lovers out there!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Deliciously creepy and innovative. I was invested in the characters' relationship as well, which is rare for me. The atmosphere was fantastic and now I'm really craving something similar to this book! I'll definitely recommend this to teenagers as well as adults. Awaiting more from this author!

I was too excited about receiving this eARC!

A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui is an absolute amazing YA debut novel!
I enjoyed everything about it.
A fun and clever story that hooked me almost immediately.
I really liked this book! I thought it was an excellent horror book with some great storytelling.
The book had great writing and the setting was very well done and atmospheric.
I will definitely pick up another book by Metoui in the future.

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group & Henry Holt and Co. for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), for allowing me to read A Guide to the Dark early.

This book had a really moving story and wonderful characters. I couldn't put it down.

Part horror, part romance, part drama, A Guide to the Dark is everything YA literature has long been missing. It’s got diverse MCs, queer rep, haunted motels and emotionally charged paranormal events — which, all together, leaves readers hopeful, terrified and absolutely shattered.

Best friends Mira and Layla are on a college preview roadtrip when a freak car accident strands them in a small town — one where they find themselves in a motel room with a thrilling legacy. It’s there, in that mysterious space, that Mira starts to see the ghost of her brother, who passed in a tragic accident almost a year before, which leads the girls to investigate what secrets could be hiding in an unassuming motel room. And before they know it, they’re teaming up with a few locals, who are hiding things of their own, intent on unraveling a history that doesn’t bode well for Mira’s future.

Gorgeously chilling, Meriam Metoui’s debut is a story of spine-tingling grief, first loves and an ode to the parts of ourselves we hide in the daytime, but let come alive in the dark.

It is nothing short of a masterpiece.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

"A Guide to the Dark" is a psychological horror that puts a queer, Arab twist on haunted house tropes. The main characters were easy to root for, the setting felt real and interesting, and I was genuinely creeped out by the horror elements--don't read this before bed or before getting in the shower! And the coolest thing--I didn't realize when picking this up that the author did an accompanying photo shoot! Most of the pictures Layla is described as taking during the book are actually pictured! The photography is gorgeous and added an unexpected and VERY cool element to this fresh new YA horror.

I really, really, really enjoyed this!!!!! I'm excited to see what Metoui does next.
My only complaints were that the ending felt like there wasn't enough explained and that Ellis' death felt unnecessary. My feelings on both are largely more due to my own personal preferences though - I typically read mysteries so I'm primed to expect a detailed explanation for everything. As for Ellis' death, that can probably also be chalked up to personal preference, I don't like deaths late in the story unless they serve a large purpose. But as his mom said, people die without reason.
Now, to the points I liked! The yearning between Mira and Layla was beautifully written! Also, reading this from a white, lesbian perspective, reading about Arab and Muslim families was interesting. Of course, one book can't serve as a lens for an entire community and demographic, but it was interesting to read the perspective a bit and think about it.
I was surprised and adored the photographs in the book. It's uncommon for YA or adult books to have photos in them but it was really engaging and it made me wish for more books to do something like this. The warping took my focus so when I got to the reveal about the man in the background, I hurried to check the previous photos to see for myself. It would probably be even more effective with a physical book you can thumb through but even with the digital copy, it was still felt immersive to look at the same photos our protagonists are looking at and see for ourselves.