Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This was a fun fast paced and suspenseful novel. Having read the first book back in September of 2023, I was unfortunately very forgetful of the plot. It mostly came back, but some things I was still confused on. I loved the group of friends even though it’s always weird to see them all fall in love with each other. I identified with Emerson a lot with her being very aro ace coded. Or at least aro. There was a lot of talk about how she couldn’t feel romantic love but she loved her friends. I loved the Japanese mythology and was only familiar with a little bit of it so that was nice to learn. I also like books about deadly games so this was cool. Honestly poor Ian had the roughest time in this series. Gone for 4 years and then having to deal with this shit after a month? I would be just anxious as he is. I really liked the ending too. Although it seems very cookie cutter, I’m a sucker for it.

"The finale to Kristen Simmons's masterful horror duology that's "Jumanji but Japanese-inspired" (Kendare Blake) about estranged friends playing a deadly game in a nightmarish folkloric underworld.

"Death is not an ending, it's simply the next chapter. Do not be afraid to turn the page...."

It's been one month since Ian's reunited friends escaped the hellish game of Meido and saved him. The survivors may have sealed the gate to the world of the dead shut and destroyed Empress Izanami, but that doesn't mean they aren't still reeling over the challenges they endured. Trying to relax back in the world of the living, they take solace in the fact that they rescued Ian from the nightmare that tried to steal him away. But there's just one problem - Ian didn't come home alone.

The empress - now possessing Ian's heart - hitched a ride into their world and the only way to free Ian from her grasp is to find three artifacts for her, sacred objects which have been hidden across many realms. Unwilling to leave Ian behind a second time, his friends dive into a new deadly game, with terrifying challenges that not only test their mettle, but demand sacrifices - including their very lives.

If they don't retrieve the empress's artifacts, Ian will be lost forever, but if they do, it could be the end of their world as they know it."

Always beware hitchhikers!

I loved this book! It was an excellent sequel, and wraps the storylines up nicely. I figured out some of the things before they were revealed, but enough has me surprised I kept turning pages.

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This was a fantastic sequel. I felt like I picked up right where I was last dropped off, and I had no issues getting back into the world. I loved that we got to expand more on our characters, and got to see even more insanity that these worlds have to offer them. It felt like I was reading a mix of.... later Teen Wolf seasons (kitsune-era) and Stranger Things, but really in the best way. The sequel might have ended up being even better than the first for me honestly! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

This was a great sequel to the first book. It gave Stranger Things season 2 mixed with Japanese mythology vibes. It wasn't too gorey or explicit in the violence.

I was so excited for She Waits for You Beyond the Dark and it did not disappoint! After I read the first one last year I was excited to jump into this strange and wonderful world again. I found the characters to be just as relatable and I like that the author took their time with each one. There is plenty of representation and diversity among the characters that I really appreciate. The world wasn't quite as creepy as the first book but we are visiting it again so there weren't as many surprises. That being said there are new places to explore as well. I really enjoyed the ending. It wrapped everything up with a nice little bow and though I am sad to leave this world, I know its one I'll come back to.

This was a fun read! There are some heavier topics throughout, like anxiety and trauma, but it's also a book featuring a game-world. I would recommend this to fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Garth Nix (like Keys to the Kingdom), and Rick Riordan (with darker undertones).