The Darkness in Us - an ARC Book Review

December 01, 2025

The Darkness in Us - an ARC Book Review

**Thank you to the author, Joey Coleman, for providing me with an e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**

✨️ Book Title: The Darkness in Us: The Talish Trilogy - Book #1

✨️ Author: Joey Coleman

✨️ Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

✨️ Tropes: Cursed hero(ine), villain’s heir, power-hungry villain(s), slow-burn romance, friends-to-lovers, secret betrayals

⭐️ Star Rating: 5 / 5 stars

🌶 Spice Level: 1 / 5 peppers (warm/fuzzy - closed-door intimacy)

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Family betrayal, secrets, violence, deceased parents, abduction/hostage situation, descriptions of murder

📅 Release Date: Monday, December 1, 2025

No proper answer was ever given to me. I only knew that he had broken the Laws of Magic, falling prey to the seduction of the Dark Arts.

In the world of Talish, magic is power. This dynamic is something 17-year-old Natsu knows the danger of all too well, not only as a Crafter, but also as someone whose father was executed for practicing Dark Magic two years prior. When an unexpected run-in with a corpse catastrophically derails Natsu’s life, she finds herself quickly sucked into a web of secrets and lies that all trace back to her father’s dark past. While uncovering the truth, will Natsu be able to reveal the darkness that hides in plain sight, or will she face a fate similar to her father's?

First and foremost, I need you to know that I am not over exaggerating when I tell you that The Darkness in Us is hands down one of the best young adult fantasy novels I have read to date. So much so that I not only lost all concept of time and my surroundings, but I also had to stop myself from yelling at (or throwing) my device. When a novel can truly pull me into the story so deeply that it can elicit this kind of reaction, it has rightfully earned its place within my 5-star reads.

What is it within The Darkness in Us that elicits such a reaction, making this a 5-star read for me? Dearest reader, it comes down to the world-building and the variety of characters we experience.

In any kind of fantasy novel, world-building is crucial to the storyline's success and I believe that Joey Coleman nailed this. Seamlessly intertwining old Talish history with Natsu’s current studies, the glossary of terms and locations at the start of the novel for the reader, and the magic system itself, are all presented in a way that is not only accessible for young readers to grasp, but is also enticing for readers of all ages to enjoy. However, this accessibility doesn't mean there aren’t a multitude of questions a reader could come across. This is done in a way that is perfect to engage readers without creating chaos and confusion that would otherwise take away from the plot. Personally, I loved that I was able to theorize alongside Natsu throughout the novel, which made me understand and love her character that much more.

Speaking of which, the characters throughout The Darkness in Us as a whole were exceptionally well written. Oftentimes, I feel that characters in young adult novels don’t quite hit the mark for being easily realistic or relatable either within a group of characters or across the board. However, I felt that every single character’s personality - whether I agreed with them or not - was just like someone I could meet in my everyday life, and was true to their age group. Throughout the storyline, we see various levels of growth within each character. All of which really allow the reader to relate to and form - or change - their opinions throughout the story. I loved how this was done in a way that built more connection and intrigue for readers while also raising the stakes for the characters.

I also have to take a moment to recognize and appreciate the humour infused throughout the storyline. This was not only the kind of humour I would expect from young adults, but it was also absolutely my kind of humour, which made me love our main characters even more (especially Natsu).

Despite being specific to young adults, The Darkness in Us is the perfect addition to any fantasy reader’s shelf. With so much left to still explore with Natsu and her mission to save Talish, I cannot tell you how excited I am for the second book in The Talish Trilogy to be released.