plot: sixtenteen-year-old ari lost her best friend in the sea, when she was younger. the time she almost loses her life as well, however, she meets her once again. her life is saved, but that action unravels a whole new mystery: dark magic gets unleashed in ari's town and together they have to defeat the powers of the underworld.

4/5🌟: this was a fast, yet magical read. the writing style was enchanting, but it wasn't hard to understand at all. this may be a queer love story, but luckily, it's not at all about ari's sexuality. her character has a story beyond that, which made me super happy. queer characters deserve plotlines that aren't only about being queer. this is wonderfully done so in this novel. there's some greek mythology stuff mixed into this urban fantasy as well. the only thing that i didn't really enjoy was that the love story developed too fast for my liking. but to conclude, a very magical and enjoyable queer read that you should give a chance!

thanks to netgalley i received an early digital access copy of this novel in exchange for an honest opinion.

In From Darkness, Ari is struggling to move past the tragedy she experienced watching her best friend drown when she was young. She finds herself bit by a tiger snake, starting her possible descent into the underworld accompanied by her summoner. When things start to go sideways and a balance is tipped- will she be able to find what will set her town back together? Will she even be able to escape?

If I had to choose one word for this novel it would be - atmospheric. Kate Hazel Hall's voice is the real hero of this read; sharp, decisive and clear she is able to depict a world so unknown to us. To me, the novel really picks up in the second half. This is where the author's clear research of lore shines. If supernatural underworld isn't your thing- this novel will be a miss for you. However, luckily for readers willing to let things get a bit dark, the description mirrors this perfectly.

The only aspect that felt disconnected to me was the sudden romance. The setting seemed it would be perfect to have the realization of their feelings start more organically- reacquainted as adults. I always admire a novel that doesn't focus on coming out and crafts LGBTQIA characters into a world where it could have been just as interchangeable to place a cis character into in this aspect the romance is a win.

From Darkness is a well crafted take of the underworld, and all those who inhabit it. It's voice is unique in that it does not shy away from dark descriptions- painting a lifelike portrait and transporting the reader to another realm.

Net Galley provided this title to me in exchange for an honest review.