Seth is struggling with the tragic death of his friend. He's depressed, anxious, and angry, raging at the world in general. Initiate of Darkness, Book 5 in Barb Shadow's From the Darkness series, finds Olivia, Seth's sister, through the foster home system and a student of the paranormal, ghost hunting, and rituals to communicate with the dead, in a paranormal battle against a dark, destructive force that could be at the root of murder and Seth's emotional state. Using an Ouija board, Olivia discovers a spirit that promises to rid her brother of the demonic source of his problems.

It takes a special kind of talent to write a series of novels that allows a reader to jump into the middle of the story and become comfortably embedded in the plotlines and characters within a few pages. Reading Initiate of Darkness, I discovered a surprise in the writing style that worked contrary to editorial norms: sentences that do not always conform to the standard noun, verb, adverb, preposition, etc. The effect creates a sense of reality in dialogue between several often competing characters to get a word in, or typical of a group "talking at the same time." Though Initiate of Darkness is clearly in the middle of a continuing series, it does stand alone while simultaneously urging the reader to continue with the next book or even go back and start at the beginning. In Initiate of Darkness, author Barb Shadow has written a piece of a continuing horror story that creates all the emotional and scary facets of the genre while avoiding the blood and guts typical of the typical demonic/slash horror genre style. As such, this fits perfectly into the young adult reading market.

In Initiate of Darkness, Barb Shadow weaves a narrative around an unspoken bond between Olivia and her foster brother, Seth. However, a malevolent shadow has latched onto Seth after the untimely demise of his best friend. Beset by depression, desperation clings to him. His once vibrant world is now muffled by a grey veil of anxiety and rage. While Seth suffers, Olivia has a deep-seated fascination with the ethereal, an unwavering zeal for pursuing phantoms, and a scholarly interest in arcane ceremonies to commune with the dead. When she stumbles upon an Ouija board brought to her home by a mysterious newcomer, Olivia breaks through the veil between worlds. A spirit presents her with a path to liberate Seth and guides her to expand her latent powers. No longer a bystander to her brother's suffering, Olivia embraces her newfound potency. Yet with each incantation and flicker of the unseen, questions linger: what cost will be exacted by this dark assistant?

The supremely talented Barb Shadow displays how Olivia musters inner strength and ingenuity as she tackles disturbing situations arising from Seth’s distress. Shadow paints a vivid and troubled picture of the siblings’ unsettled agitation. Initiate of Darkness is a testament to the author's ability to weave a dynamic and enthralling story. It is a tale that triumphs in suspense, a gripping journey to the heart of a dark and mysterious essence. Through layers of emotional entanglements and duplicity, the author guides readers with a deft hand, ensuring they are utterly entranced until the story's breathtaking conclusion. Each page demonstrates the author's exquisite storytelling prowess and envelops readers in a world that both dazzles and thrills.