**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net** 

Blood Beyond Darkness is the 4th and final book in the New Adult Paranormal, Darkness Series by Stacey Marie Brown. I can't believe that this series is done. I am still hoping that the author will come out with some novellas about the characters. I absolutely love this series. It is one of my favorites, so Blood Beyond Darkness was bittersweet for me.  In some ways I didn't want to read it because I didn't want to be done with the series. Endings are hard for me. I don't like saying goodbye to characters that I have grown to love. The Darkness series is excellent. The attention to detail and world building is great and there is non stop action. Blood Beyond Darkness was basically all action from the first page until the last. We left off in the third book on the edge of a great war that threatened both the Seelie and Unseelie court as well as the earth realm. Blood Beyond Darkness is all about this war. There is no happy go lucky lovey dovey stuff. This book is hardcore and darker than the others.

This is a series that you need to read in order or you will be completely lost. But that is ok because the first three books are blow your mind good! I loved the 4th book as well, but Stacey Marie Brown does not hold any punches. Some of your favorite characters will live, but some of your favorites will die. A lot of people die. This is a huge war that spreads over multiple realms. I was not expecting the ending at all! The whole last quarter of the book took me by complete surprise.

Fans of the series might be upset about a few things that happen in the book, but there is a lot to love about this book. The whole cast of characters that you loved from the first 3 books all show up, and I do mean everyone! People you haven't seen in a book or two will be there and some of them will be very surprising. Ember and Eli are hot and cold as ever, just like always, but you do get some more answers on Eli's past. Craziness ensues. But I do love the two of them. I will say one thing about someone, not exactly a spoiler- but when Kennedy finally showed up she royally pissed me off. The way she was acting drove me crazy. But she eventually started acting more like the nice Kennedy. I love the cast of characters that Stacey Marie Brown has created- I can't even name them all. Obviously, I love Ember and Eli, but Cole, West, Lars, Cal and Simmons rank really high up there as well!

As I said before, the ending of this book was very bittersweet for me. In some ways, it was completely fitting for the story, but in some ways I wanted more of a happily ever after for everyone. But that just doesn't always happen with war. There are so many inbetween shades- it is not just winning and losing. The Darkest series will go down as one of my favorite paranormal series. I have loved all of the books and the characters. I can't wait to see what more people think. Did you love the ending? Was it bittersweet for you too? Do you want more books? I do! One thing is for sure- Stacey Marie Brown can write her butt off. Hats off to her for a fantastic series that I am sad to see an end to.

 This review was originally posted on Book Briefs