Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: The End of Darkness
SERIES: Druid Curse #1
AUTHOR: Shea Balik
PUBLISHER: self-published
LENGTH: 199 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2019
BLURB:
Ryley Duggan resented his family for forcing him home on his twenty-first birthday to perform another stupid fire ritual, instead of letting him go out and get shit-faced like normal people his age. He’d never believed in the stories his grandmother told him about the reason behind what they were doing. That was, until he walked outside to the bonfire to see blood-curdling creatures that no Hollywood studio had ever come close to replicating, killing his family.
Since an early age, Eirik had one job, to protect the ancestors of the one who’d cursed him and his friends. It hadn’t been what he’d ever imagined for his life, but after nearly a millennia Eirik had learned one thing, life never went as planned. Never had that been truer than when he’d rescued Ryley from certain death.
Now the two must learn to work together to save humanity. Will all be lost? Or will they discover a way to heal their hearts by opening themselves up to love?
WARNING: Unseelie monsters run amok in this story!
REVIEW:
I am going to love this series. I can kind of see the direction it’s going. Well maybe lol. I’m not the author, after all. I love these characters. I read a lot of paranormals. It’s a genre I adore. In all that I’ve read, I’ve only come across a handful that have been so descriptive of the seelie and unseelie court. Now that’s in what I’ve read. Not saying there’s not more out there. Anyway, I love that. Everyone kind of has their own description of a lot of paranormal but I love seeing how the Fae courts and such are described. With the way this book is and where it seems to be heading, I’m going to love it. I already do. It’s off to a great start.
Anyway.
Ryley, more or less, ignored most of what he was taught growing up about his background. He thought it was more or less make believe. He knew his birthday fell on a druid holiday and that rituals were performed, but he could never really get the dances down, so he dreaded it. He dreaded not having a celebration for his birthday. He knew when he turned 21, it was the mark of something, but he never realized how much it was going to be. That night, he world was shattered and changed. Unseelie came across the veil and destroyed all he loved, except his sister, whom he saved. He was introduced to his own rescuer, Eirik, while running, and brought to a world he never thought possible. Now to save the world from more of these Fae, he has to train and learn quickly, and before they all die.
What a story. Man, if I was Ryley, I would probably run screaming from everyone. Especially, if I lost my family the way he did. Holy crap. It doesn’t help he’s attracted to his own savior, Eirik. He wants to hate him and all his friends, who were supposed to save them from dying. And with them acting haughty and arrogant and like know-it-alls, he just wants to punch them all on the way out the door. Can’t say I blame him. He gets his own digs in, though, and I love it lol. Still, having to learn and train is harrowing for anyone going through what he is.
Eirik isn’t helping. I like him, but he can be an ass. Being part of a curse for as long as he has and trying to save everyone can be a bit much, but he doesn’t have to be a dick. With he and Ryley both a part of solving the curse, he needs to focus and help. Which he does, but he’s definitely cocky about it. I have to say, humble is a good look on him, but not at the cost of someone’s life.
It’s a difficult journey these guys are on. So much is being thrown at them. Secrets revealed. It can be a bit much, but it makes for one hell of a book.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: