This epic fantasy gripped me from the start. With its plot twits, world building, and non stop action I was unable to put it down. If you love vampires, werewolves, and others you’re going to love this wonderfully written book!

Not all vampire fantasies are the same, some create an alternate history, or alternate earth, that is familiar to us, but with vampires living among mortals hidden or not, in positions of power or wielding the reigns behind-the-scenes; some romanticize the immortal and others paint them as creatures of horror; but all of the vampire tales I have read have had vampires living in the world with mortals, all of the tales until Lightfall, that is. Lightfall starts with this different premise, in a world of immortals, with vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers, and creates a world and history that is unique and vivid. The story blends elements of romance and horror, adding a mystery and political intrigue into the plot all told in first person alternating with approximately seven different central characters' viewpoints. I would have though that it would be jarring to have so many voices especially when there are chapters with multiple narrator changes, but the writer handled it masterfully. Full of interesting characters and a plot that pulled me in, and kept me hooked until the last page, the is book was an entertaining read. And not so much ending the story but portending of the continuation, I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Ed Crocker's Lightfall is a captivating debut that plunges readers into a richly imagined world of vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. The author's vivid prose and intricate world-building create a compelling atmosphere that is both dark and alluring.

The story follows Sam, a palace maid who yearns for a better life. Her journey from a lowly servant to a rebel leader is both exhilarating and dangerous. Crocker's portrayal of Sam is nuanced and compelling, making her a relatable and sympathetic protagonist.

The supporting cast, including the enigmatic sorcerer, the deadly werewolf assassin, and the cunning countess, adds depth and complexity to the narrative. Their interactions with Sam are filled with tension, intrigue, and a touch of humor.

The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns, keeping the reader engaged from beginning to end. The exploration of the vampire society, with its strict hierarchy and oppressive rules, is thought-provoking and relevant to contemporary issues.

If you're a fan of dark fantasy with a touch of political intrigue, Lightfall is a must-read. It's a thrilling and imaginative debut that promises great things to come from Ed Crocker.

Imagine a world with no humans; just vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers, everyone immortal and, for the most part, staying away from each other. Until there is a magnificent city made where all of the immortals come together and even the rigid social hierarchy of the vampires starts to become more flexible. Now, imagine that world crumbling each race fleeing back to their respective strongholds only to watch these too crumble. With no choices left, the vampires and werewolves enter an uneasy peace to fight off an enemy far stronger than both of them, maybe even combined. In this last Vampire stronghold there is a young woman by the name of Sam, she is on the lowest tier of the vamp hierarchy, dreaming of being so much more she stumbles across a secret one that will change worlds and one that proves that the very worst of enemies come from within.

I was not going to finish this, the first few chapters I found there was little difference between each characters personalities, the plot seemed predictable, and it just kind of felt like it was almost a fan fic of just a bunch of fantasy books thrown together. Omg am I so glad I didn't make that mistake! This went from boring and predictable to I'm sorry wtf just happened in the span of like three chapters. And look the plot twist at the end, the last fight when Sage pulls out his stunt (I am not giving this away) this alone was worth every tedious moment! I have read a ton of vampire fantasies never in my wildest would I think anyone would have tossed this straight up should not work at all but somehow is the very best thing ever plot twist into a vamp book!

Outside of the amazing plot twist, the world building in this is really excellent as well. It's why I kept reading this. Crocker does an excellent job of weaving this worlds history into the story without dragging the present down. And it's honestly just a really original world. There are just no humans. None. They may have existed, but that's just a myth. I loved that humans become the boogie man because hey we freaking are.

What really ends up putting this over the top, though, are the characters, the ones I actually couldn't stand at first. Somewhere around the midway point, each of them just shine. Sam and Sage, I love, of course, as the main characters, but Jacob is my absolute favorite character in this whole book so far. And like I'm even mad because we don't actually get to meet Red (the First Lord's son and the reason this is all happening), he just sounds well amazing. Like, I'm *mad* at the characters that took him away from us as readers, I feel cheated. The bad guys are just as excellent, not so much Saxe but I don't think he was meant to be, but Rufous was the absolute perfect spoiled rotten, sociopathic, Noble brat who you would happily punch in the face. On a scale of One to Joffrey, he's a Joffrey.

Overall, this easily makes my top 10 this year (which puts my top 10 at about 40 books now), what really looked like just a straight forward conversation about a rebellioj of serfs becomes this insanely massive story that will ultimately end up encompassing the whole world, if the bomb that was dropped on Sage at the end actually comes to pass.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eArc!

First Light is the last vampire city where society is divided by class and controlled by strict laws. Centuries ago, the Greys, a mysterious force, decimated half of the vampire population in a single night. The fear of the Greys has kept the vampires caged in the city and forbidden to leave. In this grand city, the wealthy drink the finest blood, while the poor consume weak blood and scavenge for more. Sam, a disillusioned palace maid, stumbles upon a crucial piece of evidence of the First Light ruler's murdered son. Realizing this could be her ticket to a better life, she blackmails into the upper echelons. She now has access to the best blood and finds herself entangled with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who work to undermine the corrupt Lords from within.

Sam's new alliance includes a motley group of characters: a sorcerer who lacks magic but has deductive skills, a werewolf assassin, and a countess who deals in secrets. Together, they delve deeper into the murder investigation, only to uncover a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite. The closer Sam gets to the truth, the more dangerous her situation becomes. It becomes a race against time as Sam realizes that uncovering the truth could mean her death.

Readers will fall in love with Sam as she is a fierce and scrappy character. She is driven to find freedom from her life of service. Still, the further she unfolds the conspiracy, the rebellion against the elite of First Light spurs her, transforming her into a strong and deviant protagonist. Sam's journey is one of rising against the oppressive system. Her crew brings the story full circle, making for a compelling narrative filled with twists and turns. This story is full of bloody action, and no character is safe. The rich world-building, complex characters, and unique plot will keep readers engaged until the end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press

I think I read this at just the perfect time, because stepping into fall with vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers was a great way to start the spooky season. I really dug the blood magic system and how it was used throughout the story. This felt like a fresh and unique vampire story, which really livens up the genre.

Some of the world building felt a little uneven and over explained. Info dumping is my least favourite way to learn about the world, so that's probably my only major gripe with the writing style. Sometimes I felt there was some distance from the characters with the writing style, but with this sort of story I didn't find that it detracted from the enjoyment or emersion. I hope that the next book can move past the exposition feeling and really dig into the characters in a way that would serve them all.

I'm very excited to see where this series goes, and I'll eagerly be awaiting the sequel!

With its sharp plot twists and complex characters, including vampires, a resourceful sorcerer and a lethal werewolf, this book blends intense action with deep intrigue. It’s an epic fantasy that grips you with its intricate world-building and relentless suspense, making it a must-read for fans of dark, immersive fantasy.

As a world building and plot driven reader, Nightfall by Ed Crocker was right up my alley. A supernatural world of immortal vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers with no humans? I'm intrigued immediately, sign me up.

Even though I don't love first person writing, I flew through this book because I wanted to know more about the world and find out what happens. It was a little tricky switching between 5+ POVs but I got the flow enough to get sucked into the overall mystery of who killed the vampire lord's son and what are they all hiding? I ended up immersed in the world and magic systems, rooting for the scrappy underdog vampire maid and magic-less sorcerers. There was some fun and sarcastic dialogue that I enjoyed too.

I took a star off for the uneven pacing. There was a great plot and story, but some parts that could have been exciting were glossed over, and others got way too many paragraphs that weren't needed. The blood market for example, took pages of explanation and I can't find a place in the rest of the story where it matters? It's also just.... the stock market. I don't need to be a broker to understand the basics of the stock market, and I think most readers are in the same boat as me. We don't need the blood version so deeply explained, especially when it never comes up again? Just one example where the world was over-explained in a way that wasn't necessary to the overall story.

Not something I took a star off for (as I said, plot reader here), but something to note - this will not be the book for character driven readers. The characters aren't super developed and we don't get a lot of personality, background insight, or growth arcs, though it's there to be expanded on in the next books. I feel like the multiple POVs didn't allow me to connect with any one character in particular, and the side characters are definitely flat. The most interesting arc is the vampire first lord, so I hope he's explored more in the next book.

This was so much fun! I still have trauma from YA vampire books from my past, but this is NOTHING like those. The worldbuilding is fascinating, the plot is engaging, the characters all have distinct personalities and POVs, even with them using the first person (though I do feel like Sam and Sage got the most attention).

Werewolf criminal justice! Vampire Wall Street! A bank robbery! Evil oligarchs! Humans as ancient cryptids? Banter! Violence! Romance! Revenge!

This book was heavy on vampire history and culture, which makes sense since it takes place in a vampire city, but I'm definitely looking forward to some werewolf time in the sequel. And more of my sapphic ladies and their crime/vigilante syndicate.

Thank you Net galley and St. Martin Press for the ARC! DNF @ 27% I tried really hard to get into this book. I was interested from the get go by the blurb and cover. I don't think this writing is my type of style and that's okay, someone else might enjoy this! I was born and felt like there was a whole lot of nothing happening.

I received this book as an ARC. It’s an interesting take on an immortal world of wolves, vampires, and mages.

The book follows multiple POVs that end up coming together to fight for a common goal.

I found the story to be compelling and the characters to be thought-provoking. I particularly liked Jacob’s humor and Allana’s mystery.

I ended the book, and found the second half to be fast-paced. I look forward to book 2!

Supernatural creature fantasy is slowly becoming my new favorite subgenre.

In the vein of Jay Kristoff, this is a fun fantasy with werewolfs, Socerers, and vampires and because of the protagonist being one of these, it allows for different perspectives on the traditional fantasy world.

Hands down, blood magic is cool and the variations of power it attributes to the drinker is unique. Nice magic system.

The coming into one's own story is quick witted & succinct. While the characters are engaging and grow enough I'm the book to advance the story. But not so much that there isn't more meat left on the bone for future novels to he interesting.

If you want different, but still good. Read this book

I thought this book was fine. There wasn’t really anything that I’d point to as a big problem, but it also didn’t really grab me like some books do. I never got too invested in either the world or the characters. Towards the end of the book I realized it was because the characters felt more like archetypes to me than living, breathing, people. And that made it hard for me to get invested in them and really care what they’re going through. Now I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing. It’s not too uncommon of a criticism towards more plot-focused books. I’ve seen it said about Brandon Sanderson’s work a lot and he’s obviously doing very well for himself. It just wasn’t really for me. But I wouldn’t be surprised if people who tend to prefer plot-centric books over character-centric ones would enjoy it a lot more than I did.

If you like Crescent City, Empire of the Vampire, Twilight, or the Witcher you are going to love this book. You get all of the paranormal fans and creepiness while also having a high fantasy book. It is perfect.

“Nightfall” offers a unique twist on the supernatural genre by focusing on a world populated entirely by immortals, breathing new life into familiar themes of werewolves, vampires, and sorcerers. At first, I struggled to get into the story; the pacing felt uneven with too much exposition up front. It took more than half the book before I felt fully engaged. The initial chapters reminded me of the early stages of a D&D campaign, where character setup takes precedence over the action, leaving me impatient for the story to truly begin. But, like a good campaign, once the adventure kicked off, I was hooked.

The second half of the book is where everything came together for me. The central mystery deepened, and the plot’s twists and turns kept me on my toes. The characters began to come alive through their interactions and the escalating tension. There’s a lot of potential in this world, and I’d love to see the author return to these characters and this setting, perhaps with a more balanced approach in future works.

Thank you netgalley...

Ed wrote a lot of story in under 400 pages... the character building and unfolding of the story were great. I'm looking forward to what happens in book 2

[4.5 rounded up]
This was such a clever take on vampires and werewolves. A subject that so often can become campy or cheesy, this book is neither of those.
A compelling story and characters with both heart and depth. I ADORE a book with some funny banter between likable characters, and this one has it.
There were a few spots that felt a bit verbose but never boring, and I also felt that the action sequences sometimes felt a bit clumsy but other than that the writing was very enjoyable. I truly cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Nightfall presents an intriguing take on the supernatural genre by exploring a world filled only with immortals. It brings a fresh perspective to the well-worn territory of werewolves, vampires, and sorcerers. Initially, I found it difficult to dive into the story, as the pacing felt off with too much exposition at the beginning. It was more than halfway through before I felt truly invested. The first half reminded me of the first sessions of a D&D campaign where the time spent setting up characters overshadowed everything else and I was frustrated and just wanted things to start happening already. However, also like a D&D campaign, once the adventure truly started, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

That second half of the book was where it really hit its stride for me. The central mystery deepened, and the twists and turns kept me engaged. The characters began to shine through their interactions and the unfolding plot. There's so much potential here, and I'd love to see the author revisit these characters and this setting, perhaps with a more balanced execution next time.

Overall, I'd give this book a 3.5, rounded down to a 3, mainly because the slow start made it difficult to fully appreciate the story's potential from the get-go. However, if you're a fan of fantasy worlds with complex power dynamics and a murder mystery twist, this book might just be your cup of tea. It's a promising start that sets the stage for future books to dive even deeper into its rich universe.

"Lightfall" by Ed Crocker presents a promising concept, with its blend of science fiction and fantasy elements. The story follows an intriguing premise that initially captures the reader's attention, suggesting a journey through a richly imagined world filled with magic and technology.

Unfortunately, the execution of this concept falls short. The narrative is often bogged down by lengthy expositions and inconsistent pacing, making it difficult to stay engaged. The plot meanders, with key events feeling rushed while other, less critical moments are overly drawn out. This uneven pacing detracts from the overall reading experience.

Character development is another area where "Lightfall" struggles. While the protagonist has potential, their arc feels underdeveloped, and secondary characters lack the depth needed to make their interactions meaningful. This makes it hard to connect with the characters or care about their journeys.

Crocker's world-building, while ambitious, is sometimes overwhelming and confusing. The intricate details of the universe are not always clearly explained, leaving the reader grappling to understand the rules and dynamics of the story's setting. This complexity, combined with a convoluted plot, makes the narrative feel disjointed.

The writing style, though descriptive, can be dense and difficult to follow. At times, it feels like the prose gets in the way of the story, with overly elaborate descriptions and dialogue that doesn't always flow naturally.

Lightfall: Book One of the Everlands by Ed Crocker is a wonderful addition to the world of the supernatural. And, this one is extra super - there are no humans - so no 500 year old fairy falling for a 19 year old clutzy but cute ingénue. Book one sets up a great world exploring power dynamics and murder. Great story when you like a genre but are looking for something that is a bit different.