WOW OH WOW! What a stellar debut by Mr. Ed Crocker. If you're like me and tired of the same recycled fantasy stories hitting the shelves lately, I highly encourage you to pick up Lightfall. This was so imaginative and refreshing, putting a unique spin on many of the tried and true supernatural characters we're used to.

I'm grateful to a new friend Stacey who I saw recommend this book in a fantasy group online, her high praises were a definite reason for me immediately requesting this ARC and so graciously being approved.

At it's core this is a fantasy murder mystery. We spend the majority of the book trying to solve the murder of a Lord's son, all while our characters come together like a super cool version of the Scooby Gang.

There was one particular scene near the end of the book that legitimately blew my mind.

I loved how there were very subtle hints of a few romances and the banters between the characters was top tier.

Trust me when I say that the end leaves you eager for more!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Ed Crocker for a copy of this ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

DNF at 25%.

The plot was very interesting and I am a sucker for a good vampire story (and no sucker was not used on purpose here), but I felt the pacing was too slow and I could not get into the book for the life of me.

While this is a me thing, this book just didn’t hit the way I wanted it too. I really enjoyed the concept and the dynamics of the werewolves and vampires I just really struggled getting into this book. I enjoyed the mystery aspect and the character dynamics.

This book explores original concepts of what vampires and werewolves are and what immortal lives and dynamics would look like. The world-building is wonderful, and the plot is intriguing. The class system within the vampire community is also interesting and a new take on vampires. Our main character Sam is likeable right away within her lower class. All of the characters are just done extremely well. Crocker overall wrote an excellent immortal mystery with no humans!

In the vampire city of First Light, palace maid Sam is fed up with the strict social hierarchy. When she finds a clue to a murder, she blackmails her way into a better life and joins a group of rebels. Together, they uncover a conspiracy among the elite, and Sam must navigate this danger to survive and possibly gain immortality.

This book hooked me from the very first sentence of the prologue. As an avid fantasy reader, I found its unique twist—no humans—refreshing. Despite the absence of humans, the story is rich with politics and secrets. The world-building is excellent, and the characters are even better. I loved the dual POV, which provided different angles of the story.

The fierce female characters are a major highlight, especially Sam's perspective. Every character plays a vital role, and the sarcasm sprinkled throughout is fantastic. The first book answers many questions but ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me eagerly awaiting book two.

Highly recommend this one for the fantasy lovers out there! Thank you St. Martin's Press, Net Galley, and Ed Crocker for a chance to read this eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Intricately layered, and and masterfully written! This is easily one of the best fantasies I have ever read. There was never a moment where I felt the plot or pace was losing steam. I was captivated from start to finish.

This book was a unique take of a vampire/werewolf book. I loved that they didn't include humans, which made this story show more depth to the vampire/werewolf characters and their interactions with each other. The characters all felt real to me and I felt like I knew them by the end of the novel. The pace of the plot was good and kept me wanting to read more, so I can't wait for more books in the series.

A very unique,
wildly entertaining
world of immortals.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I write haiku reviews but am happy to provide more feedback!

This book is about a group of immortals coming together to solve a mysterious murder. It had quite a few really exciting fight scenes and a lot of intelligent conversations. The dialogue could get long and deep at times and was definitely the main way to move the plot forward in the book.

I thought that I had read and seen every variation of vampires possible. But then I read this book and was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. The type of blood that the vampires drink determines their socioeconomic class and can also imbue them with special abilities, which is truly unique and fascinating.

I think this will be a very good series and look forward to reading the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC of this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this new series that features vampires, werewolves, sorcerers all striving to survive in a world that has gone Grey.

Vampires are kind of played out. Werewolves also. When romance writers are doing stories featuring love not with the undead, nor the hairy, but dinosaurs, well that's a sign that trend has been staked and buried in the crossroads. There hasn't really been anything new with vampires. They mope, they want blood, werewolves want to run around and be free, and that is really it. Until now. Ed Crocker has found a way not only to make a vampire story interesting, but gives life to the idea that there is still something fresh to be done with creatures of the night. Making these creatures who used to cause fear, be the ones afraid, and having a real well devolved world around them. I might start liking vampires again. Lightfall is the first book in a new series, The Everlands, which tells of a world with vampires, werewolves and sorcerers, plotting and scheming for power, in a world that faces extinction from an unknown enemy.

Vampires had ruled the lands for so long, that when the Grey appeared they had no idea they were in a war, a war they would lose. The Vampires faced staggering losses and retreated from their centuries old cities to the city of First Light, where they built walls and with their sorcery allies planned their revenge. Behind the walls a hierarchy keeps the vampires in line. Lower class vampires, servants and the like live on the blood of cows. Those higher drink stag, eagle and occasionally werewolf blood, which endows vampires with great strength and power. All is stagnating, with palace plots being entertained as power shifts over the centuries. Until the day the First Lord's son is found dead outside the walls, killed by Greys. Or was he. A young maid finds evidence that the young lord was involved in something, something enough to give her a rise in station. The First Lord finds all his attempts to investigate being stymied by the people who are supposed to protecting the Vampires. Sorcerers are using this to advance their ideas. And the idea begins to grow. Maybe there is something else, something mortal that might be at the heart of the matter.

Game of Thrones with Vampires. That's an easy way to put this, but there is a lot more going on in this book than that. A great spin on vampires, werewolves and even magic people. Vampires one can see as the elite. Werewolves giving criminals to vampires to drain their blood for the fight against the Grey. Sorcerers being born adult, and told what their powers are. Different cults, hidden espionage groups. Again, a lot to follow. Crocker is really good at developing the world, explaining slowly how things work. There is a bit of a learning curve to the story, as the point of view changes among different vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, but the changes are noted so one is suddenly not in another person's shoes going huh. Once one gets used to the rotating narrators, the story moves well, with a lot of development in characters, plot and the world.

A series that might make vampires interesting again. I really liked the way things unfolded, and loved the twists and turns. For those who like a like a lot of plotting in stories, a bit of diplomacy among the action. And vampires. Also role player will enjoy the different views, and how an author can slowly revel the world, not just dump information on people. I look forward to the other books in this series.

A high-stakes adventure with a rich, complex world that will captivate readers from start to finish.

An epic fantasy novel set in a world of vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers, where centuries of vampire dominance are shattered by a mysterious enemy, the Grays. The survivors are forced into the last vampire city, First Light, where class divides are enforced by blood quality. Sam, a palace maid, grows tired of the rigid rules and seizes an opportunity to climb the social ladder after discovering a clue to a nobleman's murder. Teaming up with a group of rebels, a sorcerer, a werewolf assassin, and a secretive countess, Sam uncovers a conspiracy that could destroy the city. As she digs deeper, she must navigate deadly threats to expose the truth and survive long enough to uncover the mysteries of immortality.

_Lightfall_ has everything a fantasy lover could ever want—classism, rebellions, war, vampires, werewolves, assassins, and sorcerers. In the tradition of the best epic fantasy novels, it creates a world that feels lived-in and layered, filled with intrigue, power struggles, and surprising alliances.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its world-building, which is intricately crafted and cleverly presented. Rather than info dumping, the history of the country, its supernatural beings, and wars of the past they are slowly revealed through snippets at the beginning of each chapter, as well as through the diverse points of view of the characters. This technique not only keeps the pace brisk but also enriches the story, providing readers with a deep understanding of the societal tensions and conflicts shaping the present-day world. The characters—each of whom is deeply invested in facts, logic, and the pursuit of knowledge—serve as perfect vessels for this detailed storytelling.

The supernatural creatures are given new, intriguing spins. The vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers in this world aren’t just your typical creatures of myth; they are complex beings whose lives and roles in society are intricately tied to the class system, which is itself a fascinating part of the plot. The twist on types of blood is especially compelling, adding an extra layer of mystery to the social and political dynamics. The way the different races interact, negotiate, and maneuver feels incredibly realistic.

Each multi-POV brings something fresh and unexpected to the table, making for a vibrant, multifaceted narrative. The contrasts between characters are stark: their differing priorities, fears, and desires are reflected in their diction, thoughts, and behavior, and this variety creates a dynamic, immersive experience.

As the book moves into its second half, the stakes heighten, and the plot takes thrilling, unpredictable turns. I found myself riveted, unable to put the book down as action ramped up. This set the stage for what promises to be an exciting trilogy, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

What a book! I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a world without mortals. Every fantasy book tends to have some sort of aspect related to mortals against immortals so this was a refreshing change (of course they weren’t completely gone…). While this book centered on the vampires we still got a taste of the werewolves and the sorcerers in this world as well. I will also say that this was a very new take on vampires and their consumption of blood that I really enjoyed. Usually vampires are written more black and white but they are very complex in this story and the difference between Worns and the nobility really made this interesting. Each character was well thought out and dynamic, and the book flowed really nicely. And the ending was great, it didn’t feel rushed and makes me very excited for what’s to come in this series. A fantastic read!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I'm not going to lie, this book was a little slow in starting and it took me a little bit to get into it. However, once it reached that point when things start to really move and happen, I was sucked in. This book is intricate and vast. The world building is on par with other great authors like Martin or Rothfuss. I enjoyed this different take on vampires and wolves and sorcerers. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

Absolute banger of a debut book!

Ed has woven an epic tale of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers complete with political intrigue, classism, death, secret societies and several twists and turns that will take your breath away.

The world building and it's terrible history is so well thought out and brutal but oh so good. These characters are deep and have many layers, and secrets...so many secrets!
I loved Sam and Sage but my favourite character is Allana. She's a total bada$$. I love a strong female character and Ed gives us several in this story. In fact...ALL the characters are amazing, yes even the villains are written exceptionally well and it's a love to hate you situation we have on our hands.
I'm so looking forward to book 2, maybe just so I can read this one again to prepare. It's going on my shelf as a trophy!

I'm SO thankful to have received this ARC from St. Martins Press, NetGalley Canada and Ed Crocker. This review is my own.

This was an interesting book. There were some things that were worked really well for me (the Sorcerers, the werewolves, the libraries) and then somethings that didn't work for me (the jump to being just introduced to one of the leaders of the Leeches being the main thing that broke my suspension of disbelief pretty much for the rest of the book). I'll plan to read the sequel and probably future releases by Crocker but it didn't jump out as a must-buy for me.

DNF for me. I didn’t get very far so I cant leave much feedback. It just wasn’t for me, and I could tell within the first few pages.

First in a series and I'm hooked. Good ideas and characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Lightfall had me at vampires, wolves and sorcerers. I loved that humans are the “mythical” group in this story. Yet now, the vampires, wolves and sorcerers are being threatened by a new group known as the Grays. After the death of one of Lord Azzuri’s sons, Sam a palace maid, finds a clue that could unravel political alliances and the caste system that controls the vampires, through the varying levels of animal blood they are allowed access to.

I was really hoping to fall in love with Lightfall, especially since it is compared to Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire series. Unfortunately the writing style of this book felt very clunky and forced to me. It was difficult for me to connect with any of the characters, because I just felt like there was so much information being thrown at me, that it took away from any character development. I felt like “Red”, Azzuri’s son, would have been the most dynamic character, but unfortunately the story starts with his death. Jacob was the only other likable character, for me, that seemed to bring any life to his part of the story.

The effects of the different types of animal blood was a great concept in the book. It definitely sets up the perfect conflict in the story, from who has access to the best vials of blood and how the blood is provided. This was an interesting way to have a supply of blood for the vampires, outside of the typical human providers.

I did feel like the book had a strong plot and the potential was there for a great story, but I don’t think I will continue the series, with the next book.

This book is a multi-POV fantasy novel where humans are presumed to not exist, and the world is ruled by vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. How are sorcerers not human, you ask? Well, because apparently, they aren't born but emerge as fully grown adults from a pod. Fun. The vampires in this world are also unique. They actually prefer animal blood because they can take on the attributes of the animal. It's one of the ways vampires keep strict classes in place. Lower classes (the Worn) can only receive cow's blood and are kept docile and weak. Higher classes can receive all kinds of animal blood; some of it is even magicked.

The author took a lot of work in world-building, and it definitely shines through. The issue I had was that sometimes, as the reader, I felt too bogged down by the details. For example, the vampires have a blood market that serves as a stock market. The author goes to lengths to explain how a stock market works, which isn't really necessary for the characters in the conversation or for the furthering of the story. I think I would have preferred more information on how either the werewolf or mage societies work.

The murder mystery that serves as the central plot is very Sherlock to me. There is a lot of running around and making deductions. Sage, one of our non-magical sorcerers, essentially serves as Sherlock. In fact, before leading his own cult (a cult that believes humans did exist and are maybe coming back), Sage was an investigator. There were so many interesting little plot pieces, and my favorite was that humans "don't exist"; they are the myths in this world of fantastical creatures. Some even believe that the Grays are humankind come to reclaim the land.

One of the other issues I had with this book is how regressive vampire society was. These are beings that have lived for centuries and somehow think women are still less than and same-sex partners are frowned upon. It just felt kind of stale to me that there would be no progress.

This was a little bit of a slow read for me, but I think if you like politically leaning fantasy novels like Jade City, you would enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I was sold on the premise, but I found this book to be a bit of a slog to get through. Vampire stories aren't necessarily "my thing," but I do enjoy discussing them with my students; this is one that I don't feel compelled to suggest.