2.5 stars.
This was the first book of a trilogy it wasn't paced very well; it felt very slow for the first two-thirds. The historical background had too many similarly-named cities and the book could really use an index or timeline to help the reader keep track. I don't think I'll be seeking out the next two books in this trilogy.

Ed Crocker’s Lightfall is an ambitious and immersive epic fantasy that plunges readers into a richly imagined world of vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. With its intricate politics, sharp social commentary, and a plot filled with intrigue and danger, this debut novel delivers a thrilling and satisfying adventure that will appeal to fans of Empire of the Vampire and The Justice of Kings.

The world-building is one of the novel’s strongest elements. First Light, the last vampire city, is a darkly captivating setting where the stark divide between the nobility and the poor adds layers of tension and complexity to the story. The rules of this society—where blood is currency and privilege dictates survival—are chilling yet fascinating, pulling readers deeper into its moral gray areas.

Sam, the scrappy and resourceful protagonist, is a delightfully flawed and relatable character. Her journey from a downtrodden palace maid to a key player in uncovering a city-wide conspiracy is compelling, full of twists and surprises. The ensemble cast of characters—including the enigmatic sorcerer, the lethal werewolf assassin, and the secretive countess—adds richness to the narrative, with each character bringing their own secrets, motives, and vulnerabilities to the table.

The murder mystery at the heart of the story is well-paced, with enough twists to keep readers guessing. The gradual unearthing of the conspiracy and its implications for the city’s future create a sense of mounting dread, and the stakes feel appropriately high. The action sequences are gripping, and Crocker’s prose vividly captures the brutal beauty of this world.

While the novel excels in atmosphere and tension, it occasionally stumbles with its pacing. Some sections in the middle feel slower compared to the breakneck speed of the beginning and end. Additionally, a few secondary characters could have been more fleshed out to match the depth of the leads.

Overall, Lightfall is a dark, exhilarating ride through a dangerous and morally complex world. With its blend of political intrigue, supernatural conflicts, and a dash of rebellion, this debut solidifies Ed Crocker as a promising voice in fantasy. Fans of intricate plots and gritty, character-driven stories won’t want to miss this one.

This was definitely one of my most anticipated books of the year. Werewolves and vampires in an epic fantasy? Sign me up!

Sam is a worn, a very low born vampire. She works in the Palace in Lightfall, where vampires fled to when the Greys arrived. Nobody knows where the Greys came from or how to defeat them. So, the vampires are stuck in Lightfall until they can figure it out. If they leave the city, the Greys will kill them.

Sam dreams of more. She hates the nobles she works for. They get the best blood, and treat the worns like something they stepped in. She has to find a way out. She may just get her chance.

This was so good! It made me excited to read about vampires again.
The characters are fantastic. I think my faves are Alanna and Raven. Well, all of them actually!

Whew! Not what I was expecting and this is definitely in my wheelhouse.
Vampires, Werewolves and Sorcerers and not a human to be seen. A land decimated by a war with the mysterious grays and each faction separated in their survival. Lots of terms to digest in this world and a huge mystery that gets deeper and deeper. But by midway you find yourself totally locked in. Bring on book II. Thank you netgalley and St Martins Press

I really liked this book, but I do have some issues. There are some weird time jumps with no indication of the jump, while jarring once you get past them the story really picks up. There is also a lot of telling instead of showing. The world building is very much just paragraphs of telling. It may sound that I didn’t like this book, but I loved this story so much and the twists were great. With a little bit more fleshing out of the world building, this book would be an easy 4/5 stars, but I would place this at a very high 3 star.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an E-ARC to read and review.

"...for fans of Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire and Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings..."
Having read both series this book is compared to, I can honestly say that I see some similarities.
There is court intrigue.
There are vampires.
Once we get past those truths...

Honestly, when I read the comparison to Kristofff's "Empire..." series, I was all in.
There are vampires. The entire world is made up of vampires. Run, for the most part, by vampires.
There are also sorcerers, wolves (werewolves?), and Grays (not what you're thinking).

Samantha is a very low-level vampire that cleans for higher-caste vampires. And in so doing, she has a tendency to be a snoop, and bored, and looks for things that might get her away from this life of drudgery and, hopefully, into a better life that doesn't include cleaning up the debauchery of her masters.
Obviously, in her snooping, she finds a clue that may include information that will explain why the Crown Prince has been murdered outside of the realm and found in an area that one goes. An area that is more or less patrolled by the Grays, and almost guarantees a swift death to any who step foot past the border.

From there, the court intrigue went off the rails for me.
Too many talking heads muddying up the narrative. Same as with parts of the "Justice" series.
From conspiracies, to spy networks, to possible relics from "those who came before", to a weak romantic subplot, it sort of roamed all over the page. And let's not forget how we can drink wolf blood and sprout wings and fly. Didn't see that one coming.

This sounds like I'm hating on the book.
Not entirely.
I liked Sam, even though she was more than a little annoying.
Her friend Beth was the rock that kept everything fully balanced for me. For a while.
I quite enjoyed the sorcerers...Jacob was very amusing and almost guaranteed to steal any scene he was in.
I just think I would have enjoyed the book more if it had stayed with the original plot of who killed the Crown Prince. To me, everything else was incidental.
I didn't hate the world-building (but that makes me want to hate on the naming of the districts...Lightfall, Southwestfall, Northeastfall, Shadowfall, Centerfall...you get the idea. Was starting to look for Upfall, Downfall, Sidefall, Underfall, Overfall...enough already.)

This has been touted as Book 1 of the series. Will I read the second installment? Probably.

But to Jay...Mr. Kristoff...my go-to when I can't find anything that calls to me...your head can rest easy on your pillow. You aren't soon to be nudged off the top shelf. At least in my mind.

I would like to preface this by saying this is the type of review that I hate and dread to write. Lightfall is a unique take on a vampire and werewolf story in a world where human are gone and the only thing left are magical creatures. Within this world we find interesting enough character archetypes to build a compelling story around. Unfortunately for those characters their primary function is unending info dumps and telling their life story to everyone that will listen individually. Lightfall spends so much time explaining the politics of the world and how smart or quick witted everyone is that the plot doesn’t have room to breathe. In my opinion if I have enough faith and trust to pick up a book then the author should trust me enough to understand what is going on. At no point did I feel free to enjoy the story while being spoon fed every tidbit of relevant or often irrelevant information. I think it’s possible a lot of these issues could have been avoided with good editing and I hope he can get that in the future.

wolfblood gives you wings 🪽

guys ... i enjoyed an adult fantasy!!
the banter, the vampires, the politics, the class system …. chef’s kiss. we start with a summary of what’s already happened, which i LOVE to help me get into an epic fantasy without being incredibly confused. the rest of the book is equally as easy to follow, with so much intrigue and conflict building. it still took me a while to get super invested, but i ate UP the last 70% in one sitting. i shed some tears too.

quite dry (think: british) humor is shared by every main character. it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but i was giggling along with their sarcasm and jibes. i tried to ignore the few crass (read: body shaming) comments, & luckily they didn’t carry on in the second half.

the writing:
- first person & present tense (this took me a while to get used to)
- longer chapters but pov switches within them
- violence without smut (my favorite)

our main cast:
- a vampire maid who loves books
- a very out of touch lord
- a dommy mommy spymaster
- the logical & eloquent sorcerer (gale dekarios vibes fr. ed pleaseeeee don't do him dirty, i am BEGGING you)
- the drunk & lusty mage (very cute besties with the sorcerer)
- hot, bloodthirsty werewolf

the mood:
- tiered bloodmagic system that reinforces the vampire hierarchy & powers (i love this & how straightforward it is)
- lots of political intrigue
- lots of spying
- a hint of teasing slow-burn
- gay tragedy (grab tissues)
- no one is safe from death (grab more tissues)
- these characters can be a lil dumb sometimes but they are slowlyyyy growing. emphasis on slowly. i’m scared of what’ll be revealed in the sequel.

all in all, she's cute, she's fun, she's a bit of a bloodbath, she's witty, she's VAMPY, and she has the potential to break my heart.


*thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC*

Lightfall
by Ed Crocker
The Everlands #1
Fantasy Supernatural
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025
St. Martin's Press

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARK.

When I came across this new fantasy series about vampires, werewolves, and witches I was so excited to jump into the world right away. I absolutely love fantasy, especially when there are vampires involved. I requested an ARK via NetGalley and was happy to be approved.
First of all, the synopsis of this book was promising. It sounded like a pretty unique, interesting premise. However, the story just didn't meet my expectations. I will admit that my expectations were set high as I had heard many people on YouTube with above average reviews. I thought the world was interesting and new; a world where humans are a myth and vampires drink animal blood. The noble/rich vampires can afford the best blood which comes from wolves, foxes, ect. The servants /lower members of this vampire society can only get cows blood. Our main character, Sam, is a vampire servant. She's very interested in learning about the past and knowledge that is forbidden to her. She is tired of surviving on lowly cows blood.
The book started off well enough but it didn't keep my attention. Some parts were just plain boring and some parts were a little too YA for my tastes. A lot of the characters and character interactions felt juvenile to me. Overall, I think the author is a great writer and his prose was good. Personally, I can see how this book would work for a lot of people.

#NetGalley

One of my resolutions for 2025 was to branch out and read different book genres, specifically epic fantasy. Lightfall is the first epic fantasy book I’ve ever read and I’m so glad I chose it to be my first because it was amazing, especially for a debut novel! I fell in love with the cover, but I fell even more in love with the story behind the cover! ♥️

I loved that each chapter featured multiple POVs. It really felt like a movie where multiple things were happening all at once. The writing style was also great and I loved all of the sarcasm.

Jacob was one of my favorite characters because he provided a ton of comedic relief. But I also really love Sam and how brave and strong she was.

I cannot wait to see how the story continues in the next book, especially with the plot twists that occurred at the end of this one! Luckily the cliffhanger is not too unbearable, but it definitely sets up the next book perfectly!

If you love murder mystery, vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers, and political intrigue, you will love Lightfall! Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy! Lightfall is out now, so be sure to check it out! ❣️

A dark fantastical world, where humans are myth and vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers are the norm, a mystery, with many characters’ PoV’s and a highly interesting plot.

Did I find this a little slow? Did I find this a bit clunky in parts? I did.
But, did I also find this very fun and intriguing? Did I appreciate the world building? Did I enjoy the characters? Would I read the next title? Absolutely yes.

A very fun debut, and one I recommend.



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

This book was so much fun to read and here's why:

1. There's no mortal characters. They're all dead, and all we get to see are supernatural creatures and how they live in this world.
2. In the same breath, we have werewolves, sorcerers, vampires -- all of them with their own motives and morals.
3. A conspiracy we unravel with the main characters
4. Multiple POVs
5. Dark fantasy murder mystery

It had a lot of fun elements and kept me engaged. I do think some things were solved too easily, but maybe that's other fantasy books making me paranoid and untrusting. Either way, it's a fun and good read for anyone who likes a combination of fantasy and mystery!

Big thanks to the publisher for the e-arc!

This is more of a high fantasy than a true vampire novel, and if that’s your bag you’ll probably like this more than I did.

I’m pretty picky about high fantasy and struggle with it when the story doesn’t have much of a sense of humor. I also need really strong world building to stay interested. This book doesn’t have much humor (something I find especially important in a brutal/violent environment), and while the magical system is well rendered, the world building and visual descriptions are pretty thin.

It’s more of a character study mixed with epic saga, which is fine, but not my preference. I’m not sure it’s accurate to compare this to Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire books (terrific stuff if you haven’t read them, by the way), as those have very little in common with this except that they both have vampires in them.

I probably won’t continue this series,though if you love character-driven high fantasy and want to see a unique twist on the roles of monsters vs humans (Surprise! There are no humans in this one!), I expect you’ll enjoy this one a lot.

Lightfall by Ed Crocker is the gripping first book in an epic fantasy series brimming with a world without humans. This is a world of only vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, and political intrigue. At its heart is Sam, a book-loving vampire at the lowest rung of her society's hierarchy. Her quest to access the oldest, most forbidden section of the library pulls her into a dangerous conspiracy that sets the stage for an unforgettable adventure.

Told through multiple points of view, Lightfall builds a rich and complex world filled with shifting alliances, dark secrets, and deadly power struggles. Though the world-building takes time to sink into, it rewards patience with its depth and creativity. Sam’s ragtag band of companions are mysterious, daring, and brimming with humor that adds layers of intrigue, bravery, and moral complexity as they navigate what justice means in their shadowy world.

This dark, character-driven epic left me eager to see where the story goes next. It took a bit to fully immerse in the plot, but once I did, I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing a copy of this book.

This was such an interesting world. I think the way the book was separated into parts, and went between POVs, made this a really fast-paced and compelling read. This plot was one I really enjoyed--I love an unlikely protagonist uncovering clues to some huge conspiracy. All the characters were fleshed out really well, and I enjoyed the way the group of investigators really all felt like different people. This was just a solid and interesting read, and I would love more in this world and from this author. Also, the US cover is really cool and I dig it a lot.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press for a digital copy of this novel. This was a very fun read. It is separated into four parts and goes back and forth between different POVs. We see a world shared by vampires, sorcerers and werewolves. Our protagonist and unlikely heroine Samantha is a maid in Vampire city First Light. She finds herself in the middle of a broad conspiracy when she discovers key clues in the investigation of the assassination of the First Lord's son. I enjoyed the contrasting abilities and personalities of Samantha's group of investigators. The book really picked up for me about 3/5 of the way through. The revelations were well done and the ending sets up a sequel quite nicely. I'm really looking forward to the follow up.

Lightfall is 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 power are shattered by a new enemy, the Grays. The survivors are forced into the last vampire city, First Light, where class divides are enforced by blood. Sam, a palace maid, takes an opportunity to climb the social ladder after discovering a pieces of an important murder.
Teaming up with a group of rebels, Sam uncovers a conspiracy that could destroy the city.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a unique take on supernatural beings in a world full of vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. The novel takes place within the last city of the vampires where outside this city there is the threat known as the Grays, a mysterious group, that are feared as they have weapons that can destroy all immortals, which was demonstrated in the far past when the Grays appeared and massacred half of the immortal population in an event known as Grayfall, an event leading many of the immortals to scatter to different places from the great city.

The story begins with a mystery. The First Lord of the vampires, Azzuri, is with his son that was fatally attacked outside the city walls. Azzuri wants to know who would kill a vampire of the ruling class and why would his son be outside the city walls where it is not safe for vampires?

This vampiric society is governed within a class system with the lowest class known as Worns, a middle class, and the nobility. The major difference is the Worns are suppressed by only being able to drink the weakest blood- cow blood, where partaking of a higher animal quality or magically enhance blood can lead to a punishment of death by sunlight. The Worns’ place in this world is to serve the other classes and not be able to drink special blood like that from a werewolf, which gives extraordinary powers of strength, sensory overload, slows down the physical appearance of aging and gives vampires wings for flight.

In this world, we have Sam, a maid for the First lord of the vampires. She is known as part of the Worn, but unlike many she is willing to take chances and opportunities to break the rules that she doesn’t feel are fair in this society of vampires. She doesn’t believe she should be a Worn. She is even willing to read forbidden texts in the library, something a Worn is forbidden to do. She also is willing to steal and take blood that is above her station, even though if found out it could lead to her death. After Sam learns of Azzuri’s son’s death, because of her inquisitive nature and knowing this may be her way to get above her station, she starts to look into his death and comes across something that will set herself on a journey that will lead to a possible conspiracy and change her life forever.

The story is told through the usage of multiple POVs, including Sam and Azzuri. All of the POVs are intriguing to where I was invested in all of the different story arcs. A minor complaint would be not being familiar with having multiple POVs in first person. It took a little bit of time to get comfortable with the amount of jumping from POV to POV within these pages. Also, there are limits with first person narratives, not to get into spoilers, but there are limitations and rules that need to be followed to where at times I felt these rules were broken. But on the plus side the first-person narrative really pushed the reader to getting to know these non-human characters on an emotional level. I could go into more detail about the other POVs, but one of the joys I found is the discovery of all the interesting characters that are within this novel.

The actions sequences were exciting and bloody, and most importantly I was emotionally invested in their outcomes. These sequences really pulled me through the novel. There is also a lot of wit and deadpan humor throughout the novel. I especially like the interactions between Azzuri and his friend Redgrave.

The ending was satisfying and has me looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC!

I love a good vampires and werewolves rivalry book. Lightfall is a slow burn in a whole new world. I got Underground vibes at the beginning. The story is fairly slow paced but there are no missing details. The characters are unique in my opinion but the story line fell a little flat for me. It took me a little longer than I expected to read this book but overall I enjoyed it. Slow burn is just very hard for me.

This book is a slow read primarily because there are dozens of characters and too many kingdoms all introduced in the early pages of this book. There are also set-ups for the rest of the book that make little sense in the beginning of the book. While the author’s world building skills are on full display, he needed to spend more time on developing his primary characters instead of having a cast of dozens - none of whom are developed significantly enough for readers to care about them. There are no humans in this world, every character is a vampire and the entire population is supplied with blood - from the societal elites who get the best blood down the ladder to maids who get the lowest grade of blood which is just barely life sustaining.

Crocker’s world is fascinating, if very dark. The book would have been outstanding if the author had spent as much time creating his characters as he did in creating the world in which the book is set.

My thanks to St. Martins and NetGalley for an eArc.


My thanks to NetGalley for an eARC.