I enjoyed returning back to this vampiric tale after loving book one, Night’s Edge. That book quickly became a new favourite. I enjoyed this one as well but it didn’t quite reach the same level of excitement. I think it’s the case where the story felt less fresh and I tend to prefer tight short standalone over long running series. That being said, if another book comes out in this universe, I would happily read it.

I love the author’s prose. The writing is simple yet beautiful. I would read anything this author puts out so I can enjoy their writing again. These books are more slow paced and feel more slice of life. I would primarily recommend this one to read looking for a slower character driven story. If you are interested in this book, I recommend starting back at the beginning with Night’s Edge, which is fantastic.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is such a good sequel, and I can't wait for the third book in the trilogy! While the first book set up a lot of Mia's life and her attachment to & situation with her mother really well, this one is a fully revenge-driven story. Less character growth or explanation, more "I am on a mission and WILL complete it" - and I loved that so much. I really liked the stuff in the centers specifically and wish we could've spent more time there! Eager to see where the story goes for Mia & Cora.

Another sequel hitting shelves in April and oh man did I enjoy the heck out of this! This is the sequel to Night’s Edge, a book that I read and really enjoyed. It’s a contemporary paranormal thriller that involves vampires and this one flips back and forth between events that happened right after nights edge and slightly in the future and we are still following Mia as she navigates some of the consequences she's now dealing with. This is a really great continuation.

I absolutely DEVOURED Night's Edge so I was so honored when Tornight fire approved me for an arc of First Light. I of course devoured First Light. It's such a gripping, fast paced, contemporary vampire novel. I love the world Kerin has built and how familiar and plausible it could actually be, if a vampire epidemic happened. It follows our main character Mia after the events of Night's Edge and her next steps. Cannot recommend this duology and novel enough.

What a sequel!!! The events following Mia after the ending of Night’s Edge (IYKYK) was shocking and not what I expected at all! When I hit that twist at like 25% I was like OKAY LIZ KERIN I SEE YOU! 🔥 it’s so hard to review this without spoiling the first book, but ultimately if you like female coming of age stories with a *twist*, vampire stories told in a refreshing way (vampirism is a pandemic and they aren’t seen as like mythical creatures by society…they’re seen as being sick 😱), queer love stories, and books that’ll make you question your ethics, morals, and judgment - pick this one up!

Thank you NetGalley & Tor Nightfire for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 ⭐️

"First Light," the sequel to "Night's Edge," follows Mia after the events of the first book. The book has two timelines again, 2023 - a few month after the first book ends, and the present - 2024. Like the first book, the year is marked at the beginning of each chapter so there is no confusion.

This book starts out with a bit more action than the first book. Shit has hit the fan and tension is building as the government continues efforts to control the Sara population.
Mia struggles with the loss of her mother and tries to determine how she wants to live her life, now that she is free to do so for the first time in 13 years. But she cannot let go of what happened and the anger she has for Devon.

Devon still thinks Izzy is alive. The Sara centers have a new "daylight" drug where Saras are now able to walk during the day. Mia quickly learns that she may not be as safe as she thought she was now that her mother is gone. Mia decides to do some digging into the "ADAPT" community that Devon has established. She wants to take Devon and his operation down.

I don't want to give more away, but there is some action, tense moments, and the book held my attention. I did like it a little more than the first book; however, they are still pretty equal in my mind. I think Liz did a great job of continuing the story and keeping the same tone and vibe as the first book. This book did have more a dystopian feel to it as Mia hit the road and discovered the underground workings of the Saras.

Overall, enjoyed this series! It wasn't quite so much vampires to me, felt more like a virus, which it was, but the book didn't have the traditional vampire vibe. I was satisfied with the ending and where Mia ended up. I will be looking forward to future books by the author!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for access to the ARC. I greatly appreciate the opportunity!

“I came all this way to watch you burn.”

First Light is the second in the Night's Edge duology. You'll want to read Night's Edge first, and then lucky you, you can dive right into this one next!

Incidentally, spoilers ahead.

It's been nine months since Mia's life in Tucson came crashing down around her. Her mom is gone, for good, and revenge is on her mind. She is obsessively hunting the man who infected her mother with the deadly Saratov Syndrome and ruined their lives. From a Saratov center in New York City to the wilds of frigid Colorado, Mia will encounter the harsh reality of life during a pandemic of epic proportions and pure evil at its worst. Mia will have to find new strength and perseverance, with the help of new and old friends alike. Is a happy ending even possible in a world like this?

SPOILERS OVER

There is a short list of authors whose work I will read no matter what. Liz Kerin is definitely on it; she sealed her fate with this unique and enthralling story. Mia is a character you will love to love and can't help but root for. Her indomitable spirit leaps off the page. Kerin takes the reader on a thrilling ride through the darkest parts of humanity and still finds the light inside. Masterfully.

NOTE: I received an advance reading copy of First Light from the publisher. My opinions are my own.

It’s time to discuss another horror sequel—Liz Kerin’s much anticipated First Light is hitting shelves April 23, 2024 from Tor Nighfire. I think it’s fair to say that its predecessor, Night’s Edge, took social media by a storm when it came out. Or at least, it did for my corner of Instagram. I really wanted to know what all the Starbucks cups were about, okay? And now I’m going to do my best to tell you what they’re about, what they are both about, without spoiling anything. Because I want more people to read this duology.

To begin, we’re going back to Night’s Edge. I’ve reread the synopsis of this probably five times to make sure I’m not giving too much away when I say the first thing (after the Starbucks cups) I knew about these books was that they involved mom trauma. The second thing I knew (which is about the Starbucks cups) was that this was another sapphic vampire novel to add to the stack. While that second point is usually a good time, the first one gave me pause.

If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you probably know that I enjoy grief horror. That for me, horror that pulls those emotional strings is going to be what I reach for. But I opened Night’s Edge, read the first page, and said okay. Maybe I’ll give this one a minute. Which, by the way, absolutely props to Liz Kerin for such a killer opening. But I want to bring this up because that thread of mom trauma ties both books together. Again, not really a spoiler—First Light’s synopsis mentions this continuation.

I should have realized going into this read that the timing was going to make this a poignant one for me. You see, I lost my mom in April of 2002. And it feels dishonest to review this duology without providing that piece of context. Mia’s relationship with Izzy in no way mirrors my relationship with my own mother, but the emotions felt true. And the direction they go in First Light dialed that up to eleven. I wasn’t expecting the way the themes begun in Night’s Edge were going to evolve. But evolve they did, beautifully and cathartically so.

Now, if you’re still with me, I want to make sure you don’t have the wrong idea. I know that up there was heavy. But these books somehow aren’t. They are, clearly, but they don’t read like it. They’re fast-paced, fun, witty. I think I read both books in only a few days. Night’s Edge was, dare I say, cute. They both had their heart wrenching moments, but the pacing of both prevents the reader getting bogged down. Which is good, because so often Mia is also not afforded that time. And First Light really kicks up the action and stakes, so that doesn’t change. It really is a fantastic sequel. And since it’s both sequel and finale, it had a job to do.

Having finished both books now, I have questions, but not urgent ones. I have questions in the way you wonder about that friend from highschool who somehow isn’t on social media. You hope they’re doing well, you’d love an update on their life. But the last time you saw them, you had a decent enough picture of how things were going. First Light did its job well. The things I was wondering about in Night’s Edge are answered as well as the story and characters can allow. But a perfect bow wouldn’t fit this tale, so I’m glad I still wonder. I’m glad I’ll still be thinking of Mia, and these books, for a while.

I had really loved Night’s Edge so I was really excited for its sequel, First Light. There are some books that just speak to my teenage self and Liz Kerin’s sad girl vampire novels hit the right spot.

Kerin’s writing is full of raw emotions without being overly dramatic. I loved the expansion of the fresh take on vampires and the post-pandemic world she had created in Night’s Edge. The characters were built well and easy to relate to. I really loved the juxtaposition of coping with an abusive parent and searching for an identity with a culty vampire story. It also was quite the heart pounder towards the end and had a few jaw dropping reveals. This one is perfect for fans of strong female characters, vampires and complex LGBTQ+ relationships.

Huge thank you to Tor Nightfire for the ARC!

First Light by Liz Kerin is a satisfying end to the Night’s Edge duology. This was a page-turner. I found this to be more enjoyable than the first book. This is definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year. ARC was provided by Tor Nightfire via NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5/5 I am so sad Mia’s journey has come to an end. I was secretly hoping for a third book… obviously I knew it was a duology but a girl can dream. This story was almost as good as Night’s Edge, but ending a series is always a big feat to accomplish.

We get to follow Mia’s journey through dual timelines, past and present. One starts right after the events in Tucson and one starts in the present where Mia has been on the road, a fugitive or so it seems. The dual timelines mesh together perfectly, intertwining to the epic conclusion.

I truly loved the character development that Mia went through on her journey of revenge. Though was it really revenge or just closure? Honestly, I was shocked because this was not the same girl we saw in the first book. It got real steamy in this one! I truly gasped at all of the turns this story took. Such a great read, I immediately need more from Liz!

Thank you the NetGalley team at Tor/Forge for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I will be posting a review over on my TikTok (@resurrectedbookworm) on 4/24.

What an emotional gut punch of a novel, and what a fantastic conclusion to a story that I was floored by last year and had high hopes for this year. I absolutely loved this book and the continuing story of Mia, as well as the continued world building of a unique and deeply compelling vampire mythos that has rich layers of complexity, lots of pathos, and yes, some scary monster moments. Both a revenge parable as well as a story about forgiveness and healing, FIRST LIGHT is a great follow up and ending to NIGHT"S EDGE, and I can't wait to see what Liz Kerin brings us next. She's a true powerhouse in horror literature.

I have no idea how to properly gush about this book without spoiling stuff from either this or the first book, but wow. This is how a sequel should be done. Take the OG story, which is awesome, and introduce all kinds of new and exciting elements while still keeping the overall characters and theme. Make it fresh! Make it feel unique while still feeling like part of the same world. I have no idea how Liz Kerin did it, but she nailed it.

In fact, I wasn't even sure how there would be a true sequel, given the ending of the first book (IYKYK). But I can admit when I am wrong, and guys, I was so wrong! This sequel was epic. There was so much character development, and such a great plot with a ton of action and high stakes (vampire pun absolutely intended). We learn even more about the Sara (vampire) culture, and how the country is handling it, and there is so much relevant commentary packed in, too. If you have read the first book, you will need this one in your life. And if you haven't... well what the heck are you waiting for?!

Bottom Line: Truly one of the best sequels in the history of sequels. Full stop.

I am so thrilled to have received this ARC and I gotta say I enjoyed it just slightly more than the first. Mia is such a relatable character to me and I enjoyed getting to know her more. I’m meeting the author Liz Kerin on publishing day at an event and so even though I didn’t receive a physical ARC from the publisher, I also ordered one as well! Stoked.

Liz Kerin knows how to pack a punch.

Night’s Edge was such a delicious surprise to me this last season, and I was so excited for this follow up. Usually, when I am THIS hyped- I try to recognize the risk for disappointment. I didn’t let myself this time, because i just *knew* First Light was about to be a banger.

“But all I want to do is capsize.”

Mia is maybe one of my favorite characters I’ve ever encountered. She’s so wholesome while also craving vengeance. I loved seeing her on her own, getting drunk by herself and eating everything that didn’t outrun her. Kerin perfectly captured the loneliness of a New York transplant with severe anxiety.

Once again, the themes of abuse, trauma and toxic love that were introduced in Night’s Edge are re-introduced and explored more, alongside themes of grief.

This duology is a beautiful and heart-wrenching addition to the vampire genre, and I’m so glad it exists. Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be coming back and editing this with my Instagram post linked on release day.

I so wanted to like this one but I struggled to get through its opening pages. I am still very thankful to the publisher, author, and netgalley for granting me advanced access to this one before publication day.

Liz Kerin's vampire duology is everything I want this next generation of vampire horror to be: queer, gory, tense, and with a tone and aesthetic that reminds me of the grungy 80's/90's vampire books I grew up reading. I loved Night's Edge last year, and FIRST LIGHT was the perfect sequel, rounding up all our loose ends and giving Mia the emotional closure she seriously deserved after the events of the first book. I also loved getting to see more of the post-Sara virus world that Kerin began building in book 1, and while Mia's story maybe complete, should Kerin ever return to this universe I would definitely be on board to read more stories set in this adapting-to-pandemic-life world that bears such an eerie resemblance, in some ways, to our own.

First Light is the second book to Liz Kerin's Night's Edge series, a book I hold near and dear to my heart. As far as vampire books go, this second installment is breathtaking and left me thirsty for more (pun intended). The writing is beautiful, and you can't help but love Mia, the main character. This beautifully dark coming of age story is a book I will continue to recommend to everyone who will listen.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC.

Night’s Edge, one of my most impactful reads of 2023, dealt with the destructive force of enmeshment and the all-consuming nature of addiction. As a sequel, First Light shows us what comes after—the stumbles of finding identity after trauma, the complicated navigation of familial bonds and grief in the wake of abuse, and the cyclical path of revenge. It is a twisted, enraging exploration of toxic coping mechanisms and hyper-fixation that had me gripped front the moment I picked it up.
Without revealing too much, since this is book two in a duology, and therefore a conclusion in a story I would hate to spoil, First Light reminded me greatly of the old Grecian odes to revenge, and even classic plays of a similar ilk. Narratives like The Revenger’s Tragedy by Cyril Tourneur (or Tom Middleton, depends who you ask) and Medea by Euripides. These stories where the protagonist is consumed by this visceral need to seek retribution no matter the cost. In that regard, as a reader you play witness to a path of self destruction so intimate and staggered you long for the highs of lucidity and self-reflection, but dread the eventual pitfalls of obsession.
Personally, I found this a near perfect conclusion to Mia’s story and wholly recommend both Night’s Edge and First Light as an unnerving, classically inspired examination of modern monsters and toxic relationships.

<i>Night’s Edge</i> was one of my favorite books of 2023, so I was highly anticipating <i>First Light</i>. With the way the first book ended, I wasn’t sure how the story would continue on. Readers can rest assured that they are in good hands with author Liz Kerin. Where <i>Night’s Edge</i> was a dark coming-of-age story, <i>First Light</i> is about grieving the past, facing your demons, and becoming the person you are meant to be.

Kerin’s writing is incredible– deeply emotional without ever being melodramatic. It’s raw, sometimes painful, and beautiful. She has reinvented the vampire mythos and crafted a fascinating world that feels relevant to the post-pandemic world we live in. I fell in love with her characters. I could empathize with all of them–even the villains. She is a true talent.

I’m very excited to see the television adaption of the <i>Night’s Edge</i> books. I am a little sad that this is the last book in the series but the ending was perfect.

If you grew up with an abusive parent and are struggling to figure out who you are now as an adult, this book is for you. I also highly recommend this to anyone looking for incredible female characters, vampires, or a complicated LGBTQ+ romance. Be prepared for a journey. This book will take you down dark corridors that you may not be ready for yet. The author posted a list of trigger warnings on Goodreads, that are worth checking out. While the book does tackle some grim subjects, the overall message is one of hope and perseverance.

One of the year’s best and bloodiest!