<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!

Summary:

Nine months ago, Mia lost her mother, her home, and, in some ways, her sense of self. Now she's wandering, trying to find the man who caused all this. Unfortunately, he's a hard man to find. Trust us – Mia is the only one trying to hunt him down.

As such, she will have to get creative if she wants to succeed where the police have failed. That means entering the same networks he runs through and risking her life on a daily basis. You know she isn't going to think twice about it.

Review:

First Light is the second novel in the Night's Edge duology, and it hit just as hard as the first. We're talking about a vampiric disease affecting countless people, one woman out for justice/revenge (take your pick), and a quest to understand oneself.

What hit me the most was how different First Light was from the first novel. It has the same characters and the same story, but the overall feel has shifted. Mia feels both more lost and more determined, depending on the situation. It's an interesting and highly emotional mixture, to say the least.

Oh! I should mention that First Light is split into two points of time – a past and a present. I was more invested in one of the two for the longest time; then it would flip. Back and forth, I went until it all came together in my head.

Long story short - First Light is so worth the read. Especially if you loved Night's Edge, you'll want to see how Mia's story plays out.

Highlights:
LGBTQ+
Vampires
Paranormal Fantasy

Trigger Warnings:
Blood/Vampirism
Attacks

You must read Night’s Edge first before starting this. Night’s Edge ends with such heartbreak and I loved it for that. I don’t always like a happy ending or everything being tied into a neat little bow. I actually just read it a few months ago not knowing there was a sequel. When I saw the sequel pop up on Tor Nightfire’s IG, I flew over to NetGalley to request it.

Sometimes sequels are a flop but 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 was anything but that. I thought it was so good! It starts a short while after where we left in Night’s Edge, and Mia is a whole new girl! I thought it was interesting and fun, definitely suspenseful and the end had me panicking for a while. I liked the dual timelines which provided background on how they got theirselves in this mess, I liked the revenge aspect and for a while I was scared she was going back to being the scared young girl she used to be. If you like vampire stories, you need these two in your life! Many thanks to Tor Nightfire for my eARC. 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 will be available 4/23.

This sequel goes far beyond any expectations. Liz took a claustrophobic perspective from the first book and blew it up into a whole world. It’s touching and entertaining and an awesome take on vampires. So good!

The sequel to Night’s Edge is a fun vampire book without the century old creeper vibes. I loved the first book which played with themes of self determination when as a child you are forced into caring for an adult, which also played with themes of self preservation and the vilification of the chronically ill. Most of these themes were tied up with the death of Mia’s mother Izzy at the end of book one. I was interested to see where Kerin would take book two. In the sequel, Mia is battling herself, trying to decide between avenging her mother and defining her own queer life free of the vampire influence. She chooses vengeance.

This book lacks some of the depth of theme and ingenuity of the first book, as many sequels do, but does provide a rip roaring adventure horror. Kerin creates a completely believable world where vampires are hunted for public safety, and where conversations of privilege and prison systems make a small appearance. Overall, this is still a fun bit of vampire horror without all the annoying troupes, and cringy Jane Eyre knockoffs.

I loved the first book in this series, Nights Edge. I picked it up with no expectations and it was such a pleasant surprise. This series is fascinating and readable but it also has amazing characters and deals with some heavy themes. I'm always a bit nervous about sequels, but I didn't have to worry about this one. The author does such a great job continuing Mia's story.
She goes through even more heartache while dealing with so much change. But we see her grow into this strong and amazing woman. The ending was bittersweet and left me still hurting for Mia but also content and hopeful for her future.
This series was such a standout in this new wave of vampire stories and I know it will stay with me for a long time. My only tiny complaint is that it’s a little bit too long. There were some moments that the story lulled and could’ve moved along slightly faster. But my enjoyment didn’t go away even in those moments!

First Light marks the conclusion of Night’s Edge, a stunning duology penned by Liz Kerin. Just like its predecessor, this book blew me away. This innovative approach to vampires, likening it to a Covid scenario, is such an interesting take and the parallels drawn between these two pandemics and the societal adjustments they necessitate were thought-provoking. Moreover, it serves as a poignant coming-of-age tale for a character thrust into adulthood prematurely, delving into themes of familial dynamics, sexuality, power, and individual agency.

Despite its weighty subject matter, First Light is a breezy read that had me hooked from start to finish. The author’s skillful use of flashbacks to gradually unveil crucial information adds to the story’s allure. Each character is richly developed, flawed yet relatable, leading to complex and realistic interpersonal dynamics that enhance the narrative.

In sum, First Light delivers a compelling and introspective conclusion to Night’s Edge. It will appeal to fans of vampire fiction seeking a fresh perspective on the genre. Liz Kerin’s storytelling prowess firmly establishes her as a rising star in speculative fiction.

Liz Kerin delivers her readers a strong sequel in First Light. This did not go in a direction I anticipated but in the best way possible.

This duology is so much more than just another vampire horror story—-it’s the perfect blend of toxic relationships, supportive love, revenge, forgiveness + learning who you are and who you want to be. There’s also a great balance of plot and character. I love a character focused story and the growth we witness of Mia is so well done.

Also Liz Kerin manages to take the classic vampire lore and create something new with it which I’ll always find impressive.

Wow. Liz Kerin took everything that worked in Night's Edge and tripled it here. This sequel has a similar structure as Night's Edge - we flip back and forth from right after the events of Night's Edge and a year or so later. Of course we follow Mia, as she navigates a new life and new challenges (I don't want to spoil anything!)

This really kept me on my toes - it is so fast paced and so fun. Highly recommend!

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮:
Fantasy

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
friends to lovers

𝓜𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓹𝓽𝓼:
This book starts off with a bit of a time jump after the events of Nights Edge. Mia is on her own in New York, seeking to avenge her mother and take down Devon. She finds her self as a volunteer in a Sara house where lots of events take place.

𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓢𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓼:
Will add once book is released

𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓑𝓾𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰:
Not heavy here. The world was already pretty set up in the first book and there’s really not a whole lot to know and keep track of. Pretty simple world. VAMPIRES!

𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓵:
1/5, but sexual content is applied

𝓞𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼:
So honestly I think that I love this book even more than its predecessor. This book follows Mia as she finds her place in the world. The character growth is HEAVY in this book. I enjoyed the storyline and Mia’s growth and Devon got what he deserved!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE Cora and Mia together and I really enjoyed the epilogue. It was like the frosting on the cake and really made me happy to see how much Mia grew as a character.

I enjoyed this book as much as the first one! Mia's character is complicated and sometimes frustrating, but her upbringing completely justifies her behavior (imo). I love that we get to slowly watch her evolve between the two books and become happy with the life she creates for herself. I do think that the "Then" chapters of this book could've been a little shorter than they were. I found a couple them to drag a bit and was impatient to get back to the "Now" parts of the book. Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with the outcome of this story and found myself sad to see Mia's journey come to a close. I look forward to see what other amazing stories this author can create!

First Light is an incredible sequel to Night's Edge. I tore through Mia's story with the intensity of a vampire's thirst. The title, for me, was a metaphor for that moment we discover the truth about a long-told lie or misperception. The light equals truth and truth becomes power for Mia. This was the most original vampire book I've read in a while. I always hope for glamorous, sexy creatures, but was not disappointed to take a dip in Liz Kerin's version.

What an amazing sequel!! I absolutely loved seeing Mia’s life and how she dealt with the events of Night’s Edge in this sequel. We get to see not only how she deals with those events but how she grows and changes as a person and it was absolutely, beautifully done. Mia has been dealt a hard life and to see where her story ends, brought tears to my eyes. This storyline to me is probably one of the best vampire stories I’ve ever read, it brings such a realistic, and human aspect to vampire stories that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. This story makes it feel like if vampires (Saras) really became a reality, this is what life could really be like. I don’t want to give away too much but this is a MUST READ if you loved Night’s Edge.

Thank you @tornightfire #partner for the free book!

This is the second book in the Night’s Edge series and I am happy to report I liked this one even more than the first! Who doesn’t love a blood thirsty revenge plot with vampires, monsters and darkness?! You do need to read the first book before this one as it follows up 9 months after the last disaster that left Mia on the run. This time she’s tackling it head on and trying to find the man who shattered her and her mother’s life. In an intense cat and mouse game Mia tries to find and destroy the man behind it all but in doing so realizes she herself is in grave danger. In order to escape it all she has to look into her mother’s past and come to terms with the truth.

This book felt even more powerful and polished to me than the first! This vampire tale is intense and action packed that left me wanting to immediately read the next! I really loved getting to know Mia even more in this book and even though she’s far from perfect she is so strong and relatable. You cannot help but stand behind her as she kicks some booty and cheer her on! I don’t feel like this is your average vampire story…it’s action packed and horror filled mixed with paranormal elements and a sprinkle of fantasy! I highly recommend this series if you like vampire horror novels!

It’s been nine months since the events of Tucson sent Mia fleeing from her home. She’s determined to find the man who gave her mother a thirst for blood and destroyed their lives.

But when Mia finds them, she discovers that instead of being the hunter, she might be the prey. To escape, she’ll have to reckon with her mom’s harrowing past and confront a painful truth: they may be more alike than she ever imagined.

This book was a solid continuation of the first novel, and it picked right up where the last one ended. I enjoyed getting to know Mia more on her quest to get answers. Just like the first book, the writing style is poignant and emotional. I think that in the first novel we just got a taste of the Saras and what the condition meant, in this book, we got to do a deep dive into it. I think that this was a unique take on a vampire novel, and I appreciated the differences while relishing in the familiar. I also loved that we got even more information about Mia and her mom’s relationship, it was great to get more sides of it. This book touched on some heavy themes though I felt that they were handled well and with care. The imagery was great as well and I felt like I was with the characters on their journey.

I wouldn’t recommend reading this book if you haven’t read Night’s Edge yet as it won’t make as much sense.

Incredible! I found the characters so interesting and well rounded. The story was so unique. Pacing was great. Can't wait to read more from this author.

I loved Night’s Edge and loved this sequel even more! The direction the series takes is gripping and turbulent to the point that I did not want to put it down. I am usually weary of the vampire fiction genre as it can lean heavily into repetitive tropes and plot lines where Liz Kerin is breathing new life into the genre. The vampires in this universe are referred to as Saras, people infected with Saratov’s syndrome. The interactions between Saras and uninfected humans have a lot of symbolic parallels of addiction, codependency and parental trauma. I have a strong feeling this series is going to unite different audiences, bridging the gap between niche horror/vampire fans and popular fiction/bestseller centric readers. I highly recommend this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC!

At this point, Liz Kerin can do no wrong and this goes for First Light. The sequel to Night's Edge is a blood-soaked revenge story about confronting the shadows of our past and seizing a brighter future.

First Light picks up where Night's Edge left off - nine months after Mia fled Tucson in search of the man who destroyed her family. She's on the hunt for answers, but little does she know that she might have been their prey all along. When Mia infiltrates a secret network of fugitives, she discovers a painful truth: they might be more alike than she ever imagined.

Liz Kerin's writing style is intense and emotional, with a focus on character development that sets it apart from other genre novels. She takes us on an emotional journey through grief, family dynamics, and finding oneself while living for someone else. This novel is not just about vampires; it's about the human experience.

The characters in First Light are complex and well-rounded. They're not just good or evil; they're flawed and realistic. Mia is a strong protagonist who has suffered great loss but refuses to let it define her. Her motivations are clear and relatable, making her easy to root for throughout the story.

Kerin's take on the classic vampire story is outstanding. She creates something new yet familiar by putting her own spin on well-known tropes of the genre. The world-building in this book is excellent too; you can tell that Kerin put a lot of thought into creating a unique mythology for her vampires.

To sum up, Liz Kerin’s First Light is an exceptional novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the darkness. With its intense writing style, strong characters, and unique world-building, First Light is a must-read! If you haven't read Night's Edge yet, I suggest starting there before diving into First Light.

After reading Night's Edge last year, I wanted Mia's arc to reach a satisfying conclusion. She was left floundering after her mother's death, and I'll admit to feeling disappointed and let down by the second half of her story. While the duology ended on an okay note, there were many missed opportunities and pivots I didn't fully appreciate.

My biggest gripe was with Devon and how the author seemed to be hinting at a more nuanced relationship between him, Mia, and Izzy (Mia's mom). There were some almost heartfelt scenes between Devon and Mia, and I thoroughly enjoyed the mixed emotions Mia had after hearing his side of the story. She even unearthed the reality of his influence on ADAPT, the Sara (vampire) movement. But it all seemed gratuitous and a waste of time by the last forty pages.

I wanted to love this duology. I adore vampire stories, and the pandemic similarities were appreciated. The prose is also vibrant and compelling. It's a shame the character arcs and plot beats didn't do it for me.

What an absolutely stunning sequel to NIGHT’S EDGE.

FIRST LIGHT picks up shortly after the events of NIGHT’S EDGE take place. Again, Kerin uses to time to manipulate and confuse the reader, leading them to an extremely bloody cliff’s edge before pulling them back, again and again.

It’s a roller coaster of a revenge arc. And I loved it.

I really enjoyed Kerin’s use of time during FIRST LIGHT. It really kept me on the edge of my seat. Plus, I think it makes it more fun in a topsy turvy way. You really never know what’s going to happen next. Or when!

Mia is like so freaking cool. What an intelligent, flawed, broken, and beautiful character. She really was just a product of her society and of her mother. And that’s not always a good thing. But wow, what a fighter.

FIRST LIGHT is action-packed and very bloody. Many times I found myself cringing at a particularly grisly scene. But it all added to the gorgeous (and deadly) atmosphere that Kerin has created in this vampiric world.

I’m beyond impressed. I absolutely adored Liz Kerin’s take on the classic vampire story. She creates something new, yet familiar. And it’s seriously captivating.