Loved the mystery and loved how deep the lore promises to go in future books. This is something to keep an eye out for!

"Lightfall" by Ed Crocker brings a refreshing, complex twist to vampire and werewolf lore, setting it apart from the usual supernatural tales. In a world with no humans, vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers are left to battle among themselves, with a city of immortals at its core, unraveling into political intrigue, rebellion, and an enemy that pushes old rivals into uneasy alliances.

From the start, the setting grips you: a society shaped by the absence of humans, a haunting echo of myth. Without mortals, the immortals must confront their own flaws, creating a fascinating dynamic as they prey on each other. The story follows Sam, a low-ranking vampire with big ambitions, as she stumbles upon secrets capable of reshaping her entire world. Ed Crocker masterfully builds a richly layered world, intricately weaving history and mystery into a sprawling yet grounded tale. The world of Lightfall feels lived-in and vibrant, with historical touches that invite readers into a centuries-old clash of power and legacy.

While the slow-burn start may test patience, it rewards readers with characters that grow beautifully over time. Sam and Sage, the main duo, shine through their flaws and fierce resilience, becoming characters you root for. Even side characters like Jacob and Rufous, the latter a loathsome, spoiled noble reminiscent of Joffrey Baratheon, are compelling in their roles. The story boasts a rich vein of queer representation, adding depth and nuance to the relationships that develop across the book.

The novel delivers twists that go from predictable to jaw-dropping, keeping you turning the pages. Crocker’s willingness to challenge norms within the genre makes Lightfall both surprising and profoundly engaging. By the end, it’s clear that this is only the beginning of a larger saga, leaving readers desperate for answers to the mysteries teased throughout. It’s a world where the absence of humans isn’t just a novelty—it’s a question that haunts every page, suggesting layers yet to be uncovered. For fans of fantasy who crave something original in a well-worn genre, Lightfall is a must-read that redefines what vampire and werewolf stories can be

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC for review.

I really enjoyed Ed's take on a world without humans full of Vampires and Werewolves! This is seriously such a good story!!!!

DNF at 25%
Lightfall starts out with a promising premise. A fantastical world where vampires, werewolves and sorcerers have come together to create a utopian style city that they all reside in. Eventually the city falls after being attacked and overpowered by a new group called the Grey. Split into their own factions the supernatural now hide with their own kind in medieval style societies with caste systems ripe for overthrowing. The death of a vampire lords son is the catalyst for change, mystery and revolution.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this book, but unfortunately this just did not work for me. The beginning actually started out good, one POV character is a vampire maid with a penchant for sleuthing, another is a sorcerer who has formed his own cult and another is somehow an elder vampire Lady who is the head of a resistance group called the Leeches. Around 20% we are introduced to yet another POC character and at this point I realized that I had become so disinterested in this story that I had no desire to continue. If this is the first book in a planned trilogy and Im already bored at only 20% of book 1 then there is no hope for me here, I do think this book may appeal to some readers, but I am not one of them.

When I saw this book was great for fans of Jay Kristoff I immediately requested it as I love a good vampire book and I am always on the hunt for my next favorite. Sadly, I could not get into this one and I had to DNF at 50%. I kept picking this book up and reading a bit only to drift off and end up putting it back down. I wanted to love this one but it just didn't grab me.

I love supernatural stories and this one did not disappoint. I liked the narrative voice right from the beginning and I enjoyed the world building.

As a fan of vampire books this is a must read. I always enjoy books that look at the genre in another way- and this book definitely did. It was a different take on vampires. A very enjoyable read!

Lightfall was a book that sounds promising but the excution fails. It boasts of new thrills, but lets be honest, it is hard to do anything "new" in the realm of fantasy with it being so overly saturated with the same tragic vampire troupe. I was recommended this book because I am a huge Jay Kristoff fan; however, Ed Crocker fails to have the eloquance that Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire possesses. I also enjoy dark fantasy books with humor and characters who are cheeky. I found the characters to be very basic and cardboard feeling. The story had the feeling of a young adult or new adult novel in the case that everything feels safe and forced rather than that gritty feel that I enjoy while reading adult dark fantasy.

If you are a fan of Jay Kristoff, you will love this book. I liked the story that was told and the band of characters we met through multiple povs. A high fantasy with paranormal characters.

This book certainly felt a lot like a roller coaster. I absolutely love the backstory, the idea that immortals are the normal and humans are a myth. Instantly loved it the first moment I read it. I enjoyed majority of the banter though some of the villains like to talk too much and got rather repetitive and boring. The ending felt rushed, and the big fights in the end felt… too easy. Especially with the revelation when it comes to Sage. I love Sage, by the way. By far the most intriguing of characters in my opinion. I definitely look forward to continuing this series.

Palace maid Sam rebels against her vampire overlords and tries to better herself through blackmail. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood.

She falls in with the Leeches, a group of like-minded servants, and does her best to solve the murder while improving her lot, and perhaps the lot of her fellow maids.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Publishing for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Lightfall!

I did end up DNFing Lightfall. I liked the first chapter but after that I had no idea what was happening. The world building was confusing and I felt there were too many characters introduced in quick succession.

The power system based on drinking different blood types of animals was really interesting and original. In the time I knew her I did like Sam even though I didn't feel connected to her or any other character in Lightfall.

Overall I think readers who like murder mystery, epic fantasy and intersting magic systems, would find this book interesting. Lightfall may get better past the point I got to but for the time being I'm going to move on from this book.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read an early copy.
Now for the balls of it…it wasn’t for me. The pace was a bit slow and it was kind of boring. Sadly I couldn’t get into this story. I usually love politically intriguing tales that follow the characters up or through their social classes and finding their places but this once was just not it for me. I’m sure I’ll pick it up later or even listen to an audio be it available as sometimes that makes it so much better for me. For me I’ve got to shelve it right now.

A supernatural cast for this murder mystery novel it's an interesting read but I didn't connect with the characters. Might have been my fault and I wasn't in the right mood for it.

It all starts, as always, with the main character seeking adventure and death, almost as if it's her hobby.

Then quickly, we’re thrown into a covert operation, unraveling mysteries and facing dangers.

Time passes, and all the heroes come together as a whole gang.

Somewhere near the end, I found myself sitting there, trying not to cry, saying, "I knew you would do this to me" (I still get ridiculously attached to characters).

My thoughts on the last chapters were: What? How? Oh, that’s why.

I felt the beginning was a bit rushed, especially how Sam jumped into danger without a second thought.

The book is told from multiple perspectives, which I love, allowing us to see the story from different angles and noticing common threads among the characters.

There’s a vampire society mixed with a dash of murder mystery. We also have werewolves and sorcerors, political intrigues, and a game that unfolds over a long time. There are no mortal people, but everyone is thinking about them.

It's a tale of how different beings come together.

The perfect read for cozy autumn evenings!🌑🩸

P.S. Thanks for the chance to read the ARC!

I heard so many great things about this book that I was excited to read it but I ended up stopping at about 20%. The world felt messy and slightly unplanned to me. I also only ended up liking one character and that was Sage. A lot of the characters and character interactions felt very YA and juvenile to me. I just couldn't get into it.

It's one of the best books I've read this year. Well written, great story of a world where humans are a myth and the vampires, werewolf, and sorcerers are immortal. World building was a bit complex, with great characters that really drew me in. Looking forward to next book in the series.

An excellent start to a new series with phenomenal world-building. With enough description to put you in the environment, you feel a part of this rag-tag team. The tale pulls you in in degrees as you feel the struggle to just stay alive and improve current circumstances, to uncovering secrets of the past (mortals), to exposing corruption .. and all this while solving the murder of the supreme ruler's son. By the time that the team fully joins ranks, you feel committed to the quest. This was dangerous and exciting and full of action in the periphery as well as in the forefront. And the twists at the end have me absolutely hooked - I cannot wait for the next book to come out!

A vampire caste society combined with a murder mystery. Add werewolves, and political scheming, and you end up with a well-written book that has an engaging plot that makes you want to read 'just one more page'. I eagerly anticipate the sequel.

Lightfall by Ed Crocker is a unique tale of vampires that I was pleasantly intrigued by.

The book begins between the two separate points of view of Sam and First Lord Azzuri, who each offer a unique perspective into different vampire hierarchies. First Lord Azzuri is at the top of the food chain (pun intended) as a vampire who gets the very best of the blood and all the other benefits that come with his position, whereas Sam is at the bottom, receiving the dregs of their society which provides nothing more than sustenance. What ties their two unique perspectives together is the mystery of why the First Lords son has been killed, the secrets he was pursuing and who ultimately ended his life. They both provide an essential view of this investigation as Sam is looking for answers that can get out of her poor position in life, while Azzuri simply wants to know what would drive his son to risk his life as he did prior to death by leaving the city and exposing himself to the threat of the Gray's. I really enjoyed both their views as they were such different characters with such compelling motivations and I found myself hooked into the mystery immediately as they sought out the clues available to them with their different roles in the castle and the opportunities they each got as a result of this.

I was even further intrigued by the sorcerors and their different kinds of magic which make an appearance with Sage Bailey's introduction to being a point of view character. There are five different types and I immediately wanted to know more, particularly about the Quantas who are looked down upon by all others. Suffice it to say this world created by the author had me so invested to quickly. It raised all kinds of questions I just wanted to keep reading to find answers for, and it was such a unique world with fantastic world building.

I also loved how the different perspectives were somewhat linked together throughout the story. They all had some kind of tie to the question of First Lord Azzuri's sons death and although each character was vastly different and came from very different backgrounds and positions in society, there was this link between them and Azzuri which kept things so interesting. Not to mention, the mysterious, deadly entity that was the Gray's was so intriguing and I wanted so badly to find out what they were and why they had forced the people from Lightfall and to be contained in their new city or die. Not to mention Sage Bailey and his investigation into the fable that is mortals. I had so many questions and was so desperate for answers. This book did a phenomenal job of keeping me intirgued and providing a super different, enthralling world.

Lightfall completely took me by surprise. I did not expect to love it as much as I did, but this one was that rare type of book that blew me out of the water with how good it was. I honestly can't stop thinking about it and I am so excited for the sequel. Having to wait is going to be brutal because there are so many questions I'm desperate for answers to and I really want to see where this series is going to go. I highly recommend this one, particularly to epic fantasy lovers who are fans of vampires (but not exclusively because this is so much more than a vampire story).