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THE EVERLANDS TRILOGY #1
LIGHTFALL
ED CROCKER
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 25
4.13
102 ratings85 reviews
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An epic fantasy of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers, Lightfall is the debut
novel of Ed Crocker, for fans of Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire and
Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings.
No humans here. Just immortals: their politics, their feuds—and their long
buried secrets.
For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of
nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the
last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor,
you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can
never, ever leave.
Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough
of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. 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 rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords.
Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack
of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of
secrets.
There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a
vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she
becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live
forever.
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GenresFantasyVampiresHorrorParanormalAdultMysteryFiction
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384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 13, 2025
Book details & editions
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ED CROCKER
1 book146 followers
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Ed was born in Manchester, UK and has managed to stay there ever since.
By day he edits books—his clients include Sunday Times Bestselling authors,
award-winning indie authors, and acclaimed small presses.
By night, or sometimes also by day (freelancer rules), he reviews SFF and horror
books and interviews authors for FanFiAddict.com, watches horror films, and
plays video games. My god, what a nerd.
He is the author of the epic fantasy trilogy The Everlands - featuring vampires,
werewolves and sorcerers but no humans - Book 1 Lightfall hitting shelves in
January 2025.
You can find him on most socials as @edcrockerbooks and at ed-crocker.com.
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS
4.13
102 ratings85 reviews
5 stars
44 (43%)
4 stars
39 (38%)
3 stars
10 (9%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
Ryan Rose
96 reviews9 followers
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June 20, 2024
For years, I saw agents and publishers say that they'd only look at books with
vampires and werewolves if they did something completely different with them.
LIGHTFALL is definitely that book. Just look at the main conceit on page one:
"No humans here."
Without humans, a story about vampires and werewolves has to be told and
explored in unique ways. It becomes less about how they prey on weak mortals and
more about how they prey on themselves. Crocker develops this ouroboros of blood
and mischief with a deep and intriguing world, full of curious historical
anomalies--ripe for exploration by two MCs with a love for history--and
characters that come alive through brilliant dialogue. Centered around the death
of a young (in vampire standards) noble, LIGHTFALL unravels mysteries at a
knife-edge pace that had me slamming my fists into the wall wanting to know all
its secrets while enjoying the chase for answers.
With tons of queer rep, including a bi male MC and two fantastic ships, I really
couldn't have asked for more. Can't wait for the follow up.
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Booksblabbering || Cait❣️
1,357 reviews378 followers
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December 23, 2024
I devoured this - bloody brilliant debut! 😉🩸
Expect vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, and a mystery!
Palace maid Sam is a bookworm, desperate for something better than the order
which sees her under vicious Lords who control the blood. They get the best type
which empowers them whilst the Worms (her class) gets the worst kind, not even
granting them immortality.
The murder of the city Lord’s son sets off a series of events that turns an
attempt at seeking blackmail material into involvement with rebels, sorcerers
from a faraway land, and a conspiracy greater than anyone could imagine.
This had such great characters.
I will always root for a clever protagonist, a bookworm who isn’t strong or
powerful, but who uses her ingenuity and knowledge to stay ahead.
We have a feisty, scary wolf. Vicious vampires. Sorcerers with questionable
motives and backgrounds.
Whatever grit I had is slipping out of me. I'm not a heroine who goes around
saving the day. I'm a palace maid with a book obsession and an uncurable
ambition. The wolfblood took me over for a while. The person who's left now it's
gone is having an identity crisis. It's a harsh comedown.
It is interesting that there are no mortal characters. The mortals are all dead
and so all we have are supernatural creatures with a rich history trying to
stake (wink wink) a claim.
There were some instances where I thought things were wrapped up too easily or
neatly, or I saw emotional moments coming so didn’t feel their full impact;
however I never felt dissatisfied.
There is wit. There is intrigue. There is action.
This is an incredible debut!
Rounded up to 4 stars!���
Arc gifted by St Martin’s Press.
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Esmay Rosalyne
1,234 reviews
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December 27, 2024
This review was originally published on Grimdark Magazine
If you thought vampires and werewolves in epic fantasy were dead, then Ed
Crocker is here to prove you wrong in Lightfall. Bleeding with intrigue,
emotion, and snarky dark humour, this fangtastically fun yet bloody brutal dark
fantasy will ensorcell you with its mystery and have you howling from laughter
and heartache the entire way through.
In a world where mortals are myth, a rebellious vampire maid, a magicless
sorcerer and his rakish companion, a pompous and grieving vampire Lord, a
secretive vampire countess and her enigmatic lady friend, and a deadly werewolf
assassin cross paths as they stumble into a seemingly simple murder mystery
investigation that unearths a dark conspiracy which turns their entire world on
its head; it’s not the start of a bad joke, it’s the batshit crazy premise of
Lightfall.
Now, it might have taken me a few chapters to really sink into the narrative
because of the frequent mid-chapter POV switches, but once I was in, I was IN.
Crocker’s bold storytelling and whip-smart authorial voice just worked for me in
every single way, and I personally think he pulled off the tricky multi-POV
first person present tense narration with effortless grace. The way that the
prose subtly shifted in tone and diction to fit with the race, cultural
background and class of each character was so masterfully done and made them all
so distinct and uniquely compelling, even if some of them were maybe a bit
overwhelmingly wordy or had a flair for the dramatic that probably even Gabriel
de Léon and Jean-François from Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire would roll their
eyes at.
Honestly though, for a book that Crocker promotes as ‘anti-human propaganda’, it
is filled with suspiciously lively and inexplicably loveable weirdos whose raw
and relatable (in?)human emotions get you emotionally invested to a point that
is honestly not safe for your own sanity. I loved seeing unexpected bonds of
loyalty and friendship (and maybe even more? CUTE) tentatively start to develop
between them, despite their best efforts to pretend they truly absolutely didn’t
care for each other (nice try). And don’t get me started on how much I adored
all the fierce, feisty and fearsome ladies, they just truly stole the show for
me in Lightfall. From the rebellious Sam and her quietly endearing friend Beth,
to the deviously clever and enigmatic Lady Hocquard and Alanna, and can’t forget
the snarky and deadly werewolf assassin Raven Ansbach; I want to be them all
when I grow up.
And when I tell you that this story just gets better and better with each
chapter, I mean that it got so good that I couldn’t hold myself back from
devouring the last half of the book in one afternoon. Lightfall isn’t just a
fantasy mystery, but instead it’s also got a truly addictive air of mystery and
intrigue that permeates every aspect of the story. Crocker just knows how to
strike the perfect balance between giving enough information to feel deeply
immersed and follow along with all the mystifying clues of the mystery
investigation, while also keeping his cards deviously close to his chest and
dangling just the most tantalising teases about the rich history/lore of the
world and the obscure backstories of the enigmatic characters in front of your
nose.
Moreover, for all that Lightfall is a wildly entertaining and exciting romp
(we’ve even got a suicide mission of a blood bank heist, for goodness’ sake), at
its core it’s still a dark fantasy with good horror flavours which unflinchingly
explores some heavier topics and knows how to deliver emotional gutpunches that
just hurt oh so good. When you’re dealing with a world ruled by immortal beings,
the themes of mortality, the fallibility of memory and historical accounts, and
the weight of grief and grudges naturally sneak their way into the narrative in
the most unexpectedly hard-hitting and profound ways. Not to mention the
commentary on classism and elitism through the set-up of the vampire society,
where the nobility thrive on the most nurturing and powerful blood while the
poor are left to wither away on the weak blood; even in a society of vampires,
you can count on the rich to be the true suckers.
Just when I thought we had twisted the last twist and turned the last turn,
Crocker had another few corkscrews up his sleeve, and the last chapter of
Lightfall truly has me dying for book 2 in The Everlands Trilogy already. With
its high stakes, riveting mystery, pulse-pounding action, and irresistibly
charming humour and heart, this comfortably familiar yet refreshingly inventive
dark fantasy mystery adventure is just the perfect treat for all the dark souls
who love the tone and vibe of David Wragg, Jay Kristoff, and Joe Abercrombie; I
can’t recommend it highly enough!
Thank you to the author and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC in
exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Lightfall is scheduled
for release on January 14, 2025.
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Billie's Not So Secret Diary
656 reviews71 followers
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December 31, 2024
Lightfall
by Ed Crocker
The Everlands #1
Fantasy Supernatural
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025
St. Martin's Press
Ages: 16+
The Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half of the vampires with bullets that
kill with even just a graze. The survivors ran to the city of First Light and
there the poor drank weak blood (cow) and the more noble you were the better the
blood, wolf's blood being the best, thus giving them powers including wings.
Sam, a palace maid, sneaks into the library at night, an action that would get
her killed if caught, but she wanted and believed she and others deserved more,
to be true immortals living for centuries without aging. When the city's ruler's
son is murdered, Sam is ordered to clean his room, and she finds a clue to his
death. Finding the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who use blackmail against the
Lords they clean up after, soon they are partnering up with a sorcerer and a
werewolf assassin.
But in the search for the answer to who killed the ruler's son, they also
uncover the reason why.
This book is told from multiple characters' first-person POV. Sam is the MC and
there are others just as important to the story, but even some of the minor
characters get at least a chapter to themselves. The first chapter was a hook,
but it never set and I was quickly bored. Sure there were some interesting
aspects, like the 'myth' of the mortals and who were the Grays, but it was still
the typical peasant vs royalty/poor vs rich along with their backstabbing, but
with vampires instead of humans.
The twist was nice, but not that surprising because of the foreshadowing. If
that foreshadowing had taken place in the much needed detailed history of this
world and its people at the beginning of the book, then it would have had more
of an impact. And I still guessed the overall who and why.
Even though it was an ok of a story and some of the characters were interesting,
overall this book was a boring and slow read due to the lack of depth in the
history, characters, and the weird dialogue along with the bare minimum
descriptions. I don't think I'll be looking for the next book in this series, as
I'm pretty sure I know where it's going.
2 Stars
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Anna Stephens
Author 30 books682 followers
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July 26, 2024
When everyone is immortal, what is there to fight for?
Turns out, quite a lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery at the heart of this book, and if the final
chapters are anything to go by, that mystery is only going to get deeper and
richer in the sequels.
With characters to love and others to loathe, several twists I didn't see
coming, and at least one batshit (ha!) crazy vampire to adore, I'm looking
forward to seeing what happens next.
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Kelly
538 reviews39 followers
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September 20, 2024
Imagine a world with no humans; just vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers,
everyone immortal and, for the most part, staying away from each other. Until
there is a magnificent city made where all of the immortals come together and
even the rigid social hierarchy of the vampires starts to become more flexible.
Now, imagine that world crumbling each race fleeing back to their respective
strongholds only to watch these too crumble. With no choices left, the vampires
and werewolves enter an uneasy peace to fight off an enemy far stronger than
both of them, maybe even combined. In this last Vampire stronghold there is a
young woman by the name of Sam, she is on the lowest tier of the vamp hierarchy,
dreaming of being so much more she stumbles across a secret one that will change
worlds and one that proves that the very worst of enemies come from within.
I was not going to finish this, the first few chapters I found there was little
difference between each characters personalities, the plot seemed predictable,
and it just kind of felt like it was almost a fan fic of just a bunch of fantasy
books thrown together. Omg am I so glad I didn't make that mistake! This went
from boring and predictable to I'm sorry wtf just happened in the span of like
three chapters. And look the plot twist at the end, the last fight when Sage
pulls out his stunt (I am not giving this away) this alone was worth every
tedious moment! I have read a ton of vampire fantasies never in my wildest would
I think anyone would have tossed this straight up should not work at all but
somehow is the very best thing ever plot twist into a vamp book!
Outside of the amazing plot twist, the world building in this is really
excellent as well. It's why I kept reading this. Crocker does an excellent job
of weaving this worlds history into the story without dragging the present down.
And it's honestly just a really original world. There are just no humans. None.
They may have existed, but that's just a myth. I loved that humans become the
boogie man because hey we freaking are.
What really ends up putting this over the top, though, are the characters, the
ones I actually couldn't stand at first. Somewhere around the midway point, each
of them just shine. Sam and Sage, I love, of course, as the main characters, but
Jacob is my absolute favorite character in this whole book so far. And like I'm
even mad because we don't actually get to meet Red (the First Lord's son and the
reason this is all happening), he just sounds well amazing. Like, I'm *mad* at
the characters that took him away from us as readers, I feel cheated. The bad
guys are just as excellent, not so much Saxe but I don't think he was meant to
be, but Rufous was the absolute perfect spoiled rotten, sociopathic, Noble brat
who you would happily punch in the face. On a scale of One to Joffrey, he's a
Joffrey.
Overall, this easily makes my top 10 this year (which puts my top 10 at about 40
books now), what really looked like just a straight forward conversation about a
rebellioj of serfs becomes this insanely massive story that will ultimately end
up encompassing the whole world, if the bomb that was dropped on Sage at the end
actually comes to pass.
As always, thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eArc!
You can check out all of my reviews at my Blog! Kelly's Book Nook
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Stacey Markle
255 reviews8 followers
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November 27, 2024
I'll be back to review....I'm currently nursing a big book hangover. I'm
speechless.
(OK now that I can get my thoughts together, here is my review. This is one of
those books where I want to immediately read it again!)
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.
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Priscilla Pontius
79 reviews5 followers
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October 24, 2024
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.
netgalley
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Brandee
47 reviews
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September 20, 2024
Ed Crocker has created an intricate world with a unique vision of vampires,
werewolves, sorcerers, and the mythical mortals. Although the world building
felt complex at the beginning of the novel, Crocker does a wonderful job
revisiting these ideas throughout in order to help the reader feel grounded in
the world of Everland.
Although our characters aren't mortal and they are caught up in a war of
political intrigue, their emotions and life experiences are what draw you in and
compel you to care about them. You feel their pain, happiness, fear, and
success. And most importantly, you want to be a part of the found family that
they build along the way.
As with any first engaging book in a series, Crocker leaves you floored with the
plot twist and wanting more with the breadcrumbs that are dropped in the last
pages.
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Kaden Love
Author 3 books86 followers
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November 24, 2024
The best vampire mystery I have ever read. Crocker takes webs of political
tension and conspiracy and composes a masterpiece of bloody intrigue. In a world
full of immortals, death takes on a darker meaning that spirals into chaos after
a murder on page 1. This is one of the best debuts I've ever read.
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Andi
1,489 reviews
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Shelved as 'gave-up-on'
September 23, 2024
I like to thank the publisher for a read.
You know those books you feel as if you're missing a huge chunk of plot. Or, you
have a race (this being vampires) that you think is gonna act like vampires?
That's this book. I made it 50% into it before abandoning it. A book where there
is a murder mystery but it is one big slog and takes ages to get somewhere.
Where the characters are boring and doing nothing but allowing their first
person narrative thoughts drag you on and on. As of 50% I felt like I learned
nothing about the Duke's son, nothing about the group that is rising in
rebellion, and werewolves may be involved but the character(s) weren't acting
like werewolves.
Out of respect for the author I am refusing to rate this because I did not
finish it.
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Sagavasuki
47 reviews
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Shelved as 'dnf'
December 10, 2024
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.
netgalley-arc
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Nika
87 reviews8 followers
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October 25, 2024
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!
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Mike Forrest
18 reviews1 follower
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September 19, 2024
This is not the book for me. I’m generally not a werwolves and vampires type
reader, but the description sounded like this would be a fresh new take on the
old monsters. Well, new isn’t always good. At least not to me. Beyond these
issues were the issues of clunky/inorganic dialogue, a bizarre first-person
present tense narration that felt like sexting without the sexuality, and a
strange framework changing points of view throughout. I struggled with whether
to give this a 3(because to be fair this type of book is just jot my thing) or a
1 because of everything else AND it is not my thing, so I decided to be fair and
give it two stars.
Thank you to the author, Ed Crocker, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in
exchange for an honest review. I hope you find your intended audience.
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Francesca
257 reviews41 followers
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December 10, 2024
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.
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M was M
226 reviews
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December 21, 2024
Elliot Brooks Most Anticipated New Releases 💧
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Casey Wheeler
1,014 reviews54 followers
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November 17, 2024
I found this book to be less than what I expected. It is about Vampires fighting
for survival. I found the basis of the story interesting, but the author’s
tendency to constantly bounce around between characters who were
semi-interesting at best was a struggle. His writing style just did not resonate
with me.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the
understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon and my
nonfiction book review blog.
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Hviareadsbooks
358 reviews
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August 16, 2024
If you like Crescent City, Empire of the Vampire, Twilight, or the Witcher you
are going to love this book. You get all of the paranormal fans and creepiness
while also having a high fantasy book. It is perfect.
2024-books 5-star-books arcs
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KayLoven
230 reviews2 followers
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September 22, 2024
DNF the ARC at 25%
Cannot force myself to finish this. Good god, I would simply rather die.
netgalley
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Andrea
160 reviews1 follower
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December 18, 2024
This world is that if vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. Each have secrets
they are hiding from each other while they navigate a delicate balance of a
treaty made after the greatest vampire city fell to the Greys. Nobody knows what
the Greys are or what they want, but everyone is afraid of them.
Sam is a poor vampire working as a maid in the castle of First Lord Azurri. The
vampires survive off of magicked animal blood with different characteristics and
strengths, with the strongest blood being Werewolf blood. Sage Bailey and Jacob
are sorcerers from the Cult of Humanis, who study the ancient human artifacts of
the extinct race. Raven is the princess of the werewolves and a hunter of the
werewolves who escape the vampire jails. None of them have anything in common
until they all come together to solve the mystery of the death of First Lord
Azurri’s youngest son.
This book is like nothing else I have read and I LOVED it. The characters are so
well-written and the twists and turns of the story had me on the edge of my seat
the entire time. This is high fantasy done so right!
Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for this ARC!
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mimi (taylor’s version)
520 reviews456 followers
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Shelved as 'tbr'
November 22, 2024
pre read:
my love for vampires took me places i wouldn’t have gone for all the money in
the world
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this
book in exchange for an honest opinion.
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Bevany
475 reviews12 followers
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October 30, 2024
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.
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Amanda
175 reviews6 followers
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December 28, 2024
Wow! I loved this book from beginning to end! Absolutely fantastic! If book 2
and 3 were out, I would binge the whole trilogy.
A full ARC review will be posted on my YouTube channel in January.
https://youtube.com/@fictionaddiction...
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Ashley
241 reviews13 followers
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December 29, 2024
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.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy
of Lightfall, in return for my honest review.
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Haly
31 reviews2 followers
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December 11, 2024
Ed Crocker has given us an ingenious, unconventional and thrilling way to view
the world of vampires. Additionally, the political relationships between
vampires and the other immortals, werewolves and sorcerers is also presented
with a clever twist. In the world of these timeless beings there are no humans.
Or are there?
Lightfall is such an amazing book that it is difficult to put down. The
description of every region of the continent, city, palace and home is written
in a way that makes it impossible not to envision them. The dialog between
characters is brilliant, tinted with enough humor and snarkiness to make it come
out as if the reader is sitting in the room. Each of the characters that make up
the core of the story is likeable in his/her own right.
Lightfall is the first in the Everlands series and I am anxiously waiting for
the next installment to be released.
*Thank you to Ed Crocker, St. Martin's Press and Goodreads for this ARC.
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Victoria
208 reviews2 followers
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November 8, 2024
This book was really interesting and refreshing. The worldbuilding was unique.
This is a paranormal work of fiction where humans are the myth. This book
features multiple first person PoVs that are very distinct and engaging.
There were definite Neil Gaiman undertones (including some quotes by Neil Gaiman
in the book itself). It threw me off a little at first but then I enjoyed it
after it got into a good groove with the plot. This book very much reminded me
of Stardust, but with vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers and not a mortal in
the lot of 'em. The cult religious followers who believed in humans of the past
were really interesting in their ideals. The unlikely crew of misfits were
especially unlikely and misfitting.
Content: violent, routine d*ath by sunlight, the privileged and strong rule over
the "weak", strong language
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this
book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained
in this review are my own.
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Pamela Carvalho
106 reviews85 followers
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August 11, 2024
[4.5 rounded up]
This was such a clever take on vampires and werewolves. A subject that so often
can become campy or cheesy, this book is neither of those.
A compelling story and characters with both heart and depth. I ADORE a book with
some funny banter between likable characters, and this one has it.
There were a few spots that felt a bit verbose but never boring, and I also felt
that the action sequences sometimes felt a bit clumsy but other than that the
writing was very enjoyable. I truly cannot wait for the next book in this
series!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!🙏🏻✨
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Heather | Heather's Book Shelf
507 reviews20 followers
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October 16, 2024
This book is a MUST READ! What begins as a slow-burn introduction to a seemingly
unconnected cast of characters evolves into an epic tale that immerses readers
in a high fantasy world where vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers coexist
without mortals, and someone - or something - is out destroy that society. This
book features intricate yet accessible world-building, allowing readers to dive
deep into the story without feeling overwhelmed; something not always easily
achievable in the fantasy genre.
The plot unfolds at a nice pace, with twists and turns that keep you on the edge
of your seat. However, it’s the characters who truly steal the show. Fun,
strong, and well-developed, each one brings unique personalities and backgrounds
that make this mismatched crew perfectly suited to work together.
Lightfall delivers the action and adventure every fantasy reader craves. This
book is a must-read for fans of high fantasy, offering an engaging story filled
with compelling characters and a richly crafted world.
Thank you St. Martins Press for my advanced copy of this one!
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Whitney
38 reviews
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October 13, 2024
Very much looking forward to the next book in the trilogy. This was so good and
I think my first vampire book.
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Kascha
49 reviews2 followers
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December 1, 2024
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.
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