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Morgan Creek #1

As Twilight Falls

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Photographing ghost towns across the American West, Kadie Andrews takes a wrong turn and ends up in Morgan Creek—a spot that isn’t on the map. It’s a quaint little place, but there’s something off about its complacent residents. And when twilight falls, it takes on a truly sinister air…

Unable to run or to find any way out, Kadie finds herself a prisoner, hunted for her blood. Still more disturbing, her spirit and beauty have captured the attention of the town’s leader—the mysterious Rylan Saintcrow. When he looks into her eyes, she can see his hunger. When he takes her in his arms, she can feel his power. When he presses his lips against hers, she can taste his need. Saintcrow may be the most powerful creature she’s ever imagined, but Kadie knows in her heart that he is also a man. A man who needs a woman. To want him, desire him, crave him. To be his willing prisoner—for all eternity…


"A classic vampire tale of sensual, spine-tingling suspense." --Christine Feehan on "Desire After Dark"

"A master of her craft." --Maggie Shayne

"Ashley is a master storyteller." --"Romantic Times"

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2013

141 people are currently reading
1229 people want to read

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Amanda Ashley

89 books1,373 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
Profile Image for Sissy's Romance Book Review .
8,992 reviews16 followers
August 29, 2016
'As Twilight Falls' by Amaznda Ashley is the story of Kadie Andrews and Rylan Saintcrow. I actually was reading another book called "Twilight Dreams" that had Kadie and Rylan in there as secondary characters. I was halfway through that book when I just kept thinking I really want to read Rylan and Kadie book too. So I found this one 'As Twilight Falls' with their story. I was not disappointed at all. I enjoyed this book just as I thought I would!
Kadie is a photographer that happen to take a wrong turn and ended up in Rylan's 'ghost town' that host a few vampires and humans who they feed off of. Rylan has actually been underground for about 30 years when he 'smells' Kadie in his town. Rylan can't resist her and quickly takes her to is house. There Kadie starts to have feeling for him and she ends up making him more 'feeling' with other people treatment. So if you like a tough heroine with a tough guy hero that is all soft inside for his women...then this one is for you! Truly enjoyed this book and was happy to get back to my other book 'Twilight Dreams' and finished reading that one also. Both were great.
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Profile Image for Carla-Everything Romance.
115 reviews196 followers
February 8, 2013
Kadie Andrews, driving alone in a severe rain storm, ends up in a deserted, dark and dreary town. Everything is closed down. There is no gas station or hotel. There are few people. Even though she is terrified, she accepts help from a stranger who gives her food and a place to sleep. Soon, she learns the town harbors vampires and the few humans living there are used to feed them. She tries to leave but learns no one is allowed to leave and a supernatural barrier has been put up at the entrance to the bridge to force people to stay. Rylan Saintcrow is the superior vampire who set up Morgan Creek to hide vampires from the hunters out there seeking them. Those who wander in can’t leave but can lead a protected life; those not wanted are destroyed by Saintcrow. Kadie wants out but Saintcrow has other ideas. He is smitten and deems her his forever. Can he make her want him as much as he wants her?

Amanda Ashley loves her vampires. In As Twilight Falls, her latest paranormal adventure, Ms. Ashley describes in considerable length the workings of a vampire. She wants us to understand how solitary they are, caused more by need than anything else. She makes us understand that, in order to survive, they must hide all signs of humanity. They must always be one step ahead of their hunters. Relationships with humans are always rejected because they always outlive their lovers. Relationships with other vampires don’t last long because self-preservation is of the utmost importance and trust can never be established. The more Kadie pushes Rylan to be more human, to find ways to solve problems without killing, he knows he is doomed. The more she pushes, the more he cares about her but he tries to make her think she is only a possession to him. Until the day arrives when he knows this is not going to work anymore. He has to make her understand how much he cares and how much he wants her in his life, as a partner not as a possession.

The passion that is shown from the first page to the last page has drawn me into being a more avid Amanda Ashley fan than ever before. The worlds she opens may be fantasy but she makes us think with our hearts as well as our heads and for this reason, I give this book 5 stars.

Reviewed by BMR's Reviewer - Joanne

*ARC provided by author
Profile Image for ❁ lilyreadsromance ❁.
2,026 reviews1,144 followers
June 10, 2022
1.5 it's-so-bland stars

You know the biggest issue I have with this book. I don't know why our hero fell for the girl, why he felt so much for her when in fact, they barely know each other. Like how are we supposed to root for these people?

Oh and have I told you it's fade to black?

Also, SPOILER ALERT. What do you expect things to happen when you release like a group of vampires out into the world and now you're like scratching your head why are they turning the humans into fledgling vampires?

Just a lot of poor decisions were made in this book.
Profile Image for Lover of Romance.
3,712 reviews1,123 followers
January 16, 2016
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance My Review
The Summary 
Kadie Andrews has come out the the western states, as a photographer. She has a talent with capturing ghost towns and cemeteries. She takes a wrong turn and ends up in a town that is off the map, practically a ghost town and makes her eerie. The residents are a bit off and react strangely towards her. Hardly anything is open, including a gas station. During the day there is activiy, but the moment the sun goes down, everyone flees into their homes. Through a array of circumstances she ends up learning about the truth behind the curtain. The town of Morgan Creek, is overcome by a coven of vampires, and the master vampire who has been alive since the crusades, is the most dangerous yet sensual mans Kadie has ever known. But she is literally kept a prisoner along with everyone else in the town. As the food supply for the vampires. Some have it worse than others, depending on the vampire feeding on you that week. Kadie has the luck of drawing the attention of Rylan Saintcrow, the leader of them. He keeps her in his home, but there is something real that draws Kadie to Rylan. Rylan has never known anything good or pure since he was turned centuries ago, until he scented Kadie....her spirit and body pure in every way. Will Rylan and Kadie be able to hold onto forever....or will the dangers that threaten Rylan seperate them forever.
The Hero 
Rylan Saintcrow has been a vampire for the longest time and he is one of the oldest vampires of their kind. He came to Morgan Creek, since it was off the map, a dead town and a place the vampire hunters knew nothing about. Lately, the vampire hunters have grown to a huge number, and are killing off his kind by large numbers. So Rylan stayed in this small town, and offered sanctuary to a few vampires that needed a safe place and protection. Rylan was turned while fighting in the Holy War during the Crusades and was left abandoned and alone, to learn the ways and made too many mistakes....actions he regrets with his full heart. Rylan despite being a vampire, his strict rules....has a good heart and has a code of honor. Rylan is a pure alpha male, and boy I had so much fun with this character. At first I was uneasy about him, however as I delved deeper into the story I realized how realistic his character seemed to be. The author here, doesn't sugar coat vampires but what I liked was seeing the good come through with each chapter.
The Heroine 
Kadie Andrews was a delightful heroine and there were many aspects of her personality I felt I could relate with. She is a professional photographer, and loves traveling. She is close to her family, and has a great inner strength, but is also kind and accepting. When she first arrives to the town, she has a hard time accepting what is actually happening to her. But she stands up to the vampires she runs across, and since they can control her mind if need be, she seeks escape when they are sleeping. However it still proves to be pointless since there is a block when trying to leave. No one can except for Rylan. Kadie is a heroine that accepts Rylan eventually, she still battles verbally with him and I loved her courage to stand up to him.
Plot and Story Line 
In As Twilight Falls, Amanda Ashley has created another great vampire romance that has a more gothic theme to it and I just soaked it all up. I haven't had a chance to read too many gothic themes, but Ashley handled this one in such a fabulous way. It deals with mixed emotions and actions, that the reader has to battle with as you read. I loved the set up of the story, and I was instantly drawn into it from the first page or two. One aspect I have always admired about Amanda Ashley, is how easily I can get swept up into her stories, and As Twilight Falls was no different. What was truly fascinating was seeing the variety of characters that come into play. Not all good....not all bad either. We have a mix of personalities and we see the line between black and white...turns grey at times. There were a couple of side characters that I didn't exactly care for, especially the woman vampire. Boy she was a piece of work....very cruel and vicious so I was thrilled when she was taken out of the picture. But some revelations occur that create unique plot twists that turned me upside down and inside out. The romance between Kadie and Rylan was fantastic. At first we have two strong personality who have a battle of wills....but as they let their pride and stubborness go, we see a beautiful romance build.
The Cover 
I like this cover, not my favorite from Amanda Ashley, but it has a great gothic theme to it, and I love the reddish background theme to it.
Overall View

As  Twilight Falls is a stirring, and thought-provoking story with gothic themes and a variety of aspects to keep you asking for me. Its a story that is stirring, and exceptionally well written. Guaranteed to send chills down the spine.
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Profile Image for Anna.
13 reviews
March 22, 2014
I really don't have much to say. With Amanda Ashley's books, I often find myself either wholeheartedly loving the book, or... well, not so much. Rarely anything in-between, and rarely anything that I really end up loving. This is the exception.

This book is Amanda Ashley's finest work. I will even go as far as to say that this book has become my new favorite vampire romance novel, out of the 100+ that I've read in the past, in order to make my point. This book is perfection. There were absolutely no moments where I sat back with a frown, thinking, "I would have done that part differently". The story and setting were perfect, the characters were believable and (more importantly) their actions were understandable. The couple was cute, the characters were interesting, and the ending wasn't too predictable.

I originally borrowed this book from the local library to waste some time, and after getting 250+ something pages into the book (with more than 2 weeks left to return the book to the library), I ended up going to 4 different bookstores in order to find a brand-new copy for myself. That's how fast I fell in love with this book! I wasn't even finished with it yet!

If you want a nice, classic vampire romance novel, with more than enough moments to make your heart melt, this is the book for you. You won't regret it! 10/10
14 reviews
April 15, 2013
My ARC Review of 'As Twilight Falls'

Before I say anything, I want to tell you I kind of went into this book expecting to dislike it. I love supernatural stories, but I've never gotten into vampire books. I don't know exactly what it is (though I'm pretty sure it's the whole drinking-your-blood thing...gross), but I don't think there's ever been a book about vampires that I've really liked. I read this book knowing it would mean going out of my comfort zone.

The majority of this book is told from the POV of Kadie, a 24 year old photographer. She spends the night in Morgan Creek after getting lost, and discovers the next day she's incapable of leaving the town due to an invisible wall blocking the only way out. Personally, I think she handled this very well. I mean, an invisible wall? Being locked in a town? I think I'd freak out. Especially after finding out the few inhabitants of the town are used as blood bags for a coven of vampires.

The rest of the book is about Kadie's relationship with the townspeople, but mostly with Rylan Saintcrow, a master vampire and the one in charge of the town. Sadly, I don't think I really liked any of the characters besides Micah, and he wasn't even introduced until the last few chapters. Rylan was a bit boring for a 900 year old vampire. I was hoping for a bit of a bad boy, but he never actually followed through on any of his threats because of his love for Kadie. Before you actually met him, the ladies of the town make him out to be a monster. I was kind of hoping for a strong Alpha male like Barrons from the Fever series. He was actually just really whipped.

Kadie frustrated me because of how quickly she forgot she was a human, with a family. A family that included a terminally ill sister. Being locked in Morgan Creek meant she was kept away from her when she was dying. How do you think about anything besides that? How do you fall for the person keeping you away from her?

The reason the vampires kept people locked in the town is because of the vampire hunters. They don't want word getting out about where they are, and this way they didn't have to put themselves in danger when they needed to feed. On multiple occasions Rylan injured/killed hunters, made them forget who they were, and Kadie helped him every time. Is this romantic, because Kadie couldn't stand seeing him hurt? Maybe. But all I could think about was, these people are risking their lives to save humans. I mean, some of these vampires KILL for fun. What the heck, Kadie? This screamed "Stockholm syndrome", to me.

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Profile Image for Cindy.
391 reviews
May 24, 2013
If you go on a tour of ghost towns be sure to have 1)A fueled car. 2)A flashlight. 3)A map. 4)A gun. 5)A silver cross. Because you may never know what's out there till it's too late. Sweet, young Kadie Andrews is an up and coming photographer of the American West. A childhood hobby has earned her a place of respect with newspapers and magazines alike. While touring through Wyoming Kadie's makes a wrong turn and winds up in a deserted town out of gas. A nice man helps Kadie find a place for the night. When she tries to leave the town on foot she finds she cannot leave. The town is surrounded by mountains and magic, all who enter must stay...forever. The town is inhabited by vampires. Lucky for Kadie, the man who helped her is the local vampire sheriff, which makes her off limits to the other vampires. Until the head vampire rises from a 30 year slumber and requires that Kadie be turned over to him. The rumor mill says whenever a woman enters Saintcrow's keeping she is never heard from again. Kadie will have to be on her toes to survive the vampires of Morgan Creek, or will there be something unexpected that could harm her in a way no one expected? I zoomed through this book...so, so wonderful. But I never expected less from such a wonderful author!
Profile Image for Amanda Kimberley.
Author 79 books212 followers
January 19, 2015
Amanda Ashley is a brilliant storyteller and this book doesn't disappoint. Kadie, a professional photographer, takes a wrong turn on the road and finds she's a prisoner in Rylan Saintcrow's town called Morgan Creek.

If you like the classic vampire with sexy appeal, you HAVE to read this book!
Profile Image for Liz.
1,836 reviews13 followers
September 3, 2019
Oh great, another one I could not stand to listen to. It starts out with Kadie, a photographer, who is travelling around photographing ghost towns. This is a cool idea that was not expanded upon at all. Kadie ends up driving off the beaten path while lost and ends up in a very strange town. This is where it turns into an episode of The Twilight Zone; in a good way. The town is dark and antiquated and the people are odd. The next day Kadie discovers that it is impossible to leave the town. This is where it starts to fall off of the rails. The other people in the town seem to have accepted that they are prisoners/pets of a nest of vampires. An entire town without one pocket of resistance seems a bit ridiculous. I just couldn't buy into a group of people who don't try to escape captivity or at least try to injure their captors. Human sheep bore me. Kadie doesn't seem too upset that her whole life has been snatched away from her. Of course the vampires are handsome and mesmerizing. That is when the story veers into a Stockholm Syndrome narrative that lead me to throw in the towel.
Profile Image for Paige.
1,906 reviews13 followers
May 22, 2013
***Detailed Review***

I really loved AS TWIIGHT FALLS. Amanda Ashley is my favorite vampire author. I for one love the format she uses even if it’s predictable. The whole story line she uses of usually an old, lonely (although he won’t admit it) vampire finally falling for a human, struggling to get her to accept him, battling a rouge vampire or hunter and then facing the decision to save her life by turning her or letting her die always makes me swoon.

It’s the same format in AS TWILIGHT FALLS. Rylan Saintcrow as set up a utopia of sorts for the few vampires that sought refuge from him by starting a town where when humans stumble upon it, they can’t leave. Everything they could possible want is taken care of for them, except their freedom. They rule the town during the day, but at night they are expected to feed the vampires.

Kadie Andrews is a freelance writer and photographer. As she’s lost and running out of gas, she drives across the bridge that forever changes her life. Derrick Vaughan is quick to come to her aid at her arrival and sets her up for the night. Although he mentions not being able to leave, she doesn’t believe him.

The next day, she truly learns her fate from the other women. Not only is she trapped, but vampires are real and they are the cattle.

She doesn’t have too long with Derrick until the notorious master vampire Saintcrow takes her from him for himself. In his pov, it’s clear she will be his by the instant taking he has for her.

Things start out tense due to the captivity. Just like any hostage, Kadie doesn’t want to admit the attractiveness of Saintcrow nor how well he treats her, although he is mighty sure of himself when it comes to her submitting.

She bonds with the women of town and slowly works her way into changing Saintcrow’s ways. She convinces him to let a few go and never rests until he finally ends up letting all the vampires go and giving the humans the option of leaving as well.

Kadie brought out the best in Saintcrow, reminding him of his humanity that he’s resisted for so long. He really does care for her, yet they both hold back saying the words, even though he can hear them in her head.

With plans to England, Kadie convinces him to let her go home first. Her sister is sick and her notorious father for saving illnesses hasn’t been able to diagnose her yet.

Imagine Saintcrow’s surprise when he realizes Kadie’s father is a vampire hunter! It isn’t long before he’s plotting to off Saintcrow and Kadie is ready to flee to save him.

Saintcrow checks back with Morgan Creek after finding a fledgling from Lilith. Surprisingly he’s taken by one of the older women in town and they seem very happy together.

As the story comes to the last hoorah, Kadie is called back home over her sister’s steady decline. Although fearing it’s a trap, Kadie go with Saintcrow to follow later. She’s locked up and Saintcrow is ambushed.

Weakened and strapped to a table, Kadie’s father begins bleeding him dry. Calling out to Kadie, she contacts Micah, the new vampire for help.

Reaching Saintcrow, Micah and Kadie are escaping when her father pulls a gun, laced with vampire bullets, and shoots at Saintcrow, but Kadie jumps in the way.

With no other choice, Saintcrow takes her to their home and begs for her to stay long enough to give him her choice. She chooses him and wakes to her new life.

A little uneasy about it at first, it’s clear quickly that Kadie is a natural at being a vampire and these two will live happily ever after.

Overall, I liked the town entrapment idea. The struggle between accepting your fate because you were well taken care of or fighting for the life you lost was hard and real. It really showed when some didn’t go home once free because they had been gone so long, their life wasn’t waiting on them anymore.

Kadie had the same problem with Saintcrow. She kept asking for her freedom, but deep down she didn’t want it, just the ability to know she could if she wanted it. The romance between them was sweet and I really felt for Saintcrow.
Profile Image for Kelsey Goldstein.
177 reviews2 followers
August 31, 2022
***I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read anything by Amanda Ashley in quite some time, but she reached out to me and asked if I would be willing to review her newest book, the third installment in this Morgan Creek series. My answer was, of course, yes! She sent me an advanced copy of Twilight Desires a month or two ago and I've only just now gotten my hands on the first two books in the series. It certainly wouldn't do to read them out of order! I'm only a few chapters into As Twilight Falls and I've only just now realized how long it has actually been since I read a true vampire romance novel. I don't quite count Sherrilyn Kenyon in this "true vampire" genre because her Dark-Hunters aren't actually vampires at all, they are just the beings off of which the legends were created. When I say "true vampire," I mean Anne Rice-style or Stoker-style vampire (and the Twilight Saga doesn't count, not that I've ever even picked up those books). These are vampires who don't stray far -- if at all -- from the traditional vampiric mythology. There's something to be said for traditionalism and I can appreciate both sides of this spectrum: authors who take the myth and use it for their craft; and authors who take the myth, turn it on its ear, and create something wholly unique at the risk of not actually creating a vampire at all. Ashley is more of a traditionalist, which is something to be respected.

So far, I find the premise of Morgan Creek to be pretty intriguing. Like I mentioned, it's still very early in the book; everything is still being developed and I still haven't learned all that much about the characters or their motivation. I'm looking forward to continuing onward.

***

Thus far, I'm liking the premise of the town of Morgan Creek, but I do have a lot of questions and I'm looking forward to finding the answers. I've also just met Saintcrow and I really would love to see more of his point of view. Thus far, we've focused a great deal on Kadie and I need to really care about a male lead in order to become invested in a book. Granted, I'm still very early on in my reading, but I look forward to what's coming. For that matter, I want to know more about Kadie. I'm not very invested in her yet, either. I know very, very little about her personality or her background. I realize that a lot of writing is going toward setting up the odd, isolated town of Morgan Creek and having Kadie come to terms with the fact that vampires do exist, but I'm looking forward to finding out what make Kadie so special -- what draws Saintcrow to her?

***

I'm now a little bit more than halfway through this book. I still like the premise of Morgan Creek -- the fact that it's a hidden vampire haven headed by a powerful master vampire. I think Ashley put a lot of thought and care into creating a livable, believable (as far as vampire storylines go) scenario. I really have to admit that I'm still not in love with either of the leading characters. What makes them special? Kadie has no really special defining characteristics or even a fantastic personality and, as far as female leads go, I'm struggling a bit with her. The fact that she's a photographer seems to be the most interesting thing about her, though there is VERY little evidence of this in her day-to-day life. I feel like someone who has dedicated her life to this art would look at the world through a different lens (pun intended); having her see the beauty in certain things, appreciate her surroundings or something, would lend her character a bit more interest. For that matter, the rest of her character is pretty run-of-the-mill. She likes shopping, chocolate, and overeating (and there seems to be a heavy emphasis placed on exactly what the characters eat at every single meal, which becomes a little bit repetitive...especially when characters like Kadie eat large quantities at a time). She doesn't have any flaws as far as I can tell -- nothing that makes her feel more realistic. I have yet to see what makes her so fascinating and attractive to Saintcrow. I'm also really not sold on Kadie's internal and external dialogues. She flashes back and forth between wanting Saintcrow and hating him with such rapidity that it's difficult to invest in. I can understand the fact that Ashley is trying to show that Kadie is at war with herself, but having the same conversation again and again makes the story drag. I long to see her develop more as a character.

As far as Saintcrow goes, I really want to see more of his point of view. In the 216 pages that I've read, I doubt there have been anywhere near 50 pages from his perspective. I'm definitely used to a more even balance and I've found this balance necessary when writing for this genre. As unsold as I am on Kadie, I'm almost even less invested in Saintcrow. He has SO MUCH POTENTIAL! He could be so interesting, so tortured; instead, he seems almost robotic. His attraction to Kadie and his love for her feel a bit flat. Desire, I can see, but only on the most basic of levels because he's male and she's an attractive female. As for why she's the first woman he's loved in 900 years...I don't quite know why. He does mention that he's not sure what draws him to her, but this ends up feeling like a little bit of a cop-out. Sure, he's dark, mysterious, sexy, and dangerous...but what beyond these things makes him a well-crafted male lead? I'm uncertain at this point. I hope to discover something in his past that makes him fearful of love (other than that he is a vampire and unwilling to put himself at risk). I want to know why and how Kadie has changed him so much. As Saintcrow's world starts to fall down around him, I hope to see more depth and range from both him and Kadie.

***

Alright! I finished this book late last night. The ending was tied up in a very neat little bow (like most books in the romance genre). I was able to predict some of the things that happened...well, most of them, to be honest. Some things were better explained than others and I found a few minor plot holes (things that probably should have been caught by an editor). I don't know if they became more numerous toward the end of the book, but there were a few sprinkled throughout and I definitely noticed them more toward the end. They weren't horrible or glaring, but they were definitely present (i.e. Saintcrow was able to enter a house into which he'd not previously been invited; someone Kadie was VERY close to was told by Saintcrow that she was aware he was a vampire, but when this person questioned her, he behaved shocked that she knew...and I'm certain it wasn't an act; a fledgling vampire who had NO training or instruction somehow knew about the complex blood bond between Kadie and Saintcrow, as well has how to use it, etc.). In addition to this, there were so many repetitive conversations, internal dialogue, and phrases (i.e. "sickening thud" was used a few times within a paragraph of each other and there are a lot more adjectives which could have been used; the scenes with Kadie's mother have some repetitive phrases and the conversations felt rather trite; and if a man had an English accent it was always a "slight English accent"). These struck me the hardest and "bothered" me. I realize what was trying to be conveyed -- Kadie's indecision and vacillation between whether or not to trust and love Saintcrow -- but it left the characters feeling flat. Not to mention I don't feel like the attraction between the two main characters was ever fully formed. I never saw what made Kadie so special. I did see a little bit more of what attracted her to Saintcrow, but it rarely went past the physical. I think part of the issue is what I mentioned before: We see SO LITTLE from Saintcrow's perspective that he felt underdeveloped. Other than being a vampire, I saw almost nothing that made him unique or really a stand-out male lead. He had no flaws. Sure, we see some very minor snippets of his past, but many of them are in Kadie's dreams, so we can't really be certain how much she imagined and how much Saintcrow put there.

Reading back through the progression of this review (because I actually had the time and patience to review as I read (thanks RAIR method!) and I can see how badly I wanted/needed more development and uniqueness to the main characters from the very beginning. I still very much enjoyed the premise of Morgan Creek. This Venus Fly Trap-like sanctuary for vampires was really creative and I don't think I've ever encountered anything like it before. Unfortunately, the character development fell a bit flat for me. There was so much potential to create unique and exciting characters, but they ended up coming up short. I'm about to start the second book in this series, so we'll see if being introduced to the male lead in this first book helps the depth of the characterization.
Profile Image for All Things Urban Fantasy.
1,921 reviews620 followers
April 27, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

AS TWILIGHT FALLS is one of those romances that I felt a little guilty about liking so much. It was fun, but the more I think about it after the fact, the more I feel it wasn’t as great as I thought. However, while I was reading it, I couldn’t put it down, and the romance between Kadie and Rylan totally sucked me in.

One of the “once I thought about it” realizations I had is that I didn’t really like how the women were characterized. The women in AS TWILIGHT FALLS are all stuck in Morgan Creek, not by choice, and end up sounding a bit passive and whiny for most of the book. All the humans come off as very reactive, not proactive, as if they have no say in their own lives. Even Kadie, the heroine, seems to be constantly dealing with the situations she is put in. Then we have the only woman vampire, Lillith, an evil sadist who terrorizes the human men in the town. You won’t find any women who fall in the middle of the spectrum and I was disappointed by the lack of any strong women in the story.

Luckily, I’m a sucker for a strong, sexy alpha male. And Rylan Saintcrow 100% fits the alpha male description. He gets to be a bit indulgent with Kadie, but even then, he is still smooth and confident of himself, two traits that I can’t do without in my heros. Rylan is sexy, but he’s also a bit scary (he is holding an entire town of people against their will, after all). I think that is part of his allure, the ultimate bad boy vibe that we get from him. The other vampires also give that off, too. I especially liked Micah, who was introduced near the end of the book. He had a great sense of humor and even if he wasn’t completely necessary to the plot he was a great addition.

One great thing about AS TWILIGHT FALLS is that it wasn’t predictable. The set-up is such that the plot could have gone in what I felt was a very obvious direction. However, it ended up taking a turn that I didn’t expect, but at the same time, it wasn’t totally out of the blue, because there were some small hints dropped along the way. It was a creative, unexpected ending, and I really like when stories are shaken up a bit, since I read so many romance novels.

AS TWILIGHT FALLS is a quick, enjoyable read, so long as you don’t think about it too much. It offers a great fantasy- while obviously I would not like to be held against my will by a bunch of vampires, I also wouldn’t mind being indulged a bit by Rylan. All in all, it was a nice light read, and while it didn’t break outside of any conventional paranormal romance tropes, it kept me invested from start to finish.

Sexual Content: Mild sex scenes, references to rape
Profile Image for Megan.
1,597 reviews56 followers
July 3, 2017
Ms. Ashley is one of my top favorite authors and has been for many, many years now. If memory serves I read my first book by her in the late 90s. She has written two of my all-time-favorite books and now I can add one more to that list. As Twilight Falls has a compelling story line and even more memorable characters. Kadie Andrews and Rylan Saintcrow are to die for…. or at least get bitten for! Kadie is a strong heroine who does what she wants and tells it like it is, but with enough sensitivity to let Rylan take the roll of strong dominant hero. At the beginning I had a love/hate relationship with Rylan, which, I think, is a trademark for memorable and lasting heroes (think Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester, Lancelot, and Rhett Butler).

Kadie is a photographer and she gets lost, and stuck in, an almost ghost town called Morgan Creek. The town is weird and creepy. Just like Kadie, we, the reader, have no idea what’s going on, which just makes this a page turning because you are dying to know what’s going on. Then we find out, it’s a vampire town. They hold the people who accidently wander in basically prisoner and are used as cattle to feed off by the vampires in the town. Saintcrow is the master vampire of the town, but he had buried himself in the earth for several years, but when Kadie enters he is drawn to her and her blood. She becomes the exclusive property of Saintcrow and no other vampire is allowed to touch her. This is where the love/hate relationship starts. Kadie is forced to live in Saintcrow’s house and though she is given everything she could need, she can’t have the one thing she desires. Freedom. She wants to see her parents and her dying sister. However, if anyone can melt the icy walls around Sintcrow’s almost thousand year-old heart it will be Kadie. Can Sintcrow keep his security and still let Kadie see her family? The world is different now, America is overrun with vampire hunters, and the feather in their cap would be Saintcrow. But, you’d never believe who turns out to be the most deadly and determined hunter of Saintcrow.

Sorry, I can’t give anything else away, it’s just too good. You have to read this one for yourself!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Vanessa theJeepDiva.
1,257 reviews118 followers
July 11, 2013
While on a ghost town hunting photography trip Kadie finds herself in the odd town of Morgan Creek. It is a ghost town. There are very few inhabitants and even fewer modern amenities. There is a reason for all of this and she soon finds it is a fate that she does not want. It’s a fate filled with the things that go bump in the night in the form of vampires. I’m also positive that it was the way the town perimeter functioned that put the first taste of dislike in my thoughts. I’m fine with the suspension of belief that is required for fantasy and paranormal books. This aspect of the world was a little too unbelievable.

As Twilight Falls is one of those books that had plenty of interesting concepts but just overall fell flat for me the reader. Sadly the hero Rylan is the typical vampire that we’ve read entirely too many times. He’s older than time, extremely wealthy, beyond handsome, and has grown so bored with life that he has taken to underground hibernation and does not want to be disturbed. The moment he smells the sweet innocent Kadie he wants to wake, find her, and possess her.

To keep pace with the hero Kadie fell just as flat. She’s young and naïve, and overly compassionately human. At first I thought her Stockholm Syndrome feeling towards Rylan were spot on. When her thoughts of attraction to him started surfacing while thinking him a monster I was required to suspend more belief into this world than I cared to. Her family situation once revealed became predictable and I instantly knew exactly where that was headed.

This was obviously just not a book for me. I’ve read a couple of novellas from Ashley in anthologies that I absolutely loved. I loved one so much that even four years later I remember the hero. So …
Profile Image for Amy Jacobs.
845 reviews293 followers
January 20, 2013
I know this review is early, but it is hard for me to contain my excitement when it comes to books written by this author. She is one of my favorites when it comes to vampire romance.

When Kadie Andrews gets lost and runs out of gas, she finds herself trapped in the town of Morgan Creek. When she is taken in by one of the town vampires, she can't believe vampires exist. When the town people start revealing piece by piece why they are trapped in Morgan Creek, Kadie still refuses to accept being trapped like cattle. Even though she starts to fall for the head vampire named Rylan Saintcrow, she still craves her freedom and hoping to return to her sick sister and parents. While Kadie struggles with her feelings for Rylan and for captivity, Rylan is dealing with the few vampires in town planning a mutiny. They are tired of following his rules and are wanting to embrace their predatory vampire nature.

The main reason I enjoyed this book -- and every book written by this author in the past -- is because of the way the vampire lore is portrayed. There are no sparkles and not all of the characters are always perfect. The vampires have killed -- they still kill at times -- but they do fall in love. There is fluff and there is shake-your-head moments with the characters, but it gives you a feel good feeling of reading what true vampire/paranormal romance books used to be and what they can continue to be.

Another great book by and author who stays true to her writing roots and always has me swept away from page one.
304 reviews
March 14, 2013
I received an uncorrected proof of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads!

If I had to pick a word to describe this book I would have to go with "coooooornyyyyyy!" Everything about this book is blasé, both as a yarn and a romance novel. Straight from the title you're thinking about Stephenie Meyers' "Twilight Saga" (perhaps intentionally, in hopes that Meyers' fans/those who are vampire genre obsessed would mindlessly consume this book) -- **spoiler alert** vampire is irresistibly drawn to human girl, girl falls in love with vampire, vampire leaves girl to protect her, girl still ends up in danger, vampire has to change girl to vampire...predictable! Plus, the supporting characters are flat and sometimes irritating (especially the women of the town - they hate Kadie, they don't, they're scared of her, they're not, they trust her, they don't). Even though this is a supernatural novel, even the human characters are unbelievable.

On the traditional "romance novel" aspects - blink and you'll miss it, each and every time.

I will say this is a fast read and relatively entertaining if you don't have too high of standards.

I definitely won't be reading the 2nd book that Ashley has oh so obviously set up for here.
3,513 reviews
August 31, 2013
This is not my usual type of reading material. I read the back of the book and it sounded like the character investigated ghost towns. This interested me; however, the ghost town was the home of vampires.

Photographer Kadie Andrews finds a secluded town during her trip to Wyoming to photograph ghost towns. There were a few people living here and a few of the undead. When Kadie tried to leave, she found that she was unable to cross the bridge to the outside world. As Rylan Saintcrow, the head vampire, told her, they welcomed visitors to their town but visitors were never allowed to leave. The more Kadie was around Rylan, the more she liked him. When he took her to visit her family, the ironic thing was that her father was not only a respected doctor but was also a long-time vampire hunter who recognized Rylan for what he was. He was determined to kill Rylan while Kadie was determined that he not kill her beloved.

Profile Image for Kate Cardenas.
345 reviews
July 9, 2013
Photographing ghost towns across the American West, Kadie Andrews takes a wrong turn and ends up in Morgan Creek—a spot that isn’t on the map. It’s a quaint little place, but there’s something off about its complacent residents. And when twilight falls, it takes on a truly sinister air…

Unable to run or to find any way out, Kadie finds herself a prisoner, hunted for her blood. Still more disturbing, her spirit and beauty have captured the attention of the town’s leader—the mysterious Rylan Saintcrow. When he looks into her eyes, she can see his hunger. When he takes her in his arms, she can feel his power. When he presses his lips against hers, she can taste his need. Saintcrow may be the most powerful creature she’s ever imagined, but Kadie knows in her heart that he is also a man. A man who needs a woman. To want him, desire him, crave him. To be his willing prisoner—for all eternity…
Profile Image for Carrie.
3,649 reviews36 followers
August 1, 2013
i really enjoy amanda ashley's vampire books for much the same reason i enjoy betty neels books (and it's the reason some ppl give some of her books bad reviews). there is a certain sameness to the stories, even when the plot points are different. and i absolutely LOVE that her hero & heroine are together through almost all of her books. i like reading about two ppl working through their relationship together, and not having to read through a lot of "alone time" while they each contemplate why they can't be together before finally giving in. i just enjoy stories where the issues are more outside forces than inside, and the H/h work together to overcome obstacles. : ) this story delivers on that point, and i really like the supporting characters, as well.
Profile Image for Serenity.
107 reviews
May 4, 2020
I hate reading slumps! But I think mine is finally going away. Anyway, I love this book, but was Kadie's father willing to have her hate him forever if he killed Rylan? I get that her father was a vampire hunter, but Rylan made Kadie happy, isn't that enough for any father? I love Amanda Ashley's writing style and can't wait to read more of her books!
2,359 reviews9 followers
August 22, 2014
As Twilight Falls

If ever there was a vampire love story that really rocked this is the story to read.I loved the way the vampire took care of everyone in this town,even though he had selfish reasons for doing it.To find your soul mate isn't an easy thing even if he is a vampire

3 reviews
June 19, 2015
Excellent read.

If you like vampires and romance you will love this book. I enjoyed the suspense throughout the story. I loved the way it ends.

Profile Image for Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)).
452 reviews161 followers
February 16, 2018
I love a good vampire book and this one did not disappoint me! I was drawn into the story and loved ever bit of it! Be still my heart! Rylan Saintcrow is the perfect vampire!
Profile Image for Yogi Rogers.
628 reviews2 followers
November 27, 2022
This book has been quietly waiting in my kindle 'to read' section for my attention since 2019. Now that I've read it, I'm so sorry I didn't give it attention sooner because it was a good read.

It is a vampire love story. Yes, a typical love story but it was written well with some action, surprises and unexpected twists. Kadie stumbles on Morgan's Creek, a small town in the middle of nowhere. It didn't take long for her to realize she can't leave the town and she notices that the people there are very strange. All the women have red scarves tied around their necks. Kadie attracts the attention of Darrick who, she finds out later, is a vampire who has claimed her. Darrick sets her up in a nice little vacant house and orders her not to invite anyone in. Before you know it, she has a black scarf tied around her neck. Just when Kadie thinks she has things figured out, she meets the vampire who is the boss of all the vampires and owns everything in the town, including her, Rylan Saintcrow. And he has come to claim her.

This was a good story, yes, the romance was somewhat predictable, but I didn't care, I liked it. This is the 1st book in a series, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,157 reviews19 followers
October 12, 2020
Kadie gets lost and ends up in a town filled with a handful of humans and vampires who feed off of them. Once in the town you can't leave. Kadie is almost immediately claimed by town founder Rylan Saintcrow but she doesn't stop arguing for the freedom of herself and the other humans.

The idea of this was interesting, I liked the town in hiding, the mysterious leader, the potential of hunters on the outside. But Kadie was absolutely awful. She kind of reminded me of Dory (you know the one), from one scene to the next it was like she completely forgot what just happened. She forgot her feelings, she forgot the reasons things were happening....I really need to be able to root for a couple but Kadie legit brought nothing to the table.
Profile Image for Nathalia.
Author 18 books392 followers
February 1, 2017
¡OMG este libro!… Les pido que lean le reseña completa.
Para los que no me conocen, les cuento que entre mi marido y sus amigos es un chiste el decir que estoy obsesionada con vampiros —LO CUAL NO ES CIERTO—. Aunque es verdad que de una u otra forma termino siempre relacionada con el tema (el personaje que juego en lol, que me encantan los libros de Anne Rice, que cuando era chica me gustaba mucho Crepúsculo, que mi película preferida es Nosferatu, etc).
Esta no es la excepción.
Formo parte de un grupo online que traduce libros para distribución gratuita entre fans, libros que no han sido –ni serán- traducidos. A mí me tocó casi de casualidad, dos capítulos justo en medio del libro que terminaron siendo el climax de la historia.
Y me enganché. Empecé a leer el libro desde el principio y lo terminé en dos días. Ahora, yendo al tema en cuestión:
El libro empieza como cualquier otra novela estadounidense bastante cliché. Una chica va manejando por un lugar desolado, de noche, bajo una tormenta. Se pierde y termina en una ciudad que parece fantasma. Entonces, se le acerca un hombre excesivamente atractivo y le ofrece ayuda. La lleva a un bar, la invita a comer algo, pero él no come nada. Ya desde ese entonces el lector sabe que es un personaje medianamente paranormal.
Al día siguiente la chica nota que está atrapada y no puede abandonar la ciudad (como en Once Upon a Time). Se pone a recorrer y varias cosas le llaman la atención. Nadie paga por nada –como si todo fuese gratis-, muchas casas están vacías y los pocos habitantes de la ciudad son en su mayoría mujeres. Vale mencionar que cada mujer lleva una bufanda de un color diferente. Y se nota que esconden algo.
Por la noche, nuestra protagonista se reencuentra con quién la ayudó y vuelven a ir a cenar juntos. Pero ella cae inconsciente y despista en su casa unas horas más tarde, sin recordar lo ocurrido.
Hasta este punto, a pesar de ser un gran cliché, la historia es realmente atrapante. Me encanta.
Al día siguiente las mujeres del pueblo le explican todo sobre el lugar y los vampiros. Y esa noche, la protagonista (solo por si acaso), no se encuentra con quien la salvó.
Una noche más llega, y a pesar del miedo, va a cenar nuevamente con el misterioso hombre. Cuando regresan, alguien más aparecer.
Rylan Saintcrow, el “dueño” de la ciudad. El vampiro más antiguo y poderoso del país. Y acá hago una aclaración para las mujeres que lean la reseña. Es la primera vez (desde que leo Orgullo y Prejuicio) que me enamoro tanto de un personaje.
Saintcrow tiene porte aristocrático, aunque se viste relativamente simple. Un par de viejas cicatrices del pasado recorren su rostro y su cuerpo. Tiene la voz gruesa y el cabello totalmente negro. TODOS le tienen miedo y lo respetan. Humanos y vampiros por igual.
Saintcrow llevaba dormido casi 4 décadas, pero despertó por el aroma de la protagonista.
Y la reclama como suya. Como su presa, su esclava. Lo que sea. Se la roba al otro vampiro y la lleva a su mansión, alejada de la ciudad.
Aunque la relación de los protagonista avanza lentamente. La chica se convierte casi en una reina. Él la llena de lujos, le compra lo que ella quiera, le regala un auto, etc. En el pueblo se compadecen de ella, porque nadie conoce la verdadera naturaleza de Saintcrow.
A pesar de su fachada de temible asesino, tiene un buen corazón –para ser vampiro-. Corren terribles rumores sobre él, aunque nadie sabe de dónde salieron. Y, en realidad, Saintcrow quiere que le teman para que no lo vean como a un ser débil.
Hasta acá la historia es impresionantemente genial.
Me decepcioné por un rato cuando pensé que la relación entre vampiro y presa evolucionaba a un estúpido romance paranormal, pero como ya había leído el climax de la historia, no paré.
Mi alivio llegó cuando Saintcrow se enoja consigo mismo y dice “esta no es una historia de amor paranormal. Y yo no soy un adolescente.”
Todo continúa como antes.
Sí, hay algo de romance en la historia, pero es un romance que se acerca más a lo erótico que a lo adolescente.
Lo que sigue no se los puedo contar porque les estaría spoileando la segunda mitad del libro. Lo único que puedo decirles es que, a partir del momento en el que él empieza a sentirse un poco más humano, la historia da un giro increíblemente inesperado.
Y cuando parece que todo terminó… otro giro, increíble. Inesperado pero lógico.
El final es, en parte, predecible. Pero no decepciona.

Todavía no puedo creer cuánto me gustó este libro. La historia tiene muchos elementos que ya hemos visto millones de veces, pero los combina de una manera única. Hace mucho que no disfrutaba tanto de una historia paranormal. Y seguro que cuando mi marido lea esto se va a reír de mí por días, diciendo que estoy obsesionada con vampiros.
Lo mejor de la historia es el diseño de personajes. Todos son únicos y tienen un lado que al principio no vemos, pero que sale a la superficie conforme avanza la historia.
Se los recomiendo. Si se animan a leer en inglés, incluso les puedo pasar el PDF –lo tengo en físico también porque me encantó-. Si no pueden leer en inglés, avísenme que quieren la traducción y apenas esté publicada se las paso.
Eso.
Saludos.
Ahora no puedo leer otra cosa. Mi mente está atrapada en el mundo de este libro, y no creo que salga hasta la semana que viene.

Quizás me estoy dejando llevar por mi percepción del libro. Es posible que en cuanto a calidad no merezca las cinco estrellas. Pero no hay forma de describir cómo me atrapó y me zambulló dentro de sus páginas.
11 reviews
September 17, 2020
I was really disappointed in this book. I read so many great reviews! I felt like the character didn't have a brain in her head and did really stupid things that put her in danger almost from the beginning. I also had a hard time reading from the third person point of view. "She this and She that" maybe it was just me but it was weird reading it that way. I am sad to say I just couldn't finish this cheesy book.
Profile Image for Amy.
2,287 reviews13 followers
July 22, 2023
A 2+, but not plus enough to rate it a 3. Yet another vampire series complete with "Twilight" in the name.

Although it wasn't horrible, it doesn't have a lot of unique or exciting features to make this series stand out among the many vampire stories out there. If you like the vampire/human romantic thing, this book will fit the bill. If not, I doubt it's wonderful enough to change your mind.
Profile Image for Marie.
188 reviews
November 28, 2024
hummmm....where to start. I like it ideal of it, but, no..not for me. at this point of my life, this book did not meet my expectations. I felt it was not for me. yes, a vampire should have a safe place to rest and have people to feed on and feel safe, but I am not sure this was the best way to go about it. still it was a good story and I had fun reading it.
Profile Image for Lakisha.
282 reviews24 followers
April 20, 2019
I enjoyed the end of the book the most because a new vampire was introduced. I just expected more action from the vampires that were crying mutiny, especially Vaughn because he was really mad when Saintcrow stole Kadie. Really anticlimactic.
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