The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones is filled with vampires, angst, and secrets.

Emilia is a human born into the ruling family of vampires. Sounds complicated enough, but then you add a hot guard? You’re in for an adventure. Kyle and Emilia start off disliking each other, but they need each other to get what they want. But is what they want worth it?

A fun, quick read for fans of vampires, forbidden romance, and urban fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. From the blurb, I thought I would love it but it just didn't hit the right spot. I didn't feel invested in the characters and I didn't like the relationship between her and Kyle. Where was the build-up between them?! It just felt very rushed, I also felt like I joined halfway through the book and I was missing the start or something.

The Last Raven is about Emelia, the human daughter of two vampire leaders. She has been isolated for most of her life to keep her safe, but when she is able to venture out into the world with her new bodyguard, she starts to learn that her world isn't what she always thought it was and rebellion is brewing. - I would definitely say this is a YA book (it does have one spicy scene but I don't think it is a a new adult or adult book).

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley and One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK for allowing me to read this as an ARC. This title releases 10/31/24.

This book is a classic story we all know well. Emilia, different than her parents always feels she’s just a disappointment. Looking to carve her own path in the life set before her, she encounters struggle, heartbreak, angst, betrayal and learning that not only are her parents not what she thought they were, but she is so much stronger than she ever thought she was.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

Amazing! I loved the characters and world building. The tension between the characters was paced well and I loved how the two of them slowly grow together as well as handling all the challenges thrown their way.

This isn't quite the right fit for our little free libraries. It felt incredibly young, despite being New Adult.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this read, I didn't know what to expect but from the blurb I was eager to read and I was not disappointed.
I loved how strong Emelia's character is, she was determined with what she wanted and she learnt a lot throughout the book, I connected with her and I thought she was a great character.
I actually loved a lot of the characters in this book, Kyle for one was a favourite and I loved the directions the characters took. So were not expected at all!
The writing in this novel is great, vivid in descriptions and engaging, I'm not sure if this is aimed at YA or not but I felt it was on the upper end but not quite over the adult mark. This doesn't take away from the enjoyment of this novel, it didn't feel young at all - which is what I'm trying to get at.
The Last Raven is an unexpected delightful read that kept me captive until the end.

Unfortunately this book is not hitting the spot for me. I really don’t care for the FMC and I’m not buying the relationship between her and Kyle. Where is the buildup between them? I can’t stand that the love interest is named Kyle as it seems out of character for a vampire. I am sure others will love this one but it’s not my jam and I typically love vampire books.

This book was so surprising. It started out to one thing and end completely different from what I thought was going to happen. This book follows Emilia Raven, the heir to the Vampire throne. The Vampires have had world domination over the humans for quite some time and the humans are beginning to rebel against their conquerors and no longer desire to be a food source. This book was easy to read and predict in some areas and in others not so much. Emilia was very coddled and shielded from the world she is to rule as she was not born a vampire, she was born a human. In rare cases, Vampire couples can give birth to a human child. Emilia is one of those rare cases, there is very explanation of this, but I assume that will come in book two. Emilia is to be crowned the new queen next year and does not want to fill the role, her plan is run away and live as a human. Emilia thinks she can live in the Safe Zone with the other humans of her realm. Emilia gets a new personal guard, Kyle, and Emilia is smitten and annoyed all at the same time. Emilia thinks that if she can get him to fall for her, he will help her escape. They fall for each other and for a time I thought this was a happy ending romantasy, jokes on me. The rebellion attacks while Kyle and Emilia are in the Safe Zone, and she is taken back to her parents. Kyle is banished for going along with her plans, when Emilia goes to help him escape, he betrays her, and his true plans are revealed.

I really enjoyed this book it went by really quickly and I felt that there were many underdeveloped portions, but the romance made up for that. As I say often it is hard to judge a first book without the rest of the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will read the next book. Emilia was a tad bit annoying with her naiveté and stubbornness, along with her parents' inability to let their child grow. I felt that there was a lot of character growth for Emilia and by the end she was no longer the naive little girl and had seen small bits of her world and decided she wanted to help. Instead of feeling helpless like she had her whole life she grew into someone powerful and strong despite being the only human in her family. I am intrigued to see how much she grows in the next book and ore about human vampire children.

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun one. Fast paced and interesting but I would have liked a little bit more character development.

Thank you for the arc, I found this book quite enjoyable it was fast paced in my opinion and I thought it was an interesting fresh take on vampires and humans it wasn’t your typical vampire story. There were lots of twist and turns and I didn’t really see any of them coming. It does feel a tiny bit of instalust:love but that doesn’t bother me too much ☺️ i would definitely recommend

The daughter of vampire royalty, Emilia is set to be the heir of the Raven throne once she reaches her 18th birthday. But there’s just one problem, Emilia is human.

This book has such promise, with a really intriguing plot, but the pacing of the book ruined it for me a little bit. The romance went from insta hate to insta love far too fast, but with a bit more build up, it could’ve been far more impactful.

I really enjoyed the politics and all the action, but unfortunately it just all felt a bit disjointed and the tempo was a bit lost.

I wanted to love it, but sadly it just missed the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC.

This is advertised as a fantasy romance and couldn't have been further from it.

This has so much potential but it just fell short in every way it could it felt like. The world building just wasn't there. Set on our planet, with our continents etc. but the structure just wasn't explained at all. No explanation for why certain families ruled over specific continents or how that came to be.

The characters were worse. Emilia was insufferable. She was bratty, immature and simply unlikeable. Her situation was unique and unsettling, but the way she acted bordered on nonsensical at times. Kyle was worse somehow. He's hired as her person guard and he is a dick from the moment he's introduced. Emilia is basically royalty, and he's hired to shadow her and protect her. You don't take a job like that and immediately start mocking, condescending to and belittling the woman you're guarding. It was insanity. Someone would surely have vetted him for such a position and he acted like it was the biggest imposition of his life.

The way the 'relationship' between them developed left a lot to be desired, because it simply didn't develop. It wasn't, and then it was. That's it.

The plot also just felt me scratching my head. Rules and customs be damned, no one in their right mind would pass leadership onto her at her age and with her condition. It was baffling. Exceptions can be made to every rule, yet for the sake of a plot that was hanging on by a fraying thread, this rule couldn't be broken. Madness.

The writing also just wasn't great. I've read more sophisticated children's books.

I wouldn't even mention the ending, because that was the wildest part of the entire book. It felt me feeling like everything I'd just endured at the hands of this choppily put together story was completely for nothing.

I will say again the idea here is promising, and with a couple more drafts and some heavy character development, I think it could be really good. As it currently is, I wouldn't recommend it.

The blurb and cover are fantastic, and they really draw you in.

But for me, the story fell a bit flat, I really wanted to love it, as it has everything I love to read. But sadly, I couldn't connect with this book.

Imagine being the only human in a world full of vampires, and the biggest problem isn’t that they want to drink your blood, it’s that they expect you to be their queen. Yep, that’s the situation for poor Emelia in The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones. And let’s just say, royal life isn’t all tiaras and fancy gowns when you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re not actually undead.

Emelia, our reluctant heir to the House of Raven has everything a girl could dream of: power, wealth, influence… oh, and a massive secret. Unlike her blood sucking family and everyone around her, Emelia is inconveniently human. Awkward, right? Imagine playing vampire dress-up every day just to avoid becoming someone’s next snack. No pressure!

Things get even juicier when Kyle, a mysterious new guard with a suspicious amount of charm, shows up. Suddenly, Emelia’s world of brooding vampires and shadowy politics gets a bit more complicated (and a lot more interesting). Kyle isn’t just a distraction, he’s her possible ticket to freedom. But escaping the crown isn’t as easy as ditching a ball gown. With rebellion simmering and some seriously dark forces lurking around the palace, Emelia’s caught between her desire for a normal life and the throne that’s destined to be hers.

Do you choose love and freedom or embrace your destiny as the not-so-undead queen? Decisions, decisions…

The best part about The Last Raven is how it blends classic vampire intrigue with fresh twists. Sure, there’s political drama, forbidden romance, and some dark magic brewing in the background, but Emelia’s humanity brings a layer of humour and realness that makes her super relatable (even if she’s surrounded by creatures of the night). Watching her struggle to keep her secret while the world demands she step up as the next vampire queen is equal parts hilarious and nail-biting. Let’s just say, faking immortality? Not as easy as it looks.

Helen Glynn Jones delivers all the broody, bloodthirsty vampire drama you want, but with a modern twist that’ll have you flipping pages. With rebellion on one side, romance on the other, and Emelia stuck in the middle of it all, this book is the perfect mix of adventure, angst, and just enough swoon-worthy moments to keep you hooked.

So, if you love vampires, political intrigue, and a heroine who’s over the whole “eternal power” thing, The Last Raven is your next read.

The Last Raven is about Emelia, the human daughter of two vampire leaders. She has been isolated for most of her life to keep her safe, but when she is able to venture out into the world with her new bodyguard, she starts to learn that her world isn't what she always thought it was and rebellion is brewing.

Holy guacamole, I was not expecting most of what happened from the 3rd act until the end. It was so painful and then so satisfying. Got to love fast acting karma. I am curious about where this is headed.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK - One More Chapter and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones is sure to become your next fantasy obsession. It is truly amazing! Helen Glynn Jones, you have captivated me and I eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This book was nowhere near Twilight, I don't know why it's even compared to it. Ignoring that though, I really enjoyed this book. Its a story about a human girl born to vampire parents who spent her young life being sheltered. There is a lot of intrigue and betrayal. I think it's a great read. I read it in one day.

I want to start by saying thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the e-ARC copy of the book.

I was initially intrigued by the plot and premise of this book, as it’s been advertised as a romance that Twilight fans would love. But it did not live up to the expectations that I had for it. The world-building element felt very lost in this book. It was characters essentially in a modern-day Earth age (skinny jeans, laptops, phones, etc.) instead of a vampire kingdom.

I also felt that the plot was lacking some depth and didn’t make a lot of sense at times. Her father is supposed to be hundreds of years old, yet a 17-year-old is an heir. I could keep going on with the things I caught in this book.

Overall, it’s not one I recommend and I feel that it was missing a lot of crucial elements to really be a true romantasy book.

From the blurb I though I was really going to enjoy this book, especially with it being compared to Twilight. Unfortunately, "The Last Raven" wasn't a great fit me. I wasn't a fan of the writing style or direction the story took and I also felt like some of the plot points just didn't add up or make sense to me.
I probably wouldn't read any further books in this series.

Thank you Helen Glynn Jones, Net Galley and One More Chapter for providing me with an ARC of this book.

2.5 ⭐ (Rounded Up To 3)