2.5*

This was the most anticlimactic ending I think I’ve ever read for a romantasy book that is intended to be a duology.

I had no interest in the plot — as predictable as it was — or the characters or the chemistry between any of the mc’s.

I was more interested in the parents love lives than the main characters lmao

The fmc frustrated me quite a lot, I didn’t connect to her at all.

The pacing was rushed to a point I wanted to dnf halfway thru but I kept going to see if it gets better and tbh it didn’t but I’m glad I made it thru for that one scene where she makes her single best decision this entire book and opens the blinds (Iykyk)

The writing style wasn’t to my preference and yet I would’ve overlooked it if the story was better but they both equally fell flat for me.

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Helen Glynn Jones for the eARC in exchange for a review.

The last raven is like a reverse vampire love story. The main character is born from Vampires, but is human. She falls for a vamp, and love, betrayal and adventure ensues.

This was tough, the MC was 17 and very much acted as such. Very childish, not thinking and making brash decisions while also not paying attention to the terrible decisions she's being coerced into making, while being right in front of her face. I saw the betrayal the moment he opened his mouth and, girl, we've all been there, but he VERY clearly was pushing you in one direction.

So, if it weren't for the smex scene, I'd say this was very YA. And even including that, it was a fairly tame scene.

3.5 rolled up to 4.

----------- WHAT I ENJOYED ------------
- I really love a vampire book where the vampires are still creepy, and I think that the author managed to achieve this - she just did it in a different way than expected. She used politics and societal elements to build up her version of "The Vampire", rather than traditional gothic elements, which I found to be really effective - people who completely control society through politics are much scarier to me, as it definitely happens... maybe just with less bloodsucking.

- But to go deeper into the political elements, there were a few key ideas that I thought the author explored really well. One in particular was the idea of privilege, and how that can distort your world view and politics. Our main character, Emelia, saw no issue in how the vampire community treated humans initially, purely because she herself had no painful or horrible experiences as a human. However, she comes from vampire royalty and so this is not the typical human experience - something she quickly learns throughout the book. I think this placement of our character in a position of privilege on the wrong side of society really allowed us an insight into the very different lives the communities within this society live, giving a deeper understanding to the overall conflict.

- The dystopian landscape that the author set up was really interesting, and really called back to the old YA days when dystopian books really had their moment. I enjoyed how the author used the unique perspective of the main character to really highlight why this society felt dystopian: Emelia slowly unravelled the horrors of the world she lived in, but as a reader, we saw the little discrepancies in the narrative of how humans were treated from the beginning. We saw how the vampires wanted the world to be viewed, but understood the reality of what they were truly doing when she didn't, making it clear just how intense their control actually was. I just think it was really effective in highlighting the idea that history changes depending on who is telling it, and how a narrative can be twisted if there is an agenda behind it. Do I think it was a bit on the nose? Absolutely. But it was still effective.

- Despite all of the heavy messaging, I still found this to be a fun and engaging read. I found that it doesn't feel heavy when you are reading, because the romantic plot takes up a lot of the focus - the political elements are just what I personally enjoyed the most, and so are what I have chosen to focus on here! I also found that this read a lot more like a YA book than new adult, so the world and messaging is super accessible!

------- WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME -------
- Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room as I did label this book as a paranormal romance but...have yet to actually talk about the romance. And that is because I really didn't enjoy the relationship between our two main characters. I think it was very insta-lovey, which just made their connection feel unbelievable to me. It also definitely sign-posted some big plot points pretty much immediately for me, which made some reveals quite underwhelming (iykyk).

- I understand what the author was trying to do with their relationship, but it just felt like the romance took up a lot of the space within the book, and so other elements didn't have room to breathe. For example, a lot of the conflict between Emelia and her parents starts from her outrage at how they treat humans, but then quickly evolves into anger over how they treat Kyle, her Vampire boyfriend. She always shifts to that conversation rather than focusing on how her parents literally treat her kind like livestock. It just made the political and societal aspects feel slightly overshadowed.

- It also had another unfortunate consequence in that it made me really dislike our main character. Despite her growth throughout the book, I still found Emilia to be really naïve, but to a point where I constantly wanted to shake her. And her growth just wasn't enough. Even when she finds out about the absolutely horrific things her parents have done and the way they treat humans, she still runs back to them with open arms, which made it really hard to root for her. Now, I understand that they are her parents, and she wouldn't be able to just cut them off completely, but I expected there to be a bit more conflict. I know that if I saw my parents help butcher twenty innocent people, I would be a bit more cautious, to be honest.

- Another reason that I disliked our main character was because I found her inner monologue to read a lot younger than she is; she reads like a young teen rather than an eighteen-year-old, making her commentary less believable. Like, when she meets Kyle for the first time, he smiles at her and, instead of smiling back, she simply finds him to be ridiculously annoying and decides she hates him on the spot. These type of reactions just made her seem a bit childish. I will say that she does mature throughout the book as she gains a stronger world-view, but I just couldn't seem to connect with her after my initial side-eye moment!

--------- OVERALL THOUGHTS ---------
Honestly, I found it really hard to figure out how I would rate this book, as I had such mixed reactions to it. But, ultimately, I did enjoy the world building and political themes in this, and I would still like to give the next book in this series a chance when it releases - I just hope that the main character grows on me a bit more!
Thank you again to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a vampire romance read with gothic vibes. I enjoyed this one! The only thing I wish there was more information about the world and the characters but this is the first book so hopefully there will be more as the series progresses! It's not a thick book so it was a quick and easy read for me. Raven is an interesting character and from what I've learned so far I like and I will definitely be reading the next book! Thank you One More Chapter and Helen Glynn Jones for sharing this book with me!

<b>Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. Here are my honest thoughts and review.</b>

<I>“My weakness is also my strength.”</I>

This book was a pleasant surprise that kept me on my toes from start to finish. The ending? I could NEVER have predicted it—it took me by surprise in the best way possible. This is a perfect read for late teens or early adulthood readers who enjoy a mix of fantasy, intrigue, and personal growth.

<b>The Plot</b>
Emelia Raven, born from the union of two vampires but entirely human, is the heir to the Raven throne. Despite her status, she has been sheltered her entire life and is unprepared to rule a world dominated by vampires. As her coronation day looms, she is assigned a bodyguard, Kyle—who also becomes her love interest. Along the way, Emelia uncovers shocking truths about how humans are mistreated by vampires and faces a choice: step into her role as the Raven heir or abandon it all for the chance at a normal human life.

<b>Tropes</b>
Human x vampire 🧛
Forbidden ♥️ love
Forced proximity
Royalty👸 x bodyguard

<b>World-Building</b>
At first, I had so many questions about the world and why we (as readers) knew so little about it. By the end, I realized this was intentional. The limited perspective reflects Emelia's own lack of knowledge, which I thought was such a clever narrative choice. The world unfolds gradually, allowing the reader to learn alongside Emelia. This approach made it easy to connect with her and experience her growth firsthand.

<b>The Romance</b>
The relationship initially felt very insta-lust, with a heavy focus on physical attraction. However, as the story progressed, their dynamic deepened, and the fast-paced escalation made sense within the context of the plot. There’s a reason behind the rushed nature of their connection, and it tied into the story nicely by the end.

<b>Foreshadowing</b>
The author sprinkled in plenty of foreshadowing, which helped me form some theories about the rebellion (who was behind it, why it was happening, etc.). However, I was completely wrong, and the plot twists genuinely surprised me. It was refreshing to be caught off guard, especially since I often find mysteries in fantasy books too easy to solve.

<b>Characters</b>
<u>Emelia Raven</u>: As a blood-borne human heir to a vampire throne, Emelia starts off as somewhat obnoxious. She complains despite her privileged life and high status. However, she undergoes significant growth over the course of the book. Betrayals, secrets, and heartbreak push her to finally find her strength. By the end, she’s a mature, badass woman determined to use her unique position for good.
<u>Kyle</u>: The dark-haired, brooding vampire bodyguard and love interest. His loyalty is tested in ways I can’t discuss without spoiling the book. Let’s just say his arc kept me guessing.
<u>Michael</u>: (Blonde alert!) Michael appears toward the end of the book, and I LOVED him. Based on his dynamic with Emelia, I’m very excited to see more of him in what I assume will be a sequel.

<b>Pacing</b>
The pacing was well-balanced overall, allowing me to immerse myself in the story and world. I especially appreciated the short chapters, which made the book so much easier to read (long chapters tend to put me off). The last few chapters, however, were a whirlwind of action and revelations. While it felt slightly overwhelming, I enjoyed the fast pace—it gave the book a strong, exciting finish and left me eager for more.

<b>Final Thoughts</b>
I need the next book already! There are so many unanswered questions, and I hope the sequel will deliver the answers I crave. This book leans toward the simpler side of fantasy, making it perfect for younger readers. If I’d read this when I was under 19, it probably would’ve been a 5⭐️ read for me.

Disclaimer: This is NOT a romantasy. If that’s your expectation, adjust accordingly—or you might want to pick up something else.

Overall, this was a fun, fast-paced read that was easy to follow and has left me yearning for more.

I am left reeling, trying to find words for my emotions. The twist was twisting, literally crushed my heart with hers but after everything it was like a butterfly releasing from its cocoon, or a raven finally leaving its cage. It was such an emotional read to me. I absolutely loved it.

Wonderful atmosphere, but I’d love to have had more world building. Also would have loved some more tension and buildup with regards to the relationship. I don’t mind instant love usually, but more tension leads to me wanting to root for them. Perhaps the tropes and characters would have lended themselves to a contemporary romance over fantasy… as without the world building it all falls flat.

God I wanted to love that book it was one of the book I was the most excited about, I was promised a book for fan of twilight I mean being a millennial I was so down for that bad boy. But it felt flat and I god I’m upset about that one. The world building is none excitant I thought it was a fantasy set in a vampire world but they wear skinny jeans for f*** sake. They have phones and laptop (which I won’t be surprise are all apple btw) and I know it could be fine if not the plot they have problem with security but have technology but no cameras in the castle …. Make no sense to me ! The romance jeez I don’t like instant love in contemporary romance but in fantasy I think it’s just a hell no !!!!! The plot made no sense again and the ending seriously I have to say I jump to the ending wanted to see if that was true what people were saying and yes what a way to kill a book in 5 chapters 😂😂

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love the forced proximity trope, and I don't see it too often in a fantasy type story. This was a fun new story on vampires apart from the vampire craze from years ago.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The writing was not very good, and the characters were not very likeable. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, but this one was a little hard to get through, which was disappointing. The world building was also a little confusing and I don't understand why they gave the FMC such responsibility at such a young age.

Instalove is an immediate turn off for me and whilst there isn’t a HEA, it is a duology after all the instance love was a little too much.
The world in which this is set is a little conflicting, it feels dystopian, Middle Ages based in some scenarios but then modern technology and conveniences in some scenes. Vampires having a human heir is different but why would they, there needed to be a reason why there couldn’t be another heir for them.
Emilia is whiny, naive and childish, whilst this is the character and needs to be that to some extent it does not make for a FMC to root for and enjoy.
Overall I did like the book and enjoyed the narration, I’ll most likely read book two, with hopes some of this may get answered / improved upon.

It’s a 3.5star rating really.

I received this book as an ARC and provide and honest review

REVIEW: The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones

The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones is a decent start to a new series, offering a unique blend of vampire lore and forbidden romance. The premise is intriguing: a human heiress to a powerful vampire family navigating a world of shadows and secrets. While the world-building is lacking, the fast-paced plot and unexpected twists keep the reader engaged.

However, the character development feels rushed, particularly for the main character, Emelia. Her quick transformation from a rebellious teen to a determined leader is jarring. The insta-love romance between Emelia and Kyle, while passionate, lacks depth and chemistry.

Overall, The Last Raven is a promising debut with a strong foundation. With further development of the world and characters, the series has the potential to become a captivating dark fantasy read.

Thank you, Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Ok let me start a the beginning the concept of a human born from vampires is wild. I love it though like ooo could i be from vampires too lol (let m live in my fantasy world) I do feel like the story could have been fleshed out a bit more in terms of world building but I didn't hate it. I just wanted more I guess

I love a vampire romance book however….Kyle and Emilia and two of the most irritating characters I’ve ever read!! One minute they’re all over each other, then they aren’t…then they are again. Not a lot of character development or story development. I didn’t find any of this book original and unfortunately I just didn’t like it very much, sorryyyyyy!

I was really excited to dive into The Last Raven. However, unfortunately, it ended up not being for me. The FMC Emelia was so whiny and complained and fought everything. The MMC is named Kyle, and I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm going to be excited about a Kyle. I felt like this book was reminiscent of lots of other books, so it just didn't hit on being unique. I felt like I had heard this story before. The pacing is super fast, but I felt like it was too fast at times. There was a lot happening, but nothing was given enough detail to drive things home. This seemed forced, and there was no real build-up to Kyle and Emelia's relationship it just happened right away and fell flat. As for the plot twist at the end, to me, it felt a bit forced and predictable. It didn't wow me. When I read a book, especially a fantasy, I need major world and character building so I can "see" it, and this just didn't do that for, and I really, really wanted it to. I think this may be a good "intro" to fantasy if you are just starting into the genre, but if you are a seasoned reader of the fantasy/romantasy genre, you may not  love it.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. Although the first half of the book was not the best in that there was not a lot of action, the second half of the book definitely made up for it! I loved the ending and the plot twists but would have loved it if the book was a bit longer and we got to see the lead up to Kyle and Emilia's romance as it seemed a little too fast.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book as it is one of my top reads.

DNF at 23%. I really tried to get into this and finish the book but could not. FMC was far too immature. MMC does not act like he wasn’t given a high ranking position guarding the FMC. I’d understand off-putting or uncomfortable but professional but he seems untrained and mean. Did skip towards the end to figure out some of the plot details and conclusion and I’m so glad I didn’t finish.

Vampires, forced proximity, enermies to lovers - need I say more.

I have this in paperback but preferred reading an ebook.

The writing style is very YA in my opinion,

I wish there had been more worldbuilding and understanding as to the human vampire politics and interactions.

However is a fun and easy read and is more romance than fantasy.

The Last Raven had a promising setup but ultimately didn’t deliver on its potential. The story follows Emilia Raven, heir to the vampire kingdom, struggling between loyalty to her family and the brutal reality of vampire rule. However, the world-building fell short, blending modern Earth elements like jeans and phones into the fantasy setting in ways that felt out of place.

The pacing was another downside, with rushed chapters and a lack of depth in crucial scenes. The romance lacked development and felt more like insta-love than a genuine connection. Emilia’s character, while initially intriguing, became frustrating as her decisions felt random rather than intentional.

Overall, The Last Raven struggled to balance its romance and fantasy elements, and the chaotic world-building and lackluster plot left it feeling disconnected and ultimately disappointing.

The Last Raven is fast paced and it had a few unexpected twists which I did not see coming. The ending surprised me but there were a few instances throughout the story where I struggled to get invested in the plot. I prefer more of a slow burn when it comes to romance so I thought the relationship between Kyle and Emelia was a bit too full on from the beginning but if a slow burn isn't your thing then the romance in this story would be right up your street. I did find myself getting frustrated with Emelia at times but the character develops a lot throughout the book and I actually really liked her by the end.

Overall, I thought "The Last Raven" was an interesting approach to the vampire fantasy / romance world and really enjoyed the world building and tension throughout the story. This book is a solid 3 stars for me!