The Last Raven

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this ARC!

This was such a fun read!! I read it so quickly. We follow Emilia Raven, a human born to an elite family of vampires. She's seventeen years old and dreads that she has to become the ruler of the Raven House when she turns eighteen.

Being a human born to vampires is extremely rare, and she faces endless discrimination because of it and is seldom allowed anywhere without guards to protect her. This changes when her parents decide that she has to start going out and establishing herself as the Raven heir among the other vampire families. They assign her one personal guard, Kyle.

Emilia is the epitome of feminine rage. She resents/despises the world and role she was born into, yet also feels a lot of fear for being human. I loved her character and Kyle's. He's dark and brooding and so protective over her! They initially loathe each other, but their tension could cut glass and their banter is top notch.

When I first started reading the book, I could never in a million years have predicted how much the plot would expand and evolve, the book is fast-paced and the story gets so much deeper than it initially seems to be on the surface. The ending literally shocked me - at no point did I see it coming, which I feel like I should've, but props to the author because she got me!

My one complaint is the lack of world building -- there's not much context into where and when the book takes place nor the background of the vampires. There are cars, phones, etc., but the social hierarchy feels very archaic and the lack of information can be disorienting.

This book is compared to Twilight, but Emilia and Kyle are far more emotionally complex and mercurial than Bella and Edward. I recommend this book for anyone looking to satisfy a craving for vampire romance with a good plot - this book definitely delivers.

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.

3.75 stars for me! I read this book very quickly, and I enjoyed the ride!

I liked the FMC and the basis of the story, but I thought the world building could’ve been a little more fleshed out. There were mentions of our world/countries but then it wasn’t clear what the relation was to those places or what might be going on there vs where the story takes place.

The plot went at a good pace for me, and had plenty of twists and events that kept me interested. Some of it was a little predictable (ugh, Kyle!) but I still think it was engaging and well executed.

I really enjoyed the way the book ended and set us up for the sequel, which I will definitely be reading!

Thank you to the author, Harper360 and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was not what I expected and I loved that! I knew I was going to enjoy this but I really really loved this. It’s a little different than other paranormal romance type books I’ve read but I am definitely eagerly awaiting the next!

Started with an absolute jaw dropping beginning. The matter of the blood in this story is like a Stephanie Garber book where blood is the key to all. It was a good story, not the MOST captivating but still good

*The Last Raven* by Helen Glynn Jones is an exciting and heart-racing vampire romance that’s perfect for fall! Emelia’s journey as a human heir in a world dominated by vampires pulls you in from the start, and the chemistry between her and the mysterious Kyle is irresistible. Their forced proximity only makes the slow-burn romance even more delicious, and the forbidden aspect adds just the right amount of tension. The world-building is rich, and Emelia’s struggles with her destiny make her a relatable and strong heroine.

The plot is engaging, with rebellion simmering in the background and high stakes at every turn. Fans of *Twilight* will love the blend of romance and supernatural intrigue. It's the kind of book that keeps you hooked, rooting for Emelia and Kyle as they navigate a world full of danger and dark secrets. A must-read for those looking to sink their teeth into a forbidden romance!

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 360 and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

This book seems to be being marketed as an adult romantasy, which I definitely disagree with. It does have one spice scene, which is maybe why it's not being marketed as YA? The story is very much a YA coming of age fantasy that is told in first person with us being stuck in a 17 year-old girl's head for the entire book and the relationship between the protagonist (Emelia) and her parents is far more of a focus than the insta-love, teenage infatuation romance.

That being said, I think it is an excellent YA book and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading it. The plot was fast paced and full of fun twists. Emelia is an extremely naive and sheltered teenager who has basically been shut away for her safety her entire life and we get to join her on her journey to discover what the world is really like for humans in a world controlled by vampires and then see her try to reconcile her relationship with her parents and figure out her purpose.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy and vampires.

Thank you to Harper 360 and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy to read and review.

I really was on edge about how I felt about the main character of Emilia Raven, some times I cheered for her and other times I wanted to shake her. Honestly I have to say though for the age range of the character, I feel these feeling fit. I don't really know what else to say that won't give things away, but the ENDING!!! Oh my gosh!!! I flipping tossed my kindle across the room and yelled!!

Wow, the plot twist really threw me! Amazingly done! Definitely adding a star for that alone.
I loved the idea that Halloween was like Christmas for the vampires, perfect read for October!
No cliffhanger, the book is written as a stand alone but there's some room for more to be written possibly. I really liked the ending :)
Now the critique, Emelia is too young imo. She's 17 and imo is too childish and a bit bratty. The book feels more like a young adult novel than an adult novel, except for a bit of spice. I'd give it 🌶️🌶️/5.

*an advanced digital copy was received from NetGalley in return for an honest review*

I think this was an interesting book overall. It starts off like many other romantasy novels involving vampires, but I was definitely hooked on the storyline as it progressed towards the end.

This book is the story about a human girl, Emilia Raven, who was born into a family of vampires. Although she's destined to take over their empire, Emilia has never felt like she truly belongs, given that she's the only human in a world of supernatural beings.

What I think was really interesting about this book was how it was set in an urban post-apocalyptic setting. Most vampire romantasy books I've read take place in a completely different fantasy world. This setting made the story feel refreshingly different.. That said, I found myself wanting to know more about how the vampires came into power and exactly when and where this story is set. The Safe Zones and the technology used to protect humans from vampires were fascinating elements that I want to know more about! I'm quite curious to see how Jones is going to continue to develop this world in any upcoming books. Especially surrounding what regular humans might be going through.

Moving on to the characters, Emilia and Kyle, their dynamic was engaging. Emilia's growth throughout the book, as she becomes more confident in herself, reminded me of a classic teenage coming-of-age story. This is a classic Bodyguard to Lovers story, and their banter at the beginning was very entertaining. Kyle is a mysterious character but shows that he really cares about Emilia. At times, their relationship did lean toward familiar romantasy clichés, but the ending made the buildup worthwhile.

Overall, I think this is a great read for lovers of vampires, romance, and fantasy! The cliffhanger at the end was one of my favorites this year—unexpected and leaving me eager to read more. I am very excited to see what comes out of this series.

Thank you again NetGalley for the ARC!

This book completely sucked me in! Emilia Raven is a human born into a family of vampires, and her life is a mess of pressure and discrimination. She’s supposed to take over as the head of her family, but being human in a world of vampires isn’t exactly easy. The dynamic between Emilia and her bodyguard, Kyle, is everything! they can’t stand each other at first, but the tension is off the charts, and their back-and-forth is so entertaining.
What I didn’t expect was how much the story would expand. It starts off feeling like a typical vampire romance, but then it explodes into something way deeper and more intense. The twists? I didn’t see them coming at all! I was hooked right until the jaw-dropping ending.
If I had to nitpick, the world-building could’ve used more depth. I was a bit confused about the setting, but honestly, the characters and plot kept me so engaged that I didn’t mind too much. If you’re looking for a vampire story that brings the heat and has a killer plot, this one’s a must-read!

I really loved this book! It was just what I wanted in a fantasy romance book! The atmosphere was great and I loved the romance!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.

In the beginning I personally didn’t like any of the characters and I felt like the book was scrambled and had too many different things going on to generally have a good plot. I got interested around 30% into the book and wanted to keep reading since the story line had picked up along with the pace. I did feel a lot of the parts of the book were unnecessary and didn’t help move the plot forward. Emelia frustrated me in more ways than one since she was quite foolish at times but I do believed her character did change and grow by the end and just throughout the story. I did struggle with her acting like a bit of a toddler at times but the poor thing was just way to sheltered and I honestly understand her character and would be interested in reading a second book about her and what’s to come. I also love that she’s truly a bad ass 🙏🏼! (I was so fricken happy by the end 🥹) 3.5 stars!