I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Last Raven by Helen Glynn Jones Series: The Ravens #1
Published by One More Chapter on 2025 January 14
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 271
Format: E-Arc
Source: Edelweiss
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I’ll be forced to take the crown, simply because of who my parents are. Never mind that my skin, my eyes, the way I move, everything will give me away for what I am.
Human.
In a world ruled by vampires.
As sole heir to the House of Raven, there is nothing Emelia can’t have. The only problem is, she doesn’t want it.
But when a new guard enters her closed-off existence, she sees a way out. As rebellion and dark forces swirl around her, Emelia has a choice to make – leave everyone she loves behind, or stay and accept her destiny…
Holy mother of Raven, I did not expect that ending! It was not cliffhangery but I seriously did not expect that because I was still reeling from the other twists the author has thrown my way. Right, let me calm down first and let’s start from the beginning. Emilia Raven, the protagonist of our story, is a blood borne vampire which means that she is an offspring of pure vampires only that she did not inherit the vampiric DNA. She can stand sunlight, eat normal food, and lack the necessary fangs to complete the vampire ensemble. Simply say, she is human, a royalty even, in the vampire society. She’s the only heir of the Ravens, one of the most powerful vampire family that exist in this modern yet ravaged world.
Growing up, Emilia really hated feeling useless and an outcast in their family fortress. She’s confused because she’s expected to lead House Raven when the right time comes and yet, she doesn’t have vampire powers so how can she rule the vamp minions effectively? And on the other hand, she hated the vampire ways, especially their cruelty against the humans, with the fire of a thousand suns. She does not want to be a part of such abhorrent abuse instigated by no less than her parents. Emilia’s vampire parents, however, love her so much in their own vampiric ways. So this is where the conflict starts when our heroine finally had enough and rebelled against the wishes of her parents.
As I was progressing through the story, my enjoyment was stable. I like how Jones carefully laid out and revealed the secrets of the world that she created in this book without dragging the whole plot. It was definitely a world where bleakness is the primary vibe. The humans, who were once apex predators, became the hunted and were treated as livestock for the vampires. And as much I am sympathizing for the humans, I cannot bring myself to do the same for Emilia who, for some reason, grated on my nerves to no end. She’s bratty, sheltered, weepy, impulsive, and kind of naïve for her age. I get that she has a lot of insecurities and other baggage growing up but I just can’t find in me the urge to comfort her. Her sympathy for the humans and her contempt against vampire cruelty just seems over the top given that she practically grew up in a household full of vampires. A huge part of her very being should have been accepting that that’s life….that vampires take and humans always give. Maybe this is just me nitpicking but usually, people come to a realization about the wrongs in this world when a powerful and life-changing thing happens to them directly. Emilia did not have that kind of opportunity here, she just saw her parents doing normal vampire stuff but she immediately behaves like this morally superior girl.
Putting aside my frustrations with Emilia, the Last Raven had almost stayed true to its mission. The plot moved forward with a nice pace, twists that made me WTF at times were thrown at the right moments that it was hard to take a break from reading, the setting was tantalizingly gothic, and yes, I have this perverse adoration for Emilia’s parents because they’ve always been there for Emilia, trying their damnedest to be the best parents despite their blood thirsty nature. (Do not ask me about the romance please) It’s this familial vibe, the filial dynamics between Emilia and her parents, that made the Last Raven a heartworthy read.