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The Last Vampire #1
The Last Vampire: Book One
There’s a smokin’ hot dead guy locked in my garden shed.
That part’s bad enough. But now, he’s trying to get out.
Growing up, my father always told me that I’d come to a bad end, just like my mom did when I was a kid. Hearing that kind of shit when you’re little eventually gets to a girl, but I can’t say I ever expected my ‘bad end’ to involve an angry vampire with a severe case of iron deficiency and a panty-melting English accent.
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. Ever since my mother was assassinated, I’ve felt like there was something vast and frightening hidden beneath the fabric of the world. Something none of us are supposed to know about.
So far, finding out I was right hasn’t been nearly as satisfying as I’d hoped. I guess the trick will be staying alive long enough to shout ‘I told you so’ from the rooftops.
But before I can do that, I really need to figure out if the vampire who just bit me is one of the good guys or not.
That part’s bad enough. But now, he’s trying to get out.
Growing up, my father always told me that I’d come to a bad end, just like my mom did when I was a kid. Hearing that kind of shit when you’re little eventually gets to a girl, but I can’t say I ever expected my ‘bad end’ to involve an angry vampire with a severe case of iron deficiency and a panty-melting English accent.
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. Ever since my mother was assassinated, I’ve felt like there was something vast and frightening hidden beneath the fabric of the world. Something none of us are supposed to know about.
So far, finding out I was right hasn’t been nearly as satisfying as I’d hoped. I guess the trick will be staying alive long enough to shout ‘I told you so’ from the rooftops.
But before I can do that, I really need to figure out if the vampire who just bit me is one of the good guys or not.
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2018
1398 people are currently reading
1424 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Steffan
85 books501 followersUSA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan lives in New Mexico, where the sunsets paint the mountains purple, and roadrunners roam the desert endlessly in search of their coyote victims. When she’s not busy writing stories about people loving each other in all sorts of different and interesting ways, she can be found taking care of her small menagerie of critters.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
January 21, 2019
I devoured this in one sitting. Awesome urban fantasy with a great female mc and snarky British vampire pal. I'm on to the next one now...
Edited to add: Book 2 is even better.
Edited to add: Book 2 is even better.
April 16, 2020
Good supernatural story
Zorah finds a man in her shed who was shot in the chest with no pulse and not breathing, so she closes the shed doors, goes into the house and calls 911 to report a dead body. Little does she know that before the police and ambulance arrive, the man will get up, break out of the shed and into her house, and feed on her blood from her neck, leaving her without any wound. Police chalk it up to the man being on drugs and her having difficulty finding the pulse.
She sees the Vampire at her job the next day where she is a waitress and he asks her to meet with him. He tells her there is something special about her blood but walks out. The next day at her work another man comes in and stares at her and asks her personal questions and makes her uncomfortable all day. This man sets her up and things get crazy from there. The Vampire Rans comes to her rescue a few times and they work together to try to find out what the other man wants.
I like the two sides against each other aspect of the story and how it drives the two main characters together and makes the Vampire become her protector since he knows the supernatural world and she is just finding out about it.
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Zorah finds a man in her shed who was shot in the chest with no pulse and not breathing, so she closes the shed doors, goes into the house and calls 911 to report a dead body. Little does she know that before the police and ambulance arrive, the man will get up, break out of the shed and into her house, and feed on her blood from her neck, leaving her without any wound. Police chalk it up to the man being on drugs and her having difficulty finding the pulse.
She sees the Vampire at her job the next day where she is a waitress and he asks her to meet with him. He tells her there is something special about her blood but walks out. The next day at her work another man comes in and stares at her and asks her personal questions and makes her uncomfortable all day. This man sets her up and things get crazy from there. The Vampire Rans comes to her rescue a few times and they work together to try to find out what the other man wants.
I like the two sides against each other aspect of the story and how it drives the two main characters together and makes the Vampire become her protector since he knows the supernatural world and she is just finding out about it.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
March 28, 2022
This book built a fantastic universe to be continued in the following books in this series. I loved the number of different creatures that were included or alluded to in this book that could possibly make an appearance in future books.
With all that being said Zorah was such a clueless main character that it ended up dragging the story down for me. She also has very special and, for what she is, impossible/never-before-seen magical powers that didn't add much to the story unless it was to put her on the pedestal she apparently deserves as an extra special half human half paranormal creature thing. She was also rather whiny and repetitive with her inner monologue which only got worse with time.
Rans was an interesting character that I wanted to know more about. To be honest there were quite a few moments where I would have preferred to be in his head rather than Zorah's and that's coming from someone who doesn't really enjoy/go-after male pov novels. His secretive nature was what held me on until the end.
I don't know how to feel about this book. The world the authors built is fantastic but the characters don't do it justice. I may or may not pick up the next book eventually in the future.
The Audio Book:
The narrator's voice for Zorah was on the shrill side and ended up grating in the long run. There were quite a few moments where Ran's British accent simply disappeared. This audio book would have been better had they had at least two narrators at the same time reading their lines (I think it's called dual narration or something of that like). It would have done more to pull me into the story.
August 5, 2019
The Last Vampire, Book 1 is the start of a potentially good series.
The story began on an interesting note. I met a 26-year-old Zorah Bright who found herself plunged into the supernatural world when she encountered Rans, a vampire in her garden shed. My interest was further piqued when the said vampire’s attempt to glamour her failed. She remembered every detail of the encounter. Just when she thought things could get no worse, she lost her job, and the police is looking to arrest her. Then she discovers she is succubus hybrid i.e. half human, half succubus. How much more can she handle?
Now I went into the story expecting to be reading about a vampire. Who wouldn’t, given the title of the book? A vampire made an appearance, however the focus of the story was on Zorah. I found her to be an interesting character, although sometimes I found her actions annoying. I learnt that Rans is a centuries old vampire and the last of his kind. He also took it up on himself to be Zorah’s protector. However, I wished the authors had provided more about him, so I could understand what drove him.
Zorah and Rans had lots of chemistry. I sensed instantly that they would share intimate moments.
The secondary characters are an interesting bunch. I am curious to learn more about them, especially Zorah’s father.
The authors went into so many details, which led to the story moving at a slow pace. Despite the slowness, I found the storyline interesting. I was curious to know how the events would unfold.
Given the circumstances, I was happy that romance was not the focal point of the story. There were some passionate moments, but it did not take over the story. I thought this aspect was well done, and fitted the story perfectly.
Everything was going so well until that cliffhanger of an ending, which left me with so many unanswered questions.
Narration
I am not a big fan of the narrator. Her male voices were fine, but she made the heroine sound like a whining and bratty teenager.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, not a bad story. I will read the next book as I need answers, but I am not sure if I will continue with the audio version.
The story began on an interesting note. I met a 26-year-old Zorah Bright who found herself plunged into the supernatural world when she encountered Rans, a vampire in her garden shed. My interest was further piqued when the said vampire’s attempt to glamour her failed. She remembered every detail of the encounter. Just when she thought things could get no worse, she lost her job, and the police is looking to arrest her. Then she discovers she is succubus hybrid i.e. half human, half succubus. How much more can she handle?
Now I went into the story expecting to be reading about a vampire. Who wouldn’t, given the title of the book? A vampire made an appearance, however the focus of the story was on Zorah. I found her to be an interesting character, although sometimes I found her actions annoying. I learnt that Rans is a centuries old vampire and the last of his kind. He also took it up on himself to be Zorah’s protector. However, I wished the authors had provided more about him, so I could understand what drove him.
Zorah and Rans had lots of chemistry. I sensed instantly that they would share intimate moments.
The secondary characters are an interesting bunch. I am curious to learn more about them, especially Zorah’s father.
The authors went into so many details, which led to the story moving at a slow pace. Despite the slowness, I found the storyline interesting. I was curious to know how the events would unfold.
Given the circumstances, I was happy that romance was not the focal point of the story. There were some passionate moments, but it did not take over the story. I thought this aspect was well done, and fitted the story perfectly.
Everything was going so well until that cliffhanger of an ending, which left me with so many unanswered questions.
Narration
I am not a big fan of the narrator. Her male voices were fine, but she made the heroine sound like a whining and bratty teenager.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, not a bad story. I will read the next book as I need answers, but I am not sure if I will continue with the audio version.
January 30, 2019
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/01/...
This book was not good. It was mediocre if I’m being generous. First off, it was a cliffhanger, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but there was no closure of the current plot and no loose ends were tied up. This leads me to believe one of two things…. The author doesn’t know what’s going to happen next in which case, that’s fine as long as we have SOME kind of closure in the current book, but we don’t.
OR…. the author was intentionally doing it so people would buy the next book, in which case that is also fine if there is SOME kind of closure in the current book.
And the sex! Ug, it was mechanical and not romantic in the least. There was no reasoning given as to why all of the sudden they were into each other, aside from the fact that it was a compulsion for her. A one sentence explanation doesn’t do it folks, I need more and maybe a reaction from them after it happened. Like, where did that come from? How do we feel about what we have just done? Did we like it? Are we ready to keep doing it? Instead of “OK, yeah, moving on.” It just didn’t make sense.
Won’t be reading any more of this series.
This book was not good. It was mediocre if I’m being generous. First off, it was a cliffhanger, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but there was no closure of the current plot and no loose ends were tied up. This leads me to believe one of two things…. The author doesn’t know what’s going to happen next in which case, that’s fine as long as we have SOME kind of closure in the current book, but we don’t.
OR…. the author was intentionally doing it so people would buy the next book, in which case that is also fine if there is SOME kind of closure in the current book.
And the sex! Ug, it was mechanical and not romantic in the least. There was no reasoning given as to why all of the sudden they were into each other, aside from the fact that it was a compulsion for her. A one sentence explanation doesn’t do it folks, I need more and maybe a reaction from them after it happened. Like, where did that come from? How do we feel about what we have just done? Did we like it? Are we ready to keep doing it? Instead of “OK, yeah, moving on.” It just didn’t make sense.
Won’t be reading any more of this series.
dnf
January 13, 201910% DNF - had a feeling this book was heading towards how super special our MC is and I wasn't wrong.
I should have known considering any book that has "panty melting" as a sexy unironic attribute for the Hero/love interest is not my cup of tea.
I should have known considering any book that has "panty melting" as a sexy unironic attribute for the Hero/love interest is not my cup of tea.
August 25, 2024
3,6/5
czy było to coś niezwykłego? nie. czy było to coś porywającego? nie za bardzo. czy dobrze się bawiłam? tak.
nie jest to do końca rozwiązanie mojego pobocznego questa książkowego - znalezienie dobrej książki o wampirach, ale demony też są spoko.
czy było to coś niezwykłego? nie. czy było to coś porywającego? nie za bardzo. czy dobrze się bawiłam? tak.
nie jest to do końca rozwiązanie mojego pobocznego questa książkowego - znalezienie dobrej książki o wampirach, ale demony też są spoko.
February 15, 2019
"For now, I need someplace to hide out and a couple of fake IDs. So, are you going to invite me in?"
"Come on in, you undead English asshole. And hello again, Miss...?"
"Bright," I managed. "Call me Zorah." --Rans, Guthrie, & Zorah
5+ stars!
I loved everything about this book!! The humor in this book is so above par from other vampire/paranormal novels I've read, while the story itself flows so effortlessly that I did not want to stop reading. I loved that Zorah is not your typical heroine--she is open about her physical and mental ailments, she has a strained and almost hostile relationship with her father, and her reactions to everything she faces in the novel were realistic yet powerful. She was amazing, and Rans was just as broken and cryptic (he is a vampire, of course) but still protective over Zorah and determined to help her. He was the push to her pull, and their relationship while still new was lovely. There were also so many twists in this novel that I was NOT expecting that I feel added so much depth and layers to the storyline. There was a mild cliffhanger towards the end that leaves you ready for book two. I CANNOT WAIT to continue on in this series!!
My badass and sexy yet vulnerable Ransley, the last vampire (like, ever)...
January 14, 2019
It isn't that this wasn't any good but...I don't know. It just was a thing that happened is the best I can say about it. Zorah is pretty decent and I like how she has these characteristics about her that say she is a badass but it only pops up when it comes to others. When it comes to herself she is a bit whiny and kind of childish in her approach to certain things. Like...not a spoiler I guess but there is this creepy guy who was asking her personal questions and causimg problems for while at work and she just kind of dealt with it. Dude was there for hours but she never did anything about it outside of letting some of her other co-workers help him everyonce in awhile. She only spoke out about him when it was time for her to get off of work. Which, whatever, not everyone is going to want to risk losing their over a paying customer but she had every right to talk to her boss or co-workers about it but she didn't. This is strange considering at different points she has been able to speak her mind to other, including a freaking demon, and set them straight when they are trying to jerk her around. Her words and actions don't mesh. She is like a helpless puppy and that she can give so much bark but zero bite and she just needs to bite more. Because she doesnt she gets herself into some stupid situations.
Also for some odd reason the reactions to everyone under the Faes influence irked me.. I know it was a point and that it had to be done but I kind of wish they had done it for her other job and not the non-profit. It makes sense that they did it since that job meant more to her but it still upset me that the author choose that one to screw her over with.
Also also her dad...how much you wanna bet he is fae or demonkind?
I am thinking Fae and I am so hoping that isn't the twist.
Also for some odd reason the reactions to everyone under the Faes influence irked me.. I know it was a point and that it had to be done but I kind of wish they had done it for her other job and not the non-profit. It makes sense that they did it since that job meant more to her but it still upset me that the author choose that one to screw her over with.
Also also her dad...how much you wanna bet he is fae or demonkind?
I am thinking Fae and I am so hoping that isn't the twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2020
I am more of a listener than a reader. I had the privilege of hearing some of the early audio of the story, but it stopped at a very dramatic point. So I took the time to actually read the rest of the book instead of falling on my audio standby.
This isn't a romance right away. It's more an adventure story that focuses on Zorah instead of the titular Last Vampire. She's our "in" for this world that at first glance appears to be very clever. It mixes vampires with fae and demons, which is pretty darned cool.
I really appreciated Zorah's real world trappings. She was surrounded with things I hadn't seen covered a lot in works, such as what she thinks is chronic illness and then the fact that Zorah volunteers for a mental health organization. It's something that reflects the variety of real life.
Since I did listen with audio, Druyor's performance is up to the standard regular listeners have come to expect. Rans sounds great, and both the set of authors and the narrator seem to love their British bad boys. Druyor tweaked the performance, helping Zorah come across as a more competent adult woman who happens to be in a very stressful situation
So here's the bottom line: Good contemporary, interesting leads, awesome fight scenes, surprisingly tame sex scenes (given characters/authors), and a cliff hanger ending. Yes, that's right. A cliff hanger. But not to worry, the e-book follow up is coming out within days of this review, and the audio will be close on its heels.
This isn't a romance right away. It's more an adventure story that focuses on Zorah instead of the titular Last Vampire. She's our "in" for this world that at first glance appears to be very clever. It mixes vampires with fae and demons, which is pretty darned cool.
I really appreciated Zorah's real world trappings. She was surrounded with things I hadn't seen covered a lot in works, such as what she thinks is chronic illness and then the fact that Zorah volunteers for a mental health organization. It's something that reflects the variety of real life.
Since I did listen with audio, Druyor's performance is up to the standard regular listeners have come to expect. Rans sounds great, and both the set of authors and the narrator seem to love their British bad boys. Druyor tweaked the performance, helping Zorah come across as a more competent adult woman who happens to be in a very stressful situation
So here's the bottom line: Good contemporary, interesting leads, awesome fight scenes, surprisingly tame sex scenes (given characters/authors), and a cliff hanger ending. Yes, that's right. A cliff hanger. But not to worry, the e-book follow up is coming out within days of this review, and the audio will be close on its heels.
December 5, 2018
Loved the Story
This is a hard review for me to write. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
First I'd just like to state that this is a very original story. In the end I loved it and will read the next installment when it's released. I'd actually rate this novel a 3.5 in the first half and a 4.5 the last half.
Now to get more serious.
Pros : original storyline, great characters, steamy hot sometimes (adult read). Only a few grammar and spelling errors.
Cons: In the first half of this book (exactly 49% read on my kindle) I struggled to read it. This author was so wordy. Describing everything....surroundings, feelings.....in such long detail that it really held up the progression of the story. A lot of it did not move the story forward or add to what was actually happening in a way that benifitted it. I found myself reading only the spoken parts and skimming pages at a time. Now mind you I'm not being mean by stating this. I want to help R. A. Steffan. Because the storyline was good enough to make me want to read it. And I'm so glad I kept reading because the writing got way better at 49%. She kept the flow and dialog perfect after that and I was completely immersed in the story, the way every true book lover wants. :)
This is a hard review for me to write. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.
First I'd just like to state that this is a very original story. In the end I loved it and will read the next installment when it's released. I'd actually rate this novel a 3.5 in the first half and a 4.5 the last half.
Now to get more serious.
Pros : original storyline, great characters, steamy hot sometimes (adult read). Only a few grammar and spelling errors.
Cons: In the first half of this book (exactly 49% read on my kindle) I struggled to read it. This author was so wordy. Describing everything....surroundings, feelings.....in such long detail that it really held up the progression of the story. A lot of it did not move the story forward or add to what was actually happening in a way that benifitted it. I found myself reading only the spoken parts and skimming pages at a time. Now mind you I'm not being mean by stating this. I want to help R. A. Steffan. Because the storyline was good enough to make me want to read it. And I'm so glad I kept reading because the writing got way better at 49%. She kept the flow and dialog perfect after that and I was completely immersed in the story, the way every true book lover wants. :)
March 12, 2025
I can see why some others readers mat have found this entertaining....if they've never read an outstanding vampire romance or paranormal before. I found it tedious and slow, and it ended on a cliffhanger which was unnecessary. I won't be continuing. 1.5 stars
Want to read
March 24, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/24/2020)! 🎁
October 31, 2019
2.5 Eh Stars!
Just an okay book. I was looking forward to reading this after having it in my library for so long, but it was pretty dissappointing. Half the book was pretty much details and inner thoughts with maybe like 10% of dialogue, and I pretty much skimmed most of the book I was so bored. I was THIS close to DNFing at 50% too. There was nothing too interesting, no chemistry or anything really, but it did pick up the second half of the book. I think I will read the second one just to see if it gets any better, but if not, I will not be continuing this series.
Just an okay book. I was looking forward to reading this after having it in my library for so long, but it was pretty dissappointing. Half the book was pretty much details and inner thoughts with maybe like 10% of dialogue, and I pretty much skimmed most of the book I was so bored. I was THIS close to DNFing at 50% too. There was nothing too interesting, no chemistry or anything really, but it did pick up the second half of the book. I think I will read the second one just to see if it gets any better, but if not, I will not be continuing this series.
July 25, 2021
2.5, round up
Meh, I didn’t hate this. The writing is fine and I appreciated some of the humor. But the relationships aren’t developed at all. The hero and heroine literally have two less than 10 minute conversations (she literally has a 10 min alarm set during the second one) and then he’s rescuing her, they’re jumping into bed, and they’re apparently a couple for life. And I don’t just mean that makes the sex feel rushed. Even the friendship feels out of nowhere. Then the book ends on a giant cliffhanger. So, I’m pretty “meh” on the whole thing. I also didn’t particularly care for the narrator. There was nothing objectively wrong with the performance, but I found it a little on the whiny side.
Meh, I didn’t hate this. The writing is fine and I appreciated some of the humor. But the relationships aren’t developed at all. The hero and heroine literally have two less than 10 minute conversations (she literally has a 10 min alarm set during the second one) and then he’s rescuing her, they’re jumping into bed, and they’re apparently a couple for life. And I don’t just mean that makes the sex feel rushed. Even the friendship feels out of nowhere. Then the book ends on a giant cliffhanger. So, I’m pretty “meh” on the whole thing. I also didn’t particularly care for the narrator. There was nothing objectively wrong with the performance, but I found it a little on the whiny side.
January 13, 2020
Engaging, effective storytelling ends on a cliffhanger
This is well written from the first person point of view. The heroine's personality comes through clearly and the realism of it engages the reader. The hero is less well developed, but manages to appeal. Well done, but this book is not a complete story.
This is well written from the first person point of view. The heroine's personality comes through clearly and the realism of it engages the reader. The hero is less well developed, but manages to appeal. Well done, but this book is not a complete story.
November 7, 2019
Sexy and fun.
July 21, 2021
A funny, exciting, and thrilling adventure. I am already hooked and excited to read more from this series.
December 23, 2019
Interesting Urban Fantasy
I enjoyed this interesting twist on a vampire book, being about the vampire in existence. Rans is a centuries old vampire who fought in the demon/fae war on the side of the demons. The fae won that war and demons are no longer allowed to interfere on Earth.
Rans is shot and finds shelter in a shed, where he is disturbed by Zorah, a 20-something waitress, whose mother was shot when she was 6 and whose father checked out on being a Dad when it happened. She has been on her own since she was 18, when her Dad moved to a different city, leaving Zorah behind in the old family home. She suffers from chronic joint and muscle pain and is exhausted all the time.
Rans has to feed on Zorah as he’s been so badly injured and when he tastes her blood, which has a unique flavour to it, he decides to watch her and see what happened next.
It’s an unusual take on vampires, which I like, and Zorah is an interesting character, that we don’t get shown enough of. Rans has a very interesting past, that we’re never going to see all of. This combination makes me want to read the next book, just to find out more about these interesting characters.
I enjoyed this interesting twist on a vampire book, being about the vampire in existence. Rans is a centuries old vampire who fought in the demon/fae war on the side of the demons. The fae won that war and demons are no longer allowed to interfere on Earth.
Rans is shot and finds shelter in a shed, where he is disturbed by Zorah, a 20-something waitress, whose mother was shot when she was 6 and whose father checked out on being a Dad when it happened. She has been on her own since she was 18, when her Dad moved to a different city, leaving Zorah behind in the old family home. She suffers from chronic joint and muscle pain and is exhausted all the time.
Rans has to feed on Zorah as he’s been so badly injured and when he tastes her blood, which has a unique flavour to it, he decides to watch her and see what happened next.
It’s an unusual take on vampires, which I like, and Zorah is an interesting character, that we don’t get shown enough of. Rans has a very interesting past, that we’re never going to see all of. This combination makes me want to read the next book, just to find out more about these interesting characters.
March 12, 2019
This is a fun and flirty urban fantasy novel, for which I have only a few complaints.
It's most definitely a pleasant read, with the main characters being Rans, the last vampire left on earth, and Zorah, a girl who thought that she was human for the longest time. They cross paths in the most unusual way, again and again.
Zorah finds herself in the sights of a faction that wants her dead because of a heritage she had no knowledge of. This leads her to more permanently spend time with Rans, and require his assistance to survive in more ways than one as she is part succubus. This leads to very interesting raunchy scenes in the book, which are honestly one of the highlights.
The characters are fleshed out well enough, and there is a fair amount of world building within the series, but it also feels quite short. There are many books that deal with portraying the event of a few days very well, this is not one of those. It ends feeling very short despite its length, and none of the plotlines feel resolved. Another issue is that Zorah's character feels very much like a stereotypical damsel in distress. She cannot do anything for herself. Anytime there is any sort of a fight, she has to rely on others to help her, despite not doing anything to deserve it and constantly throwing herself into further danger. It ends up getting fairly irritating.
It's most definitely a pleasant read, with the main characters being Rans, the last vampire left on earth, and Zorah, a girl who thought that she was human for the longest time. They cross paths in the most unusual way, again and again.
Zorah finds herself in the sights of a faction that wants her dead because of a heritage she had no knowledge of. This leads her to more permanently spend time with Rans, and require his assistance to survive in more ways than one as she is part succubus. This leads to very interesting raunchy scenes in the book, which are honestly one of the highlights.
The characters are fleshed out well enough, and there is a fair amount of world building within the series, but it also feels quite short. There are many books that deal with portraying the event of a few days very well, this is not one of those. It ends feeling very short despite its length, and none of the plotlines feel resolved. Another issue is that Zorah's character feels very much like a stereotypical damsel in distress. She cannot do anything for herself. Anytime there is any sort of a fight, she has to rely on others to help her, despite not doing anything to deserve it and constantly throwing herself into further danger. It ends up getting fairly irritating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2018
Great Story! Great Listen!🎧 Fascinating & Entertaining 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Last Vampire: Book One
By: R. A. Steffan, Jaelynn Woolf
Narrated by: Gwendolyn Druyor
This is a well written, well told story with unique & original storylines and interesting characters. The authors, R.A Steffan & Jaelynn Woolf, are imaginative and create a fascinating world, one where Vampires, Incubus, succubus, demons and FAE live. The characters are well developed, the female lead, Zorah, a newbie in the supernatural world does not know who or what she is. Ransley, a vampire, comes to her rescue in more ways then one. There is great chemistry between them and together they make a great team. I am looking forward to learning more about them as he series continues. I highly recommend this adventurous, fast moving story, it is captivating and there is never a dull moment!
I listened to the Audible edition, Gwendolyn Druyor does a wonderful job narrating the story and bringing the characters to life. She performs the voices of all the characters, switching back & forth effortlessly keeping the story in a perfect flow.
Thank you for the great listen.
The Last Vampire: Book One
By: R. A. Steffan, Jaelynn Woolf
Narrated by: Gwendolyn Druyor
This is a well written, well told story with unique & original storylines and interesting characters. The authors, R.A Steffan & Jaelynn Woolf, are imaginative and create a fascinating world, one where Vampires, Incubus, succubus, demons and FAE live. The characters are well developed, the female lead, Zorah, a newbie in the supernatural world does not know who or what she is. Ransley, a vampire, comes to her rescue in more ways then one. There is great chemistry between them and together they make a great team. I am looking forward to learning more about them as he series continues. I highly recommend this adventurous, fast moving story, it is captivating and there is never a dull moment!
I listened to the Audible edition, Gwendolyn Druyor does a wonderful job narrating the story and bringing the characters to life. She performs the voices of all the characters, switching back & forth effortlessly keeping the story in a perfect flow.
Thank you for the great listen.
February 1, 2019
I loved this audiobook! The cliff hanger is killer and I can’t wait to continue the story. The narrator does a great job as well - keeping it light and engaging.
This book is about a 20-something year old woman, Zorah, who is thrust into the supernatural world without warning when she finds a man with a shotgun hole in his chest lying dead on the floor of her backyard shed. Before the police can arrive, however, the man forces his way into her home, drinks her blood and dashes off, leaving Zorah to look all crazy-coocoo-pants in front of the police. The next thing she knows, she’s waiting on him at the restaurant she works at, and things get moving from that point and don’t stop - including Ransley being the last vampire and a frisky bond the two share.
Because this is the first book in the series, we are getting a lot of character background, but I think it’s mixed well with the “present” story flow.
I’ll be picking up the next book for sure.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary, unbiased review. (I have no problem giving a book a 1 if I think n that’s what it deserves. Fortunately, I enjoyed this book tremendously.)
This book is about a 20-something year old woman, Zorah, who is thrust into the supernatural world without warning when she finds a man with a shotgun hole in his chest lying dead on the floor of her backyard shed. Before the police can arrive, however, the man forces his way into her home, drinks her blood and dashes off, leaving Zorah to look all crazy-coocoo-pants in front of the police. The next thing she knows, she’s waiting on him at the restaurant she works at, and things get moving from that point and don’t stop - including Ransley being the last vampire and a frisky bond the two share.
Because this is the first book in the series, we are getting a lot of character background, but I think it’s mixed well with the “present” story flow.
I’ll be picking up the next book for sure.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary, unbiased review. (I have no problem giving a book a 1 if I think n that’s what it deserves. Fortunately, I enjoyed this book tremendously.)
December 26, 2022
2 stars but in a distinctly worse way than some of the 1 stars I've read this year. This book sucked major throughout. I'll post more thoughts later, but... this book is as unsatisfying as it is stupid as it reeks lol. One thing I will say is that I like Len but too bad he's there for 1 chapter bc of plot reasons.
okay i've given it a few days (and half the second book LOL) to mull it over and... (buzzer sound) one star !! this book thoroughly sucks but i can also tell it was a thorough effort in making a quirky fun read. However. it was so slow paced and there was too much thinking much less doing (in a book that reads as if there should be a lot of action ??? there is action?? but it's so weird) and it was very one dimensional. Did it entertain me (or anger me?) enough to finish it? Yes. Even to start the second book? Yes, actually. But its cliffhanger ending once literally nothing had happened except a whole lot of worldbuilding in the first book? HUGEEEE ick. Augh idk i thought i had more to say after a few days but I will say one thing this book did right-- it kept me thinking about it.
okay i've given it a few days (and half the second book LOL) to mull it over and... (buzzer sound) one star !! this book thoroughly sucks but i can also tell it was a thorough effort in making a quirky fun read. However. it was so slow paced and there was too much thinking much less doing (in a book that reads as if there should be a lot of action ??? there is action?? but it's so weird) and it was very one dimensional. Did it entertain me (or anger me?) enough to finish it? Yes. Even to start the second book? Yes, actually. But its cliffhanger ending once literally nothing had happened except a whole lot of worldbuilding in the first book? HUGEEEE ick. Augh idk i thought i had more to say after a few days but I will say one thing this book did right-- it kept me thinking about it.
December 17, 2018
This is the first book in The Last Vampire Series. This story is sexy and steamy, sometimes funny, really intriguing, and captivating. The storyline is fast-paced, action-packed and suspenseful! Ransley and Zorah, the main characters, are great and they share a strong chemistry. After Xander, in the Circle of Blood Series, Ransley is my new favorite vampire. The secondary characters are also interesting. I like the world, and the scenery. Now, I can't wait for the next book in the Series to know what happens next! If you like paranormal romance with a sexy vampire, and a lot of action, you'll totally love this one. And if you haven't listened to the Circle of Blood Series yet, you should do it now, while waiting for the next book in The Last Vampire Series. You won't regret it. R.A. Steffan and Jaelynn Woolf never disappoint. The team authors/narrator is perfect! Gwendolyn has done a fantastic job with the narration. I really enjoyed my listening. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
April 23, 2019
Addictive.
It strikes me that there doesn't seem to be a explanation for the stars that are given. So I thought I'd start giving my take on it.
1 horrible no redeeming qualities.
2 there are redeeming qualities.
3 good worth reading, or well written but not my cup of tea.
4 great but there's something off.
5 loved it.
Argg, everything I started to write becomes a spoiler. I HATE spoilers so I think I'll just go on to say that the narration gives the story life.
Reasons I enjoyed this audio book:
Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Funny.
Bookshelves/tags:
Bookshelves/tags:
contemporary, fantasy, humorous, recorded, series, vampire.
This Audiobook was given to me for free at my request from the publisher, author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.
It strikes me that there doesn't seem to be a explanation for the stars that are given. So I thought I'd start giving my take on it.
1 horrible no redeeming qualities.
2 there are redeeming qualities.
3 good worth reading, or well written but not my cup of tea.
4 great but there's something off.
5 loved it.
Argg, everything I started to write becomes a spoiler. I HATE spoilers so I think I'll just go on to say that the narration gives the story life.
Reasons I enjoyed this audio book:
Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Funny.
Bookshelves/tags:
Bookshelves/tags:
contemporary, fantasy, humorous, recorded, series, vampire.
This Audiobook was given to me for free at my request from the publisher, author or narrator and I provided this unbiased voluntary review.
April 7, 2019
I'm not sure
I really dont know if I like this or not. I have left it a couple of days before reviewing to try to be fair but there's a few things bugging me. I don't understand the motives behind some of the MFC's actions- estranged from your father but he's the one you call? Bitten by a vampire but hes the one you immediately trust? I get the whole he did this so now I trust him situation but I would be asking for a whole lot more answers. Also, I'm so sick of the main character noting all the things about them that are not 'normal' but then denying what they are when they are told...like really?? There's enough breadcrumbs to make me want to read the next book though so we shall see
I really dont know if I like this or not. I have left it a couple of days before reviewing to try to be fair but there's a few things bugging me. I don't understand the motives behind some of the MFC's actions- estranged from your father but he's the one you call? Bitten by a vampire but hes the one you immediately trust? I get the whole he did this so now I trust him situation but I would be asking for a whole lot more answers. Also, I'm so sick of the main character noting all the things about them that are not 'normal' but then denying what they are when they are told...like really?? There's enough breadcrumbs to make me want to read the next book though so we shall see
May 1, 2021
DNF 60%
I just didn’t enjoy it. I have problems with most vampire books because it’s either this emotionless jerk or all lust and no depth to the relationship. This fell into the 2nd one for me. Yes I understand what she is but geez it honestly put me off of this book. After the first sex scene I was done. No interest in the character and I really didn’t want to keep going with it.
I just didn’t enjoy it. I have problems with most vampire books because it’s either this emotionless jerk or all lust and no depth to the relationship. This fell into the 2nd one for me. Yes I understand what she is but geez it honestly put me off of this book. After the first sex scene I was done. No interest in the character and I really didn’t want to keep going with it.
May 15, 2025
Sie gerät in eine magische Parallelwelt und wird von einem sexy Vampir gerettet – Action, Politik und Selbstfindung
Nach einem spannenden Start, so wie er im Klappentext beschrieben ist, zieht sich das Buch jedoch bis etwa zur Mitte. Man taucht nach dieser ersten spannenden Begebenheit in das langweilige Leben von Zorah ein. Nur langsam braut sich etwas über ihr zusammen, bis die Action endlich beginnt. Sie muss fliehen und es beginnt eine wilde Verfolgungsjagt. „Ihr“ Gentleman-Vampir aus dem Schuppen, Rans, kehrt zurück und rettet sie. Zorah muss feststellen, dass die Welt nicht so ist wie sie scheint. Aber wie funktioniert diese fremde Parallelwelt, die sie nun nach und nach kennenlernt? Welche Wesen gibt es da? Welche Rolle spielt sie in dem Ganzen? Wem kann sie trauen? Welches dunkle Geheimnis trägt Rans noch mit sich herum? Rückblickend erklären sich dadurch manche Aspekte von Zorahs Leben, die man anfangs überlesen hat, was den ein oder anderen unterhaltsamen Aha-Effekt mit sich bringt und ihr bei ihrer Selbstfindung helfen.
Neben ihrer Flucht und der Ermittlung zu den Ereignissen wird auch ein politischer Spannungsbogen zwischen den Wesen in der Parallelwelt aufgemacht. Hier geht es um Macht und Einfluss, Krieg und Frieden, Rassismus, Ausbeutung und Unterdrückung. Also gar nicht so anders als in unserer Welt.
Man ist noch mitten in den Ermittlungen zu dem, was passiert ist und welche Rolle Zorah in dem Ganzen spielt als das Buch endet, so dass man direkt zum nächsten Band greifen muss.
Ich mochte den Sarkasmus und die Selbstironie der Ich-Erzählerin sowie den sexy Vampir, der mit ihrem Witz mithalten kann. Im Prinzip passen sie hervorragend zusammen – aber ich will hier nicht zu viel verraten. Mal schauen, ob das etwas Langfristiges zwischen ihnen wird, oder nur eine Zweckgemeinschaft mit Verfallsdatum.
Die Geschichte wird aus Zorahs Ich-Perspektive erzählt. Und obwohl die Geschichte sehr handlungsstark ist, wird auch Zorahs Seelenleben sehr detailliert beschrieben, so dass man sich gut in sie hineinversetzen und mit ihr mitfühlen kann. Diese Kombination macht die Geschichte ab der Mitte sehr packend.
________________________________________
Kategorisierung
📚 Romance-Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense
👥 Altersgruppe der Hauptfiguren: Adult
➿ Plot-Trope: Damsel in distress, Dark secret, Emotional scars, Transactional relationship
🌎 Setting-Trope: -
⚤ Geschlechterkonstellation: Hetero
💞 Beziehungsstruktur: -
🔪 Spannung: Medium
🧠 Psychologische Tiefe: Oberflächlich
🧐 Glaubwürdigkeit: Glaubwürdig
❤️ Sympathiefaktor der Hauptfiguren: Sympathisch
😆 Humor: Amüsant
👫 Klassisches Rollenmodell: Ja
💋 Anzahl Spicy Szenen: 2
🔗 Spielart Spicy Szenen: Vanilla
🔥 Explizitheit Spicy Szenen: Medium
🎨 Originalität der Erzählweise: Teils teils
👀 Erzählperspektive: Ich-Erzähler:in
Filtere dir die für dich passenden Romances zurecht unter: Lustlektüre.de
Nach einem spannenden Start, so wie er im Klappentext beschrieben ist, zieht sich das Buch jedoch bis etwa zur Mitte. Man taucht nach dieser ersten spannenden Begebenheit in das langweilige Leben von Zorah ein. Nur langsam braut sich etwas über ihr zusammen, bis die Action endlich beginnt. Sie muss fliehen und es beginnt eine wilde Verfolgungsjagt. „Ihr“ Gentleman-Vampir aus dem Schuppen, Rans, kehrt zurück und rettet sie. Zorah muss feststellen, dass die Welt nicht so ist wie sie scheint. Aber wie funktioniert diese fremde Parallelwelt, die sie nun nach und nach kennenlernt? Welche Wesen gibt es da? Welche Rolle spielt sie in dem Ganzen? Wem kann sie trauen? Welches dunkle Geheimnis trägt Rans noch mit sich herum? Rückblickend erklären sich dadurch manche Aspekte von Zorahs Leben, die man anfangs überlesen hat, was den ein oder anderen unterhaltsamen Aha-Effekt mit sich bringt und ihr bei ihrer Selbstfindung helfen.
Neben ihrer Flucht und der Ermittlung zu den Ereignissen wird auch ein politischer Spannungsbogen zwischen den Wesen in der Parallelwelt aufgemacht. Hier geht es um Macht und Einfluss, Krieg und Frieden, Rassismus, Ausbeutung und Unterdrückung. Also gar nicht so anders als in unserer Welt.
Man ist noch mitten in den Ermittlungen zu dem, was passiert ist und welche Rolle Zorah in dem Ganzen spielt als das Buch endet, so dass man direkt zum nächsten Band greifen muss.
Ich mochte den Sarkasmus und die Selbstironie der Ich-Erzählerin sowie den sexy Vampir, der mit ihrem Witz mithalten kann. Im Prinzip passen sie hervorragend zusammen – aber ich will hier nicht zu viel verraten. Mal schauen, ob das etwas Langfristiges zwischen ihnen wird, oder nur eine Zweckgemeinschaft mit Verfallsdatum.
Die Geschichte wird aus Zorahs Ich-Perspektive erzählt. Und obwohl die Geschichte sehr handlungsstark ist, wird auch Zorahs Seelenleben sehr detailliert beschrieben, so dass man sich gut in sie hineinversetzen und mit ihr mitfühlen kann. Diese Kombination macht die Geschichte ab der Mitte sehr packend.
________________________________________
Kategorisierung
📚 Romance-Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense
👥 Altersgruppe der Hauptfiguren: Adult
➿ Plot-Trope: Damsel in distress, Dark secret, Emotional scars, Transactional relationship
🌎 Setting-Trope: -
⚤ Geschlechterkonstellation: Hetero
💞 Beziehungsstruktur: -
🔪 Spannung: Medium
🧠 Psychologische Tiefe: Oberflächlich
🧐 Glaubwürdigkeit: Glaubwürdig
❤️ Sympathiefaktor der Hauptfiguren: Sympathisch
😆 Humor: Amüsant
👫 Klassisches Rollenmodell: Ja
💋 Anzahl Spicy Szenen: 2
🔗 Spielart Spicy Szenen: Vanilla
🔥 Explizitheit Spicy Szenen: Medium
🎨 Originalität der Erzählweise: Teils teils
👀 Erzählperspektive: Ich-Erzähler:in
Filtere dir die für dich passenden Romances zurecht unter: Lustlektüre.de
January 15, 2019
I received an Audible copy for an honest review via Audiobook Boom. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.
The Last Vampire: Book One is the first in a trilogy about a 26 year old woman who is thrust into the paranormal world after a brief bitten encounter with a vampire. The last vampire in fact. Go fig.
The story is what I consider a slow burn. Our love interest and MC just barely know each other in the events of the book. In fact, they are only with each other in three solid instances. That says something there. It makes me label this book more on the urban fantasy versus romance field.
There is some sex going on near the last quarter of the book that I have read is more clinical than steamy. I personally found it to be both and I found the reason for that to be logical and interesting.
The MC is a "girl with unknown power" and does do the enigma trope well but I feel she could get better as the books progress. If anything, I'm not ready to pass judgment on her completely even if the book ended.
The writing is easy to get into and there were parts that were funny, as intended. I did find the book to be enjoyable and wouldn't mind reading book two. There were moments I was scratching my head trying to figure out where the authors were going and I was super stoked at who the baddies were. Honestly, these guys are hardly ever the baddies... THANK YOU!
I did have an issue with the way it ended. It seemed to just end instead of having a climactic moment and solid resolution. That said, there is a second book and I do hope that book has a better ending in comparison.
All in all, it was a fun romp and I could see myself continuing the series.
Final Rating: 3/5
The Last Vampire: Book One is the first in a trilogy about a 26 year old woman who is thrust into the paranormal world after a brief bitten encounter with a vampire. The last vampire in fact. Go fig.
The story is what I consider a slow burn. Our love interest and MC just barely know each other in the events of the book. In fact, they are only with each other in three solid instances. That says something there. It makes me label this book more on the urban fantasy versus romance field.
There is some sex going on near the last quarter of the book that I have read is more clinical than steamy. I personally found it to be both and I found the reason for that to be logical and interesting.
The MC is a "girl with unknown power" and does do the enigma trope well but I feel she could get better as the books progress. If anything, I'm not ready to pass judgment on her completely even if the book ended.
The writing is easy to get into and there were parts that were funny, as intended. I did find the book to be enjoyable and wouldn't mind reading book two. There were moments I was scratching my head trying to figure out where the authors were going and I was super stoked at who the baddies were. Honestly, these guys are hardly ever the baddies... THANK YOU!
I did have an issue with the way it ended. It seemed to just end instead of having a climactic moment and solid resolution. That said, there is a second book and I do hope that book has a better ending in comparison.
All in all, it was a fun romp and I could see myself continuing the series.
Final Rating: 3/5
June 11, 2020
The Last Vampire, The Last Vampire, Book #1,
by R.A. Steffan
Despite the 'meh' three star rating, this was a book I enjoyed very much, right up until the end. It featured a well constructed plot, good world building, well fleshed and relatable characters good pacing, and excellent proofing. And then it just ended. No. Let me rephrase that. It just stopped; literally in the middle of an action scene.
I hate cliffhanger endings. And this type of cliffhanger, which leaves the reader in the middle is a conflict is the worst kind. To me it signals that the author has no confidence in their work and feels the need to force the reader to purchase the next book in the series by literally leaving the reader hanging, with no resolution of the current story without purchasing the next installment. Surely Steffan realizes she is not the next Tolkien.
Yes, I know this is a completed series, so I could just buy the rest of the books and read them as a single tome. That's not the point. And I realize this author publishes multiple times a year, so there isn't a year or more of a wait between episodes. That isn't the point, either. The point is that if the author's writing were good enough, I'd buy the next book anyway. The cliffhanger wouldn't be necessary.
So, as much as I'd hoped I'd found a new series to follow, I won't be purchasing any more of this author's works, including the Vampire Bound series I had previously intended to start after this one. Obviously this author is one I cannot trust to end an episode before moving on to the next. By the way, in retail advertising, this practice would be called Bait And Switch, a practice that is usually considered illegal; too bad it isn't considered that here.
by R.A. Steffan
Despite the 'meh' three star rating, this was a book I enjoyed very much, right up until the end. It featured a well constructed plot, good world building, well fleshed and relatable characters good pacing, and excellent proofing. And then it just ended. No. Let me rephrase that. It just stopped; literally in the middle of an action scene.
I hate cliffhanger endings. And this type of cliffhanger, which leaves the reader in the middle is a conflict is the worst kind. To me it signals that the author has no confidence in their work and feels the need to force the reader to purchase the next book in the series by literally leaving the reader hanging, with no resolution of the current story without purchasing the next installment. Surely Steffan realizes she is not the next Tolkien.
Yes, I know this is a completed series, so I could just buy the rest of the books and read them as a single tome. That's not the point. And I realize this author publishes multiple times a year, so there isn't a year or more of a wait between episodes. That isn't the point, either. The point is that if the author's writing were good enough, I'd buy the next book anyway. The cliffhanger wouldn't be necessary.
So, as much as I'd hoped I'd found a new series to follow, I won't be purchasing any more of this author's works, including the Vampire Bound series I had previously intended to start after this one. Obviously this author is one I cannot trust to end an episode before moving on to the next. By the way, in retail advertising, this practice would be called Bait And Switch, a practice that is usually considered illegal; too bad it isn't considered that here.
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