This is a title I would like to revisit in the future when I can sit down and fly through it, it just felt a little mediocre initially. It explores time travel and the concept of monsters, with the protagonist not being the hero, which is a really interesting twist though.

This was really enjoyable! From the very start, I was intrigued and I wanted to know more. The world was interesting, as were the magic system and plot. However, the pace throughout the book was a little slow. In the beginning I didn't mind, but around halfway through the book I found myself lose interest a bit. Towards the end I was fully hooked again, though, and I really enjoyed the ending. Can highly recommend this!

The world-building was UNIQUE, and Vanessa Len did an amazing job not only while creating it but also while explaining it. I was never confused and always completely immersed and captivated by everything. The monster bloodlines and their powers, the hierarchies, the places where monsters could gather across time, the timelines, the notion of the hero; all worldbuilding elements were outstanding making the story all the more thrilling. I just found myself loving every new thing that came up.

Absolutely amazing! This book really blew me away, from the enchanting fantasy elements to the romance and familial relationships this is now in the running to be one of my fave YA fantasy books - ever. I can't wait for the sequel!

I really appreciated the authors delicate world building, that was easy to digest and follow with remarkable similarities in vibe to Harry Potter and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The similarities made this book so vivid and comfortable but also had the unique plot of our main character being a monster.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for early access in exchange for this honest review.

AMAZING!!! What a book only a monster was. I didn’t know much going into this one and I’m glad I didn’t, I oh it exceeded what I thought it could be. It gave me all the fantasy kicks I needed. Time travel, monsters (but not the monsters you are thinking of) a ragtag group of characters some you will love and some not so much. Oh and not to forget a furry companion to go along with them too. Vanessa len did not hold back. Full of intrigue, adventure, mysteries to unfold… you name it. Vanessa wasn’t playing around.
A super fantasy that I flew through over the weekend and I’m very excited to see what’s next from the author Vanessa Len.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to this book thanks to its beautiful cover and synopsis, however I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. We follow Joan, who goes to stay with her family for the summer. As she loves history, she volunteers at Holland House where she meets Nick and can't believe her luck when they arrange to go on a date. However, Joan's luck doesn't last as she soon discovers that her family are monsters and Nick is a monster slayer who will not stop at anything. I absolutely loved going on Joan's journey. I could not put this book down, it was fast-paced and I read it in a couple of sittings. As her debut novel, I think Vanessa Len has done an incredible job at world building and creating strong likeable characters. I also loved the historic aspects and felt it was well researched and beautifully written. I was delighted to discover that this is a series , so will definitely be looking forward to the other books to see what happens next.

Well, it’s safe to say that Vanessa Len has found a firm fan in me. I absolutely loved Only A Monster! Turning the standard hero versus monster premise on its head, in Only A Monster, Vanessa Len somehow manages to make you root for the monster and hope the hero fails in his quest, while still making you fall in love with him.

Vanessa Len’s world-building from the method of time travel used by the monsters, to the different clans they come from, so wonderfully intricate and imaginative. Add in a trip to London in the 90s, which brought back some happy memories from my teen years, and not one but two swoon-worthy boys and this book has everything this book blogger could wish for.

Only A Monster has left my heart divided. I feel like I need a sequel because I loved the world and characters so much, but at the same time the end is so perfect that I am scared anything further could spoil it. I would love to know your thoughts on this once you have read the book for yourself. Whatever happens, I know I will be reading whatever it is that Vanessa Len writes next.

4/5
Thank you netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book! I loved it a lot more than I expected to, as well. :))
We dive into the depths of a world full of myths of heroes and monsters, of the past, present and future, of eras of history combined and undone. It is incredible!
The characters were all so likeable and complex, my favourite characters ended up surprising me the most. There was also one particular relationship that made me cry, it was so heartbreakingly beautiful.
This world is so magical and I adored getting to know the powers and families within it (I adore every aspect of world-building) discovering the intricacies of this world was fascinating and so much fun. I also loved the setting(s) it felt much more fantastical than your average urban fantasy world.
I cannot believe how long I’m going to have to wait for the next book (this one isn’t even out yet !!) I am extremely impatient! But I know it’ll be well worth the wait :))
My skin is prickling at the ending and I want to reverse time to yell at some of these characters !
This book originally introduced tropes I wasn’t in love with, but then twisted them into moments I adored and had me stumbling over my feet searching for answers. I am still yearning for answers that I’ll have to wait until the next book for! Oh what a painful wait it’s going to be !!
This book was a brilliant read.

In this book we follow Joan who’s spending the summer at her Gran’s place. She’s sixteen and is just about to go on a date with Nick, a nerdy boy that she’s had a crush on for some time.

But while she’s waiting for him to arrive for the date something strange happens, Joan appears to have missed the whole day, but she can’t remember a thing. That’s when Gran tells her the truth. Joan is a monster. And monsters can steal time from humans and travel through time.

As Joan tries to explain to Nick without telling him the truth, she learns something even worse. Nick isn’t just any human. He’s the hero that kills the monsters.

This was a huge and delightful surprise for me. This book had me hooked from the first chapter until the very end. I’m the kind of person who read in bed before I fall asleep, and this is the kind of book that makes me go to bed early just so I can read a little more. On top of that, I couldn’t put it down after I reached the 60% mark and had to finish the whole thing in one sitting.

The writing was good, at times perhaps a little repetitive and generic, but honestly none of that mattered. Because the hook, the stakes, the mystery, it was all so good that there wasn’t time to care about a few words or sentences here and there.

The pacing was just up my alley, fast and on point. There’s not much time to relax because the story keeps pulling you to the next stage. And I love this. There extremely few sentences, paragraphs etc that feels redundant. Everything that we read is important and matters and it makes it fun to read.

The plot was in one way a fairy standard hero vs monster kind of thing, only here we’re seeing things from the monster’s side. And it’s strange how the author manages to make these people lovable and understandable despite the fact that they steal time from humans to often time travel just for fun. I like the characters, they are flawed, they are fun, they are lovable.

There are few things I can say at this point that I don’t like about the book. It was a perfect read for “lazy minds” like mine. I don’t have to think too much about things, because that I need to know I’m being told, and I can just enjoy the ride. Just like I want it. And there are plenty of fascinating details about time travel and the rules of this world and what you can and cannot do. I find it so interesting.

There’s one thing that I would have wanted though, and that’s more. It ended in a satisfying way, but I would have wanted the epilogue to be longer, to go deeper into the effects of everything that has happened. I feels a little like we were left with a few loose ends, and I really would have wanted things to be a little more explained by the end.

But yes, a definite 5/5 stars for this book, and a strong recommendation to read it.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for this eARC of Only A Monster

Only a Monster is a novel filled with adventure, horror and anguish.
Joan is a human and apparently now half a monster, for 17 years this was kept a secret from her. One accidental incident lets her into the secret and one fateful night change her life and world forever.

I loved Only A Monster, the premise of the plot is unique and well thought out. It was very cleverly put together and I haven't read anything like it before. It's new and refreshing, it's eye opening and gut wrenching. The Twists and turns blow you away, you're constantly on edge rooting for all the characters.

I loved all the characters, even Nick!
I also loved how the ending finished - I didn't see it coming and I felt like it was a great outcome for Joan. It did feel a little emotional on the flip side though.

I'd love a sequel to this novel as I really think it has great potential for a what happens next. Though saying that it is great and felt it ended satisfactory as a standalone.
I highly recommend this book!

I am so glad we know this is a series because that ending left me totally needing more information on what’s going to happen next! If this were a standalone, the ending would have been a bit lacklustre but WOOOOO there’s more books coming I can’t WAIT. I can see the pain of reading ARCs now…you have to wait EVEN LONGER for others to read it and for the sequel to come around. TORTURE.

Anyway I loved the concept for this story. The hero vs the monster but who is the hero and who is the true monster? The underlying romance was really sweet too (but not the romance they describe this book to be, unless it develops more in the next few books).

The world building and magic was so in depth and well written that I have no complaints. The time travel was super cool to read about and I enjoyed every aspect. Every question you may have about time travel is answered and cleared up pretty quickly. (Hint: everything you have ever learned from Back to the Future is WRONG). Usually I get confused with time travel but don’t worry, Vanessa Lee made it perfectly complicated in such a simple way *chefs kiss*

I also loved how there were different powers for each of the different families and how they were showcased slowly throughout the book rather than all at once. They are all so creative and unique. I can’t wait to see the other families “show their hand (power?)” in the next book!

I really loved Joan. Dreaming to be a hero even though she was born a monster. She was conflicted and confused but also knew exactly what was the right thing to do. Nick….breaks my heart…I won’t say anything more. But the ANGST and CONFLICT is heartbreaking. Aaron was also such a sweetie. I need more scenes with him. His story and everything just gimme moreeeeee. Ruth was also deserves a mention for being so badass.

Also yay to the LGBTQ representation you see towards the end of the book 🙌

I feel awful only marking this as a two star because a lot of originality and effort have gone into this but to be honest I'm bored.

I'm at 62% and I'm really having to force myself to read it.
The idea is fantastic and I'm sure it'll be the book of the year for some people but it's not for me.

*minor spoilers *

My original problem was with Joan who has several hours to come up with a plausible excuse for missing a date and ends on "it was a family emergency, I can't talk about it "
That's just lazy.
Lazy Joan and lazy writing. I asked several women what they'd say and within minutes each had a far more convincing lie.

Also, the author keeps referring to Aaron as a boy and puts him in schoolboy uniform so I picture him as ten or twelve which wrong-footed me when someone referred to them as 'together'. I had to go back and find anywhere that mentioned how old he was so it wasn't creepy.

Joan's insistence that monsters are evil gets irritating after a while, especially when the only thing they do that is 'evil' is stealing time from humans. People do far worse on a day to day basis and Joan seems very naive.
I didn't get any attraction to Aaron (possibly because I only believed him to be a child for the majority of the story so far) and so the 'love triangle' doesn't work at all.

I'm finding it increasingly hard not to roll my eyes at Joan's behaviour and wish she'd shut up and listen to others for five minutes instead of insisting on her own way.

I haven't met many other characters for long enough to care about them, Ruth feels very abrupt and sketchy and Nick, basically, feels like a low-rent Slayer.

Yet, the world-building is fantastic and the idea is so original that I'm trying to push through but, honestly, it's a struggle.

This is a well-paced fantasy novel that makes good use of classic YA tropes to craft an intriguing and imaginative story. There is plenty in this book to keep the reader hooked: morally grey characters, mysterious family secrets, twists and turns in an unpredictable plot. I'm hoping that the sequel will allow for some more character development and world building that were slightly lacking in this book, but I can see this being a hit with YA fantasy readers all the same.

Genre: #YA #Romance #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel

Books: 1/3

Joan is spending her summer in London, with her relatives, she is a history geek and volunteers at the Holland House, where she falls in love with a boy named Nick...

Just before their first date is supposed to take place, something strange happens, Joan in an attempt to help her neighbor, discovers that she has an ability to travel in time, not without a cost of course.

Her family isn’t just out of place and time, they are monsters, with their century's long secrets and powers, but they are not the only ones out there.

Nick turns out not to be just a good-looking boy, but a legendary Monster slayer...

Okay, what this all was about? A lot of time travelling, sadly, for some reason only in and out of London, during different periods of time. Gave me Schwab vibes (but this book is way too weak to be compared to Shades of Magic).

I had a feeling that author got lost in her time travel schemes at some point. Firstly, there isn’t a proper explanation about how the actual time travel works, apart from the fact that time gets stolen. Secondly, everything is way to banal here, heroes just end up where they want and events just appear as they wish them to appear...

Self-loathing heroine, Author compares her to Hermione, but whilst Hermione Grainger was smart and had a plan, Joan just randomly, with a hint from others (because of course she doesn’t know anything about the monster world and her unique powers) goes and do’s something.

Ending of this book was pathetic in my opinion, yeah, I finished the book with the words in my head “That’s pathetic”.

I really liked Aaron, but is it often happens, he disappeared and might come back in book two.

I’m sure you will like this book if you like romance and if you’re fine reading a book without thinking too much about it.

There is also a brief mention of m+m relationship.

Fairly diverse, we have Chinese heritage representatives, Half-Chinese, Half-Kenian character.

3,5 rounded up!

This book was highly anticipated since I stumbled upon the intriguing premise on Goodreads, so i was so happy when I got the ARC. And, although i certainly had some issues with it, "Only a Monster" was very enjoyable and has one of my favorite fantasy magic systems I've read recently.

I won't lie, i struggled a lot in the beginning. I am used to the fast pace of the YA structure, but there were some little things that bothered me – tragic things and revelations happening with no time for the main character to really grasp how she felt about them, some weirdly written action scenes (with characters having a moral discussion in the middle of a fight while everyone was just.. standing there watching), how the narrative tells instead of shows multiple things related to the characters themselves.

After a while, though, I got used to the writing and the pacing, and started to understand a bit more of the plot and world building. And i will say it's truly what stood out for me, the very thing that make these characters called themselves monsters. Their "monstrosity" encompass something i usually see in literature as "God ex-machina" resolutions, and the author takes the very bold decision to build her entire magic system around it, showing its consequences and its paradoxes. I also loved how there are minor powers, and even though we don't see too much of them, it was enough to understand the greatness of this hidden world. I hope we get to see more of this in the sequels.

I really like the cast of characters, especially Aaron and Ruth. Aaron is a perfect posh English boy, with his sarcastic remarks, but there is so much more to him, and that makes him so compelling. Ruth is the main character's cousin, and i really liked their interactions – i am a sucker for family bonds in literature.

I really liked Joan, the main character. Her conflicts are well developed, and it's easy to sympathize with her. However, she frustrated me multiple times, because she just throws herself head-on in difficult plans without knowing... nothing about how this world works. And yes, it could be described as "impulsiveness" (which she has, a lot), but there's a difference between a character being impulsive and the narrative not giving enough space for the character to question things because it's not convenient for the plot at that moment.

I also found the love interest a bit underdeveloped – we are told a lot about him without actually seeing him act or even interact much with our main character. The whole base of their relationship is their past, which we see through Joan's memories, and while i understand it is part of the soulmate trope, i wish we could have seen them together a bit more, so we could care about him as much as Joan does. I very much prefer the other possible love interest (and i am already bracing myself for the suffering of not having the endgame). Their banter was on point.

The last 30% of the book and the ending, though, really got me super invested and excited for this story. I really liked the discussions of what makes someone a monster, what is acceptable and what's unforgivable, and how you have to deal with the consequences of the choices you make.

Lastly, i still have so many questions. But ending of this book didn't make me feel as though i should have them now – it made me feel excited for the sequel, to see how all those open threads will play out.

Thank you so much Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC.

Only A Monster is an absolutely mesmerizing story that grips you from the beginning and refuses to let you go. Utterly unique in its premise and with a clever plot, and a narrative that poses moral questions that reflect our society and beyond.

Joan was truly an impressive character. A girl who knows right from wrong and grapples between the love for her family, her identity, and her own moral compass. Joan's characterization and narration really showcased Vanessa Len's writing talent. Joan conveyed the meaning of being torn between ideals, the balance of being moral and being forced to do immoral things in order to survive and seeing what your family truly is and live with that truth. Joan is one of the best main characters I've read in a while because her truth was laid down on the page in a way that made it my truth. I'll go to any story, any place, any time with Joan, and that's not something I say with all main characters, even those in my favorite books.

Aaron was so intriguing. That's the word I'd use to describe him. He's beyond what his family tried to shape him into, and yet, he's also a true member of that family. He shares their values, he shares the same loyalties, and yet, his way of living is quite different from his father. He reminds me of Cardan in a way, "cruel-ish" yet not CRUEL despite the environment they lived in, if that makes sense. I really liked Aaron; he was sort of the voice of reason in the story.

The world-building was UNIQUE, and Vanessa Len did an amazing job not only while creating it but also while explaining it. I was never confused and always completely immersed and captivated by everything. The monster bloodlines and their powers, the hierarchies, the places where monsters could gather across time, the timelines, the notion of the hero; all worldbuilding elements were outstanding making the story all the more thrilling. I just found myself loving every new thing that came up.

The plot twists were what pushed this story to another dimension of epicness. I didn't know what was going to happen, and for the life of me, I couldn't tell how the story was going to end, and that's a BIG compliment because I'm notorious for spoiling the fun for myself.

Only a Monster blew me away in every possible way. What a book to debut with. I cannot wait for the sequel, and I will definitely buy and read any book written by Vanessa Len. Only a Monster is spectacular.

PS
This is a YA fantasy book, so if someone says "this was too YA for me" we should all take it as a "Job well done, Vanessa Len. You wrote a great YA."

I was so intrigued with the premise of this book, and though the story and writing were beautiful I wasn't particularly attached to the characters. Still thoroughly enjoyable!

3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for giving me this arc.

I went into this book with only the knowledge that it's ya fantasy and most of my friends on here gave it high reviews. Going into this blind was a trip, to say the least, but one that I'm glad I took.

Pretty early on this book makes you question what you're willing to accept. Are you willing to root for the monster? watch a girl become the villain and root for her anyway?

Only a Monster uses a lot of common ya fantasy tropes but it does it well and with style. I enjoyed the writing and the way the story unfolded. It was fast-paced from beginning to end.

I wish I learnt more about how monsters work in this book. It's a great idea but worldbuilding could have been better. Hell by the end of the book Joan still barely knows anything about monsters. I'm sure she doesn't even know the name of the king.

That brings me to my biggest issue with the book...Joan is so annoying. How are you planning all of these things but you know nothing about monsters?? Why not just dedicate time to learn about everything before running headfirst into it??

(I'm aware that being annoyed at the decision-making skills of a teenager in a ya fantasy that I am not the target audience for is a me problem but I had to get that out.)

I loved the start and the end of this book but something in the middle just didn't work for me. I also think some characters (Nick) could have been developed better.

For good reason, we learn about nick as though we already know him just as much as Joan does. We're told of how great he is without getting a chance to see it. I guess that's why his scenes never really did anything for me...there wasn't much of a connection.

I really want to thank Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of Only a Monster by Vanessa Len!

This book was the absolute perfect blend of everything needed in a YA fantasy novel. I cannot explain how much I enjoyed reading this and how much I love these characters.

Only a Monster follows the main character Joan who grew up knowing her parents were from completely different cultures. What she didn't know was that her mom's side of the family are monsters. Nobody explained this to her until an accident led her to use a talent that only monsters can use, causing an entire ripple effect to be set in motion.

I don't want to say too much about the plot, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who still wants to read it, but the tropes in this book are used in ways that make you want to know more about everyone instead of making you feel like the story has been told a million times. There are chosen ones, enemies forced to work together, heists, fancy balls, time travel, mysterious new abilities and so much more. If that sounds like something you would like, then please pick up this book. You will definitely not regret it!

I cannot wait to see what happens in the follow ups!

Only a Monster is a title that caught my attention because of it's beautiful cover. I wasn't crazy about the premise but I saw some friends praising this book and I decided to give it a chance while keeping my expectations low.

Because of that, this ended up being a book that surprised me in many aspects, in the most positive way.

The writing was not the best at first, it was too much like many other books I've read and it didn't stand out, but it got better as the book went.

The magic system (or the monster system to be more exact) was so much more interesting than what it looks at first. The layers of complexity in the plot were very well done. I love time travel plots, so I'm naturally biased towards it, but it was done in a way I've never seen it before.

The plot was fast paced but not in a confusing type of way. I couldn't put this book down.

I wasn't a fan of the romance, but the way it ended I'm not sure you're supposed to be into it. I much prefer Aaron over Nick and I hope he and Joan become a thing in the next book in the series.

I'm really looking forward to the sequel, and I'm gonna definitely recommend to people once it comes out. It's a 2022 book people can't miss!