Only a Monster was possibly my last read of 2021 and what a high to end on! This book has it all, morally conflicted, grey characters, monsters, time travel, romance, action and twists and it’s so easy to read you can easily find yourself sitting down and reading it in one sitting.

The time travel was a great touch (no pun) mostly because time travel was 1993 and was more nostalgic than anything, it was a rather charming touch, mostly because I’m old enough to actually remember it. I particularly loved how the Rachel haircut was used as a measurement of time :D I usually don’t like time travel in books because it’s usually confusing to my little brain, and I’ll admit the rules are a little unclear on this one, but it’s a fun added feature that brings something more to the book.

I enjoyed that the characters are all morally grey, essentially this isn’t a book about monsters but a book about right and wrong, the choices we make, the paths we are taken down and what that makes us because of it all. Joan and supporting characters Ruth, Aaron and Tom are monsters who come across kind, Nick is a ‘hero’ but a villain to the plot (a twist I kinda wish wasn’t in the synopsis). No character is simply good or bad, each is layered, each has a story, whether told or to be told (I hope). The main dark trait of being a monster (or possibly the only one, which doesn’t seem very monstrous) is to time travel, they touch the neck of a human and steal time from them to then use for travelling. This is a choice and absolutely not a kind one, a moral conflict that Joan agonises over, but Aaron, Tom and Ruth are described as kind, loving characters whose thoughts on abusing people this way aren’t really covered. Again I hope this is changed going forwards, but I just really wanted to know why these 3 think it’s OK to do that when they do see, to have strong ideas of right and wrong elsewhere. They aren’t monsters, they choose to do cruel things for selfish gain, really no monster need do what they do in fact. Monsters are simply people with another weapon that some choose to use to hurt others - a very human quality. Nick, on the other hand, is a complex character that you won’t necessarily support (although I hate that I love him) but you will grow to understand as the book goes on and I need more of him, my tortured boy who had no choice :(

I appreciate this is only book 1 and hopefully as the series continues, this is focused on, but what is a monster?? It’s such a vague term used in this book and seems a very human term, possibly even a slur, surely there must be an actual name not originating from humans?. Again it is mentioned in this book that Joan has been kept in the dark about the rules etc of being a monster so I hope as an audience we learn more with her, so this isn’t a criticism but merely a hope. Gifts are mentioned but not nearly enough, what other strengths or weaknesses are there? How did monsters come to be? What exactly is Joan’s gift??

I’m really looking forward to the next instalment. although for my sanity I’m glad the book didn’t end on a cliffhanger. For book 2 I need to understand Aaron better. I need to spend more time with Joan and I need Nick to be happy!!!! Thank you NetGalley for the review copy :’j

The cover of this book caught my eye and boy was I not disappointed when I read it. This is a wonderful YA fantasy book that will become a classic for all. It takes on an underused trope where the monster and monster hunter fall for each other and I think that it was wonderfully done. The characters of Joan and Nick were so well written and I enjoyed their arc stories throughout and the setting was just perfect.

Thank you for the Arc :)

Only a Monster follows the main character, Joan, as she’s thrown head first into the world of monsters from her mother’s side, whilst still being half-human thanks to her dad’s side.

So… monsters. I wouldn’t mind being a “monster” if I didn’t have to hurt anyone to do it? The monster world is split up by families who each have their own special powers. But the one defining trait is the one that I personally adored the most… they can all time travel. However, to do this they have to take time from a human, which is what makes them monstrous.

“Real monsters look like me and you.”
Being half-monster, Joan discovers she can do this very early into the story through an accident but had not been warned of it prior. Naturally, she’s good-hearted so she feels terrible when she first does it and it messes with her plans for a date with a mysterious yet kind guy called Nick (who Joan just so happens to have been drawn to the entire time she’s been working with him at Holland House).

When she misses her date with Nick she feels terrible, so she heads to Holland House to see about making amends and also because she just really needs to talk to someone. But she can’t tell him about monsters, because humans aren’t supposed to know about them and their secret ways. As the synopsis says, she quickly discovers that Nick is, in fact, a monster slayer. 100% committed to killing every single monster family in London.

“You’re a hero and I’m a monster. There’s only one way that story ever ends.”
Events occur, and Joan is left on the run with a boy called Aaron Oliver, from a rival monster family who normally can’t stand all of the Hunt family (Joan’s). Whereas Joan is disgusted in the fact she’s a monster, Aaron thinks it makes him better than humans. He has a super arrogant persona at first but as the story continued there were a lot of moments where I fell a little in love with him.

Joan being new to the monster world is excellent for the reader, because her fellow gang explains things to her throughout and so the reader learns as she does. Her amazement at times also leads to her pointing out a lot of historical things, so if you’re a fan of history you’ll definitely appreciate these little anecdotes at times!

I’m so looking forward to more from this world, there were a few things left out in the open by the end of this first instalment and I just can’t wait to see where Len takes the next two books! The world she’s created is expansive and full of possibility. It’s essentially kind of like the multiverse but with characters more alike to villains than superheroes?

One thing I found in particular was that, even with the self-awareness of being a monster, you still like the majority of the characters you meet? Naturally, some take their namesake a little too seriously and there are silly things like hatred between particular families for no reason other than they’re different… but that’s [unfortunately] pretty standard for the world we live in and I think it helped to make it feel more like a contemporary fantasy through that? This did help with character development for Aaron in particular though. As an Oliver, he really shouldn’t care about Joan in any way but… it’s very clear he cares anyway.

There are also families that are just straight up adorable, the Liu family’s defining trait is that they “remember” everything and, at least for the members we meet, they’re helpful regardless of the family that comes to them (albeit everyone wants a favour for a favour, which, again, is just pretty humanlike)!

I hope we get to see more of each family in the next books, and maybe even spin off stories? The potential is definitely there for a multitude of stories, and I think this book is going to appeal to a lot of readers!

DNF at 62%. The story was too slow-moving, the love triangle was not built in the right direction. The fantasy aspect needed more fleshing out. How would the time travel work?? I didn't like Joan's character, she was extremely naive, would have liked to see her grow more. This was not the book for me

For authors it must be frustrating sometimes. All those posts on Twitter and they never actually know if they actually sell the book. Well, in this case I requested this book on Netgalley BECAUSE I saw an awesome graphic on Twitter. I think it was a retweet. And every word in that graphic screamed my name. All the tropes listed, every sentence used to describe this book, screamed my name. I'm therefore really thankful that Hodder & Stoughton granted me this arc.

I have to admit that I needed quite a few chapters to truly get into this story. However, it's so worth it to read through. With every page I turned the story got more exciting, thrilling and interesting. New characters were introduced, new families and powers were thrown into the game, new twists and turns were revealed. In some ways this book reminded me a little of Kerstin Gier's Gem Stone Trilogy, but this story focussed on the drama and didn't contain that much humor and much less romance.

And this story being mostly a more modern drama is what I loved most about it. Of course, there were quite some action scenes, it only took the book a few chapters to present us with a massacre, and yet this book was not so much about that action. All the action and the bloodshed was serving the characters, their emotional development and their growth. And it all leads to a heartbreakingly intense finale that will haunt me for days to come.

Because even though I needed a few chapters to truly click with the story, I really started caring about Joan. I think it's because usually in Fantasy settings the 16 year olds act older than their age. Mostly because circumstances forced them to grow up way too soon and way too fast. With Joan it's different. She's quite innocent and pure at the start of the story. She doesn't know anything about her family and the world she's a part of. And it makes her journey all the more amazing!

I can't wait to hold a physical copy of this book in my hands.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
First of all I was REALLY hyped up for this book, it had all of my favorite tropes and I have to say I was left a little bit disappointed.
The plot was good and I couldn't predict most plot twists, especially the last one and I'm still a little bit angry with how the book wrapped up.
The characters were all right although some of them felt a little flat for me and I just couldn't connect with them.
Overall I think this book just wasn't for me even though it had all my favorite tropes and I think that was probably why I was able to finish it and somewhat enjoy it but I would still recommend if you enjoy reading YA enemies to lovers.

My rating: 2.5/5

I picked this book because it was an Urban Fantasy about two star-crossed lovers. There are things I liked and disliked in the book so let me get the pros out of my way first and then move to the cons.

Only a Monster isn’t a story about heroes or sidekicks, but monsters- monsters who can time travel and absorb people’s lives with a single touch. While every monster family can time-travel, each family has its own characteristic power. Together they are an invincible force.

Where there are monsters, there are monster-hunters. Usually, they are the heroes who are here to save the human race but the author has reversed the roles for us by giving us the story from a monster’s POV.

I was struggling with the first half and was almost going to DNF the book because the characters weren’t growing on me and too much was revealed in the first few chapters. But things picked up in the second half and made me finish the book. Time-traveling in the second half was unique in a way that made me enjoy the magic system in the book. It stood out from all that happened in the plot.

The core of this book is time. So many theories about time and timelines were intriguing and made me want to read more about the time-traveling of this world. Which is why I’ll be reading the next book.

Coming to the cons, certain elements in the plot overshadowed all the best parts of the book. There were too many unknowns that went unexplained. Many terms and names were dropped without elaborating what or who they were, leaving us in a void, just like Joan. Nobody took the time to sit down and explain to her how things worked in their (monsters) world.

Another thing that put me off was how repetitive Joan’s grief sounded. I know repetition is a tool many authors use to emphasize a character’s actions or emotions, but here it became stale after a point. Be it grief, anger, or love, none of them expressed in the book transpired the emotions that it was meant to deliver. Besides this, not a single character stuck with me. I couldn’t overlook the lack of character development since it goes hand-in-hand with the plot.

To conclude, despite things that didn’t go well, this is a good debut. Time was fluid, intriguing, and explored differently. I see a lot of potential in this magic system so I’m looking forward to reading the next book. Don’t let my rating stop you from picking this book. If you like reading time-traveling Urban Fantasy with a pinch of romance, then this is your book.

(thanks for the eARC!)

Firstly, I went into this book anticipating a stunning fantasy with a complex magic system and a heck of a lot of plot twists. I think my little pea brain couldn't handle it though: the magic system is extremely confusing to understand and this book definitely takes a lot of focus to read. Personally, I think calling the magic families 'monsters' was always going to be a little bit confusing, and it really just gets more complicated from there.

That being said, I did enjoy some elements of the plot and I adored the settings. While the time travel was hard to wrap my head around, the settings in each time period were well-crafted and I enjoyed reading them. Some of the characters were likeable and although they do change dramatically throughout the novel, I did find myself rooting for them. The dialogue was well-written and easy to understand. The relationships between characters were complex and changed throughout the course of the novel, which I appreciated. Overall, I did not think this book was for me but would recommend it to fantasy lovers looking for a unique magic system.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. (no... I didn't just preorder... that must have been someone else...). This book is incredible and has it all, monsters, soulmates, badassery! Maybe you should preorder it too?

“You’re a hero and I’m a monster,” she whispered, “There’s only one way that story ever ends.”
ARC provided by the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Only A Monster is a sickening twist in the classic chosen one trope proving to be a stand out amongst 2022 debuts.

In the month of November I decided to read as many as I can and this book is amongst the hopeful candidates in my NetGalley November TBR. From reading the premise the story is quite vague and didn’t give out a lot besides being an urban fantasy with the promise of monsters which I’m looking forward to. Based on my taste I do adore stories set in a modern world with fantastical elements blended into them so I try my best to not set my expectations too high. I went in completely blind beforehand to completely delete any prior expectations and it was an experience reading this book. Before I dive right in, let’s admire the cover art of both UK and US editions. The one I’m currently using is the UK edition done by Malaysian illustrator, After Blossom and designed by Lydia Blagden. While the cover of the US edition is done by Eevien Tan and designed by Jessie Gang. Both covers are truly remarkable in their own styles, with the UK serving a more eclectic approach compared to the tapestry-esque visuals of the US edition. Both are gorgeous and you’ll probably have a hard time picking which one to choose!

If you were faced with two choices, you’d always choose the right one.

Only A Monster the debut novel by new up and coming author Vanessa Len set to release in spring of 2022. It is a young adult dark fantasy story set in 21st century London following Joan, a sixteen year old biracial girl that is spending her summer break with her mother’s eccentric family. On one particular afternoon Joan is off to meet her date Nick, a boy she’s been crushing on at her workplace. But things go completely wrong when Joan was trying to help a neighbor of hers and somehow she fast forwarded herself a few hours into the future. Joan is stunned not knowing what had happened during the scuffle to cause the time jump. Overnight Joan’s world is turned up side down as her family is hunted one by one by Nick that has sworn to save the world and kill all monsters including her. With the help of an unlikely ally Aaron of the Oliver family, the sworn enemy of her own family, she is thrusted into the world of monsters dead set to things right and save their families from a bloody fate.

“Olivers see. Hunts hide. Nowaks live. Patels bind. Portellis open. Hathaways leash. Nightingales Take. Mtawalis keep. Argents sway. Alis seal. Griffiths reveal. But only the Lius remember.”

Vanessa Len’s debut is an ambitious concept weaving magic, fate, and timelines to create a fast paced time travelling thriller fantasy. The magic system in Only A Monster is the core of the story as it is the main plot tool that fuels the whole book. There is a stigma when it comes to time travelling stories as there is a pre-conception of it being used as an easy exit. That isn’t the case for Only A Monster as Len created a well balanced magic system with consequence and draw backs for using the magic. The checks and balances of the magic impressed me but it could’ve been much more interesting if it was explained more in depth. Len also added a twist in the magic that is connected the family lineage of the prominent monster families in the story. Each family has a unique characteristic and their lineage grants someone in the family to manifest a magical ability that is exclusively their own, adding a plus one to their stats as magic users. These families are connected to the politics of the world with their rivalries and prejudices of each other that I find intriguing.

Combining these amazing concepts with Len’s ability in writing an addictive and fast paced story Only A Monster isn’t an easy book to put down. The pacing for this story is a mediumly paced neither slow nor fast paced as it switches back and forth between the two, as the pacing and plot relies a lot on the characters. Pacing wise Len masterfully struck a good balance that made the reading experience much more enjoyable. Since Only A Monster is set mostly in London during different timelines—the world building’s only forms as a back drop for the characters. For readers that expect stunning visuals of an epic world Only A Monster isn’t that book because the world is a love letter to London and it’s ever evolving city scape through time.

For monsters, blood didn’t come into it. Family was power and power was family.

Regarding themes the story shines light on, topics such as identity and family are weaved in the characterization of Len’s characters. Joan is a biracial girl born from a Malaysian father and a British mother. Joan has struggled with her identity and place in her mom’s family during the summers she spent with them. She always felt like an outsider looking in brushing off their family oddities as a normal thing. Even though Joan has these thoughts she loves her family dearly and would do anything for them as evident in her whole character arc. To an extent Joan’s characterization is well fleshed out and she developed slowly to become who she is by the end of the story. Though there are a few gripes about the certain parts of Joan that’s inconsistent during a few parts that hindered me from fully investing in Joan’s growth. Frankly, Joan is written like a gullible and clueless girl during the start of the story which is understandable for reasons I can’t explain because of spoilers. Personally, I have nothing against characters that are like this as long as they are written well and their actions made sense. As the story progressed I became more and more baffled by Joan because her cluelessness turned into plain ignorance that is fueled by her ‘instincts’ and ‘gut feeling’. I understand that this is a matter of preference and I shouldn’t be so worked up by this but I value characters a lot in books. If I slowly dislike a character it’ll break the story for me. Hopefully in the sequels Joan’s growth would be more significant as she learns from all of the incidents that happened in this first book.

“Wherever you were,” she said, “I wanted to be there too. Your were like the sun. I was always turning toward you.”

Compared to Joan the development of the antagonist is more noteworthy for me. Nick’s whole story arc made the story all the more interesting and adds a twist that I didn’t expect. The complicated relationship between Nick and Joan is the tortured fated romance that got me shaking at the edge of my seat as Len pulls at my heart strings with their ill fated love. Nick’s character arc is also a sickeningly twisted version of the chosen one trope that got me thirsting for more. I’m looking forward to seeing him in the sequels because the potential in his arc is endless. The other characters such as Oliver and Joan’s cousin are lacking in characterization. In my opinion Oliver’s characterization could’ve been explored and developed further than in the story. Overall, the characterization in Only A Monster is good but not to the point that I am invested in them. There isn’t enough complexities in their being and depth in personality that can leave an impression on me. They are good characters with potential that I hope to see develop in the coming sequels.


And, at the end of it, everything had changed.

Final thoughts, Only A Monster is a solid debut with an ambitious and intriguing magic system about a fast paced chase across time balancing fate and prophecies between two ill fated characters. Even though there are parts that I hindered from fully investing in the characters there are a lot of potential in the magic, setting, and the over arching main plot of the story that I’m looking forward to in the sequel. In my opinion, Len’s debut can be categorized as one of the strongest coming into 2022 with Len’s impeccable characterization and vivid world building. I can see a lot of readers enjoying this story and I highly recommend for everyone to pre order a copy or add it to their 2022 TBRs. For those who are curious about the book you can read an extract of the story here.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

only a monster is a solid debut!

i was intrigued as soon as i read time travel and monsters with terrifying powers. suffice to say i really liked how len played with the interpretation of monsters here, the balance between their human nature and the reality of their powers. the worldbuilding is easy to understand though there are aspects i would love the story to explore in the sequels. this book is fast paced, with an easy flowing writing and good reveals to keep me hooked throughout. the descriptions of the times the characters traveled through were visualised so well, the writing is probably my favourite thing about the book.

while this was a good 4 star read i'm sad that the "enemies-to-lovers/enemy soulmates" trope did not deliver. the build up with nick had SO much potential but the execution falls through which made me feel nothing for their so called romance. and consequently the ending felt too convenient. joan's... feelings (?) for aaron weren't convincing either because he's way too in his head and didn't bother explaining anything at all to joan or the reader. also, joan marching into the monster side of the world, trying to change timelines and save her family seemed kind of stupid considering she didn't know literally *anything* about monsters and their powers. hopefully she's on the road to character development for the next books.

this is in no way a bad book! i'm very impressed that this is a debut and i'm so excited to see where the story goes in the sequel. (which won't be out for another year omg) i really hope we see more development in every aspect and i enjoy it just as much as this, if not more!

Wow! What a book!

Joan is a monster! There is a hero who’s job it is is to rid the world of all monsters. They can’t survive. They can’t be allowed to keep taking from humans and not be punished. The 12 families of London will suffer like they have never suffered before.

This book is amazing! The writing has you hooked from page one; the descriptions of the characters, the powers, the rules it’s so good. There are so many characters that you grow to love the more their traits and characters are unwound through the book. Aaron has my heart! I really hope there is more to come from this world! I already want to dive back in! Phenomenal!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but i was so pleasantly surprised!! I was glued to the story from beginning to end and what a ride it was.
The story was paced really well which never left you bored and well the story itself was just so good!

Only a Monster is an excellent YA fantasy bursting onto the scene, full of mystery, intrigue and a touch of romance.

This was such an imaginative and original fantasy story. In particular, I really loved the way the powers are explored. Len really delves into the cost and consequences of using these powers, creating some really interesting ethical discussions and dilemmas for the characters. The ‘monstrous’ nature of this left me puzzling over these debates as well.

Right from that action packed opening sequence, Len had me hooked. There were instantly incredibly high stakes and plenty of blood soaked pages to crawl through. This is a book that does not hold back. Everything you think you initially know, you really don’t. On top of this is the use of time travel. This is one of my favourite devices and it felt really Doctor Who esque here (an all time favourite show of mine). Every action they did genuinely had consequences, keeping that intensity and danger constantly high. This made for a really fast paced and entertaining ride.

I really enjoyed the character dynamics here, as they were very intriguing and complex. Joan is a fascinating protagonist, caught up in this frightening new world and unable to feel where she truly belongs. Her abilities are so fun to explore and I’m excited to see where Len takes the story next. On top of that, she is grappling with her romantic entanglements and familial dynamics in a world determined to crush her completely. Also, I massively appreciated Len’s worldbuilding and attention to detail. As well as a rich mythology and history, I particularly enjoyed the exploration of the different monster families and their varying abilities.

Only a Monster is the kind of book you tear through, only to turn round and immediately devour once again.

I've grown pretty weary of all the generic YA fantasy I've read this year, so I really didn't see coming how much I would like this. I'm not gonna lie, the blurb sounded totally cliché YA to me - all the more to my delight the book really surprised me with originality and great writing.

I was just planning to read the first couple of pages into it to see if it was for me, not expecting much, but somehow I found myself incapable of putting it down. It really drew me into the story right from the start and I ended up reading all of it in two sittings.

It has so much going for itself that I enjoy in a good fantasy novel: lovable morally grey characters, unlikely reluctant companions teaming up for a heist, a really cool time travel magic system, a diagon alley-esque parallel space in London, yearning, betrayal and fast-paced action. Best YA book I've read in a while.

I'm not one to give out 5 stars easily, but honestly I loved it from beginning to end and can't wait for the next book.

“In a way, Joan had always known what she’d have to do.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It should have been the perfect summer. Sent to stay with her late mother’s eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her nerdy job at the historic Holland House, and when her super cute co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place. But she soon learns the truth. Her family aren’t just eccentric: they’re monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers. And Nick isn’t just a cute boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to bring them down. As she battles Nick, Joan is forced to work with the beautiful and ruthless Aaron Oliver, heir to a monster family that hates her own. She’ll have to embrace her own monstrousness if she is to save herself, and her family. Because in this story . . . she is not the hero.

Joan is someone who has been kept in the dark before suddenly being thrust into the light and expected to cope. Her family have kept secrets from her and now she must deal with the consequences of that. Seeing her slowly understand the monster side of herself is great as she doesn’t just jump in with both feet and accept everything. She questions actions and motives and considers how these new monstrous actions will affect others which I liked getting to see. It was a fresh perspective. Sure, there were moments where she frustrated me with some choices she made but it felt like a realistic journey and I was glad to go along with her.
Aaron has gone through a lot in his life and I just wanted to wrap him up in a hug and tell him it would be okay. He’s snarky yet gentle, brash yet kind. In other words, he’s rather perfect and I wouldn’t mind getting an Aaron Oliver in my life… There’s definitely never a dull moment when he is around.
We don’t see a massive amount of Nick throughout the story, though he is mentioned a lot. Appearances are certainly deceiving with him as he is not so sweet and innocent as we first believe. In the moments we do see Nick, I feel like we could have gotten a bit more from his character - just to see him really pop. He’s multi-faceted but we sadly only really see glimpses of this when he pops up. I would have loved to understand his motives just a little more so I could connect with him further.

Now this story gave me big LOKI vibes. Protecting the timelines, jumping place to place, seeing the implications of such a thing? Genius. Absolute genius. Len’s writing style is engaging and I found myself enjoying what I was reading each time I picked this up. I liked that the romance was a steady undertone throughout the course of the story before popping up a bit more at the end. It never felt like too much. There was a bit of a love triangle moment and whilst I usually roll my eyes a little at that (before enjoying it anyway because I’m a sucker for that sort of thing) I didn’t feel that way at all reading this as it was subtle and not too in your face. I’m looking forward to seeing what is next to come - especially after that ending!

Overall, Only a Monster is a thrilling story that pulls you in and traps you in the best way.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

I didn't think I'd give another book five stars before the end of 2021, but here we are!

Initially I picked this up because I was in the mood for some fantasy, and when I saw that this was enemies-to-lovers I was bursting to start this. Although I have to say I thought the enemies to lovers was sort of done twice? But one done better than the other…

We begin when Joan accidentally travels in time and finds out who (or rather what) she really is. A monster. Part of twelve powerful families in London, Joan must now team up with a rival family's shunned heir to solve a mystery that puts every monster at risk.

I just fell into such a deep, addictive state when I started reading this book. The pace started off so well and only got better. The banter between Ruth and Aaron was hilarious! I didn't like Aaron at the beginning- I felt like we didn't get much from him, except the obvious issues with his father and that he isn't as hateful of the Hunt family as his father is. I really started rooting for them, until I realised her sort-of-ex was still in the picture?? And then I started shipping Joan with Nick instead, because damn their chemistry was just so sizzling- I was hooked and sadly there was no going back. I forgot the synopsis of this book, so it was a shock to find out Nick was actually a monster-slayer and at such a crucial time too!

Joan was a really flawed and intriguing protagonist. I really started loving her the more I read. She does make some questionable decisions and she's not one of those girls who's automatically good at every new task, which was refreshing to read. The fact that she's supposed to be a monster did seem a little underwhelming though. I expected monsters in this book to be darker than they were. Other than that, I did really like the mechanics of time travel and the magic system.

The writing was great! I did think that sometimes it jumped from one scene to another too fast, and it took me a while to get my bearings, but once I did, I was drawn in so deeply, it was hard to put this book down. The author actually shows her grieving and doesn't just brush it off as the book progresses. No spoilers, but when I hit the 80% mark, I quite literally couldn't look away from the page! So much was happening, and I still don't know how I feel about that ending…

The monster families each have different powers, and it was so cool reading about them! This was more like a sci-fi fantasy blend, and wow the time travel aspect is one of the best I've ever read (and I'm not just saying that!). The travelling in time, paired with the 'meet my younger loved ones' was just beautifully done. The author really knows how to keep a scene tension-filled, enough that you're actually holding your breath and can't read the words fast enough. I did like the romance, although it wasn't a massive part of the book… or was it? This is one of those stories where you want to go into it knowing as little as possible!

So, choose your poison:

1. Friends to lovers to enemies to maybe lovers?

OR

2. Enemies to friends to maybe lovers?

I honestly cannot wait for the next book!! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-arc :)

Only a Monster is a YA contemporary fantasy that follows Joan who comes from a family of monsters but she was never told until she suddenly discovered she could time-travel.!!!

The first 10% of this I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy and got a little worried, it felt like it was written in a much younger voice than I was expecting but after the 10% mark I lost that feeling and got immersed in the story telling.

I liked this was from the 'monsters' pov, she wasn't what I'd call bad and barely morally grey but the power to time travel did come at a price that was costing time off a humans life. I liked this perspective and it was different from the usual protagonist.

The pace flowed really well and I enjoyed the magic system and the background of the families of monsters. I really liked the aspect of having these 12 families that had their own speciality power and all kind of stuck to themselves, it had a whole secret society aspect and would have loved to have known more about it.

Aaron was my favourite character, I loved his smart suits and his dry humour and wish there had been a little more of him in the ending.

I liked the reveals that I didn't find it predictable which is a big plus for YA story. The ending I was really happy with, I didn't see it playing out that way, I guess for a YA I was expecting the usual happy ending, girl overcomes all, girl and boy live happily together. So I was really pleased this was different and was a great way to wrap up the story.

I'd definitely read more of this if it does turn into more books.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this mesmerising new YA Fantasy!

Imagine you could travel in time, what is the cost you are willing to pay?
In a world full of Monsters, everything has a price. A deep, charismatic plot line set in London. Our protagonist Joan, has her life drastically altered in one night. Can she manage to restore everything to how it was or will the cost be too great?

Only a Monster is a stunning, well-structured fantasy novel. The book is superbly paced, and well thought out. The book navigates through love, loss, betrayal, humanity in a captivating series of events. I found myself truly torn, alongside Joan, as to what she should do next and whether it was worth the cost to herself and others. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, as I am sure it will follow in Only a Monster’s footsteps. Definitely a must read of the year!

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review

When I saw this book being was for fans of This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab, I instantly picked it up since TSS has been a 2021 favourite read, and Only a Monster did not disappoint.

Oh my god I loved this book so much. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the characters, the setting... everything. I was a bit confused with a couple of things, but that confusion was easily resolved with further reading and the odd re-reading of a passage.

I absolutely loved everything between our MC and the love interest(s) and our MC and the enemy(/enemies). It was just ugh, both frustrating and everything I wanted at the same time.

This is a solid debut and yes, I will be making everyone read it when it comes out.