Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for the rating system.

Only a Monster was in my top 3 books read in 2022 so the sequel was one of my anticipated releases this year. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

I appreciated that there were mentions of the events of the previous book, which was useful because I had forgotten some of what happened but after a while, it became quite repetitive - especially Joan's constant internal monologue reminding herself that the Nick and Aaron she knew, are gone.

I felt that the story dragged a little bit in places and I wish we had had more Aaron and less Nick, whom I find to be quite a bland character. The workings of time travel also confused me at times (if only a few days passed for Joan, how could Nick have been gone for 3 weeks?)

Overall it was just alright for me, we got some answers to questions from the previous book and the cliffhanger sets up the next book nicely.

Thank you to Netgalley & Hodderscape for this ARC.

I received Only a Hero in my first FairyLoot box last year and loved it! So, I jumped at the chance to request an early copy of the sequel, Never a Hero.

I'm going to be honest - it took my quite a while to get back into Len's world of time-stealing monsters. I even had to park the book for a little while and come back to it. However, once I got stuck back in I was swept along.

Once again, I was struck by how original an idea Len's monster's are. In a world full of remakes, it can be difficult to believe anyone can have an original idea anymore but the world she's created surprises me every time. Her vivid descriptions of the various times that Joan and her friends/frenemies find themselves in are never boring or cause you to skim read, and at times I truly felt the unease the characters felt when looking into or being in proximity of crucial plot points that I won't spoil.

The build up to and slow reveal and explanation of the "big bad" was truly interesting and while they did have a bit of a James Bond villain moment (you know when they talk a lot to explain their motives etc and you think to yourself, surely they would've just got it over with by now) it was still fascinating to see the reasoning unravel and never felt like it was tenuous or like it was filled with plot holes. It was great to see all of the pieces fall into place and, for someone who it is incredibly difficult to surprise with plot twists, I really did not see that ending coming.

This book ends on a cliffhanger (frustrating, I know!) but I can't wait to see what happens to Joan and the rest of the crew and I feel like there might be some tears involved in the next book.

I get a little nervous reading the follow-up to a book I've loved and given five stars. Why? How could it possibly compete, right? Luckily it was like Vanessa Len had heard my fears and wrote Never A Hero to allay them. From the very first page I was hooked, dragged back straight back into the action, and falling back in love with all of the characters from book one. I absolutely love Vanessa's writing style, it's engaging and gripping, and every description is so unbelievably rich and vivid - I can picture every place she describes like I've been there myself. But most of all I can't get over the creativity and imagination that pour from the story. Time travel is something that I think is often a bit of a let-down, but this wasn't the case at all with Never A Hero. There were so many details thrown in and it all felt so well-researched and realistic. It was so fantastic that I can't help wanting more time travel (although morally I can see why we're not getting more!).

It was such a treat to be back with the characters I love *cough*​ Aaron *cough*, and the dynamics between everyone are always fantastic. The story ended on a cliff-hanger, so I'm already counting down the days until I can get my hands on book three (the wait is already killing me). I absolutely cannot wait to see how Joan's story wraps up, I know which characters I'm rooting for, and I just know Vanessa Len won't let me down and will produce an absolute stunner of a book yet again.
My only teeny tiny nit-pick is that Joan refers to the police as 'cops' at a couple of points, which a Brit wouldn't say, but as that's my only gripe, I think that's a reflection on how much I enjoyed the rest of the book. I raced through it at record speed and promptly stayed up until 2am to finish it (worth it!). So excited for everyone to get their hands on this, I know everyone's going to love it as much as I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I was so excited to dive back into this world after absolutely adoring Only A Monster last year. This sequel did not disappoint! You're thrown immediately into the action, with some wild time travelling antics from the very first chapter. I loved being back with Joan and the gang, even if they were all a little different from the last book (but no spoilers here!) The plot was just as high stakes as book one, with plenty of little twists and shocking reveals along the way. The only thing I wanted more of? Aaron Oliver, of course.

This series is such an original and fun take on morally grey, at times villainous characters, time travel and swoony boys. The perfect YA fantasy!

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape for an ARC of this book!

Never the hero is an action-packed sequel to Only a Monster and did not disappoint. It lived up to all of my expectations after finishing the first book and I find myself highly anticipating more of this series!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially re-entering the world, magic, and characters! The new relationships and dynamics of the characters was also interesting and refreshing for a sequel.

The ending was so thrilling I was absolutely hooked and find myself wanting more I cannot wait for the next book. I am excited to see how the series will end in the next instalment, Joan’s story is wonderful and everyone should pick up this book and immerse themselves into the world of monsters.

I am in love with Vanessa Len and her writing and I look forward to reading more from her!

i enjoyed this but for some reason not as much as the first book, it continues from book 1 and it is a good read but i felt it was rushed like i was speed reading but i wasn't, although you find out a few more things in this book that help you understand book 1 better, this is an enjoy able read and if your a fan of the first book you will enjoy this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodderscape for an ARC of this book.

I was so happy to receive this book, I've been anxiously waiting since i read only a monster, and it did not disappoint.

Never a hero is the sequel to Only a monster, so this review contains spoilers from the first book.

Never a hero picks up a few months after where Only a monster ends. Joan is back in her old life, and everything is as she wished it to be. Almost. Joan will soon figure out that everything is still not quite right, and even though she managed to change the timeline, something is wrong, or about to be very wrong, and someone needs to fix it.

This book felt like a filler. Not that much happened throughout the book, but we did have some new revelations, time traveling, and a lot of pining. The ending was more thrilling, and i want to know what happens next. I really liked the book even though it was a filler, and I'm very excited to see where this will go and how we will get to the end. There are a lot of things we still need to know. It was fun being back with the characters. The dynamic was a bit different, but they still managed to work together.

Only a Monster was a favourite book last year and I couldn't wait to start this one. It didn't dissapoint and read it in 2 days. Vanessa Len writes exactly what I want to read. The only downside is the now long wait for book 3.

Vanessa Len never disappoints! The second book in the Monsters trilogy, Never a Hero, is a story filled with action, adventure, friendship and found family. Similar to Only a Monster, the writing was just magical. It’s incredible how everything tied together and how entangled all the plots were, the timeline was layered and complex and I was CAPTIVATED!!! I adored Joan and Aaron even more than before and I cannot wait to explore the next book.

This book was such a thrilling adventure!

In book two, Vanessa Len showed us a different side to all of the characters we fell in love with in book one. Never A Hero has given me so many mixed emotions!

This was excellently plotted out and perfectly executed. I was on the very edge of my seat the entire time with tension and just the pure weight of what’s hanging over this group of found family’s shoulders!

I am so nervous and excited for the finale!

I love this book!
The writing style is amazing.
The characters and tension are fucking great!

You HAVE to read this book!!
I‘m speechless…. It‘s so insane - hehe

Soulmates, Jamie had once said of them. And now ... I don’t know your name.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for providing this book in exchange for a review!

Joan’s mother’s side of the family are monsters: real monsters who steal human life to travel though time.
To save her family, she destroyed the timeline (and her enemy the monster slayer hero, but also her true love), yet this has unintended consequences. Aaron doesn’t remember her and he’s intent on capturing her, and the timeline draws Joan and Nick back together but Nick doesn’t even know monsters exist.

This second instalment takes the stakes to a whole new level. Forget about saving family, this is about saving the timeline and the world. But predictions can’t be easily changed and there are many who believe it is inevitable. Of course, Joan deals with the impossible every day.

People will die. People on both sides - monsters and humans in uncountable numbers.

I can already tell this is going to be popular: enemies-to-lovers, urban fantasy, time travel, challenging stock ideas of heroes and villains, a love triangle…

This book covers identity issues pertaining to human v monster yes, but also to culture and family. This is always refreshing to read in urban fantasy, made more poignant by the time travelling where suddenly identity and looks matter a lot more than they do in the 21st century.

Sometimes, she even talked about herself as half. Half monster, half human. Half English, half Chinese. As if she were made of construction blocks that had been put together and could be disassembled again. But that wasn't how she felt inside.

THAT ENDING. Wow. I think I was non-stop silently screaming for the last 15%. Buckle up, we’re in the end times now.

I would recommend this to fans of Monsters of Verity by VE Schwab, A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab, and if you liked the relationship between Juliette and Aaron Warner in Shatter me.

The monster world was full of wonders. But it was as terrible as it was beautiful. It was a world where you could look out of a window and see a Tudor city. But it was also a world where people would steal human life just to have a holiday in another era.

Awesome book! Very fast paced and well written for fast pace. A lot more about the world is explained and it adds a lot to the world.

MAJOR SPOILERS IN NEXT PARAGRAPH..
Characters are very much the same as before, Nick of course returns, and he is only one who is a little bit different as now his family has not been killed. What I disliked a bit is ''fake'' conflict due to Joan not telling Nick full information. I really dislike when conflict is made this way, as there was no reason for her not to tell him everything, especially after he learns she unmade him, why didn't she tell him as soon as possible why she did it. I do understand Joan's fear, but she made it only worse by not telling him. It is very obvious it will change his mind once he learned the truth from Elenor.

Ending wraps up nicely, and leaves you wanting more right away! There is no cliffhanger, but it is very obvious there will be more. I can't wait for the next book!

I really enjoyed this book! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read early with ARC.

It was interesting to see Joan deal with the aftermath of her actions from in book one. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and all the twists and turns. The plot and world building were very good and I’m glad we got to know more about the monster families and their powers.

Whilst I did enjoy this book I would say I preferred book one. As a member of Team Aaron I was a little disappointed with how little he appeared in the book and with the focus mostly being on Nick who I’m not a huge fan of. I’m still really looking forward to the next book, (hopefully with more Aaron) especially after that cliffhanger!

<i> ‘ The boy I loved was a monster-slayer. […] But I unmade him.’ </i>

I really really struggled to put this book down! There are so many new twists and turns, the world building and plot was brilliant, I loved seeing the characters in a different light under the new timeline and I find what Vanessa is doing here really quite unique. It was interesting to see Joan deal with the consequences of her actions from the first one, with things changing in ways she never would have expected.
<i> ‘Had Joan taken the out the hero out of the story, and given the villain free rein?’ </i>

This was a fast paced and intriguing adventure and unique YA fantasy with plenty of angst and conflict (both internal and external) and I can’t wait for the third one!

We pick up Joan’s story following the conclusion of book 1 a few months later in November. She is still attracted to the person she liked in book 1 but understandably with all the history she’s trying to avoid him and beyond amnesia, he lived a different life and has never met her. It’s a sensible place to start as book 1 began with her having got to know him over the summer before something major happens. And something major happens again: the Monster Court comes for her. Only what with time hopping (forwards this time!) It takes a little while to get a grip on who the enemy is. Joan’s role is reversed as she sort of has to explain the monster world as Aaron did for her, but with the invisible elephant in the room. The boy she has feelings for is the hero, or was until she erased him.

New timeline, new memories, new rules. It’s a fast-paced set-up which doesn’t fall into a major exposition trap but can catch up new readers easily (but you’ll be missing out). I really like the voice. Not necessarily the narrator but the narrative voice itself is the right speed and weight for me while the characters interact sensibly enough and the plot is solid. It knows YA cliche, and I won’t pretend there isn’t a threat of a love triangle (“what is it with you and Nick, and the blond boy” - I paraphrase slightly) but the romance angle is largely feelings she doesn’t necessarily want to have or act on. Any more than her forbidden power. The romance does provide and extra layer of tension and willingness to trust that explains some behaviour but it is never a romance as such hoch I was grateful for.

The big bad from the last book makes a reappearance and explains everything in a satisfying twist that makes good sense, and we get most book 1 favourites back as themselves but lacking their memories of book 1 leading to squabble shut-downs that are much appreciated too (monster families unless allies will fight). I didn’t like an early death and lost to your family moment (this is remembered though not dwelt on as much as it would be in another type of plot) but my real gripe is that while the set up for the next book is in no way forced, this could have been a duology. Then again, I really enjoy the pace of this series which I wouldn’t give up for less time, in a monster-ridden London. Some times are worth returning to.


With thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing this ARC.

I was so excited to read the sequel to Only a Monster and I loved every second of it. I couldn’t stop reading at all. It was nice to get to know more about the monster families and their powers.

The beginning was fast paced enough, but then the plot dragged a bit in the middle and at the end, more twists were revealed. I’m really looking forward to the third installment, especially after that cliffhanger (ugh that was so mean😪)

I’m completely in love with this series!

I was blown away by Only a Monster and as soon as I finished it, I had to started reading Never a Hero. Sometimes I don’t really enjoy as much the second book in trilogies because they feel as fillers until the big conclusion in the final book but this was not the case at all.

The angst and the loneliness at the beginning of the book was really heart-breaking and very palpable, and before you know it the action starts and doesn’t really stop until the end.

Joan is an amazing character, very vulnerable and also very sad. In this book she is the only one with the memories and the knowledge of the other timeline, at least until the end when there are surprising twists.

I’m not really a fan of the fated love thing and I’m more on team Aaron. In this book we get more focus on Nick than Aaron, but the glimpse we do get on Aaron just makes it more clear to me that there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Love the writing and there’s great character development and amazing world building. I can0t wait for the third and final book of this trilogy.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Never a Hero was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023, so you can imagine how excited I was when I got my hands on an ARC of this book. And luckily it didn't disappoint, living up to my self-induced hype.

In this sequel, Joan must face the aftermath of resetting the timeline, with all its unexpected repercussions. She is the only one that actually remembers what happened before she unmade the hero, the only one that knows that there's an enemy out there lurking in the folds of time. What hurts (Joan and me) the most is that both Aaron and Nick are more distant than ever.
Aaron, her hard-won friend – and maybe more (I just keep hoping) – is hunting her down and wants her dead. And Nick, her only love in the true timeline, is a stranger who doesn’t even know her name. I mean, the ANGST!

I found this book pretty intense and the plot was full of twists and turns. I really liked how Vanessa Len explored Joan's inner conflict, which was evident in this book even more than in Only a Monster. As half human, half monster, does she have to choose a side? Are humans all good and monsters inherently bad? Is it delusional to dream of some kind of peace between them?

Nonetheless, I must admit that I loved Only a Monster a bit more. Maybe it was just that the first half was pretty slow-paced and I felt less invested. Or maybe there was just way less Aaron in this book (since the focus was mainly on Nick) and I felt a little disappointed.
To be honest, I re-evaluated Nick in this book, but I still didn't see the chemistry between him and Joan. On the other hand, even though Aaron came in so late in the story, I cherished every single moment with him. Len characterized him so well and all the little glimpses into his past (and his soul) and the vulnerability he showed with Joan (even in this new timeline) made me fall in love with him even more (and I'll root for him until the end, so Vanessa, pretty please, don't be cruel with our golden monster boy and this poor reader).

The last few chapters and the epilogue were terrific and I'm desperate to read the next book now!

Thanks for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

“You know what most delights me?” he murmured. “You don’t even know what you are. None of you do. You all die without knowing.”

After the cliffhanger of the first book, I couldn't wait to read the second one. I’m happy to say that it hasn’t disappointed me at all.

In this book the plot becomes more complicated as more information is revealed. There are so many mysteries to be unravelled. It was impossible to put the book down; I needed to keep reading to know how the story would evolve.

I felt as curious as Joan, who also couldn't catch her breath because she had to uncover the mysteries surrounding monsters and humans. In this book she truly becomes a hero and that's why she feels morality obliged to fix the chaos she has caused. She refuses to accept defeat and she will do her best to achieve a happy ending. I loved her unwavering personality because, despite everyone telling her there is no possible solution, she won’t give up.

I enjoyed learning more about the monster families and the timeline, there were sooo many unexpected revelations that I would had never imagined. Some of them were related to my favourite character Aaron and now I love him even more. He’s just a baby to me.

I won’t say much more about Aaron and Nick because I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say we will see different sides of them, both good and bad, and there will be a little bit more romance as well.

Finally, I want to say I loved reading this book. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I thoroughly enjoyed Joan's adventure. I don’t know if I can wait to read the conclusion of the trilogy after these many revelations and plot twists. Now, my expectations are high for the final book. We'll have to wait and see.