I just finished this and oh my goodness I can't think coherently, I can barely breathe and I know that might sound like I'm being dramatic but I'm REALLY not. This book was an insane rollercoaster.

**SPOILERS**
First off the emotional stakes were high from page ONE. I mean in the first book the whole Idea of her sacrificing her true love and what Nick did to her family hurt a lot but in this book that pain is SKYROCKETED by a thousand. I mean goodness. We got to know Nick so much more and even deeper in this book and it just made all the suffering him and Joan went through hurt so much worse. There were so many times I was almost crying because of them.

Then, the external stakes were even HIGHER. I mean insanely high. Like I cannot tell you the last time I read a book where I felt so anxious alongside the characters. It was insane. And I mean I DREAMT about this book because I was so stressed (in a healthy way).

I love LOVE Joan's character. She is so loving and she serious carried such a heavy burden in this book and SO MUCH PAIN. I admire her because I would have thrown in the towel 1/4 of the way through.

Nick is amazing, one of the best love interest's I have read. You can truly feel how pure his heart is and how much he LOVES and ADORES Joan. My goodness someone please give him some morphine after this book because I can't imagine how much pain he was in. And him throwing the knife and killing the King even though he KNEW it would bring on the "end of times" all because he loved Joan THAT DEEPLY is so pure and beautiful and I can't I'm going to sob.

Aaron as always was one of my favorites. He's so funny but also so vulnerable and definitely a bit stuck up. It is so hard not to love him. He's honestly such a great guy and he really needs someone to love him. (but not Joan, please not Joan).

As I just clearly revealed I am 110% for team Nick! Team Aaron is not even tolerated in my mind okay? Him and Joan have chemistry obviously but they work so much better as friends. Especially because Nick and Joan's chemistry is THROUGH THE ROOF. I honestly am starting to ship Aaron and Ruth (I think someone should make a bet on the chances of this happening with me).

I loved all of the characters as I did in book one. They all felt very fleshed out and it was hard not to care for each one of them. But wow I think I found my new all-time favorite character: Eleanor.

Eleanor. She is cunning and clever and willing to do literally ANYTHING to get what she wants. She doesn't care who she has to hurt in order to achieve that goal. BUT - she isn't completely heartless. Clearly, in some mad way, she loves Joan like family (I mean they ARE sisters). Hearing her story at the end and feeling her pain made it hard for me to hate her (but not impossible). If I hate her why is she my favorite you might ask? WELL because from the moment she stepped on the scene she captured my attention. I mean she is so freaking interesting and fun to read about.

But I do still hate her. After spending this whole book learning Nick better, what hurts him and what makes him happy, how much he loves Joan and is willing to die to protect her and do what's right, I felt like I knew him. Like he was real. SO being reminded of the ways he suffered in the previous timeline, of how he was literally tortured so bad that he turned into a killer, destroyed me.

I really need book three. Please. I will beta read!

No but seriously, after that ending I have so many questions! How will they keep Nick safe now that the monsters are free to drain any human of life at will? Does Nick understand better why Joan unmade him and will he forgive her? Will they FINALLY find a happily ever after? Will Aaron and Ruth end up together? Will poor Jamie find Tom? How are Aaron, Nick, and Joan so deeply connected (please tell me they stay an epic trio)? Where the HECK is Gran (she has a lot of explaining to do)!!?!

But my biggest one of all: HOW are they going to FIX this mess and survive this nightmarish world?

Ugh, I'm dying over here.

Thank you SO much to Vanessa Len for her giveaway of this e-ARC, and to Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for making it possible for me to read this and review it early! I will be organizing this review and posting it around release day! For now though, I'm going to stew in the emotional wreckage this book ending abandoned me in.

Never a Hero is the perfect example of how to write a sequel. Second books often end up being a bit boring with a lot of filler content but that's definitely not the case here, second book syndrome is nowhere to be seen!

Only a Monster was one of my top reads in 2021 so I was really happy to get an ARC again for Never a Hero. The ending left the story pretty open so I wasn't sure which direction this sequel was going to go in but I absolutely loved it.

The story was fast-paced and engaging, I started and finished this in a day - I couldn't put it down.
The plot was full of twists and turns and had clearly been thought out extremely well. There's more time travel in this one and we get to see different times and places which was cool.

Joan is so new to the monster world in the first book and it was really interesting to see that flipped in this one, she's the one with the knowledge and the memories of the last timeline and the other characters are in the dark. It was heartbreaking to see her struggling with the grief and morality of everything that had happened, she's been through a lot.

All of the other characters were just as good, although they're different now too. I think the timeline plot is a really cool way to play around with characters and it worked really well. I'm firmly Team Aaron though!

The ending feels satisfying but is also a little cliffhanger for the sequel, I'm definitely excited for the next book!

I really loved this book. To me this was the perfect sequel. It had everything I loved about the first book - and more. More characters, more character development and a perfect continuation of the story.

The connection I felt to Joan in the first book just increased, and I loved her character. She is such a brlliant main character, she has flaws, but don't we all? She just feels so real.

The side characters as well were perfect again, they added so much to the story and none of them felt useless or unnecessary. They all developed too throughout and it really elt like we knew them all.

The settings too are fantastic. You really feel like you're there with all the imagery, not just in how it's described but you get the feel of it too whilst they are there.

Now ***SPOILERS***

I loved that Aaron was back, and although different he was still the same person deep down. I am of the opinion of Aaron all the way and Nick should get in the bin, but that is just my personal preference lol.

Time travel in this book was done so well, all the issues it felt like there were deep down in the first one don't seem to bethere this time? There isn't any glaring things that make you think that time travel can't exist and that it doesn't make sense. The timeline felt more fleshed out this time, I can't really explain it.

All in all, fantastic, and I can't wait for the next one! Still sad it ended on a cliffhanger though...

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book, and almost all of the aspects, from the characters to how the plot unraveled, and would definitely recommend. 4/5 stars.

I’ve just finished the book and made my way through the Acknowledgments (Yes, I’m that kind of reader) and thus I was today old when I learned that Vanessa Len is an Australian author. Not only that, but a fellow Melbournian! If it weren’t for her acknowledgment of Traditional Custodians, I may still have been in the dark. I don’t know why this little fact excites me so, but it does.

Perhaps it’s pride thing, a Melbourne writer successfully making YA fantasy stories, or maybe it’s that someone from very south in Down Under has captured London so vividly.

In any case, I loved Only A Monster, flipping the narrative and having the story focus on the perspective of what would normally be the antagonist was awesome. In Never a Hero, we continue Joan et al’s trials and tribulations with the Timeline and the aftermath of what she did in the end of the first book.

It doesn’t help that no one remembers those events. It certainly doesn’t help that Joan still knows so little about the Monster world. It really doesn’t help that there are forces more powerful than anything she’s come up against that are trying to end all the timelines as they know them.

As the middle book in a trilogy (at least I think it’s a trilogy) I went into the story expecting some shortfalls. Most do for me anyhow. And while I can’t fault it for the writing, the world building, the characters or the storylines, I did feel a little lost and confused at times. It was only last year that I read the first book but so much had evaded me. The descriptions, while timely to the story, had me scratching my head a little. It’s sure the problem is me, but I can’t help feeling that anyone picking this book up who hasn’t read the first (or it’s been a while) might struggle to follow some parts.

The love triangle bugged me. But not as much as the first book. All in all I really enjoyed this second instalment and am looking forward to the next book.

Many thanks to Vanessa Len, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for an arc of this book. Opinions are my own.

Joan is the only person who remembers that her boyfriend killed her family for the crime of being monsters. But her work isn't over - by changing the timeline, she has potentially caused even more death and has a target on her back.

Like with the first book, I have a lot of questions about the world building (to be expected with this amount of time travel!). However, that doesn't detract from an excellently written fantasy with characters I adore (Aaron > Nick). And after that ending, I cannot wait for the next book!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This sequel was WORTH the wait! 🤩
SO SO good!
The story starts off with Joan watching Nick, a different Nick, a Nick that doesn't remember her. Something draws them together though and what Joan did catches up to her. Her destroying the human protector, the Hero, had consequences and soon she and Nick are yanked back into the Monster world.
This time Aaron is after her, on behalf of the Monster Court. Nick doesn't understand a lot of things and it kinda broke my heart that he went from a bad@ss who could kill Monsters to a normal human who was weak against them. And yet....the Monsters feared him. It was a fascinating paradox.
Truths come out and the answer to Joan's forbidden/different power is revealed! Those chapters had me like....what?! 🙀
Only thing I didn't like was....Joan. I don't hate her but I couldn't stand how she was treating Nick even though he proved trust worthy again and again, never reacting the way she expects and pretty calm in spite of everything done to him. Nick though, I absolutely LOVED 😍
I know I'm in the minority here but I'm a huge Nick fan 😂 He's just so....complex and good and tough and...perfect haha
Joan's choices just make things worse even though she's trying to save everyone and now Nick made a choice that affects them all and we are left with a timeline once again needing fixing.
The plot twists! The descriptions! The Monster lore! The action! The struggles and emotions evoked.....this book was just EPIC! Absolutely worth the wait. Can't wait for book 3 🤩

Wow wow wow, that ending!! I need the next book right now. Expected publication is 2024…. It better be summer ‘24 (or earlier of course!) because I can’t wait another year and a half like I did last time.

The book started a bit slow compared to what I remembered from the first book. However I was drawn in again and especially around the 60% mark it started to get difficult to put the book down. The last 20% or so was even better and I just wanted to keep on reading and reading. And now I need to next book haha. Just like the first book we got a pretty mindblowing ending, although this one was less surprising.

A big part of this book was Joan convincing people of something they had done or said in the previous timeline. This made for some really emotional moments. And while I do think the first half of the book was a bit slow, I also think that made for a bigger payoff in the end. We’re learning more about the world and meet some new families with powers we hadn’t seen before. I always love that.

My favorite characters were back and they had some great moments. In my review of Only A Monster I said I didn’t think my ship would be endgame but after this book I’m feeling a bit more hopeful. Even though there are big hints that point the other way I’m holding out hope!

i loved the first book and fell completely for the story so i had very high expectations for the sequel and it blew my mind cause after finishing it in 12 hours i just wanted book 3

The book one left us with so many questions and theories to ramble and so many new things are told here!!

I love the universe that the author created, i have read many books but the plot and characteristics here are so unique and different
Vanessa Len tell me your ways shjejejejdr cause this blew my mind

As for characters, i loved them for the most part but at certain times Joan annoyed me but i guess that supports the plot as well and for my bbg Aaron, i just wanna hug him and keep in my pocket and massive. At the end all the characters are beautifully written with the lil flaws, strengths and morals making them well rounded. Even the new characters and their actions felt so justified ( if u read it uk who i am talking abt) and it was so good to read about my babies again!!!

So yes read this book or I'll make you!!/j
And now I die again waiting for third book

I. Am. Conflicted……

In the absolute BEST way possible!😍

This book had me tearing up, laughing, frowning with questions, and smiling! I loved all of the characters to begin with. Yes, I had my favorites-as well all do-but I will not lie….it got tricky sometimes on staying or even WANTING to choose a “side.”

Because I just want happiness for ALL!

Minus the villain of course….

Which leads me to the next point: This series overall is a GREAT example of how “monsters” and “humans”, “good” and “evil” are not easily described as they are spelled. There’s so much more, so much backstory on both sides. If we really think about it—deep dive and make it personal—it’s exactly like real life. Through this YA fantasy series—this second book—we get those feelings. We get to see the reasons behind it all. All while being able to breeze through the story and keep searching for answers when twists and turns are revealed!

In Never a Hero, we are able to dive deeper into the world and where things are happening. It was just enough to give us a vision-a throwback-into the past while not making it too complicated or forcing all of our minds to hold the same image.

The pacing was a bit slow at the start of book two. However, I can not, will not, complain about it! Because in those slow moments, I was able to take in several of my favorite characters and be torn and pulled apart all over again by reminders of the first book and what was/is to come! The pacing also took advantage of being able to introduce us to new characters and plot twists to-of course-leave us wanting more!

The characters are evolving; the story is taking full shape. And our hearts are bracing themselves for impact!

Mine certainly is! 🥹

Thank you Vanessa Len so much for this book that STILL has me torn😭 (In the best way possible!)
And thank you to NetGalley for allowing me this opportunity to read this FANTASTIC piece of work before it officially comes out August 29, 2023!

This book is high stakes throughout and very well paced. The last 20% of the book is nail-biting and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
In this instalment secrets are revealed but we are also left needing more. I’m definitely invested and need book three now.
The memory loss everyone suffers due to the timeline change, apart from Joan, causes much angst, which I love a bit of! There’s more of both Nick and Aaron and I’m still not sure who I prefer. Great character development is seen in everyone, which you don’t always get in a YA.
Aside from the characters London is portrayed so well in the different timelines and this really adds to the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Spoiler Free Review

I didn't expect Never A Hero to be this good. Once again, Len's writing is superb and amazing.

Following Only A Monster, Joan is suddenly a fugitive and must now figure out how to fix everything as well as save everyone she loves.

Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers, enemy soulmates, time travel and race against time situations.

When I read only a monster, I was heartbroken about how it ended and really enjoyed the idea of timey wimey stuff and Never a hero does not disappoint with where it left off in the first book, we get to see Joan, Nick and Aaron navigate the world that Joan herself created with the events that happened in the first book, how do they deal with it. The answer not well, because they begin to realise that even when something has been done to prevent people together, they still find their way into each other’s lives. Is this something we would call Fate?
This book was tension filled with the same amount of pace and intrigued as the first one did but I feel that at times it was ramped up in this one and you were at times confused just like the characters what was going on. I will say I cried a couple of times in the book because I felt what Joan went through especially at the beginning of the book and how she is struggling with what she had happened in the last year where she is the only one who remembers it.
It also asks many questions about time, how one moment changes and creates multiple timelines except for the main timeline and how people who are meant to be together in the timeline we come together all the time and there is no way of stopping it from happening. I am now waiting for the third book because I need to know what is going to happen. Are the two who are meant to be together going to be together and okay because I will be really upset if they do not end up together in the end after all they have been through in multiple timelines.
If you enjoyed the first book you will love this one and I cannot wait to be able to discuss this with others because it is something I am glad, I picked up and then got so engrossed in it.

Best book I've read all year.

It's hard for me to find a book series where I find the second book better than the first one, because when I really like a book one my expectations gets higher, but this book was the exception.

This book is perfection, the pace, the world building, and my favorite thing, the characters. I think the characters are so well written, so complex, you can see how all of them play an important role in the story.

And finally I want to talk about the magic system, I think is so original, we got to see it on the first book but on this sequel you can fill all the question you might have had and complements it beautifully.

Thank you so mych Vanessa Len, Hodderscape and Netgalley for letting me read a ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Beautiful writing , the world building is as perfection and the live triangle will forever me my favorite 😍 the cover is gorgeous, she really gave us some great characters, their development and depth were really put together. Also , team Aaron !

“The monster world was full of wonders. But it was as terrible as it was beautiful.”
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Never A Hero is the sequel to Only A Monster and as that was one of my favourite reads last year I was so excited for the sequel and it did not disappoint!
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The book starts a little while after the events of the end of book one and we start to see the consequences of Joan’s actions and how it is caused unknown changes in the timeline and how everyone she knows has been affected by it.
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Then Joan and Nick are attacked and all hell breaks loose. Poor Joan and the rest of the gang do not get a moment of rest for this whole book as things progressively get worse for them on their hunt for answers and evading being captured buy the “monsters” that are hunting them.
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We meet all the characters we knew in the first book but because of the timeline change they are different too and don’t remember what happened before Joan changed the timeline so it was interesting to see these characters that are the same but also different and Vanessa wrote this really well.
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I felt Joan’s anguish and pain at the people she has come to love and trust but they aren’t the same so she has to tread a careful path and also relearn if she can trust them.
The way I was stressed at Aaron being different and not knowing Joan especially after I loved him in book 1 but it was still interesting to read this version of him.
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The ending and revelations had me shook even though I had sort of figured some things out and then we are left with THAT ending and now I am once again in pain and desperately waiting for the next book
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If you haven’t read these books I highly recommend them! Fast paced and action packed and you will absolutely not be able to put the book down!
You get the “monster” pov, morally grey characters, time travel and found family!

Adored the first one and this one is just as good! The concept is still so refreshingly original and I can’t wait to get my special edition I pre ordered, as I know this would be great!

This was fantastic, probably the best second book in a trilogy I've read in a long time. It kept my reading non-stop, the tension, the stakes so high from the beginning that I couldn't stop reading. The revelations, seriously I didn't see that coming, I spent all the book predicting the ending and when I wasn't entirely wrong, I just couldn't have ever imagined the actual facts. The ending left me literally wishing I was a monster, so I could still someone time to travel to the future to read the next book right now. 
The characters' development was fantastic, counting they are the same old friends from book one, but at the same time they are not the same. I wished to have seen more Aaron in the book, but the wait for him is worth it. And you get to fall in love with this version of Nick, too. And it was so interesting to see the tables turned where the one who was the "good guy" is now the "bad guy" and the "bad guy" is the "good guy" now. 
I said this before in the review of only a monster, I am very picky with my time travel, most stories with it are disappointing to me, but much like Dr. Who this story is complicated and intricate enough to be top-notch time travel.

I received a free e-arc and free audio arc from Netgalley all opinions are my own.

This review will contain some spoilers, so read with caution.

I really liked Only A Monster and was so happy and excited to be approved for the sequel!

I honestly have so many thoughts to this book, but I will try not to make it too spoilery.

I really enjoyed the audiobook. I really like Vera Choks voice. I liked the different voices she made for the characters. I don't have anything bad to say about the audiobook, it's so good, and I would definitely listen to it again. It's captivating and really pulled me in!

I still really enjoyed the writing style.
I love the time travel system, it's honestly so cool. Especially when the different timelines appear ect.

I was really annoyed with Joan. Her family died in the first book, and she managed to get them back. But then she just ignores them instead of spending time with them. I was like girl you got your family back, and you're wasting it!!

Also it really annoyed me that she didn't tell Nick anything. If she had told him things from the start instead of keeping the past from him, then he wouldn't have mistrusted her!
I understand it's all for the plot. But come on, don't keep secrets that's literally the worst thing you can do!

I absolutely love Aaron and I really hope that Joan ends up with him, but I'm most likely wrong..
Nick is just boring..

I really liked the adventure and all the characters.
The plot twist had my mouth gaping. I REALLY didn't expect that!!

Also the ending had me!! I'm really looking forward to the next book!!!

DNF at 50%.

This book takes place quite soon after the events of book one, but I feel like a lot of things that happened in the first book weren't really addressed in this book, and if they were, they were just sort of glossed over.

As with the first book, I really enjoyed the concept of this story and the world, and I tried so hard to love it, but ultimately, the execution was lacking, and I realised this book wasn't for me, so I decided not to keep reading. I found myself getting bored and I realised halfway through that I simply didn't care enough about the characters of the plot to keep reading.

I know that all of this may sound harsh, but it's really not a bad book! The writing was solid, and I can definitely see the author's potential. I just don't think that this book was the right fit for me.