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Monsters #1
Only a Monster
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2022)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.
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.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2022
About the author
Vanessa Len
3 books1,741 followersVanessa Len is an internationally bestselling Australian author and educational editor. Her first novel, Only a Monster, won the 2022 Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and has been translated into nine languages. The sequel, Never a Hero, is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,866 reviews
February 17, 2022
“I mean it,” she said. “You’re dead.”
He gave her his familiar solemn smile, the one that he’d given her all the time at the house. “Aren’t we all,” he said. “Somewhere on the timeline.”
Only a Monster, as of my writing this, does not release for another five months. I didn't actually mean to read it right now. I was just going to sample the arc, read a few pages, see if it was something that might interest me down the line... then somehow I seem to have ended up here at the end, a little bleary-eyed and disoriented.
I burned myself out on YA urban fantasy some years back, but it looks like I'm ready to get back in the game because I inhaled this. It contains some tropes of the genre-- teen girl comes into new powers, hints of a love triangle, heroes vs villains --but it subverts some too. In this book, you find yourself on the side of the monsters: moral dilemmas, grey areas, and all.
“Monsters look like giant spiders,” Joan said. “Or like robots.” She’d seen enough cartoons to know. Gran sometimes told jokes without smiling. Maybe this was one of those times.
But Gran’s eyes weren’t shiny with a held-in joke. They were serious. “That’s pretend monsters,” she said. “Real monsters look like me and you.”
The protagonist, Joan, comes from a family of time-travelling monsters on her mother's side. They can leech time from humans, essentially shortening their lifespan, in order to travel through time themselves. But there's long been rumours and myths about a hero who will come along and slaughter them, saving humans from their life-sucking powers.
As luck would have it, it turns out said hero is much closer to Joan than she could ever have guessed, and his presence causes a horrible tragedy that threatens everyone Joan cares about. She is forced to travel back in time to try and right some wrongs before they even happen.
I found a lot of this story thrilling. The stakes were high, the potential losses catastrophic, and the secrets mysterious and exciting. Different monster families have different powers and discovering them all is an adventure in itself. I also loved the references to British history and the strong sense of place I got from all the different settings. I am very glad to see we can expect two more books, though, because I still have SO MANY QUESTIONS. Not in a bad way. I can't wait!
“You’re a hero and I’m a monster,” she whispered. “There’s only one way that story ever ends.”
As for the romance(s), I didn't mind it. To be fair, while there were some flirty elements, the romance mostly waits in the wings until the end of the book. Unless the author is my kind of evil, I think it's pretty obvious what the endgame is on this front. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going for the main ship. Partly because star-crossed isn’t my jam, and partly, I think, because I’m a masochist who likes to hitch myself to sinking ships.
The ending wraps up this chapter, but it is FAR from over. Now, I wait.
Quotes taken from advance review copy and subject to change.
March 9, 2022
huh. i dont know how to rate this one. my head says 3 stars but my heart is giving it a 4.
on one hand, this was an enjoyable reading experience overall. the pacing is fast, the concept is unique and interesting, i actually didnt mind all of the time travel (which is a plot i generally dont like), and i do feel like i want to continue the series.
on the other hand, nothing feels like it lives up to its promise/potential. the romance is a big part of the marketing pitch and it ends up being very underdeveloped, the monsters arent at all as monster-y as i expected them to be, and the ending just feels… convenient? im just left feeling there could have been so much more to this.
but i did enjoy it! it was a quick and fun read, so im gonna go ahead and round up.
↠ 3.5 stars
on one hand, this was an enjoyable reading experience overall. the pacing is fast, the concept is unique and interesting, i actually didnt mind all of the time travel (which is a plot i generally dont like), and i do feel like i want to continue the series.
on the other hand, nothing feels like it lives up to its promise/potential. the romance is a big part of the marketing pitch and it ends up being very underdeveloped, the monsters arent at all as monster-y as i expected them to be, and the ending just feels… convenient? im just left feeling there could have been so much more to this.
but i did enjoy it! it was a quick and fun read, so im gonna go ahead and round up.
↠ 3.5 stars
November 13, 2022
*ARC sent by the publisher -Hodder & Stoughton- for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
I FOUND IT. I think I found my favorite YA Fantasy of the whole year (slightly ironic since this is releasing Feb 2022 and I'm writing this Oct 2021).
I very rarely find myself enjoying YA fantasy recently without being irked by the decisions of the characters but this was an exception.
My favorite aspect might be how open to interpretation so many different parts of the story was. If you pull out of context the mechanism of their powers, they don't really seem that bad and worthy to be called "monsters". However, if you actually think about the nature of it and how its meant to work… they definitely are monsters and Vanessa Len does nothing to make it sound right. Which I loved. Because she was still able to humanize the characters without compensating for the fact that what they do is harmful to people who aren't them.
To be honest, other books might have given it some redemption arc but VL said: "nope! but I'm gonna make you love them anyway."
This has all of my weaknesses bundled up in one book:
Character dynamics that sweep you up? CHECK.
Themes about humanity and monsters? CHECK.
Magical underworld? CHECK.
Time travel and forgotten memories? CHECK.
(Enemy) Soulmate trope? CHECK.
and This cover? *chef’s kiss*
(whoever made this cover captured the essence of the story really well)
Also, did I forget to say that this is set in London…
Despite the enemy soulmates trope being the main reason I read this, Vanessa Lee was able to perfectly balance both the romance and plot, so if you’re a reader who enjoys that (like me), I think you’ll love this.
I'm going to be honest that I still don't know who exactly Vanessa Len is referring to with the "enemy-soulmates" bit. By that I mean I don't which one of the two male leads is actually her soulmate because the "enemy" part can be interpreted in two different ways depending on how you look at it. In my case, I think one of the main reasons the story affected me as much as it did was because I think I assumed the wrong person in the “enemy-soulmate” trope. I only realized it more than half-way through the story and it destroyed me because I think my ship might drown. If you fall in the same hole that I did, you'll probably be destroyed too.
Before reading, I was actually really curious to know if they really are monsters or if it meant something else. There is just something so intriguing reading about monsters that might not really be monsters. The fact that it was not explicitly said in the synopsis why they are considered monsters was a very smart and effective move. It made things that more surprising to me, especially given how effectively executed it was for my preferences. (I am a very big fan of fantasy that is borderline dark, is dark, or has dark themes).
There are some tropes that we have arguably seen a fair share of in YA but the way VL wrote it made it feel so fresh. There are some things left to be desired in the writing style and I'm not saying it was perfect but, oh, Vanessa Len’s skills in creative writing shows. I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about her writing style but I was affected more than I thought I would be?? There’s something about this book, I swear, it gets you a certain way. When I know that the same scenes would not have hit as hard if VL’s writing was not what it was. There were just so many parts where I thought to myself that “this could have been a boring” but my intrigued never dwindled.
I don’t know what I thought the magic system would be like but it wasn’t what I thought it was gonna be with the title and premise. It was slightly more magical but still had that tinge of dark if you give it more than a second's thought. Given that I’ve read a great deal of fantasy with their fair share of magic systems, I get extra excited whenever one still manages to surprise me, especially in urban fantasy.
I do admit that there were times Joan frustrated me and made me want to shake her with her decisions but we're not going to get into that because I was still in love with the character dynamics at play. I also just want Aaron, my cinnamon bun, to be happy.
If you’re losing faith in YA Fantasy, I hope this helps give that hope back to you. This was definitely more The Last Magician (another favorite) than Passenger to me though, but it was definitely This Savage Song. I am so destroyed right now. I actually teared up when I finished this T_T
I was so affected by this story and it ended on a very destroying, heart-throbbing, and fulfilling note but also, I need the second book, like, yesterday. I have not hyped a YA Fantasy like this in so long but Vanessa Lee honestly deserves all the praise and excitement I can muster.
↣ Highly recommended if you want some fun fast-paced YA Time Travel Fantasy with ~maybe morally grey characters~ that is easy to get into but still holds the serotonin rushes that you are craving for. Especially one that holds aspects that are open to interpretation as of this first book. ↢
— 4.5 —
⇢ content warnings// On and offscreen deaths of parents and guardians, On and offscreen deaths of family members, Threats of violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Weapon use, Brainwashing, Interrogation, Involuntary drug use, Real-world racist microaggressions, Fantasy xenophobia
⇢ representation: diaspora Chinese-English main character, Chinese side characters
✧ you can find this review and more on my blog ✧
⤜ pre-read review ⤛
"Because in this story . . . she is not the hero" ... hello??
there's something about stories about monsters not really being monsters that is so intriguing to read
i also hear enemy-soulmates and angst and i am here for it
I FOUND IT. I think I found my favorite YA Fantasy of the whole year (slightly ironic since this is releasing Feb 2022 and I'm writing this Oct 2021).
I very rarely find myself enjoying YA fantasy recently without being irked by the decisions of the characters but this was an exception.
My favorite aspect might be how open to interpretation so many different parts of the story was. If you pull out of context the mechanism of their powers, they don't really seem that bad and worthy to be called "monsters". However, if you actually think about the nature of it and how its meant to work… they definitely are monsters and Vanessa Len does nothing to make it sound right. Which I loved. Because she was still able to humanize the characters without compensating for the fact that what they do is harmful to people who aren't them.
To be honest, other books might have given it some redemption arc but VL said: "nope! but I'm gonna make you love them anyway."
“Real monsters look like me and you.”
This has all of my weaknesses bundled up in one book:
Character dynamics that sweep you up? CHECK.
Themes about humanity and monsters? CHECK.
Magical underworld? CHECK.
Time travel and forgotten memories? CHECK.
(Enemy) Soulmate trope? CHECK.
and This cover? *chef’s kiss*
(whoever made this cover captured the essence of the story really well)
Also, did I forget to say that this is set in London…
Despite the enemy soulmates trope being the main reason I read this, Vanessa Lee was able to perfectly balance both the romance and plot, so if you’re a reader who enjoys that (like me), I think you’ll love this.
I'm going to be honest that I still don't know who exactly Vanessa Len is referring to with the "enemy-soulmates" bit. By that I mean I don't which one of the two male leads is actually her soulmate because the "enemy" part can be interpreted in two different ways depending on how you look at it. In my case, I think one of the main reasons the story affected me as much as it did was because I think I assumed the wrong person in the “enemy-soulmate” trope. I only realized it more than half-way through the story and it destroyed me because I think my ship might drown. If you fall in the same hole that I did, you'll probably be destroyed too.
Before reading, I was actually really curious to know if they really are monsters or if it meant something else. There is just something so intriguing reading about monsters that might not really be monsters. The fact that it was not explicitly said in the synopsis why they are considered monsters was a very smart and effective move. It made things that more surprising to me, especially given how effectively executed it was for my preferences. (I am a very big fan of fantasy that is borderline dark, is dark, or has dark themes).
There are some tropes that we have arguably seen a fair share of in YA but the way VL wrote it made it feel so fresh. There are some things left to be desired in the writing style and I'm not saying it was perfect but, oh, Vanessa Len’s skills in creative writing shows. I can’t pinpoint what exactly it is about her writing style but I was affected more than I thought I would be?? There’s something about this book, I swear, it gets you a certain way. When I know that the same scenes would not have hit as hard if VL’s writing was not what it was. There were just so many parts where I thought to myself that “this could have been a boring” but my intrigued never dwindled.
I don’t know what I thought the magic system would be like but it wasn’t what I thought it was gonna be with the title and premise. It was slightly more magical but still had that tinge of dark if you give it more than a second's thought. Given that I’ve read a great deal of fantasy with their fair share of magic systems, I get extra excited whenever one still manages to surprise me, especially in urban fantasy.
I do admit that there were times Joan frustrated me and made me want to shake her with her decisions but we're not going to get into that because I was still in love with the character dynamics at play. I also just want Aaron, my cinnamon bun, to be happy.
“We believe that if people belonged together...then our timeline tries to repair itself by bringing them together. Over and over and over....”
"Like soulmates?"
"Yes. If you believe in fairy tales,"
If you’re losing faith in YA Fantasy, I hope this helps give that hope back to you. This was definitely more The Last Magician (another favorite) than Passenger to me though, but it was definitely This Savage Song. I am so destroyed right now. I actually teared up when I finished this T_T
I was so affected by this story and it ended on a very destroying, heart-throbbing, and fulfilling note but also, I need the second book, like, yesterday. I have not hyped a YA Fantasy like this in so long but Vanessa Lee honestly deserves all the praise and excitement I can muster.
↣ Highly recommended if you want some fun fast-paced YA Time Travel Fantasy with ~maybe morally grey characters~ that is easy to get into but still holds the serotonin rushes that you are craving for. Especially one that holds aspects that are open to interpretation as of this first book. ↢
— 4.5 —
⇢ content warnings// On and offscreen deaths of parents and guardians, On and offscreen deaths of family members, Threats of violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Weapon use, Brainwashing, Interrogation, Involuntary drug use, Real-world racist microaggressions, Fantasy xenophobia
⇢ representation: diaspora Chinese-English main character, Chinese side characters
✧ you can find this review and more on my blog ✧
⤜ pre-read review ⤛
"Because in this story . . . she is not the hero" ... hello??
there's something about stories about monsters not really being monsters that is so intriguing to read
i also hear enemy-soulmates and angst and i am here for it
June 28, 2023
Whoa! May I announce you a big, a fresh, exciting start of unique fantasy trilogy? A special story makes you root for monsters against humans! Oh my goodness, I devoured each chapter and I don’t know how I can wait at least whole year for a sequel!
Joan at age of 16, has no idea what her family keeps hiding from her till she touches an old man and blackouts, losing hours from her life.
Her gran confirms what she’s told her when she’s a little girl who wanted to be Superman: she cannot be hero: being hero means denying her true nature: she’s a monster.
Only thing she wanted was having breakfast date with the charming and nerdy boy Nick she has longtime crush for who is also her colleague she’s worked at Holland House. When she black outs, she misses her date and when she goes back to museum to make an explanation to him, her entire world changes in the very same day.
First the museum gets surrounded from the monsters from Oliver family: the arc enemies of her Hunt family. They intend to kill her and Nick but at the last minute Nick strikes back and kills everyone! Joan finds out from a hard way that there are more dangerous things than rival monsters called monster hunters leading by hero! And unfortunately Nick she adored for a long time is the leader of hunters and destined to kill Joan’s entire family, coming for her to finish his business!
Joan finds an ally: youngest child of Oliver family: Aaron who didn’t stop his father to try killing her. First rule of being monster is touching a humans’ neck and stealing days or years from their lives to teleport yourself to another timeline!
Now as monster hunters lurking around to kill Joan and Aaron who survived from monster massacre, finding their ways to travel in time. Joan’s mission is going back in time to stop the massacre but she doesn’t have any time there’s a king at the monster court who likes to write the timeline as he pleases.
How far she can risk to save her family? How far she put herself in danger to confront with Nick the boy she fell in love even though they are enemies and their love story is doomed to fail? How far she push herself to bring out the secret power she has?
I loved the mysterious world building. I’m looking forward to meet more monster families. I loved the love triangle ( I’m on team Aaron) I loved the jaw dropping twist near the end! I cannot wait to read the sequel! This is freaking good and I’m so sure it’s gonna get even better!
Joan at age of 16, has no idea what her family keeps hiding from her till she touches an old man and blackouts, losing hours from her life.
Her gran confirms what she’s told her when she’s a little girl who wanted to be Superman: she cannot be hero: being hero means denying her true nature: she’s a monster.
Only thing she wanted was having breakfast date with the charming and nerdy boy Nick she has longtime crush for who is also her colleague she’s worked at Holland House. When she black outs, she misses her date and when she goes back to museum to make an explanation to him, her entire world changes in the very same day.
First the museum gets surrounded from the monsters from Oliver family: the arc enemies of her Hunt family. They intend to kill her and Nick but at the last minute Nick strikes back and kills everyone! Joan finds out from a hard way that there are more dangerous things than rival monsters called monster hunters leading by hero! And unfortunately Nick she adored for a long time is the leader of hunters and destined to kill Joan’s entire family, coming for her to finish his business!
Joan finds an ally: youngest child of Oliver family: Aaron who didn’t stop his father to try killing her. First rule of being monster is touching a humans’ neck and stealing days or years from their lives to teleport yourself to another timeline!
Now as monster hunters lurking around to kill Joan and Aaron who survived from monster massacre, finding their ways to travel in time. Joan’s mission is going back in time to stop the massacre but she doesn’t have any time there’s a king at the monster court who likes to write the timeline as he pleases.
How far she can risk to save her family? How far she put herself in danger to confront with Nick the boy she fell in love even though they are enemies and their love story is doomed to fail? How far she push herself to bring out the secret power she has?
I loved the mysterious world building. I’m looking forward to meet more monster families. I loved the love triangle ( I’m on team Aaron) I loved the jaw dropping twist near the end! I cannot wait to read the sequel! This is freaking good and I’m so sure it’s gonna get even better!
July 31, 2024
Only a Monster is an engaging start to an all-new YA-SFF trilogy. Admittedly, the first thing to attract my attention to this book was the gorgeous cover.
I've definitely fallen victim to the infamous cover buy on more than one occasion. Sometimes that works out and other times, not so much. I am happy to report, in this case, the content is just as fun as the cover.
This story follows 16-year old, Joan, who recently moved to London to live with her late-mother's family, which includes an eccentric Grandmother and cousins.
Joan has secured a job she likes and has even managed to make a few friends. One of those friends is a handsome boy, Nick, who she happens to work with. When Nick asks Joan out on a date she's so excited and nervous.
She's been crushing on him for a while, so is elated that her feelings may be reciprocated.
As the date approaches, however, a wild and crazy thing happens to Joan, causing her to miss her date. That's devastating, but worse than that, this event reveals the secret truth surrounding her family.
They're monsters with hidden powers.
Part of their power is the ability to travel through time, which really throws Joan for a loop. It's hard to wrap your mind around something like that out of nowhere.
Joan's Grandmother had mentioned before that they were monsters, but Joan never took that seriously. She can't believe it. Her world has been flipped upside down.
As the plot escalates, Joan finds herself under attack from a monster hunter, who happens to be the cute guy, Nick. Just her luck, am I right?
Joan is forced to pair up with Aaron, a boy from a rival monster family, to try to stop Nick and avenge their families.
I really enjoyed the world Len created here and am excited to see this narrative expanded upon in the next book. It was fast paced and ended up drawing me in a lot quicker than I anticipated.
I found the monster aspect of her family fascinating. They are never given a specific name, they are simply called monsters throughout, and I liked that obscurity.
Once you put a label on something, like zombie, werewolf or vampire, you put certain parameters around what those monsters can do. We all know what those creatures are supposed to be like, so to me it made sense for Len to write Joan's family the way she did.
If I had to compare them to anything, I would say vampires would be the closest, but using time versus blood. If you've read Doctor Sleep this won't be a foreign concept to you.
I did think the time travel element was done well. It was very interesting. There's a lot covered in this book and I think it was a good foundation.
I definitely think there is still a lot of room to grow with this story and I am looking forward to seeing where Len goes with it.
I would recommend this to YA Readers, particularly if you like time travel, or a darker tone to your stories.
I've definitely fallen victim to the infamous cover buy on more than one occasion. Sometimes that works out and other times, not so much. I am happy to report, in this case, the content is just as fun as the cover.
This story follows 16-year old, Joan, who recently moved to London to live with her late-mother's family, which includes an eccentric Grandmother and cousins.
Joan has secured a job she likes and has even managed to make a few friends. One of those friends is a handsome boy, Nick, who she happens to work with. When Nick asks Joan out on a date she's so excited and nervous.
She's been crushing on him for a while, so is elated that her feelings may be reciprocated.
As the date approaches, however, a wild and crazy thing happens to Joan, causing her to miss her date. That's devastating, but worse than that, this event reveals the secret truth surrounding her family.
They're monsters with hidden powers.
Part of their power is the ability to travel through time, which really throws Joan for a loop. It's hard to wrap your mind around something like that out of nowhere.
Joan's Grandmother had mentioned before that they were monsters, but Joan never took that seriously. She can't believe it. Her world has been flipped upside down.
As the plot escalates, Joan finds herself under attack from a monster hunter, who happens to be the cute guy, Nick. Just her luck, am I right?
Joan is forced to pair up with Aaron, a boy from a rival monster family, to try to stop Nick and avenge their families.
I really enjoyed the world Len created here and am excited to see this narrative expanded upon in the next book. It was fast paced and ended up drawing me in a lot quicker than I anticipated.
I found the monster aspect of her family fascinating. They are never given a specific name, they are simply called monsters throughout, and I liked that obscurity.
Once you put a label on something, like zombie, werewolf or vampire, you put certain parameters around what those monsters can do. We all know what those creatures are supposed to be like, so to me it made sense for Len to write Joan's family the way she did.
If I had to compare them to anything, I would say vampires would be the closest, but using time versus blood. If you've read Doctor Sleep this won't be a foreign concept to you.
I did think the time travel element was done well. It was very interesting. There's a lot covered in this book and I think it was a good foundation.
I definitely think there is still a lot of room to grow with this story and I am looking forward to seeing where Len goes with it.
I would recommend this to YA Readers, particularly if you like time travel, or a darker tone to your stories.
Read
January 11, 2022Hi friends, I’m the author of ONLY A MONSTER!
I’m so excited for people to read this book – I put my whole heart into it, and I’m thrilled to share it.
I’d love people to be able to enjoy the book safely, so I’ve provided content warnings below.
I’ve included the major content warnings here, but if you think I should include any additional warnings, please reach out. I want readers to be able to safely enjoy the book.
I’m so excited for people to read this book – I put my whole heart into it, and I’m thrilled to share it.
I’d love people to be able to enjoy the book safely, so I’ve provided content warnings below.
I’ve included the major content warnings here, but if you think I should include any additional warnings, please reach out. I want readers to be able to safely enjoy the book.
February 18, 2022
(I'm going to get sued for this)
Did I read the same book as everybody else?
Rating: ✨ (though I will leave it at two stars because it physically pains me to lower it further)
Because either I got brainwashed into thinking this was horrid or this book was just not for me. Which is IMPOSSIBLE, because helloooo, monsters? Antagonists???? Villains??? What part of that doesn't scream BOOKSY PICK UP THE DANG BOOK RIGHT THIS MOMENT?
I don't even know what went wrong- Oh got it! Every. Thing.
Let's face it, this will be a super long rant with extra sarcastic remarks and unrivaled pettiness. Why? Because the fact that I hated this book breaks my heart.
And in consequence of that, I need to say that the things I will murder concerning this book are of no ill will to the author herself. In short, I'll be burning the book, not the writer. ( I know from experience she is so sweet and awesome, and I really hope she never reads this-)
Possibly myself too because I hyped this up for too long, KNOWING that the outcome would be less than perfect.
Which has happened before, so really, it shouldn't anger me anymore.
But it does.
A-freaking-lot.
*deep breath keeps the demon away*
Let's start with the fact that there was absolutely, literally nothing, nada, that screamed monsters about this. (you'll get sick about how much I mention this information)
Oh wait, is lack of personality and personal ambition considered monstrous? Silly me, I should've considered that.
*flicks on zippo lighter with glee*
I'll try to be as honest as I can whilst still maintaining the nice version of Booksy and to complete such an ardours task, I'll divide this by the stars the book lost.
Like my hopes.
And dreams.
And will to live-
Also, stars it gained.
-0.5 The Plot:
I really do have to say nice things about it first because I feel horrible right now and being a human is difficult and having emotions is a nuisance and if someone ever said these things to me, I would run away crying.
Dramatically.
With onion tears.
And possibly a beheaded body dragging behind me, because why not?
When someone mentions villains, I'm there.
If they say there are monsters, I don't care about my wellbeing, take me.
And if there are time travelling plot lines thrown in for the torture of it? What are you waiting for???? Throw me into a van and sacrifice me to Zeus if it means I can read it.
Yet when I began this wonderful journey of amputating a part of my soul to gift it to a book I was hoping would emotionally wreck me, something felt wrong.
More like, a few things were missing.
Like the monsters.
And logic.
(I promise I'm not usually this salty, but it's painful to acknowledge that this story didn't live up to its hype)
At the start, I attributed my stale feelings to the shock of having the opportunity to read such a book, then I questioned whether it was me. Later on, I totally and completely gave up on the idea that this was going to get better. As it is still an ARC, I cannot say too much. However, if I were to have the ability to go back in time (hehe), punch myself in the throat and tell that stupid little child to calm down and not get so hyped-- I would.
On the brighter side of the volcano, I'm considering swimming in:
~There were some parts that were thrilling, yes.
~Others when I felt my freezing heart melting itself.
~Some that surprised me and made my eyebrows strive to meet my hairline (however impossible it may seem).
But in the grand scope of things, when I finally closed the book for the last time and took a slight breath to compose myself, the good things were completely obscured by the unlikable instances the plot strived on giving me.
I considered overdosing on chocolate, y'all. It was serious.
-0.5 The Writing:
I truly believe there's a road for improvement and considering this is a debut novel, I can overlook grammar mistakes because come on, I make grammar atrocities every time I open up the computer. However, this book --including the plot and writing-- gave me more of a middle grade vibe than a YA one. Let me explain:
I wasn't given the chance to actually care about the characters because the writing portrayed them as superficial and thin in existence.
The repetition of certain phrases left much to be desired.
Fights scenes were unseasoned, not enough blood for the amount of stabbing-
And you know what? Maybe I would've enjoyed it more if the book was classified as Middle Grade. I would've been given a slight warning beforehand, and I could've related more with younger characters whose decisions matched their age. And their thought process made sense for thirteen-year-olds.
Don't get me wrong, I was surprised when a few sceneries were described with beauty and written elegance, but it was overshadowed by certain dialogue prompts that made my brows furrow in slight frustration.
I rarely critique a book's writing because I'm not an author (at least not yet) so who am I to judge how a person writes when they've poured their soul into it? But in this case, I do see how the author of this book can grow as an Enchanter of Words (not me running out of ways to say the word author, pfffft) and I think that the way to grow is to hear others opinions about it. Of course, when they aren't rude.
Also, that page where the word 'said' was repeated 11 times almost killed me.
I wanted to cry.
-0.5 The Pace:
For this one, I'll be very brief because my thought process can't seem to expand more than that.
It was all over the place, I'm sorry but it was. I really thought this was a standalone. Things were moving way WAY too quickly for it to be a series - oh but it is.
*smile through the tears, darling. Smile through the tears*
-1 The characters:
They were simply pieces of stapled cardboard. Shiny edges, pointy ends, useless existence. You get it-
Nonetheless, the MC was good, decent, nice. Fought for her family, fought for what she thought was right (especially without thinking it through, she really loved doing that) which I enjoyed, but her main characteristic is that she's a monster but actually not.
Also, she's speshul.
And possibly has a thing for history affairs.
On a great note though, her being biracial and having that diversity implemented in the story was incredibly refreshing and something I would love to see more of! I think I connected with her sense of selflessness for the ones she loved. No matter what, family was extremely important to her, which I admired.
Then we have the background characters- that will be totally skipped to save time for the rest of the ranting.
Aaron is a complete disgrace. There, I said it. Y'all KNOW I'm all for the broody, arrogant, slightly concerning male love interest who makes my heart pound just by blinking. Imagine someone whine and question everything for HOURS. That's him and I hate the feelings that he failed to invoke because how can a 'monster' not be good for me ???
Luego, we have the other half of the sad triangular thingy, Nick. At first I didn't see the point of him being alive, and then I was like... ooOOOOoooo, I see you.
*wink wink*
I totally see, you know.
...
Hm
Maybe I see a little too much.
What are you doing??? Stahp
You know when there's a character that at first you don't root for, and then you do, and then you DON'T? And the pain is all the more prominent? That's my personal relationship with him.
+0.5 Love Triangle:
Of course, we cannot possibly forget about the love triangle.
*chokes on disappointment*
To be honest, I'm completely trash for that trope. Can it be utterly frustrating? Of course.
But it's the drama I crave. Thus why I added half a star. To feel better about my decisions.
However, the supposed love triangle in this book didn't even make SENSE. The intrigue? Let's fly over that. Chemistry? Pfft, who needs it? *sigh* I am so sorry for those who have been reading this venting session until this point, because I'm going to get so much worse.
And enemies to lovers?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
THERE'S NONE OF THAT HERE-
I KNOW-
WE WERE MISLED-
-2 'MONSTERS':
This is where smoke starts to come out of every orifice I have in my body. I won't spoil, pinkie promise!! But when a book is marketed as monster friendly, you know what I expect? *whispering* Monstersss.
Blood drinking, skin craving, marrow drenching monsters. Even if they're atrocious humans. Even if they perform stealing souls art. A monster by pure definition is a 'large, ugly, and frightening imaginary creature' (thank you Google). And that can be manipulated! Killers are monsters. Abusers are monsters. Kids can be monsters. Cruelty is monstrous. Yet none of the characters did anything actually monster like.
Kill something, for goodness’s sake-
On a closing note, I'll repeat that this wasn't against the author. If you loved the book, I'm genuinely happy for you! Please tell me the good things, so I can feel better. But there were simply too many things I disliked for me to properly fall in love with it. The plot was endearing and interesting enough at first, then turned into an abrupt ending with literally no logic in sight. Characters made me feel nothing, pace destroyed me and the thing that I was most looking forward to --the enemies-to-lovers-- was made a mockery.
I feel horrible yet vindicated.
I need professional help.
~👑Special thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!👑~
..................
I'm going to go cry now until I can properly express myself.
.....................
Oh would you look at that...
Netgalley denied me and Apollo had pity on me, so it let me have it in a getaway-
If you can't tell, Netbaby- I'm triumphantly glaring.
Don't underestimate begging Apollo-
ALSO FANGIRLING BECAUSE I'M SO SCARED TO START THIS.
I ALREADY PREORDERED IT.
WHAT DO I DO IF I DON'T LIKE IT-
........................
HAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHHAHA
HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA
Netgalley, please work with me on this one-
I don't need this book, it's already a part of me.
Did I read the same book as everybody else?
Rating: ✨ (though I will leave it at two stars because it physically pains me to lower it further)
Because either I got brainwashed into thinking this was horrid or this book was just not for me. Which is IMPOSSIBLE, because helloooo, monsters? Antagonists???? Villains??? What part of that doesn't scream BOOKSY PICK UP THE DANG BOOK RIGHT THIS MOMENT?
I don't even know what went wrong- Oh got it! Every. Thing.
Let's face it, this will be a super long rant with extra sarcastic remarks and unrivaled pettiness. Why? Because the fact that I hated this book breaks my heart.
And in consequence of that, I need to say that the things I will murder concerning this book are of no ill will to the author herself. In short, I'll be burning the book, not the writer. ( I know from experience she is so sweet and awesome, and I really hope she never reads this-)
Possibly myself too because I hyped this up for too long, KNOWING that the outcome would be less than perfect.
Which has happened before, so really, it shouldn't anger me anymore.
But it does.
A-freaking-lot.
*deep breath keeps the demon away*
Let's start with the fact that there was absolutely, literally nothing, nada, that screamed monsters about this. (you'll get sick about how much I mention this information)
Oh wait, is lack of personality and personal ambition considered monstrous? Silly me, I should've considered that.
*flicks on zippo lighter with glee*
I'll try to be as honest as I can whilst still maintaining the nice version of Booksy and to complete such an ardours task, I'll divide this by the stars the book lost.
Like my hopes.
And dreams.
And will to live-
Also, stars it gained.
-0.5 The Plot:
I really do have to say nice things about it first because I feel horrible right now and being a human is difficult and having emotions is a nuisance and if someone ever said these things to me, I would run away crying.
Dramatically.
With onion tears.
And possibly a beheaded body dragging behind me, because why not?
When someone mentions villains, I'm there.
If they say there are monsters, I don't care about my wellbeing, take me.
And if there are time travelling plot lines thrown in for the torture of it? What are you waiting for???? Throw me into a van and sacrifice me to Zeus if it means I can read it.
Yet when I began this wonderful journey of amputating a part of my soul to gift it to a book I was hoping would emotionally wreck me, something felt wrong.
More like, a few things were missing.
Like the monsters.
And logic.
(I promise I'm not usually this salty, but it's painful to acknowledge that this story didn't live up to its hype)
At the start, I attributed my stale feelings to the shock of having the opportunity to read such a book, then I questioned whether it was me. Later on, I totally and completely gave up on the idea that this was going to get better. As it is still an ARC, I cannot say too much. However, if I were to have the ability to go back in time (hehe), punch myself in the throat and tell that stupid little child to calm down and not get so hyped-- I would.
On the brighter side of the volcano, I'm considering swimming in:
~There were some parts that were thrilling, yes.
~Others when I felt my freezing heart melting itself.
~Some that surprised me and made my eyebrows strive to meet my hairline (however impossible it may seem).
But in the grand scope of things, when I finally closed the book for the last time and took a slight breath to compose myself, the good things were completely obscured by the unlikable instances the plot strived on giving me.
I considered overdosing on chocolate, y'all. It was serious.
-0.5 The Writing:
I truly believe there's a road for improvement and considering this is a debut novel, I can overlook grammar mistakes because come on, I make grammar atrocities every time I open up the computer. However, this book --including the plot and writing-- gave me more of a middle grade vibe than a YA one. Let me explain:
I wasn't given the chance to actually care about the characters because the writing portrayed them as superficial and thin in existence.
The repetition of certain phrases left much to be desired.
Fights scenes were unseasoned, not enough blood for the amount of stabbing-
And you know what? Maybe I would've enjoyed it more if the book was classified as Middle Grade. I would've been given a slight warning beforehand, and I could've related more with younger characters whose decisions matched their age. And their thought process made sense for thirteen-year-olds.
Don't get me wrong, I was surprised when a few sceneries were described with beauty and written elegance, but it was overshadowed by certain dialogue prompts that made my brows furrow in slight frustration.
I rarely critique a book's writing because I'm not an author (at least not yet) so who am I to judge how a person writes when they've poured their soul into it? But in this case, I do see how the author of this book can grow as an Enchanter of Words (not me running out of ways to say the word author, pfffft) and I think that the way to grow is to hear others opinions about it. Of course, when they aren't rude.
Also, that page where the word 'said' was repeated 11 times almost killed me.
I wanted to cry.
-0.5 The Pace:
For this one, I'll be very brief because my thought process can't seem to expand more than that.
It was all over the place, I'm sorry but it was. I really thought this was a standalone. Things were moving way WAY too quickly for it to be a series - oh but it is.
*smile through the tears, darling. Smile through the tears*
-1 The characters:
They were simply pieces of stapled cardboard. Shiny edges, pointy ends, useless existence. You get it-
Nonetheless, the MC was good, decent, nice. Fought for her family, fought for what she thought was right (especially without thinking it through, she really loved doing that) which I enjoyed, but her main characteristic is that she's a monster but actually not.
Also, she's speshul.
And possibly has a thing for history affairs.
On a great note though, her being biracial and having that diversity implemented in the story was incredibly refreshing and something I would love to see more of! I think I connected with her sense of selflessness for the ones she loved. No matter what, family was extremely important to her, which I admired.
Then we have the background characters- that will be totally skipped to save time for the rest of the ranting.
Aaron is a complete disgrace. There, I said it. Y'all KNOW I'm all for the broody, arrogant, slightly concerning male love interest who makes my heart pound just by blinking. Imagine someone whine and question everything for HOURS. That's him and I hate the feelings that he failed to invoke because how can a 'monster' not be good for me ???
Luego, we have the other half of the sad triangular thingy, Nick. At first I didn't see the point of him being alive, and then I was like... ooOOOOoooo, I see you.
*wink wink*
I totally see, you know.
...
Hm
Maybe I see a little too much.
What are you doing??? Stahp
You know when there's a character that at first you don't root for, and then you do, and then you DON'T? And the pain is all the more prominent? That's my personal relationship with him.
+0.5 Love Triangle:
Of course, we cannot possibly forget about the love triangle.
*chokes on disappointment*
To be honest, I'm completely trash for that trope. Can it be utterly frustrating? Of course.
But it's the drama I crave. Thus why I added half a star. To feel better about my decisions.
However, the supposed love triangle in this book didn't even make SENSE. The intrigue? Let's fly over that. Chemistry? Pfft, who needs it? *sigh* I am so sorry for those who have been reading this venting session until this point, because I'm going to get so much worse.
And enemies to lovers?? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
THERE'S NONE OF THAT HERE-
I KNOW-
WE WERE MISLED-
-2 'MONSTERS':
This is where smoke starts to come out of every orifice I have in my body. I won't spoil, pinkie promise!! But when a book is marketed as monster friendly, you know what I expect? *whispering* Monstersss.
Blood drinking, skin craving, marrow drenching monsters. Even if they're atrocious humans. Even if they perform stealing souls art. A monster by pure definition is a 'large, ugly, and frightening imaginary creature' (thank you Google). And that can be manipulated! Killers are monsters. Abusers are monsters. Kids can be monsters. Cruelty is monstrous. Yet none of the characters did anything actually monster like.
Kill something, for goodness’s sake-
On a closing note, I'll repeat that this wasn't against the author. If you loved the book, I'm genuinely happy for you! Please tell me the good things, so I can feel better. But there were simply too many things I disliked for me to properly fall in love with it. The plot was endearing and interesting enough at first, then turned into an abrupt ending with literally no logic in sight. Characters made me feel nothing, pace destroyed me and the thing that I was most looking forward to --the enemies-to-lovers-- was made a mockery.
I feel horrible yet vindicated.
I need professional help.
~👑Special thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!👑~
..................
I'm going to go cry now until I can properly express myself.
.....................
Oh would you look at that...
Netgalley denied me and Apollo had pity on me, so it let me have it in a getaway-
If you can't tell, Netbaby- I'm triumphantly glaring.
Don't underestimate begging Apollo-
ALSO FANGIRLING BECAUSE I'M SO SCARED TO START THIS.
I ALREADY PREORDERED IT.
WHAT DO I DO IF I DON'T LIKE IT-
........................
HAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHHAHA
HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA
Netgalley, please work with me on this one-
I don't need this book, it's already a part of me.
November 30, 2022
A Goodreads Choice nominee in Young Adult Fantasy!!
Okay, SO. I have been thinking a lot about Only a Monster for the past week, not least of all because of how explosive the ending was. The journey from what I expected this book to be, to how I felt during the beginning, through to what I thought at the end was quite a ride.
This was one of the more imaginative fantasy novels I’ve read recently, even in a year where more of my reading has been magic-adjacent than not. In my opinion, the Goodreads synopsis does not do it justice, so I’ll try to lay it out in a way that doesn’t use the phrase “super cute boy” multiple times. Joan is a teenager living in London with her mom’s side of the family, the Hunts, an quirky group that consists of her grandmother, cousins, aunts and uncles. She spends most of her free time at Holland House, a historical site, and after months of pining after one another her co-worker Nick finally asks her out.
But right before meeting up with Nick Joan makes a devastating discovery about her family—that the Hunts are self-identified monsters and potentially dangerous to others. And because the description mentions it I will too: Nick is a much-prophesied monster slayer. Not much of a meet cute!
So at this point in the book I was just kind of floating along, expecting the same kind of YA star-crossed-lovers-but-supernatural. Think Scott and Allison from Teen Wolf or Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows, one doomed to hunt the other despite misgivings. And I’m not saying that’s not what happens here, just that it’s not *all* that happens. I was convinced it was going to be dramatic, maybe a little soap-y, and kind of, well, basic.
But man, I would never have guessed the thing that made the monsters so……monstrous. I’m gonna put this part in spoiler tags in case people haven’t seen anything about this plot detail yet.
I think I saw someone in an IG story say that Only a Monster reminds them of YA fantasy books they used to read as a teenager, and I absolutely love that idea. You could sit down, inhale this book in one sitting and be immediately desperate for more. The terminology used by Len is simplified, the kind of thing where you don’t need an entire world-specific thesaurus at the end for reference. The magic system itself is straight forward as well, and even though you can tell there’s more intricacies lying underneath that first layer, Len holds back from info-dumping all over the reader. You find out things as you need to, and are allowed to theorize in a way that doesn’t distract from what’s going on in that moment.
What was holding me back from immediately stomping onto this site and throwing an easy five stars up is that it’s not a perfect novel. I think it ping-pongs around a little too much and could use some sharper dialogue. But as a debut, as a start of a series and as something new and exciting enough to be appealing to both veterans of the genre and newbies, I’m going to give it the fifth star. Mostly because I want you all to read it too and tell me what you think.
*Thanks to Vanessa Len and her editor for the eARC!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
also I’m obsessed with my Bernie/Only a Monster crossover meme, and I would still like a physical copy so I am not deleting the pic even though I read it lol
Read
December 18, 2021Source of book: NetGalley (thank you!)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
Okay, the balance of the universe has been restored. After my last YA, where the hero dug up bodies, I am once again back into “love interest is a mass murderer” territory. Although to give Only A Monster credit, it is pretty clear that this is kind of a romantic impediment. Not least because “the heroine’s entire family” is included within the mass murder thing.
And in case my point hasn’t just made itself: holy fuck me, this book is dark. Brilliant but, oh my God, is it dark. Like, read until 5am in a state of heart-gripped anxiety and flailing emosh dark. I don’t know if it’s my lack of familiarity with YA in general that keeps leaving me stranded in what feel like incredibly intense books but … YA seems to be doing SOME THINGS at the moment. I mean, can someone tell me, are the kids all right? I don’t think the kids are all right.
In any case, Only A Monster is one hell of a ride. Ride kind of like this:
Its bones feel familiar enough—heroine comes from a family with mysterious powers, there’s a cute boy, there’s an aloof boy, there’s a myth about the past or the future, the heroine might have a special power that is beyond all the other special powers—but when it comes to stories like this, it’s not about the tropes, it’s about how you use them. And this book deploys them masterfully, twists them masterfully, shows you new sides of them, and then totally wrecks you with them. The bastard.
I don’t actually want to talk too much what’s going on here because Only A Monster is super well-structured, doling out knowledge to the reader alongside its heroine at exactly the right pace, and discovering the details of the world, uncovering its mysteries, and being taken aback by everything you didn’t quite put together, is part of the pleasure of the journey. Narratives like this—where the world we recognise sitting alongside a vast and magical one with its own rules and history—are not exactly uncommon (there’s an irritatingly famous example though it’s far from the first or only) but they’re endlessly compelling when they’re done right. For my money, Only A Monster does it very, very right. I would even go so far as to say it knocks said irritatingly famous example out of the park. It’s not fucking twee, for a start, and self-aware, willing to interrogate its own complexities and inequities. Plus it’s effortlessly diverse in a very real and natural way. Queer characters are queer on page, the cast includes multiple people of colour, and the heroine is herself mixed race. Oh, and as a sidenote, it’s set in a London that feels recognisably and specifically like London. I love UK books that make the UK feel like the UK, y’know?
Also: time-travel. There’s motherfucking time-travel in this. If there’s one trope, apart from “this unit has a soul” that kills me absolutely dead in the heart department it’s the whole “we must save the world, but it will make us forget what we are to each other” thing. God. Help. My emotions.
There’s so much to admire in Only A Monster: the world-building, the setting, the plot that doesn’t let up for a moment. But the writing (which is witty and engaging enough to keep the whole thing from spiralling down a plughole of desolation) needs a notable shout out, as does the character work. Joan is a great heroine, out of her depth, but resourceful and determined, the supporting cast are all intriguing and repay emotional investment, and I found myself surprisingly sympathetic to Joan’s two potential love interests. Even though one is a complicatedly damaged poshboy and the other is a complicatedly damaged MASS MURDERER.
All of which said, I have the mixed-est feelings about this being the first book in a trilogy. Part of what’s so successful about Only A Monster is that it feels like a complete (albeit wildly tragic) arc, rather than the first part of a really long three-part story that has just been lopped off from the whole. And, as a reader, I super appreciated that: I’m a bit tired of planned trilogies that leave you with the narrative equivalent of blue balls after book one. This, by contrast, just left me curious and emotionally fulfilled. Which, yes. Thank you for respecting my time and investment, Only A Monster. I can’t deny, however, that there’s part of me, the deranged masochist part, that kind of … likes is a hard word for a conclusion so brutal and compromised, but there’s a powerful coherence to the book’s arc as it currently stands. On the other hand, there is clearly so much more of this world to explore—antagonists as yet unmasked, much still unknown, carefully established themes to be developed—that I will be running not walking the moment book two is available.
I also suggest you run not walk for this one. It's an incredible read.
(Do be wary of the content guidance, though, and protect yourself: I am not kidding when I said this book goes to some places and takes on some stuff).
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
Okay, the balance of the universe has been restored. After my last YA, where the hero dug up bodies, I am once again back into “love interest is a mass murderer” territory. Although to give Only A Monster credit, it is pretty clear that this is kind of a romantic impediment. Not least because “the heroine’s entire family” is included within the mass murder thing.
And in case my point hasn’t just made itself: holy fuck me, this book is dark. Brilliant but, oh my God, is it dark. Like, read until 5am in a state of heart-gripped anxiety and flailing emosh dark. I don’t know if it’s my lack of familiarity with YA in general that keeps leaving me stranded in what feel like incredibly intense books but … YA seems to be doing SOME THINGS at the moment. I mean, can someone tell me, are the kids all right? I don’t think the kids are all right.
In any case, Only A Monster is one hell of a ride. Ride kind of like this:
Its bones feel familiar enough—heroine comes from a family with mysterious powers, there’s a cute boy, there’s an aloof boy, there’s a myth about the past or the future, the heroine might have a special power that is beyond all the other special powers—but when it comes to stories like this, it’s not about the tropes, it’s about how you use them. And this book deploys them masterfully, twists them masterfully, shows you new sides of them, and then totally wrecks you with them. The bastard.
I don’t actually want to talk too much what’s going on here because Only A Monster is super well-structured, doling out knowledge to the reader alongside its heroine at exactly the right pace, and discovering the details of the world, uncovering its mysteries, and being taken aback by everything you didn’t quite put together, is part of the pleasure of the journey. Narratives like this—where the world we recognise sitting alongside a vast and magical one with its own rules and history—are not exactly uncommon (there’s an irritatingly famous example though it’s far from the first or only) but they’re endlessly compelling when they’re done right. For my money, Only A Monster does it very, very right. I would even go so far as to say it knocks said irritatingly famous example out of the park. It’s not fucking twee, for a start, and self-aware, willing to interrogate its own complexities and inequities. Plus it’s effortlessly diverse in a very real and natural way. Queer characters are queer on page, the cast includes multiple people of colour, and the heroine is herself mixed race. Oh, and as a sidenote, it’s set in a London that feels recognisably and specifically like London. I love UK books that make the UK feel like the UK, y’know?
Also: time-travel. There’s motherfucking time-travel in this. If there’s one trope, apart from “this unit has a soul” that kills me absolutely dead in the heart department it’s the whole “we must save the world, but it will make us forget what we are to each other” thing. God. Help. My emotions.
There’s so much to admire in Only A Monster: the world-building, the setting, the plot that doesn’t let up for a moment. But the writing (which is witty and engaging enough to keep the whole thing from spiralling down a plughole of desolation) needs a notable shout out, as does the character work. Joan is a great heroine, out of her depth, but resourceful and determined, the supporting cast are all intriguing and repay emotional investment, and I found myself surprisingly sympathetic to Joan’s two potential love interests. Even though one is a complicatedly damaged poshboy and the other is a complicatedly damaged MASS MURDERER.
All of which said, I have the mixed-est feelings about this being the first book in a trilogy. Part of what’s so successful about Only A Monster is that it feels like a complete (albeit wildly tragic) arc, rather than the first part of a really long three-part story that has just been lopped off from the whole. And, as a reader, I super appreciated that: I’m a bit tired of planned trilogies that leave you with the narrative equivalent of blue balls after book one. This, by contrast, just left me curious and emotionally fulfilled. Which, yes. Thank you for respecting my time and investment, Only A Monster. I can’t deny, however, that there’s part of me, the deranged masochist part, that kind of … likes is a hard word for a conclusion so brutal and compromised, but there’s a powerful coherence to the book’s arc as it currently stands. On the other hand, there is clearly so much more of this world to explore—antagonists as yet unmasked, much still unknown, carefully established themes to be developed—that I will be running not walking the moment book two is available.
I also suggest you run not walk for this one. It's an incredible read.
(Do be wary of the content guidance, though, and protect yourself: I am not kidding when I said this book goes to some places and takes on some stuff).
May 14, 2022
January Fairyloot. I have the link to the goodies below.
My Blog: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
I really loved the audio book from the library, but I didn’t love the book. I’m not really sure how I feel, I can’t quite put my finger on it. I don’t like time travel books (with a couple of exceptions) I guess I’ll leave it at a 3 star and unhaul my hardback.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
My Blog: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
I really loved the audio book from the library, but I didn’t love the book. I’m not really sure how I feel, I can’t quite put my finger on it. I don’t like time travel books (with a couple of exceptions) I guess I’ll leave it at a 3 star and unhaul my hardback.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 27, 2021
5 STARS
I finished Only a Monster twenty minutes ago and I have just been lying on my bed while staring up at the ceiling, trying to acknowledge what I just read. I have been thinking about this book and it is just completely messing with my mind. It was every bit as amazing and perfect as I had imagined it would be, but I have no idea how to express how exactly I feel about this book. Only a Monster carved a hole deep into my chest and I have no idea how I'm going to be able to wait like TWO YEARS for the next book.
Summary
Sixteen-year-old Joan Chang-Hunt is staying at her eccentric family's house in London for the Summer, and everything finally feels like it's falling into place. When her cute co-worker, Nick, asks her on a date, Joan is ecstatic. But in a twist, Joan and her family are actually monsters and Nick is a legendary monster slayer. She is forced to team up with Aaron Oliver, the cruel heir to the rival family, as they try to save her family, themselves, and the world.
Characters
Of course, for me, character's are the most important part of every story. I absolutely loved the characters in Only a Monster. Joan Chang-Hunt is a half-Chinese, half-English, half-monster, half-human teenage girl, and I feel like everyone can see themselves in her. Although her biraciality was not much talked about, I still really enjoyed that addition. I liked the parallels between her monster heritage and her racial heritage. I also really liked that Joan's decisions did not seem reckless or pointless as they often do young adult. As the audience, we can understand and see why Joan does what she does. Aaron Oliver teams up with Joan in this book. I really enjoyed his character also. He was very complex, but not in a typical 'tortured hero' way, but in a way that seems realistic to a teenage boy. Nick Ward is the main antagonist in this story. Again, I like how Len did not use the typical tropes of a villainous love interest, but rather stayed true to his character in a way that made sense. It's literally impossible for me to pick who I loved more between Aaron and Nick, especially since Len had me going back and forth between them the entire book. Some of the other main characters, Ruth, Tom, and Jamie, were also great. I wish Jamie was developed upon a little more, but I still thought all of the characters were given a good amount of attention.
Setting/Worldbuilding
Where do I begin? First of all, I am a sucker for books that take place in London, so that already drew me in. I loved the way the setting was incorporated in a really clever way. Magical realism is usually a hit or miss in terms of blending the magical world and the real world, but it was done well here. The worldbuilding is absolutely amazing. It is one of the most unique worlds I have come across. I don't want to spoil too much, but this book involves time traveling, and it is done in such a non-cliche way and it is so creative and ah! this book is just so genius. I loved as the characters traveled in different times and how they adapted and it was just so smart on the author's part.
Plot
The plot was constantly moving and action-packed the entirety of the book. I never felt bored when reading it. I ended up devouring this book in one day just because everytime I got to the end of a chapter, I had to know what happened next. The pacing was perfect in this book and the structure kept me entertained the entire way through.
Cons
There is very little I disliked about this book. In fact, despite how this was one of my last reads of 2021, it immediately found a way into my top 10. The one thing I would say about this book, though not really a con, is that I have no idea how there are going to be two other books after this. The ending just felt so . . . complete (even though there are some loose ends that I NEED to see wrapped up). I really hope Only a Monster #2 doesn't experience middle book syndrome.
Final Thoughts
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK WAS LITERALLY PERFECT AND I AM GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL IT'S PUBLISHED AND I'M GOING TO BE SHOVING IT DOWN EVERYONE'S THROAT. I can't wait to see everyone's reactions when they read this and I NEED THE SEQUEL IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I CAN WAIT THAT LONG TO READ MORE.
Thank you so much to Epic Reads and Harperteen for sending me this physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.
- - -
THE PUBLISHER JUST EMAILED ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND ME AN ARC OF ONLY A MONSTER IM SO HAPPY SJDJBSNAHFJDKSKCBC
I finished Only a Monster twenty minutes ago and I have just been lying on my bed while staring up at the ceiling, trying to acknowledge what I just read. I have been thinking about this book and it is just completely messing with my mind. It was every bit as amazing and perfect as I had imagined it would be, but I have no idea how to express how exactly I feel about this book. Only a Monster carved a hole deep into my chest and I have no idea how I'm going to be able to wait like TWO YEARS for the next book.
Summary
Sixteen-year-old Joan Chang-Hunt is staying at her eccentric family's house in London for the Summer, and everything finally feels like it's falling into place. When her cute co-worker, Nick, asks her on a date, Joan is ecstatic. But in a twist, Joan and her family are actually monsters and Nick is a legendary monster slayer. She is forced to team up with Aaron Oliver, the cruel heir to the rival family, as they try to save her family, themselves, and the world.
Characters
Of course, for me, character's are the most important part of every story. I absolutely loved the characters in Only a Monster. Joan Chang-Hunt is a half-Chinese, half-English, half-monster, half-human teenage girl, and I feel like everyone can see themselves in her. Although her biraciality was not much talked about, I still really enjoyed that addition. I liked the parallels between her monster heritage and her racial heritage. I also really liked that Joan's decisions did not seem reckless or pointless as they often do young adult. As the audience, we can understand and see why Joan does what she does. Aaron Oliver teams up with Joan in this book. I really enjoyed his character also. He was very complex, but not in a typical 'tortured hero' way, but in a way that seems realistic to a teenage boy. Nick Ward is the main antagonist in this story. Again, I like how Len did not use the typical tropes of a villainous love interest, but rather stayed true to his character in a way that made sense. It's literally impossible for me to pick who I loved more between Aaron and Nick, especially since Len had me going back and forth between them the entire book. Some of the other main characters, Ruth, Tom, and Jamie, were also great. I wish Jamie was developed upon a little more, but I still thought all of the characters were given a good amount of attention.
Setting/Worldbuilding
Where do I begin? First of all, I am a sucker for books that take place in London, so that already drew me in. I loved the way the setting was incorporated in a really clever way. Magical realism is usually a hit or miss in terms of blending the magical world and the real world, but it was done well here. The worldbuilding is absolutely amazing. It is one of the most unique worlds I have come across. I don't want to spoil too much, but this book involves time traveling, and it is done in such a non-cliche way and it is so creative and ah! this book is just so genius. I loved as the characters traveled in different times and how they adapted and it was just so smart on the author's part.
Plot
The plot was constantly moving and action-packed the entirety of the book. I never felt bored when reading it. I ended up devouring this book in one day just because everytime I got to the end of a chapter, I had to know what happened next. The pacing was perfect in this book and the structure kept me entertained the entire way through.
Cons
There is very little I disliked about this book. In fact, despite how this was one of my last reads of 2021, it immediately found a way into my top 10. The one thing I would say about this book, though not really a con, is that I have no idea how there are going to be two other books after this. The ending just felt so . . . complete (even though there are some loose ends that I NEED to see wrapped up). I really hope Only a Monster #2 doesn't experience middle book syndrome.
Final Thoughts
OH MY GOD THIS BOOK WAS LITERALLY PERFECT AND I AM GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL IT'S PUBLISHED AND I'M GOING TO BE SHOVING IT DOWN EVERYONE'S THROAT. I can't wait to see everyone's reactions when they read this and I NEED THE SEQUEL IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I CAN WAIT THAT LONG TO READ MORE.
Thank you so much to Epic Reads and Harperteen for sending me this physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.
- - -
THE PUBLISHER JUST EMAILED ME THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND ME AN ARC OF ONLY A MONSTER IM SO HAPPY SJDJBSNAHFJDKSKCBC
September 5, 2024
3 stars ⭐️
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
i have mixed feelings about this book. i couldn't connect with any of the characters (joan, in particular, was quite insufferable 😭) and i struggled to fully grasp the concept of the timelines, but the premise/plot was unique and intriguing, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
i’m the type of person who has to finish a series once i start it, so i’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series eventually ~
pre-review:
my first ever br with kay!!
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
i have mixed feelings about this book. i couldn't connect with any of the characters (joan, in particular, was quite insufferable 😭) and i struggled to fully grasp the concept of the timelines, but the premise/plot was unique and intriguing, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
i’m the type of person who has to finish a series once i start it, so i’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series eventually ~
pre-review:
my first ever br with kay!!
September 16, 2023
reread 08/19/2023: to my surprise i had much more fun than the last time! onto the sequel
Biggest regards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this digital advanced copy. All opinion posted in this review is mine.
Well, that was a ride. My second most-anticipated book of 2022 turned out to be the exact opposite of what I wanted, and I have yet to decide whether it's in a good way or a bad one.
What is this book about?
Sixteen-year-old Joan spends her summer vacation at her late mother's family's place. She has a crush on Nick, her co-worker at Holland House. She soon discovers a grimmer and much more terrifying truth. The Hunt family is more than just a prideful one: they're monsters and Nick is not a simple boy but a legendary monster slayer. As Joan's life is turned over, she soon has to confront Nick and her own identity, alongside a member of an enemy monster family, Aaron Olivers.
My general thoughts
The blurb compares this book with This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab and I was so mad to discover that the similarity between these two books is non-existent. I enjoyed each minute of TSS and I find a reason to love every single character while I have very conflicted opinions about OAM and I have a huge dent against Joan, the protagonist.
OAM is a hard book to review since I don't really like or hate it. Overall, I think it was an average ride, there was an attempt at writing a character-driven story (that failed miserably in my opinion) and the plot is not strong enough to stand on its own. However, I was still able to enjoy the story in a large part, and I am excited to know about the sequel.
Things I like:
The magic system with monsters
Even though OAM is pitched as a dark fantasy like This Savage Song, the presence of monsters is the only similarity between the two books. While TSS was savage and dark, OAM weaves an entire society of monsters that exists alongside humans' one, not very dark as described in the blurb, but mesmerizing, nevertheless. I adore the concept where monsters can steal time from humans by touch alone and where each family has its own unique power. I would have immersed myself completely in this world, if not because of that one cardinal sin I will mention later.
The hero archetype - Nick
I adore books with violent heroes. Nick is the best boy in the book because when he wants to destroy something, he just f*cking took it and I was here for it. His backstory made me want to cry because it was so raw and devastating, yet here he stands.
The gay romance between T.H. and J.L.
That's it, that's my point.
The ending
I have a fun time with the first several chapters of the book, hate most of its middle bit, like the action at 70%, and absolutely love the three chapters. In my opinion, that last 10% saves the entire book for me. I frecking love it because it destroyed my heart and soul. That scene between those two characters made me want to slam my head against the bus window because Vanessa Len has no right to hurt me like that. I also discover a whole new favorite trope from that 10%: star-crossed enemies *evil giggles*
Things I don't like:
Most of the characters:
This is the definition of absent character development. They went through so much, and hardly of them even change.
- Aaron: Oh the grumpy-enemy/rival cliché love interest. He is so boring because whenever he opened his mouth, he only says the same snarky things (I will ignore that conversation with Joan in the end because it is ridiculous)
- Ruth: I like Ruth, but she was nothing but a chaperon to Aaron and Joan. She shouldn't be reduced to only that but sadly I am not the author.
- T.H.: He only deserves rights when he is with J.L. Otherwise, he is one of the more acceptable characters.
- Dorothy Hunt: Don't know if I should hate her or not but I was annoyed a lot by her dumb secrecy.
- Joan: She will have her own section
The romance:
If Joan ends up with Nick I will riot because he deserves better. If Joan ends up with Aaron I pity them because the only way that relationship would end in a messy breakup very soon. And that's because the characters are all annoying that I can't personally handle one of them.
The cardinal sin: Joan Chang-Hunt
Look, I have never read about a protagonist so dumb and so annoying that it physically HURT reading about her. I have lost count of how many times I had rolled my eyes or turned off the phone to avoid the cringe. For a sixteen-year-old, Joan does certainly behave like a spoiled toddler. I get it, she is devastated by the tragedy of that evening, but it doesn't mean that she can disregard everything else, putting her only allies left in grave danger (by bullying them to come with her) because of a ridiculous hypothesis she randomly invented by snapping her fingers. "But this is a YA book, the protagonist can behave like a teenager." Yeah, I agree, but I am thoroughly convinced that a seven-year-old toddler can make more mature decisions than Joan. I can excuse a book full of plot holes, but I draw the line at cringey protagonists that makes me want to bawl my eyes out.
Joan is a Chinese-English mixed child, so obviously, the Chinese side from her father is mentioned a lot in the book, and how this human blood flow affects others' POV in regard to Joan. Joan herself would mention a lot about how she loves her father and how she longs to return home to him, but it seems like not once in the middle bit of the books she thought about her father. Sounds kinda dicey to me.
Conclusion:
Only a Monster could have been rated much higher, maybe a 4 or even a 4.5 if not because of Joan. I honestly hope that Len would care more about characters' development, and maybe she can make Joan (much) less childish, because while I love the world and I am excited to have the sequels (I heard I will be a trilogy which I find suitable,) I can't go through another 400 pages of Joan's whiny behaviors.
Biggest regards to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with this digital advanced copy. All opinion posted in this review is mine.
Well, that was a ride. My second most-anticipated book of 2022 turned out to be the exact opposite of what I wanted, and I have yet to decide whether it's in a good way or a bad one.
What is this book about?
Sixteen-year-old Joan spends her summer vacation at her late mother's family's place. She has a crush on Nick, her co-worker at Holland House. She soon discovers a grimmer and much more terrifying truth. The Hunt family is more than just a prideful one: they're monsters and Nick is not a simple boy but a legendary monster slayer. As Joan's life is turned over, she soon has to confront Nick and her own identity, alongside a member of an enemy monster family, Aaron Olivers.
My general thoughts
The blurb compares this book with This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab and I was so mad to discover that the similarity between these two books is non-existent. I enjoyed each minute of TSS and I find a reason to love every single character while I have very conflicted opinions about OAM and I have a huge dent against Joan, the protagonist.
OAM is a hard book to review since I don't really like or hate it. Overall, I think it was an average ride, there was an attempt at writing a character-driven story (that failed miserably in my opinion) and the plot is not strong enough to stand on its own. However, I was still able to enjoy the story in a large part, and I am excited to know about the sequel.
Things I like:
The magic system with monsters
Even though OAM is pitched as a dark fantasy like This Savage Song, the presence of monsters is the only similarity between the two books. While TSS was savage and dark, OAM weaves an entire society of monsters that exists alongside humans' one, not very dark as described in the blurb, but mesmerizing, nevertheless. I adore the concept where monsters can steal time from humans by touch alone and where each family has its own unique power. I would have immersed myself completely in this world, if not because of that one cardinal sin I will mention later.
The hero archetype - Nick
I adore books with violent heroes. Nick is the best boy in the book because when he wants to destroy something, he just f*cking took it and I was here for it. His backstory made me want to cry because it was so raw and devastating, yet here he stands.
The gay romance between T.H. and J.L.
That's it, that's my point.
The ending
I have a fun time with the first several chapters of the book, hate most of its middle bit, like the action at 70%, and absolutely love the three chapters. In my opinion, that last 10% saves the entire book for me. I frecking love it because it destroyed my heart and soul. That scene between those two characters made me want to slam my head against the bus window because Vanessa Len has no right to hurt me like that. I also discover a whole new favorite trope from that 10%: star-crossed enemies *evil giggles*
Things I don't like:
Most of the characters:
This is the definition of absent character development. They went through so much, and hardly of them even change.
- Aaron: Oh the grumpy-enemy/rival cliché love interest. He is so boring because whenever he opened his mouth, he only says the same snarky things (I will ignore that conversation with Joan in the end because it is ridiculous)
- Ruth: I like Ruth, but she was nothing but a chaperon to Aaron and Joan. She shouldn't be reduced to only that but sadly I am not the author.
- T.H.: He only deserves rights when he is with J.L. Otherwise, he is one of the more acceptable characters.
- Dorothy Hunt: Don't know if I should hate her or not but I was annoyed a lot by her dumb secrecy.
- Joan: She will have her own section
The romance:
If Joan ends up with Nick I will riot because he deserves better. If Joan ends up with Aaron I pity them because the only way that relationship would end in a messy breakup very soon. And that's because the characters are all annoying that I can't personally handle one of them.
The cardinal sin: Joan Chang-Hunt
Look, I have never read about a protagonist so dumb and so annoying that it physically HURT reading about her. I have lost count of how many times I had rolled my eyes or turned off the phone to avoid the cringe. For a sixteen-year-old, Joan does certainly behave like a spoiled toddler. I get it, she is devastated by the tragedy of that evening, but it doesn't mean that she can disregard everything else, putting her only allies left in grave danger (by bullying them to come with her) because of a ridiculous hypothesis she randomly invented by snapping her fingers. "But this is a YA book, the protagonist can behave like a teenager." Yeah, I agree, but I am thoroughly convinced that a seven-year-old toddler can make more mature decisions than Joan. I can excuse a book full of plot holes, but I draw the line at cringey protagonists that makes me want to bawl my eyes out.
Joan is a Chinese-English mixed child, so obviously, the Chinese side from her father is mentioned a lot in the book, and how this human blood flow affects others' POV in regard to Joan. Joan herself would mention a lot about how she loves her father and how she longs to return home to him, but it seems like not once in the middle bit of the books she thought about her father. Sounds kinda dicey to me.
Conclusion:
Only a Monster could have been rated much higher, maybe a 4 or even a 4.5 if not because of Joan. I honestly hope that Len would care more about characters' development, and maybe she can make Joan (much) less childish, because while I love the world and I am excited to have the sequels (I heard I will be a trilogy which I find suitable,) I can't go through another 400 pages of Joan's whiny behaviors.
December 14, 2021
I'm finding this review very difficult to write without spoilers so I will keep it vague. This book is squarely YA and starts with all the familiar YA tropes - cute boy, star-crossed lovers, etc. But then it takes all of those expectations the reader brings to the text and smashes them. Sorry, reader. Or, rather, lucky reader! This isn't the story you thought it was. It's better. Every time I thought I could predict what came next, Len used it against me to take the story in a different direction with a different outcome.
I did think the prose was a bit clunky, particularly at the beginning, but the author did eventually find her footing. And there's time travel which I am sure could probably be scrutinized but I'm ok with authors playing fast and loose generally with time travel. (I'm not there for the physics; I'm there for the feels.) And that ending was, well, a real banger. Could have gone soft. Definitely did not. Kudos to Len on an excellent YA debut.
I did think the prose was a bit clunky, particularly at the beginning, but the author did eventually find her footing. And there's time travel which I am sure could probably be scrutinized but I'm ok with authors playing fast and loose generally with time travel. (I'm not there for the physics; I'm there for the feels.) And that ending was, well, a real banger. Could have gone soft. Definitely did not. Kudos to Len on an excellent YA debut.
April 18, 2022
it probably would have been good if i actually.........cared
Past Zoe:
Villain romance + a character named Aaron = perfection??
Lets hope so
Ha, I thought, wished and prayed for this to be true but alas it twas not.
This concept was so cool. The villain is the main character and the hero as the villian. It had so so much potential but Vanessa Len took the wrong road and I am so fucking mad about it.
There was so much that could have been done to make this book amazing but Vanessa missed EVery, Single. Chance to make it so.
Its like she tried to make it bad.
1. She missed the chance to use the one bed trope to make the ending so much better. Imagine the tension that there would have been if they had to sleep next to each other. Oh! Imagine it. It would have been a masterpiece.
2. If we saw more of Nick before everything that happened. Because if we did we would have had more of an attachment to him and therefore once again making the story and the ending so much better.
3. She somehow made me dislike a fictional man named Aaron *cue shocked gasp* i didn't actually like him at all he was so bland like bro where is the spices??
4.The fact that I did not actually care for any of the book and that it took me five days to read really speaks on how much I enjoyed this book.
5. That ending could have been SO GOOD if only the author built up relationships. But it felt like Joan didn't really care for anyone tbh
Also i don't know half of the people in this book, I sorta zoned in and out because i was so freaking bored and wanted to get it over and done with so i don't actually know what to say lmao.
it brings me a heavy heart to say this but Nick>>>>>Aaron. Bit, BUT only because imagine the ENEMIES TO LOVERS DYNAMIC UGHHH
Past Zoe:
Villain romance + a character named Aaron = perfection??
Lets hope so
Ha, I thought, wished and prayed for this to be true but alas it twas not.
This concept was so cool. The villain is the main character and the hero as the villian. It had so so much potential but Vanessa Len took the wrong road and I am so fucking mad about it.
There was so much that could have been done to make this book amazing but Vanessa missed EVery, Single. Chance to make it so.
Its like she tried to make it bad.
1. She missed the chance to use the one bed trope to make the ending so much better. Imagine the tension that there would have been if they had to sleep next to each other. Oh! Imagine it. It would have been a masterpiece.
2. If we saw more of Nick before everything that happened. Because if we did we would have had more of an attachment to him and therefore once again making the story and the ending so much better.
3. She somehow made me dislike a fictional man named Aaron *cue shocked gasp* i didn't actually like him at all he was so bland like bro where is the spices??
4.The fact that I did not actually care for any of the book and that it took me five days to read really speaks on how much I enjoyed this book.
5. That ending could have been SO GOOD if only the author built up relationships. But it felt like Joan didn't really care for anyone tbh
Also i don't know half of the people in this book, I sorta zoned in and out because i was so freaking bored and wanted to get it over and done with so i don't actually know what to say lmao.
it brings me a heavy heart to say this but Nick>>>>>Aaron. Bit, BUT only because imagine the ENEMIES TO LOVERS DYNAMIC UGHHH
March 29, 2023
4.25 stars- this took me a while to fully know what to rate because I adored this book. The idea is so fresh and the plot was so well developed in my option, but I couldn’t get over how unsatisfied I was with the ending (which I know, it’s supposed to be BUT STILL). I also felt there were plot points that were never explained that I *needed* answers for!!
Joan being an unwilling monster having to team up with a family nemesis to defeat a hero she feels an unbelievable connection with that’s trying to DESTROY her kind? And all of it with a time travel plot line that I can actually get on board with??
Joan being an unwilling monster having to team up with a family nemesis to defeat a hero she feels an unbelievable connection with that’s trying to DESTROY her kind? And all of it with a time travel plot line that I can actually get on board with??
May 4, 2022
dnf @71%
I simply do not care.
The magic system makes NO sense.
Why are they universally known as 'monsters'? That's the only species label you could come up with?
They steal time from people. Okay. But they can also time travel? ..Okay. But they absolutely cannot under any circumstances change the future no matter how hard they try .. Okay. But bringing technology from the future is prohibited because it could cause trouble in the past? ....Wait. Now I'm confused cause you already said it wasn't possible to disrupt the timeline. Now you're telling me technology is dangerous cause it could disrupt the timeline. Hmmmmmmm, I'm seeing conflicting stories in your narrative here, Vanessa. I'm confused.
I dnf-ed cause I knew the ending wasn't going to raise the rating and I didn't want to waste time I could be spending reading a better book.
I simply do not care.
The magic system makes NO sense.
Why are they universally known as 'monsters'? That's the only species label you could come up with?
They steal time from people. Okay. But they can also time travel? ..Okay. But they absolutely cannot under any circumstances change the future no matter how hard they try .. Okay. But bringing technology from the future is prohibited because it could cause trouble in the past? ....Wait. Now I'm confused cause you already said it wasn't possible to disrupt the timeline. Now you're telling me technology is dangerous cause it could disrupt the timeline. Hmmmmmmm, I'm seeing conflicting stories in your narrative here, Vanessa. I'm confused.
I dnf-ed cause I knew the ending wasn't going to raise the rating and I didn't want to waste time I could be spending reading a better book.
February 24, 2022
Only a Monster is a novel I've been anticipating for months—since the moment I've read the blurb on Goodreads, really—and I was so sure I would fall heads over heels in love with it. A monster as a main character? A monster slayer as a love interest? COUNT ME IN. Looking at my three-star rating, you can already guess that sadly, even though I liked reading it for the most part, it wasn't the complete success I was expecting it to be. Let's see why, shall we?
Let me say first that as a series, the premise has a lot of potential— as a book, it's definitely not perfect, but it's one of those times when we can see how the world and story can—and, I hope, will— expand. The story starts when Joan, a British-Chinese 16 years-old, learns that she's a monster with hidden abilities, like all the maternal side of her family. In that sense, this is very much a chosen one story, but one where the main character doesn't want anything to do with it, really. Indeed Joan, who is dead set on following rules and being a good person in general, doesn't want to embrace her monstrous side. In all honestly, I'd probably react the same way. Who wants to be the bad guy? I've always believed that the best written villains were the ones who thought they were the good guys, and I liked how Only a Monster touched this subject not once but twice. Things aren't set in stone, and Joan soon realizes that when tragedy strikes, doing the right thing is not always an obvious choice. How will she navigate her path forwards? I guess you'll see ;)
Overall I liked Joan as a main character—she's a bit reckless and thinks she knows best, sure, but she's also a 16 years-old put in a very difficult situation, so you'll get no judgment from me. I do wish I'd have grown more attached to her but I still have hope for the sequel! Where Only a Monster shined was with its compelling side-characters : from Joan's family to her—sometimes unlikely—allies, I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing their dynamics play out and evolve. Aaron and Tom in particular picked my interest : Aaron because I'm a very predictable reader—you cannot give me an enemy... who's cranky, a bit of a snob, mysterious, but goes all soft sometimes, and not expect me to like him, really— and Tom because his story moved me.
The world-building was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know about the different families' powers. I hope it will be expanded in the sequel, because I want to explore!!!! The magic system was a bit inconsistant at times however and some events looked a bit too convenient. It didn't prevent me from having fun, but I did notice the few discrepancies. It always comes back to the same rule, really : you can't say something isn't possible and then change it later to further the plot when you need it. I mean, you can, but it's unlikely it won't get me out of the story, even if it's only for a few seconds. As for the time-travel aspects, I really liked them : the restrictions Vanessa Len imagined were interesting and made for a more compelling story in my opinion.
Overall the writing was decent, nothing special but nothing overtly annoying either. I really wasn't a fan of the prose at the beginning, but it got better along the way. I did notice a few repetitions in dialog and the use of adverbs was a bit too much for my liking, but as it's an arc I'll definitely check the physical copy!
My biggest complain was the romance and the lack of any kind of build-up. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the main ship relies on the soulmate trope—the author herself mentioned it several times on social media—and unfortunately it didn't work for me at all. Really, it made me remember why I didn't like soulmates stories—it's been so long since I've read one that I thought that maybe, this time, I would enjoy it but nah. The suddenness of it all ruins the tension—I don't care if they've loved each other forever when for me, the reader, it appears out of thin air. I genuinely can't see how I'm supposed to care? It does not mean that I cannot enjoy soulmate stories. It's VERY rare, but it's happened. For this to work however there need to be some kind of relationship between the mc and her "fated" love-interest IN THE PRESENT TIMELINE, IN TEXT. Given that Nick was absent for most of the book—and replaced with another boy way more interesting anyway—it just couldn't work and I didn't buy their "love". It didn't help that I couldn't care for Nick as a character either, and for the same reasons : I'm sorry but I just don't know him. Aaron, however, I could (WOULD) ship with her because they actually have an evolving relationship I can see myself getting invested in (their last scene in particular? SO MUCH POTENTIAL). I guess we'll see where it all goes in the sequels but I definitely need more.
All in all, Only a Monster is a good debut novel that managed to keep my interest alive until the very end. Even though I had my qualms and it never totally won me over, I'll definitely read the sequel and I would recommend reading it if you enjoy PNR/UF YA stories.
CW :
Thank you to the publisher -Hodder & Stoughton- for sending me an ARC to review through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Let me say first that as a series, the premise has a lot of potential— as a book, it's definitely not perfect, but it's one of those times when we can see how the world and story can—and, I hope, will— expand. The story starts when Joan, a British-Chinese 16 years-old, learns that she's a monster with hidden abilities, like all the maternal side of her family. In that sense, this is very much a chosen one story, but one where the main character doesn't want anything to do with it, really. Indeed Joan, who is dead set on following rules and being a good person in general, doesn't want to embrace her monstrous side. In all honestly, I'd probably react the same way. Who wants to be the bad guy? I've always believed that the best written villains were the ones who thought they were the good guys, and I liked how Only a Monster touched this subject not once but twice. Things aren't set in stone, and Joan soon realizes that when tragedy strikes, doing the right thing is not always an obvious choice. How will she navigate her path forwards? I guess you'll see ;)
Overall I liked Joan as a main character—she's a bit reckless and thinks she knows best, sure, but she's also a 16 years-old put in a very difficult situation, so you'll get no judgment from me. I do wish I'd have grown more attached to her but I still have hope for the sequel! Where Only a Monster shined was with its compelling side-characters : from Joan's family to her—sometimes unlikely—allies, I really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing their dynamics play out and evolve. Aaron and Tom in particular picked my interest : Aaron because I'm a very predictable reader—you cannot give me an enemy... who's cranky, a bit of a snob, mysterious, but goes all soft sometimes, and not expect me to like him, really— and Tom because his story moved me.
The world-building was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know about the different families' powers. I hope it will be expanded in the sequel, because I want to explore!!!! The magic system was a bit inconsistant at times however and some events looked a bit too convenient. It didn't prevent me from having fun, but I did notice the few discrepancies. It always comes back to the same rule, really : you can't say something isn't possible and then change it later to further the plot when you need it. I mean, you can, but it's unlikely it won't get me out of the story, even if it's only for a few seconds. As for the time-travel aspects, I really liked them : the restrictions Vanessa Len imagined were interesting and made for a more compelling story in my opinion.
Overall the writing was decent, nothing special but nothing overtly annoying either. I really wasn't a fan of the prose at the beginning, but it got better along the way. I did notice a few repetitions in dialog and the use of adverbs was a bit too much for my liking, but as it's an arc I'll definitely check the physical copy!
My biggest complain was the romance and the lack of any kind of build-up. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that the main ship relies on the soulmate trope—the author herself mentioned it several times on social media—and unfortunately it didn't work for me at all. Really, it made me remember why I didn't like soulmates stories—it's been so long since I've read one that I thought that maybe, this time, I would enjoy it but nah. The suddenness of it all ruins the tension—I don't care if they've loved each other forever when for me, the reader, it appears out of thin air. I genuinely can't see how I'm supposed to care? It does not mean that I cannot enjoy soulmate stories. It's VERY rare, but it's happened. For this to work however there need to be some kind of relationship between the mc and her "fated" love-interest IN THE PRESENT TIMELINE, IN TEXT. Given that Nick was absent for most of the book—and replaced with another boy way more interesting anyway—it just couldn't work and I didn't buy their "love". It didn't help that I couldn't care for Nick as a character either, and for the same reasons : I'm sorry but I just don't know him. Aaron, however, I could (WOULD) ship with her because they actually have an evolving relationship I can see myself getting invested in (their last scene in particular? SO MUCH POTENTIAL). I guess we'll see where it all goes in the sequels but I definitely need more.
All in all, Only a Monster is a good debut novel that managed to keep my interest alive until the very end. Even though I had my qualms and it never totally won me over, I'll definitely read the sequel and I would recommend reading it if you enjoy PNR/UF YA stories.
CW :
Thank you to the publisher -Hodder & Stoughton- for sending me an ARC to review through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For more bookish content, please visit:
May 5, 2024
･:*:･ﾟ⁀➷ 3.5/5 ★
This was fun! 🫶🫶 It isn’t the best ya fantasy book i’ve ever read, but the magic system was so interesting and I had a good time reading it 🥰🩷
➷ “A Hunt and an Oliver together? How very Romeo and Juliet.”
Tropes:
⌛ Ya fantasy
⌛ Love triangle
⌛ Romeo and Juliet type romance
⌛ Time travel
I’ve had my eye on this one for a while, and i’m glad i finally picked it up! It wasn’t what i was expecting but in a good way 🌷✨️
Also, i don’t have too many thoughts about this, so don’t mind the short little review 💌
ೃ⁀➷ What I enjoyed:
I honestly went in with the expectations of this just being a typical ya fantasy, but it was super different to that! The magic system was soo interesting and well thought-out and the way time travel fit into everything was really clever. I’m honestly really impressed that this is a debut 🫶🫶
Plus the plot of this book was really good!! It felt like we got right into the story and the pacing was really consistent the whole way through. There weren’t ever any boring parts, which i appreciated 💘💘
➷ “You're a hero and I'm a monster,” she whispered. “There's only one way that story ever ends.”
ೃ⁀➷ What I didn’t enjoy:
I think my main issue with this book was the writing style. I understand that this is a debut, but i just didn’t really love the way it was written. It was just tell, not show and there was little to no descriptions of anything, which made it seem a little bland 🙈🙈
And i think bc i didn’t love the writing, i also struggled to connect to the characters. I liked some of the side characters but the main character was kinda just… there? I’ve read a whole book about her from her perspective and i still couldn’t tell you much about her bc her personality wasn’t very well-fleshed out 😭😭
The other thing that irritated me was the ending. It just… didn’t make much sense to me? I’m honestly unsure if i’m invested enough to read the second book but if you’ve read this series, pls let me know if it’s good!
➷ “Dragons need not fear other dragons.”
ೃ⁀➷ In conclusion:
A pretty good fantasy! 🌷✨️ I would recommend if you want:
➷ Fast-paced
➷ Interesting & unique magic system
➷ Simple writing style
I’m glad i gave it a try 🩷🩷
《 2024 Challenge: Book 57 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ pre-review:
➷ this was fun! 🥹🥹 not the most amazing writing, but the magic system was soo unique and I enjoyed it 🎀
rtc 💐
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ preread:
➷ my fantasy era is still going strong 💪 the premise of this one looks super interesting, so i'm really excited! 🥹🎀
This was fun! 🫶🫶 It isn’t the best ya fantasy book i’ve ever read, but the magic system was so interesting and I had a good time reading it 🥰🩷
➷ “A Hunt and an Oliver together? How very Romeo and Juliet.”
Tropes:
⌛ Ya fantasy
⌛ Love triangle
⌛ Romeo and Juliet type romance
⌛ Time travel
I’ve had my eye on this one for a while, and i’m glad i finally picked it up! It wasn’t what i was expecting but in a good way 🌷✨️
Also, i don’t have too many thoughts about this, so don’t mind the short little review 💌
ೃ⁀➷ What I enjoyed:
I honestly went in with the expectations of this just being a typical ya fantasy, but it was super different to that! The magic system was soo interesting and well thought-out and the way time travel fit into everything was really clever. I’m honestly really impressed that this is a debut 🫶🫶
Plus the plot of this book was really good!! It felt like we got right into the story and the pacing was really consistent the whole way through. There weren’t ever any boring parts, which i appreciated 💘💘
➷ “You're a hero and I'm a monster,” she whispered. “There's only one way that story ever ends.”
ೃ⁀➷ What I didn’t enjoy:
I think my main issue with this book was the writing style. I understand that this is a debut, but i just didn’t really love the way it was written. It was just tell, not show and there was little to no descriptions of anything, which made it seem a little bland 🙈🙈
And i think bc i didn’t love the writing, i also struggled to connect to the characters. I liked some of the side characters but the main character was kinda just… there? I’ve read a whole book about her from her perspective and i still couldn’t tell you much about her bc her personality wasn’t very well-fleshed out 😭😭
The other thing that irritated me was the ending. It just… didn’t make much sense to me? I’m honestly unsure if i’m invested enough to read the second book but if you’ve read this series, pls let me know if it’s good!
➷ “Dragons need not fear other dragons.”
ೃ⁀➷ In conclusion:
A pretty good fantasy! 🌷✨️ I would recommend if you want:
➷ Fast-paced
➷ Interesting & unique magic system
➷ Simple writing style
I’m glad i gave it a try 🩷🩷
《 2024 Challenge: Book 57 of 115 》
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ pre-review:
➷ this was fun! 🥹🥹 not the most amazing writing, but the magic system was soo unique and I enjoyed it 🎀
rtc 💐
･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ･:*:･ﾟ
ೃ⁀➷ preread:
➷ my fantasy era is still going strong 💪 the premise of this one looks super interesting, so i'm really excited! 🥹🎀
August 12, 2022
3.5 ⭐
Wow. I have so much to say, but I have to gather my thoughts first.
But this was pretty cool for the most part.
❤❤❤
Wow. I have so much to say, but I have to gather my thoughts first.
But this was pretty cool for the most part.
❤❤❤
March 11, 2022
10/3/2022: Just finished! 3.5 stars, RTC. BR with Stuti!
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Self-harm (pinching yourself, digging nails into palms, leaving scars and mention that scars are there, but not addressed as an issue), Anxiety and Panic attacks, Murder, Blood, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Prison, Being Chained, Being Drugged (involuntary), Alcohol, Theft, Death of Family Members, Child Neglect, Emotional Abuse, Lying, Weapon use, Brainwashing, Interrogation, Real-world racist microaggressions, Fantasy xenophobia
............................
30/10/2021: This sounds AMAZING. Give me that villain romance.
Content/ Trigger Warnings- Self-harm (pinching yourself, digging nails into palms, leaving scars and mention that scars are there, but not addressed as an issue), Anxiety and Panic attacks, Murder, Blood, Nightmares, Flashbacks, Prison, Being Chained, Being Drugged (involuntary), Alcohol, Theft, Death of Family Members, Child Neglect, Emotional Abuse, Lying, Weapon use, Brainwashing, Interrogation, Real-world racist microaggressions, Fantasy xenophobia
............................
30/10/2021: This sounds AMAZING. Give me that villain romance.
March 7, 2023
𝟐.𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
Just ok! Honestly, I liked the idea and a few other things here. But it still didn't work for me. There were many errors. Sad to say that the author was unable to structure the story tightly and convincingly. The most confusing thing I found here is that, after reading 65%, I didn't know what happened or what the author was trying to do. It seemed that everything was moving at a very fast pace and jumping from here to there without any details, which is why it was very hard to get through some parts. Anyway, if the second half had been as good as the beginning, maybe the book would have easily gotten 4 stars from me.
Just ok! Honestly, I liked the idea and a few other things here. But it still didn't work for me. There were many errors. Sad to say that the author was unable to structure the story tightly and convincingly. The most confusing thing I found here is that, after reading 65%, I didn't know what happened or what the author was trying to do. It seemed that everything was moving at a very fast pace and jumping from here to there without any details, which is why it was very hard to get through some parts. Anyway, if the second half had been as good as the beginning, maybe the book would have easily gotten 4 stars from me.
July 9, 2022
➵ my mind is blown away. someone please tell me why i'm feeling both happy and sad, heartbroken and hopeful, at the end of this. absolutely can't wait for the next book! rtc.
27.11.2021 i've been eyeing this book for more than a year since its announcement and now i'll finally be reading it early. tbh, i expect excellence because this sounds amazing.
21.08.2020 a half monster who who wants to be a hero; rival families; a paranormal world hidden within london? okay, so you mean i'm going to love it.
March 10, 2022
"She'd been in love with him from the moment she first saw him. She'd been in love with him before that - in a whole other timeline"
^That quote is just . . . really gross. I mean here we go again with another iteration of insta-love!
I'm really disappointed with this novel. Only a Monster was my most anticipated YA book of 2022. I was promised a cool time travel story and a subversion of the Buffy and the Vampire Slayer formula, with the reader being on the side of the monsters rather than the monster slayer. The marketing team also hyped the book to be the next This Savage Song with some heart-stopping romance thrown in the mix. I think it almost failed to deliver on all of these things that were promised.
I think my issue with this book started with the characters. Almost everyone was pretty flat and undeveloped. Joan is the kind of YA heroine that I very much despise -- she's whiny, needlessly petulant and stubborn. She makes careless decisions throughout the book without considering the ramifications of her actions and how it would negatively affect the people around her. She is a throwback to the naive and stubborn paranormal YA heroine of the 2000s and early 2010s and for those of us who have been reading YA for more than a decade, I think all of us are over that. She endangered the lives of her allies several times in her mission to change the massacre of her family and she wasn't even sorry about it.
At one point, Aaron Oliver (the second male lead) tells her "God, you are so fucking . . . So fucking raw" and I couldn't blame him -- I was equally exasperated and annoyed by Joan's constant naivety and insistence that she knows how to save her dead family even if she was just thrust into this monstrous world and knows nothing at all. Nick (the monster slayer and main love interest) isn't any better. He's just soooo bland — an archetype of Captain America basically. His pursuit of justice and desire to eradicate every monster who stole time from humans has no nuance whatsoever. He has no personality at all apart from his singular pursuit of justice. Because Joan is extremely annoying and Nick is one dimensionally good and bland, I didn't care about the romance at all.
The worst part though is that their relationship is insta-love. They barely had any conversations in that one summer they were together and yet they somehow can't stop thinking about each other. The author uses the soulmates trope to justify why they feel strongly for each other in such a short span of time, but for me it was extremely ineffective in making me ship these two characters. Perhaps because I never bought into the soulmates trope - I like my romance stories to be sufficiently justified and established with many conversations and important bonding moments. Some novels (like Rachel Caine's Prince of Shadows) were able to put a fresh spin to insta-love through careful, convincing writing. But the author failed to do that and . . . I just don't care about these people.
This leads me to point number two that the writing is weak and basic. The author could've made me care more about Nick and Joan by integrating many flashbacks while Joan and Aaron were on the run from Nick and his monster slaying team. I would've been more convinced about their timeline defying romance if they had meaningful conversations prior to the monster massacre. Or if there was an in-depth exploration of the initial surge of attraction that they felt. Unfortunately, there was none of that and the reader is grabbed in the hand from one action scene to the next. The plot pretty much moves from point A to point B with very little surprises. The weakness of the writing affected every aspect of the story -- not just the romance. I never felt any strong tension or anxiety while Aaron and Joan were trying to run away from Nick's monster slaying crew when this whole scenario should have been induced with so much dread, anxiety and paranoia.
To further add to my issues with the writing, it's quite unpolished. I counted more than 4 typos throughout the book. On page 5, the narrator says "She and Nick had been getting closer and closer over the summer, but this felt like the geggining of something new". On page 319, it says "The was a pause before Aaron answered" On page 323 it says "What it is?" instead of "what is it?" I just . . . where is the editor? I keep seeing so many typos which was jarring and pulled me away from the story several times.
Another issue is, for all the talk of subverting monster stories, and well-respected authors like Naomi Novik saying this novel is "original and complex”, Only a Monster is so incredibly derivative. After Aaron and Joan managed to escape to the past, a heist subplot was introduced around the halfway mark. Apparently, if they wish to change the current timeline, they would have to infiltrate the King's Monster Court and steal a transformatio -- a powerful object that was said to only exist in myths. My first thought was "oh gosh, not this shit again". Majority of the second half was pretty much predictable. It was basically another Six of Crows and The Gilded Wolves ripoff. Why did Vanessa Len choose to write about something that has been done to death in YA fantasy?
There's also many plot holes if one wishes to dig deep and analyze aspects of the story, which is pretty much expected of most time travel stories. Compare this book to Inception, Looper and other beloved time travel stories though and it just falls extremely flat.
There were a couple of things that saved it from getting 1 star. First, the ending surprised me a little. Len did try to subvert some of these cliched tropes she was using and went for an evil set-up for the next book. The characters I loathed did demonstrate some growth and maturity, which may convince me to give the second book a try. Unfortunately though, it was too little too late. Second, is Aaron Oliver. There's a lot of potential with his character. He's pompous, arrogant, elitist and bratty -- but with a surprisingly soft heart hidden beneath that exterior. He's the only mildly interesting character here. I don't ship him with Joan though because the latter was just so annoying for most of the book. And to be honest, Aaron catching feelings for her was also unconvincing. They were mostly bickering for most of the book and didn't really have many important or cute conversations. Both sides of the love triangle were just poorly developed, unfortunately.
Only a Monster had a really interesting premise, but it's squandered by mediocre and unpolished writing, derivative subplots, ineffective use of insta-love and soulmates trope, predictable (for the most part) plot and flat characters. Frankly, I think debut authors can do much better than this.
PS: I recommend reading This Savage Song and Daughter of Smoke and Bone first if you're looking for good YA urban fantasy. If you want to see a fresh and unique spin to insta-love, give Rachel Caine's Prince of Shadows a go. I think these books are just so much better.
^That quote is just . . . really gross. I mean here we go again with another iteration of insta-love!
I'm really disappointed with this novel. Only a Monster was my most anticipated YA book of 2022. I was promised a cool time travel story and a subversion of the Buffy and the Vampire Slayer formula, with the reader being on the side of the monsters rather than the monster slayer. The marketing team also hyped the book to be the next This Savage Song with some heart-stopping romance thrown in the mix. I think it almost failed to deliver on all of these things that were promised.
I think my issue with this book started with the characters. Almost everyone was pretty flat and undeveloped. Joan is the kind of YA heroine that I very much despise -- she's whiny, needlessly petulant and stubborn. She makes careless decisions throughout the book without considering the ramifications of her actions and how it would negatively affect the people around her. She is a throwback to the naive and stubborn paranormal YA heroine of the 2000s and early 2010s and for those of us who have been reading YA for more than a decade, I think all of us are over that. She endangered the lives of her allies several times in her mission to change the massacre of her family and she wasn't even sorry about it.
At one point, Aaron Oliver (the second male lead) tells her "God, you are so fucking . . . So fucking raw" and I couldn't blame him -- I was equally exasperated and annoyed by Joan's constant naivety and insistence that she knows how to save her dead family even if she was just thrust into this monstrous world and knows nothing at all. Nick (the monster slayer and main love interest) isn't any better. He's just soooo bland — an archetype of Captain America basically. His pursuit of justice and desire to eradicate every monster who stole time from humans has no nuance whatsoever. He has no personality at all apart from his singular pursuit of justice. Because Joan is extremely annoying and Nick is one dimensionally good and bland, I didn't care about the romance at all.
The worst part though is that their relationship is insta-love. They barely had any conversations in that one summer they were together and yet they somehow can't stop thinking about each other. The author uses the soulmates trope to justify why they feel strongly for each other in such a short span of time, but for me it was extremely ineffective in making me ship these two characters. Perhaps because I never bought into the soulmates trope - I like my romance stories to be sufficiently justified and established with many conversations and important bonding moments. Some novels (like Rachel Caine's Prince of Shadows) were able to put a fresh spin to insta-love through careful, convincing writing. But the author failed to do that and . . . I just don't care about these people.
This leads me to point number two that the writing is weak and basic. The author could've made me care more about Nick and Joan by integrating many flashbacks while Joan and Aaron were on the run from Nick and his monster slaying team. I would've been more convinced about their timeline defying romance if they had meaningful conversations prior to the monster massacre. Or if there was an in-depth exploration of the initial surge of attraction that they felt. Unfortunately, there was none of that and the reader is grabbed in the hand from one action scene to the next. The plot pretty much moves from point A to point B with very little surprises. The weakness of the writing affected every aspect of the story -- not just the romance. I never felt any strong tension or anxiety while Aaron and Joan were trying to run away from Nick's monster slaying crew when this whole scenario should have been induced with so much dread, anxiety and paranoia.
To further add to my issues with the writing, it's quite unpolished. I counted more than 4 typos throughout the book. On page 5, the narrator says "She and Nick had been getting closer and closer over the summer, but this felt like the geggining of something new". On page 319, it says "The was a pause before Aaron answered" On page 323 it says "What it is?" instead of "what is it?" I just . . . where is the editor? I keep seeing so many typos which was jarring and pulled me away from the story several times.
Another issue is, for all the talk of subverting monster stories, and well-respected authors like Naomi Novik saying this novel is "original and complex”, Only a Monster is so incredibly derivative. After Aaron and Joan managed to escape to the past, a heist subplot was introduced around the halfway mark. Apparently, if they wish to change the current timeline, they would have to infiltrate the King's Monster Court and steal a transformatio -- a powerful object that was said to only exist in myths. My first thought was "oh gosh, not this shit again". Majority of the second half was pretty much predictable. It was basically another Six of Crows and The Gilded Wolves ripoff. Why did Vanessa Len choose to write about something that has been done to death in YA fantasy?
There's also many plot holes if one wishes to dig deep and analyze aspects of the story, which is pretty much expected of most time travel stories. Compare this book to Inception, Looper and other beloved time travel stories though and it just falls extremely flat.
There were a couple of things that saved it from getting 1 star. First, the ending surprised me a little. Len did try to subvert some of these cliched tropes she was using and went for an evil set-up for the next book. The characters I loathed did demonstrate some growth and maturity, which may convince me to give the second book a try. Unfortunately though, it was too little too late. Second, is Aaron Oliver. There's a lot of potential with his character. He's pompous, arrogant, elitist and bratty -- but with a surprisingly soft heart hidden beneath that exterior. He's the only mildly interesting character here. I don't ship him with Joan though because the latter was just so annoying for most of the book. And to be honest, Aaron catching feelings for her was also unconvincing. They were mostly bickering for most of the book and didn't really have many important or cute conversations. Both sides of the love triangle were just poorly developed, unfortunately.
Only a Monster had a really interesting premise, but it's squandered by mediocre and unpolished writing, derivative subplots, ineffective use of insta-love and soulmates trope, predictable (for the most part) plot and flat characters. Frankly, I think debut authors can do much better than this.
PS: I recommend reading This Savage Song and Daughter of Smoke and Bone first if you're looking for good YA urban fantasy. If you want to see a fresh and unique spin to insta-love, give Rachel Caine's Prince of Shadows a go. I think these books are just so much better.
February 5, 2024
5🌟 this book was amazing and i loved every second of it
if you loved the feeling of aaron warner in ignite me, the arrogant love interest in shadowhunters, and also forbidden love, bloodlines, family hierarchy of dramione fanfics, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. THE WAY WE HAVE FORBIDDEN LOVE FOR BOTH LOVE INTERESTS??
"A Hunt and an Oliver together? How very Romeo and Juliette."
HAD ME SCREAMING
i always feel stressed reading/watching time travel but this was done so well !! it was refreshing to see our MC on the morally grey side for once! we have one love interest that's morally grey and one love interest who is the hero, and the hero obviously has to get rid of the bad guys right?
i was so intrigued by Vanessa Len's post about enemy soulmates AND NOW I UNDERSTAND.
"We believe that if people belonged together...then our timeline tries to repair itself by bringing them together. Over and over and over."
"Like soul mates?"
if that's not the most romantic line i've ever read...
the magic system is amazing, the characters are so well developed, has great twists and turns, the pacing of the storyline kept me intrigued the whole time! it reminded me of Tahereh Mafi in her Shatter Me series, so you know it's amazing. i know it might be early to say this but i just know this is one of the best novel releases of 2022 !!
if you loved the feeling of aaron warner in ignite me, the arrogant love interest in shadowhunters, and also forbidden love, bloodlines, family hierarchy of dramione fanfics, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. THE WAY WE HAVE FORBIDDEN LOVE FOR BOTH LOVE INTERESTS??
"A Hunt and an Oliver together? How very Romeo and Juliette."
HAD ME SCREAMING
i always feel stressed reading/watching time travel but this was done so well !! it was refreshing to see our MC on the morally grey side for once! we have one love interest that's morally grey and one love interest who is the hero, and the hero obviously has to get rid of the bad guys right?
i was so intrigued by Vanessa Len's post about enemy soulmates AND NOW I UNDERSTAND.
"We believe that if people belonged together...then our timeline tries to repair itself by bringing them together. Over and over and over."
"Like soul mates?"
if that's not the most romantic line i've ever read...
the magic system is amazing, the characters are so well developed, has great twists and turns, the pacing of the storyline kept me intrigued the whole time! it reminded me of Tahereh Mafi in her Shatter Me series, so you know it's amazing. i know it might be early to say this but i just know this is one of the best novel releases of 2022 !!
May 29, 2022
I was really hoping I would love this book but I just didn't and I feel kind of bad posting this review 😣 The premise was interesting and unique, but there were a lot of things that I'm normally not a big fan of... which added up to me not really enjoying it
❌ THE ROMANCE WAS kind of one of the big things advertised about this book but I personally did not enjoy the romance. Star crossed lovers is one of my least favorite tropes, there was barely any flirty banter or sexual tension, and it's always harder for me to care about a romance if the couple gets together early. The romance was also rated G... so generally not my jam lol
✅ I ENJOYED THE TIME TRAVEL and the different eras we were thrown into, which is rare because normally time travel plots are a complete shit show. But it definitely won me over here
🆗 THE CONCEPT OF MONSTERS being the main protagonists was also interesting, but I felt like the monsters were a little too *nice* and generally lame to truly be monsters. The only person that seemed more evil was Aaron, but honestly, that just made me like him more
❌ MY MAIN PROBLEM WAS that this book seemed very juvenile and almost middle grade. The characters were sixteen-ish, which is already pretty young for me, but it kind of read even younger than that. I think that's partly why the romance and the "monsters" were so tame
Overall, I think this book had a good concept but it just wasn't for me. It's definitely on the younger side of YA so if that's your jam then I would recommend it. But if you normally look for the more mature YA, NA or even adult books, then this probably won't be for you.
⚠️Sidenote, potential spoilers** -- So I've been binge-watching Legacies on Netflix lately and this book definitely is giving me some Legacies vibes haha. Definitely interested to see how it ends up for Joan but I still probably won't read the sequel⚠️
❌ THE ROMANCE WAS kind of one of the big things advertised about this book but I personally did not enjoy the romance. Star crossed lovers is one of my least favorite tropes, there was barely any flirty banter or sexual tension, and it's always harder for me to care about a romance if the couple gets together early. The romance was also rated G... so generally not my jam lol
✅ I ENJOYED THE TIME TRAVEL and the different eras we were thrown into, which is rare because normally time travel plots are a complete shit show. But it definitely won me over here
🆗 THE CONCEPT OF MONSTERS being the main protagonists was also interesting, but I felt like the monsters were a little too *nice* and generally lame to truly be monsters. The only person that seemed more evil was Aaron, but honestly, that just made me like him more
❌ MY MAIN PROBLEM WAS that this book seemed very juvenile and almost middle grade. The characters were sixteen-ish, which is already pretty young for me, but it kind of read even younger than that. I think that's partly why the romance and the "monsters" were so tame
Overall, I think this book had a good concept but it just wasn't for me. It's definitely on the younger side of YA so if that's your jam then I would recommend it. But if you normally look for the more mature YA, NA or even adult books, then this probably won't be for you.
⚠️Sidenote, potential spoilers** -- So I've been binge-watching Legacies on Netflix lately and this book definitely is giving me some Legacies vibes haha. Definitely interested to see how it ends up for Joan but I still probably won't read the sequel⚠️
April 4, 2022
Chaotic.
November 5, 2021
Darkly delicious fun. If you've been looking for your newest YA urban fantasy obsession - you've found it.
April 3, 2022
Only a Monster is a fun start to a new fantasy series, leading the reader through a London where monsters roam the streets, stealing time from humans.
I really enjoyed the magic system, although time travel isn’t really my thing. I usually end up thinking too much about the logistics and the changes the characters are making to the timeline. Here, there was a clear set of rules and an almost sentient timeline that ensured that there were no major changes caused by the monsters’ jaunts through time which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the moral struggle Joan goes through once she realises how monsters can travel — by stealing time from humans. This led into conversations about morality, what it means to be a monster and how heroes are forged which I found really interesting.
The dynamics between the different monster families were fun and I loved how this played into our main characters’ personalities and perceptions of the others. This book set up some really intriguing politics of this world that I hope will be further explored in the sequel. I enjoyed our main group of characters: Joan; her cousin, Ruth and Aaron, a monster from another family. I also really liked the queer romance that was introduced towards the end of the book, and found myself rooting for those characters and their relationship.
As I sit to write my review a few days after finishing this book, I have to say that I am struggling to remember what actually happened. Which I think is the main reason this book isn’t getting a higher rating from me — it wasn't memorable. It didn’t grip me and refuse to let me go. In fact, it took me a long time to read it as I just wasn’t motivated to pick it up. It was good but not great and hasn’t hooked me enough to make me want to continue the series.
What I was most looking forward to about this book was the romance. I wanted a forbidden romance between monster and monster hunter that drove the plot and characters forward and had me on the edge of my seat. What I got seemed almost half hearted and underdeveloped. There was no chemistry between the main pairing and after the big reveal of their identities at the beginning, there were no more romance centred scenes until near the end when our main character finally remembered that she was meant to have feelings for him. Although, I will say that that scene was really well written and fun to read. It made for an impressive ending. In fact, there was much more chemistry and a compelling relationship between Joan and Aaron and I wonder if that will be explored more in the sequel.
Overall, Only a Monster was a fun read with an interesting magic system that explored morality and heroes vs villains. However, I expected more from it, especially from the romance that dominated the marketing of the book.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
I really enjoyed the magic system, although time travel isn’t really my thing. I usually end up thinking too much about the logistics and the changes the characters are making to the timeline. Here, there was a clear set of rules and an almost sentient timeline that ensured that there were no major changes caused by the monsters’ jaunts through time which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the moral struggle Joan goes through once she realises how monsters can travel — by stealing time from humans. This led into conversations about morality, what it means to be a monster and how heroes are forged which I found really interesting.
The dynamics between the different monster families were fun and I loved how this played into our main characters’ personalities and perceptions of the others. This book set up some really intriguing politics of this world that I hope will be further explored in the sequel. I enjoyed our main group of characters: Joan; her cousin, Ruth and Aaron, a monster from another family. I also really liked the queer romance that was introduced towards the end of the book, and found myself rooting for those characters and their relationship.
As I sit to write my review a few days after finishing this book, I have to say that I am struggling to remember what actually happened. Which I think is the main reason this book isn’t getting a higher rating from me — it wasn't memorable. It didn’t grip me and refuse to let me go. In fact, it took me a long time to read it as I just wasn’t motivated to pick it up. It was good but not great and hasn’t hooked me enough to make me want to continue the series.
What I was most looking forward to about this book was the romance. I wanted a forbidden romance between monster and monster hunter that drove the plot and characters forward and had me on the edge of my seat. What I got seemed almost half hearted and underdeveloped. There was no chemistry between the main pairing and after the big reveal of their identities at the beginning, there were no more romance centred scenes until near the end when our main character finally remembered that she was meant to have feelings for him. Although, I will say that that scene was really well written and fun to read. It made for an impressive ending. In fact, there was much more chemistry and a compelling relationship between Joan and Aaron and I wonder if that will be explored more in the sequel.
Overall, Only a Monster was a fun read with an interesting magic system that explored morality and heroes vs villains. However, I expected more from it, especially from the romance that dominated the marketing of the book.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
May 21, 2022
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