This novel has such a cool premise - I knew I had to read it as soon as I saw the blurb and Len really delivers.

Joan is a monster. She's known since she was a young child, but never understood what it meant until she accidentally steals time from her human neighbour and travels into the future. Stealing a few minutes or hours here and there, Joan's monster family, and the other monster families of London, have been time travelling through the centuries without a thought for the human lives they're cutting short. But, half human herself, Joan isn't sure the cost is worth it. And there are others that agree - others who want to stop the monsters from stealing human time at all costs. Including Nick, the boy she's been crushing on all summer. Saving her family from Nick will mean embracing her own monster nature and working with her family's enemy, Aaron Oliver. But going up against time itself won't be easy - if it's even possible.

Only a Monster is a villain narrative with plenty of murky morals and interesting ethical decisions. I loved following Joan's journey and the choices she faces. She's superbly well written and is a character I can't wait to follow in the next book.

The time travel elements are superb, especially all the tiny details that bought each time to life (even if some of the 90s nostalgia and tech made me feel old!) A love of history shines throughout this story and you feel yourself being pulled into the joy and wonder of time travel, even with its deadly cost.

There is also some great world building. Monster London is well developed, with secret spaces, laws and politics. The family powers and histories were really clever and I'm looking forward to finding out more about them in the next book.

The romance element of Only a Monster was also done to heartbreaking perfection. I don't really want to say any more than that because of spoilers, but it really is the shining star in an already brilliant story.

This is one of those books where the synopsis really gives the wrong expectations. If, like me, you picked this up thinking it would be dark and tense, a constant battle between a monster and a hero, I give you this advice, free of charge: skip this book.

Here is what this book is actually about:

When she is sixteen, Joan discovers she and her family are monsters, and that the boy she has been crushing on all summer is the hero out for their lives. But Nick has a soft spot for Joan and lets her go. As she is fleeing from Nick's compatriots, Joan finds herself joining forces with Aaron Oliver, a member of a rival monster family. Determined to unwind the events that transpired, Joan must rely on Aaron to teach her what it means to be a monster. And eventually, she will have to confront Nick to save her family.

Before I get into everything I didn't like, I'll start with a few things I did appreciate. I really enjoyed the moments where Aaron was teaching Joan how to be a monster. The moments where he stayed calm under stress and tried to keep her calm as well, and when he patiently helped her whenever she was at risk of killing herself out of sheer ignorance, were enjoyable to read. Don't ask me why, I know that's a weird thing to like but I can't explain it.

The other thing that pleasantly surprised me was actually the ending. Considering how much this book deviated from what I was promised, I didn't see that coming.

I also enjoyed the subplot that had to do with Tom, which is about all I can say without getting into spoiler territory.

And...that's it. That's all I liked in 400+ pages.

Let's take this one by one.

Characters: shallow and uninteresting. Joan is a very typical "chosen one"; she knows everything, even though she's a total newbie to the world of monsters. She has all the solutions. She has the best ideas ever. She's secretly powerful. She's also super dramatic. Meanwhile, Nick is tortured between what he knows is right and his feelings for Joan, and Aaron comes across as a carbon copy of a certain haughty, snobby, rich, blond young wizard.

Writing: the writing could've used another run or two by an editor. There's a lot of repetitive dialog for some reason, but overall I guess it's pretty okay.

Plot: and this is where the true problem lies. This book doesn't make a lick of sense. The world building isn't consistent; the way the magic works is explained to us, and then later on, at a moment when Joan can't possibly be accessing it, the author tells us Joan had to snap herself out of it before she started using her magic. And this lack of consistency is a problem throughout the book. A truth serum that forces Joan to speak the truth, but also allows her to guess, and oh, she has to keep speaking her truth even when nobody is in the room to ask her any questions. All very convenient to maximize the dramatic impact, of course. In fact, convenient is a great way to sum up pretty much everything that happens in this story.

I really hoped I would like this more, but I don't see myself continuing this series.

I really like the UK cover because it‘s dark like story and you can see a medaillon playing a important role in the book.

You read the whole story from Joan‘s Point of view. She is a great protagonist because she’s brave and quickly managed to cope with her new situation. I admire her for boldness to ask question even when she fears the answer or nobody wants to answer. She loves her family fiercely for whom she would do anything despite her moral compass. I have a weakness for morally grey characters like Joan becomes.

The secondary characters are all very interesting because nobody is perfect. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and in this story monsters aren‘t always the bad guys while the hero maybe isn’t the hero. I love to follow characters being not the typical heroes.

I was very intrigued from the start because the story starts very fast and there was no boring moments. Joan learns about her family‘s secrets at the beginning and the readers are thrown into the world of monsters which is very interesting and exceptional. I‘m a big fan of time travels become a big part of the story. Many other unexpected events also happen, so it is always exciting and I couldn‘t stop to read the book. I don‘t want to tell more about the story because it would take the tension.

Vanessa Len has a very fascinating writing style. Therefore the story is easy and quick to read. My native language isn‘t English but I understand everything.

The ending is satisfied for the moment but there are open questions for the following parts. So I am very excited for them because I really love the characters and want to spend more time with them. I believe there still is a lot more potential for character developments and a love story.

CONCLUSION: 4,5/5⭐️
A fast-pacing story with morally grey characters

I downloaded this book because I love YA fantasy and I was intrigued by the cover and blurb.

Sent to stay with her late mother's eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her job at the historical Holland House, and when her co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place. Then a Good Samaritan attempt gone wrong sends Joan spinning through time, and her life begins to quickly unravel. Her family aren't 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. Because in this story, Joan is not the hero...

I have been raving about this book to anyone who will listen to me! It so clever and original; I think the last time I felt like this about a book was when I read the first Harry Potter, years ago. Vanessa Len has created an amazing world of 'monsters' and 'heroes'. Every detail is well-thought-out and completely believable, and the characters are wonderful. There's also the central dilemma: what do you do when you find out you're on the wrong side of good and evil? Believe what you're told implicitly? Or dig around a little further?

A fabulous, magical read, Only a Monster deserves to be a huge success. There are elements of Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire-Slayer, Back to the Future and Loki, but the story is told with a fresh, original voice and a modern twist. I loved it and I can't wait for the next one in the series!


Thank you to Vanessa Len and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

this book is difficult to review without spoilers so apologies if it seems vague - though this book relies on a lot of classic YA tropes, it uses them in a way that feels totally new and really exceeded my expectations. i never knew what to expect next in terms of the plot, and the time travel aspect absolutely threw me, but i still enjoyed it regardless. this book takes a bit of time to get going and i found the writing style takes a bit of getting used to. however, overall this is a brilliant YA debut, and i cant wait to see more from this author!

This was my last 5 star book of 2021, and I'm so happy! This was one of my most anticipated books of 2022 and it didn't disappoint one bit. A massive thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book, and I cannot stop thinking about it. This is another excellent debut novel which kept me engaged and intrigued from page 1. I loved the characters in this book. Joan was a great protagonist. She was strong and determined, despite being kept in the dark for so long. I loved how powers were introduced to Joan, it was a scenario and 'magic system' that I really didn't expect. I found Nick to be incredibly intriguing, and I loved seeing how his character changed so much throughout the book. I found this with Aaron as well, as he turned out to be a character I really loved reading about! The way he changed and his relationship with Joan and those around her changed was great to read. I loved learning about the different monster families, and learning about their special powers. It was a little difficult at first to remember all of them, but after a while I managed to get the hang of them.

I loved the worldbuilding and travelling in this book. I loved reading about all of the different locations in this book, and how places for monsters were woven into the 'human' world. I didn't take any notes when I was reading this because I was just so invested in it every time I picked up my Kindle. I loved the writing and how Vanessa Len kept my interest with every word. I could never guess what was going to happen next, or which direction the story was going in.

Overall I gave this book 5 stars. I can't wait for my preorder to arrive so I can reread it (and reread it again before the sequel comes out). This book was an incredible start to a trilogy, that I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more from. Congratulations Vanessa on your debut, I'm sure it's going to be a massive hit!!

Joan is staying with her late mother's eccentric family in London for the summer. Volunteering at a living museum, she has a crush on Nick, her co-worker. When she loses a day, she finds out that she is actually a monster with powers, like the rest of her family. But Nick is a monster slayer and she must defeat him! She is forced to work with Aaron Oliver, who is from another monster family that hates hers. But she is a monster, can she win? Should she win?

It begins as an easygoing and friendly narrative with humor that has you expecting the book to wink at you, and then the weirdness starts. At exactly the pace needed to absorb excitedly but completely, the descriptions put you in the scene, tickling your imagination, setting up the times (pun intended) wonderfully. The fact of being a monster and what that means exactly highlights the intrigue. It's not at all the kind of monster you expect and I applaud the author for her ingenuity. Her creativity is something to be in awe of.

The emotions are palpable, whereas the action is breath-stealing. You'll love the conflict between Joan & Aaron while they are stuck in an impossible situation. The plot unfolds in such an unpredictable but amazing way. We learn about this world alongside the protagonist as she tries to save her family. The story may be told from Joan's POV but it is all-enveloping of characters and events giving us a fulfilling account.

The book plays with the idea of who is actually a monster and who is actually a hero. Not everything is black and white, there are grey areas. It also deals with the idea of fate. Does it exist and can it be changed?

Full of mouth agape surprises, unexpected smiles and wonderful adventure, this is a race against time and its perils. I cheered for the wins, screamed at the pages, punched my fist in the air, wanted to both hug and/or kill the characters, I am totally in love with this book.

Characters – 7/10
This book really surprised me, and I enjoyed it so much. Unfortunately, I thought the characters were written a little young. Joan annoyed me in the beginning, she acted more like a 9-year-old than a 16-year-old. I don’t know why middle grade can write young characters that resonate with all ages, but YA struggles with it. I’ll dive into that another time. However, I liked Joan’s character growth throughout this book and she really grew on me towards the end.

Her relationship with Nick was a little insta-lovey. I did like him as a character and I wanted some more screen-time for him. Aaron Oliver though… can get it. I loved the relationship between him and Joan, as well as his friendship with Ruth. Hopefully, both will develop more in the upcoming books.

Atmosphere – 9/10
Only a Monster has a fantastic premise and I loved every minute of it. The worldbuilding was amazing, London was the perfect setting. I wish we did some more time travelling. Len did amazing research and every location and time felt so realistic. Honestly, I cannot wait for another book.

Writing – 8/10
Len’s writing is easy to read and completely sucked me in. I was hooked from about 30% when the plot really picked up. However, some of the language in the book did annoy me. In some places, it was more telling than showing, but I can definitely see Len’s writing improving toward the end.

Plot – 8/10
This book is really fast-paced, which I loved. For a debut book, this is really great. I would have loved it if it was like 100 pages longer. Joan just charges into this new world without knowing (or learning) anything about it. It annoyed me at first, and I hope we get some more lore in the next one.

Intrigue – 8/10
I like a morally grey character and story. Humans are not one thing, they have layers. I felt like some of the characters and moments in this book didn’t have enough layers. The “villains” are almost cartoonish in the first part of the book, and Joan has a very narrow view of what’s “right” and “wrong”. I need more layers.

Logic – 8/10
The magic system, in this case, the monster powers and time travel, is amazing. It’s such a good system, I just wish we knew more of the rules. Joan doesn’t really have any interest in learning how it works, so we don’t learn how it works. I also think the ending needed more build-up, especially considering how big of a moment it is.

Enjoyment – 8/10
As you can tell, I have high hopes for the next book in this series. I really enjoyed Only a Monster and I can’t wait to read more from Vanessa Len.

I HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR FOR THE NEXT ONE??????

I CANNOT SURVIVE THAT BUT I WILL BECAUSE I NEED THE NEXT ONE RN. OH MY GOD. this book??? this book was amazing and a reminder of why i adore YA fantasy! i can't get over how much i loved this book. five stars. all the stars. omg. i need to read more.

(i do wish we saw more soft and cute nick x joan scenes)

The concept of this is fascinating and the plot is new and unique, however, I felt like the execution was lackluster. I couldn't connect with any of the characters including the MC Joan. I found Joan to be a little one-dimensional and her character felt more than a little annoying in places. Also, so many things were brought up and then never addressed again. Also, how on earth could Joan have been THAT clueless?

I found the 'romance' to be ridiculous, there was barely any connection and it was all just told rather than shown, and felt like it was there just as a plot device. i wanted to like this more than I did but I just couldn't make myself love it. It was well written and pretty well-paced and I was content enough to keep reading it and finish it fairly quickly The cover art is beautiful.

After reading only three chapters i was completely hooked. This is such a original story with an unique magic system. The characters are flawed but likeable. There is timetravel, secrets and twists. I just can't wait to find out what happens next with Joan. Highly recommend this one! You won't be disappointed.

I got this arc inexchange for an honest review.

It's great to see another BIPOC YA Fantasy, and this book would be perfect for fans of the genre looking to broaden their reading diversity - but my main gripe with it is that it's a very 'ret-con' narrative. The narrator will breeze through descriptions in the lead up to a moment and then throw in an additional tidbit for the audience after the fact. For example, just after our MC and her love interest have kissed, we see a black car roll up outside. Now the audience has never seen this car before, and even though we've had barely any snippet of life for Joan (the MC) preceding the arrival of these cars, the narrator drops in that Joan has seen them before, when and where.

I think this narrative could have worked better with a more reliable narrator, or a closer perspective (1st person or closer 3rd), as it falls into repeating the key information to the audience, rather than building a mystery around monsters and what monsters can do.

I enjoyed the cousins, Ruth in particular, who has a fun bouncy energy but she wasn't in this book enough for my liking. I found it difficult to believe that the Gran would have a conversation with a 6yr old about something the whole family knew about, but then never brought it up with Joan again. It pulled me out of the story, as did several other later moments, and made for a jarring reading experience.

3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing with an eArc (Advanced Reader's Copy) in exchange for an honest review.

Only A Monste is a thrilling urban fantasy following a half-human and half-monster heroine on a time-travel adventure into a secret underworld ruled by monsters.

What to expect?
— Forbidden Romance
— Monster Court Heist
— Time-travel
— Fated Lovers who are Enemies
— Rival Families with Powers
— Biracial Asian Rep
— Magical Underworld/Secret Societies
— Monster POV
— Lovable side characters

I must say this book was a pleasant surprise because I haven't read a YA book that impressed me in a while but this is a unique and well-crafted story.

It's not everyday where you experience the story from a monster's POV, or in this case, a half-monster. I liked Joan and I found her to be an interesting multilayered character. This book dealt with themes of identity and grief and the author did an excellent job with how she allowed her heroine to deal with them.

There are many elements I liked in this book but since this is a review for an eARC, I can't write them in details yet. However, my main issues were: the pacing was unstable, some scenes felt they were dragged out, and the book suffered a bit from repetitiveness.

The time-travel was a tad confusing to me and I couldn't keep track of it.

Otherwise, it had a fantastic atmospheric world-building and a fun cast of characters.

I won't say I was attached to the romances but it did tug at my heart sometimes because of the forbidden romance trope. The heroine had to deal with the tug of war between her mind and her heart but still I will say the romance was underwhelming and had a weak execution. And oh, there was sort of a love triangle with Joan, Nick, and Aaron—which I'm not a fan of.

Another thing I want to highlight is what makes these characters compelling is the fact that they're morally grey. Whether you're a hero or a monster, you're not completely good or bad.

With that being said, I'm looking forward to what the sequel has in store.

I was really looking forward to reading Only a Monster, Hodder and Stoughton for the most part undoubtedly deliver where YA fantasy is concerned, but disappointingly this book didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s certainly an interesting combination of contemporary urban fantasy and the premise is intriguing, as is the magic system. The writing is okay but not complex or rich enough in description and it needed more plot development and twists and turns to hold my interest and satisfy my voracious YA fantasy appetite. Take away the sporadic sword-stabbing and occasional swear word and it came across as an over-exuberant and excitable middle-grade fantasy in which the author seems to spell everything out to the reader when it’s not necessary. I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Joan and Nick. Joan being a monster and Nick a monster hunter, their connection could have been intoxicating, smouldering and sizzled right off the charts, however it’s pretty weak as far as enemies-to-lovers romances go.

Even as a mature adult YA fantasy is one of my favourite genres but I’m sorry to say this one was far too young for my tastes. Nothing monstrous here I’m afraid but a fun and entertaining read with an intriguing premise and sadly not the dark, gritty and atmospheric fantasy I had been hoping for.

Thank you so much to Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to review this eARC.

This was one of the more imaginative fantasy novels I’ve read recently, it's for young adults but goes beyond that genre, and proves to be very surprising. i really liked how the author played with the interpretation of monsters. The balance between their human nature and the monster inside.

This is one of the most delicious, easy to consume and impossible to put down titles I've read in a while, while never sacrificing wit for the sake of this ease. I loved following Joan as a main character - there was something both endearing and fascinating about following someone that starts off (and arguably aims to remain) this innocent slowly descending into ... let us call it moral ambiguity. I loved how all these opposite forces were pulling Joan's heart in different parts, but ultimately the one thing guiding all of her actions was her love for her family. I loved reading about all of the monster families and their powers, but I loved even more to learn about each family member's endearing quirks and the way everyone came together in the Hunt household. I also unashamedly loved Aaron's presence in the story and the way he complemented the little team we follow for most of the story (AND AM DYING TO SEE MORE OF HIM).
I haven't felt the compulsion to read so much of a book in one go in ages, nor have I had the feral desire for the next book in a series quite like this any time recently.
The one thing that made this a 4 and not a 5 for me was the fact that the one relation that so much of the conflict rested on was a lot of telling and not showing (which makes perfect sense in the context of the story!), but didn't quite make me as invested as I should have been to fully buy it or have the emotional reaction it wanted for me.
Still overall a stellar read and I am dying to read more from this author!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After her mother's death, Joan hasn't spent much time with her maternal family, so she relishes the summers spent with her grandmother and cousins. At sixteen, she has no real concerns, apart from her crush on Nick, the handsome volunteer she works with at the local museum. So when she loses time while on her way to a date, she's understandably worried, and soon the truth is revealed: she and her family are monsters, one of a number of hidden families who can travel in time, but only by stealing time from humans. And there are those out to destroy the monster world, including Nick, who happens to be a legendary hunter. Nick soon discovers the truth about Joan, and after a horrific massacre, she has to work with Aaron Oliver, someone who hates her family, but understands the gravity of the situation they're in - particularly when all of the records indicate no massacre ever took place. Can they find the truth, and will Joan be able to embrace her monster side, and relish in the fact that she's not a hero?

I just loved this book! Honestly, I had no clue what to expect when I started it, but within minutes, I knew I would love it. The characters, from Joan, to Aaron, to her grandma, and even Nick, were so fantastic, that it was a joy to see the ups, and the downs, that occurred throughout the book. Also, being a history nerd, the time travelling aspect was definitely a bonus, but my main love was the plot. Joan discovers so much about herself, in a short amount of time, and for most people, she would crumble, but not her. No, Joan was strong, and she dealt with everything life had to throw her like a pro. She has to juggle the loss of most of her family, with the knowledge she's a monster, as well as that her crush wants to kill her and everyone she cares about. There's so many twists and turns, I was at the edge of my seat for so much of the book. One thing that some people might not be keen on is that there's a love triangle, and I definitely did have one favourite over the others. The ending of this book is one of the biggest cliffhangers I've ever read, and I'm desperate for book 2! Such a fantastic debut - go get yourself a copy!

Monsters aren’t the villains in this amazingly written story. The hero is the enemy, monsters can travel in time and there’s a mystery to solve. I loved the found-family trope, one of my favorites, and the impossible heist was just *chef’s kiss*
I enjoyed the characters and how they interacted with each other. The story is both plot and character-driven. I hope it gets the hype and success it deserves!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Vanessa Len for the opportunity to read the ARC. I loved this novel and I can’t wait to read its sequel!

WOW just WOW! I was fascinated by this story from the very first few pages. I immediately fell in love with the world and Joan. This book has a very unique story and the plot kept getting better and better. I loved reading every page of this book and there wasn’t a moment where I was getting bored.

I really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast paced story with time travelling and rich world building.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the digital copy.

4.5 Stars!

This one was such a fun read, with characters that were not overly complex yet very well wrritten, a plot that kept me guessing and an ending that had me reeling from whiplash and shock, making me wish this wasn't just the first in the series!

In regards to the characters, I liked Joan well enough but the real breakout character for me was Aaron and seeing him soften and change was well written. My favourite character had to be Tom, however. You never quite knew where things were going with him and when the truth finally came out, I was left feeling emotional in both good and not so great ways.

The plot was well written and easy to follow, with the world lore written into the book without being an info dump. I feel a couple of bits could have been developed a little more, but I suspect that may come in future instalments.

I also loved how the world came together and the direction the main plot took in regards to Joan and Nick. It left me with a sense of excitement for the next book, but also a twinge of disappointment as it did fall into a trope I am usually not overly fond of. But, maybe it won't follow it too heavily in book 2 so we shall see. All I do know is that whatever direction things are due to go, I am here for it.

Whatever lies ahead in book 2, sign me up because I am ready for the ride.