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

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

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


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

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

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

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

I’m completely in love with this series!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year as Only a Monster was one of my top reads of 2022, so I was so excited to receive and e-arc of this book! This was a great sequel which many twists and turns - when can I read the next one? (hopefully with more Aaron next time)

I had so much fun reading it and found myself reading it instead of sleeping. Without spoilers, I can say that it was interesting to see the characters from the first book in another environment, and I think that the author understands perfectly the world and rules she has created.

I recently read Only A Monster, which was a solid read, and was intrigued to see where the story would take us in the second book.

I think the whole concept of this series is so unique and I like Vanessa's writing however I just could not get into this one.

Nick was my least favourite character from the first one so to see him become such a prominent character in this one just frustrated me.

I tried to give this one a shot but I really couldn't mesh with how Joan was acting sadly. I'm gutted because I hate dnf-ing books in a series but I just don't see myself wanting to carry on with this one.

I am interested in seeing what Vanessa writes after this series as I do like her writing (which is why I've given this 2 stars).

Never a Hero was one of my most anticipated books of 2023. After loving Only a Monster, I was pretty excited to read about the events that followed up. Sadly, while I liked the book, it did not live up to my expectations.

The second half of the novel was definitely better than the first. I'll admit, I don't really like Nick., so I was annoyed at how Joan kept dragging him everywhere despite his track record. After the end of book two I thought the author would leave him aside for a bit to finally develop Joan and Aaron's relationship, and I was really looking forward to see it, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I feel like there was a lot of missed potential there, with Aaron's memory loss and them being enemies.

Despite those issues with the romance, I still enjoyed the book, since that's not the main focus. The plot is the biggest strenght of this series. I love how unexpected it is. It is fast paced, super entertaining and impossible to predict what's going to happen next,

Overall, I would give this 3.5 stars. I still prefer the first installment, but I'm definitely curious to see what happens on the next one!

Never A Hero, a much-anticipated sequel that did not disappoint. Like its predecessor, you're immediately thrown into the action with little time to acclimate. I found myself a little lost at first, trying to recall the many characters but once I had found my footing I remembered why I loved Only A Monster so much.

The book itself is long enough to keep you entertained while short enough to not feel repetitive. I loved the ending and how it built up to book three. The reveal was enough to throw me off balance and I could barely see it coming.

Needless to say, I am so excited for book three and will always be available if Harper Collins or Vanessa Len need someone to sample it!

I preferred this to the first, so I’m rounding my rating up to 4 stars whereas with the first book I rounded it down to 3 stars, definitely recommending this series to anyone who enjoys this sort of genre or who is intrigued by the description.

I was not impressed by the first installment, and neither am I with the second. However, it was interesting enough to want to contine reading the series!

First things first, this book was more gripping and the plot stronger than it's precedessor's. My main problem with this book is that I never cared much for Nick in the first place, so in this one, with everythin that's happened in the first book, particularly the history between Joan and Aaron erased, I found Nick even more uninteresting.

I do hope, however, that the third book will resolve many issues and lead this series to the end it deserves!

The twists and turns this one served had me gasping every now and then. I loved how fast paced it was, and the word building was chefs kiss good, made it easy to grasp. But that ending was respectfully, very brutal; as I have had to mend my heart. Can’t wait enough for the next one already

I had a lot of expectations going into this one after the first book in the series and I am so glad that it did not disappoint!! Len continued to wow me at every turn with her gorgeous story, just as she had in Only In A Monster. The writing was crisp and the story engaging. There were enough plot twists to keep me on the edge of my seat. I binged this book in a matter of hours, just as I had done for the first book. It was absolutely impossible for me to put it down. It was just that good. But, after that ending, I'm going to need the next book ASAP because I need to know what happens!!

JUST AS GOOD AS BOOK ONE! Really enjoyed this, loved diving back into this world and already need a second book please 😍

The series is definitely underrated and I highly recommend it. Loved seeing the characters again and seeing the consequences of Joan's actions from the first book.

“Life means something.”

I loved Only A Monster so I was super excited to pick up this book. As it’s a sequel I’ll keep this slightly vague as to avoid spoilers.

I have to admit I struggled with the first third of this book. After som quite action-packed first few chapters, the story slowed immensely. There were a lot of descriptions and internal monologuing which always tends to slow my reading speed and thus it took me an age to get to the 35% mark. Once I reached that point, however, the story picked up and I became fully invested. I flew through the rest of the story. It seems I just needed to find my feet.

The characters are still an interesting mix and in this book it definitely felt like we got to see more of the strange dynamics between people from different families and on different sides. Seeing how the dynamics had changed from what they were like in the first book was also an interesting experience.

I love how Len approaches the theme of morality in these books. When time travel comes at such a heavy price, is it worth paying? I definitely found myself on both sides of that question throughout the story. Different characters’ thoughts on this topic are brought up and discussed often, and it’s almost impossible to decide whether you’re on the monster side or the human side. You want time travel and sometimes you even need it but is it ever the right thing to do? In short, if you like reading about morally grey issues (and characters), this is the series for you.

The story built up to an exciting ending and I’m definitely ready to pick up the next book whenever it is released.

Thanks Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the chance to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Never A Hero is out on August 29, 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance reader copy of Never a Hero to read for an honest review.

Never a Hero follows the aftermath of Only a Monster Jane has reset the timeline saving her family and destroying the hero, Nick.

However in the new world she alone remembers what happened and that there is an enemy out there. Her friend Aaron has forgotten all that happened and is now an enemy. Nick the boy she loved is a stranger who doesn't remember her.

After a deadly attack forces Joan back into the world of monsters she and Nick are on the run as fugitives with Aaron chasing after them.

On the way Nick is getting dangerously close to discovering the truth of what happened to him. Joan must gather her old allies to face the enemy and save the timeline before it is too late.

Like Only a Monster I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down.

I just love the characters and the world building fascinating with the monster world running parallel to the human world.

In this book we learn more about the enemy and what their plan was before Joan undid the hero.

While I loved the dynamic of Joan and Nick being on the run while being hunted down by the monsters I did miss the presence of Aaron this time initially at the start. Hoping he gets more time in the 3rd book!

Overall I thought the story was well crafted and that the book was such good fun a YA fantasy you could just sit down and read in one sitting. Already looking forward to the third installment!

Well.

This book starts out pretty great. Joan is still struggling with the changed timeline and the facht that no one but her remembers what happened, including Nick, although he is still pulled towards her. But when monsters appear to hunt her down and Nick ends up in the crosshairs, she can only save him by pulling him right back into this life. And when Aaron turns out to be behind it all, ready to kill Joan, suddenly there are so many more things about this timeline that are very much not perfect.

Unfortunately, after a good start, the book slowed down quite a bit. There were so many similarities to the first one. Joan is on the run again (although this time with Nick and it was nice to see more of him this time). All the other characters also return. While I did like to see them again, it got a bit frustrating to have the same spiel of them not remembering anything again and again.
Sadly, there was also way less Aaron in this book. It was focused more on Nick, but let's be real - while Nick is a fitting character, Aaron is just so much more interesting.

After half the book was over, it started to pick up again and after three quarters the real excitement began, when everything started to make sense. I gotta give it to Len - she made a couple of pretty smart moves in this, mirroring the first bookin a way that made complete sense once I payed attention to it and that really worked with the storyline. Some parts of it might even be called brillant - but unfortunately the first half was still boring.

I did like how the problems of resetting the timeline got discussed in depth. It's something many books simply gloss over because paradoxes are obviously a pain to write, but this book did a great job of showing how changing one thing might have a big impact on others.

The ending had a couple of interesting twists, some I enjoyed, some I didn't enjoy that much.

I am however really looking forward to the next one (which is hopefully the final one?)

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joan Hunt is a monster with a special ability to undo what has been made. After she has Unmade the Hero, many monsters lives are saved and her family lives once again. However, in this new timeline, not everything is as it once was. Joan now finds herself at odds with a new enemy, one who knows about her forbidden power. Now old enemies become allies and old friends become new enemies. Can Joan find a way to bring her previous friends back together to save the new timeline before it’s too late?

What a read this was!

And can I just say, I loved the improvement. Only a Monster was a fun read, but a lot of it felt really underdeveloped and I’d been surprised it had gotten past the editorial stage. Never a Hero really takes the time to lay out the characters and problems take their time to be resolved.

Often with novels that include time travels and timelines, it can be hard to keep up. Len writes in a way that makes the time travel aspect simple to understand so that readers can focus on the flow of the story.

I was sucked in from the very beginning. I adore these characters and I love getting to see the subtle ways in which the new timeline has changed them. Every twist was so unpredictable, I truly felt as though I was there with Joan unravelling the mystery one thread at a time.

I am losing my mind at that ending and I will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series!

I love love loved Vanessa Len's Only a Monster, and so was equally excited and hesitant about the sequel - could it live up to the first in the series? The answer I am super relieved to say is a resounding yes. Never a Hero is just as original, just as tightly plotted, just as filled with adventure and emotion and creative world building as its predeccessor, marking Len as one of the most exciting writers in YA fantasy today.

The book starts a few months after Only a Monster ends. Joan is back at school, back at her weekend job, back in her normal life - only it's not normal. The timeline she changed to turn Nick back into a normal boy and not a hero created by torture and fear, to save her family, is ever so slightly different to the original. It's not just that Joan is the only person to remember the summer, but there are people missing, teachers her friends don't remember for instance. And most disturbingly Nick is here, the new boy at school, just a normal boy, not a hero, and he doesn't remember Joan at all. But things don't stay settled for long and before she knows it Joan is back on the run, this time with a Nick who has no idea who is chasing them or why, or who he used to be. Joan is caught between her feelings for Nick and realisation that it won't take much to turn him back into a monsterkiller putting her family and friends at risk once more.

Twisty, clever, unpredicatable and exciting, this series is shaping up to be a classic. Highly recommended.