Name: ONLY A MONSTER.
ISBN: 9780063024649

VANESSA. LEN

ONLY A MONSTER.

Caroline Clutterbuck Kapulkin

Beth Bartholomew

Liz Griffin

"Wherever you were,” she said, "I wanted to be there too. You were like the sun. I was always turning toward you."

fc ♡

"Traveling to other times is your birthright, Joan,” Aaron said. “It’s in your blood. You’ve been stuck here a long time, but you don’t have to be"

As she turned, a familiar voice drawled: “Well, look at you. Selling stolen goods like a true Hunt.” 

Aaron was standing by the table, arms folded casually. But his hair was wet and dark like it had been last night after his shower. Had he run out here looking for her?

What the—? Joan mouthed at him. What was he going to do with a cushion? Smother the intruder? 

Aaron mimed an I don’t know. He looked around for something to replace it with.

There wasn’t going to be a happy ending, she reminded herself. She was a monster and he was a hero. Everyone knew how that story ended. 

How do you stand remembering when no one else does?

Vanessa Len

In every story there is a hero and a monster. 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. Then a Good Samaritan attempt gone wrong sends Joan spinning through time, and her life quickly begins to unravel. 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.

Only a Monster

Something about a fantasy book with time traveling never gets old. The concept and theme somehow is still original and beautiful.

My girl Joan has my heart. She went through hell and back and still is a kind, loving teen. The end was anticipated & painfull. 

Honestly haven't enjoyed reading in a while like with this book. (Ofc there has to be a blond Aaron.)

Hard to sleep - I miss you, I'm sorry - Felt good about you by Gracie Abrams

Nina May

Something about a fantasy book with time traveling never gets old. The concept and theme somehow is still original and beautiful.

My girl Joan has my heart. She went through hell and back and still is a kind, loving teen. The end was anticipated & painfull. 

Honestly haven't enjoyed reading in a while like with this book. (Ofc there has to be a blond Aaron.)

Songs:

Hard to sleep - I miss you, I'm sorry - Felt good about you by Gracie Abrams

At first I was close to putting the book down and moving onto something else. But with a bit of a push it began to pick up a bit and after that I was hooked. 

I'm not a huge fan of the way she writes this book but the story is really good. I loved the characters and to me they felt real.

Would i read this again? 50/50, I would probably read parts of it but probably not the whole thing.

Overall, the story was good! I loved the characters and how joan doesnt just sit back and watch things happen, she is an active and strong female character. And the way the story progresses.

Phoebe Angus

At first I was close to putting the book down and moving onto something else. But with a bit of a push it began to pick up a bit and after that I was hooked. 

I'm not a huge fan of the way she writes this book but the story is really good. I loved the characters and to me they felt real.

Would i read this again? 50/50, I would probably read parts of it but probably not the whole thing.

Overall, the story was good! I loved the characters and how joan doesnt just sit back and watch things happen, she is an active and strong female character. And the way the story progresses.

More a 3.75 

millena

after reading this for the second time I feel one hundred percent sure to confirm that if joanaaron are not endgame I’ll start a riot

akynn 

nuélle

[5/5] 
I finished this book last night and that's all I have been thinking all day 
this book was amazing and I'm sorry to twitter moots in advance cause I'm going to be talking abt it non stop until the next book comes out 

love love loveeee all the characters so much and yeah aaron oliver is my soulmate cause I too would like to avoid getting myself involved in problems and lead a quiet life while reading books and eating👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

Nina Verhaaff 

I enjoyed it so much. It’s been a long time but with this one I got lost in a book again and forgot about the world around me.

Dominika

Wow… this was… a masterpiece. Oh my god. The ending… killed me in more than one ways. The PLOT TWIST!!! It was a little slow at the end, but is sooo worth it. I cannot, how am I supposed to function after this?!?! I NEED THE SECOND BOOK. Im so unwell. The story, the characters… everything is AMAZING in this book.

Ayça

3.5

This is a really great book so far. The only problem i have is that its 3th pov. I hate that. Other then that its great. I'm loving it and can't wait to finish the book and get the second one. I love the banter that Joan has with Aaron. Its an enemies to lovers hopefully. I had never seen this book before and when i saw it for the first time and read the blurb, i got really interested ( also bc the name Aaron was mentioned. ) The forced proximity is great and i cant wait to finish this.

Kelsey Joëlle

Ariel

3.5 or 3.6 /5
I liked the overall story and found the ending good but didnt LOVE it enough to givve it 4 stars.
A little disappoint with how the romance plotline ended but i understand why it is what it is.

Gillian Rose

4.5 stars

I ADORED this book. It was such a delight to pick up every night. I got a little worried at the beginning since something major happened right away, but she managed to keep the momentum and weave a very interesting story. The best part was the way she took on typical tropes and turned them on their heads so it felt a little fresh. Guh, I need the second book now.

Such a different book but I really enjoyed it. Definitely worth reading. 

Tina Abbott

Twisty and tense, Only a Monster sets a girl’s love for her family against the whims of the True Timeline!

If you like the time-travel wildness of Umbrella Academy or the concept of Variants in the MCU, this one might be for you! I was mildly confused at times, but so was the protagonist, and more is revealed in the third act. Also wasn’t thoroughly convinced by either prospect in the love triangle (but romance altogether is often a hit or MISS for me).

Twisty and tense, Only a Monster sets a girl’s love for her family against the whims of the True Timeline!

If you like the time-travel wildness of Umbrella Academy or the concept of Variants in the MCU, this one might be for you! I was mildly confused at times, but so was the protagonist, and more is revealed in the third act. Also wasn’t thoroughly convinced by either prospect in the love triangle (but romance altogether is often a hit or MISS for me).

This book takes the idea of heroes and villains to another level. It proves that who tells the story matters

Hannah Cromby 

Elisa Bieg

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Only a Monster is a YA contemporary fantasy with elements of urban fantasy, dystopia, and historical fantasy. It’s the first in a trilogy, but as it stands, it can be read as a stand-alone.

The book starts out strong, with a short prologue and then mysterious circumstances soon after, immediately creating an atmosphere of intrigue. It carries on at a good pace from there on, with good story progression and very intriguing (albeit slightly spotty) world building. 
The author’s writing is slightly plainer than I expected based on the general tones of her story, but she does a good job playing to her strengths, creating vivid imagery and effectively conveying the characters’s emotional state at any given moment and throughout the story, without any flowery prose. Most of the characters could have been better fleshed-out, but it’s YA and the first in a trilogy, so overall I think the author did a good job giving us enough to give dimension to their roles in the story and enough for us to connect with, which is no small task. 

Where I felt the book failed to deliver a bit was world-building and atmosphere. 
The mythology and magic system in this world is original and intriguing, with a “secret society” aspect and entire families carrying on this whole “monster” society for hundreds of years, and yet with all the details and all the variations in powers, they’ve somehow never come up with a better name for themselves than “monsters”?! 🤨
That seems a little unbelievable.
This society of supernatural beings with special powers and a sophisticated societal structure referring to themselves as “monsters” over and over felt childish and poorly fitting, and pulled me out of the narrative a number of times. The dichotomy between hero and monster could have easily been kept and carried on regardless, and the world building would have seemed more polished had the author given them a name. It’s a natural instinct to name one’s group so not doing so here feels contrived.

I also found the atmosphere a bit lacking, which was a little disappointing considering the themes and locations; and there were a few instances where I didn’t feel the sense of urgency and suspense the circumstances should have conveyed. 

But I liked the way the reveals and resolution were handled, and I really liked the characters — Aaron and Ruth are definitely my favorites, and if I decide to grab the sequel it’ll be largely due to wanting to know how their stories go on!

Overall this was a smooth read and a pretty good debut; not quite as well-developed as it could have been, but there is a lot of really cool stuff in it that will hopefully be explored better in the sequels. 

3 1/2 STARS

Lia Yuliana

Update 20/11/2021

Find my reviews on :  An Ode to Fiction
Official Release Date : 17th February 2022 (UK) & 22nd February 2022 (US)
Buy the book :
 Amazon |  Book Depository

3.5/5 ⭐️

ARC provided by the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


  
    “You’re a hero and I’m a monster,” she whispered, “There’s only one way that story ever ends.”
  


Only A Monster is a sickening twist in the classic chosen one trope proving to be a stand out amongst 2022 debuts.

In the month of November I decided to read as many as I can and this book is amongst the hopeful candidates in my NetGalley November TBR. From reading the premise the story is quite vague and didn’t give out a lot besides being an urban fantasy with the promise of monsters which I’m looking forward to. Based on my taste I do adore stories set in a modern world with fantastical elements blended into them so I try my best to not set my expectations too high. I went in completely blind beforehand to completely delete any prior expectations and it was an experience reading this book. Before I dive right in, let’s admire the cover art of both UK and US editions. The one I’m currently using is the UK edition done by Malaysian illustrator, After Blossom and designed by Lydia Blagden. While the cover of the US edition is done by Eevien Tan and designed by Jessie Gang. Both covers are truly remarkable in their own styles, with the UK serving a more eclectic approach compared to the tapestry-esque visuals of the US edition. Both are gorgeous and you’ll probably have a hard time picking which one to choose!


  
    If you were faced with two choices, you’d always choose the right one.
  


Only A Monster the debut novel by new up and coming author Vanessa Len set to release in spring of 2022. It is a young adult dark fantasy story set in 21st century London following Joan, a sixteen year old biracial girl that is spending her summer break with her mother’s eccentric family. On one particular afternoon Joan is off to meet her date Nick, a boy she’s been crushing on at her workplace. But things go completely wrong when Joan was trying to help a neighbor of hers and somehow she fast forwarded herself a few hours into the future. Joan is stunned not knowing what had happened during the scuffle to cause the time jump. Overnight Joan’s world is turned up side down as her family is hunted one by one by Nick that has sworn to save the world and kill all monsters including her. With the help of an unlikely ally Aaron of the Oliver family, the sworn enemy of her own family, she is thrusted into the world of monsters dead set to things right and save their families from a bloody fate.


  
    “Olivers see. Hunts hide. Nowaks live. Patels bind. Portellis open. Hathaways leash. Nightingales Take. Mtawalis keep. Argents sway. Alis seal. Griffiths reveal. But only the Lius remember.”
  


Vanessa Len’s debut is an ambitious concept weaving magic, fate, and timelines to create a fast paced time travelling thriller fantasy. The magic system in Only A Monster is the core of the story as it is the main plot tool that fuels the whole book. There is a stigma when it comes to time travelling stories as there is a pre-conception of it being used as an easy exit. That isn’t the case for Only A Monster as Len created a well balanced magic system with consequence and draw backs for using the magic. The checks and balances of the magic impressed me but it could’ve been much more interesting if it was explained more in depth. Len also added a twist in the magic that is connected the family lineage of the prominent monster families in the story. Each family has a unique characteristic and their lineage grants someone in the family to manifest a magical ability that is exclusively their own, adding a plus one to their stats as magic users. These families are connected to the politics of the world with their rivalries and prejudices of each other that I find intriguing.

Combining these amazing concepts with Len’s ability in writing an addictive and fast paced story Only A Monster isn’t an easy book to put down. The pacing for this story is a mediumly paced neither slow nor fast paced as it switches back and forth between the two, as the pacing and plot relies a lot on the characters. Pacing wise Len masterfully struck a good balance that made the reading experience much more enjoyable. Since Only A Monster is set mostly in London during different timelines—the world building’s only forms as a back drop for the characters. For readers that expect stunning visuals of an epic world Only A Monster isn’t that book because the world is a love letter to London and it’s ever evolving city scape through time.


  
    For monsters, blood didn’t come into it. Family was power and power was family.
  


Regarding themes the story shines light on, topics such as identity and family are weaved in the characterization of Len’s characters. Joan is a biracial girl born from a Malaysian father and a British mother. Joan has struggled with her identity and place in her mom’s family during the summers she spent with them. She always felt like an outsider looking in brushing off their family oddities as a normal thing. Even though Joan has these thoughts she loves her family dearly and would do anything for them as evident in her whole character arc. To an extent Joan’s characterization is well fleshed out and she developed slowly to become who she is by the end of the story. Though there are a few gripes about the certain parts of Joan that’s inconsistent during a few parts that hindered me from fully investing in Joan’s growth. Frankly, Joan is written like a gullible and clueless girl during the start of the story which is understandable for reasons I can’t explain because of spoilers. Personally, I have nothing against characters that are like this as long as they are written well and their actions made sense. As the story progressed I became more and more baffled by Joan because her cluelessness turned into plain ignorance that is fueled by her ‘instincts’ and ‘gut feeling’. I understand that this is a matter of preference and I shouldn’t be so worked up by this but I value characters a lot in books. If I slowly dislike a character it’ll break the story for me. Hopefully in the sequels Joan’s growth would be more significant as she learns from all of the incidents that happened in this first book.


  
    “Wherever you were,” she said, “I wanted to be there too. Your were like the sun. I was always turning toward you.”
  


Compared to Joan the development of the antagonist is more noteworthy for me. Nick’s whole story arc made the story all the more interesting and adds a twist that I didn’t expect. The complicated relationship between Nick and Joan is the tortured fated romance that got me shaking at the edge of my seat as Len pulls at my heart strings with their ill fated love. Nick’s character arc is also a sickeningly twisted version of the chosen one trope that got me thirsting for more. I’m looking forward to seeing him in the sequels because the potential in his arc is endless. The other characters such as Oliver and Joan’s cousin are lacking in characterization. In my opinion Oliver’s characterization could’ve been explored and developed further than in the story. Overall, the characterization in Only A Monster is good but not to the point that I am invested in them. There isn’t enough complexities in their being and depth in personality that can leave an impression on me. They are good characters with potential that I hope to see develop in the coming sequels.


  
    And, at the end of it, everything had changed.
  


Final thoughts, Only A Monster is a solid debut with an ambitious and intriguing magic system about a fast paced chase across time balancing fate and prophecies between two ill fated characters. Even though there are parts that I hindered from fully investing in the characters there are a lot of potential in the magic, setting, and the over arching main plot of the story that I’m looking forward to in the sequel. In my opinion, Len’s debut can be categorized as one of the strongest coming into 2022 with Len’s impeccable characterization and vivid world building. I can see a lot of readers enjoying this story and I highly recommend for everyone to pre order a copy or add it to their 2022 TBRs. For those who are curious about the book you can read an extract of the story here.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

Livia

I do think it's slightly unfair to be pitching this book as similar to This Savage Song in terms of monsters because this book is nowhere as dark as that duology. Not that I'm complaining, but I love monsters of verity so much, and the gritty nature, clear moral dilemma, and dark themes in it are what I was almost expecting. I'm thankful and disappointed that Only a Monster didn't end up like that.

Okay, despite my protest, I loved this book. I couldn't put this book down and devour this in a day. The beginning was interesting, I love the development of Joan's relationship with Aaron, her closeness with Ruth, and how the side characters are so intriguing to know too. But the last 15%... without any spoilers, I will just say that it completely ruined the 5 stars for me. And I will be saying my rambles, full spoilers, so beware.

(view spoiler)[HELLO, I DID NOT GET CORRUPTION ARC???? "She has to embrace her own monstrousness" Obviously she didn't, and even if she did steal all the human lives, it was only for survival purposes. The "soulmates in another timeline" concept is very interesting, and in other circumstances, I would've liked it. But that last 10% was literally just her narrating how Nick is that person and how she yearns for him. 

The thing is, we were being told this so many times in that last 10% that it irritates me to no end. Talk about being subtle about their relationship and then suddenly throwing us that amount of intense emotions going from "I really do like you, I wish this didn't happen to us" to "We are soulmates I want no one else aside from you". It throws me off so much. All I want, if they were indeed were meant to be a thing, is for their relationship DEVELOPMENT. Their stupid narrative of hating each other is a complete lie because Joan legit forgot about her mission the second she believes Nick is her "soulmate". And she is suddenly so self-righteous too? God, the last 15% threw me off so bad. It felt so disconnected to the earlier 85% of the book it's jarring as hell.

Also her development with Aaron... just GONE. They have such great potential together. Imagine them taking over their family's names and then getting to be the leader when they realized the timeline can't be fixed. It would've been so much better. But of course, it wasn't how it goes. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I really do love this book. I love the characters, especially Aaron and Ruth (would love to see them as BFFs ngl). But the last 15% was just too jarring for me, it took me out of the original plot and story.

Elathia

** spoiler alert **
           This book was really interesting. I think the way it's written is really unique but I'm kind of sad at the way it ended. 
No cliffhanger, and an open/ambigious ending is not something I'm used to, but I LOVED the characters and I hope we see more Aaron and Joan in book 2

Fleur Heikens

Loved this book, didn’t expect the ending. I can’t wait for the next part 

Marissa Luzio 

Wow!! This was way better than I was expecting and can’t wait to read more!! I can’t believe only book 1 is out, I just got so sad 😟

Maggie Hepditch

4.5. A very interesting take on what it means to be a "monster". I'm concerned the author has perhaps bit off more than she can chew with the power of these monsters but I'm super excited to see how this trilogy goes. Also excited to see how the romance progresses (will there even be one?????). Looking forward to the sequel.

Nicole Cousin 

IN LOVE with this book!! It was intriguing fast paced, easy to read and enjoyable. I loved the characters so much. The book had some twist I really didn't see coming, the ending was mindblowing because it really wasn't what i thought it would be. Honestly, I had high expectations from this book in absolutely delivered. I DESPERATELY want the next book.


Mild spoilers.....

I appreaciated so much Joan, and her heart. And even though she ould think some of her powers were horrible, and not used, she still did whatever she had to do to save her family and her own life. She felt morally grey in those moments, and it wasn't decisions took lightly, but knew what she had to do to survive.
Aaron was this in my opinion, coward, entitled kid, but that had so much more to give if given the chance. He protected his enemy who became more to him than we probably know. Honestly, I need more of him. 
Nick, I feel like I don't him much, and you kind of don't like him but at the same time I a bit of a sucker for "I don't remember you but I know I love you" type trope. 

The book was just amazing and I 100% recomment if you want something fun and intriguing.

Lisa van der Heijden 

Title: Only a Monster
Author: Vanessa Len
Narrator: Vera Chock
Length:11h 36m
Published: 22/02/2022
Rating: 3.8/5.0

Only a Monster was an interesting reading experience for me. It was interesting because I liked and disliked the story simultaneously. I liked the concept of the book and the characters. However, it is quite a dark story because the catalyst of the plot is a massacre. 

What makes Only a Monster special is its original use of time travel. People who are monsters can travel in time by stealing time from humans. Due to the time stealing element, time traveling is morally complex. This morality issue is central to the conflict in the book and one of the struggles of the main character. To save her family, Joanne must travel in time, but she does not feel comfortable with stealing time from innocent people. 

The plot was intense. It was dark (two whole family of Monsters were brutally murdered) and the stakes were high (changing time to save both families). The forced collaboration between the Joanne and Aaron, the heir of the rival family, created an entertaining dynamic and ultimately a sweet friendship. I thought the plot was quite surprising. Some of the plot twists I did not see coming. 

The characters were the weakest aspect of the story due to little character development, little clear communication, and Joanne thinks she can do a lot of things by herself. However, I did enjoy the dynamics between the characters, and the enemies-to-friends, and lovers-to-enemies components. 

In conclusion, Only a Monster surprised me. It was an engaging read and I look forward to reading the sequel. 

Rating breakdown: plot (4/5), characters (3/5), writing (3.5/5), worldbuilding (4/5), overall enjoyment (4.5/5)

Trigger warnings: Graphic violence, death of loves ones, massacre. 


The blurb offers a small look at what this book is truly about, which was wildly different plot that what I was expecting and I mean this in a very good way! I won’t spoil what the plot doesn’t tell you, but know that it’s well worth it!

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, they were fun and cheeky and really bounced off of each other well. They were a good little support network and I want to read more from them! 

Whilst there were some parts of this plot that left me thinking… but why? I generally really enjoyed it and thought it was a really fun and adventure focused read! Also a bit of a different type of magic system which was intriguing too. 

ONLY A MONSTER.

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