Only A Monster by Vanessa Len Review

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Title: Only A Monster

Series: Monsters #1

Author: Vanessa Len

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (UK), HarperTeen (US), Allen and Unwin (Aus&NZ)

Pages: 368

Release date: 17 February 2022 (UK), 22 February 2022 (US), 1 February (Aus&NZ)

Hello bookish friends, it’s finally 2022! If you’ve seen my Favourite Books of 2021 roundup post you’ll know that one of my most anticipated books coming out this year is Vanessa Len‘s stunning debut (which I was incredibly lucky to get a chance to read in advance) and I have to admit I’ve been utterly obsessed with it since!

It’s Brilliantly enthralling and has all the elements I love most in a fantasy: edge of your seat action, a brilliantly unique (and well crafted) magic system not to mention just how masterfully Vanessa Len blurs the lines between good and evil, in a magnificent twist on the Hero vs. Monster trope.

Trust me, this vividly immersive tale of time travel, forbidden romance and monsters is one you’re definitely not gonna want to miss.

✨you can also check out this Hodderscape quiz to find out your monster family✨

Summary

With the sweeping romance of Passenger and the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song, this standout YA contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, is the first in a planned trilogy.

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.

Review

I loved every second of this and literally devoured it and in record time too, literally any free time I had was spent sneaking chapters like my life depended on it.

One of the things I liked most was the world building, which was exceptional and no attention to detail was spared. As a born and bred Londoner sometimes books set in London can be a little annoying especially if the author hasn’t done research. But, that‘s definitely not the case here as Len’s Alternate London is a richly detailed treasure trove of the city’s heritage with incredible descriptions of London throughout history (there’s even mention of some iconic fashion trends) and I absolutely loved it.

I also wanted to take a second to say, in a sea of SFF books full of heroes slaying monsters, how utterly refreshing it was to actually have a monster for a protagonist, a such an incredible protagonist at that.

Joan is an incredibly endearing character who‘s just as new and unfamiliar with this world as we (the audience) were. Her struggle in coming to terms with her families’ abilities was well thought out and led to some interesting questions around morality and what makes a person ‘evil’.

There were also some intense romantic adjacent scenes between Joan, Aaron and Nick (there was ALOT of chemistry) but I loved that the story mostly focuses on Joan, her family and trying to save them, which was really nice.

One of the other things of that intrigued me was the time travel element, which was also well crafted and I absolutely adored that one of their stops happened to be my year of birth—I like to think a baby version of me just happens to be hanging around (and no one can convince me otherwise).

The pacing was really good and the non-stop action was undeniably, edge of your seat addictive—it’s a beautifully written and richly detailed twist on the Hero vs. Monster trope and I can guarantee that it’s the monsters you’ll be rooting for in this marvellously mind blowing, fantasy YA debut.

So, if time-travelling monsters and a heart wrenching, Romeo and Juliet-esque romance sounds like your thing, then I definitely recommend you check this out—it’s magnificent!

I’d also like to say a huge thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the digital arc.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.

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About The Author Vanessa Len is an Australian author of Chinese-Malaysian and Maltese heritage. An educational editor, she has worked on everything from language learning programs to STEM resources, to professional learning for teachers. She writes YA fantasy about girl anti-heroes, monsters, and enemies who are maybe in love.

She’s also a graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and lives in Melbourne, Australia. Only a Monster is Vanessa’s first novel.

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