Early Review: Only A Monster (Monster #1)

Only A Monster (Monster #1)
By Vanessa Len

Published By: Hodder and Stoughton
Publication Date: February 17, 2022
Date Read: January 30, 2022
Genre: YA – Fantasy
Source: eARC from Hodder and Netgalley
Format: E-Book
Pages: 368

From Goodreads:
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.

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

Only A Monster is a book I knew I just needed to read as soon as Hodder announced it. It immediately sounded like something I would absolutely adore. I love books that challenge the ideas of hero and villians/monsters and having a book that is told from the perspective of the monster just sounded perfect for me. I saw so many bloggers and bookstagrammers raving about this one early on and I was so excited when the amazing Kate at Hodder gave me an eARC. I had such high expectations for this book and it surpassed each and every one.

Only A Monster follows our main protagonist Joan. Joan has always been told since she was small that she was a monster, but she didn’t really know what they meant. Until she suddenly comes into a power she knows nothing about. She suddenly finds herself alone in a world she knows nothing about with Aaron, a member of another monster feuding family, as her only ally. Can they put aside their differences to save both their families? And what about Nick, the boy Joan was falling in love with who happens to be the hero destined to kill all of the monsters?

I absolutely loved this book. It is a little slow to start with as the author is building up this world of monsters. There are so many different monster ‘families’ and they all have a slightly different power. I really loved this concept of different kinds of monsters. The beginning of the book seemed a bit like a lesson of learning the world and the different monsters, as I have come to expect with fantasy books. Once the events take a huge turn, it picks up and I loved every single second of it. I ended up devouring this one in a day.

Vanessa Len has done such a phenomenal job with this book. It’s honestly such a stunning book and a pleasure to read. One thing I loved was the fact that she really challenged the idea of the ‘monsters’. She doesn’t for a second romanticise them or make you believe they’re really the good guys. It’s so obvious they aren’t as they are hurting people for their own gain… but somehow she makes you love them and root for them anyway. And I loved that! Our main protagonist goes through an internal struggle as she comes to grips with being a monster, and I thought that struggle was done so well and really just made me love the monsters all the more.

Only A Monster has everything. Morally grey characters, an enemies to lovers romance (or two!) and a little twist of fate. I loved everything about this book and I am dying to read more in this world and with these characters. Already I am dying to get my hands on book two. If you’re looking for a new YA urban fantasy to fall head over heels in love with, then look no further. I promise you won’t be disappointed with this one. It is an absolute must-read!

“You’re important, I know you want your family back, but your life matters too.”