(Monsters #1)
by Vanessa Len
February 1, 2022
Goodreads Summary:
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.
Review
Only a Monster is a good start to the Monsters trilogy. While I did find the writing to be a bit slow, the story caught enough of my curiosity to keep me reading. I definitely want to know!
What I Liked:
- interesting monster, time-travelling concept
- lots of quiet anticipation
- discussions of morality
- a diverse cast of characters
- nice build up to the relationships
- star-crossed romance
- a creative twist with Nick's backstory
- seeing the family powers in action
- I am quite intrigued by the Oliver family
- clever to keep us wondering about Joan's true lineage
The Not So Much:
- the first quarter of the book was quite slow
- how to time travel was confusing at first
- despite Joan and Nick's history, I wanted to see more development in their feelings
"She was so morally compromised now." (p. 281)
I still need to read this one myself! It was in two book boxes last year and I decided to get both of them for cover purposes! Lol! They were both too cool to pass on! Glad to see you enjoyed it for the most part. I'm hoping I can pick this one up this year at some point. Fingers crossed! Nice review!
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