Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

45 reviews

kspag206's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What I loved: 
1. The concept 
2. The plot twists 
3. The pacing 
4. The way the author ripped you apart within the first 100 pages 
5. The fact I actually was invested in the story 

What I didn’t understand/ didn’t like: 
1. The fact that she really wasn’t that “bad” until the very end of the book. 
2. That the only thing that makes people monsters is the ability to steal time 
3. The family powers, and how they are useful in anyway or monster like. 
4. The gigantic descriptions of settings. That’s just a huge pet peeve of mine.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Blood

calcifiend's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Grief

Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content

katiemcgregor's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

To be honest, I've always had a difficult time wrapping my head around time travel stories so I'm, by no means, an expert. But I do think that Only a Monster is well done and clever. It delivers more than I've come to expect from YA and I'm a big fan of the morally grey dilemmas Len incorporates into the story.

Maybe it's my lack of time travel understanding or the fact that this is only the first in the series, but I do wish a few things had a little more explanation behind them. I'm going to assume that my questions will be answered in the next books.

For the most part this was fun. It didn't completely command my attention, but I did enjoy picking it up and immersing myself into the interesting world Len created.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Racism, Death of parent, and Classism

catorureads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I just want to give Aaron a big hug #TeamAaron

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Blood, and Genocide

Moderate: Violence and Torture

Minor: Racism

gssll_lpz's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Child death, Death, Drug use, and Murder

lit_with_lauren's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Blood

maryannc's review

adventurous mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Xenophobia, Murder, Violence, and Racism

Minor: Torture, Death of parent, Blood, Alcohol, Confinement, Cursing, and Abortion

kirstenf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Xenophobia, Emotional abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement

marareading's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

The premise is great, but the ending is flat. I loved the hidden magic. One of my favorite tropes is generational magic as well. Fueding families definitely gave that Romeo and Juliet vibe. There was a lot that was left lacking with Nick and Joan in the end. I wanted more explained about the royals, the court, her magic, the magic world. The ending felt too abrupt and convenient. Even now knowing there will be a sequel it still felt too quick and unexplained.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Death, and Forced institutionalization

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death

Minor: Racism and Violence