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eileenjs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
wrapmeupinplastic's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
indianahat's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is one of the first books I’m reviewing straight away in 2023 and it’s literally September, but it’s just that GOOD.
So, I read ‘Only A Monster’ back when it first came out and I remember thinking oh this looks cool and it’s shiny, so I took her home. I then decided the next day to give it a read and boy did I demolish that book in a day. So it was no shock for me to have brought the second book ASAP. Privilege of being a bookseller meant that book came straight out the delivery box and into my bag (note: I did pay for it first).
I did do a re-read of the first book prior and quickly fell in love again with the work of Vanessa Len, and boy oh boy did ‘Never A Hero’ hit me like a train. I don’t know what kind of crack Vanessa puts into her books but I am addicted.
There was a lot more Nick in this book then the first, and whilst I am not a NickXJoan endgame supporter, there story is still so tragic. Because they were in love, that deep raw passionate love, but as Joan often says it’ll never be as it was, not after everything (Thanks Eleanor U Suck). It’s so beautifully poetic and a great understanding of love heartbreak and grief. I am an Aaron GIRLY, and although there wasn’t much of him in the book for the first 50% when my boy finally did come in I was so glad to have him back.
My favourite characters however are my married couple. I love Tom and Jamie with every being of my heart. If you go back to my kindle notes of Only A Monster, there is a note when we have baby Jamie interaction that says “Indy don’t cry on a train in public over fictional men, queer as they may be” - I’d like it to be known I did cry on a train it’s just to pure. I did feel like Vanessa was being a tad mean to me tho. She gave me happy boys together, married with their beautiful daughter (fur-child) and then she ripped it away. Where is Tom, WHERE IS TOM VANESSA. How dare you end the book like that. Screw the new timeline, as a human if happily sacrifice my years for Tom and Jamie and Frankie to just be happy again, on their boat sunbathing.
I know earlier I said Screw Eleanor, but I think she is such a beautiful complex character, a bitch but still. I think if we had the book from her perspective the whole way through we’d feel different, and I can’t imagine the pain of losing her family remembering it and the only family she still has, Joan not even being able to recognise her. But Eleanor did say something that made me question details. In reference to past timelines she said Nick and that blonde boy, so in previous timelines did Aaron have a bigger role in Joan’s life?
I need the next book desperately. I can’t believe she ended it like that on a cliffhanger. I honestly thought Vanessa was better than that to leave us on a cliffhanger like that like why are Vanessa why would you do that? Am I not a good enough, can you please explain why you put me through that pain. I have many more thoughts about this book and will probably do many edits and updates to this review, as I slowly process what I read, and how it ended. But for now I cannot recommend this book in the series enough.
So, I read ‘Only A Monster’ back when it first came out and I remember thinking oh this looks cool and it’s shiny, so I took her home. I then decided the next day to give it a read and boy did I demolish that book in a day. So it was no shock for me to have brought the second book ASAP. Privilege of being a bookseller meant that book came straight out the delivery box and into my bag (note: I did pay for it first).
I did do a re-read of the first book prior and quickly fell in love again with the work of Vanessa Len, and boy oh boy did ‘Never A Hero’ hit me like a train. I don’t know what kind of crack Vanessa puts into her books but I am addicted.
There was a lot more Nick in this book then the first, and whilst I am not a NickXJoan endgame supporter, there story is still so tragic. Because they were in love, that deep raw passionate love, but as Joan often says it’ll never be as it was, not after everything (Thanks Eleanor U Suck). It’s so beautifully poetic and a great understanding of love heartbreak and grief. I am an Aaron GIRLY, and although there wasn’t much of him in the book for the first 50% when my boy finally did come in I was so glad to have him back.
My favourite characters however are my married couple. I love Tom and Jamie with every being of my heart. If you go back to my kindle notes of Only A Monster, there is a note when we have baby Jamie interaction that says “Indy don’t cry on a train in public over fictional men, queer as they may be” - I’d like it to be known I did cry on a train it’s just to pure. I did feel like Vanessa was being a tad mean to me tho. She gave me happy boys together, married with their beautiful daughter (fur-child) and then she ripped it away. Where is Tom, WHERE IS TOM VANESSA. How dare you end the book like that. Screw the new timeline, as a human if happily sacrifice my years for Tom and Jamie and Frankie to just be happy again, on their boat sunbathing.
I know earlier I said Screw Eleanor, but I think she is such a beautiful complex character, a bitch but still. I think if we had the book from her perspective the whole way through we’d feel different, and I can’t imagine the pain of losing her family remembering it and the only family she still has, Joan not even being able to recognise her. But Eleanor did say something that made me question details. In reference to past timelines she said Nick and that blonde boy, so in previous timelines did Aaron have a bigger role in Joan’s life?
I need the next book desperately. I can’t believe she ended it like that on a cliffhanger. I honestly thought Vanessa was better than that to leave us on a cliffhanger like that like why are Vanessa why would you do that? Am I not a good enough, can you please explain why you put me through that pain. I have many more thoughts about this book and will probably do many edits and updates to this review, as I slowly process what I read, and how it ended. But for now I cannot recommend this book in the series enough.
pinkknight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
This book moved a little too slow for me at first. Soo I still don't care about Nick. Not really a suprise. But I'm so so glad to see Aaron again. 260 pages was waaay too long to wait for him to show and he needed more time in the spotlight again. I'm still team Aaron all the way even though I'm highly doubtful Joan will end up with him. But I'm still praying.
phoenix2's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Never a Hero is the second book of the 'Only a Monster' trilogy.
This time around, and although we pretty much follow the same pattern as the first book, with a crime fueling a big escape that more or less ends up at the court and discovering huge secrets, but, this time around, Nick is the traveling companion.
I should point out that the author does a good job with the time travel genre and handles it masterfully.
On the other hand, the romance was just so so, though we had some bonding at last.
The secrets, moreover, were interesting and gave a new dimension to the story.
This time around, and although we pretty much follow the same pattern as the first book, with a crime fueling a big escape that more or less ends up at the court and discovering huge secrets, but, this time around, Nick is the traveling companion.
I should point out that the author does a good job with the time travel genre and handles it masterfully.
On the other hand, the romance was just so so, though we had some bonding at last.
The secrets, moreover, were interesting and gave a new dimension to the story.
jazzblue's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
maddy6688's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
4.5
soysilly's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
sarahsbooklife's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
Loved the performance by Vera Chok! She absolutely nailed it!
Great book, loved it, I thought was a very good sequel.
After how the fire book ended I had no idea where this book would be going. I mean Joancreated a whole new timeline where Nick wasn't the hero, they hadn't met, her family was alive, Aaron didn't know her, and no one else seemed to remember. Or at least they didn't remember everything like she did, Jamie remembers enough and the Lius do too.
I loved that this book went further into how time travel worked in this world and the morality of how monster travel affects Joan throughout the book.
So glad that this book showed even more of the monster world and a bit more of the politics of it as well. I would've loved to have seen more of the Hunts though, like Joan's gran, after all that she went through in the first book to bring them back.
Also... I'm team Aaron. I like Nick, he's a nice guy. But that's kinda it. I feel like the author wants us to like him and root for him and Joan, but I just find them kinda boring. Whereas Joan and Aaron I find so much more fun!I feel like Aaron must have had a part in Joan's life in the 'true timeline' because Eleanor kept mentioning him. So I think that he's going to have a bigger role to play than he has so far. (This is a major spoiler for the end of the book.) Also, what Nick did by killing the King to save Joan I think changed how she viewed him. She mentions throughout the book that Nick always does what's right, so I think it really shocked her when he killed the king.
I'm really excited to see what the next book will be like. Especially as I think it's the last one.
Each book so far has had a different timeline; book 1 = the king's timeline, book 2 = Joan's timeline, and then book 3 will have Eleanor's twisted timeline. I can't wait to see what that world is going to be like. I'm slightly scared that one of the main character's is going to die in the last book. Or they become erased from the timeline.
I'm really hoping that there'll be a happy ending. Or at least one that is a bit bittersweet if not completely happy.
Great book, loved it, I thought was a very good sequel.
After how the fire book ended I had no idea where this book would be going. I mean Joan
I loved that this book went further into how time travel worked in this world and the morality of how monster travel affects Joan throughout the book.
So glad that this book showed even more of the monster world and a bit more of the politics of it as well. I would've loved to have seen more of the Hunts though, like Joan's gran, after all that she went through in the first book to bring them back.
Also... I'm team Aaron. I like Nick, he's a nice guy. But that's kinda it. I feel like the author wants us to like him and root for him and Joan, but I just find them kinda boring. Whereas Joan and Aaron I find so much more fun!
I'm really excited to see what the next book will be like. Especially as I think it's the last one.
Each book so far has had a different timeline; book 1 = the king's timeline, book 2 = Joan's timeline, and then book 3 will have Eleanor's twisted timeline. I can't wait to see what that world is going to be like. I'm slightly scared that one of the main character's is going to die in the last book. Or they become erased from the timeline.
I'm really hoping that there'll be a happy ending. Or at least one that is a bit bittersweet if not completely happy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Confinement, and Blood
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Police brutality, and Animal death
Minor: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping