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bluemorris129's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4.5
redlondonroamer's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
"you're dead"
"Aren't we all" he said "somewhere on the timeline"
(The .5 is only because I did enjoy it at a certain point and then, ultimately, let me back down)
I'm in the process of reading through my Fairyloot backlog. Up next is Only A Monster (when I was still subscribed to YA) and boy is this YA. I hated the whole "monster" and "hero" titles and thought they could be called something more creative.
My issues with the book were mainly the characters, as I had no attachment to any of them and even throughout the book could care less if they succeeded with their goal of changing the timeline.
Joan is so annoyingly naive. She's constantly told to tread lightly or not discuss things at all and then loudly and bluntly asks her questions (which are sometimes considered treasonous).
Aaron fell flat because he was clearly just supposed to be the love interest Joan butts heads with and "they won't know they like each other until a specific moment"
Nick. Murderer. Don't care about him at all.
The idea of being able to steal time from humans was incredibly interesting but they lost me at Buckingham Palace when Joan is unsure if she's gotten enough time to which Aaron says that it doesn't matter. Joan running around the city trying to figure out how to change the timeline (while being incredibly annoying in doing so) combined with Aaron practically rolling his eyes in the background led me to pretty much skimming through the book.
And I hate when books have such a convenient event happening despite saying it hasn't happened in centuries and there probably won't be another one .. for centuries. . but don't worry, this event is in 2 days.
By the 64% mark I was just wanting this book to be over and done with and I was so glad when it was. The ending was so forgettable and I'm sure in 2 days I'll have forgotten all about this book.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I'm so glad this is the start of a series and not a standalone. When I finished reading, I wanted more! I loved this! It was so original and just fun to read.
nicolebirnbaum3's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book, and I thought it was fascinating how Vanessa Len was able to describe the complexities of time travel. The coolest part of the book was being able to see pockets of time inside a completely different time period. I do wish there was a bit more explanation about Joan’s power and how it worked at the end but I assume that will be covered in more depth in the second book.
aspnes's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.5
3,5⭐️
I really liked it. It was a fast-paced and fun read that felt like a classic ya, perfect for getting out of a reading slump!
As for the love triangle, I don’t know who I prefer since that wasn’t the main focus and I feel like the story could go either way which I don’t mind. I enjoyed both the reluctant alliance between Joan and Aaron, and the lovers-turned-enemies vibe between Joan and Nick. After the ending I’m kind of leaning towards Nick, but in the next book I think the table, of allies and enemies, will turn so I guess that might change!
I really liked it. It was a fast-paced and fun read that felt like a classic ya, perfect for getting out of a reading slump!
As for the love triangle, I don’t know who I prefer since that wasn’t the main focus and I feel like the story could go either way which I don’t mind. I enjoyed both the reluctant alliance between Joan and Aaron, and the lovers-turned-enemies vibe between Joan and Nick. After the ending I’m kind of leaning towards Nick, but in the next book I think the table, of allies and enemies, will turn so I guess that might change!
amelie_k5's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emleemay's review against another edition
4.0
“I mean it,” she said. “You’re dead.”
He gave her his familiar solemn smile, the one that he’d given her all the time at the house. “Aren’t we all,” he said. “Somewhere on the timeline.”
[b:Only a Monster|58210340|Only a Monster|Vanessa Len|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624641211l/58210340._SY75_.jpg|80140444], as of my writing this, does not release for another five months. I didn't actually mean to read it right now. I was just going to sample the arc, read a few pages, see if it was something that might interest me down the line... then somehow I seem to have ended up here at the end, a little bleary-eyed and disoriented.
I burned myself out on YA urban fantasy some years back, but it looks like I'm ready to get back in the game because I inhaled this. It contains some tropes of the genre-- teen girl comes into new powers, hints of a love triangle, heroes vs villains --but it subverts some too. In this book, you find yourself on the side of the monsters: moral dilemmas, grey areas, and all.
“Monsters look like giant spiders,” Joan said. “Or like robots.” She’d seen enough cartoons to know. Gran sometimes told jokes without smiling. Maybe this was one of those times.
But Gran’s eyes weren’t shiny with a held-in joke. They were serious. “That’s pretend monsters,” she said. “Real monsters look like me and you.”
The protagonist, Joan, comes from a family of time-travelling monsters on her mother's side. They can leech time from humans, essentially shortening their lifespan, in order to travel through time themselves. But there's long been rumours and myths about a hero who will come along and slaughter them, saving humans from their life-sucking powers.
As luck would have it, it turns out said hero is much closer to Joan than she could ever have guessed, and his presence causes a horrible tragedy that threatens everyone Joan cares about. She is forced to travel back in time to try and right some wrongs before they even happen.
I found a lot of this story thrilling. The stakes were high, the potential losses catastrophic, and the secrets mysterious and exciting. Different monster families have different powers and discovering them all is an adventure in itself. I also loved the references to British history and the strong sense of place I got from all the different settings. I am very glad to see we can expect two more books, though, because I still have SO MANY QUESTIONS. Not in a bad way. I can't wait!
“You’re a hero and I’m a monster,” she whispered. “There’s only one way that story ever ends.”
As for the romance(s), I didn't mind it. To be fair, while there were some flirty elements, the romance mostly waits in the wings until the end of the book. Unless the author is my kind of evil, I think it's pretty obvious what the endgame is on this front. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going for the main ship. Partly because star-crossed isn’t my jam, and partly, I think, because I’m a masochist who likes to hitch myself to sinking ships.
Spoiler
Also, Aaron is just more fun than Mr Morality over there.The ending wraps up this chapter, but it is FAR from over. Now, I wait.
Quotes taken from advance review copy and subject to change.
snowy_b's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
2.75
honestly i wish i liked this more.
the concept was interesting, it had potential but it just all felt like it was not quite fleshed out.
the characters weren't explored super in depth and even the ethics of the magic system were mostly glossed over. i would have loved to see the actual consequences of taking too much time rather than just being told that it would be bad.
also would have loved to see more of the other families' powers, but maybe there's more in book two. the love triangle could have been a lot more explored as well, though i understand that this is not a romance novel.
overall, intriguing premise but disappointing execution.
the concept was interesting, it had potential but it just all felt like it was not quite fleshed out.
the characters weren't explored super in depth and even the ethics of the magic system were mostly glossed over. i would have loved to see the actual consequences of taking too much time rather than just being told that it would be bad.
also would have loved to see more of the other families' powers, but maybe there's more in book two. the love triangle could have been a lot more explored as well, though i understand that this is not a romance novel.
overall, intriguing premise but disappointing execution.