Sent to stay with her late mother's eccentric family in London, sixteen-year-old Joan is determined to enjoy herself. She loves her job at the historical Holland House, and when her co-worker Nick asks her on a date, it feels like everything is falling into place. Then a Good Samaritan attempt gone wrong sends Joan spinning through time, and her life begins to quickly unravel. Her family aren't 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. Because in this story, Joan is not the hero...
I have been raving about this book to anyone who will listen to me! It so clever and original; I think the last time I felt like this about a book was when I read the first Harry Potter, years ago. Vanessa Len has created an amazing world of 'monsters' and 'heroes'. Every detail is well-thought-out and completely believable, and the characters are wonderful. There's also the central dilemma: what do you do when you find out you're on the wrong side of good and evil? Believe what you're told implicitly? Or dig around a little further?
A fabulous, magical read, Only a Monster deserves to be a huge success. There are elements of Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire-Slayer, Back to the Future and Loki, but the story is told with a fresh, original voice and a modern twist. I loved it and I can't wait for the next one in the series!
Thank you to Vanessa Len and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.
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