Joan Chang-Hunt is spending the summer with her grandmother, cousins, aunt and uncle in London.
And then everything changes.
Joan’s grandmother has always been… different. In fact, all her relatives on her late mother’s side have always had quirks.
I’ve been light on the plot description here, but I’ve done it on purpose as I don’t want to give away any of the secrets and spoil this whirlwind of a novel. It’s such an immersive and addictive read. It’s something you’ll want to experience for yourself — every mystery, every plot twist, every secret.
I haven’t read a novel quite like this before. It has all the elements you want: mystery, love, fantasy, action, adventure. But it’s all spun from a new and different perspective — from the perspective of the monster, the baddie, the one who isn’t the hero and isn’t there to save the world.
All the characters are rich and deep in this novel. Each has strengths and each has flaws. They’ll make you question right and wrong, and which side you should be on. They will make you think about actions and consequences and the hard choices we are faced with throughout our lives.
If you’re looking for a new urban fantasy YA read, I highly recommend you grab a copy of Only a Monster. It is fresh, addictive and oh so satisfying.
P.s — this is Aussie author Vanessa Len’s first YA novel (and what a debut!), and I’m excited to reveal that my investigation of her website revealed reference to the monsters’ ‘trilogy’. I really, really hope for my sake (and yours) I know exactly what this means!
Title: Only a Monster
Author: Vanessa Len
Publisher: Allen and Unwin, $22.99
Publication Date: February 2022
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781760878313
For ages: 13+
Type: Young Adult Fiction
February 20, 2022 at 11:36PM Shaye Wardrop
