Joan is a caring girl, loving her quirky family, and her volunteer work at a local historical treasure, Holland House. Something, or to be precise, someone has also captured her attention. He too is a volunteer, and for no reason Joan can fathom, she has been drawn to him from even before they met. His name is Nick. Like her he loves the world of old, immersing himself in all that Holland House to offer.

When these straight-laced, law abiding teens break the rules and stay in Holland House after it has closed to the public, they not only experience other worldly apparitions, Joan discovers who and what Nick really is.

Earlier that day, Gran tried to explain a horrifying world Joan has been born into. She has always told Joan she’s a monster, but nothing she said now prepares Joan for the horror about to be unleashed.

Joan is a half human creature able to travel back in forth through time, but only if she takes something from the normal people around her. Suddenly Nick has taken something precious from her and she’s desperate to get it back, no matter what more experienced monsters tell her.

Jumping back and forth in time, searching for the answers she needs, Joan learns more in days about what she really is, than she’s learnt over her entire life. She’s desperate to prevail in her quest against Nick as she falls even more for him.

Reading deep into the night, I couldn’t put Only A Monster down. It’s not only a gripping fast-paced read, I enjoyed the clear straightforward style of writing and how the time shifts are effortlessly structured and explained. Parts of the novel reminded me a little of the wonder of Diagon Alley, and the horror of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London. There’s a touch of Ninth House in there too.

The plot’s many intriguing threads, pulled me through the story, always wondering what will happen next – then BOOM, a shock had me on the edge of my seat. Again and again this happened, making this a brilliant read – my first fave of 2022!

Author – Vanessa Len

Age – 14+

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Read a review of the next book in the series (Click on the Cover)

(2022, Allen & Unwin, Monsters, Heroes, Family, Grandmother, Cousin, History lovers, Historical, Time Travel, Action, Betrayal, Love, Attraction, Fantasy, Courage, Determination, Secrets, Escape)