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belle2022's review against another edition
5.0
This was such an easy, fast paced and intriguing read. The concept was unique and interesting and I’ve not really read anything that features time travel before. Joan Chang-Hunt is half-Chinese, half-monster and half-human. I have to say I liked the addition of her biraciality. There were some really cool parallels between her human heritage and monster heritage.
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the monster families in London and their family power. When you think about it, what’s the harm their power could do? But actually they are quite dangerous powers, I guess that’s why they’re all called monsters.
Now there are two male leads who both could be the ‘enemy’ and I wasn’t expecting it to end the way that it did but damn. I really liked it. Left much to be discovered in book 2. There are tropes in this book featured in many others but this one just felt different and fresh. I was most intrigued by Oliver and I knew there was more that he knew than he was letting on. Then there’s Nick, who was absolutely fascinating and I wasn’t expecting to learn what we did of him. Quite shocking.
I do wish the monsters were more developed and that we saw more of them and I think that the romance was a big thing which again could have also been developed more so that we felt more about the couple. There definitely could have been more. As I was thinking this was a standalone it fell flat, but knowing there is a book 2 gives me better hope for some of these things to be better fleshed out.
Favourite quote: “real monsters look like me and you” Overall I think it’s more a 4.5 stars, great for all readers!
I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the monster families in London and their family power. When you think about it, what’s the harm their power could do? But actually they are quite dangerous powers, I guess that’s why they’re all called monsters.
Now there are two male leads who both could be the ‘enemy’ and I wasn’t expecting it to end the way that it did but damn. I really liked it. Left much to be discovered in book 2. There are tropes in this book featured in many others but this one just felt different and fresh. I was most intrigued by Oliver and I knew there was more that he knew than he was letting on. Then there’s Nick, who was absolutely fascinating and I wasn’t expecting to learn what we did of him. Quite shocking.
I do wish the monsters were more developed and that we saw more of them and I think that the romance was a big thing which again could have also been developed more so that we felt more about the couple. There definitely could have been more. As I was thinking this was a standalone it fell flat, but knowing there is a book 2 gives me better hope for some of these things to be better fleshed out.
Favourite quote: “real monsters look like me and you” Overall I think it’s more a 4.5 stars, great for all readers!
annie_bordeaux's review
3.0
what i liked-
-aaron: this vain, dramatic hottie better end up with joan. i love his suits and am I sensing a one sided crush?
-the magic system: it was really creative and unique, and the historical vibes were amazing. it was executed really well, too.
-the morally grey-ness: ik i've seen people complaining about how "every fantasy book is morally grey now" or whatever, but i really like it in this one. the characters are genuinely doing morally questionable things not just being like "i'm a bad, bad guy
-aaron: this vain, dramatic hottie better end up with joan. i love his suits and am I sensing a one sided crush?
-the magic system: it was really creative and unique, and the historical vibes were amazing. it was executed really well, too.
-the morally grey-ness: ik i've seen people complaining about how "every fantasy book is morally grey now" or whatever, but i really like it in this one. the characters are genuinely doing morally questionable things not just being like "i'm a bad, bad guy
laurenslovelylittlelife's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thelittlestlibrarian's review
5.0
When I started reading this book, I never expected it to be so fascinating. The premise sounded fairly standard for books in the same genre, but I love books about London so I got it from Libby. OH. MY. GOD. this book is so good! I paused reading at the beginning to read about Holland House and was so confused to find no information on a museum that was described so vividly and sounded so real. I didn't realize until the end why I couldn't find any information on it! The true timeline is such an interesting concept without feeling overdone and I really enjoyed the details of it.
The world of monsters feels really original, and the different gifts of the families makes me really curious to know what families outside London are like. I'm also salty that Aaron and Joan weren't allowed to see each other again because they clearly had a bond and I'm sad they couldn't stay together in the timeline.
The world of monsters feels really original, and the different gifts of the families makes me really curious to know what families outside London are like. I'm also salty that Aaron and Joan weren't allowed to see each other again because they clearly had a bond and I'm sad they couldn't stay together in the timeline.
samsbookcase's review against another edition
5.0
Finished on December 21st, 2022
I rounded my eventual rating up to 5 stars. My younger self would've stayed up during the night to finish this book, but my older self knows I shouldn't because I need my sleep. So I reluctantly put it down for me to finish this evening.
I said the following on one of my updates:
Do you know those books that you’ve been putting off reading for a while but then you start and you get sucked into the story immediately, forgetting everything around you and you’re not able to put it back down because you NEED to know what happens next? That is this book.
And it truly is. I would recommend it to anyone that loves YA Fantasy. This book had monsters, time-travel, family bound powers, lovers to enemies, enemies to potential lovers, dealing with trauma, finding comfort in someone you never thought you'd find comfort in, lots of loss and grief in more than one way. It was fast paced, keeping you on the edge of your seat during all times. This book has so much. I felt as conflicted as Joan was during the entirety of the book. Hero vs Monsters. So wonderfully complicated and enthralling.
That last chapter was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time and has me yearning for more. I genuinely can not wait for the sequel to come out, to see what else is in store for Joan.
I rounded my eventual rating up to 5 stars. My younger self would've stayed up during the night to finish this book, but my older self knows I shouldn't because I need my sleep. So I reluctantly put it down for me to finish this evening.
I said the following on one of my updates:
Do you know those books that you’ve been putting off reading for a while but then you start and you get sucked into the story immediately, forgetting everything around you and you’re not able to put it back down because you NEED to know what happens next? That is this book.
And it truly is. I would recommend it to anyone that loves YA Fantasy. This book had monsters, time-travel, family bound powers, lovers to enemies, enemies to potential lovers, dealing with trauma, finding comfort in someone you never thought you'd find comfort in, lots of loss and grief in more than one way. It was fast paced, keeping you on the edge of your seat during all times. This book has so much. I felt as conflicted as Joan was during the entirety of the book. Hero vs Monsters. So wonderfully complicated and enthralling.
That last chapter was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time and has me yearning for more. I genuinely can not wait for the sequel to come out, to see what else is in store for Joan.
scifi_sama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
nattisue17's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
The FMC is hard to like, in my opinion. I didn't super enjoy this read
yulie's review against another edition
3.0
There are a few glaring faults to this, but I found it extremely fun and easy to read. Does Joan get a little exasperating sometimes when she willingly explains away or ignores obvious cues? Yes. Is it a bit irritating when she willingly puts people into danger for her own agendas? Yup. But it's whatever, it's part of the YA energy and she's definitely on the better side of YA protagonists since she's actually useful and remorseful about things.
Aaron deserves better though and I'm 1000% more interested in him than Nick. Nick is so boring I want to cry whenever he's back on the page.
What I will excessively praise, though, is how much I loved all the cultural representation in this. Reading about Joan's family and the foods and the memories she had was really heart-warming. It's nice being represented!
Aaron deserves better though and I'm 1000% more interested in him than Nick. Nick is so boring I want to cry whenever he's back on the page.
What I will excessively praise, though, is how much I loved all the cultural representation in this. Reading about Joan's family and the foods and the memories she had was really heart-warming. It's nice being represented!
eirelynbird's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.0
t_jenkins's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0