ONLY A MONSTER CAN KILL A HERO by Vanessa Len

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*The sweeping romance of Passenger meets the dark fantasy edge of This Savage Song in this stunning contemporary fantasy debut from Vanessa Len, where the line between monster and hero is razor thin.*

Don’t forget the rule. No one can know what you are. What we are. You must never tell anyone about monsters.

Joan has just learned the truth: her family are monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers.

And the cute boy at work isn’t just a boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to destroy her family.

To save herself and her family, Joan will have to do what she fears most: embrace her own monstrousness. Because in this story…she is not the hero.

*Dive deep into the world of Only a Monster: hidden worlds dwell in the shadows, beautiful monsters with untold powers walk among humans, and secrets are the most powerful weapon of all.*

*From School Library Journal*

Gr 9 Up-This debut novel centers on Joan Chang-Hunt, who discovers that her grandmother’s joke of the Hunt family being monsters is the not-so-hidden family secret. Joan misses a dream date with fellow museum volunteer Nick after a run-in with a neighbor and realizes 13 hours have elapsed in a blink. She hurries home and learns monsters travel through time by taking life from humans. When Joan is attacked by fellow monsters, Nick quickly dispatches them all, turning out to be the legendary human hero in the stories from her childhood. He warns Joan “I will kill you myself” if she steals time from a human again. Hiding in 1993 with fellow monster Aaron Oliver, Joan decides to change the past, a task Aaron claims is impossible. Taking place mainly in modern-day London and in 1993, this novel is equal parts fantasy, adventure, and caper as Joan plots to change the past and time itself. Joan is mentioned as Malaysian on her father’s side, with other main characters depicted as white, including the rest of the Hunt family. Side characters are of various ethnicities. Joan’s internal struggle with what it means to be a monster and the cost to humanity makes her a relatable protagonist. This first installment in a trilogy brings excitement into the world of fantasy with distinctive, well-thought-out worldbuilding. VERDICT Unique plotlines and characterization will have readers rooting for the monster; this is a must purchase for all libraries.-Rebecca Greerα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.