Never a hero

After unmaking the boy she loved to save her family, Joan Chang-Hunt finds herself pursued by agents of the Monster Court in this sequel to Only a Monster (2022). In the new timeline that Joan created, Nick Ward is a normal human boy, not a legendary monster-slaying hero. But when Joan is attacked by monsters looking to capture her, Nick steps in to defend her, causing them both to time travel to the near future. They quickly discover that a manhunt is underway for them, led by Aaron Oliver, who doesn't remember his friendship with Joan in the previous timeline. Joan leads a bewildered Nick through London as she desperately searches for help, all the while avoiding answering his questions for fear of horrifying him with the truth about monsters: They steal human lives in order to time travel. When Joan finally reunites with old allies, she learns that her erasure of the original Nick put into motion a catastrophic end to the timeline. Joan, whose human father is Chinese and monster mother was English, is once again forced to decide where her allegiance lies. She struggles with a complicated mix of feelings toward Nick, including guilt, yearning, and fear, as his heroic potential is evident even without his possessing a hatred of monsters. The introspective third-person narration is occasionally repetitive, but the original magic system, immersive descriptions, and compelling stakes create a cinematic reading experience. Will keep readers hooked. (Fantasy. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.