Let me start by saying that while this is the seventh (yes, seventh!) book in a series, I haven't ever read the beginning books. But it is a huge testament to Michael Grant and his writing style that I never once felt lost or like I didn't understand any characters. The book opens with a great description of what has happened previous to now and the personal histories of the characters were meeting. So even if you haven't picked up any of the previous books in this series - don't let that hold you back from reading this one!

Monster opens when meteors from space carrying a genetically-engineered virus come crashing down around the globe. Soon it's a mad dash between governments to be the first to seize these rocks and prevent them getting into the wrong hands. Shockingly, even with all that planning, they still find their way into the wrong hands.

One of things I appreciated most about Monster was that the main cast was fairly diverse, including the group of five protagonists. They included the black and gay Dekka, Malik who is also black, trans latinx Cruz, and Armo who has ODD. I appreciated how Grant captured the complex humanity of each of his characters.

I was hooked from the prologue through to the end. Grant expertly combined characterization, action and intrigue to create a story that kept me invested. The characters, the setting and the story all flowed well together to create a crazy modern apocalyptic adventure! Grant has this very dramatic, brutal writing style and this book would be perfect for a creepy Halloween read!