Bloom

January 6, 2020
In the aftermath of a hard rain, everything changes for three teens living on small Salt Spring Island near Vancouver. Petra, allergic to water, discovers that her body does not react to the rain, while Anaya, usually allergic to nearly everything else, experiences alleviated symptoms. Meanwhile, unknown, fast-growing, nigh unkillable grass overruns the farm where newcomer Seth lives with his latest foster family. As strange quickly turns to horrifying and the black grass begins taking over the island and appearing globally, the teens begin undergoing physical changes that link them to the plants—and may make them the only ones capable of fighting back. Oppel (Inkling) steadily adds new horrors, potently escalating the story’s pace, stakes, and anxiety as the plants crowd out food crops, explosively release allergy-causing pollen, and begin exhibiting carnivorous tendencies. The teens’ alternating narration develops each character while continually reframing their relationship and the evolving crisis. While elements of the story will be familiar to fans of Jeff VanderMeer and Wilder Girls, the invading plants’ grim and efficient ways of challenging human dominance are effectively unsettling. Terrific momentum makes the abrupt ending jarring but should create anticipation for the sequel. Ages 10–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

January 1, 2020
When a worldwide rain results in alien plant life taking over the Earth, three Canadian teens are the only ones strong enough to resist the invasion. Anaya, Seth, and Petra have always felt different from their peers on their British Columbia island. Anaya has severe allergies that give her acne and perpetual congestion. Seth is a foster child with scars running up and down his arms. Although pretty and popular, Petra is allergic to water. None of the teens think much about the others until strange black plants begin sprouting all over town after a day of heavy rain--that somehow doesn't trigger Petra's water allergy. When the plants turn carnivorous, Petra, Anaya, and Seth are the only ones able to withstand their strange perfumes and their acidic interiors, and they realize they must have something more in common. And then Anaya's botanist father reveals that the plants came from another planet--and they are in the process of colonizing the Earth. In this fast-paced thriller, Oppel spins a richly drawn, incredibly fascinating world. Beginning with the brilliantly unique premise of a botanical alien invasion, the plot unravels satisfyingly, building readers' curiosity by creating 10 new questions for every answer given. The book's one significant weakness is its lack of diversity. Other than Anaya, whose name implies she might be South Asian, the other characters present white. A thrilling alien-invasion novel based on a chillingly nefarious premise. (Science fiction. 12-18)

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Starred review from February 1, 2020

Gr 5-7-A phenomenal kickoff to an enthralling trilogy. Anaya and Petra were once best friends but after a falling out, Petra became one of the beautiful, popular girls and Anaya descended into self-doubt and acne due to her debilitating allergies. Seth has been placed in another foster home and even though he really likes his new foster parents, he is struggling to fit in as a new kid on tiny Salt Spring Island. The teens are suddenly thrown together when rain drenches their home for several days. Immediately after the rain, strange black pointy plants appear all over the island. Anaya's Dad, who is a botanist with the Ministry of Agriculture, discovers that all over the world, strange black plants are popping up. No one can get the plants to stop growing, and then they develop long snakelike vines. The vines grow quickly and literally choke everything else-including humans. Scientists and military leaders around the world race to discover the origins of these predatory plants, eventually coming to the conclusion that they are alien; aliens that are determined to take over Earth. With the clock ticking, a newscast reveals Anaya, Petra, and Seth rescuing some friends on the playground from giant pods that have grown underground. An observant scientist realizes the teens are not affected by the plants that emit a sweet smelling sleepy gas and spit acid. Eventually, the trio discovers a secret trait that renders them unique, and maybe inhuman. Their various reactions to their new identities are realistic and relatable as the witty, engaging teens grow in confidence and develop tender bonds in order to survive this catastrophic attack. Nonstop action will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. The conclusion is especially powerful, delivering an overwhelming roller-coaster ride of relief and horror. VERDICT An edge-of-your-seat, apocalyptic alien plants versus heroic hybrid teens adventure. Recommended for all young science fiction collections.-Julie Shatterly, W. A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC

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February 1, 2020
Grades 7-10 Oppel (Every Hidden Thing, 2016) gives new significance to the term invasive species when predatory alien plant life infests Earth in this fast-paced sf thriller and series opener. First, the rains come, soaking the entire world in a three-day downpour. Then, strange plants grow with incredible speed, ruining crops and poisoning water. When they bloom, everyone develops severe allergies, but the plants don't just make the environment hostile; they lure, trap, and digest people, too. Three teens on an island near Vancouver are immune to this botanical massacre; in fact, they feel healthier than ever, and their bodies are adapting to this new environment. Drawn together, Anaya, Petra, and Seth must discover their connection to the invasion if they are to have any hope of stopping it. Oppel smartly grounds the story in the lives of these teens and their families to personalize the world-ending stakes, and his creative extrapolation of real plant behavior in the design of his carnivorous species is fascinating. Wilderness survival and alien invasion combine for an exciting page-turner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)