A sequel to Bloom finds Seth, Anaya and Petra locked away in a government lab with other immune kids while the outside world is overrun by an alien infestation of giant insects that spread disease, undermine building foundations and carry off human victims. By the award-winning author of Inkling. Simultaneous eBook. - (Baker & Taylor)

Fans left desperate for more at the end of Bloom will dive into this second book of the Overthrow trilogy--where the danger mounts and alien creatures begin to hatch.

First the rain brought seeds. Seeds that grew into alien plants that burrowed and strangled and fed.

Seth, Anaya, and Petra are strangely immune to the plants' toxins and found a way to combat them. But just as they have their first success, the rain begins again. This rain brings eggs. That hatch into insects. Not small insects. Bird-sized mosquitos that carry disease. Borer worms that can eat through the foundation of a house. Boat-sized water striders that carry away their prey.

But our heroes aren't able to help this time--they've been locked away in a government lab with other kids who are also immune. What is their secret? Could they be...part alien themselves? Whose side are they on?

Kenneth Oppel expertly escalates the threats and ratchets up the tension in this can't-read-it-fast-enough adventure with an alien twist. Readers will be gasping for the next book as soon as they turn the last page... - (Random House, Inc.)

KENNETH OPPEL is one of the most highly regarded authors of middle-grade fiction writing today. Some of his best-known titles are Inkling,The Nest, Airborn, a 2005 Printz Honor Book, and Silverwing. Find him online at www.kennethoppel.ca and @KennethOppel. - (Random House, Inc.)

Booklist Reviews

In this second novel in the Overthrow series, the three human-alien hybrid teens, Anaya, Petra, and Seth, are taken to an underground military base where they are tested and trained with other children. The others are changing, too, with animalistic mutations for flying, running, or swimming, perfect for this new environment. Kept in the dark about the facility's purpose, the children aren't sure if they are to be warriors or lab rats, but most hope to be useful. Anaya, Petra, and Seth have already helped discover an herbicide to fight the carnivorous plant life colonizing the planet, but a second wave of the invasion is underway with new insects and other fauna. When the scientists discover transmitters in the children's heads, capable of sending and receiving information, suspicion grows until the children are as afraid of the adults as the aliens. The fast-paced, action-heavy plot is thrilling and a bit scary, and the three teens, further differentiated by their character arcs, undergo believable emotional changes. Another solid sf thriller for tweens and younger teens. Grades 6-9. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

In this sequel to sci-fi/horror novel Bloom, the heroes discover that destroying the predatory alien plants taking hold of Earth was only the first step in fighting to save the human race. At the same time, Petra, Anaya, and Seth continue to learn more bizarre details about the alien DNA in their bodies. The group of friends is detained by government scientists who will stop at no moral boundary to study the connection these kids have to the species supposedly bent on taking over. They meet other young people in the menacing facility, begin to communicate psychically with the aliens, and rebel against their captors. With peril around every corner and plenty of raw emotion, Oppel has crafted a compelling story about what makes a person a human being. The narrative's alternating points of view give readers multiple sides of a conflict, where everybody thinks they are doing the right thing, adding friendship struggles to the already high stakes of an alien invasion. Copyright 2023 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

In this sequel to sci-fi/horror novel Bloom, the heroes discover that destroying the predatory alien plants taking hold of Earth was only the first step in fighting to save the human race. At the same time, Petra, Anaya, and Seth continue to learn more bizarre details about the alien DNA in their bodies. The group of friends is "detained" by government scientists who will stop at no moral boundary to study the connection these kids have to the species supposedly bent on taking over. They meet other young people in the menacing facility, begin to communicate psychically with the aliens, and rebel against their captors. With peril around every corner and plenty of raw emotion, Oppel has crafted a compelling story about what makes a person a human being. The narrative's alternating points of view give readers multiple sides of a conflict, where everybody thinks they are doing the right thing, adding friendship struggles to the already high stakes of an alien invasion. Sarah A. Berman January/February 2021 p.113 Copyright 2021 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

In this sequel to Bloom (2020), half-alien/half-human teenagers Anaya, Petra, and Seth continue to fight an alien invasion while grappling with their own rapidly changing bodies. After helping discover an herbicide that delayed the aliens' initial attempt at colonization—seeding the Earth with deadly plant life—the three friends shelter on Deadman's Island with Anaya's and Petra's parents and Dr. Weber, a scientist who becomes their ally and offers to be parentless Seth's foster mother. The teens feel safe until Col. Pearson, the head of operations on the island, discovers their secret: that Seth has feathers, Anaya has claws, and Petra has a tail, all as a result of the alien DNA they hadn't known they were carrying until the Earth became covered in intergalactic flora. Pearson sends the teens to a military base housing 23 other young people with alien DNA. The three are relieved to meet others like them—until they realize that the scientist running the facility has nefarious plans to study them. As the teens' bodies transform, so do their loyalties: Should they help earthlings, who are mistreating them, or the aliens who gave them their special powers? The book's character arcs are nuanced and believable and the prose, gorgeously rendered. Oppel's chillingly beautiful, detailed world is the perfect backdrop to the action-packed plot. Unfortunately, the human characters largely lack any kind of diversity. Riveting. (Science fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus 2020 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 5–7—The second book in "The Overthrow" trilogy proves to be just as absorbing as its predecessor, Bloom. Oppel does a stellar job of picking up seamlessly from its conclusion, when the hybrid teens had finally begun to make headway in the alien invasion of Earth. The evolution of Petra, Seth, and Anaya's transformations into their alien forms continues to both enthral and horrify them. They are relieved to discover that other teens around the world are exhibiting these same alien features but, to their chagrin, they are rounded up and forced into a secret military bunker. They realize after weeks of experimentations on their alien bodies that it has taken a diabolical turn. The teens rally to rescue Seth from a life-altering operation and escape the bunker. It is here they discover their world has descended into even more chaos from the alien invasion. Strange eggs hatch into bizarre bugs that continue the havoc originally caused by the alien seeds. Even though the hybrid teens are immune to many of these alien manifestations, the humans are not. Petra endures an especially heart-wrenching loss when giant water walkers attack. This sequel is not for the faint of heart. Anaya and Petra's guilt over leaving Seth behind when they escape the bunker is authentically portrayed, and typical teen experiences of attraction, jealousy, and anger will be relatable to readers. This is not a standalone, but it is well worth it to purchase Bloom as well. The appeal of fantasy, suspense, horror, and relationships will be too strong for readers to resist, and they will be avidly awaiting the final book in this series. VERDICT An impressive addition to the outstanding trilogy. The teen characters must give in to their alien DNA, which can potentially help them to save Earth. This belongs on all young sci-fi thriller shelves.—Julie Shatterly, W. A. Bess Elem. Sch., Gastonia, NC