An expertly crafted SF/horror yarn that will grab readers from the first page.
In Wolff’s YA SF novel, teenage survivors of an alien massacre on Mars find that the horror hasn’t ended.
It’s been almost 35 weeks since the Hellas Station—an Earthling colony on Mars—was massacred by a swarm of alien insects. Eighty-two people were slaughtered, leaving behind five teenage survivors: Danny, Constance, Scarlett, and Isaac (who came to Mars only nine months ago with a group of colonists) and Adam, who was raised in Hellas and remains the only human to have been born on Mars. The insects, and their queen, are dead, and the traumatized teens have been hard at work repairing Hellas Station, maintaining the water filtration systems, growing hydroponic vegetables, and keeping the most damaged areas of the colony sealed off to avoid potential toxic contamination. A comms relay reveals that even though the survivors transmitted documentation about the attack, including video footage, NASA has deemed the evidence as inconclusive and recommends that the crew of a newly arrived ship from Earth perform psychological evaluations. When the crew arrives, the survivors are on guard, as the adults don’t quite believe their story about killer bugs—that is, until Hellas is slammed by another infestation, forcing them all to flee and seek refuge on the Starship Horizon, which has been orbiting on autopilot. They quickly discover that they’re not the only ones aboard. In this sequel to Colony (2025), Wolff delivers a masterful SF/horror story that readers won’t be able to put down. The narrative combines the visceral terror of bloodthirsty insect aliens (“a bug cut our teacher in half right in front of us—one of the big ones with the pincers”) with a heart-wrenching exploration of trauma and grief. Adam is a compelling protagonist and narrator; the supporting characters are equally intriguing, even when they make choices that have severe consequences. While this is a YA novel, adult genre fans will thoroughly enjoy it as well, especially those with an affinity for fast-paced and gory action sequences.
An expertly crafted SF/horror yarn that will grab readers from the first page.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
ISBN: 9781941035283
Page Count: 300
Publisher: Ron Wolff
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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