My oh my. I am so glad I read Bloom a couple months ago and then Hatch released to NetGalley this past month. If you've read Bloom, then you know how intense and on-your-toes you felt. Well, take that times fifty and you've got Hatch!

At the end of Bloom you were left wondering what was in these raindrops that started to hatch. At the start of Hatch, we get another fast-forward chapter where you are reading and you're super confused, but then when you finish it tells you that this is what happened two weeks later. Then you pick back up on the ending scene from Bloom.

Anaya, Petra, and Seth are immune to the plants and the chemicals they put off into the air, but as this rain starts yet again the worst is yet to come. The rain brings eggs, eggs that hatch into crypotgen insects? I am talking a full variety of species of insects—flying insects, insects with razor sharp spinning teeth, and insects that like to eat the other insects. Soon the government figures out their little secret and they are shipped off to who-knows-where. In this facility they are unsure what the government thinks of them, if they will ever get to see their families again, and what their purpose of being there is when the world is yet again about to wreak havoc.

I, of course, do not want to share everything, but just know that this was TRULY an edge-of-your-seat sequel to Bloom. Things escalate quickly and you will not be able to stop flipping the pages. I could not put it down nor step away.

P.S. AGAIN, you will be left HANGING at the end of this one. Ugh! Kenneth Oppel is too good and I already cannot wait for Thrive, the final of the trilogy, to be here!

E ARC provided by Netgalley



After the invasion of killer plants in Bloom, there was some progress made on coming up with a herbicide to control the plants. Unfortunately, there is a new life form dropped in the rain; this time, larva that burrow under the earth. This new invasion is worrisome, and the government is still concerned. So concerned, in fact, that Colonel Pearson orders Petra, Anaya, Seth, and the others to be moved to another lab. Separated from their parents, the hybrid children are taken to another facility where they are poked and prodded, subjected to a large number of experiments. The scientists do find transmitters in their brains, which is concerning, because it means that the aliens can locate the children. There are many other hybrids in the facility who are undergoing the same physical changes. Darren has skin patterning and a tail like Petra, and Siena and Esta have feathers like Seth. Eventually, the cryptogens make contact in the form of Terra, a voice that speaks to Petra, and tells her that they are coming to Earth to retrieve her blood, in order to use it to make a weapon. We also find out that there are three different life forms; flyers, runners, and swimmers, who all have examples among the hybrid children. The flyers are the ruling class in the society, and are determined to keep the others under their rule. The scientists are trying to remove the hybrid's alien characteristics, surgically if needed, which is received in different ways by the hybrids. When things become untenable in the lab, the group decides to go back to Deadman's Island, but Seth and the other flyers are left behind. Once at the original lab, things do not get better, and as the children become more and more like the aliens, the group finds it hard to prepare themselves to make contact. The ending is quite the cliffhanger; a third book, Thrive, comes out in 2021.

Strengths: We learn a lot more about the aliens, their plans, and their life forms. The scientists are fairly evil, so it gives the children someone to fight against. It's also good to see some of the other hybrids and see how they react to all of this. This was very action packed and exciting; a little bit like MacHale's Sylo or Lore's I Am Number Four.
Weaknesses: This focused more on the children and their evolution and wasn't as concerned with what was going on in the world at large. It made sense, but I wanted to know what was going on. I thought about this book a lot in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic; "at least it's not raining evil alien plant life"!
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. This is the freshest dystopian series I've read in a while, even though this seemed a bit like Patterson's Maximum Ride.

This sequel to Bloom, picks up right where we left off. More creatures are trying to inhabit the Earth. Are there other kids like Anaya, Petra, and Seth? How will they survive the humans and ever-changing Earth? This was a good follow up to Bloom and kept me wanting more. The end had a plot twist that I did not see coming. I like how each chapter switches point of view to each of the main characters. I cannot wait for the next part of this trilogy.

Hatch is the exciting sequel to Bloom. In Bloom, the earth is overrun by alien plants that kill humans. Three teens, Anaya, Petra, and Seth, are discovered to be alien hybrids that are immune to the plants and their pollen. Hatch begins with another rain, but this one deposits alien insect varieties. Meanwhile, the teens are taken to a secure bunker where there are other alien hybrid kids. At the bunker, they are being studied and experimented on by the evil Dr. Ritter. There are three types of hybrids- land, water, and air. Their bodies are changing and they are discovering their powers.

Without giving too much away, there is animosity between the hybrid types and a possibility that a civil war is going on between the aliens on their own planet. The hybrids join the fight against alien insects. I read an electronic ARC on NetGalley and the ending totally cuts off and leaves the reader hanging for the third book--I can’t wait for it!

Great follow up to book one. This series is very riveting and suspenseful with great covers, characters, nonstop action. I love the involvement of the adults which you so rarely see in YA.

Hatch is the highly anticipated sequel to "Bloom". The story is kicked into overdrive as we see the kids fully develop into their cryptogen bodies. While the first book tiptoed into the possibility of extraterrestrial life, this book dives into the deep end and readers will gasp at the turn of every page as new abilities are revealed. The ending will leave you wanting more.

This was even creepier than the first book, if possible, and a fabulous, fast-paced read. Can't wait for the conclusion.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I love Kenneth Oppel! I really liked Bloom so I was excited to be able to read Hatch. I believe I liked it even better than the first! This book is exciting, gritty, bloody and fast paced. Everything a middle grade/upper elementary reader would want. I see even reluctant readers diving in to this one. Loved the characters. Loved the division between the runners, swimmers and flyers. The only issue I have is that now I have to wait for book 3! What a cliffhanger! Thanks for this book.