"Dos Santos delves into more chilling themes in this YA horror [...] Readers will enjoy the Dominican folkloric themes of Malicia (Los Biembiens, el bacá, and more). A thrilling read for those who aren’t afraid of a terrifying adventure."
—Booklist
"If you are in the mood for a deeply dark YA fantasy, with plenty of terror, gore, and moments of blood splattered dismemberment, then Steven Dos Santos has you covered [...] Malicia promises a trip into madness and it delivers on every shivery count."
—Locus Magazine
“A blood-spattered adrenaline rush of a novel. Buckle up for a wild, propulsive ride, and don't expect your pulse to return to normal any time soon.”
—David Ferraro, author of The Alchemy of Moonlight
“A love letter to all the best parts of horror: the monsters, the terrifying settings, the secrets and darkness inside each of us. Malicia navigates love and friendship, guilt and obligation, drawing universal feelings into a thread that winds through the dark, twisting narrative to a surprising, moving conclusion.”
—Alison Ames, author of It Looks Like Us and To Break a Covenant
“Horror lovers, if you’ve ever longed for a theme park destination dedicated to the spooky characters you love—be careful what you wish for. Malicia brings your nightmares to life!”
—Diana Rodriguez Wallach, author of Small Town Monsters
06/01/2024
Gr 9 Up—Malicia, a horror-themed amusement park on an island near the Dominican Republic, was the center of the world's attention when dozens of parkgoers were murdered in a mysterious mass killing. Now, 13 years later, Raymundo—whose mother and brother were killed that day—is making a documentary about the killings in the hopes of finding out the truth behind that tragic day. Ray travels to the abandoned island along with his three best friends: nervous Joaquin, ex-girlfriend Sofia, and budding filmmaker Isabella. However, what the quartet doesn't know is that each member of the self-styled Quisqueya Club has their own self-serving reason for traveling to Malicia. Blood and guts hit the floor soon after the group lands on the island, and as a hurricane bears down on them, so do the shadows and monsters of the island and its past. Storylines, corpses, and demons all collide in Malicia—itself an atmospheric and creepy locale—to create a chaotic, frenzied, but ultimately lackluster novel. While each of the four main characters have interesting reasons for being on the island, the characters themselves are not interesting or fleshed-out enough to carry their storylines. Every chapter—each told from a different character's point-of-view—is soaked in gore, but that might not be enough to keep most readers engaged. VERDICT High-energy but decidedly disappointing. Only recommended if readers are looking to scratch that spooky amusement park itch.—Tyler Hixson