Description: A lyrical, evocative horror about vampires from the Philippines . . . and a hunter on their tail. A brother and sister fight to protect their secrets, their community, and most of all, each other, in this evocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Patron Saints of Nothing.
As Filipino vampires known as manananggal, Lily and her brother Caleb understand the value of a secret. After all, to hide is to survive. To lie is to live. They'd never harm another person--but people only believe their worst fears around creatures of myth. So the siblings stay quiet. They follow their community's rules. Until a monster hunter turns up and kills a fellow manananggal, anyway. Until Caleb is marked as the hunter's next prey. Suddenly, he and Lily realize there's always been more at stake than the lives of their people. Because when doing everything "right" is still a death sentence, what can they take as truth? As the hunter nears, the siblings must decide if they'll be driven from the only home they've ever known . . . or fight to protect a community that may already be lost.Review Quotes: ★ "A riveting, unputdownable contemporary take on Filipino folklore with a deliciously sharp bite." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "It's a page-turning murder mystery anchored by a heartwarming portrayal of siblinghood." --Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "Ribay delivers an utterly unique take on Filipino folklore...a riveting crash course on Filipino mythology and history." --Booklist, starred review ★ "Exhilarating and touching, a great read-alike for those who enjoyed Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro's The Sun and the Star or Ibi Zoboi's (S)kin." --Shelf Awareness, starred review "A horror story about vampires, relationships, friendship, and protecting your community that lovers of the paranormal will deeply enjoy." --School Library Journal "[A] gripping fantasy....Hand to readers looking for strong sibling bonds, vampiric lore, and a story that moves at breakneck speed." --The Bulletin "Ribay deftly explores the social position of the 'other'....a nuanced and compelling depiction." --The Horn Book