“Niko” by Kayti Nika Raet is a YA post-apocalyptic story about 17-year-old Niko, a young woman who discovers–of course!–that she has special powers, but others may be trying to use them for their own ends…

Niko’s special power is her ability to fight Slithers, humanoid monsters who kill humans and eat their hearts. Injured while fighting Slithers, Niko is picked up by what turns out to be a special Slither-fighting squad and taken back to their compound, where they offer her a life of unimagined luxury (running fresh water! As much as she wants!) in exchange for helping fight the Slithers. Only their abilities are only used to protect the people living inside the city, not those who scrabbling for existence Outside. Meanwhile, Niko discovers something very disturbing about her comrades in arms…

There is a lot here that is not unusual in YA post-apocalyptic fiction, but Niko is a very engaging character, and the plot is constructed skillfully, deftly building the suspense over Niko’s discovery of disturbing truths, and her decision about how to respond. A fun and engaging read for fans of the genre.