Blood at the Root

17-year-old Malik Barron has been caught in the foster care system ever since his mother died in a tragic incident he feels responsible for, one involving the magic he has not yet learned to wield effectively. When he goes on the run with a friend, he is discovered and taken in by his grandmother in New Orleans who pulls strings to get him admitted to Caiman University, a magical HBCU his mother had attended where he can learn to control his powers. There he discovers powerful magic rooted in African and Caribbean traditions. As Malik starts to find and a sense of belonging, he also uncovers dark secrets about his family’s past and realizes an ancient evil is rising again.

Blood at the Root by Ladarrion Williams is an outstanding original fantasy, packed with action and magic as well as a cultural flair that sets it apart from other YA fantasies about young wizards.