I originally heard about Blood at the Root on Instagram by LaDarrion Williams and was intrigued about a Black male protagonist in YA Fantasy attending a magical Historical Black College and University (HBCU). I enjoyed my time with Malik at Caiman University with interesting characters and an intriguing plot that kept me plugged in from start to finish.

Things got real dark and brutal in certain parts, involving on (and off) page deaths of children. There’s also a lot of swearing, and one scene does sizzle with a fade to black. So it’s not for everyone.

The characters were fleshed out and interesting. Malik was someone I wanted to hug early in the story because he’s been through so much, more than one person should ever go through, and he’s only 17. He first loses his mother in a violent magical incident at seven, and then stuck in group homes for years, in an abusive foster home, and that’s before the story properly begins, and trust me, there’s a lot more trauma to go for him. However, the rough childhood gave him a feisty and determined spirit, unafraid to talk back to his superiors (and sometimes needed), and that gets him in trouble a lot. But I love how he learns about what he really needs in his life. I also love his big brother instinct regarding his foster brother, Taye. His voice was excellent and very fitting for a young man that’s been through what he’s been through.

The rest of the cast was interesting as well, and felt real to their roles. The professors, Malik’s family, and the other students each felt real. The older characters felt very old, giving a mystical vibe to the whole thing. Alexis was the most interesting of the students to me for more ways than one; she was messy yet determined, and Malik’s got a crush on her. Every prominent character is from African origin. While there was some stereotypical portrayals of some GSRM characters, they had some depth to them as well.

The story takes place in the American South in current day (2024) with magic, and the vast amount of magic is rather immersive. It’s mainly rooted in African origin and traditions, and it feels almost limitless in terms of what it can do. And it can do A LOT! The world building of the types of magic was fascinating, and it feels like there’s even more to uncover! The school itself is in or near New Orleans, which is always a plus. Though I wish there was a little more New Orleans culture incorporated throughout.

While the story was long, it peaked my interested throughout with mysteries abound and lots of experiences at a magical HBCU, which is something I don’t see very often. And we get to see class multiple times and learn more about how the magic works. The story is paced well as the mysteries build and we see more of Malik at the school. Those plot twists at the end were really interesting, though I think some of it came a bit too fast that I couldn’t take up everything, but I think it might have been the point with Malik being overwhelmed with everything that was going on.

The themes of family and belonging were strong with the people that Malik meets and reflected as he goes through his first semester at University. Though it does base itself in Black power and Black joy, there is talk of Black history, which includes racial trauma and pain. It’s not about lecturing a white audience in this case. I also like how the story addresses activism between the younger and older generations and how one way isn’t wrong, but different than the other.

Most of my negatives were taste based and mostly minor nitpicks. First off, there’s a lot of pop culture references throughout the story, like at least one a chapter in most cases, so if you’re not up on 2020’s Black American culture, you might get lost on some aspects of the story when they reference celebrities or events over the past decade. Second, while the magic wasn’t too hard to follow, I feel that you might have to be familiar with Harry Potter or magic systems similar to it to fully compound what’s going on without rereading through sections. It could have used some simple baselines to define it more. Third, some of the transitions between chapters were a bit choppy and more than once I wondered if I skipped a chapter.

Overall, it was a nice change of pace from a lot of YA Fantasy, and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series!

I know this is a fan favorite for a lot of people. Maybe ill get into it more as the serries builds,

I was very excited to read this book and loved the premise of a magical fantasy with a Black male main character at an HBCU! What's not to love? Well, I didn't love how female characters were represented or treated by everyone else in this book. They were just ploys to move the story or mc forward and that felt a little flat. I'll read book 2 because I'm curious if the author will do better further down the story. I really wanted to love this because I know how important it is to see yourself reflected in stories, but I definitely wouldn't want this to be a main or only example of that. Much promise, meh delivery.

I am absolutely obsessed with Malik and Caiman University. Where can I enroll? LaDarrion did an amazing job of morphing our world into something magical. The mystery of the story, the details.. THE PLOT TWIST!!! all of me cannot wait to dive into this series over and over again. AMAZING DEBUT

I loved the way that LaDarrian introduced us to a world very centered on a Black boy with magic. Malik was allowed to feel his feelings, no matter how messy they were, without anyone feeling threatened or treating him like he's a danger for being honest with his anger and hurt. That is a reality not many Black boys get to experience. And I loved that for him. I wanted less Black women to hurt him in this book, but I am interested to see where we go from here! I am sure there will be redemption and explanations and I look forward to them.

LADARRION WILLIAMS!!! You have written something real special baby and I hope you know that. This was BLACK EXCELLENCE. My heart ached for Malik from beginning to end. I’m so pissed at Alexis and Professor Kamala and that damn mama!!! WTF!!! I got choked up when Mama Aya died. F YOU DONYA!!! I can’t wait for the sequel and I need it now! The fight scenes were bad ass! When Malik felt more comfortable in his magic he was a force! Baby when Samedi told Malik to be a kid and that he restores the innocence that was taken from him I lost it!!!! I love that Malik showed emotions and cried because so many young Black boys and men hold that ish inside. I also love the relationship between Malik and Taye. You don’t have to be blood to be family. This was beautiful and I wish all the good for Ladarrion Williams. You deserve it. Thanks for writing this. And thanks to NetGalley for giving me an arc of this.

I had a fun time with this book! The setting of this book was gorgeous and I loved all of the characters. I appreciated how Malik's story unfolded and even though there were parts of the magic system that needed to be more flushed out, I think that the characters were the main carrier of the story. The only downside was the treatment of female carriers in the book, which all seemed to be overly sexualized. There were a few very millenial references that made me cringe, but overall an interesting read.

A delightful young adult title with a well-fleshed out male protagonist, a fascinating magical system, and a story which keeps you turning the pages. Looking forward to book 2.

I have not been able to enjoy very much fantasy recently but this got me out of that slump. I am loving where this story is going. It felt very emotional and personal but relatable. It was also very insightful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-book copy!

I requested the arc for this book before I saw it was getting bad reviews. I gave it a chance but it ultimately did not work for me. I want to say the biggest reason why it didn't work for me was the pacing. I got bored about 20% into this book and I was not motivated enough to continue. I respect that this book was written with young men in mind as I feel like they could relate the most to the main character and his struggles. It just lost me very early on for some reason.

For context, I am a white almost 30 yo woman so take my review with a grain of salt.

I love the premise, and I heard the author talk a lot about the book on Tik Tok before reading so I was really looking forward to this. But I was a little concerned with some seeming homophobic/transphobic vibes. The author talked about how black men are usually treated in mainstream stories (killed off early, falsely accused, "thugs", sidekicks, etc.) and I agree with his point, but in making sure this isn't what happened to Malik, it kind of became what happened to all the women in the story. Pretty much all of them were portrayed as "jezebels" or "mammy" type characters. The way in which Katia is murdered is especially horrible. I'm not sure if that was intentional to talk about the way women are often treated, or a bit of misogynoir. In trying to make sure he didn't put another black man in this role, he just put women in them instead? And the fact that I'm not sure the intent is making me think it's the later and not the former. Malik also misgenders a character and comes off a bit homophobic to D Low (also naming a queer character Down Low feels JK Rowling level insensitive naming). But maybe all of this was the point, and it just went over my head given the overall maturity level and target age for the book. I'll be reading other people's opinions and reviews on this book to try to understand better and reshape some of my own. The story is told in a mix up of AAVE and standard colloquial English that I found easy enough to enjoy. Overall the plot is entertaining and easy follow. I have some concerns about a few interwoven elements, but again I may not be the intended audience or have the requisite cultural understanding to appropriately interpret. And that's okay too.

I wanted to like this so much more. A fantasy. With a magical Black male main character. That takes place at an HBCU. Say less. However, I was confused by the plot for the majority of the story. Things just weren't quite connecting for me and the world-building felt lacking. But the most egregious issue for me was how the female characters were treated in this book. Almost all of them were basically set pieces. They had virtually no depth or personality. Essentially, they were defined by what they were to or could do for the male characters. Additionally, Malik himself wasn't very likeable. I wanted so much more out of this story, but was left disappointed. I won't be continuing with this series, but I would consider giving this author another chance in the future.

I am actually enjoying this book, but I will not be completing it at this time. I do still highly recommend it though. Especially to young Black readers who long to see more of us in Fantasy.

Ahhh, LOVED THIS BOOK! It brings an urban take on southern traditions/lore. I loved the magical HBCU! I was sincerely not ready for the plot twist at the end! It made for a great mix of emotions! I’m excited there is a book two on the way. Highly recommend!!!

I wanted to like this book. I was excited when I first heard about it but oh boy. This book has bad writing, bad/weak worldbuilding, and not well done characters. Reading this book was a chore. i would give it zero stars if i could

Blood at the Root is the first volume of a YA fantasy/wizardy series by LaDarrion Williams. Released 7th May 2024 by Penguin Random House on their Labyrinth Road imprint (YA/Children's), it's 432 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out in second quarter 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

There are so few books written with a strong, well rounded, positively rendered, three dimensional person of color in the MC role that it's refreshing, (and sadly often remarkable) when it happens. It's especially notable when YA novels feature young men in a not-primarily-romantic role, and this one has both, and is quite readable and engaging in addition.

There's a thread of unresolved mystery from the past, a solid setup, an appealing MC, a HBCU school setting (for magical types), however, the book has been marketed as racial trauma free, and that's not accurate, there is a fair bit of open reality-driven racist commentary/judgement (well deserved) on the foster care system as it's implemented in the USA (sadly). There's also a *lot* of racist(ish?) misogynoir which made me wince (women are represented as either oversexed or elderly, and there's a lot of twerking going on).

Other readers have commented on the jargon/Creole language. Although not competent to comment on the accuracy, it's certainly noticeable and prevalent.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 14 hours and 54 minutes and is capably read by Jalyn Hall. He has a well rounded pleasantly modulated voice and is easy to listen to. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Three and a half stars. It would make a good choice for fans of dark academia, YA fantasy, or a good buddy read. It's potentially a bit edgy for public school library acquisition (given the challenges happening across the USA), but should be fine for public library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Dear @itsladarrion You have gathered me tuhday!
My heart is absolutely full, not only as an avid reader myself but also as a ELA teacher

I am singing your praise right now!!

This book is such a prestigious piece of literature that every single person needs, especially for our black and brown kids so that they can see that they are magical too!!

I am truly fascinated, and you are truly honored for giving us this piece of work!!

You have gifted the Culture !!!

Thank you So much for sharing your magic with us!!

#turnthepagetours #ladarrionwilliams #prh #ttpt
#bloodattheroot

Blood at the Root is a strong debut novel from LaDarrion Williams. This is a fun read with a complex story, unexpected twists, and deep historical culture. The main character, Malik, wields enormous power, but without knowing how to harness it, conflict ensures. Reminiscent of Harry Potter, Malik finds himself at a magical school, but it is an entirely fresh take. While lengthy and bit slow to start, the final act was powerful and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Trigger Warnings: Family death, foster care system, mentions of assault

Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever when his mother mysteriously vanished into green smoke and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Now at seventeen, Malik’s kept his powers hidden, focusing on looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. However, after a daring act to rescue Taye, Malik’s found an unexpected connection to his magical ties and to a hidden magical university his mother attended.

At Caiman University, a door opens for a future Malik never could have envisioned for himself - one with magic, and one that includes Alexis, his first love. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes cracks in the magical community - feuding covens, magical politics, forbidden knowledge, and buried mysteries. While digging, Malik also discovers the reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution.

I actually found this book through LaDarrion Willam’s TikTok, right as he was getting ready to publish it - I’ve only just now been able to read and review it. I knew I was going to like this novel, but I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did. This book is action packed and will keep readers turning page after page with anticipation as to what’s to come.

I both read and listened to the audiobook and I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a listen to, because Jalyn Hall does a phenomenal job at the dictation and appropriate inflections needed for the dialogue to feel genuine. There were also a few sound effects and music that played along with it and gave it a nice atmosphere.

Overall, a wonderful POC magical YA novel written in a world that Malik is still learning about (so readers can too). I’m definitely keeping my eyes out for the second book in the series.

*Thank you Labyrinth Road and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Williams' fantasy novel is a wonderful read! I loved the world building and character development. He has set up an amazing series and I am looking forward to the next book already.