Blood at the Root seems to be overly wordy and cliche. There are events that happen in the book that are over explained, actions that can easily be guessed, and words used that even the most southern person wouldn’t say. Overall, the book reads as if bits and pieces of other black YA magical books were taken and combined to create one this book; making the book hard to read because you’ve already read the story before.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blood at the Root is centered at a university of magic, not high school, which I found refreshing! I love university settings! Our main character is 17-year-old Malik who enrolls at Caiman University where he learns about magic and history of magic as well as his own family secrets.

Malik is such a likable main character. You can't help but root for him in all possible ways. Even when you don't agree with him, you still root for him, and that's the key with great main characters and, well, characters, in general. This is a story about connecting with one's family heritage and belonging in this magical world.

The cast of this book was great and definitely one of the author's strengths! We have realistic, relatable characters who sometimes make bad choices. Don't we all?! But I liked that everyone was just doing their best, you know? Life is hard lmao. The cast includes queer Black men and nonbinary characters, and it was done with care and love. We need more loving environments for queer characters and people, especially queer people of color.

The magic is rooted in Hoodoo and other African traditions, and I appreciated its meaning and its beauty. I would just like more rules in the magic system. It sort of felt like each person could do this and that without reason, which is fine! It's just not my preference.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'll definitely read more of this author! What a refreshing and interesting storytelling debut!

If you enjoyed Legendborn, this is for you!

Note: I couldn't read this eARC on my Kindle, so I had to read it on my laptop, which took considerably more time for me to finish this book, since I had to squeeze in reading sessions here and there; hence, the lack of reading updates.

I absolutely LOVED Blood at the Root. This book was magical and moving, I loved the characters. Even the characters I didn't love I understood- the comparisons to Black Panther's Killmonger were so apt! I was so moved by this book! The magical world LaDarrion Williams created even in this first installment is so rich. I really care about this world and what's going to happen to the people within it. Also when is. my magic going to manifest because I'm trying to attend Caiman U. But I will settle for Caiman University merch. I cannot wait for the second installment in this series (it's not confirmed that I know but I'm hoping.)

Ten years ago Malik was orphaned and discovered his magic in the same night. Since then, he’s been hiding his magic and barely scraping by. But after an incident defending his foster brother, he discovers a grandmother he never knew he had and is placed in a magical school full of other black teenagers.

My Thoughts:
This was such a magical YA book. I loved the school aspects and how Malik learned how to navigate his magic. His journey in acceptance and relationships was beautiful to behold. LaDarrion brings a fresh voice to fantasy. The pop culture references were amazing (black Mrs Frizzle, Bonnie Bennet).

What You’ll Find:
💙 Magic School
💙 Pop culture references
💙 Minor romance plot
💙 Story of belonging and acceptance
💙 Action packed world building

Thanks to Turn the Page Tours, Penguin Random House, and Get Underlined for the copy of this book.

If you grew up reading HARRY POTTER or enjoyed LEGENDBORN, then this is absolutely a book for you. BLOOD AT THE ROOT centers around 17-year-old Malik, whose lack of magical control lands him at Caiman University. He learns about the history of magic, how he can harness his power, and also starts learning more about his family's past. I love how LaDarrion Williams brought Black history and contemporary social issues into play through this story, and also how his vision of strong, magical Black characters came to life. His pop culture references were on point, and he had me laughing through some of those while also setting up a fantastic magical community.

Thank you for my copy of "Blood at the Root." I am so happy I got to read this book, which is all about magic. We follow 17-year-old Malik to discover his power by going to a magical university, unlocking his family history, and looking at what happened to his mother. What I like about this book is the magic and history of black magic.

The Black joy that suffuses the first half of the book is immaculate. Malik’s first experience of the magical HBCU, as he walks the campus and sees people that look like him living their best lives between dancing and basketball and art and magic, when he realizes that it’s a place he belongs… it’s pure magic. Of course it’s not all joy, Malik’s missing-presumed-dead mom, the family (practically magical royalty) that he never knew, a conspiracy where magical kids are kidnapped and killed, pressure to catch up magically after a lifetime without instruction. There were several one liners that I immediately had to share with friends and just exclaim over. This is the kind of book that I’m glad Black kids today have, so they don’t have to feel like the heroes can’t look like them.

Where the book starts to lose me was when it moves much more towards magic. Malik is suddenly practically an expert in combat magic, understanding languages he didn’t speak, doing complex and interesting magic without a thought. I would have liked a little bit more about how magic works rather than a few flashy demonstrations.

I've waited for this book for quite awhile, and it was well worth the wait. It's a celebration of Black culture with a fresh take on some common tropes that appear in Young Adult fantasy. What I appreciated the most about the book was the authenticity of the main character's voice. While the pacing did feel uneven at times and sometimes things read a little awkward, this was an exciting read and I'm sure book 2 will be just as fun.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Blood at the Root ended up on my radar upon seeing a tweet from the author, LaDarrion Williams about wanting to write a book starring a Black that didn’t center on trauma. Williams very much succeeds, evoking familiar tropes, like a teen discovering his magical lineage and powers with a generous infusion of Black boy joy.
I loved the magical university setting, which made it stand out from a lot of other magic-school books, which largely are more skewed toward high school or some other secondary school equivalent. And I liked that the campus life really mattered, and it wasn’t just a vehicle to bring Malik in contact with a greater outside force, upon which the learning takes a backseat. The magic is rooted in Hoodoo and other African traditions, and while there don’t seem to be many hard rules, I appreciated the cultural context.
Malik himself is also quite a likable protagonist. He has experienced some trauma and loss, but I liked that the story was more about him connecting with his family heritage and legacy in an affirming way and finding his place within the magical world.
The plot is engaging with a lot of twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout. There are some reveals that are a tad predictable, but I still really enjoyed how it all came together.
This is an impressive debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from LaDarrion Williams in the future! If you are interested in a magic-school book with a Black boy lead, I’d recommend checking out this book!

BATR is an absolute masterpiece! Malik’s story is a dynamic and beautiful coming of age that had me hooked from the beginning. Everyone needs to read this book. I truly cannot wait for what is to come from this blackgical universe! THANK YOU LADARRION WILLIAMS

Omg where do I start 😩 ! First of all the cover is beautiful 😍 which captured my attention from the beginning and honestly I been wanting to arc read this book ! This is such an amazing book ! I believe everyone needs to read it and please we need this on the big screen! It was so good I had to pre order the book because I need it in my collect !!!!! I wish I could give infinity Stars because it exceeded all my expectations!

**I received an electronic ARC through the publisher via NetGalley.**

LaDarrion Williams presents Blood at the Root, a YA fantasy centering Blackness and the magic found within it. Readers follow Malik, a Black teen who has grown up in the foster care system surrounded by rumors that he was responsible for his mother's death. When Malik makes the decision to steal a car and rescue his foster-sibling Taye from an abusive home, he doesn't realize that the decision to use the magic he has always feared sends out a beacon for the grandmother who has always looked for him. Malik rapidly finds himself enrolled at a magical university that is made by and for Black magical students. Malik finds himself at the center of a tribal divide with his mother's death and loyalties in question.

Let me first say that I am not a reviewer that shares an identity with the cultures covered in this novel. Please center reviews that come from Black reviewers.

LaDarrion Williams pulls no punches with this debut. Williams made the choice to write this book from Malik's perspective, which means that both the prose and much of the dialogue is in AAVE. The entirety of this novel is a love letter to Black culture. As someone who grew up in and around Black culture and attended university in Baltimore, I was able to appreciate and understand Williams' choices in writing as well as the various cultural references made, though I'm sure I missed some. For some readers, this choice from Williams will be a call home. For others, it may be a barrier to the story. For those who know AAVE, but are unaccustomed to seeing and reading it rather than hearing it, it still may pose difficulties. I very much wish that I experienced this book in a blended read with the audiobook as the impact of the spoken word performance doubtless would have added that much more to my experience.

Williams created such an accessible cast of characters in not only Malik, but those who surround him. No one is perfect. Everyone makes bad choices. But every single character is doing their best with their circumstances. Even if you don't agree with Malik, you can root for him and want more and better for him. I am also grateful to Williams to featuring queer Black men and nonbinary characters in Malik's inner circle. And for portraying them with nothing but love. This representation is often skipped and it was so welcome here.

Williams' magic system relies on ancestral magic and root magic from various countries and languages of origin, but I was so pleased with the decision to feature Baron Samedi as a character and not solely his role as Loa. He has long been a favorite of mine, and Williams' depiction was a fun and refreshing take on the myth.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Blood at the Root, and I hope that this book finds its way not solely to the Black boy who needs it (though absolutely to him), but to the readers who don't share an identity with Malik and can gain empathy and open hearts from seeing this Black boy shine.

This was a stunning read! i was drawn to the cover and plot but am pleased to report that this book hit all the right marks! Malik is a strong and needed hero and I am so excited for the rest of the world to meet him in this magically infused YA debut!

This is a book that I am so glad has been written. I thought that the characters were so well fleshed out and the concerns that they posed to everyday life just really added to my empathy for those who have a different lived experience from me. I thought that the magic school was interesting and I liked it being a college setting instead of what we normally see. I found myself slightly overwhelmed by all the different aspects of the magic but I thought the way that it related back to black culture was very interesting. I think that my only real dislike about this book was the pacing I know that this is setting up a series but I felt like it took forever to get to the main point of the story and then once we got to the main conflict those scenes felt rushed. I do think that this author has a great story to tell and I will be picking up the rest of the story because I am interested to see where our characters go from here.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! I’ve been looking forward to reading this story for a while and it did not disappoint. This is perfect for fans of any fantasy, especially Legendborn!

Ten year ago, Malik’s life changed, his mother died or disappeared, and several people died in a fire in his house he was the lone survivor so people thought he must have had something to do with the deaths. Thinking he had no family he was sent to foster homes, some good some not so good, and out of all that time he only makes two real friends, Alexis who got adopted and they lost touch, and Taye whom he thinks of as his little brother. When Malik turns 17 he leaves the foster system and vows to rescue Taye from an abusive foster dad, but in doing so he let his powers shine and hurts the man, but also in using his powers his grandmother was finally able to find him and send him to magic school to teach him how to use his powers properly. But there are more surprises there than he thought.
This book is full of action, and suspense. It is written exactly how Malik would speak if standing in front of you. There is also some lore mixed in the story, which I really like. It is nice to read a book that shows that level of commitment not only to his own heritage, but the community and Haitian history as well.

I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and LaDarrion Williams for providing me with an eARC of Blood at the Root.

Although it's not something I would typically read (aka, not in the LGBTQIAP+ section of NetGalley), this book took me on an incredible journey filled with raw emotions and intense experiences. It's a story about magic, trauma, discovery, and the search for a place to belong, all from the perspective of the main character, Malik Baron.

What I loved most about the book was its remarkable world-building. The magical elements were seamlessly blended into the narrative, making it even more intriguing and complex. The settings were vividly depicted, and I felt as though I was transported into this vibrant and immersive world.

Malik's journey from a traumatized youth to a determined student navigating the complexities of magic and friendship was captivating and inspiring. The prose was evocative and powerful, and it kept me fully engaged until the very end.

In conclusion, Blood at the Root is a gritty and compelling debut novel, perfect for those who enjoy dark stories filled with magic, resilience, and a gripping narrative. Do keep in mind that there are some graphic descriptions of violence, though.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's for this advanced readers copy. I loved this book. Definitely comparable to Legendborn or The Marvellers or Amari and the Night Brothers with the secret magic school and the main character finding out they have a previously unknown power. Now they are thrust into this new world and must learn and adapt to their new power and their new environment, all the while finding out about their past. The big difference in this book would be the language. This book would be geared more toward young adults and older, than children just for the explicit language at times throughout the book. Can't wait to read the second book as this author created such a wonderful host of characters and exciting new world.

This was one of those books where I was more into the premise than the book itself. I think part of that might be how the author captures a youth voice, though, and maybe it will resonate more why my students.

I’m back and forth on adding this book to my classroom library. If I taught high school, then it would absolutely be there. With the profanity and violence, I would probably recommend the book to individual students if it seemed right rather than leave the book out on the shelf. I agree with other reviews that this is not a “trauma free” book by many definitions.

I think readers who enjoyed Legendborn by Tracy Deonn might also enjoy reading this book and drawing comparisons. Along with the connection of Root magic itself, the college setting similarity makes it an even more interesting side-by-side. While Bree is one of few Black students at Chapel Hill, Malik is at an HBCU surrounded by Black Excellence.

There were many interesting characters and shades of grey. I did struggle with fully understanding the rules of the magic and who had what. Some of it seemed a little overly dramatic (though, again, that might be less distracting for a teen audience).

Overall, I’d give this book 3 stars.

I LOVED this! Ate this right on up. A fantasy with a magical HBCU, yea this kept me thoroughly entertained. This book took you from the past to the present. It follows a traumatic situation that happened to Malik when he was a little boy that results in him being an orphan. When he gets older, he decides to start a new life with a brother he meet in a group home. This journey leads him to meet his biological family, getting admitted into this magical HBCU , and uncovering the truth to what really happened on the traumatic night that changed his life. This book was so unapologetically black. It was black boy joy, vulnerability, and coming of age. I just know the author gotta be working on the next installment and I hope for a speedy delivery on the next part because I need more!!! I need to know what happened to grandma Aya’s sibling, what was his mama’s reason for her decisions, who is Malik’s daddy, and I’d love to get to know more of Taye’s story. Thank you NetGalley and the author for this ARC!