The book was Great. I love how intense this book was compared to the first one. Maliks Growth Throughout this book is amazing. He continues to finds his magical abilities which I loved throughout this book. The twist in this book that LaDarrion gives us is amazing. I can go on and on about this book i loved it i cant wait to see what happens next

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoy that the book gives a Black Hogwarts vibe. Without giving to much away we see how the children are now managing their powers while still dealing with the Bokors. We see Malik grow into his power and deal with the reality of what happened to his family and how important he is to the fabric of Caiman. This is a must read!! I can’t wait for book three to come out.

It is homecoming and Malik’s second year at Caiman after a quick first year. Malik is interested in just becoming a normal (well as normal as you can get at a magical college) college student. It will also be his first since the lost of his grandmother and his Uncle he has never met has shown up and he is looking for something. But Malik still isn’t sure about his place in the magical world, and things are moving fast around him.
This book is really good might even be better than the first. There is still no end to the action and suspense in this book. The characters, even the new ones fir very well and the story line is great. It is a great book that should keep most every readers attention, and hey you might even find that bedtime is well past when you put it down.

Thank you Random House Children's and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars,.

Well!

Bones at the Crossroads, though picking up where Blood at the Root left off, certainly doesn't live in the first book's shadow. Here, it's very clear that LaDarrion Williams has taken a lot of critique to heart and grown as a writer.

There are many, many positives in this book. Without spoiling key parts of the story, Caiman U has grown to be more than a set piece and feels like a living institution, a cast of relevant background characters make the world feel full, and more importantly, Malik has grown in to a character that I am proud to present to Black boys and have them take likeness after.

Most importantly, this book touches on topics such as homophobia in the Black community, cycles of violence within family structures, and therapy as a successful measure of growth. Few YA books lay out these themes unabashedly.

Lastly, Dom > Alexis.

Absolutely loved! I have been so excited for this series since I stumbled upon the authors tiktok. And its amazing! Each book makes you want another. I love the characters and the growth you can see happening from book one to book 2. I love just the entire idea of the book and I could not put it down

I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to access an early eARC of the much-anticipated sequel to Blood at the Root by LaDarion Williams. Bones at the Crossroads continues the story of Malik as he tries to figure out balancing being a college student with tracking down the magical world’s biggest threat, his mother. The novel stresses the importance of letting young black men experience the fullness of life. Malik is forced to face his dysfunctional family, messy relationship dynamics and the importance of showing up for yourself and others. All while trying to keep his grades up and avoid the eagle eye of the school’s board. Members who are all just waiting for him to make a mistake.
The best parts of this novel were the moments when Malik was allowed to make mistakes, he wasn’t the perfect chosen one, he was just a kid forced into a situation that he didn’t really understand. He was forced to face his own failings while also figuring out that the people who love you the most are often the ones to break your heart. I highly recommend this novel because the chosen one trop is turned on its head. Malik isn’t perfect making this such a more relatable read.

LaDarrion Williams truly deserves more recognition—his writing is both powerful and immersive. This sequel showcases his incredible ability to craft deeply developed characters who feel real, each with their own complexities and emotional depth. The world-building is rich and pulls the reader into an environment that feels tangible and alive.

The book leaves me feeling much like the first had. There are things that in general don't sit all that well with me as a reader. The world building and magic systems are vague.The magic system seems to have no rules on just how o.p. the 'conjurers' can be.

It is an idea that I want to love but the execution is flawed.

I do see what others love about the book/series Malik is representation that is not often found in the fantasy space.

He is messy, angry and coming to terms with the life that has been thrust upon him. I will say though that I was surprised that I enjoyed the latter half of this second installment of the BATR series.

That is not shade on this book, I just struggled with the first installment.

Thank you Random House Children's and LaDarrion Williams for the E-ARC. All views here are my own.

I loved this book! Bones at the Crossroads picks up right where we left off in book 1 and we are back at theee magical HBCU, CAIMAN U! The pacing was great and I didn't want to put this book down. The buildup until Homecoming! I was hooked.


The growth of Malik between the 2 books was incredible. Malik has been through a lot and is still going through a lot but I liked how the author covers mental health in this story. I love the MCs friend group. They really love each other and have each others backs. Taye is growing up and I just wanted to hug the kid!


This book is more than just a Fantasy novel. So I would also recommend this to readers who typically don't read fantasy. I wish books like this were available when I was in grade school. Thank you LaDarrion for this story.

Wow! LaDarrion Williams is such an underrated writer. I loved everything about this sequel. The characters were phenomenal and so throughly developed. The world building was amazing and immersive. The pacing never lagged in my opinion and kept me engaged the entire time. This series is definitely a must have and I feel as though it can be just as enjoyable as a re-read.

Oh my, I couldn’t wait to start this book! Bones at the Crossroads is the long awaiting sequel to Blood at the Root. We are back to Caiman University, a magical HCBU with Malik and fresh, new characters. Malik is still grappling with Mama Aya’s loss, and learning how to control his new magic. Couple that with teenage angst, trauma, an insane dark magic-possessed mother, relatives who are also ancient deities, and you get an extremely compelling story.
I like that LaDarrion Williams also takes us through regular university life. Homecoming, rushing frats and sororities – these are things, normal college experiences that Malik gets to experience.
I really liked the characters – old and new – and Malik’s relationships with them. Taye, whom I would burn the world down for. D-Low, who is so precious and deserves all the good things. And Dominique, who’s got the voice of an angel! I love her and Malik so much.

Act 3 is where it REALLY picked up, and it did it for me! What a cliffhanger this ended on. I cannot wait for the next book! Even if fantasy isn’t your jam, you’re still gonna like this book. This series is so good, and I highly recommend that you read it!

Thank you NetGalley, Randomhouse children and Ledarion Willams for this fantastic book.

I could not put it down. I did not know if it would appeal to me because I am a 64vyear old Grandma, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I need to go back and read Blood at the Root as I think the book will be even more compelling after I read book one. I then plan a reread of book two.

I am excited for book 3!!

Recommend.

This book felt very much like a second in a trilogy. We got some more info but also a lot of exposition and a cliffhanger to end it. I would have liked the story to be a little tighter and the overall pacing to be more consistent but this was still a really great read.

I could not put this book down for the life of me… Bones at the Crossroads is LIKE THAT!
I am so happy to be back with these characters and Caiman U. Seeing Malik’s growth from book one to book two is absolutely awesome. He’s continuing to find himself and truly hone in to his magical abilities which is so dope. The twists and turns that the author throws at you in mind boggling but still finds a way to keep you wanting to read and know more. I don’t want to give too much away but what LaDarrion Williams has created especially for our culture is truly amazing and it’s a book that I truly feel connected to. This series is so so good and I highly recommend that you pick it up🔥

I have been hooked on this story/universe since book one. I absolutely love a story about black people with magical powers. It's about time something like this was written!

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Children's | Labyrinth Road, for my Bones at the Crossroads copy. I liked the first book, and the second book blew me away. I love black magic, and I love how Malik grows as a person in this book.

I very much enjoyed Blood At The Root and I enjoyed Bones At The Crossroads even more. Reading these books makes me tear up because representation is key. It's very refreshing to see black people be the main character in a magical way while also having the best representation possible. I wish that I had more books like this growing up. The way La"Darrion writes is so raw and will have you hooked from the very first sentence and have you yearning for more at the very end. Bones At The Crossroads continues Malik's journey at Caiman University, and is filled with new challenges and relationships. It has an incredible plot, world building, and characters. Truly another amazing book written by La'Darrion Williams. Will be recommending to all my bookish friends

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this sequel to the first book. I love that this has the possibility to take over the YA reading world by storm by creating this version for Teen and Adult readers alike. The pacing and the story kept me enthralled enough that it left me wanting more and more. I reread the first book just to prepare me for this!

Bones at the Crossroads is ideal for readers who seek emotionally layered, culturally rich fantasies exploring identity, belonging, and the complexities of wielding power in a fractured world.

I didn't love this one. It did take me a while to get through. I have not read the first installment and I wonder if that is where the issue lies. I think it has a lot of potential. Maybe I will read the first one and then reread this one. It deserves another chance.