Blood at the Root by LaDarrion WilliamsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
If I was still working at the Stanford Bookstore, I'd be hand-selling this book to the best of my ability. Unapologetically by and for Black boys who believe they have no magic in this life, LaDarrion Williams takes us to Caiman University, an HBCU for magic, and many types of magic as practiced in Black cultures throughout history. Malik, the protagonist, has known he's had magic for years, but due to a bevy of troubles in his life, the magical family he barely even knew about brings him to Caiman U a little ahead of schedule because of rising threats to the Black community, magical and non-magical alike, throughout the South. His friends and family are never exactly who you expect, though - and while I was able to predict a few betrayal twists, they still stung like a mother, if you know what I mean. The fallout from the last hundred pages or so will definitely cast a pall on the inevitable sequel, which promises to be full of drama, not to mention the presence of one of the most famous Black witches in history. Hopefully by next summer I'll be able to read it along with everyone else!
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