Tag Archives: contemporary fantasy

Review: Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

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Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

Blood at the Root (Blood at the Root #1)
LaDarrion Williams
Labyrinth Road
Published May 7, 2024

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About Blood at the Root

A teenager on the run from his past finds the family he never knew existed and the community he never knew he needed at an HBCU for the young, Black, and magical . Enroll in this fresh fantasy debut with the emotional power of Legendborn and the redefined ancestral magic of Lovecraft Country .

Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable … Continue reading →

Review: Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

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Vanya and the Wild Hunt by Sangu Mandanna

Vanya and the Wild Hunt
Sangu Mandanna
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 11, 2025

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About Vanya and the Wild Hunt

Amari and the Night Brothers meets Nevermoor in this enchanting middle grade fantasy, inspired by Indian mythology and British folklore, about a neurodivergent heroine, a mysterious school, and a world of magical creatures.

Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like she doesn’t fit in. She’s British-Indian in a mostly white town in England, her parents won’t talk about their pasts, and she has ADHD.

Oh, and she talks to books. More importantly, the books talk back.

When her family is attacked by a monster … Continue reading →

Review: Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar

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Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar

Divining the Leaves
Shveta Thakrar
HarperTeen
Published March 4, 2025

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About Divining the Leaves

From critically acclaimed author Shveta Thakrar comes a beautifully imagined contemporary fantasy about two teens, one a believer of magic who yearns to belong, the other a skeptic searching for an escape, who find themselves embroiled in a twisty world of court intrigue when they venture into a forest ruled by yakshas, mysterious woodland spirits drawn from Hindu and Buddhist folklore.

Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.

Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and … Continue reading →