7 Books to Read After Children of Blood and Bone
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Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi’s wildly anticipated debut, made a splash on the young adult scene, racking up glowing reviews, a film deal, and the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list its first week in print. The West African–inspired fantasy takes place in the land of Orïsha. Once the home of the thriving, magic-wielding maji, the kingdom is now ruled by a cruel king who banished the people’s magic. Zélie, daughter of a murdered maji, has lost nearly everything but her deep hope that one day magic will return to her kin. With the help of her brother and a runaway princess, Zélie journeys across the land in search of a weapon to change all their fates. She may be the only chance the maji have to strike hard against the tyrant king, but the monarchy isn’t the only danger lurking in the shadows.
This series starter features brave heroines and daring adventures, magic and romance. While you’re waiting for book two, here are reads with a similar spirit to keep you going till 2019—some to read now, and some to preorder.
Beasts Made of Night, by Tochi Onyebuchi
This Nigerian-inspired fantasy follows the story of Taj, the most talented sin-eater in the walled city of Kos. His job is to slay beasts created from the guilt of sinners—but when Taj kills a sin-beast, the guilt is transferred to him, threatening to drive him mad. Taj’s cunning and self-preservation thrust him into the world of the royal family and a conspiracy that may destroy everything he loves, when he’s called on to consume the guilt of the king himself. The second book in the duology, Crown of Thunder, comes out October 16, which means you won’t have to read the full tale.
Obsidio, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
For those in search of a fast-paced narrative from beginning to end, the Illuminae Files—ending this month with Obsidio—is just what you’re looking for. Kady, Ezra, and their crew have narrowly escaped with their lives and are forced to return to the place where it all started: the decimated illegal mining colony on Kerenza IV. Old friends find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict, life or death decisions must be made, and in the end, none of the teens changing the course of their world will be the same. It’s a story of survival and the strength of teens against a force much greater than themselves. Told through a series of hacked documents, emails, files, and images, it’s like nothing you’ve ever read.
Blood of a Thousand Stars, by Rhoda Belleza
The sequel to Empress of a Thousand Skies comes with even more action and intrigue than its predecessor. Empress-in-waiting Rhee weighs the outcomes of making a deal with her enemy, as reality star turned fugitive Alyosha returns home to exact revenge on the man who framed him for murder. The series closer twists the lives of an empress, a fugitive, a princess, and a madman into a web of fate that thrusts the galaxy into revolution and inevitable war. If you loved the political turmoil in Children of Blood and Bone, this duology is for you.
The Queens of Innis Lear, by Tessa Gratton (March 27)
One of the threads of Children of Blood and Bone deals with the way kings rule. In The Queens of Innis Lear, Gratton we see the ambition of three women as they vie for the throne of an ailing king. Each one has a different story to tell. Gaela a ruthless Commander. Regan, a master manipulator. Elia, a star-blessed priest. Each with a claim to the crown, and each willing to sacrifice anything to attain it.
Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland (April 3)
Rise up. In Justina Ireland’s alternative history, the dead aren’t the only threat to the living. This version of America is set post–Civil War, when a zombie virus has ended the War Between the States and changed the future of the nation. Dread Nation tells the story of Jane McKeene, one of many young black girls trained to be Attendants, zombie hunters for the rich. When families around Baltimore County go missing, Jane is tangled in a plot she didn’t start, but that she must fight to finish.
A Reaper at the Gates, by Sabaa Tahir (June 12)
The third installment in the bestselling Ember in the Ashes series raises the stakes with a looming war. Helene, Laia, and Elias face new threats and challenges from all sides. Helene Aquilla does everything she can to keep her Empire together. Laia journeys to take down the Nightbringer. Meanwhile, Elias Veturius’s bargain might cost him his humanity. Adeyemi credits Tahir’s series as being a huge inspiration for Children of Blood and Bone, and both are epic fantasies with unraveling life-and-death scenarios sure to captivate readers. For those new to the series, start with An Ember in the Ashes.
A Blade so Black, by L.L. McKinney (September 25)
A Blade so Black might share a realm with the human world, but this debut urban fantasy packs tons of magic. Like Zélie, Alice fights for what she believes in, especially those she loves. Her world is full of monsters dubbed “Nightmares,” and a Wonderland that’s curious but hella dangerous. But the young hunter still lives in present-day Atlanta, and balancing the forces of darkness with maintaining a GPA is not easy. When her mentor’s life is threatened, Alice abandons her regular life and heads down the rabbit hole in search of a cure. In Wonderland, the trick is to avoid losing her head.