Staff Picks
Teen Fantasy Books By Black Authors
Collection
Check out these teen fantasy books written by Black authors!
The Poisons We Drink
Published in 2024
In a country divided between humans and witchers, Venus Stoneheart hustles as a brewer making illegal love potions to support her family. Love potions is a dangerous business. Brewing has painful, debilitating side effects, and getting caught means death or a prison sentence. But what Venus is most afraid of is the dark, sentient magic within her. Then an enemy's iron bullet kills her mother, Venus's life implodes. Keeping her reckless little sister Janus safe is now her responsibility. When the powerful Grand Witcher, the ruthless head of her coven, offers Venus the chance to punish her mother's killer, she has to pay a steep price for revenge. The cost? Brew poisonous potions to enslave D.C.'s most influential politicians. As Venus crawls deeper into the corrupt underbelly of her city, the line between magic and power blurs, and it's hard to tell who to trust...Herself included. The Poisons We Drink is a potent YA debut about a world where love potions are weaponized against hate and prejudice, sisterhood is unbreakable, and self-love is life and death.
Master of Souls
Published in 2023
Arrah must decipher the legacy of her past life as the orisha Dimma to restore peace to all their worlds, which may require the ultimate sacrifice when her half-demon sister resumes her quest for destruction.
This Poison Heart
Published in 2021
Teenaged Briseis, who possesses a supernatural power over plants, even poisonous ones, inherits a dilapidated estate in rural New York and must protect herself and her family from centuries-old secrets that threaten their lives.
Blood Justice
Published in 2024
When Cristina and Clement Trudeau take back their family's throne to lead New Orleans' magical community into a brighter future, Valentina Savant tries to reclaim her sovereignty, while new murders, shocking disappearances and impossible alliances change the game for them all.
Within These Wicked Walls
A Novel
Published in 2021
Andromeda is a debtera -- an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. She would be hired, that is, if her mentor hadn't thrown her out before she could earn her license. Now her only hope of steady work is to find a patron -- a rich, well-connected individual who will vouch for her abilities. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda takes the job without question. Never mind that he's rude and demanding and eccentric, that the contract comes with a number of outlandish rules... and that almost a dozen debtera had quit before her. If Andromeda wants to learn a living, she has no choice. But she quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, and the reason every debtera before her has quit. Leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn't an option because -- heaven help her -- she's fallen for him.
Skin of the Sea
Published in 2021
Transformed by the goddess Yemoja into a Mami Wati, an African mermaid charged with collecting the souls of those who die at sea, Simi goes against the gods to save a living boy, Kola, from drowning.
How to Succeed in Witchcraft
Published in 2022
Half-Black witch Shay Johnson is cast as the lead in her school musical and must decide between exposing her predatory drama teacher and getting the scholarship she desperately needs.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
Published in 2020
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal--kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia's freedom. But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic ... requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition. When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?
Drown Me with Dreams
Published in 2024
"Saoirse, tasked with bringing down the barrier around Keirdre and creating a more just society, uncovers a plot that threatens the entire kingdom"-- Provided by publisher.
Where Shadows Meet
A Novel
Published in 2025
When Favre sacrifices her wings for love, it triggers tragic consequences that reverberate through time, and a thousand years later, crown princess Leyla embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her friend without awakening an ancient evil.
Infinity Alchemist
Published in 2024
Discovered practicing alchemy by apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash must help her find a sacred text of extraordinary power - a journey that forces him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he will go to seize it.
The Belles
Published in 2018
"In a world where Beauty is a commodity only a few control, one Belle will learn the dark secrets behind her powers, and rise up to change the world"-- Provided by publisher.
So Let Them Burn
Published in 2024
After her sister Elara forms an unbreakable bond with an enemy dragon, seventeen-year-old Faron, who once wielded the magic of the gods to save her island from those same dragon-riding colonizers, must find a way to save her sister and the fate of their world in the face of impossible odds.
It Lurks in the Night
Published in 2026
All Maya Woods wants is to reunite her three best friends, Pearl, Erica, and Lystra, for one last epic boat trip to the islands around their Caribbean home before they all graduate from high school. But the girls are forced to make an emergency landing on Annatto--an island avoided by locals and tourists alike because of the rumors of monsters and shadows that lurk in its depths--and their yearly tradition descends into darkness as Erica turns up dead and the girls are forced to leave her body behind. Their tight-knit community is sent into a spiral of grief and suspicion, and Maya and her friends are at a loss to understand what happened: was it simply an accident or is there truth to the rumors about Annatto? And while the community rejoices when Erica mysteriously returns alive and well a week later, Maya can't seem to let go of her questions. What did they see that night? And who--or what--has Erica returned as? As old arguments and new betrayals rise to the surface, Maya and her friends can feel the shadows closing in on them. Something is lurking in the night, and they must be ready to face it.
Legendborn
Published in 2020
"To discover the truth behind her mother's mysterious death, a teen girl infiltrates a magical secret society claiming to be the descendants of King Arthur and his knights"-- Provided by publisher.
Needy Little Things
Published in 2025
Seventeen-year-old Sariyah, who can sense people's immediate needs, must use her ability to solve her friend's mysterious disappearance while dealing with family challenges and avoiding the same danger that befell her friend.
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight
Published in 2026
Ashes of Gold
Published in 2022
"Rue has no memory of how she ended up locked in a basement prison without her magic or her allies. But she's a girl from East Row. And girls from East Row don't give up. Girls from East Row pick themselves back up when they fall. Girls from East Row break themselves out. But getting free and finding her friends is only half the battle. Rue vows that when she reunites with them, she will find a way to return the magic that the Chancellor has stolen from her father's people. Yet even on Yiyo Peak, Rue is a misfit; with half a foot back in Houston and a heart that is half human, half god, she's not sure she's the right person to lead the fight to reclaim a glorious past. When a betrayal sends her into a tailspin, Rue must decide who to trust and how to be the leader that her people deserve, because if she doesn't, it isn't just Yiyo that will be destroyed--it will be Rue herself." -- description from publisher's website. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Ashes-of-Gold/J-Elle/Wings-of-Ebony/9781534470705
House of Marionne
Published in 2023
Seventeen-year-old Quell is reluctantly inducted into a magical debutante society of social elites where she must bind with her forbidden magic while evading the assassin who has been tasked with hunting her kind.
Sọmadịna
Published in 2025
Teenage Sọmadịna searches for her missing twin brother, Jayaike, in the Sacred Forest, while learning to navigate her frightening new magical ability.
The Awakening
Published in 2022
In a climate-ravaged New York deeply divided by class, Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, three teens of refugees from a fallen African utopia, begin to develop supernatural powers.
The Upper World
Published in 2021
Blood Scion
Published in 2022
"Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will; she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods. But under the brutal rule of the Lucis, her identity means her death. Her mother knew as much. She disappeared trying to hide Sloane's truth. Sloane, too, has hidden her abilities, but on her fifteenth birthday, she is conscripted into the Lucis army. Once taken, Sloane must not only conceal her power but overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training. But if she can infiltrate the Lucis, she could destroy her enemies ... Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely and becoming the very monster she abhors"--Dust jacket flap.
The Scorpion Queen
Published in 2025
After a fall from grace, sixteen-year-old Amie must choose between escaping her new life as a servant or helping the princess she serves end the deadly trials faced by the royal suitors.
The Gilded Ones
Published in 2020
Inspired by the culture of West Africa, a feminist fantasy debut traces the experiences of an intuitive girl who is invited to leave her discriminatory village to join the emperor's army of near-immortal women warriors.
King of Dead Things
Published in 2024
Eli, who possesses unique magical abilities, and Malcolm, desperate to escape his past and save his mother, join forces to retrieve a dangerous magical artifact in the mystical underbelly of London.
Tempest
Published in 2025
"After Veronique's parents died, her grandmother raised her on a farm in rural Louisiana. For sixteen years, it's just been Veronique, MawMaw, and an ocean of trees. That's because Veronique has a secret--one MawMaw has warned her she must always keep safe. Veronique has the power to control the wind. But when MawMaw falls ill, Veronique is forced to move to New Orleans to live with family she never knew she had. New Orleans is a far cry from her old quiet life, but Veronique finally gets her chance for a normal life--one with school, friends, and even love. But when her new life threatens her ability to control her powers, she quickly learns that the world is bigger and more dangerous than she'd ever imagined. Veronique must uncover what MawMaw was trying to protect her from before it's too late."--Provided by publisher.
The Maid and the Crocodile
Published in 2024
In the magical city of Oluwan, Small Sade, an orphaned Curse Eater with the unique ability to eat others fates, accidentally binds herself to a powerful god known as the Crocodile, leading to a series of events that could spark a revolution and change the fate of everyone in the city.
Shadow Coven
Published in 2023
After defeating the wolves Jailah, Logan, Iris, and Thalia are ready to pursue their separate studies, but when witches start going missing, and Thalia is convinced her father is responsible, the coven is surrounded by magical and mundane threats and must work together to protect themselves and their magic.
Deadly Ever After
Published in 2025
"After princess Amala and warrior Kha'dasia die suddenly, they must traverse a magical forest in search of the kiss that will bring them back to life before their fates are sealed forever"-- Provided by publisher.
The Smoke That Thunders
Published in 2024
In this mesmerizing fantasy rooted in Urhobo and West African folklore, sixteen--year--old Naborhi longs for a life away from her small, traditional clan in Kokori. But as her rite of passage approaches and she is betrothed to an arrogant young man, Naborhi feels her dreams slipping away from her. Then Naborhi becomes bonded to a mysterious animal and begins having harrowing visions of a kidnapped boy. She soon meets Atai, the son of an Oracle from a rival queendom, and learns that she is being guided by the gods. She and Atai, along with Naborhi's eager--for--adventure cousin, Tamunor, set off across the continent to rescue the mysterious boy. But when they find him--and find out his true identity--Naborhi realizes there is more than just her freedom at stake: she must stop a war that has already been set in motion.
A Blade So Black
Published in 2018
"A Blade So Black delivers an irresistible urban fantasy retelling of Alice in Wonderland ... but it's not the Wonderland you remember. The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew. Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she's ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head ... literally. Debut author L.L. McKinney delivers an action-packed twist on an old classic, full of romance and otherworldly intrigue."--Amazon.
The Shadow Sister
Published in 2023
"Sutton going missing is the worst thing to happen to Casey, to their family. She's trying to help find her sister, but Casey is furious. She knows Sutton is manipulative, meanwhile everyone paints a picture of her perfection. People don't look for missing Black girls--or half-Black girls--without believing there is an angel to be saved. When Sutton reappears, Casey knows she should be relieved. Except Sutton isn't the same. She remembers nothing about while she was gone--or anything from her old life, including how she made Casey miserable. There's something unsettling about the way she wants to spend time with Casey and watch her goldfish swim for hours. What happened to Sutton? The more Casey starts uncovering her sister's secrets, the more questions she has. Did she really know her sister? Why is no one talking about the other girls who have gone missing in their area? And what will it take to uncover the truth?" Provided by publisher.
A Chorus Rises
Published in 2021
Once Portland-famous and now infamous, seventeen-year-old Naema Bradshaw is an Eloko--a charismatic person gifted with a melody that people adore--who navigates a personal and public reckoning, confronts the limits of her privilege, and discovers the nature of her Black girl magic.
Brewed with Love
Published in 2025
Teen witch Sage teams up with her former best friend and first crush, Ximena, to prevent her family's apothecary from falling to the competition.
Bemused
Published in 2025
"Living in a quiet seaside village with their overprotective mother, teenaged sisters Calliope, Clio, Melpomene, Terpsichore, and Thalia are talented performers with no audience. If Calli had her way, she'd pursue her dream of writing epic stories in the city of Thebes. But family comes first, and as the eldest, she'd never leave her beloved sisters behind. Then, following a disastrous public music performance, their mother reveals a shocking secret: she is Mnemosyne, the Goddess of Memory, and for nearly two decades, she's been on the run from the gods of Mount Olympus, desperate to keep her daughters safe from their machinations. Before she can share more, she is kidnapped . . . and though the girls don't know it yet, the villain pulling the strings is none other than Hades, fiery God of the Underworld. Under Calli's leadership, the sisters embark on a journey to save their mother and to learn more about their own divine origins. But the path ahead is filled with mythical trials and tribulations, and they'll need to rely on both their individual talents and the strength of their sisterhood to ensure that they ascend from "zeroes" to "heroes"--or more accurately, heroines."-- Provided by publisher.
Blood Like Magic
Published in 2021
After failing to come into her powers, sixteen-year-old Voya--a Black witch living in near-future Toronto--is forced to choose between losing her family's magic forever, a heritage steeped in centuries of blood and survival, or murdering her first love, a boy who is supposedly her genetic match.
Daughters of Oduma
Published in 2023
Sixteen-year-old Dirt, a retired elite female fighter, must enter the South God Bow tournament to protect her found family of younger sisters and their beloved Mud Fam.
That Self-same Metal
Published in 2023
In 1605 London, sixteen-year-old Joan Sands' magical ability to control metal makes her a skilled craftswoman, but her family gift for observing the Fae, who recently broke the Pact and are now brutally attacking mortals, draws Joan into political intrigue in both human and Fae worlds.
Bones at the Crossroads
Published in 2025
Malik Baron, a Black teenager with magical powers, returns to Caiman University for his sophomore year, only to face new threats, family secrets, and the challenges of mastering his powers while uncovering his true legacy. It's his freshman year at Caiman University, and all 17-year-old Malik wants to do is be a normal college student. Go to parties, choose a major, talk to girls, and learn some new magic. But instead, he's reeling from a summer of discovery, loss and betrayal, and still uncovering the truth about his powers and his legacy as the descendant of a powerful magical lineage. The family he only just discovered is already fractured beyond repair, and the mother he thought he knew--and risked everything to find--might be the biggest danger to the new life he's building. Malik is trying to find his footing in a world threatened by intertribal tension and the rising power of the Bokors. But how he can he use his power to protect a world he's not sure he'll ever fully belong to... In a wholly unique and electric saga of magic, heritage, and community, Malik confronts the dark cracks of the magical world, and the darkness in himself. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.