Landing on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 125 weeks, Tomi Adeyemi’s dazzling fantasy debut is a masterclass in world-building that offers sharp commentary on race and class. Inspired by West African mythology, Children of Blood and Bone, the first in a trilogy, is an epic adventure tale centered on teenager Zélie Adebola’s quest to restore the magic to her kingdom after it was virtually wiped out by an evil monarch. His brutalities included killing Zélie’s mother and many of the oppressed maji people, leading the fierce protagonist to embark on a dangerous mission while dealing with her own burgeoning supernatural powers. There is action and there is romance, but most importantly, there is a heroine written to root for as Adeyemi details Zélie’s journey in both heartbreaking and inspiring terms. —Annabel Gutterman