Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, 1)

Discover the groundbreaking series that became a global sensation―over 2 million books sold!

An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller * A TIME Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time * A New York Times Notable Children's Book * A Kirkus Prize Finalist * Five Starred Reviews

With five starred reviews, Tomi Adeyemi’s West African-inspired fantasy debut, and instant #1 New York Times Bestseller, conjures a world of magic and danger, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir.

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Praise for Children of Blood and Bone

"A phenomenon." —Entertainment Weekly

“The epic I’ve been waiting for.” —New York Times-bestselling author Marie Lu

“You will be changed. You will be ready to rise up and reclaim your own magic!” —New York Times-bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton

“The next big thing in literature and film.” —Ebony

“One of the biggest young adult fiction debut book deals of the year.” —Teen Vogue

This title has Common Core connections.

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The Complete Legacy of Orïsha Series:

Children of Blood and Bone (Book 1)
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Book 2)
Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Book 3)

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Published Mar 6, 2018

544 pages

Average rating: 8.23

525 RATINGS

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Oree

Jun 25, 2025

10/10 stars

I have never read a book like this!! The feeling I got from reading a heroine that was beautiful and powerful that was described to look like my coworkers, friends family and me.... indescribable. To read blackness finally being describe as we are; multifacted! Distinct! Each one unique. I wish books like this were written when I was younger.

Daebug

May 05, 2025

8/10 stars

Loved this story! So much to take in. Fear leads the kingdom to destroy magic and those they believe are evil because of it. But the Maji refuse to let this 2nd chance of magic escape them. two sides either two different agendas. Will the princess and prince be able to join the two together.

cosmic.qtopia

Sep 26, 2025

9/10 stars

It’s been a while since I’ve written a review. I honestly think I put my all into my review about Addie LaRue so as amazing as I found this book to be, I couldn’t formulate a decent review about it to save my life. A while ago I learned that I have a lot of Nigerian DNA furthering my already budding curiosity about the Yoruban faith and the Oriṣas. That was initially what brought me to move this up on my TBR in addition to wanting to start reading more books written by Black authors. 🚨SPOILERS BELOW🚨 The story is centered around a young maji girl named Zélie surviving under the persecution of the Orishan monarchy simply because of the magic that runs in her veins. Her mother has already been killed during The Raid where magic was also stripped from the land entirely, rendering the maji powerless and she is being raised by her father, brother, and Mama Agba who is also her teacher and trainer. The story follows Zélie on an intense journey alongside the rogue princess of Orisha to learn the secrets of the past, strengthen her connection with her own Oriṣa Oya, and eventually reawaken magic to restore power to her people. There’s action, there’s light romance, there’s anxiety, there’s magic. I was definitely on the edge of my seat. Heart pounding during the fight scenes. The plot didn’t miss a beat. I was hoping Inan wouldn’t disappoint me but he did. Royally. (No pun intended) he was such a scary ass! Couldn’t make a decent decision for shit. Turned me off immediately. He couldn’t handle her. She may not be the eldest daughter but she certainly has eldest daughter energy. Roen though 👀….I guess we’ll see. After reading this, I immediately bought a nonfiction book about the Yoruba faith and its basic concepts. I loved it and it’s definitely got me excited to learn more about one of the oldest belief systems to exist. Until next time fellow fantasy fanatics 😉🫶🏾

cdlaw97

Sep 22, 2025

10/10 stars

This was so good! I can say I’m a Tomi fan now. I couldn’t wait to finish this and start the second book. Currently waiting for the third book on preorder!

Shawn💜Reads

Sep 09, 2025

8/10 stars

My goodness, this was so good!!! Just finished and I'm opening the next IMMEDIATELY! The fight scenes were so good and so... vivid in my mind! Had me yelling and everything. Lol. I have no idea what will happen next, but I really hope everything is okay. On to the next!