October Reads Worth Falling For

Danger, desire, second chances, and unexpected romance—discover this month’s Fresh Fiction Featured Books.

Ashes at the Altar by LaDarrion Williams

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Also by LaDarrion Williams:

Ashes at the Altar, September 2026
Hardcover / e-Book
Bones at the Crossroads, August 2025
Hardcover / e-Book
Blood at the Root, May 2024
Hardcover / e-Book

ASHES AT THE ALTAR
By: LaDarrion Williams

Blood at the Root #3
Labyrinth Road- Penguin Random House
September 2026
On Sale: September 15, 2026
528 pages
ISBN: 0593712005
EAN: 9780593712009
Kindle: B0GJ3WV1JW
Hardcover / e-Book
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Young Adult Contemporary | Young Adult Fantasy

At a hidden magical HBCU a teen boy must confront evil spirits, family secrets and tested loyalties. In this haunting finale to the New York Times bestselling Blood at the Root trilogy, bloodlines, betrayal, and legacy collide in a battle that may cost everything.

Malik Baron has learned a lot since he first came to Caiman University: History is power. Family is more than just blood. You can't escape your past. And magic always comes with a price.

But nothing he's been taught could have prepared him for what this semester will bring. Even after he risked it all to trap the evil spirit Marinette that has been possessing his mother, her power continues to grow. And with her and the Bokors still at large, the cracks in the magical community have reached a breaking point. Just as Malik begins to get to know his father's family, the Bonclairs' power is challenged, leaving him to decide where his loyalties lie. And it's not just the future of Caiman at stake, but the very magic that runs in his veins.

In the propulsive and emotional conclusion to this powerful trilogy, the future and the family Malik has fought so hard to build and protect is in greater danger than ever. But with the power of ancestors and the strength of his loved ones behind him, can he fight for what the world has always said is impossible for a Black boy like him—a happy ending?