J. Elle

Half-god, half-human Rue is snatched from her Houston home to Ghazan, a secret land of gods, by her estranged father, then must face an evil determined to steal everything from her.--

Wings of Ebony

Instant New York Times bestseller! In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black teen from Houston has her world upended when she learns about her godly ancestry and must save both the human and god worlds. Perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Tomi Adeyemi, and The Hunger Games! “Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue's taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders. Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life. Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.

Nataly

The sun shouldn’t be allowed to shine every day. Some days it needs to sit its ass down somewhere and let it be gray. 

Tatiana

Wings of Ebony: 3.5/5

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads for 2021 and I was not disappointed! J. Elle's debut novel Wings of Ebony follows a girl named Rue who is whisked away, by her father, to an island called Ghizon after her mother's death. The book opens with Rue escaping, and returning home to find her younger sister Tasha. Although Rue's home town does not have the best reputation, Rue loves it, and when it is under attack by a gang who is mainly targeting her sister, Rue rushes to save it. While doing so, Rue is forced to confront her past, and learn more about herself than she ever knew before. 

As a debut novel, J. Elle's writing really shined. I loved her writing style which is more modern and extremely approachable. The way Elle writes Rue is like she is actually sitting in the room with you. Her voice is so uniquely hers and I really appreciated that. Furthermore, Rue curses and uses AAVE which just makes her all the more real and believable. A lot of books I feel will tiptoe around racist topics or water them down for white readers to digest, but J. Elle told a wonderfully entertaining story with an even deeper message wrapped around it. This book addresses systemic racism, appropriation, colonization, in a manner easy to understand, approachable, and entertaining. 

The first thing I would like to point out is that the main highlight of this book is Rue herself. Rue is tough, determined, and best of all, true to herself. She takes NO SHIT. You will never find Rue second-guessing herself, she will always do what she believes in and sticks to it. I absolutely loved that about her! It is such a nice change after reading a lot of books with female characters who are extremely wishy-washy in their beliefs. I promise you will fall in love with her.

Not only are you following Rue's journey through her own self-discovery as she's learning about an entirely new part of herself, but also you also see her combating the racism and destruction destroying the town she loves so dearly. This is extremely moving to learn more about Rue as she learns it herself.

One criticism is the world-building felt rushed. This book is pretty short, so on one hand, this book is definitely a page-turner with a lot of action but in return, we get these random information dumps about the world that played off as "trying to catch the reader up" on what was currently happening. I found myself having to go back and reread some parts because I didn't understand the backstory of Ghizon. I really wish there was more time building up Ghizon and the magic properties of it because in the end I didn't really feel connected to the world itself and it came off as unrealistic or unbelievable. 

My second criticism is the romance in the book. I really felt like it was pointless and just there to say there is a romance plot. It is a completely forgettable love triangle that has nothing to do with the main plot of this book. If the half thought out romance was scrapped and the effort was put into Ghizon and fixing the plot holes, this would have been five stars.

Overall, I think it is a great debut novel, and I recommend it to anyone who likes YA fantasy. I think the message and plot is really great and I am excited for J. Elle's future work (especially the sequel). I think her writing will only improve with time and maybe all of our questions about Ghizon will be answered in the next installment!

garnet

I got an ARC for this book from my local Goodwill. I DNF'd after about 30 pages. The writing felt pretty juvenile and the world building was not great. 2 stars for a very interesting premise, but it fell short of my expectations based on other reviews.

I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW😭😭😭😭😭

Selena-Marie Christian

If you haven't read this book. You definitely should. I loved ever second of it from start to finish. The story just grips you. Finally got a fantasy where the MC is a black female. Absolutely loved it.

𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒅, 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌. "

Okie, so this was my black History Month read and I was not disappointed. I enjoyed following Rue's journey to self discovery of her past and her powers and I do love a good Chosen One trope. 

This book also highlights some of the problems faced by black communities, which was fitting for a black History Month read. 

Definitely recommend.

Liz Griffin

A powerful read! With vibes of Black Panther and Hunger Games and a compelling message of restoration and equity, Wings of Ebony is a rush from start to finish. While some elements weren’t my favorite, I’m really glad I read it and will likely finish the duology.

Flavia Louise

3.5 stars
I really wish I could have gotten more into this book than I did.

Laura Yaneth Martinez

I would recommend it to others but there were parts that I didn’t like that much. Sometimes it felt slow but then it felt too fast. The ending was goood tho. I hope this story continues. The story is a powerful one and I’m excited to see the author develop it :). However what I now realize I didn’t enjoy from the book is some of the description used. A lot of it read unessential and therefore detracted from the story.

Toni Turner

I love this book. 
I cried at work. 
I cried in the comfort of my own home.
I laughed and I adored every character. 
There were only 10 pages where I was frustrated with what was happening, I hate when people have a clear shot but don't take it, but everything was resolved so perfectly that I can't stay mad. 
I need the next one now of course.
Ahh.

Ahaana Bhargava

Wings of Ebony is a powerful, unflinching debut that isn’t afraid to address critical issues in today’s world under an honest light. Important themes such as Racism, and Gang Violence are highlighted throughout the book, and are given the attention they deserve. Along with this, we see multiple journeys of self discovery and exploration, that help make the characters feel so much more relatable, and will have you gripping the edge of your seat, wondering if they’ll make it out the next time. Raw, and beautiful, Wings of Ebony is a debut I was greatly moved by, and one that is sure to impact you too.


  READ THE FULL REVIEW ON MY BLOG!

laura

*I got this book for review from the publisher for my honest thoughts*

This was such a impactful and thoughtful read. I really loved how this book combined some of my favorite YA elements in one story but def also tackled some harder and more contempory issues like gun violence, issues that effect black communities and also gangs. I also really liked the focus on gods as well. I also liked the important discussions about race relationships in the new world. It was not easy read but really struck me in the emotions. I also thought that the romance in this book, was really fun but not the main focus. This book also did tackle grief and also strong siblings realionshps as as well. I will def check out book 2 and this author in general.

Alexis 

3/5 Stars 

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!** 

So this took me a while to get through. I couldn't seem to connect to the story. I kept putting it down and then not wanting to pick it back up. The book itself just wasn't grabbing my attention. This being said it had nothing to do with the writing because I did enjoy it, I just didn't love it. This is very much a personal issue, I just don't think I was focused enough on the book. I do think this is still a creative and interesting idea. I will for sure be giving this a re-read in the future, I feel like I would really enjoy this in the right mood. I can also see people loving this book. Overall I would say if you are interested give it a read!

Kelsey Holtaway

Oh my god this was SO good. 

In WINGS OF EBONY we follow Rue as she learns she is magic and goes from living in East Row in Houston to Ghizon, a magical island, following her mother's traumatic death. However, there's an uptick in violence in her old neighborhood in Houston, and there's a tie to her new magical home. Rue has to defend her family and community in Houston while puzzling out what's not right in Ghizon. 

This book takes off at 90mph and does not slow down. The intrigue and action are so high I had legitimate trouble putting this one down. But what I really appreciated was that it wasn't difficult to keep track of where we were and why. A lot of times in books with a lot of action and mystery, it can be confusing as to why the character is doing what they're doing, but J. Elle walked the line between creating a rich mystery with lots of action and intrigue without creating a tangled web. 

The atmosphere in this was also a 10/10 for me. We go between Houston and Ghizon quite regularly, but both are fully fleshed out, and Ghizon feels just as real as Houston. 

I would say my favorite part of this was the characterizations. Rue felt SO alive to me. The book moves along at a quick pace, but J. Elle doesn't skip out on fully fleshing out Rue's likes, dislikes, routines, her connection to her family and community, how she works through and processes the racism and abuse she experiences from the systems at large AND her more interpersonal relationships. You could tell me Rue was a real person and I'd believe you. 

There are larger themes of colonialism, racism, justice, oppression, community, love, passion, and grief.

I just really loved this and I'm hoping this series continues!

Kerri McDonald

Thank you to Caffeine Book Tours, the publisher, and Netgalley for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I first heard of Wings of Ebony, I was beyond hyped to be getting another fantasy book featuring literal Black Girl Magic! In 2020, most of my favorite new fantasy books starred people who look like me and I’m ready for that representation to continue in 2021. So, seeing the title and reading the synopsis, I knew this was a book that I’d want to read.

The story follows a young Black woman named Rue, who has recently discovered that magic is not only real, but her long-absent father lives in a place where it can be bound to you. Rue grew up in East Row, a neighborhood in Houston that is more family to her than the strange people in her new ‘home’ can ever be, and she is desperate to get back to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death. When she finds a way back, however, not only does she break one of the cardinal rules of the Ghizoni, but she sets off a series of events that will change her, her neighborhood, and the secret island of magic users, forever.

Y’all, when I tell you this story drops you into the action and keeps you running until the very end! This was such an engaging, exciting read that completely captured my attention as soon as I read the first page! I will admit that it took me a second to get my bearings. There isn’t a ton of explanation, at first, and most of it gets told through flashbacks as you get deeper into the story. But, once I adjusted to the way the story was being unfolded, I was engrossed. The writing is punchy, making the pages flow by at such a pace that you don’t realize that you’ve been reading for hours when you come up for a breath. Not that you’ll want to… this is a book that could definitely be read in one sitting because you just need to know what happens next!

In conjunction with the great writing, I think the author does a fantastic job with the world-building. She creates an incredibly rich world and mythology that sets fire to the imagination! I will admit that, at the beginning, there were moments when it felt a bit info-dumpy, but, in the context of Rue being dropped into the middle of this society she knows nothing about, it kind of makes sense. We’re learning along with Rue and it’s utterly fascinating. I have to admit, I loved the mythology and background we learn of later in the book way more and I wish we had gotten more of it! Thankfully, this is just the first book in a series, so I’m hoping we get more in future books.

Moving on from the incredible setting, though, I have to talk about our lead character, Rue. I absolutely adore Rue! Did she make me want to shake her? Frequently. But I blame that on the fact that the author did an excellent job of portraying a teenage girl on the cusp of adulthood forced to make a lot of very hard decisions. All while trying to protect the family and the home that she loves. That’s a lot to place on any young woman’s shoulder and, when you add the fact that she’s one of the only Black people in Ghizon where she’s treated with suspicion and distain, you begin to understand her motivation. Still wanted to shake her, though, lol. J. Elle has crafted such an incredibly real and complex character, who feels like someone I could bump into on the street. It’s beautiful watching Rue on her journey of growth and magic and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here! The supporting characters are crafted with just as much care, though I will say that Rue’s potential love interest(s) could have used a bit more fleshing out.

Speaking of love interest, there is a splash of romance in this story that kind of took me by surprised. It seemed to come out of nowhere and threw me off just a tad, at first. I found myself more or less on board as the story advanced, but I honestly was so wrapped up in the action that I kept forgetting about the romance until it was right in front of my face, lol. I’m hoping it gets more interwoven into the story as it progresses because I thought it was sweet! Just kind of sudden.

Final thoughts: Black Girl Magic strikes again! Wings of Ebony is a beautifully imagined and fast-paced fantasy that asks a lot of questions about what one is willing to do for their family. It’s a love letter to tight-knit Black communities. And it’s a fantasy filled with magic and danger that features a beautiful Black young woman with all her flaws and strengths on full display. I loved the nuance of our main character, Rue. I loved that we learn about this new world along with her, though it can be a bit info-dumpy. And I loved the way this story sucks you in and will not let go! If you’re looking for a fantasy that digs into the concept of family, of racism, and features Blackness front and center, I think you would enjoy Wings of Ebony!

Ocean

I absolutely love this book. The ride or die friendship between Rue and Bri, the growth of Rue accepting her roots, and the wonderful sibling relationship between Rue and her sister Tasha were some of my favourite parts. I really like Julius and Jahmal, but when it comes down to it, I'm Team Julius. The history of Ghazan is fascinating and disturbing, but Rue is set on getting justice and bringing dow  those in power. I can't wait for the sequel, I thoroughly enjoyed Wings of Ebony and I'm excited to see what happens next.

Ashlee

surtified™

Casey Stevens

Rachel Kelt

Addiction to books (Cece) 

Instant New York Times bestseller! “A remarkable, breathtaking, earthshaking, poetic thrillride.” —Daniel José Older, New York Times bestselling author of Shadowshaper ​In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black teen from Houston has her world upended when she learns about her godly ancestry and must save both the human and god worlds. Perfect for fans of Angie Thomas, Tomi Adeyemi, and The Hunger Games! “Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders. Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence. And her sister, Tasha, is in danger of falling sway to the very forces that claimed their mother’s life. Worse still, evidence mounts that the evil plaguing East Row is the same one that lurks in Ghizon—an evil that will stop at nothing until it has stolen everything from her and everyone she loves. Rue must embrace her true identity and wield the full magnitude of her ancestors’ power to save her neighborhood before the gods burn it to the ground.

Wings of Ebony

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