Wings of Ebony, J. Elle
Wings of Ebony, J. Elle
1 Rating(s)
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.89
Club: $13.49

Wings of Ebony

Author: J. Elle

Narrator: Bahni Turpin

Unabridged: 11 hr 47 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/26/2021


Synopsis

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.

About J. Elle

J. Elle is the author of the instant New York Times and Indie bestseller Wings of Ebony, a YA novel about a Black teen who must lean into her ancestor’s magic to protect her inner-city community from drugs, violence, and crime. Ms. magazine calls it “the debut fantasy we need right now.” She also wrote its sequel, Ashes of Gold. Elle is a former educator and first-generation college student with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in educational administration and human development. When she’s not writing, Elle can be found mentoring aspiring writers, binging reality TV, loving on her three littles, or cooking up something true to her Louisiana roots. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lauren on December 13, 2020

The problem I often find with short fantasy novels is that there’s just not enough time to develop a believable world. I was really looking forward to Wings of Ebony, so I'm sad it underwhelmed me. I had a hard time connecting to the characters, and discovered that the magic and worldbuilding elemen......more

Goodreads review by Bookishrealm on July 23, 2021

Shout out to J. Elle for writing a book that's unapologetically Black and doesn't change dialogue or character development to appease to what the publishing industry deems appropriate. And finally shout out for giving us a book that is literal Black Girl Magic. Wings of Ebony has been on my radar to......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on December 23, 2021

Star Rating: —> 5 [ Glimmering, Glistening, GOLD ] Stars 🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟 Just... WOW. Wowwowwowwow. THIS WAS... EVERYTHING! So fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I can't... i just can't stop crying! It's a good thing, though. A lush fantasy, BRILLIANTLY written, with so many parallels to our own world, the state......more

Goodreads review by Ms. Woc Reader on July 24, 2024

Whew! I wasn't ready! This book hit hard! To say Rue has had it hard would be a huge understatement. Still reeling from her mother's death and being whisked away to a foreign land against her will by her father, Rue has escaped back to her old stomping grounds in search of her little sister, Tasha.......more

Goodreads review by Ayman on July 29, 2021

this book was great. it tackles important issues and it’s super action packed. I enjoyed this book completely. I like how fast pace it was. I enjoy short books. I agree that there could have been more world building however it was nothing that bothered me. I can’t wait for a book two I feel like we’......more


Quotes

"Narrator Bahni Turpin nails her portrayal of Rue, a Black teenager who, upon her mother's tragic death, discovers that her long-absent father is a god, that she herself is a godling, and that she must leave her human half sister to travel to the magical island of Ghizon. Turpin brings a convincing emotional range to the story as she depicts Rue's parental resentment, grief and love toward her surviving half sister, suspicion toward her white Ghizonian peers, and rage toward the white gang members who are terrorizing what had been, until recently, her Black neighborhood. Throughout, Turpin also demonstrates a talent for making the great one-liners in this novel sing for the listener. Add this to your audiobook list!"