Sold in a heated six-house auction, a new YA fantasy duology about a teen who discovers she’s the heir to a magical—and fabulously wealthy—family, set in a world that’s Black Panther meets Crazy Rich Asians, from the bestselling author of The Gilded Ones.

IRON SWORN
by Namina Forna
Random House, September 2027
(via Writers House)

© Suma Sesay

Juniper has given up on being adopted out of the Atlanta foster care system… until her long-lost uncle pulls up in a Maserati on her sixteenth birthday. He reveals that Juniper is the heir to the powerful Jawara dynasty, whisking her off to the opulent West African country of Azanzia.

There, Juniper discovers she’s inherited not only riches but a magical legacy. She’s a descendant of the Iron Sworn, an elite group of warriors who bargained for powers from the fae to defend Azanzia from colonizers and monsters. Juniper begins training alongside the other teenage heirs, including beautiful, ruthless Thione, but struggles to command the magic that they’ve spent their whole lives mastering.

When an ancient evil returns to Azanzia and preys on magical beings, Juniper’s fledgling powers and new alliances are put to the test. And when Juniper learns that the key to defeating the evil is buried in her past, she’ll have to confront both monsters and family secrets to uncover her true lineage.

Namina Forna is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gilded Ones series. She’s been published in over 24 different countries and also works in film and television. She loves telling stories with fierce female leads and now lives in London, where she spends all her time trying to stay warm.