Goldenborn
A Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick – Watch the Segment
Scholastic, 9781546147466, June 2, 2026 (Young Adult)
Jacket Art By Taj Francis
© 2026 Scholastic Press
Jacket Design By Stephanie Yang
Awards & Accolades
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A girl with a mission. A god with a deal. A story that could change everything.
When 17-year-old Akoma Addo stumbles into a world of ancient gods and modern magic, she’ll have to choose between saving her father… or staying true to everything she’s ever believed.
Akoma Addo has one rule: don’t get too close to the supernatural.
Ever since a blazing orb of light left her father in a coma, she’s buried herself in her secret job investigating magical crimes in San Francisco’s AfricaTown — just enough to keep her grief at bay. But when a body turns up in a pool of molten gold and ash, Akoma’s pulled into something much bigger — and far more dangerous. At the center of it all is Anansi, the trickster god of stories, who makes her an impossible offer: help him catch a killer and awaken the ancestral magic buried deep in her blood… and in return, he’ll give her a chance to bring her father back. To take the deal, Akoma will have to lie to everyone she loves and embrace the very power she’s spent years trying to deny. And as her connection grows with Xander, the new guy in town with secrets of his own, Akoma must decide who she can trust — especially when she’s no longer sure she can even trust herself. Rooted in Ghanaian mythology and packed with mystery, danger, and slow-burning romance, Goldenborn is a gripping fantasy about legacy, lies, and what it really means to rewrite your story.
Reviews
“A thrilling and fantastical world inspired by West African mythology! You will be BEGGING for more at the end of this. Ama Ofosua Lieb is an author to watch!” —Elisa McIntosh, The Bookstore Plus, Lake Placid, NY (Indies Introduce Panelist)
“Goldenborn is the kind of sci-fi/fantasy mashup I didn’t know I was looking for. Akoma lives in a near-future AfricaTown in San Francisco and works with a secret law enforcement division to stop crimes where magic may be involved. She just wants to find out what really happened to put her father in a coma, and a sting gone wrong leads her to a mysterious stranger who may have the answers. Goldenborn is filled with lush, beautiful worldbuilding, African mythology, and an Afrofuturist twist. An outstanding debut!” —Fisher Nash, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY (Indies Introduce Panelist)
“Akoma, a 17-year-old who hates magic, must make the choice between following trickster Anansi’s request or possibly losing her comatose father. Steeped in magic and Ghanaian mythology, this immersive futuristic fantasy full of high stakes adventure, lively character banter, and mysterious intentions had me reeling for more.” —Britney Harker, Rediscovered Books, Boise ID (Indies Introduce Panelist)
“A thrilling and fantastical world inspired by West African mythology! You will be BEGGING for more at the end of this. Ama Ofosua Lieb is an author to watch!” —Elisa McIntosh, The Bookstore Plus, Lake Placid, NY (Indies Introduce Panelist)
“Goldenborn is the kind of sci-fi/fantasy mashup I didn’t know I was looking for. Akoma lives in a near-future AfricaTown in San Francisco and works with a secret law enforcement division to stop crimes where magic may be involved. She just wants to find out what really happened to put her father in a coma, and a sting gone wrong leads her to a mysterious stranger who may have the answers. Goldenborn is filled with lush, beautiful worldbuilding, African mythology, and an Afrofuturist twist. An outstanding debut!” —Fisher Nash, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY (Indies Introduce Panelist)
“Akoma, a 17-year-old who hates magic, must make the choice between following trickster Anansi’s request or possibly losing her comatose father. Steeped in magic and Ghanaian mythology, this immersive futuristic fantasy full of high stakes adventure, lively character banter, and mysterious intentions had me reeling for more.” —Britney Harker, Rediscovered Books, Boise ID (Indies Introduce Panelist)
