The Spirit Binders by Alaya Dawn Johnson

Everything changes for Lana on the day of her initiation into womanhood as a diver for the precious mandagah harvested by her community. The stones she recieves from a dying mandagah fish mark her as someone with a connection to the spirits, a responsibility Lana doesn't wish to have.

But the environmental changes on her island make it impossible for Lana's life to continue as she always knew it, anyway. With the mandagah fish beginning to die off, Lana's family leaves the island to try to make a life for themselves in the city of Essel. The hardships they face away from any semblance of familiar lifestyle lead to Lana's apprenticeship to a witch woman.

Lana's education on the use of power places her continuously on paths more and more dangerous, where she faces nearly impossible choices and often frightening consequences.

Lana's story is infused with other stories in this novel, allowing readers a strong grasp of the events taking place in Lana's time. The customs, landscapes, and histories of Lana's world are interesting and well developed. As the author's first novel, this book is outstanding.