For the life of me I keep thinking that I have reviewed this but my ickle brain cells have failed. So today is the day I review this amazing debut. For me Amari was a really good M/C but I wished that she believed in herself more than she did. I have to say that I was totally surprised that this was BB's debut novel as to me it read like this author had written hundreds of books. The world and story building was out of this world (did you see what I did) who is not to like a book that gives of vibes of Men in Black and Spy Kids. If you want a good time with excitement, friendship and family then this is the book for you.

For all the above reasons I am giving Amari and the Night Brothers 5 big fat stars

Yes, I know I have had this book on my tbr for a long time, but I finally got to it now that the second book is out.
I really loved it.
Basically, we follow Amari who joins the magical Bureau of Supernatural Affairs to search for her brother who went missing during an investigation. She has always been the odd one out at school and when she joins the Bureau this was heightened as she discovers that she has a rare and powerful magic. A magic that has been associated only with people who have tried to bring chaos.

She soon realises that her powers might be the key to saving her brother.

I really enjoyed it, great friendship, a truckload of betrayal and a great adventure. Honestly, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

BB Alston absolutely smashed it out of the park with Amari and the Night Brothers. I adored the magic, and the characters were amazingly deep and complex.

I enjoyed Amari and the Night Brothers a lot. Amari's brother has gone missing under very mysterious circumstances. Then she gets a mysterious invitation of her own.

This is a story about a young girl who is thrust from a perfectly normal world view into the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, where she has to prove herself through a number of trials to find her own special talent, competing all the time against other children who've grown up in this world and been training for it for a long time.

There are familiar elements here, to be sure, but it's told in a way that's fun and fresh and it's so important for diversity in children's fiction that we get stories like Amari where the chosen one isn't a middle class white boy. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes next.

This has got to be my favourite children’s book I have read so far this year. I found it engaging and with lots of twists and turns it kept me on my toes.

It was a pleasure to read this book, I fell in love with Amari instantly and was immediately hooked by the story, wanting to know what was going on and willing Amari to find out what was going on. The writing flows fluently and I could picture everything in my mind as I read. Although it is a middle grade book I think all ages can, and will, enjoy it, and my 10 year old has already taken my copy to read herself. I have never read the book that we aren't talking about but I've seen other reviewers compare Amari to that and I can understand why the magic, the world and the characters draws that comparison. I absolutely loved the inclusivity of Alston's world though and therefore I already want my children to emerge themselves into this series rather than that other!
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A lovely, fun read. I can't wait to find out what happens next for Amari.

What a magical read! Definitely a 4.5 star read for me. Full of adventure, magic and mystery. I will probably be recommending this book to everyone but it managed to hit a soft spot and reignite my inner child!

This is a brilliant fantasy adventure and mystery, featuring loveable heroine Amari who finds out her missing brother has referred her to a magical bureau. The story follows Amari's journey into this new magical world and her mission to find out what happened to her brother. There are themes of acceptance and prejudice, as Amari's classmates are suspicious of her because she has an illegal magical ability. Not only that, but the rest of the kids at the school are "legacy" pupils - they've known about the magical world their entire lives, unlike Amari.

I absolutely loved the book, I found the characters really lovable, the plot gripping and surprising, and loved the way BB Alston explored prejudice and discrimination. Can't wait for the next one!

I loved this so so so much. From an excellently imaginative world full of supernatural beings to emotional responsiveness flooding through friendship, sibling love, and heartache, this middle-grade fantasy has become one of my absolute favourites.

Nothing has been the same since Amari's brother disappeared. When Amari loses her scholarship, she doesn't think things can get any worse - she's hardly living up to her brother's legacy... but then a weird package arrives at her door and she learns that her brother went missing while on a mission for the secretive bureau, a magical bureau..

I loved this book! Amari grows so much, from a scared but determined little sister to a powerful magic-wielder in her own right, she battles prejudice wherever she goes and is determined to find her brother no matter the cost. I did find some elements of this predictable, but it was never boring.

Amari and the Night Brothers was a fun and action-packed middle grade read with such an imaginative world and loveable characters! The descriptions were hilarious and I smiled quite a few times whilst reading this book and I’m excited to see where this series goes. The plot twist at the end was totally unexpected (for me, at least).

However, I struggled a lot with the writing. I felt like the writing didn’t flow very well and a lot of the sentences felt disjointed. A lot of the time I could tell when the author wanted to add something into the paragraph that would be important to the plot but that wouldn’t necessarily work in that specific moment.

I was also not a fan of the scenes of bullying in the book. They were super triggering for me and I hate seeing groups of girls hating on other girls just because they stand out a little. Being left out of activities and being kept in the dark about stuff is my biggest fear and something I’ve had to personally deal with in my life. So when reading this, I was hoping that Amari could have a safe space to return to when these girls got extra mean. Unfortunately even her dorm room at the bureau wasn’t safe and Amari’s friendship with Elsie wasn’t given enough time to develop.

I think it would also have been nice to get to know Amari’s life from ‘before the bureau’ a bit better. I would have loved to meet her brother before his disappearance and I would have like to see her real world fleshed out a bit more. It all happened so fast that I didn’t really get a good grasp on Amari’s character.

I love the fact that Alston brought issues surrounding racism to the forefront in this book. I thought he did a great job in representing Amari and her community so well. Even in middle grade books it’s of the utmost importance to talk about important issues surrounding race.

Overall, this was an engaging middle grade book with a feisty main character and such an intriguing world. I hope that in future books I can connect more with Amari on an emotional level and get to know her and her world a bit better.

4.5/5

I’ve heard a lot of positive reviews about this book, so I was very happy when I got an ARC on NetGalley. I couldn’t wait to read it, but in the end, I wasn't able to read it before the release, so I finally got an audiobook and read it that way.

Cawpile-score: 8.29/10

C - Character: 8/10
The book dealt a lot with racism. I don’t like to read about topics like this because I’ll usually be sad that there are people who think that way. I don’t like to face the real world, that’s not why I read. But I still liked this here, I could like Amari much better, and I was very sorry. The characters were good, but they didn’t become my favourites. I really liked that one of the characters is a blood dragon, although we didn’t get much out of it, but I feel there will be more emphasis in the next books. The rest of the characters are a bit cliché, lovable, but not extra.

A - Atmosphere: 9/10
I really liked the atmosphere. The book had a Men In Black vibe, though it was supernatural instead of aliens. I liked this school venue with the competition and the whole world.

W - Writing: 9/10
As I mentioned, I don’t like real problems in books, but if I enjoy it, the writer does something good. I loved it.

P - Plot: 8/10
I expected a little more from the story. I thought a bit between 8 and 9 points, but maybe due to disappointment, I ended up choosing 8 points. I expected more because of the many positive reviews, and in the end, the story didn’t feel like an extra, it was just a plain middle-grade story. I felt like I had already read this, only with a different setting. In the end, however, I was surprised by the turn. I didn't expect it, I liked it.

I - Intrigue: 8/10
I wasn’t bored, the book was good, but I didn’t feel that I couldn't put it down.

L - Logic: 8/10
A few things were predictable, I was missing a few explanations, but I think the book was okay.

E - Enjoyment: 8/10
4.5 stars, or 8 points, which indicates that I loved it enough. Maybe my expectations were too high…

I’m already looking forward to the sequel, I’m sure I’ll read it. In fact, I feel like the story is well-founded now, I think the second part will be even better than this was.

My Thoughts: This book was EVERYTHING 🤩😍

I’ve never read a middle grade that gripped me quite like this one, I would definitely say it’s marketed towards the older range of middle grade.

We quickly learn that Amari’s brother Quinton went missing 6 months ago, he went to work & never came back, whilst Amari and her mum don’t actually know what Quinton does they know in their hearts that something has happened to him, because he wouldn’t just run out on them, right?

One day Amari receives a visitor with a package for her and only her, but little does she know that when she signs for it her life will change forever, could this be the clue she needs to find her brother?

Like I said before this book is gripping, the writing is fast paced and the story just flows so well, I found my self itching to pick it back up whenever life happened and I had to put it down.

All the characters are strong in their own right. Elsie and Amari were my favourites, they were the ultimate misfit girl gang who always had each other’s back no matter what.

If you love a story full of magic & mystery, a story that is never predictable & will have you thinking it’s heading in one direction whilst also pulling you in the opposite direction (in the best way possible I promise!) then this one is definitely the one for you.

I already can’t wait for the next instalment! 😍

This book is going to be huge at school I think as it has everything that you'd want in an adventure story, great characters, wonderous world-building and thrilling adventure. The underlying parallels that Amari draw between her life as a scholarship girl "from the wrong side of the tracks" in the outside world and the incredibly talented, suddenly famous and scarily powerful new student that she is in the new magical world are subtle, powerful and cleverly done. I genuinely couldn't put this book down and can't wait for the next one in the series.

A phenomenal first entry to a series that I am DYING to read the rest of! Amari is such a great and compelling character and the world is just incredible. Were-dragons! Talking elevators! Magicians! I just can't get enough!

It’s not hard to love this book, mainly because of Amari. Right from the very first scene, she stole my heart. Amari is strong-willed and very brave and overall has an amazing personality. She lives in a poor neighborhood but goes to a posh school and what she’s going through in that school pains me. So when the fantasy side of the story begins, I was elated because finally, Amari gets to shine more.

The fantasy element really surprised me, not because it’s new but because I enjoyed it a lot. I enjoyed learning about the Bureau and I found them interesting along all the magical creatures and abilities in Supernatural world. the supernatural abilities are also enjoyable to read even though there’s nothing new in them. This made me realize that the writing is incredible.

I also enjoyed the mystery side with Quinton.I think the author did a good job at handling that specific side of the story. I was eager to know more about Quinton in every chapter even though he’s really not present in the huge part of the story, but his presence is always there because Amari’s connection to her brother is very pure. And of course, Quinton is very much connected to the Bureau (not a spoiler because it’s very obvious. LOL).

Speaking of Quinton, his story is not the only aspect I love but also his character in general. I love his relationship or bond with Amari. He’s very protective and loyal. And the fact that I love him from the very first time Amari talked about him says a lot. Aside from Quinton, I also loved the other side characters. This book is filled with characters you’ll love. I can’t say much to avoid spoiling things especially because some of the characters, you just can’t be sure about them at first. All I can do is name them. I ended up loving Elsie, Agent Magnus and Fiona and of course Amari and Quinton’s mother. Even Dylan and Lara kept my interest. The characters are probably the best part of this book.

Yay! 5 stars. I really wasn’t expecting to still have a 5-star read as the year is ending but here it is. I just can’t find anything that I don’t like in this book. I absolutely love it and I’m sure you will too.

Amari and the Night Brothers follows the story of Amari Peters after the disappearance of her brother Quinton. Quinton was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. However, when he suddenly disappeared, the police automatically assumed that he was into illegal stuff and that he’s probably dead. Yet, Amari is so determined that her brother is no such thing and will try to prove it.

What she didn’t expect is that her brother actually was more than what she thought — not necessarily in a bad way–, starting with the ticking briefcase in his wardrobe that’s meant for Amari‘s eyes only. He’s nominated her to a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs where things we think are only myths like Yetis, Mermaids, magicians and more are very much real.

She has to pass the tryouts, which means competing against kids that have lived their whole lives knowing about the supernatural world, to be able to find out what the Bureau knows about her brother’s disappearance.

There is just so much awesomeness in this book that I really don’t know WHERE to start. Honestly, this one has blown my mind and played with my heart like one might play with slime. 😀

The first thing to mention is… Did you see how beautiful those covers are?? I mean, yeah we shouldn’t judge a book simply by its cover but sometimes we just can’t help ourselves, can we?!

I also truly liked the way it was written, it’s one of those books that pulls you in slowly but surely until it becomes very hard to put it down. In fact, while I was reading it, I was alternating between rushing through it as fast as I can while also slowing down a bit to savor each chapter for as long as possible. The idea of taking a break from reading to do daily tasks suddenly became even more frustrating.

I had heard so much about Amari and the Night Brothers that I couldn't wait to read it, but I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. I needn't have worried because it really is that good. I couldn't put it down!

Things aren't looking too good for Amari Peters when she is expelled from school and her older brother, Quinton, remains missing after his mysterious disappearance 6 months beforehand. However, a mysterious package is delivered out of the blue, which leads Amari to discover the existence of a secret, supernatural world that she believes may hold the key to Quinton's whereabouts. Will she be able to find out what has happened to him before it is too late?

Amari is a fantastic protagonist - smart, determined, resilient. It is refreshing to see more books with BAME main characters now and the author's note at the beginning highlights the importance of this representation.

I really enjoyed this action-packed, fast paced supernatural fantasy with its great twists that keep you guessing. I have recommended it so many times to the children I teach (as well as to my thirty-something Harry Potter loving friends who I know will love it too). I was so pleased to pick up a signed copy and am really looking forward to more from this series.

Amari Peters is a bright girl, in fact she has been given a scholarship to study at Jefferson Academy. However, she is a poor, black kid from the wrong side of town and gets picked on by the other students. She is also missing her big brother Quinton, who having graduated from Jefferson, got a mysterious job which he couldn't talk about and who has now gone missing. One day Amari receives a mysterious delivery from him, containing a nomination to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and her life changes overnight, although she still faces some of the same prejudices as she did at school.. I thought this was a fantastic read. Once I started I could not put it down. It was fast-paced and imaginative. The plot twists and turns (the ending took me completely by surprise)! Amari is a character who I warmed to straight away, bright and brave and not afraid to stand up to those who would bully her. It reminded me a lot of the Nevermoor books by Jessica Townsend, (one of my all time favourite series), in that it features an outsider, trying to fit in, in a magical, mysterious world. I cannot wait to see what B.B Alston has in store for Amari. Five stars!

Amari is a young black girl who lives on the wrong side of town. She doesn’t fit in with the rich kids at the school she has a scholarship for; in fact, she doesn’t fit in anywhere. When her older brother goes missing she is determined to track him down. What she doesn’t know though, is that he was working as an agent at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.

Fantasy is definitely not my favourite genre but I know a lot of my class enjoy fantasy stories so I read stories that I think they might enjoy, in the hopes that I will enjoy them too. This book started off really well; in other words, it was normal. At first there was a clever mix of normal and supernatural but when the story became totally focused on the supernatural world, I lost interest. This is probably where fantasy lovers would find themselves hooked!

I loved the main character. Amari is rejected in both worlds because she doesn’t fit the mould of what is expected of her. I also liked her friend Elsie and enjoyed seeing how their friendship developed.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.