Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is a rip-roaring read, full of magic and adventure. Further, it champions the triumph of the underdog.

Amari is a black girl from the poorer side of the town. She has always been treated as an outcast in the posh Jefferson Academy where she studies on a scholarship. However, the disappearance of her older brother, Quinton, whom Amari loved so much plunges her world into sadness. Then, Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in Quinton's closet which starts her journey into the hidden supernatural world.

To find out, why Quinton went missing, she will have to first make her way into the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Will she survive the try-outs for her entry into this world?

In both worlds, Amari is treated as an outcast. In the normal world, she has to endure the prejudice against her skin color while in the supernatural world, she has to fight the prejudice against her "illegal" ability. In both cases, she was born with the characteristics and abilities on which the others so easily put a label. And in both cases, she must fight against these prejudices and work harder to prove herself. Alston poignantly portrays Amari's anguish and anger at this injustice.

The book has a stellar beginning and is engaging throughout. It is fast-paced. A lot happens in this book, yet the author provides enough details of the supernatural world to immerse me. Sure, I was left wanting more. But the later books should fill in the gaps.

The book features an academy/Bureau which trains the kids with supernatural abilities to reach their full potential. Thus, comparisons with similar novels are bound to crop up. The book does have similarities with such novels, but it is also unique in many ways.

Alston's imagination runs wild. Listing out all the wonderfully weird things he has crafted will result in spoilers. So, I advise you to grab the book and start reading.

Moreover, I loved the vivid conjuring of the different illusions by Amari. There is a scene in the book in which Amari travels with a teacher on none other than a magic carpet to know her future. It is beautifully written and is easily the best scene in the book.

Alston is a gifted writer. Some of the chapters drop small cliffhanger-bombs, so, I had no choice but to continue reading. Overall, I had a good time enjoying the novel.

However, I do have quibbles with the book. I was not convinced by the events at the very last (cue: in a log cabin at the forest.) More explanation would mean spoilers. I did not anticipate the identity of the bad guy, but I also could not digest the fact that that person could wreak havoc to such an extent.

Nevertheless, Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is an excellent middle-grade novel. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an eARC via Netgalley.

The book starts off quite seriously but soon turns completely magical and fantastical. It's a bit reminiscent of Men In Black but with supernaturals like fairies and witches instead of aliens. I really loved the magical world which was full of so many different mythical beings, countless magical talents and all the amazing technology like Sky Sprints, shoes that let you walk up walls and even on air! Imagine a world where every magical being you've ever heard of is real.

The writing is really good, every time I read I felt fully immersed in Amari's world. There was one twist I suspected but really didn't want to believe and some others that I didn't see coming at all. A lot happened very quickly at the end and I was starting to think there might need to be a sequel, but it actually didn't feel rushed after all. Nevertheless, I definitely think we need more Amari! I'm hoping for a long series.

There’s just something about a book that gives you the pleasure of seeing yourself in. Amari And The Night Brothers is such a joyous treat, from the strong minded character, to the fascinating plot, I was hooked.

The book follows Amari, a social pariah into a series of unique experiences that prove how resilient she is, and show how she tries to overcome the struggles set in order to make the cut to join this magnificent agency. She breaks down the stereotypes set and the lense the spoilt kids view her in, and you can’t help but root for her.
B.B Alston creates this world set apart from what we know, one filled with magic and all kind of creatures you can think of. With such vivid descriptions, I couldn’t help but marvel at this new world. Had me tempted to envision myself there.
I love the easy, flowy writing and it made for a quick read.

Amari and The Night Brothers is a fantastic book with some elements of time travel and one that I’d recommend, especially to the middle grade/young adult in your life. This is one book that can be enjoyed by all.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS ABOUT?
Amari is a thirteen-year-old girl from Atlanta's inner-city, attending a private school on scholarship, and is in trouble when we meet her. She's been antagonized (probably bullied, honestly) by some rich girls from her school and struck back. She's now facing discipline—up to and including loss of her scholarship. The principal ties this behavior to her brother's recent disappearance/presumed death, she's been "acting out" since then.

While reeling from this, Amari receives a delivery from her brother—cutting the details, it's an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. The invitation opens her eyes (literally) to the hidden magickal world around her. She can join the Bureau via a summer program (as her brother, Quinton, did) and if she passes some tests, she can become a junior member. She sees this as her best/only chance to find out what happened to Quinton—and hopefully, find him alive.

But also, it's magick. How could she not want to be part of it?

One of the first steps involves finding her secret talent—where she learns that she has rare and illegal abilities. Determined to stay in the Bureau to find Quinton—and to show that just because she's born with abilities that remind everyone of the worst people in the supernatural world's history, it doesn't mean she'll be as evil.

It's hard to make friends—hard not to be ostracized by everyone—because of her abilities, and she faces outright prejudice. But she does make an ally or two among the other supernatural youths, and a few among the adults overseeing the program*. Not only does Amari work to pass her tests to remain in the Bureau, she and her allies look into Quinton's disappearance.

* I really don't have the time to get into it, but I really liked the adults in this book (with the exception of two that you're clearly not supposed to like)

THE CLINCHER
There are many reasons to read this, many reasons you'll enjoy it. More than I have time to enumerate, more than you want to spend time reading. So I'll just give you one word that should convince you: weredragon.

Were...@#$%&!...dragon.

I love this idea. I don't know why we don't have a half-dozen series about them in UF. Elsie, the weredragon in question, would be a character I love no matter her special ability/species/whatever. She's a fun, vibrant, supportive, smart character, and combining those qualities with the idea of a human shifting into a dragon? You've got a fan in me.

THE INEVITABLE COMPARISONS
It's impossible to read this book and not think of a certain other MG series that rhymes with Larry Cotter. I think Amari and the Night Brothers comes off pretty well in such a comparison—I'm not saying it's superior (or inferior), but it holds its own.

But honestly? I think this is closer to a Percy Jackson kind of thing (just without the mythological basis), and Alston's style and voice are closer to Riordan's.

I'd also throw in a comparison to Will Hill's Department 19 books, but few of my readers will recognize it—and it's for an older audience and is more bloody. But it's one of those things that keeps coming to mind as I read Amari's adventure.

I'm not suggesting that Alston's just giving us an "inner city" version of Percy Jackson, etc. There are just things about Amari and the Night Brothers that remind me of the others, (the way that the Iron Druid Chronicles reminds readers of The Dresden Files, for example). The novel's themes and particulars of the fantasy worlds will vary, but the overall feel and style of the novel will invite comparison to Barry Totter, Percy, and similar works.

THE REAL WORLD
In the background of all the fantastic things going on in Amari's life—all the unbelievable things she's being introduced to, the incredible people and creatures she's encountering—there's the real world, and not an easy part of it. She lives in the inner city of Georgia with her mother working horrible shifts at a local hospital struggling to make ends meet. Her father has abandoned the family.

The police assume her brother's disappearance has something to do with him being a criminal—he's not missing, he's off doing something he doesn't want his mother to know about. Because that's what young men in this neighborhood do. As infuriating as that prejudice expressed is, there's someone in the neighborhood who is falling into that lifestyle. Quinton had been tutoring him, but now he has no one helping him—but Amari tries once she realizes what's going on with Jayden. This is a storyline that we follow throughout the book, and it might be the most important and rewarding one.

Both in Amari's school and even at the Bureau, she has to deal with privilege—people who were born into the right families, people who aren't like her. Because of things she has no control over, no input into, simply accident of birth, there are those who don't want her in the Bureau, don't want her pursuing her goals—but she doesn't back down. Never fear, the book doesn't preach, it doesn't moralize. It simply shows the challenges Amari has to deal with—and the challenges so many others don't—and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.

GRIT AND SMARTS
Amari is practically the embodiment of Angela Duckworth's concept of grit. I made a few notes like that while reading, making Amari the kind of protagonist you can really get behind.

Duckworth's website defines grit as:

Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals...
Grit isn’t talent. Grit isn’t luck. Grit isn’t how intensely, for the moment, you want something.
Instead, grit is about having what some researchers call an”ultimate concern”–a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow.
Talent and luck matter to success. But talent and luck are no guarantee of grit. And in the very long run, I think grit may matter as least as much, if not more.


Replace the word "talent" above with "magick" and you've got Amari.

The book is also a celebration of thinking. Quinton, Elsie (the weredragon), and Amari are smart. They're bookish. They're problem solvers. Sure Amari has magical abilities, but before she uses magic, she thinks through a situation and addresses it with her mind. Amari and Elsie study, they plan. There's one point where Amari remembers the book and page number where she learned a fact that proved vital to one challenge. Her remembering that page number just made me happy.

Elsie's a tinkerer, even before she gets her magical enhancement, she's inventing things, making things. Amari talks about how many things are in the library that she wants to read about, learn about that have nothing to do with her goals. Give me characters like this any day.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS?
This was just so much fun. Even when things are looking dire for poor Amari (or anyone else), there is an ineffable sense of awe and hope to the book. That just magnified all the good from above (and helped me brush off the couple of minor reservations I had).

Is this one to give to the MG reader in your life? Yes. Is this one to read yourself if you like the occasional (or not-so-occasional) MG novel? Absolutely. I'm already planning on getting the sequels, and expect just about everyone who reads this novel will too.
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My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including the novel from Egmont Publishing via Netgalley) they provided.

BOOK BITE- Plucky teen will need a deception detector to navigate the supernatural world.
Amazing

Magical

Astonishing

Resourceful

Inspirational

#BOOKHAIKU

Amari has heart

and pluck as she seeks Quinton

in a magic world

Full Review at
https://goodnighttoread.wordpress.com/2020/12/09/amari-and-the-night-brothers/

Thank you to the amazing @Write_Reads @WriteReadsTours @egmontbooksuk #UltimateBlogTour for including Good Night To Read on ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’ Blog Tour. Big shout out and massive thanks to #NetGalley for making an ARC available. I am so honoured to have been chosen to read this book in advance of its release.

When a book is blurbed by a favourite author you go in with high expectations and I was not disappointed.

The Men in Black vibes are strong with this one but with the added familial drama the stakes are personally high and that makes for a gripping read.

For me this was like reading a total mash up of Skulduggery Pleasant, Nevermoor, Artemis Fowl, Harry Potter with a dash of lots of other things. It is at once familiar and original.

In this hidden world, magic and technology collide. For everyone who was confused about why the wizarding world didn’t embrace muggle technology this one is for you, and I have a feeling we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to both of these elements.

The cast of characters is strong, although you are never quite sure who to trust. The Night brothers of the title are not the only challenge our heroine has to face.

New roommate and best friend Elsie is the trainee Q to Amari’s trainee Bond. And there are plenty of punerific names for the side characters. Love a good pun so found myself highly amused on a number of occasions.

Amari Peters herself is one determined girl and her pre supernatural world experience sets her up well for what she faces at the Bureau. There were more than a few moments where she describes her experience, without naming it as such, as akin to facing racism and I felt my throat hitch. And how she chooses to prove everyone wrong about her is just Amari-Amazing. I really enjoyed Marsai Martin’s performance in Little and I think she’ll make an awesome Amari and depicting this moment needs that quiet surety she has. This has the potential to be a huge movie franchise with big budget special effects, a thrilling plot and moments of tenderness.

The ending opens up a greater crossover between her two worlds and I can’t wait for book two. In the meantime I’m trying to find a signed mega fancy first edition because this is one I’ll be re-reading and adding to my list of MG (and all time) favourites. It’s also got me itching to get back to editing my first NaNoWriMo novel - though I’ve promised some friends I’ll finish a more recent one first. It’s got to be a good book when it has me itching to pick up my writing pen again.

Publisher’s Description:

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a trilogy filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.

My Take:

Right book, right time! A coming-of-age, magic-school, mystery that is just as inspiring and inventive as any YA book I’ve read. I had the pleasure to read and review Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the World and like the blurb above calls out, I can see some excellent parallels between the two. Two young African-American protagonists lost in life who stumble upon other worlds, one based on American Myth and the other all sorts of supernatural creature. Each book features strong diversity and both are worth my highest recommendation.

To get a little more focused on Amari… The book opens with Amari’s golden child of a brother having gone missing… Amari is adrift until she receives a nomination sent from Quinten for a spot at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. After finding her way to the school, she experiences a change in perspective that will rock her world. Is her brother dead? Is he alive? Will the politics of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs hinder Amari from tracking down her brother?

I don’t want to give up too much of the plot, but I will tell you that Amari is a character I immediately got behind. Her frustrations and initial fears are written with transparency and love… I just couldn’t get enough of her voice and her drive to find the truth. I can’t wait to tell my students about this book!

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to The Write Reads and the author for an advanced copy for review.

Quinton Peters, the golden boy, a lovely son, an amazing brother and a brilliant student. Everything is going great, he has two full scholarships to ivy league universities and has a job already, till one day he mysteriously disappears. Not a word said or heard, he has vanished into thin air with absolutely no clue whatsoever.

Amari Peters adored her brother. But when he vanishes without a trace, Amari is agitated and angry. No one around is doing much to find out what happened to Quinton and no one is ready to talk about it too. The cops, to top it, assume he was doing something illegally. She isn’t able to fathom the thought of her brother’s disappearance. But one day, something unimaginable happens. She gets a call from the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. This is her only chance to find out about her and she grabs this opportunity with both her hands.

Why did Quinton disappear?
Why does Amari get a call from Bureau of Supernatural Affairs?
What does she get herself involved in?
Is she able to find out about her brother’s disappearance?


Rating – 5/5 Stars
Recommendation – Very High

This brilliant read takes us through the Amari’s quest in search of her missing brother. It was fun, magical and absolutely intriguing. A delightful weekend treat, I couldn’t put this book down. A page turner right from the beginning. The plot development is ingenious. The character development is astute. Amari’s journey in this magical read kept me on the edge and I thoroughly enjoyed this mystic book. Overall a great read!

I really wasn’t sure what to expect going in to Amari and the Night Brothers, but I was so excited for it, and my gut instinct about this book was so right, it lived up to all of my hopes and expectations, and so much more! From the very beginning, the story has you hooked and desperate to find out more. There is so much mystery in the first few chapters, which continues throughout the book. I felt so sorry for Amari and her mum, having to deal with everything they were going through, but they were so strong, and they just got on with things, without complaint.

With the introduction of the invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, and the Bureau itself, this story steps it up to a whole new level. It becomes so much more interesting, intriguing, fun, and most importantly this is where the magic truly begins. The Bureau sounds incredible, and it is definitely somewhere I would love to visit and explore. Everything Amari encounters leaves you with your jaw on the floor, from wakeful dreams, talking elevators, to WEREDRAGONS! Why have weredragons never been a thing before? Further in to the book we have the tryouts, which are incredibly intense, and lots of fun to read. If I’m honest, I would love to give them a go myself!

However, throughout all of this excitement, we can’t forget the real reason why Amari is doing all of this in the first place. There is definitely more to the disappearance of Amari’s brother, Quinton, than meets the eye, and some people certainly know more than they are letting on. The search for answers and clues was particularly enjoyable for me (being a huge mystery/thriller fan), and of course I was trying to find them myself throughout the book. I had a few suspicions, and I was very close, but nothing prepared me for the reality of what had happened. There were so many revelations and plot twists!

From the very start, Amari was fighting against the odds, even before the Bureau and finding out about her magical powers (and that her powers were illegal), but this is why I loved the character of Amari so much, she never let anything hold her back, and she didn’t let anyone stop her from doing what she needed to do. There is such a great meaning, and so many lessons to be learnt behind this magical story. I would say that the most important lesson throughout the whole of Amari and the Night Brothers is to not judge people before you get to know them, not everyone is the same, or as you expect them to be. Give people a chance to show you the true them before passing judgement, because they may well surprise you. This is a great story of strength, overcoming the odds, standing against bullying, and how you can achieve anything that you put your mind to if you stay true to yourself, and don’t give up.

I sped through this book, and if it wasn’t for interruptions from my 3 year old, I probably would have devoured it in one sitting. I simply couldn’t put it down. This has definitely become one of my favourite books that I have read this year, it is fantastic, and I absolutely loved every second of it! I highly recommend that every single one of you PICKS UP THIS BOOK!

A massive thank you to The Write Reads, Egmont, and NetGalley for allowing me to be a part of the blog tour, and for providing me with a copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.

I give Amari and the Night Brothers a very easy 5 star rating!

Amari and the Night Brothers is an explosive first novel in an exciting new middlegrade series by B. B. Alston. I've only just finished this novel and I already can't wait for the sequal, which is always a sign of a good book! Amari and the Night Brothers is one of the much needed diverse middlegrade novels we need on our shelves, inspiring the imaginations of all young children but particularly Black children. I love how powerful the cover of this book is, Amari is front and centre and she looks ready for an adventure!
This novel delivers an action packed plot whilst also dealing with themes of loss, privilege and race. I felt empathy for Amari from the very first page, her brother is missing, she's bullied at school and she feels as though she doesn't fit in. I was rooting for her throughout the story as she's swept up in a world of supernatural beings and magical powers, B. B. Alston did not shy away from any details of the supernatural world he's created, I loved discovering everything there was to know alongside Amari.
Alston's children's novel is compared to Men in Black, and if you picture Men in Black as a middlegrade adventure with a young Black girl protagonist, that is exactly what you get and it is brilliant! This novel includes all your favourite themes and tropes from your favourite middlegrade adventure series' while adding in individuality and uniqueness to create a new and exciting story that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Amari and the Night Brothers is out in January, so make sure you pre-order a copy, this is an adventure you don't want to miss out on!

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the blog tour organiser for letting me take part, and thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is the first book in the middle grade fantasy series of the same name, and a book that I adored from start to finish.

This book is set in the world that we know, only it’s a little bit more special than that! Amari Peters lives in a poor neighbourhood, that everyone refers to as the “Hood”. But she goes to Jefferson Academy on a scholarship, her mother works at the hospital day in and day out, and her brother has a “secret job”! But Amari’s life is suddenly turned upside down and she finds herself in the Bureau. The first bit of the book really helped to put Amari and her life into context, this reminded me a lot of The Hate U Give because of the setting, but also because of Amari’s feelings. She feels like an outsider at school, like she doesn’t belong even though her mum tries her best to give her the opportunities for a great future. This was so vivid and real, and we need more truthful books and settings like this one, it tore my heart out. There is so much magic and special things going on in the Bureau, and I absolutely loved seeing Amari learn about her new surroundings, see her grow, see her want to change things. The Bureau is such a fun, vivid setting and I loved learning about it through Amari!

Amari is now one of my new favourite best friends. Wow, this girl is something! She has struggled her whole life, her dad left when she and her brother were very young, she lives in a poor neighbourhood, she goes to a posh school on a scholarship and she is bullied and belittled every day of her life. My heart hurt for Amari, but as she goes through life at the Bureau, her already amazing personality shines. She has always been strong-willed, courageous and she just wants to prove that she is a good person, that it’s not because of where she comes from or what she looks like that people can treat her bad. You’ll have to read this book to know what I mean, but Amari, you have my whole heart and soul.

There is a big sense of camaraderie in this book, and although Amari struggles because of what people think of her and prejudice, she finds that with Elsie and a few others. I loved seeing friendships be born, see Elsie and Amari share secrets and work together with someone else (I can’t say who)!! I love the relationship that Amari has with her mother, she is doing her best to help her daughter get a better life and I just want to give her a great big hug. There is also a strong message of right and wrong, although for the Bureau it is very different to what Amari thinks and I couldn’t agree more with her. She is so determined to prove herself, and even though people have basically given up hope on her, she keeps fighting. She takes a breath, has a break, brushes herself off and comes back fighting even harder. But there is also magic in this book, and one of my favourite themes ever! This book is kind of a mix of magic, mystery, missions, mayhem; it is such a great combination and I’m literally reliving every moment while I’m writing this review.

Well, I think you have guessed it, I loved this book so, so much, and my little secret is that I loved this book so much, once I got to the end I had a little bit of a happy cry. It’s been a while since I have read a book that has made me so happy I was emotional, but this one did and I’m so grateful to it. The letter at the start was just amazing, and all the messages throughout, the ending, it all came together and I was a bit overwhelmed, to tell the truth! The writing style was fantastic, I was immersed from the very first word! B.B. Alston has created such a marvellous world, with realistic, believable and multi-faceted characters that you don’t want to leave when the book is over. The pacing was also great, I never got bored, and had I not had so much university work to do, I would have read this in one sitting. I just can’t keep the smile off my face while I’m talking about this book, haha! I also really loved the plot, it was so unique, so well thought out and I have to say that I never, ever, in my wildest dreams could have worked out the truth, that ending kind of slapped me in the face and I couldn’t believe it!! You won’t either, I guarantee that. I gave this book 5 stars, I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book, it was just amazing, and I can’t find enough synonyms to keep gushing about it! it was fun, fast-paced, beautiful, meaningful, heart-warming, action-packed, beautifully crafted.

Trigger Warnings: death, abandonment, disappearance, bullying/abuse, racism.

Amari and the Night Brothers is a charming fantastical middle-grade book that promises to open a new world for its readers. It delivers and then some! For me, this book was often reminiscent of the Men in Black franchise but on a much larger and more magical scale. This is the sort of book I would have been obsessed with when I was in the intended age category, and still intend to follow as an adult. It's a fun and exciting read with something for everyone.

What if all the magical creatures we read about, what if magic itself was real?

Wow. Just wow. Amari and the Nightbrothers is an incredibly imaginative and very magical read. Amari is devastated ever since her brother has gone missing. She spends her days posting his pictures all over the internet – in the hope that anybody might know where he is. Even though people believe him to be dead by now, Amari can’t bring herself to think that. No, Quinton must be out there somewhere! But where?

I felt with Amari from page one. She is such a strong, such a lovely girl, and I was rooting for her all throughout the book! All she wants is to find her older brother Quinton whom she loves so dearly, and that he went missing made my heart hurt. But then, all of a sudden, Amari reveives a special delivery. A delivery from Quinton! But how is that possible? Where is he? And what exactly is the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs he tells her about?

So many questions, and you will get the answers when you read this book, which I HIGHLY, highly recommend you do! You get a great heroine that you root for from page one, a main character that asks the right questions at the right time, and acts like you would in her situation (I hate when book characters act totally weirdly!), and a girl that loves her family and friends. I loved Amari’s values and norms, and how she didn’t give up on her brother and watched out for her mother. Such a lovely girl!

The descriptions of the two different parts of the town made it easy to imagine the social clash that adds to the reality feel of the book. As much as it’s about magic, this book is also very real, very raw, and emotional, which I absolutely loved. It addresses social problems in a way that makes it approachable for children and teens to read about, and I can imagine it could pave the way nicely to have great discussions with them about these topics. Furthermore, it is also a very deep and enjoyable read for adults! The only slight negative I could mention was that for me, some scenes were cut off a bit too quickly at some points. I would have liked for them to go on a bit longer, or find completion with a sentence or two more. That would have been the sprinkles on top of the ice cream, but it already has a cherry and chocolate sauce on top!!

An amazing read that everyone will enjoy – for book lovers of all ages!!! 4.5 magical stars from me!

It was a lot of fun - very tongue-in-cheek at times. The adventure is fast paced, as Amari tries to discover what happened to her brother while struggling against a classist society that fears her and sneers at her for being an outsider. (Side note: it's nice to see a book about trying to find a missing sibling rather than the somewhat omnipresent missing parent trope. Love the representation of Amari having her mum to support her.)

The best way I can think of describing this book is a modern, Black, American Harry Potter. Amari Peters suddenly discovers a world of magic running parallel to ours, and spends the summer at its "summer camp" programme. Her brother has gone missing and an old evil looks ready to return.

The world is one of those "imagination gone wild" worlds that I love so much in MG. There are werewolves who prefer to take the train over the bus, elevators with their own personalities, and underwater departments.

The book is <em>technically</em> a contemporary fantasy set in the US - which I have been really struggling with this year. However, this book feels more like a secondary world/parallel world than a contemporary, because it's set in the hidden society of the Bureau. The Bureau is a world of its own, a labyrinth of departments full of magic.

The title does seem to imply that the Night Brothers will have a bigger role. They're much more of a background threat (and one of them isn't around at all, as he's dead). The present Night Brother feels more like a series villain than a book villain for a lot of the book, because the plot is very much a "getting through summer camp with everyone against them" with clues dropped that point towards the finale. (This is why I am using the Harry Potter comparison; the first book is very much in this vein.)

I'm intrigued to see where this series goes next. We have yet to see the last of the Night Brothers and their assistants/apprentices, and Amari has got a struggle ahead of her to get Magicians seen in a better light.

A truly fantastical middle grade!

I really enjoyed reading all about Amari's adventures as she not only discovered a supernatural world underneath her noise but also uncovered a mystery. The classic trope of a magic school was made unique but transferring it to a government like facility filed hit weird and whacky departments. While I felt that the final showdown went a little too quickly I did really enjoy the reveal that came along with it, something that I definitely nerve saw coming.

The characters were wonderful and a s a protagoNIST Amari was great, full of courage and fire but also someone who has to overcome obstacles and self doubt too. Her friend Elise is incredible, as a friend and as a character in the supernatural world that B.B.Alston has created to set his story in. I really enjoyed how he made it all sit in so well with the real world and was just absolutely incredible.

A book that I think all kids should read, for lessons about diversity and a fun world of magic!

I was kindly gifted and arc of this book for a blog review by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Amari and the Night Brothers is a fun and insightful story exploring the injustices of being judged by an attribute you are born with, whether it's your skin color or supernatural ability.

The premise of this story is great fun and highly captivating. A magical world within the ordinary world fuels the imagination of kids and adults alike. Don't we all like to imagine a magical world that we might be invited to join one day? I know imagining it takes me away to a place where good triumphs over evil, and I can make things happen but just waving a wand.

I adore the main character Amari who is smart, sassy, determined, and focused. She lost her brother and has to deal with social bullying and prejudice because of her skin color and where she lives. She deals with her problems forcibly, and though understandable, it landed her in the principal's office, where she lost her scholarship. A package from her brother shows up, and in it is a Nomination for Consideration for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. This leads her to a supernatural world within our world where she again faces social bullying and prejudice, not for her skin color, but because she is a magician who is the most feared ability in the supernatural world. I found Amari's path toward dealing with prejudice very inspiring, and I enjoyed watching her grow and learn.

There is a bit of a mystery thread throughout the plot that delightfully builds the suspense. The twist is not unexpected, but it does start a whole new twist for future novels to explore. And, it is the thread that pushes Amari forward in her quest to join the Bureau and find her brother, who disappeared during an investigation for the Bureau.

I love the fantastical world of the "summer camp" with its different departments that are as interesting to read about as they would be to explore. It's a very imaginative and creative world full of wonder, dangerous beasts, cool inventions, and many little details to hold the reader's attention as they are revealed sometimes in small bits and other times in big chunks as the story progresses.

Amari and the Night Brothers is a new fun, and socially educational world to fascinate and delight the MG reader and their adults.

A truly imaginative and explosive start to what promises to be an exciting new middle grade series to watch out for!

Amari has felt rather lost since the disappearance of her brother, but when she discovers a strange suitcase in his room, she has no idea how much bigger his disappearance - and the world around her - actually are. Enter the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, where Amari begins to train as a junior agent in a world where aliens, witches, dragons and way, way more exist.

This book has all the makings of a beloved adventure, perfect for kids and adults who want a fresh dose of action in their life. I loved the opening up of this incredible new world that feels rather real, and there are so many possibilities with this world that I am extremely excited for what's to come. Amari is a hugely likeable protagonist who has faced oppression all her life, so she jumps at the opportunity to discover new things, but even more so to discover what happened to her brother. Amari ends up making some close friends whom I love, and other characters are rather complex too. There are some brilliant twists and turns by the end of the book, setting us up for a brilliant sequel to come.

Plot-driven, action-packed, character-focused and just absolutely-brilliant.

I had so much fun reading this, I really can’t wait to introduce children to Amari and her adventure. It’s the kind of joyous, cinematic experience that could easily become a phenomenal success and reach reluctant readers.