A fun read. I didn't like it as much as her YA books, but it was still a good read and I'd be interested in reading more in the series.

Having loved every other book by Angie Thomas, this one did not disappoint! I don’t usually like this genre, but it was packed with fun, adventure and twists! There were lots of plot turns that I didn’t see coming which added to the enjoyment. Great book!

I loved the first book in this new middle grade fantasy series from the amazing Angie Thomas, and I can't wait to read more.

I am not usually a bit middlegrade reader but wanted to give this a go because I have loved Angie Thomas's other books. Sadly I think my enjoyment was affected by the fact that I am very much not the target audience for this. However I do think this is a great book for middlegrade readers so I am rating it accordingly.

This seems like the start of a very promising middle grade series. I particularly enjoyed the African American inspired elements of the story and look forward to seeing where Angie Thomas takes the series. Great girl protagonist and interesting world building. There was quite a lot of info-dumping in the beginning which made it quite detail heavy and confusing to start with, but that evens out and the fast pace and great characters made it enjoyable.

Angie Thomas has moved her writing to the younger market - what a treat for us all and this is the start of a great new fantasy series

"Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy" is a remarkable book that seamlessly blends a fascinating magical system, historical themes, and compelling characters. The depth of the world-building and the relationships between the characters make it an immersive and satisfying read. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment in this series.

I found it interesting to discover that Angie Thomas had ventured into the realm of fantasy literature, and it seems that this book has the potential to be adapted into a film. However, I would have appreciated more development of the fantastical world. It did not feel fully realized, and I did not feel compelled to visit it (that J.K Rowling moment of visiting Hogwarts for the first time never really transpired), as too much time was spent on earth
I listened to the audiobook version, which was well-narrated and featured strong characters, albeit with some clichéd sidekicks. While the inclusion of African American history was a novel approach, I was conflicted, as it primarily focused on traumatic experiences such as slavery, being Black in America, and racial profiling. When reading fantasy, you typically seek to escape the harsh realities of the real world, so I would have preferred to see more uplifting moments in African American history highlighted.

It seems that even in Middle Grade, Angie Thomas can do no wrong. This is a thrilling adventure that will be loved by the whole family.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, this book was so good! The magical system was so interesting, and i loved learning about its origins. This book is heavily based on the effects of slavery and the civil rights movement, and i found it was incorporated well. I loved how it had the Underground Railroad in it, and linked it back to the remarkables. Nic is a very interesting character, and i felt the plot was interesting too. I felt like the world and magical system was really thought out, and I could really see that when reading. It felt like i was transported there with the characters. I loved the friendship between Nic and JP, it was so wholesome. I’m definitely excited to see where this series goes, especially after that plot twist!!

This is a classic story of a young person discovering they have powers they were completely unaware of. Nic Blake has been home-educated by her father. They have never lived in one place for very long but Nic has made a good friend in their current home, a friend she really doesn't want to leave behind when her life suddenly starts to unravel again. This time however, she has to go on a quest to save her father, and as she does so with the help of her friend and a new companion, discovers a whole lot more about who she really is.
Based in African American history, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting quest adventure, riveting to the end.
A really good read for the middle schooler (year 5-8).

Angie Thomas, the internationally bestselling superstar author, takes a delightful leap into middle-grade literature with her captivating debut, Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy. This inventive, hilarious, and suspenseful contemporary fantasy trilogy draws inspiration from African American history and folklore, offering young readers an enthralling and empowering reading experience.

The story follows Nic Blake, a young girl navigating the challenges of being Remarkable in an Unremarkable world. While some aspects of her life, like receiving a pet hellhound on her twelfth birthday, are undeniably cool, others prove more challenging. Nic longs to learn magic, particularly the gift of Manifesting, like her father. However, she faces scepticism and distrust due to the fear that she may use her powers for revenge against a bothersome neighbour.

Determined to prove herself and follow in her father's magical footsteps, Nic's plans take an unexpected turn. A series of shocking revelations and terrifying events set Nic and two friends on a quest to find a powerful magical tool previously unknown to her. Their mission becomes critical as they race against time to save Nic's father from wrongful imprisonment for a crime she adamantly refuses to believe he committed.

Angie Thomas skillfully weaves together elements of adventure, mystery, and magic to create a truly captivating tale. Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy will keep young readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning each page to unravel the secrets and navigate the twists and turns of the plot.

This book is so beautiful! It's the book that every black kid deserves to have. Steeped in Black history and folklore, I can see how it was truly a book that was needed in the genre.

The world that Angie Thomas has built is well remarkable! I'm hoping to explore more of the remarkable cities and culture in the next book because that's the best part of any magic society book. This book gave us a tantalising glimpse into the magic world and I am so hungry for more.

I didn't know a lot of the folklore in the book, so I'm definitely gonna do some research into it as there were a lot of references I didn't get. In the end, I think it wasn't written for me. It was written for Black American children and I'm really glad to see more and more writers writing for them.

Can't wait for the next book!

I actually haven’t read an Angie Thomas book since The Hate U Give but I’m not really sure why. I was delighted to learn that she’d released a middle-grade fantasy novel and I’m so happy to report that I loved it!

Nic Blake is desperate to learn how to use the Gift that every Remarkable has inside them but her dad insists that she’s too young. But very strange things start to happen when Nic and her best friend JP attend a book signing for their favourite author. As the secrets keep tumbling out, Nic finds herself with the huge task of saving her dad from being convicted of a crime she’s sure he didn’t commit.

The difference between the Gift and magic is made very clear. The Gift is a pure form of the magic that we usually read about in books and its origins can be traced back to the darkest parts of Black history. I found this really touching and I loved how this was reiterated a few times in the book to ensure that we never forgot how special the Gift really is.

Nic and JP’s friendship is really lovely and I really enjoyed watching it develop throughout the book. JP is an anxious nerd who is very relatable for many readers but he also possesses a fantastic power. Angie Thomas could have kept JP as a confused, useless sidekick who was dragged along for the ride but she gave him agency and strength, which I loved.

There are some references to some well-known Black historical figures and events in the book and I thought this was a really clever way to introduce them to younger readers. The story mentions their impact on history and offers a sad reflection on how things haven’t really changed in spite of their suffering. Of course, there is a real sense of continuing the fight against racism and making the world a better place for future inhabitants. There are two battles going on in this book and older readers will be well aware of both of them.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables is shaping up to be a unique, middle-grade magic series that puts social justice in the driving seat. It has a cast of wonderful, smart characters who are easy to root for who I can’t wait to spend more time with. With infusions of African folklore and magic mixed with history and fun, it’s a very enjoyable venture into middle-grade from an acclaimed and important contemporary author.

I can definitely see Nic Blake and the Remarkables being on the big screen before long as it almost reads like a movie. It is action-packed, fast-paced and has some great characters.

I really enjoyed the concept of the Remarkables how it weaves in African American history as well as more recent events. At times, I felt like parts of the story were a little rushed but it is certainly a page turner.

This book will appeal greatly to middle grade fantasy fans and I will be sure to recommend it to my pupils in Year 5 and 6.

I love Angie Thomas so much and when I saw this book it was an instant YES, I NEED THIS. And it didn't disappoint. A stunning new series from an incredible writer. I can't wait for the next instalment.

If you're into magic, werewolves, vampires or dragons then this new series from Angie Thomas, author of the YA novel The Hate U Give, is perfect. With a dark, edgy and ominous atmosphere right from the get-go, Nic Blake and the Remarkables, with its twisty-turny plot and shocking revelations planted all the way through, is storytelling that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Nic Blake is desperate to become a powerful Manifestor like her dad - although her dad keeps putting off teaching her the gift. But when a face from her past unexpectedly turns up, Nic is faced with a series of shocking truths.

With her dad being accused of a crime she can't believe he committed, Nic is plunged into a terrifying and dangerous quest. To prove her dad's innocence she must hunt for a magical tool she's never heard of in a remarkable world she knows very little about. But with some very dodgy characters on her tail, does she have any chance of finding it in time? And what is Nic's role destined to be in this remarkable world?

Although all of the elements in this novel have essentially been written about before, Angie Thomas has taken up the mantle of this very popular 'magical quest' fantasy genre and created an immersive 3D world that will excite and enthrall fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, Amari and the Night Brothers and Onyeka: The Academy of the Sun. I particularly loved the dark mood which takes the novel to the borderland of horror and the fact that the family drama is as equally as strong as the fantasy elements, giving the story a powerful and personal drive.

The pages are packed with fabulous characters and settings. From Cocoa, Nic's baby hellhound, to Uncle Ty, her unpredicatable author godfather, to Hairy Junior the shapeshifter to Dee Dee, the devil's daughter, there's a brilliant balance between the cute and the dangerous as Nic struggles to know who she can trust. As if this isn't enough, Angie Thomas has grounded the novel in African American history and folklore, interweaving factual accounts of African American slavery and the civil right's movement with fiction. This gives the novel authenticity and depth as well as raising awareness of the history of the setting and allowing readers an insight into how African Americans were treated.

The epic ending is not to be spoilt. However, Angie Thomas has set-up what is going to be a incredible trilogy with an outcome that is impossible to predict. Turning the 'chosen one' scenario on its head, I cannot wait to see what happens next in this world and what lies in store for Nic Blake and her friends and family.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Walker Books for a review copy. Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy is available to buy now.

Nic Blake is 12 years old which means it's finally time for her dad to show her how to use The Gift, the type of magic that people like her (Remarkables) wield to make life a little better than if you were an Unremarkable (normal humans like her best friend JP). But things take a turn when Nic meets her godfather, and finds out some things her father has been hiding from her - mainly her mother, and her twin brother Alex - and suddenly she has to find something really special to save her dad.

This was a very fun and magic-filled adventure that anyone who loves anything magical or urban fantasy will appreciate. I love the sense of representation in this book as pretty much all characters are people of colour, as well as the history behind the type of magic Remarkables/Manifestors can do and how a lot of it tied into African-American history, and also just worldwide Black history as well. While I was not the target audience of this book as a white, thirty-something woman, I just know that any child that sees themselves represented in the pages of this story is going to absolutely love it, and this makes me very happy.

There are a lot of nods of the well-known 'Chosen One' trope in this book (mainly the big one with the Golden Trio) and I liked how it flipped it on its head a bit as we are following the trio's children and see what it's like living with a heavy legacy and expectation upon one's head as well.

One of the best things I liked about this book as well is that I could tell Angie Thomas had a lot of fun writing this book, you could really feel it in the pages and with every new magical mishap that happens to our group of friends. This is a very fun start to what I think will be an exciting series, and I'm looking forward to what comes next.

Angie Thomas should have had no qualms about her debut middle grade. The voice is distinctly hers, but through Nichole and a wonderful cast of characters, Angie has entered into middle grade market with a bang. What a fantastic start to a new series. Kids will fall in love with the core trio of Nic, JP and Alex. JP especially is a hilarious, loveably earnest character that resonated strongly with my younger self.
Angie has been very inventive yet informative by weaving in African American history and folklore. Hopefully this can be a catalyst for readers young and old to learn more themselves. With that in mind, I'd recommend some author's historical notes on certain things in future editions/future books in the series.
Once the story really got going, with Ty's introduction, I was hooked in and found it to be a well-paced and balanced adventure. I look forward to reading the adventures to come and sharing with my nephew and niece.

Before I started this book I'd seen some of the twitter reviews by bloggers (I didn't read the full blog posts). Could it really be as good as they suggested? Also was I really going to be able to read 331 pages in two days, because it would disappear off NetGalley if I didn't!
BUT this book is everything that has already been said about it. I had no problem losing myself in Nic's story, reading 200+ pages today.
Nic Blake is a manifestor, a Remarkable person who has a golden Glow around her. However, they are exiles from Uhuru and she lives with her dad in the Unremarkable town of Jackson, Mississippi. She chose this town but she has no idea why. Her father works as a handyman.
There are other Remarkables in the town and they are able to be themselves at Ms Lena's Today she is 12, her dad buys her a hellhound puppy. She is homeschooled but the lesson on how to use the Gift is again sidestepped by Dad as he tells her she is too young. Instead she gets a lesson on the Wallinzi, African ancestors of the Manifestors who were taken as slaves to America.
But today is also the day she get to go with JP (her best friend and neighbour) to meet TJ Retro their favourite author,. He writes stories about three children who live in a magical world, and fight evil. Only something happens when she holds Ms Lena's hands and her Dad gets freaked out and says she can't go. After a fight Dad goes to get pizza, and Nic sneaks out. She and JP see the author as he arrives, he has an aura - he's a Manifestor too! Dad arrives at the bookshop, he's not happy! It's then that TJ Retro greets her father, turns out they were best friends as children and TJ Retro (or Tyran J Porter) is her Godfather. However, Dad doesn't seem all that happy to see him.
This chance meeting leads to a birthday present from Tyran which leads to a whole other life of which Nic knew nothing. It leads her and JP and another Manifestor boy into an adventure straight out of TJ Retro's books.
This is a stunning story of a magical world. It has magical creatures, spells and curses.
It also shows black characters in the title role of a magical adventure and brings in black history to build a story of a kinder world. Nic is strong, resourceful and determined: fighting injustice, proving herself to be a good daughter (finally listening to her father's words about the strength inside her), friend and ....
I will be getting this book for school!