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Amari and the Night Brothers

(Supernatural Investigations #1)

B.B. Alston (Goodreads Author)

4.67 · Rating details · 333 ratings · 191 reviews

Quinton Peters was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. When he mysteriously goes missing, his little sister, 13-year-old Amari Peters, can’t understand why it’s not a bigger deal. Why isn’t his story all over the news? And why do the police automatically assume he was into someth ...more

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Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected publication: January 19th 2021 by Balzer + Bray

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Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1)

B.B. Alston (Goodreads Author)

Release date: Jan 19, 2021

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS by B. B. Alston, an exhilarating fantasy story about a young Black girl who must earn ...more

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Availability: 5 copies available, 2240 people requesting

Giveaway dates: Dec 21 - Jan 18, 2021

Countries available: U.S.

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Start your review of Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, #1)

May 27, 2020 B.B. Alston added it · (Review from the author)

I hope you all like it!

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Nov 17, 2020 Gavin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, 2020-reads

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 ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 CW (The Quiet Pond) ✨ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, fantasy, middle-grade, 2020, diverse-shelf, has-poc-rep, contemporary, ownvoices

*climbs to the very top of a mountain, inhales and screams*: I LOVE THIS BOOOOOOOK.
Amari and the Night Brothers has the potential to be the next big series - yes, it is really that good.

- Follows Amari, a young Black girl who gets swept into a hidden magical world when she receives a briefcase from her missing brother - and she gets nominated to be a trainee at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.
- This book is just so much fun!!! I loved how imaginative and creative and visual this book was. Th ...more

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Dec 14, 2020 Whispering Stories rated it it was amazing

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

A magical world hidden from the everyday person. A world where ‘other beings’ live amongst us. A bureau designed to look after and protect both the humans and ‘others’. A Magician so powerful and evil he wants to take over. A young girl in search of her brother. This is ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’.

Amari Peters is a young girl whose older brother Quinton went missing months ago. After an altercation at school with the popular girls which sees Amari exp Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

A magical world hidden from the everyday person. A world where ‘other beings’ live amongst us. A bureau designed to look after and protect both the humans and ‘others’. A Magician so powerful and evil he wants to take over. A young girl in search of her brother. This is ‘Amari and the Night Brothers’.

Amari Peters is a young girl whose older brother Quinton went missing months ago. After an altercation at school with the popular girls which sees Amari expelled, she has to stay home alone whilst her mum works a shift at the hospital.

A man delivers a package to Amari with the sender being Quinton Peters. With a large document warning her not to open it unless it is definitely addressed to her and a briefcase she can only open late at night, Amari wonders what is going on. That is until she puts on the glasses that were within the case and Quinton is there to show her a world she never knew existed. He also tells her that he was working for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs before he disappeared and that all though he has gone missing he has nominated Amari for a place at the Summer School there.

Amari isn’t bothered about working for the bureau, her only goal is to discover what happened to her brother and bring him home, but a cloud of mystery and classified information greet her. With the help of her new friend and roommate Elsie who is a Weredragon, Amari will stop at nothing to find her brother and his partner who also went missing at the same time, together they are known as VanQuish.

Amari and the Night Brothers is like Men in Black for children. It is also the first in a series by a debut author and oh what a book it is!

The story is a complete roller-coaster ride from the very beginning. It is exciting and adventurous. The world-building is magnificent. It is exceptionally imaginative and easy to visualise. I especially loved the talking elevators who each had a unique personality. As well as adventure the book is filled with sibling love and the desire to find Quinton is in Amari’s heart at all times.

The characters are all truly amazing with our main character Amari being quite the girl. She is head smart, kind, stronger than she gives herself credit for, and she has a red hot determination within her. She is a trier and gives everything 100%. She pushes through times when she is scared and finds her inner courage.

The plot is not just another middle-grade novel trying to ride on the coattails of Harry Potter, this book stands on its own two feet. I can see it being a big hit next year when it is released and if we have learned anything from the HP books, buy a first copy it just might be worth something in a few years, in fact, buy two, one to keep without opening and one to read as you definitely don’t want to miss this book. ...more

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Jun 16, 2020 Fanna marked it as definitive-tbr · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021-releases

↣ an early digital copy received via netgalley

June 16, 2020: The cutest, prettiest, magical cover of this book has just been revealed and it's UMMM, PERFECTTTT. ...more

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Dec 12, 2020 Olivia rated it really liked it

This MG novel is incredibly well written and easy to read. Alston nailed Amari's voice and made her an incredibly funny, yet empathic character. He created a magical journey, one that I hope many young readers will embark on.

Amari is a likeable protagonist. Most readers will find something of themselves in her, whether it be her curiosity, her strength, or her determination. She's the kind of protagonist I'd like my son or daughter (if I had any children) to root for. Amari is a fighter, indepen ...more

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Aug 25, 2020 TL rated it liked it

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.*

Well written story that is well thought out and fun. Amari is a great heroine and I loved the idea of the world the author created.

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Aug 21, 2020 Cortney rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2021-favorites

Amari And The Night Brothers is a magical journey for modern times. A delightful and joyous experience about finding the courage to embrace your destiny and forge your own path regardless of the obstacles placed in your way.

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Jan 03, 2021 Toya (the reading chemist) rated it it was amazing

Life for 12 year old Amari Peters is difficult to say the least. She’s a Black girl being raised in low income housing by a single mom that works 60+ hours per week. She attends an elite school on scholarship, but that may all be down the toilet thanks to the bullies who have made her life a living hell following the mysterious disappearance of her older brother Quinton.

Quinton was the school’s golden boy, but no one cares that he’s missing. The police have given up and everyone assumes that he ...more

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Dec 28, 2020 Sophie Anderson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A breathtakingly exciting and imaginative adventure, with a brilliant, relatable heroine and deft, positive messages about privilege and prejudice, courage and integrity. I loved it!

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May 20, 2020 Sim marked it as 2021-releases

Shelves: age-children-middle-grade

June 17, 2020: So the cover has been revealed and it's perfect!

May 20, 2020: I came to know about this book today on Twitter and I can't wait to see the cover!
- #ownvoices middle grade trilogy
- A paranormal fantasy
- with magical competition
- a magician villain
- siblings love
seems right up my alley. ...more

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Dec 16, 2020 ☆Lily☆ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh what a lovely gem of a book!

Already the author’s letter to the reader at the beginning made me fall in love with the book and my expectations rose. And what should I say, the book exceeded my high expectations.

Amari is a girl trying to find her place in the world. She always had her older brother, Quinton, look out for her and support her. Now that brother simply disappeared and no one knows where he is this role is somehow reversed and she needs to look out for Quinton. Although no one know Oh what a lovely gem of a book!

Already the author’s letter to the reader at the beginning made me fall in love with the book and my expectations rose. And what should I say, the book exceeded my high expectations.

Amari is a girl trying to find her place in the world. She always had her older brother, Quinton, look out for her and support her. Now that brother simply disappeared and no one knows where he is this role is somehow reversed and she needs to look out for Quinton. Although no one knows where he went, Amari still does not give up hope and tries to find him. On that search she also needs to figure out where her own place in this world is and how and where she fits in. She has a huge character development in the course of the book. So at the beginning of the book she simply accepts that she gets thrown out of the fancy private school she goes to but then at some point she decides to stand her ground and not simply accept all that unfair treatment anymore.

She continues to be the odd one out in the supernatural world too. But for the first time in her life she finds a real friend: Elsie.

Elsie is one of my most favorite characters and I expect great things to happen with/to her in the upcoming books. I love the idea of people being able to turn into fire-breathing dragons. And Elsie is simply adorable. She really is a good friend to Amari, in contrast to all the other people surrounding her, of who the reader never really knows which side they are on and what they are hiding.

Unravelling all those secrets is Amari’s main goal as she wants to find her brother Quinton and his partner Maria. And she really does that very well. I always expected that someone will betray Amary, but the ending really surprised me and I did not really expect what happened.

I have read some book reviews in which this book is compared to Harry Potter. Of course this comparison seems obvious as Amari and Harry are both wizards aka magicians and there is a super villain in each book but the deeper you delve into Amari and the Night brothers the less plausible this comparison gets. Harry Potter has a lot of friends and kind people surrounding him and it is very obvious that Voldemort is the supervillain, so there is only black and white and very little grey. In contrast to that Amari only has one real friend and only a few people who support and trust her, preceded by Quinton. She experiences rejection and aversion of the people around her. So her life stays the same in that respect, wherever she goes. Simply being in the supernatural world does not change that as it does for Harry Potter. She meets way more resistance and rejection and has to be a lot tougher and braver.

I really enjoyed reading Amari and the Night Brothers and I am really looking forward to the following volumes in this series.

Thank you #TheWriteReads and egmontbooksuk for letting me participate in this tour and letting me read the book in exchange for an honest review.

As I have two boys -aged ten and seven- I have already preordered it in German and I will put a review in German further down on this page. ...more

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Jan 06, 2021 rain added it

Shelves: 2021-reads

Thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

AAAHHH I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It lived up to its magical premise and I'm really excited about what this series has to offer in the next book.

• I love Amari as a protagonist. She's a fighter even though all the cards are always stacked against her. It really infuriated me when bullies kept picking on her because WHY WOULD YOU HURT MY PRECIOUS CHILD. She's just more talented than all o ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 Vee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: people interested in international yeti politics

[ARC Provided by The Write Reads tours, my review is unbiased]
Wordpress Blog | Twitter

This magical series about a girl from a lower class neighbourhood, that finds out her missing brother was really working for a hidden world of magicians was incredible, and I loved following Amari as she discovered that magic existed, choosing a profession and training her magic.

This story felt like it was building up a world we get to know and love fully later, with hints of Zombies, Yetis, Atlantis and so muc ...more

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Aug 05, 2020 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kids-books

Thank you Edelweiss for the ARC and making me feel like I won the lottery!

Have you ever experienced something and it made you realize you had unknowingly been missing something in your life? That's what it's like to finish Amari and the Night Brothers. I have missed a fantasy kid adventure written for kids, not persnickety adults. I have missed the breeziness of a good plot. I have missed a nuanced heroine who gets to be real without some weirdness around her being normal as if that was a fatal ...more

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Dec 07, 2020 (Ellie) ReadtoRamble rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 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. ...more

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Dec 06, 2020 Sifa Poulton rated it really liked it

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher as part of the tour in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

I think we should start of with saying that when this ARC arrived, I was curled up on the sofa finishing up another book, and the friend I was staying with at the time walked in, saw the ARC and started reading it. She devoured it in the course of the afternoon, absolutely cackling at it and reading snippets aloud. So it's a double recommendation!

It was a lot of I received an ARC of the book from the publisher as part of the tour in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

I think we should start of with saying that when this ARC arrived, I was curled up on the sofa finishing up another book, and the friend I was staying with at the time walked in, saw the ARC and started reading it. She devoured it in the course of the afternoon, absolutely cackling at it and reading snippets aloud. So it's a double recommendation!

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 technically a contemporary fantasy set in the US - which I have been really struggling with this year (the explanation of why I think that is can be found here in the A SONG BELOW WATER section). 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. ...more

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Dec 06, 2020 A Voracious Reader (a.k.a. Carol) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: year-2020, e-book, netgalley, middle-grade, 4-5-stars, tour, the-write-reads, fantasy

4.5

Book source ~ Tour

13-year-old Amari Peters has an older genius brother, Quinton, who goes missing. Police aren’t trying too hard to find him, and six months later Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in his closet. When Amari opens it, everything she thought about the world changes and now she has a chance to find her brother her own damn self. Go bring him home, Amari!

I’m not usually a fan of saying, “If you like X book then you will like this one.” But I’m going to say it now. If you like Ha 4.5

Book source ~ Tour

13-year-old Amari Peters has an older genius brother, Quinton, who goes missing. Police aren’t trying too hard to find him, and six months later Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in his closet. When Amari opens it, everything she thought about the world changes and now she has a chance to find her brother her own damn self. Go bring him home, Amari!

I’m not usually a fan of saying, “If you like X book then you will like this one.” But I’m going to say it now. If you like Harry Potter then you will like Amari and the Night Brothers. They are very similar and yet very different, but they both involve magic and a whole other world than the mundane. There’s also a scary villain and his followers (not quite as scary, but definitely thorns in the sides of the good guys), but I’ll let you read about him and them.

I love Amari. She’s smart, independent, and plucky as hell. She’s been living in her brother’s shadow, but really it’s all in her head because she’s pretty clever on her own right. However, when you have talented older siblings it’s hard to see your own strengths. And she has plenty of those. She’s also in for a surprise when she joins the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Ok, she’s in for MANY surprises when she goes there, but one in particular is an albatross around her neck. She needs to study hard and pass the three tryouts because she will never have a better opportunity to find her brother. Making friends and enemies, Amari navigates the treacherous waters of the BSA with will, skill, and sometimes just by the seat of her pants. But will any of this help her find her beloved brother? You’ll have to read to find out and I highly recommend that you do! Amari and the Night Brothers will sweep you into a magical world that’s not always as fun or cool as you might think. Fast-moving with characters you’ll love or love to hate this is one Middle-Grade Fantasy intertwined with a Mystery you won’t want to miss!
...more

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Dec 02, 2020 Livy rated it it was amazing

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 char ...more

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Sep 25, 2020 Isabella (The Feminist Bookworm) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, favorite-books-of-2020, unreleased-2021, 2021-most-anticipated, favorite-covers, favorite-books-of-2021

This book was EVERYTHING! Harry Potter, Nevermoor, Percy Jackson, and Kingdom of the Lost Cities rolled into one!

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Nov 03, 2020 Kathie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2021-longlist

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

The cover of Amari and the Night Brothers is one of my favorites for 2021 so far, and was the first thing that drew me to this book. The second was all the positive buzz I'd heard about it, all of which is deserved. I admit that the 416 page length put me off reading it for a while, but I quickly found myself engaged in the story.

Amari's brother, Quinton, has been missing, but no one knows what's happened to him. When she finds a ...more

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Oct 03, 2020 Shreddy (age 11 with Mum's permission) rated it it was amazing

*contains spoilers*

This is the story of Amari Peters, a girl from the Rosewood housing projects. With a poor family, and a missing brother, she is all the more surprised when she gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Upon arrival, she learns about the two powerful magicians, the Night Brothers, who wreaked havoc upon the supernatural world. She also learns that her brother, Quinton, and another wonderful agent, Maria, were a famous duo known as VanQuish. She soon discovers th *contains spoilers*

This is the story of Amari Peters, a girl from the Rosewood housing projects. With a poor family, and a missing brother, she is all the more surprised when she gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Upon arrival, she learns about the two powerful magicians, the Night Brothers, who wreaked havoc upon the supernatural world. She also learns that her brother, Quinton, and another wonderful agent, Maria, were a famous duo known as VanQuish. She soon discovers that she too is a very powerful magician, and that the entire bureau wants to dispose of her. People will betray her, and secrets will be unveiled. But with the help of her best friend, Elsie the weredragon, she might just change some minds… and maybe save her brother, and the world, while she’s at it!

A gripping novel, filled with magic and suspense. Could not put it down… literally. I found myself carrying it around the house, it was so good! A magnificent first-person story, fast-paced and surprising. Many times I found myself saying ‘WHAT?!’ The surprises keep coming, advancing round corners and even out of plain sight.

I love the main characters. The characters are really defined and it’s easy to imagine exactly what they look like, or act like, or who they are in general. They can sometimes be predicted, like an ant near honey. Other times, an unadventurous girl will step in front of the door and breathe fire.

The story just keeps growing. Surprise after test after attack after villain, the story keeps piling up like junk on a desk. The junk gets so big, that tidying it up seems impossible, and giving in seems the best option. In the story, that’s exactly what happens. Except Amari and her friends don’t give in. They never do. They just keep barging through all that junk.

It’s funny. Amara’s lost brother calls her ‘chicken little.’ A direct quote is ‘That was a “Help Agent Fiona get back the Black Key” look.’ Agent Magnus goes red in the face. ‘Not a “Go save the world on your own” look!’

Overall, a wonderful story that I would recommend to people aged 10 and up.

Review by Shreddy - Age 11.
...more

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Aug 16, 2020 Cass Moskowitz rated it it was amazing

Amari is a girl whose brother has been missing for a few months, but she KNOWS he's out there somewhere. He had a mysterious job he never gave details about, and she's sure it had something to do with that. Turns out she might be right when she discovers he was part of a Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, and now Amari gets a chance to join that same program. She's smart and never gives up and with some new friends she's going to get her brother back.

I adored every second of reading this book, it ...more

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Dec 20, 2020 Stephen Donovan rated it really liked it

4.5 stars

This is a thoroughly delightful and enthralling story that is filled with an endless amount of fascinating ideas and concepts. Taking place within an extraordinary world and featuring an amazing protagonist, there is so much to love as it leads the reader on a magical journey which relays uplifting messages while also providing no shortage of humour and wit.

There is so much to pack into this book, from all the ins and outs of the supernatural world to the enduring mystery of what happen 4.5 stars

This is a thoroughly delightful and enthralling story that is filled with an endless amount of fascinating ideas and concepts. Taking place within an extraordinary world and featuring an amazing protagonist, there is so much to love as it leads the reader on a magical journey which relays uplifting messages while also providing no shortage of humour and wit.

There is so much to pack into this book, from all the ins and outs of the supernatural world to the enduring mystery of what happened to Quinton and his partner Maria, and it moves along at a searing pace. That helped to guarantee there was never a dull moment throughout, and I loved the feeling of genuine warmth and escapism that radiated from almost every page.

The biggest highlight of the story is Amari herself. It is told entirely in the first person from her perspective, and she is absolutely fantastic. There are times where she is forced to stand up for herself or make tough decisions, but her heart is forever in the right place. She is so selfless, never losing sight of having to find her missing brother despite being thrust into an amazing new world and given unrivalled magical abilities, and this care for others extends far and wide.

Amari lives in a deprived neighbourhood and is often singled out for being the only black girl in an affluent school. She is treated similarly once she arrives at the Bureau and discovers she is a magician, with others distancing themselves from her and regarding her with suspicion for possessing an apparently illegal power. This is a recurring theme in the book and for a middle grade, it was handled exceptionally well. Even better, Amari’s answer was to keep going and eventually show everyone how special a person she is.

This combination made Amari such an easy character to root for, and the way her point of view is written was spot on. Her reaction to receiving Quinton’s unexpected gift and experiencing all the weird and wonderful things in the Bureau was very believable, and I enjoyed discovering them through her eyes. What made it all the more satisfying was how she was rewarded for her kindness and moral fibre during the tryouts, which sends a positive message to younger readers.

Of the other characters, my favourite was Amari’s best friend Elsie, who was understanding, smart, and just as likeable. Dylan was definitely the most complex, and there were many times where it felt like he was hiding another side to his personality. I could not stand Lara or her father, who were both highly condescending and prejudiced, while Moreau made for an intriguing villain.

The plot was all-action, and alongside following Amari’s progress in the junior agent tryouts, I was never allowed to lose sight of the mystery and where it might lead. There were occasional hints towards the bigger picture, but the author does an excellent job of keeping things under wraps and as such the twist near the end has the desired effect. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that certain types of magic should not be taken at face value.

The amount of imagination that went into developing the Bureau is nothing short of staggering. For a fantasy setting it simply has it all and I was enchanted by each new element that was introduced, such as the talking lifts that had unique personalities, the social media platforms, the items available from the magician’s gift shop, the individual quirks of each of its departments. The list goes on!

If there is one area where this book does not quite excel, that would be the fact it could have been more strongly developed in places. The writing is lovely and I did not necessarily mind the rapid pace there was to proceedings, but I would have liked some parts of the story to have been allowed to breathe a little more, rather than passing by in a bit of a blur.

The ending was very fitting in the way it summed up the themes of the book so perfectly, as well as Amari. Although we barely see Quinton, it was very nice to see how he always had total faith in her, and Amari does the same for her friend Jayden. That illustrates the strength of her character growth and despite everything that she has seen and the dark magic she has encountered, she never lets them change who she is.

Overall, this was fun and exhilarating ride that brought several smiles to my face. It has all that a fantasy for a younger audience could possibly ask for, and any film adaptation would make for an enticing prospect. There many have been a few minor issues on the technical side, but the story, the setting, the themes, and most certainly the main character could hardly have been better. ...more

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Dec 19, 2020 Candyce Kirk rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amari and the Night Brothers is a book I won't be forgetting anytime soon. B.B. Alston introduces us to an amazing new world filled with supernatural beings and talented children training to be all that they can be. This book is amazing and so much more than an adventure and has all of the elements I love in a middle grade series.

I'm a big fan of books that take place in a school setting and I have to say this magic school summer camp set in a government facility had a really nice twist. Our mai Amari and the Night Brothers is a book I won't be forgetting anytime soon. B.B. Alston introduces us to an amazing new world filled with supernatural beings and talented children training to be all that they can be. This book is amazing and so much more than an adventure and has all of the elements I love in a middle grade series.

I'm a big fan of books that take place in a school setting and I have to say this magic school summer camp set in a government facility had a really nice twist. Our main character Amari is really worried about her brother, Quinton, who has gone missing. When she receives a suitcase left for her from hum she never expects to find what she does. She finds out there is a whole supernatural world she has no idea exists and has a chance to explore this and maybe find her brother.

Okay, I got a little sidetracked there, but I needed to add those bits of information. In this government facility agents are working as they always do while the students are being trained. I loved the descriptions of this building and all the little special details. I really wish all elevators were like they are in here. Taking them would become an adventure all on its own. So many elements in this setting had me laughing out loud and wishing I could go to camp as well.

Then there's Amari. People look at her differently because of where she's from and what she looks like and that isn't always easy. Amari has days where she doesn't know if she can do what's possible to become an agent and fit in, but I love that she doesn't give up. She's determined to help her brother and become the best she can be in this strange new world with the talents and abilities she just learned she has. Amari is strong, caring, loving, creative and a fighter. Nothing will stop her from reaching her goal. Even the kids that aren't that nice.

Besides Amari finding her place in this new world we learn about different supernatural creatures, learn about the trials Amari and fellow trainees must past and like all middle grade books the lessons intertwined with this story. Amari and the Night Brothers is filled with themes of family, friendship, fighting for what you believe in, believing in yourself, good vs evil, loyalty and so much more. I've read quite a few fantasy books in a school setting, but Amari is definitely unique and one I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

What I also loved is that besides the adventures our main character goes on and the friendships she develops (I love Elsie and hope we see a lot more of her) there are also a lot of twists I wasn't expecting. I could go on and on about this amazing book, but I think you just need to pick it up in January and experience it for yourself! ...more

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Nov 24, 2020 Richie Partington rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction

Richie’s Picks: AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS by B.B. Alston, HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, January 2021, 416p., ISBN: 978-0-06-297516-4

“...Every little thing she does is magic…”
-- The Police (1981)

“Mr. Ware grins. ‘Go to any corner of the world and you’ll find tales of beings and creatures that only seem possible in our imaginations. What if I told you that living among us are all the things we’ve come to pass off as myth?’”

Welcome to an underworld of bizarre creatures, powerful magic, and danger ...more

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Dec 11, 2020 Paperbacks rated it it was amazing

Amari and the Night Brothers is nothing short of one of the most wonderfully magical books I have read this year, huge thanks to Egmont Books and The Write Reads tours for having Biba and I along for the ride!

To start the book had a wonderful wizard of oz style feel, Amari is dealing with the double whammy of her missing brother and dealing with the awful school bullies who push her to the edge with their taunts about her heritage and how poor she is. It feels bleak for Amari, but with one wonde Amari and the Night Brothers is nothing short of one of the most wonderfully magical books I have read this year, huge thanks to Egmont Books and The Write Reads tours for having Biba and I along for the ride!

To start the book had a wonderful wizard of oz style feel, Amari is dealing with the double whammy of her missing brother and dealing with the awful school bullies who push her to the edge with their taunts about her heritage and how poor she is. It feels bleak for Amari, but with one wonderful twist she finds herself in a brand new environment. An environment which still has the same prejudices, but where even the most mundane of skills or talents can be transformed into something super human. I loved how quickly the story flipped and completely transformed the narrative.

The bureau itself is wonderfully realised, so many facets and great little areas, I was a particular fan of the diverse range of talking elevators which were either hilarious, helpful or a hindrance depending on the mood they were in at the time. I loved how all the spaces weaved together from training to workspace to living space but yet managed to keep their own distinct bubble. The slow reveal of just how vast it is was fantastic, I never felt overloaded and just added to the overall wonder of it all.

Character wise, they are all fantastic, apart from maybe the mean girls, Amari’s room mate Elsie is a particular treat with her amazing creations and sage advice. Obviously the star is Amari herself, she is so focused on finding out what happened to her brother and is utterly fearless, she is so strong but she never gives herself the credit for it. Whilst the career kids have had years to learn and be aware of the supernatural world and have the upper hand, Amari’s fight against prejudice her whole life has set her up to deal with her magician standing by refusing to accept that it automatically makes her evil and forcing people to see that it doesn’t make her any different. As moral messages go, its beautifully simple but so impactful.

The pace is perfect, giving the reader time to learn with Amari yet also having the exciting fast action of the trials she must complete, I didn’t want to put this down, and rarely did as I found myself wanting to devour its pages through to its shocking ending which I 100% did not see coming at all, which for a children’s book (where the breadcrumbs are perhaps laid a little more clearly) I was pleasantly surprised with. Amari and the Night brothers is a perfect older children’s read (and adults!) full of magic and mayhem which is beautifully balanced with real life and real life issues, I implore you to add it to your must reads of 2021!

5 magical stars! ...more

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Dec 04, 2020 Ben Gartner rated it it was amazing

Myself and my two boys, ages 10 and 13, really dug this book. It was like an updated, way cooler, and more diverse Harry Potter mixed with Artemis Fowl. I can definitely see this series expanding and sucking us in even more. In fact, as soon as we finished the book, my oldest said, "You have to get the second book! Now!" Then he asked if it was a movie we could rent.
The writing was well-done, the pace was consistent and moved the story along, and the mystery kept us turning the pages. I also app ...more

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Dec 10, 2020 mrsswiftnibtwirlspages rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 ...more

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Dec 18, 2020 Karen Mace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

What a fabulous introduction to the world of Amari!! This is one of those books that gives you a little bit of everything at middle grade - the magic, the adventure, suspense and supernatural, alongside the element of family unity and I just loved it! Now I can't wait to see it turned into a film!!

Amari is in trouble at school for standing up to the bullies who have been harrassing her, so she's rather shocked when she receives a mysterious email, inviting her to be part of a secret program - es ...more

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