This year has been a weird one, but 2020 has been a year filled with a lot of amazing middle grade books. Today I’m excited to talk about Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. This middle grade book releases in January 2021 and you don’t want to miss out! It’s definitely going to be on the my list of 2020 favorites. I won’t be forgetting about this book anytime soon. Keep on reading to find out more about this book and why I thought it was so amazing!
A big thanks to The Write Reads and Egmont Books for providing me with an e-arc on Netgalley to read and review.
An epic middle grade supernatural adventure series, soon to be a major movie starring Marsai Martin. Perfect for readers aged 8+ and fans of Percy Jackson, Nevermoor and Men in Black!
Amari Peters knows three things.
Her big brother Quinton has gone missing.
No one will talk about it.
His mysterious job holds the secret . . .
So when Amari gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain this is her chance to find Quinton. But first she has to get her head around the new world of the Bureau, where mermaids, aliens and magicians are real, and her roommate is a weredragon.
Amari must compete against kids who’ve known about the supernatural world their whole lives, and when each trainee is awarded a special supernatural talent, Amari is given an illegal talent – one that the Bureau views as dangerous.
With an evil magician threatening the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she is the enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton . . .
Review
“People assume stuff about you based on things you can’t change about yourself. So I just do my best to prove them wrong, to be the person they’re not expecting. Amari Peters, changing minds one person at a time.”
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.
“I’m not the girl who gives up. I’m the girl who tries. The girl who fights. The girl who believes.”
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!
I would definitely recommend picking up this book when it releases next month! I’ll definitely be anxiously awaiting the second book to see how Amari’s journey continues. I love when books make an impression like this one did.
I loved the talking elevators! They were so random and Mischief definitely has a special place in my heart.
Great review! The minute I finished this one I wanted to pick it up and re-read it all over again. Such a wonderful MG fantasy–it’s definitely going in my faves list!
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I loved reading your review Candyce and I’m so glad you liked this book!