B. B. AlstonReviews

Gr 3–7—Amari's older brother has mysteriously disappeared, and the only clue to his whereabouts is a ticking
briefcase in his closet. This leads Amari on an adventure to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, where she
encounters a plethora of fantastical creatures, as well as many friends and foes. This action-packed adventure story
brimming with magical creatures, friendship, and a healthy dose of #BlackGirlMagic is guaranteed to thrill fantasy
fans.
NB: Part of a series.

This sequel did not disappoint! Amari is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite MG fantasy series. Just like the first book, this one hooks you in right from the start and keeps you wanting to turn the pages until you get to the end. I can't wait for book 3! With the way things ended, I need my hands on that book NOW! Definitely another fav book of 2022!


Content Warnings: Bullying, racism (magical racism between the magicians/"unwanteds" and the rest of the supernatural world), classism, emotional abuse & manipulation, abuse of power by an authority figure, medical abuse, and war.

A little too much Dylan (though I enjoyed him) but an ultimately charming story! I can't wait for the movie version Marsai Martin's production company is working on.

Lovely cover but the pacing felt off with this one. The brunt of the story is Amari faces magician prejudice worries about brother miscommunication with Elsie rinse and repeat until the end.

I was glad to learn more about Maria and VanQuish, but Jayden (Amari's friend from her neighborhood) seemed underused as well as the new character Tristian (who was very one-note). I hope to see more of Jayden in the other books.

Also, I'm not entirely against... Lara redemption. It's good for kids to know you can always make a change for the better, but I don't see how Amari is friends with her horrid former bully. I'm all for being cordial and forgiveness is good, but no way would we be besties. it's just not realistic.

I would've believed Lara's change more if I saw the seedlings in this book before fully developing and her apologizing in book 3. Felt slightly rushed but kids may think differently

Overall, very slow-moving (and at times repetitive), but I’m happy to see another Amari book. The last 25% was much more engaging than the first 75%, and the ending promises to ramp things up in the next book.

Amari and the Night Brothers Review

Incredible read for all ages--the smoothest pacing I've ever seen. Absolute magic ✨

Great follow-up to the first -- I like how it's a similar mystery set-up, and once again the adults are hampered in a way that Amari is not. I do feel like the adults are bad at... being adults? Creating a reasonable and fair society? Oh, wait. That's true for a lot of places, isn't it. Anyway, I like the twists and turns, and I'm very interested to see what happens next. Good compassion demonstrated on multiple occasions, and how to navigate friendships.

Headstrong Amari sets out to prove her big brother is not dead. He is just missing, sets out to find him. She joins the same summer camp for leaders that her brother disappeared from hoping to find answers.½

The second book in this series, Amari faces new adventures as she meets other magicians. The secret magician group invites Amari to be their leader and take them to war against the bureau. Amari rejects this position and then is informed that the new magician leader will be Dylan, her former partner and recently escaped prisoner. Amari doesn’t want Dylan in charge, so she commits to a series of challenges against Dylan which will result in one of them losing their magic and likely their life. This book is full of action, adventure, suspense, and multiple mysteries. I really enjoyed reading about the next part of Amari’s journey and loved the twists and unexpected turns.

4.5 Stars

Well that was such a wonderful YA fantasy fiction book!

The characters are so endearing and I loved the level of intrigue in the mystery element of the story. The world building was marvelous and the magical system was very interesting. I really hope this turns into more than a trilogy as there is the potential to create a new fantasy book series that people grow up with, where the characters age as Readers do throughout the publications. Fingers crossed this is the direction this is going. Thoroughly recommend for late middle school and early high school and of course anyone who loves fantasy fiction!

its been a long while since i enjoyed a middle grade book. i picked this up as a palette cleanser, and it worked wonders for my mood :) a very easy and pleasant read. a bit like percy jackson, with men in black thrown in the mix (with some social commentary, the lead character being a 12 year old black girl from the wrong side of town and all...but not at all preachy or heavy handed). not your next harry potter...or skulduggery pleasant...but i'm glad there is this book for the next generation of readers.

(btw, the ending genuinely caught me off guard, so, well done ^_^)

Cliffhanger nooo!!! I want #3 now, pretty, pretty please???

Amari is back for more summer supernatural adventures, this time as a Junior Agent.
And she has lots of learning and investigating to work through.
Some old friends/foes and some new friends/foes.
Amari is sucked into a scary competition called the Great Game which has far-reaching consequences.

I loved Amari from the start when I was lucky enough to win a draw for a signed advance copy of the first book and a group zoom call with other indie booksellers, with B B Alston (what a warm and humble guy). So I've been waiting patiently until Christmas for this one and a rainy indoorsy day to devour it cosied up by the fire. Brilliant, gripping, magical adventure with awesome female leads, LOVED it.

This was a fun, quick read.

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-8

Plot Summary: Amari's brother disappeared suddenly and Amari and her mom are heartbroken. There have been no clues as to what happened to Quinton, so when Amari gets a package delivered one day with a message from her brother, she pays close attnetion. He tells her to wear the clothes enclosed in the package and go to a certain address. Amari gets permission to go to the same "camp" as her brother. She follows the directions to put on the suit even though it is incredibly ugly. At first, she thinks they're too late, but when they hear her name, they let her in. She says goodbye to her mom and starts at a new school, where she learns her brother and his partner disappeared during a mission. Amari starts her training and is shocked to discover the amount of magic she has within is so strong it's considered illegal. So is everyone else, because it's a dangerous level and people don't know if they should trust her. Her roommate, who turns into a dragon, is the only friend she has. Will Amari find answers about her brothers disappearance? Will the all powerful magician cause more problems for Amari?

Setting:

Characters:
Amari - strong, brave, thoughtful, determined, confused
Elsie - Amari's roommate
Quinton -

Recurring Themes: magic, family, disappearance, legends, magic school, friendship, boarding school, lies

Controversial Issues:

Personal Thoughts: This is a very well-written book. I switched between listening to the audiobook and reading the print book. I only got halfway through (pg 187, middle of chapter 17), but the book did stay with me. I hope to motivate myself to finish the rest of the book.

Genre: fantasy

Pacing: medium-fast, some action but a lot of explaining
Characters: well-developed, not too many
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity:

This is an exciting middle grade fantasy series and I need to know when is book #3 coming out!?! I don't want to give away any spoilers because there were so many things happening at the end of this book that need answers.

I can't wait to see what happens to Amari and her friends in the next book. Will there be a war? Will Amari be able to come up with a peaceful solution?

I tried reading this book back when it came out in 2021, I made it to chapter 8 but I just wasn't in the head space to read this book.
I am very glad that I picked it back up because this was a fantastic story. I love the parallels between Amari's school and the supernatural summer camp. I love that she learns to deal with the bullying and other's prejudices towards her in a way that stops them in their tracks. Looking forward to Amari and the Great Game to see what happens next.
If you like Men in Black, Harry Potter, Spiderwick Chronicles, or the Magisterium series you will like this book.
Highly recommend.

Narrated by Imani Parks. Amari's brother Quinton has gone missing, but Amari believes he is still alive. She is even more convinced after Quinton magically appears to her after she receives delivery of a mysterious briefcase. He has nominated her for entrance to a training camp with the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari soon comes to learn she is part of a magical and supernatural legacy, and that her brother holds a prominent role in the supernatural world. But what was he involved in that caused his disappearance? It would be easy to summarize this new series as "Black girl Harry Potter." But Amari's intersections come to bear in the supernatural world as well as the known world, adding a unique layer to the story's world-building and adventure. Plus a BIPOC-centered fantasy series is what the genre needs more of right now. Parks' audio performance is capable and she presents Amari as an ordinary girl trying to grasp extraordinary circumstances, but I think this adventure fantasy might have been further elevated by a more accomplished performer.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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"Amari," says Maria. “It’s not your job to save the world every summer.”

"I don’t have a choice!"

WHAT'S AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME ABOUT?
Amari has spent the last school year looking forward to one thing: it being over so she can go back to the summer program for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Not only will she have the chance for regular contact with her brother, but it's at the Bureau that she has found purpose and a place. She's eager to start the second summer of training as a Junior Agent and whatever work she'll get to do in that role.

But the day before that summer is supposed to start, something happens that reignites anti-magician rhetoric and sentiment. So much so that the new Head Minister bans her from the summer program. The PR surrounding that is decidedly bad, so Amari is admitted, but the ban is just the beginning of her problems.

Magicians and people with similar profiles are under the microscope, however, and those in power are engaged in all-out persecution--because of their reputations and records, Amari and Maria are spared this. At least overtly.

Meanwhile, Amari is given the opportunity to fill an office with the League of Magicians that would put her in charge -- because of her age, she doesn't think she's right for the position and passes. She's not who anyone should be looking toward if it comes to war against the Bureau. But when the opportunity passes to someone else -- someone who needs to be kept away from it -- she steps up. Starting the Great Game -- a series of challenges where these candidates face off against each other for the role.

Amari decides she has to clear Magicians of responsibility for the event that kicked off this new wave of harassment as well as compete in the game. She has to play the game on her own, but she's going to need the help of her friends and allies (including one very unexpected ally) to pull everything off.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME?
I think Middle Grade readers are going to have a ball with this--it continues the fun and voice of Amari and the Night Brothers, raises the stakes, and includes some great moments for Amari's friends as well as for Amari. Alston's able to address misinformation/"Fake News"/propaganda and prejudice in effective and age-appropriate ways while telling a rollicking story.

For me, and I think others who fall out of the demographic will have a similar reaction, this isn't quite the experience the previous book was. It really felt like Alston was cherry-picking elements from similar MG series and mashing them up into this. If you've ever wondered, for example, what a hybrid version of Dolores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter would be like, this book will show you. If you can read the Great Game segments and not think about The Tri-Wizard Cup, you're a better person than I am. I've only mentioned Potter references, but to me, the whole thing had more of a Percy Jackson-vibe.

Readers better versed in MG Fantasies might have other parallels to offer, too. And there is nothing wrong with this--authors do this all the time, and I enjoy seeing the results. Stories lift elements from others because they work well and people enjoy them (and/or they need to be skewered). Outside of parodies, I prefer not to see the influences quite as easily as I did here. But...and this is an important point...a dude pushing 50 is going to read this differently than Alston's target audience is going to. He shouldn't be writing to please me.

I did enjoy this--and can't wait to see what comes next. I wasn't prepared for the way this book wrapped up, but think it was a great choice on Alston's part. I really like the way he's developing the characters as well--both individually and in their relationships with each other. Yes, I'll go into Book 3 with lower expectations than I went into this book with (I think that's because the first novel was just that good)--but I'll be towards the front of the line to read it when it comes out.½

Amari returns to the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations for a second summer with her dragon pal Elsie and neighborhood pal Jayden, as well as her former bully - now partner - Lara Van Helsing. Agents Fiona and Magnus (now engaged) are there as well, but Amari's older brother Quinton is still under a curse, and his partner, magician Maria Van Helsing, was tasked with teaching Amari magic - by Merlin. But Merlin, along with the rest of the Congress, is caught in a Time Freeze, and acting director Bane, a wraith who wants to ban all "UnWanteds" from the supernatural community, seems to be in charge, along with the sinister faun Harlowe.

When Amari is offered leadership of the secret magical community (the League), she demurs, but then Dylan Van Helsing escapes from the Sightless Depths to accept the role, and Amari must fight him for it in a Great Game.

Quotes

"I'm asking you to choose between what you'd like to be and what you already are" (Cozmo to Amari, 64)

"The first thing to know about my department," says Harlowe, "is that we never let the truth get in the way of a good story." (87)

All I can do is keep showing them who I am, and if they'd rather believe something different, then that's on them. (94)

It's so easy for some people to dismiss others' experiences because they don't have the same problems. (142)

"Choosing to be good is the hardest decision you can possibly make." (Maria to Amari, 151)

"I'm not sure how I fit in....Sometimes I don't even know if I belong here. I'm always going to be the magician girl, and no matter if people think I'm wonderful or hate my guts, it feels like I'll always be separate from everyone else." (Amari to Jayden, 315)

"I'm the girl who tries, who fights. And I have to keep doing that, no matter how hard it gets....No matter what it costs me." (358)

"Being good is a choice, and it's one you have to keep making." (Maria to Amari, 411)

Spoilers:
In the end, Dylan gets the rings and will lead the magical community in a war against Harlowe and the Bureau; Amari (and Elsie and Jayden) are reunited at Amari's house, where Quinton is finally awake - Dylan lifted the curse when Amari used the Dreamcatcher spell on him.

I was looking for something lighter to read and I came across this story. It is good to see a young black female as the protagonist. That being said, this book never really grabbed my attention as the plot felt disjointed and rushed in some places.

"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 and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston was everything and so much more. Amari will forever be one of my all time favorite heroines. She was strong-willed, resilient and unstoppable. I was ready to fight everyone for her because the amount of racism and microagressions she had to overcome was infuriating. She was basically being bullied for being a poor, Black girl but still she stayed in the fight and was determined to prove everyone wrong. She was the epitome of #BlackGirlMagic.

I loved the world building and magic system despite hating Amari's assignment. I think it subjected her to even more unwanted abuse and persecution. I appreciated the people who stayed in her corner the entire time and gave her the support she needed to come into her own potential. The writing was solid and kept me captivated the entire time. I wanted to stay up all night to read and the ending has me itching to pick up the new installment immediately.

The main points were timely and relevant:
🔮 Black students face daily microaggressions in schools with majority white students.
🔮 People make many assumptions about others, especially Black students even about things they can't change or control.
🔮 Black people are forced to practice restraint because the cover sequences can cost them their life.
🔮 Positive role models are needed in poor communities to foster better outcomes in youth.
🔮 Black women and girls are forced to carry so much.
🔮 Sibling love is powerful.
🔮 The education system upholds racism and fails BIPOC students.
🔮 Black students are overly surveilled and punished at higher rates.
🔮 Adults fail students when they don't speak out against oppressive systems that abuse marginalized students.

If you are looking for a story full of magic with a curious, brave female youth as a lead, then look no further. You will fall in love with Amari the moment you meet her. Her tenacity and fortitude will win you over. Felix @tarot_and_libros was not lying when he was screaming about the wonders of this book

I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

After the first book , Amari and the Night Brothers, I was excited to read the next one in the series. Amari is back and it's better then ever! It jumps right into the action with all of our favorite characters from the first book. I can't wait for the third book to be released!

This novel is a 2022 Lone Star novel.

Amari's brother disappeared. Amari is determined to find him and prove he's still alive. Because they are poor and live in a bad part of town, the police assume Quinton was into selling drugs or something illegal like that and had to leave town or was killed. Amari knows better--Quinton received a full scholarship and tutored kids on the side. On the last day of school when Amari gets kicked out of her private school for which she has a scholarship, the doorbell rings. A small creature has a message for her; in fact, he has a briefcase. Somehow it's been delivered to Quinton's bedroom closet. She finds the briefcase with instructions to open it at midnight. She must lie down, put some weird glasses on and wait. Quinton appears. He takes her on a supernatural boat ride, showing her that there's more to the world than one can imagine. He says he must be dead or something bad has happened if she gets this message. Quinton nominates Amari for a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.

Amari's life changes. Her mother believes that Amari (and Quinton--back when he did this) is going to a summer camp. It's really a place to learn about the supernatural world and discover where you want to work within it. There are jobs filing papers, keeping track of the unknown, being an agent who fights evil, etc. There are many departments. In this "summer camp," Amari must choose where she want to work and then pass exams/challenges in hopes of being what she wants. Amari chooses Agent, the hardest, most difficult job. She wants to fight the bad guys. Someone/something has Quinton and she wants to investigate and free him. She finds a good friend with her roommate, who is a dragon. How cool is that?! She also finds a friend in one of the most well-established families who chooses to help has as well.

As the novel progresses, you'll meet all sorts of creatures and supernatural departments. Amari will compete against kids who have known about the supernatural world their whole lives. She also has to investigate the disappearance of her brother, so she has a full and challenging plate. There's one surprise for Amari and the entire supernatural world that changes everything. Amari must prove herself to everyone even more now.

I found the novel to be similar in some ways to the plot devices in Harry Potter. I actually read it all in about two days and really enjoyed reading it. There will be more books coming in the series, but this novel does end. There is no cliff hanger, which is nice. Give it a try!½

Spectacular book -- magic summer camp with a really wonderful main character. Amari is smart, full of integrity, and doesn't give up. When her older brother Quinton disappears, she stops at nothing to find him, even when it means navigating a whole new magical world, her own powers, and significant bullying from rich white kids. I love that she makes up her own mind and grows in confidence as the book unfolds, and that she stands up for herself. It's a new and interesting world, and the adventure is at breakneck pace. Not to be missed!

2023: Just as enjoyable the second time around. I had to read this again because the second book is now out and I needed to refresh my memory before starting the sequel.

2021: What a fabulous read "Amari and the Night Brothers" turned out to be! Well-written with great pacing, I found it difficult to put down once I started. I adored Amari. She was resilient, persistent, had strong convictions and loved her brother, Quinton, fiercely. She was a breath of fresh air. I also loved her friends, especially her roommate, Elise. They were both outcasts but bonded together to try and solve the mystery of Quinton's disappearance.

The world building was amazing. There was so much detail interwoven with myths and legends which swept me away and the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs felt like a real place. As for the twist at the end - I did not see that coming at all! It was quite a shock but I am looking forward to the next instalment.

"Amari and the Night Brothers" has been likened to the "Harry Potter" series by some readers, however, I have only read the first half of book one as Harry never grabbed my attention. This novel, in comparison, had me from the start so, for me personally, I thought it was a better read than "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". Congratulations Ms Alston on a wonderful debut.