Title: Amari and the Night Brothers
Author: B.B. Alston
Series: Supernatural Investigations #1
Genre: Middle-Grade/Paranormal/Mystery
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: January 19th, 2021
Edition: Kindle Edition, 416 pages
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | Thriftbooks
Synopsis:
Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.
So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.
Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.
So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.
Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.
*****
This book is a perfect example for why I still love Middle Grade. This book is a mystery, an adventure, a coming of age story, and amazing character growth.
Amari starts this book very angry at her lot in life. Her brother is missing, and everybody around her is telling her that he's dead and likely got himself in trouble. But she knows her brother, and she is determined to find out what happened. I loved everything about this book, the characters, the setting, the magic system, the world. The pacing was a touch slow at times, but that's a preference.
Amari is a fantastic protagonist. She is determined to find out what happened to her brother, but she also has a reasonable amount of self-doubt. It's understandable, but she doesn't let that
get in her way. She makes two friends who help her reach her goals, though one friend is more faithful than the other, which was pretty tragic because I do think they cared about her, they just had something else that seemed more important to them in the moment. I hope they get a redemption arc later in the series, however many books it's going to be.
Amari starts this book very angry at her lot in life. Her brother is missing, and everybody around her is telling her that he's dead and likely got himself in trouble. But she knows her brother, and she is determined to find out what happened. I loved everything about this book, the characters, the setting, the magic system, the world. The pacing was a touch slow at times, but that's a preference.
Amari is a fantastic protagonist. She is determined to find out what happened to her brother, but she also has a reasonable amount of self-doubt. It's understandable, but she doesn't let that
get in her way. She makes two friends who help her reach her goals, though one friend is more faithful than the other, which was pretty tragic because I do think they cared about her, they just had something else that seemed more important to them in the moment. I hope they get a redemption arc later in the series, however many books it's going to be.
It's really hard for me to review this in way, since this book is mostly a mystery I feel like anything I have to say about it is a potential spoiler. All I know is this is a fantastic debut to a new series.I am really happy with all this variety of Middle Grade that's been coming out. I wish more books like this existed when I was a child.
I can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out later this year.
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