With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books - Balzer + Bray for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I have been quite excited about reading this book after hearing so many good things, and it definitely did not disappoint! I was hooked from the beginning and right up until the end there were unexpected twists and turns. Amari's brother Quinton goes missing and she is determined to prove he is still alive. Her quest leads her to a bigger, and more surprising, world than she can imagine. I loved the world Alston created and it was fun to think about there being supernatural things mixed in with our world.

I highly recommend this #OwnVoices debut and hope to see a book two!

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Alston presents a real view of a family coping with survival with an overlay of grief. Amari's older brother, Quinton, is missing and many assume he is dead. Amari does not. Amari struggles to fit in. She is expelled from her posh school after pushing back at one of her bullies. A mysterious delivery person drops off a briefcase that comes from Quinton. Inside is a nomination form to join the bureau he worked for. She decides to act on this and an entire world opens that shows her how the supernatural interacts with the human world. This bureau keeps everything moving smoothly. Sadly, she doesn't fit in there either. Her special gift is magic which is banned. Amari discovers her inner strength and who she can trust as she trains and works to pass the tryouts to make it as a special agent. Alston spins out the relationships and challenges as this world is built. Readers will feel like they are another trainee moving through the building with Amari, Elsie, Dylan, Lara and the rest.
I appreciate that this book does not wrap up with a happy ending where everything is fine and wonderful. Alston keeps the finish realistic to the world created in the rest of the story. Several unanswered questions that readers can complete for themselves by imagining their own finish. Hopefully, they'll be able to compare their thoughts to a sequel.

This book did not lure me in right away, but once it did grab hold of me, it didn’t let go. The opening sequence felt like a too fast whirlwind and the following open sequence ran slow, but then the pacing evened out, and I fell into the story. Amari is a strong lead. Readers will definitely sympathize with her feeling like she doesn’t belong and folks not giving her a fair shot. Many likeable side characters like Agent Fiona. I found myself both paranoid and engrossed halfway through. It gets very hard to tell who Amari can and should trust as she works to find her brother. A great fantasy adventure that I’ll be sure to purchase and recommend for the library.

Amari and the Night Brothers has been described as a contemporary real world fantasy, a description that seems to fit it perfectly. Here we find technology weaved with magic, a sort of Men in Black school of agents with supernatural abilities, cool gadgets like sky sprints and stunsticks and trainees eager to pass their tryouts. The magical system includes illusionists, technologists, weavers, even a weredragon who once her skills reveal themselves can breath fire. There are many hints or nods toward other books. The Peter Pan type feel when Amari was flying aboard the ship, the Harry Potter themes of a magical school, a girl unaware of her hidden magical talents, a ceremony akin to the sorting hat but with a magical artifact, even a challenge that reminded me of one from The Goblet of Fire. There's even the distinction being made between legacy families and those who are at the school based on merit. The sort of snide derogatory comments that Lucius Malfoy is known for. It's really easy to see why Amari and the Night Brothers has already been optioned by Universal Pictures.

Ah but there is so much more to the story, there's characters with questionable motives, a horrible betrayal, and a main character that is relatable and will capture your heart right away with how loyal she is to her friends. A girl who despite being full of insecurities, desperately wants to make her brother proud. Most of all, I really like how each chapter has an element that leaves you hanging for the next, the knock at the door, the visit from Quinton, each chapter leading into the next, which would be torture as a read aloud because it would make it so hard to find a stopping point. Truly an exciting debut that deserves all the praise, I eagerly await the next book in the series. ** Thank you to Netgalley and SparkPress for my review copy. **

*Thank you for this opportunity to read this novel.

Amari Peters is a young girl who is trying to figure out on the disappearance of her brother and attempting to adjust to her life without him. She is then aware of new information of her brother and his job position that she and her mom was not known. Through it all, she starts to begin to slowly piece together on the whereabouts of her brother all while learning new things about herself and her surroundings she was not aware of.

I really enjoyed this story so much because this provides a character that many readers can relate to. The determination of Amari and the willingness to find her brother resonates in her actions. The ability to combine family and friendship connections along with added magic and science fiction is great for upper elementary and middle school readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Amari Peters, age 13, misses her older brother, Quinton, who has been missing for several months. The police have no leads – not surprising for the area in which they live. One day Amari receives a mysterious visitor with a connection to Quinton. She soon discovers that her brother was involved with the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and has nominated her for summer tryouts. Amari decides she will use her time there to find out what happened to Quinton. But the very first day, when all the trainees discover their abilities, Amari finds out that her gift is illegal! Will she be able to overcome the scorn and fear of her fellow trainees to pass her tryouts and find out what really happened to her brother?
This book is a lot like Men in Black for kids – and that’s a good thing! Amari, like Will Smith’s J, must learn her new reality. All sorts of fantastical creatures are featured, including a weredragon for a roommate. The storytelling is quick-paced and while it could be a stand-alone, it is actually the first book of a planned trilogy. I can’t wait to see what Amari does next! Highly recommend for readers in grades 4 and up.
#AmariAndTheNightBrothers #NetGalley

I haven’t been this excited about a debut fantasy book for kids since I read the Sorcerer’s Stone ARC way back in 1997. Amari & the Night Brothers is the first in what I hope will be a long-running series featuring a young Black girl and her brother, who are magical investigators. While Quinton, the brother, is a super-talented investigator, it’s Amari who is the magician and has the most power. What a powerful message to send to girls.

When we first meet Amari, she’s confused, worried, angry, and sad for many reasons. She is targeted and bullied at school, her mother works too hard, and her brother has mysteriously disappeared. Like the boy living in the cupboard under the stairs, Amari discovers a whole new, magical world where she suddenly finds power, acceptance, and friendship, qualities that appear again and again in this story.

The author imbues Amari with integrity and loyalty, two traits that help her adjust to life at “camp” and help her through the trials she experiences there. B.B. Alston has captured the magic of a young girl starting to grow up and grow into herself.

Amari is set to become a new and improved Harry Potter for girls and boys who found a hero on the screen in Black Panther. I’ll be buying copies of this and handing them out liberally.

I was provided an ARC of this book courtesy of #Netgalley and the Publisher. My students are going to love Amari and her new friend Elsie, a weredragon. When Amari's brother Quinton goes missing, she is determined to do anything she can to prove he is still alive. When a strange package arrives for her Amari discovers the world is much larger than she could have ever imagined. Does she fit in this new world? Can she discover what happened to her brother with the help of her new friends? Amari is about to find out.

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 appreciated some of the underlying themes of equality and about judging people before you know their full story. For example, when Amari says, "it's my choice what kind of magician I'm going to be" her background story has prepared us to acknowledge the double meaning here.
I thought the ending--the last battle--was pretty abrupt, but it definitely had the effect of leaving us wanting the second book.
Some highlights straight from my kids:
- They liked the idea of the supernatural and monsters and magicians hiding all around us.
- Favorite characters were Amari, Dylan, and Elsie.
- One kid's favorite part was when she uses her skills of illusion at the auditorium and makes fireworks.
- The other kid's favorite part is a spoiler, so I'll just say it had to do with lightning. ;)
- They both really liked the visuals with the basement scene of the forest, butterflies, and birds.
- When I asked what they would try out for at the Bureau, the oldest said he'd want to be a Junior Agent, tech magician, and an illusionist. The younger said he'd want to be in the department of cover-ups.
- I won't give away the spoilers, but there are plenty of twists in this story. They're definitely surprising, and they keep coming, but it wasn't too convoluted for either of my kids to follow. Well-done.

Amari and the Night Brothers is a multi-layered middle grade debut that not only tackles prejudice, but also how we can fight these expectations. Alston uses a fantasy lens of magicians whose presence is considered illegal, highly dangerous, and worthy of fear to talk about how we change people's opinions. When we have power which inspires fear, which quickly turns to hatred, how can we move forward?

Amari is a striking heroine in a classicst system, someone who has to fight against racism in her world, and her Outsider status in the magical one. All while being determine her brother is alive and trying to find him when no one else will. Throughout the way, Amari has to figure out who is telling her the truth, and what she, as one person, can do. When people judge her, without knowing her, and want to take away her powers, she struggles to figure out how she can thrive in this magical system.

This book is next generation Harry Potter (in the best way) while still presenting its own, unique story. Amari is a great character with lots of strengths - perseverance and resilience, in particular - while still being a realistic teen. I struggled a little bit at the beginning by discounting the story because of the parallels I saw to Harry Potter but then I decided to knock it off because this book is great fun by itself. It is also well-written, unlike many books that come out after something else has hit it big. The creatures, supernatural abilities, elevators, and twists and turns found at the Bureau took me into a magical world I loved. The supporting characters are just as strong as Amari - Fiona, Magnus, and Elsie were all wonderful. My only complaint is about the speed of the action and resolution in the last few chapters. The pace of the rest of the book was a good balance between action and character development but I think there was too much stuff packed into the ending. That is not likely to be an issue for my students, however, who will just be excited to have a new magical world to explore.

Amari has struggled in the private school she attends on scholarship because the other students are mean to her, and since her brother Quinton's disappearance, things have gotten worse. She ends up pushing another student, and due to the school's zero tolerance policy, she looses her scholarship. Her mother, a hard working single mother and nurse, doesn't know how to help Amari, so she is thrilled when Amari gets a scholarship to the same leadership camp that Quinton attended. The only catch-- Quinton has left a briefcase for Amari showing her the magical organization he was really part of, and Amari is following in his footsteps. The front for the school is the Vanderbilt Hotel, but behind the facade there is the school associate with the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari's roommate, Elise is nice to her, since she (as the last weredragon in existence) knows what it is like to be singled out because you are different. However, the other students at the Bureau are mainly legacies, and their families have been attached to the organization for generations. Amari finds out that her brother was a celebrity, and along with Maria VanHelsing, was part of team VanQuish. Maria has gone missing as well, and her brother, Dylan, is a student in Amari's class. Amari also finds out that she is assigned the highest badge level, but doesn't have a talent-- she is a magician. Magicians are illegal. At first, Amari thinks Dylan hates her as much as his twin sister, Lara, does, but the two soon team up to try to find out what happened to their siblings. They are also paired as a team in the elimination exams, and Dylan shares some of the same secrets that Amari has. Will they be able to pass their exams, find their siblings, and vanguish the evil powers threatening the entire bureau? The scene has been set for book two, with Jayden, a friend of Quinton's, being recommended for the Bureau's summer program.
Strengths: Like Black and Clare's The Magisterium series, this has many elements that make it similar to the now much maligned Harry Potter. (Adults are unhappy because of Rowling's inability to keep her opinions to herself, although most tweens are blissfully unaware of this.) There are stun sticks and flying shoes, a school staff with their own secret pasts, tasty magical treats, a sorting ceremony, an underdog main character, and forces of evil trying to take over the world that can only be fought by Amari. There are also timely racial issues. I can see this acquiring a solid fan base.
Weaknesses: This was on the long side, and could have been tightened up a bit. I also wish that the summer camp/school had a better name.
What I really think: I do have a small bunch of students who like "academy" books, and they will love this one. I just hope the series isn't hugely long. The Magisterium, with its five short books, was perfect.

Amazing!! Perfect for fans of Nevermoor and Artemis Fowl. This is going to be the next big fantasy series! I think the cover is too dark and generic, but the story inside has fun characters, great world building, and long overdue representation.

BEST DEBUT EVER!!!! Amari is my newest favorite- beautiful, self-less and strong!!! @bb_alston created a spectacular world of #blackgirlmagic 💙 I did not want this novel to end and it hasn’t even released yet! Excited to shout its praises to my scholars! 😍🤩😍

ty @NetGalley for the galley!

Amazing real-world meets fantasy story with one of the best young female protagonists I’ve met in a long time. Amari is proud, honest, a good friend, and someone willing to stand up for what’s right. Wonderful pacing, good character development, nice, twists and fun villains make this one of my favorite books of this year. Can’t wait for the next adventure.

This book is so good. I am going to recommend everyone pre-orders it!! There's a lot of plot and a lot of reveals, so I don't want to add a summary. The main character learns about herself, friendship, family, honesty, caring for others, and so much more. It's a delight to read!

This was amazing, hands down. Alston creates an absolutely delightful world full of secret magic and bureaucracy, one that I would have loved as a 12 year old and DID love as an adult. I'm on tenterhooks for more from this world and author!

I loved every minute I spent immersed in this world. Amari is a young girl who embarks on a hero’s journey; we know this story. It manages to be both familiar and fresh at the same time. The ceremony where the junior agents get their powers cracked me up. This book is funny, fun, beautiful, and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! This is a must have for any classroom library for teachers of grades 5-8. I’m significantly older than an 8th grader, and I loved this book, so HS libraries might want it, too!

This book was ah-maz-ing! It felt something like a cross between Nyxia and Men in Black. Amari is a great main character with a bucket load of courage and a good understanding of the world around her.

At the beginning, all we know is that Amari's brother is missing. By now, everyone thinks Quintin is probably dead, but Amari stands firm in her belief that her brother is still alive. A bizarre letter delivered to her door leads her to a ticking briefcase in Quintin's closest which shows her the world she never knew existed and contains a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. She isn't sure if this is the ticket to finding her brother, but it is finally a lead and she has to try it out.

At this camp, she has to compete for her position against kids who have known and understood magic their whole lives. She is the outsider and then finds that her own supernatural ability is considered "illegal." Immediately, Amari is considered the enemy by many of her classmates. Amari has to prove herself to her peers as well as herself even while a dangerous magician threatens the entire supernatural world.

Amari is pretty awesome and a great addition to having books with diverse main characters that are not at all about race. I cannot wait for the rest of the trilogy.

Many would compare this book to the Harry Potter or Men in Black franchises. In fact, Amari and the Night Brothers, as I understand, has been optioned for film rights before the release of this first text in January 2021, but I do believe this has all the potential to be the next big thing in the minds and imaginations of children.
As we meet the main character, Amari Peters, she lives with her hard-working mom and is coping with the disappearance of her brother. Police are giving up on ever finding Quinton Peters who they presume dead via illegal activities without the slightest bit of evidence. Amari is soon to find out that Quinton had a most dangerous job indeed working as an agent with Supernatural Affairs chasing down the mysterious Night Brothers, criminal masterminds and magicians when she herself is invited into the Bureau. Protecting the world and erasing memories as they go, the Bureau ensures average people and the supernaturally inclined don't collide. They also run a summer camp for young people invited into the Bureau like Amari.
Amari is determined to follow in her brother's footsteps and become a Junior Agent, but will she be able to discover the truth when there is a bigger secret about to be uncovered about herself?
This story is an epic fantasy with parts of Harry Potter, Men in Black and Percy Jackson all coming together in a glorious new story that I never knew how much my students needed. Teachers can't go wrong buying this one for their classrooms and I am sure will sell itself right into student hands. The character's are complex and multifaceted like anyone you would meet in life. I always say if a side character does more than move a plot, it is a story that must be read; and Amari is no exception. You have Elise, a were-dragon and Amari's roommate, Magnus and Fiona agents and trainers, and even Jayden--once taught by Quinton in tutoring soon follows a life of crime in the absence of his friend.
There is truly so much to love about this text. Rich themes about systematic racism and the need for everyone to be loved and understood run throughout the text and it is clear that Alston is a gifted writer.
As I read this, as a teacher of fifth grade, I was thinking about a beginning of the year activity in which the students enhance their own talents as the characters in the Bureau do by touching the crystal ball. There is so much you can do--regardless of the content area. I teach ELA, so I was thinking of tying in gamified units based on texts like Amari.
Even if you are a student or parent looking for a text that is fun and engaging, look no further than this highly recommended middle grade fiction that will be enjoyed by tweens and early teens alike.