My first question after finishing this book is, "When is the next one coming out?" I found myself delaying as I got nearer the end because I did not want to be done with the story.

Amari could easily be one of my students. Her personality pops off the page and I can almost hear her voice. She is courageous, honest, and not afraid of trouble. When her big brother goes missing, she will do anything it takes to get him back. Her entry into a supernatural world filled with mythical creatures and supernatural abilities is complicated when she needs to deal not only with being the only one from the low income housing projects, but also one with an illegal magical ability.

The characters in the story feel real. This is not a story of good vs. evil where the good characters are always perfect and the evil characters are always 100% bad. There is a very clear distinction between right and wrong, but the good characters sometimes make mistakes and need to make amends and the bad characters can sometimes do a good deed. Just like in real life, Amari needs to figure out who she can trust and who she cannot.

This book not only made it to the top of my purchase order for this year, but I'm getting multiple copies. In hardcover. That's not a decision I make lightly with my limited book budget.

I love this book so much that I actually stood up and applauded after it was done. Such a cool idea! A magical MIB training program. I love Amari and the other characters and the worldbuilding is so good. I'm African American and I would have loved reading this book as a child.

Absolutely excellent A+ YA fantasy series featuring a diverse cast that seriously engages in real world issues like racism, poverty, and the impact of bias. 13-year-old Amari Peters is introduced into the world of magic and myth that lives, hidden, alongside the "normal" world of mundane humanity as she seeks her missing brother, Quinton. Think Harry Potter mashed up with Nevermoor/Morrigan Crow and add characters and creatures from myth and fiction around the world. I'm already impatient for Book 2!