I loved this one!

Nic Blake has lived with her dad her whole life. She also has been homeschooled and knows her dad can produce magic and she can too once she is able to learn about it. When she sneaks out to go to a book signing for her favorite author she finds out the stories are true and are about her mom and dad and their best friend (the author). She later finds out her dad kidnapped her and has been on the run her whole life due. He dad is arrested by LORE and Nic, her best friend and her brother she didn't know she had have to find the tool that the LORE also think he stole.

What a fantastic adventure! I loved Nic Blake’s voice and laughed several times with her sarcasm and wit. This story is a new, much needed take on fantasy, combining African-American history and mythology in an epic world that is set alongside our own. I found myself holding my breath as Nic learns new truths about herself, her friend, and her family, all as she turns just twelve years old. Thomas has done an exquisite job worldbuilding and weaving her lore into historical events. I was a little hesitant about reading this (as middle grades is rarely my favorite age group to read for), but the fast pacing, the high stakes, and the incredibly real issues of wanting to feel a sense of belonging and living up to parental expectations let me hooked on every word. MG students who love reading action and fantasy adventures about kids with a lot of personality will adore this book.

Also, I now desperately want a hellhound.

I have to be honest - I expected to love this book, so it's not a big surprise that I love this book. I'm not the biggest fantasy fan, but this book kept me hooked from the get go. I loved all the magical and magi-real elements of this story. The hometown starring role. History, prejudice, power, family, magic and humor. I loved it and will definitely be upselling it when it comes out.

From the beginning to end, I enjoyed this so much. I don’t read a lot of middle grade, but this novel showed me how immersive this category can be when represented correctly.

- Characterization: was wholesome. The entire time I was reading, I just imagined this little girl with a high pitched voice who was a force to be reckoned with haha. I loved Nic's thoughtful thinking skills and rooted for her the entire book, because she was so fun to follow on her adventure.

- World building: I like how we slowly get adjusted to the world building without scrutiny crashing down on us. Some of it is still being spoon fed but I was alright with that because I could use some of that in adult fantasies haha 🤣I think it’s so cool that the setting is in a fantastical “Mississippi” with the town based in an inactive volcano. I would’ve loved to have read this when I was 10 or 12 yrs old. I loveeeeee the connection of today’s history in this story with the implement of the magic system. No pun intended, but it really makes the story magical and knowing that children around the world will be reading this, with Black history unembellished but simple enough for them to understand, makes me all the more THANKFUL for writers like Angie Thomas.

⁃ Plot: the subtle and small inclusion of how slavery/systemic racism also effects this fantasy world is so great to me! It isn’t in an overwhelming dose or too in your face since the book is marked towards a young age group, yet it’s still prevalent to raise the issue which I am here for!

- Style: I don't care what age group it is for, I always love Angie Thomas's voice. I do have to say that I was quite surprised that she pulled off a good twelve year old's voice. I love how the voice is so sweet. The narrative is strong with a sense of childish flavor.

Some random comments I had while reading:
- giggles from the first page already
- I am officially calling myself an Aziza now (iykyk 😁😆)
- Angie Thomas’ characters always have me wrapped around their fingers because WHY AM I FEELING THINGS FOR FICTIONAL CHARACTERS?!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins children for allowing me to read this before it hit the shelves. I loved it!

I had the privilege of meeting Angie Thomas at my local library and hearing her speak about her debut novel, The Hate U Give. Hearing any great author share their thoughts in person can be life changing but having this experience was deeply life altering for me as a reader, a parent, a teacher, and as a human.

When I learned Angie Thomas was writing a book for the middle grades- I knew it was going to be phenomenal. I love that she is giving students something she rarely had in school- remarkable books with remarkable characters who look like her.

Magic is all around us but if you are an unremarkable like me, you probably haven’t noticed. We’ve been missing out! Nic is turning twelve and is super excited about her dad finally teaching her how to use her powers as a manifestor but with the turn of some crazy events- she ends up learning a lot more than she expected.

On her journey, Nic unearths the deepest of secrets and begins to learn about the Remarkable’s history which is intertwined with black history and folklore. Angie takes us on a magical adventure immersed with fantastic characters, mythological creatures, and tons of twists and turns.

Young readers are absolutely going to fall in love with Nic and her friends. I was especially partial to JP! They are going to be left on the edge of theirs seats and wanting more- good thing this is a series!

I would definitely recommend this book and encourage parents and caregivers to give it a read also. This book will offer great opportunities for literary discussions in addition to bigger life talks.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HC for granting me access to this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review of this book when the Harper Collins Union strike is over because their needs were met.

Thank you Netgalley For the e-arc

I thought this was a very cute MG and I loved the creatures and magic in it. I liked the complex family dynamics and how they played out (although one was a little bit of an abrupt change in my opinion)—excited to read the next in the series!

When I heard Angie Thomas was venturing into middle grade, I knew her book would be remarkable and I was not disappointed. Nic Blake is going to be a favorite for many! I’m ready for book 2!

Angie Thomas came through with this fantasy. I been following Angie for quite some time and hearing her time and this passion project has been nothing short of amazing to finally get to get to see and read it. This book definitely took you on an adventure that I never imagined.

3.5* Great start to the series! In a HP meets Doctor Strange magic system rooted in American Black history, what’s not to like? I really loved how Thomas was able to weave history and folklore into an educational and downright entertaining read. Nic and her squad’s dynamic was perfect with a great balance of silliness and seriousness. I also absolutely adored the meta-book aspects and the plot twists were some of my faves. This book did a great job of taking some classic middle grade fantasy tropes and putting a new spin on them. My only complaint is that the plot dragged a little in the second third. Without spoiling anything- it lacked the same excitement and energy as the first and last third.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy!

Nic Blake has dealt with move after move with her father. They have finally settled in Jackson, Mississippi long enough for her to find a best friend, JP, who she has bonded with over their shared love of a fun fantasy book series. However, Nic is hiding a secret from him: she and her dad are Manifestors, people with remarkable magical powers. On the night of her 12th birthday, Nic finds out that she isn’t the only one who has been keeping secrets—her dad has also held back the truth about Nic’s past, family, and even her real name. Catapulted into a new reality, Nic has to fight to save her family and friends, and the Remarkable world itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed the world building in this fantasy. There is a great cast of characters and a really fun magic system that Nic explores as she learns more about her heritage in the book. For fans of Legendborn, I think this explores similar themes of magic, family, and legacy, but for a younger audience and a lot more jokes! I appreciated how Thomas weaved in historical elements and grappled with Nic’s understanding and questioning of these people with power—she literally asks why the Remarkables did not help when they could have, which I think is so spot on and true to character. At the end, I was impressed with the twist and the exploration of the emotional aspect of the hero’s journey. Overall, I will definitely be getting this for our library!

I am a huge fan of Angie Thomas’ realistic fiction and I was so excited to read her foray into fantasy. If you have not done so, I highly encourage reading her author’s note about how she started this book—very powerful and shows how this book is true to her!

This is an adorable tale of a magical girl finding out that everything she thought was real about her life is not actually the complete truth and how she moves forward from that while also saving the world. No pressure! Haha

Angie Thomas's writing voice is nicely altered for a middle grade audience from her YA voice. I chuckled several times at the humor. Plus, who wouldn't love to step into a world filled to the brim with mystical creatures! It reminded me of the world's of Amari and the Night Brothers and Nevermoor in that regard. I look forward to seeing what else Thomas has to offer in this world of the Remarkables.

This book is heavy handed on Black pain so if you are looking to escape from that, this isn't the book for you. With that said, it does provide a mini history lesson on the slave trade and civil rights movements that is appropriate for the target audience and hopefully very interesting for them as well. Thomas also interweaves Remarkables history within Black history nicely complete with a magical "hogwarts-esque" train ride, though this trainride is much cooler as it explains the origins of the underground railroad. In one way, it almost feels like this was written with parents or teachers in mind as a way to explain slavery and the civil rights movement to kids. Honestly, this book reads like it was commissioned by PBS or the History channel with the amount of historical information in it.

There is a good amount of explaining in the first 50 pages which is par for three course with fantasies, but after that this story really gets popping! I'm talking full stream ahead no stopping until the ending cliffhanger, popping. This book is on par with recent middles grade fantasy books like Marvellers, Skandar, Nevermoor, Tristan Strong, and Amari and the Night Brothers, so if you have a reader who enjoyed aspects of those books then they should enjoy this one.

Such a pleasure to read and review a middle grades book from Angie Thomas. This author’s work is a go-to and is always popular with my students, and I’m so glad a younger audience can enjoy Thomas’s creativity and literary voice.

This was such a fun, clever book. Angie Thomas remains an absolute goddess at dialogue and humor, and she designed the magic system very well. My only thing was that I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, probably because I would have gleefully read another hundred pages.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables is a fast paced, epic adventure. Filled with magic, monsters, and family secrets, readers are sure to fly through this book.
Thomas uses African American history and folklore to build a hidden world of Remarkables- manifestors, vampires, boo-hags, etc. The Remarkable city, Uhuru, was giving off some Wakanda vibes and I am here for it.
Definitely left me wanting more. Can't wait to see where the story goes next.
I think any middle grade reader could enjoy this story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for an early copy for review.

As a Remarkable, Nic is excited to learn how to use her magic. Although, her father has other ideas. She needs to be older, so he says. But events soon happen that leave Nic and her friends having to save the day. But will they?

This is a fun and entertaining adventure that fans of fantasy are sure to devour. There are family secrets, mystical creatures, magic, danger, and strong friendships--everything needed to keep young readers turning the pages to see what happens next.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the review copy.

“Nic Blake and the Remarkables- The Manifestor Prophecy” is a middle grade novel by Angie Thomas. It will be released on April 4, 2023.

I received an eARC from NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books.

I LOVE discovering a good new series. Fantasy? Even better. Strong, powerful characters? Most definitely. A little mystery? Perfection. Multiple twists you don’t see coming? Indeed.

“Nic Blake and the Remarkables- The Manifestor Prophecy” will be huge. Quite simply put…ginormous! I need to reread this book to soak it all in. I cannot wait to see where Angie Thomas takes us next!

I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers. Everyone. Preorder. I cannot wait to hold this book in my hands on release day.

Great story and great writing! I enjoyed every page from beginning to end. The characters were believable and I was never overwhelmed with too much info at one time. The mix of history, legend, and magic intertwined beautifully. I will definitely read more in the series!

Angie Thomas, the author of The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose brings forth a magical juvenile debut. It's a story of friendship, family, and a whole lot of magic that's rooted in black history, folklore, and myth. And if you think there's going to be fewer mentions of black lived experiences just because it's juvenile fantasy, you'd be mistaken, because Thomas continues to not hold back. I laughed, I cried, and I'm emotionally attached to the story, and each of the characters. I highly recommend this book for people who love Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and if you believe in the power that can only be wielded within an OwnVoices novel. I will be patiently waiting for the release, as well as any subsequent sequels.

tl;dr
A decidedly nuanced look at the "kids save the world" genre, with tons of fun and lore in a fast-paced adventure.

Thoughts
There's so much I want to gush about in this book, it's actually kind of hard to pick a starting point. Kids have to save the world a lot, it would seem. But what happens when those kids grow up, and the world continues to need saving? Nic Blake is a superfan of a popular book series about magical kids who go to magical school and have to save the world from an evil man. A series of events reveals that the books aren't quite as fictional as she thought, and she's next up when it comes to world-saving heroics. But her adventure isn't quite as rosy as the books, and it turns out even the books left out a couple details. It's the exact sort of thing I've always wanted to see discussed in MG. The kind of absolutely wild danger that characters in these novels go through has got to leave a mark. And in this case, it absolutely does. There's a very nuanced human element to all the characters in this, even the antagonists (especially the antagonists?), which I really appreciated, and I'm surprised how much I felt for everyone involved. Nic is a relatable MC, with her own goals, skills, cleverness, and personal fears, and she makes a believable hero that I really want to cheer for. (Also, her puppy is super cute.) Combine that with an honest look at what it means to be a black person in today's world, and you get an incredibly strong read that had me hooked all the way through.

Also! I KNOW that books in a series often have cliffhanger endings, but that didn't stop me from absolutely yelling when I got to the end of this book. What a setup, what a payoff, and what a cliffhanger. When's the next one coming out? Please, I need it.