Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

Release: January 19th 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Ultimate blog tour
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Indiebound, TBD, Bookshop.

All along, 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. All she has to do is to only 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.

About the Author:

B. B. Alston lives in Lexington, SC. Amari and the Night Brothers are his debut middle grade novel. When not writing, he is fond of eating too many sweets and exploring country roads to see where they lead.

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Amari and the Night Brothers Review:

“Amari and the Night Brothers” is a fantastic start to the series, and I loved every minute of it!

Let me start with the characters. Amari Peters is a fantastic protagonist. I love how she faces her fears and finds the courage on her quest to find her brother Quentin. She also forms a beautiful friendship with Elsie. Else is terrific as the supporting character, and I loved their bond.

Similarly, even Lara and Kirsten are fun in a negative role. I also adored Agent Fiona! Even Moreau makes a formidable villain with an aura of mystery, and he reminded me a bit of Hannibal Lecter.

The author also narrates the story in a gripping manner where there is never a dull moment. For instance, there are so many moments filled with excitement and adventure, like when Amari and Dylan go on the treasure hunt or Amari tackles the water python. I enjoyed the various courses that they had to pass to become junior agents. Similarly, the world-building is impressive, where you have an organized structure and mystical characters like the sasquatch and the Big Foot.

Moreover, the author also constructed the first book correctly, where he concludes the plot nicely but still leaves a few questions unanswered and sets the pace for the next adventure. The story has mystery, adventure, magic, and filled with excitement. Furthermore, I have to give props to the author for not involving an unnecessary romance element between any of the characters. I was sure that there might be some hormonal spurts amongst the cast through some form of infatuation. But, the author stayed clear from that and focused on the plot, which was perfect.

Overall, I loved everything about this book and cannot wait for the next installment!