Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston: Book Review

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is the first book in the new middle-grade fantasy series Supernatural Investigations. Released in January 2021 by Balzar + Bray, we are introduced to 13-year-old Amari Peters as she struggles to deal with the loss of her brother several months before. On her last day of school, a strange package is delivered to her apartment with directions for Amari to open it at midnight. Who sent it, and should she open it?

CW/TW: bullying, fantasy violence, socio-economic snobbery

Synopsis from Goodreads

Quinton Peters was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. When he mysteriously goes missing, his little sister, 13-year-old Amari Peters, can’t understand why it’s not a bigger deal. Why isn’t his story all over the news? And why do the police automatically assume he was into something illegal?

Then Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in her brother’s old closet. A briefcase meant for her eyes only. There was far more to Quinton, it seems, than she ever knew. He’s left her a nomination for a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari is certain the answer to finding out what happened to him lies somewhere inside if only she can get her head around the idea of mermaids, dwarves, yetis, and magicians all being real things, something she has to instantly confront when she is given a weredragon as a roommate.

Amari must compete against some of the nation’s wealthiest kids—who’ve known about the supernatural world their whole lives and can easily answer questions like which two Great Beasts reside in the Atlantic Ocean and how old is Merlin? Just getting around the Bureau is a lesson alone for Amari with signs like ‘Department of Hidden Places this way, or is it?’ If that all wasn’t enough, every Bureau trainee has a talent enhanced to supernatural levels to help them do their jobs – but Amari is given an illegal ability. As if she needed something else to make her stand out.

With an evil magician threatening the whole supernatural world and her classmates thinking she is an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.

Positives

Amari Peters is a strong-willed, independent 13-year-old who just wants her brother back. At the beginning of the story, she struggles to find anyone able to answer her questions. Amari refuses help unless it can bring her brother back to her. As the story moves on and Amari learns more about her brother’s disappearance, she realizes she can’t do it all on her own.

The story is quick-paced; from the beginning, you’ll be fighting alongside Amari as she looks for answers. Before you realize it, you’re at the end of the book.

Negatives

There are parts of the book I took issue with, mainly the way Amari’s classmates and fellow campers looked down on her based not only on her skin color but also because of where she came from. I understand that it was written this way because Amari was an outsider. A square peg, trying to fit into a round hole. It just is frustrating that such things still happen in 2021.

My Opinion

Amari Peters is one of the best female protagonists I’ve read in a long time. She doesn’t take being put down lightly. Amari fights for herself and what she believes is right. Like finding her brother when the police have written him off as a drug dealer. Throughout the book, Amari finds herself in difficult situations she doesn’t understand and facing obstacles many grown-ups wouldn’t know how to handle. And she handles it! More authors need to write young female characters like this.

I didn’t see the plot twist until it was almost too late. Who am I kidding? I was so heartbroken when the twist happened that I wanted to scream out loud! I was so sure I knew who the true culprit was, but I fell for the red-herring that Alston left dangling in front of me.

Who would like this book? Anyone who is searching for a strong, kick-butt female character. Anyone who likes a bit of magic and supernatural in their life. I mean, Amari’s roommate is a weredragon! Have you ever heard of that before? I know I haven’t, but I want to see one now and learn more about them!

This book is full of a variety of characters from all walks of life, especially fairytales and folklore. B.B. Alston did an excellent job bringing these characters to life, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Amari and the Great Game.

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.