Amari and the Night Brothers

Written by B. B. Alston

Narrated by Imani Parks

New York Times bestseller!

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy, the first in a series filled with #blackgirlmagic. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

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—if only she can 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.

Plus don't miss the thrilling sequel, Amari and the Great Game!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063057968

B. B. Alston

B. B. Alston lives in Chapin, South Carolina. His debut novel, Amari and the Night Brothers, was a #1 Kids’ Indie Next pick and the winner of Barnes & Noble’s inaugural Children’s and YA Book Award as well as a New York Times and indie bestseller. When not writing, he can be found eating too many sweets and exploring country roads to see where they lead. Visit him online at bbalston.com.

Reviews for Amari and the Night Brothers

[Diana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SO STINKIN GOOD! Loved it, full of magic. It feels like real life. 10 out of 10 would read again and recommend

[Michaela Shilton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great middle grade fantasy that's perfect for young readers and my students.

[Katy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The middle was solid but beginning and end were incredibly rushed. For a story that tried to be consistent with the rules it set up, it suddenly pulled a Deus Ex Machina and then quickly moved on as if the author didn't want people to think about it. Overall a very disappointing ending to otherwise a great book.

[Melissa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have to read it amazing book the author is a genius

[Erica Caballero · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I truly enjoyed the book. It was well written with interesting characters. I can’t wait to read the upcoming sequel.

[Christina Bustos · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this so much! Glad to see that it still addresses real-world issues, even in the mystical.

[ellie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was sooooo good! I can’t wait for the next one!!

[Daniel Johnson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read I listened to it non stop.

[Quanzat Dimble · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great imagination, excellent storytelling. I will read the next book. My thirteen year old loves it also - I’m reading it to her and we are 3/4 done, but I had to read ahead! It was great to read a story where the main character is black and from the projects - those facts were part of the story, but did not interfere with the storytelling.

[Rebecca Bowman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

IT WAS PERFECT! seriously, I loved it. I'm a writer so I was able to spot some things that are hard to find, but the story was amazing and really fun. B. B. Alston captures this book much better that I would have. I also found in this book that it was very like Harry Potter four in some ways. I don't want to give any of this book away, so I'll only say that The disguises and Betrayals are very alike. mostly the spot as which a character, Dillon, takes another character to a place in betrayal. Okay, maybe I said too much. so I won't say any thing else. but I loved this book and definitely recommend this book for you. I is very deep, so under ten, you probably won't understand what's happening. but I loved this book and you should read it too! (right now, start it right now!) (and the reader is amazing, too!)

[Seff Liddell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My family loved it. The twist was great, the magic interesting, and the world complete and slightly unexpected. We can't wait to hear the second one.

[Daniel Roane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. I need the next one. I'm so used to binging a whole series. I love the characters .

[Anthony Easley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Best book ever the second one will be great too!

[Carrie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it was the best book I have hered

[Nicholas Hughes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it is a maseing I loved it its so amasing

[Dee Provost · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Can you say amazing! Loved this book so much! ?

[Katherine Reunanen · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The book is great, but the reader performed certain characters terribly, mispronounced words and put emphasis and emotion on wrong words in sentences.

[Jennifer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is really cool, and there was a big big BIG twist at the end!!! I am enjoying it and rereading it is sooo much fun.

[John Turner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book I have read it so many times!!?? ?

[lauren kresge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the best book I’ve ever listen to I would love to see more of this and if possible more of the series seriously I need another book I love this book

[Erin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one was really good with good messages and lessons through out with just being completely preachy. Loved it

[davisfamily-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun, quick read.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is a 2022 Lone Star novel.Amari's brother disappeared. Amari is determined to find him and prove he's still alive. Because they are poor and live in a bad part of town, the police assume Quinton was into selling drugs or something illegal like that and had to leave town or was killed. Amari knows better--Quinton received a full scholarship and tutored kids on the side. On the last day of school when Amari gets kicked out of her private school for which she has a scholarship, the doorbell rings. A small creature has a message for her; in fact, he has a briefcase. Somehow it's been delivered to Quinton's bedroom closet. She finds the briefcase with instructions to open it at midnight. She must lie down, put some weird glasses on and wait. Quinton appears. He takes her on a supernatural boat ride, showing her that there's more to the world than one can imagine. He says he must be dead or something bad has happened if she gets this message. Quinton nominates Amari for a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari's life changes. Her mother believes that Amari (and Quinton--back when he did this) is going to a summer camp. It's really a place to learn about the supernatural world and discover where you want to work within it. There are jobs filing papers, keeping track of the unknown, being an agent who fights evil, etc. There are many departments. In this "summer camp," Amari must choose where she want to work and then pass exams/challenges in hopes of being what she wants. Amari chooses Agent, the hardest, most difficult job. She wants to fight the bad guys. Someone/something has Quinton and she wants to investigate and free him. She finds a good friend with her roommate, who is a dragon. How cool is that?! She also finds a friend in one of the most well-established families who chooses to help has as well. As the novel progresses, you'll meet all sorts of creatures and supernatural departments. Amari will compete against kids who have known about the supernatural world their whole lives. She also has to investigate the disappearance of her brother, so she has a full and challenging plate. There's one surprise for Amari and the entire supernatural world that changes everything. Amari must prove herself to everyone even more now.I found the novel to be similar in some ways to the plot devices in Harry Potter. I actually read it all in about two days and really enjoyed reading it. There will be more books coming in the series, but this novel does end. There is no cliff hanger, which is nice. Give it a try!

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Spectacular book -- magic summer camp with a really wonderful main character. Amari is smart, full of integrity, and doesn't give up. When her older brother Quinton disappears, she stops at nothing to find him, even when it means navigating a whole new magical world, her own powers, and significant bullying from rich white kids. I love that she makes up her own mind and grows in confidence as the book unfolds, and that she stands up for herself. It's a new and interesting world, and the adventure is at breakneck pace. Not to be missed!

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a fabulous read "Amari and the Night Brothers" turned out to be! Well-written with great pacing, I found it difficult to put down once I started. I adored Amari. She was resilient, persistent, had strong convictions and loved her brother, Quinton, fiercely. She was a breath of fresh air. I also loved her friends, especially her roommate, Elise. They were both outcasts but bonded together to try and solve the mystery of Quinton's disappearance.The world building was amazing. There was so much detail interwoven with myths and legends which swept me away and the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs felt like a real place. As for the twist at the end - I did not see that coming at all! It was quite a shock but I am looking forward to the next instalment."Amari and the Night Brothers" has been likened to the "Harry Potter" series by some readers, however, I have only read the first half of book one as Harry never grabbed my attention. This novel, in comparison, had me from the start so, for me personally, I thought it was a better read than "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". Congratulations Ms Alston on a wonderful debut.

[fionaanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a five star read from a plot and world-building viewpoint; characterization is strong, pacing perfect. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to the next book in the series.

But the "Irish" accent assigned to Agent Fiona, which consisted of substituting "ye" for "you" while ignoring contractions like "you'll" struck me as straight-up lazy and was really grating to my internal ear. I'm holding an unreasonable grudge about this because she has my name.

Also, in multiple conversations characters become talking heads as there is no body language or action to ground the speaker; it was most noticeable during a scene where one character was literally a disembodied head.

Overall though, fairly awesome and highly recommended.

[deslivres5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Young person introduced into a previously unknown world of magic, full of friends, bullies and foes.Sounds familiar?Amari and the Night Brothers reminds me of the first book in the Magisterium series, The Iron Trial, the first book of the Nevermoor series, The Trials of Morrigan Crow and, of course, the first book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. But I will jump into this genre every time. This one has diverse perspectives.I guessed the outcome waaay before the conclusion, but enjoyed the journey. First in a series: looking forward to the expansion of this world in the next volume.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amari is struggling in her school life. She leaves the last day after an unfortunate decision to push a girl who has been bullying her for being a black, scholarship kid. Amari's brother has gone missing. When she gets a briefcase from him and a recommendation letter for a summer school program, she's shocked to find her brother was a big deal in the Department of Supernatural Affairs. He's been missing and Amari is determined to find him. She meets a friend, learns to navigate a difficult world, and finds out that bullies are everywhere. A compelling fantasy read.

[avoraciousreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5Book source ~ Tour13-year-old Amari Peters has an older genius brother, Quinton, who goes missing. Police aren’t trying too hard to find him, and six months later Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in his closet. When Amari opens it, everything she thought about the world changes and now she has a chance to find her brother her own damn self. Go bring him home, Amari!I’m not usually a fan of saying, “If you like X book then you will like this one.” But I’m going to say it now. If you like Harry Potter then you will like Amari and the Night Brothers. They are very similar and yet very different, but they both involve magic and a whole other world than the mundane. There’s also a scary villain and his followers (not quite as scary, but definitely thorns in the sides of the good guys), but I’ll let you read about him and them.I love Amari. She’s smart, independent, and plucky as hell. She’s been living in her brother’s shadow, but really it’s all in her head because she’s pretty clever on her own right. However, when you have talented older siblings it’s hard to see your own strengths. And she has plenty of those. She’s also in for a surprise when she joins the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Ok, she’s in for MANY surprises when she goes there, but one in particular is an albatross around her neck. She needs to study hard and pass the three tryouts because she will never have a better opportunity to find her brother. Making friends and enemies, Amari navigates the treacherous waters of the BSA with will, skill, and sometimes just by the seat of her pants. But will any of this help her find her beloved brother? You’ll have to read to find out and I highly recommend that you do! Amari and the Night Brothers will sweep you into a magical world that’s not always as fun or cool as you might think. Fast-moving with characters you’ll love or love to hate this is one Middle-Grade Fantasy intertwined with a Mystery you won’t want to miss!

[hcnewton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.---WHAT'S AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS ABOUT?Amari is a thirteen-year-old girl from Atlanta's inner-city, attending a private school on scholarship, and is in trouble when we meet her. She's been antagonized (probably bullied, honestly) by some rich girls from her school and struck back. She's now facing discipline—up to and including loss of her scholarship. The principal ties this behavior to her brother's recent disappearance/presumed death, she's been "acting out" since then.While reeling from this, Amari receives a delivery from her brother—cutting the details, it's an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. The invitation opens her eyes (literally) to the hidden magickal world around her. She can join the Bureau via a summer program (as her brother, Quinton, did) and if she passes some tests, she can become a junior member. She sees this as her best/only chance to find out what happened to Quinton—and hopefully, find him alive.But also, it's magick. How could she not want to be part of it?One of the first steps involves finding her secret talent—where she learns that she has rare and illegal abilities. Determined to stay in the Bureau to find Quinton—and to show that just because she's born with abilities that remind everyone of the worst people in the supernatural world's history, it doesn't mean she'll be as evil.It's hard to make friends—hard not to be ostracized by everyone—because of her abilities, and she faces outright prejudice. But she does make an ally or two among the other supernatural youths, and a few among the adults overseeing the program*. Not only does Amari work to pass her tests to remain in the Bureau, she and her allies look into Quinton's disappearance.* I really don't have the time to get into it, but I really liked the adults in this book (with the exception of two that you're clearly not supposed to like)THE CLINCHERThere are many reasons to read this, many reasons you'll enjoy it. More than I have time to enumerate, more than you want to spend time reading. So I'll just give you one word that should convince you: weredragon.Were...@#$%&!...dragon.I love this idea. I don't know why we don't have a half-dozen series about them in UF. Elsie, the weredragon in question, would be a character I love no matter her special ability/species/whatever. She's a fun, vibrant, supportive, smart character, and combining those qualities with the idea of a human shifting into a dragon? You've got a fan in me.THE INEVITABLE COMPARISONSIt's impossible to read this book and not think of a certain other MG series that rhymes with Larry Cotter. I think Amari and the Night Brothers comes off pretty well in such a comparison—I'm not saying it's superior (or inferior), but it holds its own.But honestly? I think this is closer to a Percy Jackson kind of thing (just without the mythological basis), and Alston's style and voice are closer to Riordan's.I'd also throw in a comparison to Will Hill's Department 19 books, but few of my readers will recognize it—and it's for an older audience and is more bloody. But it's one of those things that keeps coming to mind as I read Amari's adventure.I'm not suggesting that Alston's just giving us an "inner city" version of Percy Jackson, etc. There are just things about Amari and the Night Brothers that remind me of the others, (the way that the Iron Druid Chronicles reminds readers of The Dresden Files, for example). The novel's themes and particulars of the fantasy worlds will vary, but the overall feel and style of the novel will invite comparison to Barry Totter, Percy, and similar works.THE REAL WORLDIn the background of all the fantastic things going on in Amari's life—all the unbelievable things she's being introduced to, the incredible people and creatures she's encountering—there's the real world, and not an easy part of it. She lives in the inner city of Georgia with her mother working horrible shifts at a local hospital struggling to make ends meet. Her father has abandoned the family.The police assume her brother's disappearance has something to do with him being a criminal—he's not missing, he's off doing something he doesn't want his mother to know about. Because that's what young men in this neighborhood do. As infuriating as that prejudice expressed is, there's someone in the neighborhood who is falling into that lifestyle. Quinton had been tutoring him, but now he has no one helping him—but Amari tries once she realizes what's going on with Jayden. This is a storyline that we follow throughout the book, and it might be the most important and rewarding one.Both in Amari's school and even at the Bureau, she has to deal with privilege—people who were born into the right families, people who aren't like her. Because of things she has no control over, no input into, simply accident of birth, there are those who don't want her in the Bureau, don't want her pursuing her goals—but she doesn't back down. Never fear, the book doesn't preach, it doesn't moralize. It simply shows the challenges Amari has to deal with—and the challenges so many others don't—and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.GRIT AND SMARTSAmari is practically the embodiment of Angela Duckworth's concept of grit. I made a few notes like that while reading, making Amari the kind of protagonist you can really get behind.Duckworth's website defines grit as: Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals... Grit isn’t talent. Grit isn’t luck. Grit isn’t how intensely, for the moment, you want something. Instead, grit is about having what some researchers call an”ultimate concern”–a goal you care about so much that it organizes and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow. Talent and luck matter to success. But talent and luck are no guarantee of grit. And in the very long run, I think grit may matter as least as much, if not more.Replace the word "talent" above with "magick" and you've got Amari.The book is also a celebration of thinking. Quinton, Elsie (the weredragon), and Amari are smart. They're bookish. They're problem solvers. Sure Amari has magical abilities, but before she uses magic, she thinks through a situation and addresses it with her mind. Amari and Elsie study, they plan. There's one point where Amari remembers the book and page number where she learned a fact that proved vital to one challenge. Her remembering that page number just made me happy.Elsie's a tinkerer, even before she gets her magical enhancement, she's inventing things, making things. Amari talks about how many things are in the library that she wants to read about, learn about that have nothing to do with her goals. Give me characters like this any day.SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS?This was just so much fun. Even when things are looking dire for poor Amari (or anyone else), there is an ineffable sense of awe and hope to the book. That just magnified all the good from above (and helped me brush off the couple of minor reservations I had).Is this one to give to the MG reader in your life? Yes. Is this one to read yourself if you like the occasional (or not-so-occasional) MG novel? Absolutely. I'm already planning on getting the sequels, and expect just about everyone who reads this novel will too.