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

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, Book #1)

by B.B. Alston

Release Date: January 19th 2021

2021 Balzer + Bray

Kindle & Audiobook Editions; 416 Pages

ISBN: 978-0062975164

ASIN: B087CLFQXT

Audiobook: B087RTHPSC

Genre: Fiction/Juvenile/Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4.5/5 Stars

 

Summary

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. 

My Thoughts

Amari and the Night Brothers was a fantastic juvenile fiction fantasy book, probably one of the best ones I've read so far this year.  I ended up with both an audiobook and a kindle edition to review, but ended up listening to the story as the narrator was too good to put down.  I even worked on my garden for much longer than I intended so I could continue listening to the story.  This book is pretty much why I still indulge in juvenile/middle grade fiction; secrets, fantasy, magic, friendship, and lots of competition type stuff that I would have loved as a kid, and still enjoy as an adult.

Amari is a wonderful character; strong, determined, gutsy, and vulnerable.  I loved her little sarcastic comments to herself throughout the book and laughed out loud a couple of times as I was listening.  And even though she was determined, especially when it came to searching for her missing brother, there was a vulnerability to her as well.  She had trouble fitting in with those around her and always seemed to be on he outs with other students which made her a bit defensive in her relationships.  It was a treat watching her grow and develop throughout the story and I thought the author did a fabulous job with her character development.  

Several strong themes running through this story revolved around friendship and family.  I liked how the author developed Amari's friendship with her roommate and how they encouraged each other to develop their talents and were so complimentary of each other.  Elsie was a wonderful character and I am looking forward to learning more about her in the next book.  Family was also a strong value in this book as well, and I like how Amari was encouraged to search for her brother and it was seen as am important thing even if she was too young to get involved.

The pacing of the book was excellent: there was enough action interspersed with other happenings to keep you interested without going overboard.  The fast-paced plot allowed the action to continue, but at a pace where the character development didn't suffer.  The twists and turns kept me interested and intrigued; however, I'm not quite sure I liked one certain twist, even though I was expecting it, which is why I didn't give it the five stars I was going to originally.  

Verdict

Amari and the Night Brothers was an engaging and twisty read, full of fun characters and a main character who was sassy and determined.  The pacing moved rather quickly, and the fantasy elements were imaginative and fun.  I really do think a lot of young girls will identify with this book.  I was quite happy to hear two more books have been announced in this series, the next one will be published next year. In the meantime, if you haven't yet picked this up, get on out there!

 

Review: Thieves of Weirdwood by Christian McKay Heidicker

Thieves of Weirdwood (Thieves of Weirdwood, Book #1)

by Christian McKay Heidicker

Release Date: April 7th 2020

2020 Henry Holt & Company

Kindle Edition; 352 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250302885

ASIN: B07PH8PWTB

Genre: Fiction/Juvenile/Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

4.5 / 5 Stars

Summary

Twelve-year-old thieves Arthur and Wally are determined to steal their way up the ranks of the notorious Black Feathers gang. With loan sharks chasing after Arthur’s father and Wally’s brother’s hospital bill due, they’re in need of serious cash. Fast.

When Arthur spots some wealthy strangers exiting a seemingly deserted mansion, he smells an opportunity for a big score. Little do the boys realize, they’ve stumbled upon Weirdwood Manor, the headquarters of a magical order who protect the Balance between the Real and Imaginary worlds. When Kingsport is besieged by nightmarish creatures, it’s up to a pair of thieves to save their city. Filled with giant tentacle monsters and heroes literally ripped from the pages of adventure stories.

 

My Thoughts

Thieves of Weirdwood is the first book in a new juvenile fantasy series, and I have to say, this was definitely not what I was expecting.  As a kid I would definitely have loved this book as it was a lot darker than I expected and I was definitely drawn to those types of books.  Gosh, what's not to love? You have magic, mystery, ghosts, dragons, monsters, heroes, fantasy, heroes, friendship, family, hope; in fact, there is everything in this book.   

I was actually thrilled when the publisher sent me a physical copy of this book as well as the kindle edition as the physical copy is just wonderful, with lots of beautiful drawings and illustrations.  As an adult, I really appreciated the illustrations and I know, as a kid, I would have loved them, and even tried to copy them myself.  And I just love the cover of this book.  Would it have drawn me to it as a kid? Oh, definitely, and I am not one to usually pick up a book just because of the cover.  However, there is always something unique about juvenile fantasy covers which also includes this one.  

I really enjoyed the characters in this story as well.  The two main characters, Arthur and Wally, each had their own issues, both having loan sharks threatening them and both need money, now.  The two have very different ideas on how to do this, but Wally tends to be more of a follower and we see his character develop throughout the book into one who is more confident and trusting in his abilities.  Arthur tends to be more impulsive, using fantasy/action novels to escape the terrible conditions in which he lives, and as a result, gets into a lot of trouble.  However, his character also develops quite a bit throughout the novel and as a result, he actually becomes ones of my favourite characters.  And then there is Breeth, the ghost.  I adored her character and the author was so creative in how he developed her that I don't really want to give too much away.  I love ghosts, but she is unique and so interesting.  

The plot moves along rather quickly, and you barely have a moment to catch your breath before something else happens.  I like that in these novels as I think younger children need this type of action so they don't get bored.  There is enough background information given about the characters interwoven throughout the plot that you get a really good handle on the personalities of the characters and what motivates them.  The POVs do change from chapter to chapter, but it is clearly laid out and easy to follow.  And while it could sometimes be a bit predictable, that didn't bother me one bit.  However, just because something is predictable does not mean it isn't complicated, and this plot could be very intricate at times, enough that a young child may have to read it more than once. I remember loving to read books over and over again that I loved as a child so I don't think that would necessarily be a problem. 

I really enjoyed the themes running throughout this book; friendship, perseverance, determination, family, and death.  Oh, yes, there is a lot of talk about death.  This is not a criticism, but there are some rather dark elements in this book, and if your young kiddo prefers something lighter, this book is very weird and downright creepy, and yes, death.  I thought the author dealt with all the creepy elements very well, but again, I was the type of kid who thrived on this kind of thing, but not everyone does, so beware.  That being said, the themes are developed in a positive light and would be great discussion points.

Verdict

Thieves of Weirdwood was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed it, actually devouring it in one evening.  I really enjoyed the messages/themes interwoven throughout the book of friendship, loyalty, determination, perseverance, and hope, and thought the author did that extremely well.  The book had a satisfying ending, but did set it up for the next book (April 6th 2021) in the series, Ghosts of Weirdwood, which I can't wait to read (it's already sitting in my TBR pile, and it has another beautiful cover with a DRAGON!). While the book can be dark at times, I thought the author handled it extremely well, but some readers may be sensitive to those themes.  Highly recommended.