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Supernatural Investigations #2
Amari and the Great Game
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Middle Grade & Children's (2022)Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.
After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.
But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!
But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers’ successor and determine the future of magiciankind.
The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner’s magical rewards is Quinton’s last hope—so how can Amari refuse?
After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.
But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!
But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers’ successor and determine the future of magiciankind.
The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner’s magical rewards is Quinton’s last hope—so how can Amari refuse?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2022
608 people are currently reading
17976 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,888 reviews
October 19, 2024
Amari and the Great Game is the 2nd-book in B.B. Alston's Middle Grade Fantasy series, Supernatural Investigations.
The 1st-book in the series, Amari and the Night Brothers, completely stole my heart when I read it in 2021. It was one of those spectacular cases where the book deserves the hype. It was just as great as I had anticipated.
It was one of the most engaging Middle Grade stories I had read in a while and I was excited for more!
Amari and the Great Game released in August of 2022 and because I had listened to, and enjoyed, the audiobook for the 1st-book, I wanted to continue with that format moving forward with the series.
Y'all, the library loan wait was real. She was long.
It finally came through at a time when I could utilize it; my annual Thanksgiving solo-road trip. Perfection.
The well-narrated audio was a great way to pass the hours, and the miles. I was swept up again into this world and loved the new aspects and feel that Alston delivered.
This story follows Amari after the tumultuous events of the 1st-book. Her life has completely changed and she finds all sorts of new responsibilities and worries on her plate.
We deal a lot in this one with magicians and the sort of negative associations many in the Bureau have of them. We also get treated to the Great Game, a magical competition, that puts all competitors at risk.
I will say, for me, this did have a different feel than the first book. I think mainly because of the nature of the story. Amari has grown up so much since the 1st-book and she's now a fairly confident and astute young practitioner, who knows how to fight the good fight. It's bittersweet.
In the 1st-book, her character was more the kind that you want to shelter and protect. She was like a baby bird, who has now grown so much, she's ready to leave the nest.
Because of that, I don't think I was able to form the same emotional attachment to the story. Hence the 4-star rating here, versus the glowing 5-stars of that 1st-book.
Also, middle book syndrome being what it is, this did feel like we were building a lot towards something. With this being said, I am really looking forward to the 3rd-book, which I expect to be absolutely epic.
Regardless of my slight, and I do mean very slight, diminished enjoyment, this is still hands-down one of the best Middle Grade Fantasy series on the market currently. If you haven't started it yet, and love this genre, you need to.
Alston knows how to bring the action and the world-building is so well done. This is sure to have you at the edge of your seat, cheering for the heroes and wishing you were there alongside them.
I can't wait to see where Amari's story goes from here. She's an absolute forced to be reckoned with and I know at the end of the day, she's going to make me, and her family, proud!
The 1st-book in the series, Amari and the Night Brothers, completely stole my heart when I read it in 2021. It was one of those spectacular cases where the book deserves the hype. It was just as great as I had anticipated.
It was one of the most engaging Middle Grade stories I had read in a while and I was excited for more!
Amari and the Great Game released in August of 2022 and because I had listened to, and enjoyed, the audiobook for the 1st-book, I wanted to continue with that format moving forward with the series.
Y'all, the library loan wait was real. She was long.
It finally came through at a time when I could utilize it; my annual Thanksgiving solo-road trip. Perfection.
The well-narrated audio was a great way to pass the hours, and the miles. I was swept up again into this world and loved the new aspects and feel that Alston delivered.
This story follows Amari after the tumultuous events of the 1st-book. Her life has completely changed and she finds all sorts of new responsibilities and worries on her plate.
We deal a lot in this one with magicians and the sort of negative associations many in the Bureau have of them. We also get treated to the Great Game, a magical competition, that puts all competitors at risk.
I will say, for me, this did have a different feel than the first book. I think mainly because of the nature of the story. Amari has grown up so much since the 1st-book and she's now a fairly confident and astute young practitioner, who knows how to fight the good fight. It's bittersweet.
In the 1st-book, her character was more the kind that you want to shelter and protect. She was like a baby bird, who has now grown so much, she's ready to leave the nest.
Because of that, I don't think I was able to form the same emotional attachment to the story. Hence the 4-star rating here, versus the glowing 5-stars of that 1st-book.
Also, middle book syndrome being what it is, this did feel like we were building a lot towards something. With this being said, I am really looking forward to the 3rd-book, which I expect to be absolutely epic.
Regardless of my slight, and I do mean very slight, diminished enjoyment, this is still hands-down one of the best Middle Grade Fantasy series on the market currently. If you haven't started it yet, and love this genre, you need to.
Alston knows how to bring the action and the world-building is so well done. This is sure to have you at the edge of your seat, cheering for the heroes and wishing you were there alongside them.
I can't wait to see where Amari's story goes from here. She's an absolute forced to be reckoned with and I know at the end of the day, she's going to make me, and her family, proud!
August 18, 2024
Reread August 2024: just as sensational on the second read as the first.
I'm just going to go ahead and say it, B.B. Alston is a genius and the Supernatural Investigations series is truly one of the best written, creative and immersive children's books of all time. It's a big statement, I know but one I stand behind with my entire being.
Amari and the Great Game was my most anticipated release of 2022. I was equally excited and terrified to read it because of how incredible The Night Brothers was but I can say with a huge amount of relief and joy that The Great Game did not disappoint. Just as magical, imaginative, exciting, well written and emotive as book one, The Great Game was impossible to put down is was once again a story I could easily dive straight back into in a heartbeat. I am continuously wowed by Alston's creativity, sensitivity and ability to create characters, relationships and situations I whole heartedly believe in and care for. I will never stop shouting about how utterly brilliant this series is in every single way.
I'm just going to go ahead and say it, B.B. Alston is a genius and the Supernatural Investigations series is truly one of the best written, creative and immersive children's books of all time. It's a big statement, I know but one I stand behind with my entire being.
Amari and the Great Game was my most anticipated release of 2022. I was equally excited and terrified to read it because of how incredible The Night Brothers was but I can say with a huge amount of relief and joy that The Great Game did not disappoint. Just as magical, imaginative, exciting, well written and emotive as book one, The Great Game was impossible to put down is was once again a story I could easily dive straight back into in a heartbeat. I am continuously wowed by Alston's creativity, sensitivity and ability to create characters, relationships and situations I whole heartedly believe in and care for. I will never stop shouting about how utterly brilliant this series is in every single way.
October 27, 2022
Reading Vlog: https://youtu.be/QbHhvmL5QtU
BB Alston CAN'T MISS!!!
Amari Peters is everything. She is President. CEO. The speaker of the house. I'm obsessed with her.
The shit she has to go through and the absolute TACT she does it with.
There are things she goes through where I would've been showing my ass but Amari tamps down her anger and states the facts and gets the problem solved with logic and evidence. She is such a role model. I'm so happy that she exists in the literary world.
My best friend's daughter is mixed and I couldn't stop imagining her as Amari and how happy she will be to eventually read these books. To see a character like her and have someone so powerful and strong to relate to.
The friendship in this book is ELITE. UGH! I wanted to cry reading about how amazing of a friend Amari is. She put her friendships above all else. Which I know is easier to do as a child than it is when boyfriends and such become a factor. But I really don't think Amari will grow out of her loyalty for her friends. I think she depicts such an amazing girls-supporting-girls energy and I'm here for it.
I don't care for middle grade and I'm still saying this was 5 stars.
BB Alston CAN'T MISS!!!
Amari Peters is everything. She is President. CEO. The speaker of the house. I'm obsessed with her.
The shit she has to go through and the absolute TACT she does it with.
There are things she goes through where I would've been showing my ass but Amari tamps down her anger and states the facts and gets the problem solved with logic and evidence. She is such a role model. I'm so happy that she exists in the literary world.
My best friend's daughter is mixed and I couldn't stop imagining her as Amari and how happy she will be to eventually read these books. To see a character like her and have someone so powerful and strong to relate to.
The friendship in this book is ELITE. UGH! I wanted to cry reading about how amazing of a friend Amari is. She put her friendships above all else. Which I know is easier to do as a child than it is when boyfriends and such become a factor. But I really don't think Amari will grow out of her loyalty for her friends. I think she depicts such an amazing girls-supporting-girls energy and I'm here for it.
I don't care for middle grade and I'm still saying this was 5 stars.
October 29, 2022
I went into Amari and the Great Game expecting great things, but it ultimately fell a bit flat for me. I really enjoyed the first book, Amari and the Night Brothers, and expected the sequel to be just as good. And although it was a decent enough read, it really wasn’t as good as I was expecting.
Amari and the Great Game is the sequel to Amari and the Night Brothers and basically continues Amari’s journey after the ending of Book 1. As an old villain comes back to haunt them, chaos ensues, resulting in Amari having to enter a terrifying competition known as the Great Game. If she wins, she has the chance to secure peace for the supernatural world. But if she loses, there will be dire consequences…
Although I didn’t end up enjoying this as much as I hoped, there were definitely some good things. I did really like B.B. Alston’s writing- it’s smooth and easy enough to read- and the characters were also pretty sweet, if a little underdeveloped. The mystery element of the plot was also nice, with a twist later on in the book that I didn’t expect. As in the first book, the worldbuilding was also great and the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs was a super cool setting.
That being said, as a whole, the book just didn’t really capture my attention. The Great Game that the title speaks of was nowhere near as exciting as it could’ve been and the villains were cartoonishly evil, which just seriously annoyed me. One of the big reasons that I liked the first book was that it was very unique and stood out from the crowd of middle grade books. But this one had a lot of things that pop up a lot in middle grade books, and while that isn’t necessarily bad, it just made the book less original and a lot less exciting for me.
But my disappointment with Amari and the Great Game can’t entirely be blamed on the book itself. I definitely went in with very high expectations, which were a bit TOO high, in retrospect. I also just think I read it at the wrong time- at the moment, I have to be in a very specific mood to enjoy middle grade. And I just wasn’t when I read this. I had just finished Empire of Storms, was suffering a MAJOR book hangover and just was in more of a YA mood. So maybe if I’d read this book at a better time, I would’ve enjoyed it more.
Overall, it was pretty good, but nothing about it particularly wowed me. It never quite hooked me and it was just a bit disappointing compared to its predecessor. However, I still think that it is worth reading if you enjoyed Amari and the Night Brothers, and I’m still keen to pick up the third book. Okay overall!
~ 3.25 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was pretty enjoyable, but not quite as good as I was expecting 😒😒 Probably my fault for going in with such high expectations....
RTC!
Amari and the Great Game is the sequel to Amari and the Night Brothers and basically continues Amari’s journey after the ending of Book 1. As an old villain comes back to haunt them, chaos ensues, resulting in Amari having to enter a terrifying competition known as the Great Game. If she wins, she has the chance to secure peace for the supernatural world. But if she loses, there will be dire consequences…
Although I didn’t end up enjoying this as much as I hoped, there were definitely some good things. I did really like B.B. Alston’s writing- it’s smooth and easy enough to read- and the characters were also pretty sweet, if a little underdeveloped. The mystery element of the plot was also nice, with a twist later on in the book that I didn’t expect. As in the first book, the worldbuilding was also great and the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs was a super cool setting.
That being said, as a whole, the book just didn’t really capture my attention. The Great Game that the title speaks of was nowhere near as exciting as it could’ve been and the villains were cartoonishly evil, which just seriously annoyed me. One of the big reasons that I liked the first book was that it was very unique and stood out from the crowd of middle grade books. But this one had a lot of things that pop up a lot in middle grade books, and while that isn’t necessarily bad, it just made the book less original and a lot less exciting for me.
But my disappointment with Amari and the Great Game can’t entirely be blamed on the book itself. I definitely went in with very high expectations, which were a bit TOO high, in retrospect. I also just think I read it at the wrong time- at the moment, I have to be in a very specific mood to enjoy middle grade. And I just wasn’t when I read this. I had just finished Empire of Storms, was suffering a MAJOR book hangover and just was in more of a YA mood. So maybe if I’d read this book at a better time, I would’ve enjoyed it more.
Overall, it was pretty good, but nothing about it particularly wowed me. It never quite hooked me and it was just a bit disappointing compared to its predecessor. However, I still think that it is worth reading if you enjoyed Amari and the Night Brothers, and I’m still keen to pick up the third book. Okay overall!
~ 3.25 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was pretty enjoyable, but not quite as good as I was expecting 😒😒 Probably my fault for going in with such high expectations....
RTC!
November 8, 2024
Amari and the Great Game was highly anticipated and it didn't disappoint! Amari is back for another summer session and the stakes are higher than ever. She's still dealing with the fallout of Dylan's betrayal and trying to figure out how to break the curse on Quinton. This year her friend Jayden is going to be at the school and she promised to help him get settled.
Before Amari can even get to another summer session, she must deal with blame being placed on her for a time freeze that has left the Supernatural Congress frozen. Luckily she has people like Elsie in her corner to fight for her. But as things go from bad to worse she finds herself locked in a battle against Dylan to see who will be crowned the head magician.
There's a lot going on in this book! Sometimes there wasn't enough balance between The Great Game challenges and the time freeze mystery, and regular training at school. So the middle did lag a little bit. But then that ending came and gave the much needed jolt that has me anticipating book 3!
Blog review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
Before Amari can even get to another summer session, she must deal with blame being placed on her for a time freeze that has left the Supernatural Congress frozen. Luckily she has people like Elsie in her corner to fight for her. But as things go from bad to worse she finds herself locked in a battle against Dylan to see who will be crowned the head magician.
There's a lot going on in this book! Sometimes there wasn't enough balance between The Great Game challenges and the time freeze mystery, and regular training at school. So the middle did lag a little bit. But then that ending came and gave the much needed jolt that has me anticipating book 3!
Blog review
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
March 29, 2025
2.5 stars.
November 15, 2023
I don't know that I loved this quite as much as book 1, but it's still continuing to be a great series and I look forward to seeing what Amari does next. This book ends on more of a cliffhanger, so it doesn't feel like a complete and satisfying narrative in the way the first book did. But Amari is brave and cares for her friends, even when things are complicated, and she tries to make the best choices she can.
December 30, 2022
Somewhere between a 3.5 & 4 stars - While I don't think this is quite as strong as the first book (the game element in particular I felt was a bit off and dragged at times), the connection to Amari as our protagonist is definitely still there and the ending is such a cliffhanger!! A pretty solid sophomore book, all in all
September 4, 2022
I rarely look forward a book release any ore as I've got a bunch already to keep my mind occupied with. But I have wanted to get to this one as soon as I finished the first book and the wait was well worth it. Really like the series and the twist had me shocked.
January 6, 2023
For some time now, I have been wanting to read B.B. Alston’s “Amari and the Great Game.” Alston is a really good writer, but there were some problems with this second book in his series.
One huge problem with “Amari and the Great Game” is the timing. Alston’s first book in the series, “Amari and the Night Brothers” was published in January 2021. This second book was published in August 2022—that’s a publishing difference of one year and seven months, for a total of nineteen (19) months. With a series, I don’t want to wait almost two years for a sequel. And the longer the author/publisher waits to publish a sequel does NOT equal an increased anticipation from readers. Quite the opposite.
Alston’s first book in the series was fresh, new, and magical. But by the time I’d reached Chapter 5 in this second book, I had been having steady Harry Potter flashbacks. For example, Amari was ‘disinvited’ to school. However, unlike HP, readers were not given insight into why she was expelled until much later. By leaving this out, Alston did not heighten tension; it wasn’t a cliff hanger. Instead, I was forced to guess why Amari was expelled and it was annoying. This slowed down the motion in the novel.
What I really noticed, however, was how lost I felt when reading this book, especially during the first half of the novel. Although the author included some references to the events in the first book, he didn’t include enough of it. For example, Alston’s reintroduction to Jayden and Quinton in the book needed more references to the previous story. And as I read, I remembered that Magnus wore a cowboy hat and was ‘western’ even though the author really didn’t remind us of who he was. The author needs to include more concrete references to his first book in the series in order to anchor readers back into the story.
The author used the term ‘glamour’ when referring to the magic that others couldn’t see. When I read the first book, it seemed okay, but after having read the sequel, I think the author should use a *different* term because Riordan already used ‘glamour’ in his books. I’m not surprised that he did this, because throughout this book, he excessively borrows a lot from other writers. For example, Alston’s reference to orcs (Tolkien), and etc.
One issue that I really did not like was how the author stereotyped certain characters. For example, the four (4) witches he described had green skin, long noses, and were gap-teethed. It would have been nice to see Alston using alternate descriptions rather than playing along with stereotypes.
My favorite part of the book was the final third of the book, and this is where I got hooked on the story, but I should have been hooked at the beginning. Alston is a good writer, and his skill in writing is impressive. But he really needs to focus on weaving in previous books in the series in order to ensure that readers don’t walk around lost. I would also recommend that both the author and whoever is responsible for the publishing side work on keeping to a tight deadline for publication; for a series, no more than twelve (12) months should elapse before a series book is published. Any amount of time longer than this is equivalent t0 self-sabotage.
One huge problem with “Amari and the Great Game” is the timing. Alston’s first book in the series, “Amari and the Night Brothers” was published in January 2021. This second book was published in August 2022—that’s a publishing difference of one year and seven months, for a total of nineteen (19) months. With a series, I don’t want to wait almost two years for a sequel. And the longer the author/publisher waits to publish a sequel does NOT equal an increased anticipation from readers. Quite the opposite.
Alston’s first book in the series was fresh, new, and magical. But by the time I’d reached Chapter 5 in this second book, I had been having steady Harry Potter flashbacks. For example, Amari was ‘disinvited’ to school. However, unlike HP, readers were not given insight into why she was expelled until much later. By leaving this out, Alston did not heighten tension; it wasn’t a cliff hanger. Instead, I was forced to guess why Amari was expelled and it was annoying. This slowed down the motion in the novel.
What I really noticed, however, was how lost I felt when reading this book, especially during the first half of the novel. Although the author included some references to the events in the first book, he didn’t include enough of it. For example, Alston’s reintroduction to Jayden and Quinton in the book needed more references to the previous story. And as I read, I remembered that Magnus wore a cowboy hat and was ‘western’ even though the author really didn’t remind us of who he was. The author needs to include more concrete references to his first book in the series in order to anchor readers back into the story.
The author used the term ‘glamour’ when referring to the magic that others couldn’t see. When I read the first book, it seemed okay, but after having read the sequel, I think the author should use a *different* term because Riordan already used ‘glamour’ in his books. I’m not surprised that he did this, because throughout this book, he excessively borrows a lot from other writers. For example, Alston’s reference to orcs (Tolkien), and etc.
One issue that I really did not like was how the author stereotyped certain characters. For example, the four (4) witches he described had green skin, long noses, and were gap-teethed. It would have been nice to see Alston using alternate descriptions rather than playing along with stereotypes.
My favorite part of the book was the final third of the book, and this is where I got hooked on the story, but I should have been hooked at the beginning. Alston is a good writer, and his skill in writing is impressive. But he really needs to focus on weaving in previous books in the series in order to ensure that readers don’t walk around lost. I would also recommend that both the author and whoever is responsible for the publishing side work on keeping to a tight deadline for publication; for a series, no more than twelve (12) months should elapse before a series book is published. Any amount of time longer than this is equivalent t0 self-sabotage.
September 14, 2022
The ending of this book makes you want to have more of the story, it made me very excited for the next installment. This series keeps on getting better.
March 31, 2024
Solid sequel! I really enjoyed the direction this went. Will definitely pick up book 3 when it comes out later this year!
November 22, 2022
the last 20% of this sequel was SO GOOD, but the first 80% didn't have even a fraction of the spark and excitement that I felt reading Amari and the Night Brothers
despite being titled "The Great Game," this plotline was the most inconsequential part of the story, and during the scenes actually featuring the Great Game, I felt none of the suspense or tension I was expecting considering the characters and stakes involved
the cast of characters is just as wonderful as ever, but for most of the novel, they all act independently from one another with only Amari as the connecting piece. once these characters all come together around that 80% mark, wonderful things happen, but the waiting period to get to an exciting part of the story is such a huge contrast to the incredible experience I had with the first novel in this series.
perhaps if this novel had been titled differently (thereby not setting up my expectations for an incredible tournament/game aspect which I did not get), or perhaps if I didn't love The Night Brothers so so much, The Great Game may have been a better read for me
while by no means a bad read, this sequel far pales in comparison to the original, and that has disappointed me greatly
will be waiting with bated breath for the third installation. hopes are high that the spark I loved will return!
despite being titled "The Great Game," this plotline was the most inconsequential part of the story, and during the scenes actually featuring the Great Game, I felt none of the suspense or tension I was expecting considering the characters and stakes involved
the cast of characters is just as wonderful as ever, but for most of the novel, they all act independently from one another with only Amari as the connecting piece. once these characters all come together around that 80% mark, wonderful things happen, but the waiting period to get to an exciting part of the story is such a huge contrast to the incredible experience I had with the first novel in this series.
perhaps if this novel had been titled differently (thereby not setting up my expectations for an incredible tournament/game aspect which I did not get), or perhaps if I didn't love The Night Brothers so so much, The Great Game may have been a better read for me
while by no means a bad read, this sequel far pales in comparison to the original, and that has disappointed me greatly
will be waiting with bated breath for the third installation. hopes are high that the spark I loved will return!
May 10, 2023
“I won’t become a monster to win”
Amari and the Great Game is a sequel we need to be talking about. It stands out for me because it’s so different than so many other sequels. I thought I knew what to expect going in and B.B. Alston said, “Nope, I’ve got something else in mind” and I LOVED that!
Just because we are dealing with a supernatural world/problems doesn’t mean that the themes in it aren’t relatable! The author handled everything beautifully and seamlessly, making Amari a female main character that I can be proud to call a favourite. She’s brave even when she’s scared, she does the right thing even when it’s hard. You read about her choices, making you feel even more connected to the character. She faces judgement and prejudices and she makes mistakes along the way: making her even more loveable and relatable in my eyes.
But the magic system!!! I really do feel that when people say this gives Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black, they’re correct. All the different departments of the bureau sound so perfect to me: everything makes sense even when it’s all SO magical.
And all throughout the adventure you get moments like this?!“I don’t say anything else in class. I just sit there, my whole body, tense with irritation. It’s so easy for some people to dismiss others’ experiences because they don’t have the same problems.”— 👏👏👏
I’m oddly sad this is only going to be a trilogy and not a longer series because I’m so in love with the world the B.B. Alston created. BUT i’m so appreciative to have read this that I’ll take whatever I can get 😂. The world is so cool, I can’t even really.
This is a really well done MG series, I definitely recommend!
4.75/5⭐️
Amari and the Great Game is a sequel we need to be talking about. It stands out for me because it’s so different than so many other sequels. I thought I knew what to expect going in and B.B. Alston said, “Nope, I’ve got something else in mind” and I LOVED that!
Just because we are dealing with a supernatural world/problems doesn’t mean that the themes in it aren’t relatable! The author handled everything beautifully and seamlessly, making Amari a female main character that I can be proud to call a favourite. She’s brave even when she’s scared, she does the right thing even when it’s hard. You read about her choices, making you feel even more connected to the character. She faces judgement and prejudices and she makes mistakes along the way: making her even more loveable and relatable in my eyes.
But the magic system!!! I really do feel that when people say this gives Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black, they’re correct. All the different departments of the bureau sound so perfect to me: everything makes sense even when it’s all SO magical.
And all throughout the adventure you get moments like this?!“I don’t say anything else in class. I just sit there, my whole body, tense with irritation. It’s so easy for some people to dismiss others’ experiences because they don’t have the same problems.”— 👏👏👏
I’m oddly sad this is only going to be a trilogy and not a longer series because I’m so in love with the world the B.B. Alston created. BUT i’m so appreciative to have read this that I’ll take whatever I can get 😂. The world is so cool, I can’t even really.
This is a really well done MG series, I definitely recommend!
4.75/5⭐️
June 14, 2022
This has a lottt of elements that are similar to Harry Potter in a way that I think some readers might call out as derivative but like JKR didn't invent them either and also it's great to have those tropes/elements in a book about a cool Black girl that wasn't written by a TERF so hell yeah Amari keep on keepin on
February 5, 2023
Nachdem "Amari und die Nachtbrüder" mich so positiv überrascht hatte wollte ich unbedingt wissen, wie es mit Amari, Elsie und auch Dylan weitergehen würde.
Direkt zu Beginn des Buchs wird Amari für ein Verbrechen verantwortlich gemacht, das sie nun heimlich aufzuklären versucht während die Oberbehörde ihr das Leben so schwer wie möglich macht. Und als ob das nicht schon reichen würde taucht auch noch die Magische Allianz auf und zwingt Amari in ein gefährliches Abenteuer, bei dem sie alles gewinnen oder alles verlieren könnte...
Die Story hat schnell Fahrt aufgenommen, ließ sich zügig lesen und hielt einige Rätsel und Überraschungen bereit, auch wenn ich mit vielen Dingen einfach schon gerechnet hatte, was aber nicht weiter schlimm war und dem Buch keinen Abbruch getan hat.
Amari hat mir als Prota wieder sehr gut gefallen. Sie ist selbstsicherer geworden und steht mehr für sich ein, obwohl sie aufgrund ihrer Fähigkeiten diskriminiert und schikaniert wird.
Auch die anderen Charaktere konnten überzeugen und einige haben eine tolle Entwicklung durchgemacht.
Dylan ist hier mein Lieblingscharakter und ich bin echt gespannt wie es mit ihm weitergeht.
Natürlich blieben noch jede Menge Dinge ungeklärt und einen fiesen Cliffhanger gab es obendrein auch noch, aber das macht das Warten auf die Fortsetzung ja nur umso schöner😁
Direkt zu Beginn des Buchs wird Amari für ein Verbrechen verantwortlich gemacht, das sie nun heimlich aufzuklären versucht während die Oberbehörde ihr das Leben so schwer wie möglich macht. Und als ob das nicht schon reichen würde taucht auch noch die Magische Allianz auf und zwingt Amari in ein gefährliches Abenteuer, bei dem sie alles gewinnen oder alles verlieren könnte...
Die Story hat schnell Fahrt aufgenommen, ließ sich zügig lesen und hielt einige Rätsel und Überraschungen bereit, auch wenn ich mit vielen Dingen einfach schon gerechnet hatte, was aber nicht weiter schlimm war und dem Buch keinen Abbruch getan hat.
Amari hat mir als Prota wieder sehr gut gefallen. Sie ist selbstsicherer geworden und steht mehr für sich ein, obwohl sie aufgrund ihrer Fähigkeiten diskriminiert und schikaniert wird.
Auch die anderen Charaktere konnten überzeugen und einige haben eine tolle Entwicklung durchgemacht.
Dylan ist hier mein Lieblingscharakter und ich bin echt gespannt wie es mit ihm weitergeht.
Natürlich blieben noch jede Menge Dinge ungeklärt und einen fiesen Cliffhanger gab es obendrein auch noch, aber das macht das Warten auf die Fortsetzung ja nur umso schöner😁
April 26, 2023
[4.5 Stars]
This and Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series are becoming two of my ongoing middle grade favorites.
I love Amari and her adventures, constantly learning new things about the supernatural world, herself, and others. While I didn’t think this was as strong as the first book, I still really, really enjoyed it.
The game portion and the investigation both ended up being wrapped up (for now) really quickly, while I found the lead up to both confrontations a bit dragged out for what we got. I think both plot lines had a hard time working together. Still entertaining though.
I really enjoyed Elsie in this especially. She was a true friend to Amari throughout and really grew as the story went along. The Van Helsings were, as in the first book, a mixed bag of feelings. Also, I can’t remember the dormitory supervisor, but she was awesome in here.
So the how this ends, I’m very curious to continue and learn how the characters decide to go on from here!
This and Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series are becoming two of my ongoing middle grade favorites.
I love Amari and her adventures, constantly learning new things about the supernatural world, herself, and others. While I didn’t think this was as strong as the first book, I still really, really enjoyed it.
The game portion and the investigation both ended up being wrapped up (for now) really quickly, while I found the lead up to both confrontations a bit dragged out for what we got. I think both plot lines had a hard time working together. Still entertaining though.
I really enjoyed Elsie in this especially. She was a true friend to Amari throughout and really grew as the story went along. The Van Helsings were, as in the first book, a mixed bag of feelings. Also, I can’t remember the dormitory supervisor, but she was awesome in here.
So the how this ends, I’m very curious to continue and learn how the characters decide to go on from here!
July 17, 2024
This cover is just 😍😍😍
Actual Rating : 4.5⭐️
Rtc.
Actual Rating : 4.5⭐️
Rtc.
September 10, 2021
Loved the first one! EVERYONE READ AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS ✋
September 8, 2024
3.5⭐️
I know good and damn well Mr.Alston did not just leave us on that huge of a cliffhanger!!! 😭😭
Reread 07Sept24
Update:
I'm happy I did this reread because if I would've just jumped right into the next installment I would've been so lost. I feel as though I didn't even read this book because when I reread it I didn't remember any of this happening, it was just so forgettable. 😭
What makes it worst is that I read this last year about the same time I did this reread, usually I don't forget a book this fast. It definetly was giving second book installment.
I know good and damn well Mr.Alston did not just leave us on that huge of a cliffhanger!!! 😭😭
Reread 07Sept24
Update:
I'm happy I did this reread because if I would've just jumped right into the next installment I would've been so lost. I feel as though I didn't even read this book because when I reread it I didn't remember any of this happening, it was just so forgettable. 😭
What makes it worst is that I read this last year about the same time I did this reread, usually I don't forget a book this fast. It definetly was giving second book installment.
March 26, 2023
*I've decided I won't write long book reviews for books under two stars unless it's a rant or I have a lot to say!*
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticizing your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
I'm sad to see another one of my anticipated releases disappointed me again. I factor that could have played into my enjoyment is the fact that I read book one two years before. Still, my love for Supernatural Investigations book one was fresh in my mind making it easy to remember a lot of what happened in it. There was just something missing for me in this book. It felt a lot like a filler. The high stakes didn't feel as tense as I wanted. Everything felt murky and lukewarm. The only thing I enjoyed was the tension between Dylan and Amari. It was interesting to see their relationship in the state it is now. I thought the emotions of caring for someone even if they wronged you was a interesting subject to have in the story.
<< *Every single person in this world can view a work of literature and have completely different thoughts and opinions. My opinion is not meant to offend you. If you do not want to see a review criticizing your favourite book (or a book you enjoyed), then I recommend not proceeding with reading this review.>>
I'm sad to see another one of my anticipated releases disappointed me again. I factor that could have played into my enjoyment is the fact that I read book one two years before. Still, my love for Supernatural Investigations book one was fresh in my mind making it easy to remember a lot of what happened in it. There was just something missing for me in this book. It felt a lot like a filler. The high stakes didn't feel as tense as I wanted. Everything felt murky and lukewarm. The only thing I enjoyed was the tension between Dylan and Amari. It was interesting to see their relationship in the state it is now. I thought the emotions of caring for someone even if they wronged you was a interesting subject to have in the story.
November 29, 2022
4.5 stars
Once again extremely close to being 5 stars! My review is vague so no spoilers:
Pros:
I absolutely love this world that BB Alston has created. It’s so immersive and I feel right at home being back in this world of the Supernatural Bureau.
I love the cast of characters, and their development in this book, especially the relationships between Amari and Elsie/Lara/Jayden/Dylan - essentially Amari’s relationship with anyone.
Cons:
This suffered (like the first book) from the most important scenes being too short/rushed. The “villain” of the story wasn’t sinister enough so it felt cartoonish rather than dangerous, and so didn’t feel believable. Each “game” scene needed to be much longer, with more interaction between the characters.
The ending was also rushed, with the”reveal” being slightly better paced than the first book but the second reveal just being too short. Things are happening too fast without giving us time to feel the impact or dwell on the consequences of what just happened.
Overall these small cons are only enough to knock off half a star because the rest of this is FANTASTIC. Absolutely cannot wait for the last book.
Once again extremely close to being 5 stars! My review is vague so no spoilers:
Pros:
I absolutely love this world that BB Alston has created. It’s so immersive and I feel right at home being back in this world of the Supernatural Bureau.
I love the cast of characters, and their development in this book, especially the relationships between Amari and Elsie/Lara/Jayden/Dylan - essentially Amari’s relationship with anyone.
Cons:
This suffered (like the first book) from the most important scenes being too short/rushed. The “villain” of the story wasn’t sinister enough so it felt cartoonish rather than dangerous, and so didn’t feel believable. Each “game” scene needed to be much longer, with more interaction between the characters.
The ending was also rushed, with the”reveal” being slightly better paced than the first book but the second reveal just being too short. Things are happening too fast without giving us time to feel the impact or dwell on the consequences of what just happened.
Overall these small cons are only enough to knock off half a star because the rest of this is FANTASTIC. Absolutely cannot wait for the last book.
January 3, 2023
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh
Update 1/2/23:
I love this book more than anything. It took me longer to finish than I wanted but omg it was so worth it. This book was so funny, and wonderful and sweet and action packed and it's so perfect omg I love this so much I cant even-
Update 1/2/23:
I love this book more than anything. It took me longer to finish than I wanted but omg it was so worth it. This book was so funny, and wonderful and sweet and action packed and it's so perfect omg I love this so much I cant even-
July 5, 2023
4.5 stars
The stakes were high and I loved it!
The stakes were high and I loved it!
February 8, 2023
Actual Rating: 4.5✶
TW: bullying, confinement, deportation, fire/fire injury, hate crime, medical content, racism, war.
Somehow even better than book 1!
Everything I already loved about the world and story was completely elevated. Amari's such an easy character to root for, and the plot was so much fun.
I'm also super amazed by the author's ability to take real-world issues and write them in a magical, digest-able way for kids. Absolutely incredible.
Also... holy mother of cliffhangers. Super looking forward to book 3 (and to forcing all of my little siblings to read this series too 😌)
TW: bullying, confinement, deportation, fire/fire injury, hate crime, medical content, racism, war.
Somehow even better than book 1!
Everything I already loved about the world and story was completely elevated. Amari's such an easy character to root for, and the plot was so much fun.
I'm also super amazed by the author's ability to take real-world issues and write them in a magical, digest-able way for kids. Absolutely incredible.
Also... holy mother of cliffhangers. Super looking forward to book 3 (and to forcing all of my little siblings to read this series too 😌)
January 19, 2023
God, this series is just insanely good. If you need a fantasy world to escape in to, pick this one!
May 23, 2022
Thank you to #Edelweiss and #Balzer&Bray for an eARC of AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME by B.B. Alston (Release Date: Aug 30/22).
The first book in this series, AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS was one of my favourite reads of 2021, and it’s my number one recommendation for patrons looking for books like Harry Potter. I’m always nervous about picking up a sequel because they often don’t meet my expectation, but this was certainly not the case with AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME. A growing hatred toward magicians overshadows Amari’s first summer as a Junior Agent. When she turns down the offer to head the League of Magicians to stand up against the animosity, she sets in motion a series of events that result in a deadly game for power and control. It was hard to put down this story with its fast-paced action, clever twists, and excellent writing. This series is a must-read for middle-grade fantasy lovers.
The first book in this series, AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS was one of my favourite reads of 2021, and it’s my number one recommendation for patrons looking for books like Harry Potter. I’m always nervous about picking up a sequel because they often don’t meet my expectation, but this was certainly not the case with AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME. A growing hatred toward magicians overshadows Amari’s first summer as a Junior Agent. When she turns down the offer to head the League of Magicians to stand up against the animosity, she sets in motion a series of events that result in a deadly game for power and control. It was hard to put down this story with its fast-paced action, clever twists, and excellent writing. This series is a must-read for middle-grade fantasy lovers.
November 9, 2022
3 Stars!
I've had a look at some reviews around this book and it's so highly praised so I feel sad that I didn't enjoy this as much as book 1. Maybe I went in with too high standards however I do feel like it had middle book syndrome. I just feel like it was maybe missing something and is probably setting it up for book 3 in the series.
It's hard to explain because the games themselves I did enjoy, but I just think I wanted something a bit more, I will say though, the second or third trial (I can't really remember) was excellent and I felt myself fully immersed and wanted to know all about the different books, I found it to be really fun and especially with what happened at the end of it I was very impressed and didn't actually expect it so that was a nice little twist!
The ending of this has set up the next book nicely and you can definitely see where this is going so I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
I've had a look at some reviews around this book and it's so highly praised so I feel sad that I didn't enjoy this as much as book 1. Maybe I went in with too high standards however I do feel like it had middle book syndrome. I just feel like it was maybe missing something and is probably setting it up for book 3 in the series.
It's hard to explain because the games themselves I did enjoy, but I just think I wanted something a bit more, I will say though, the second or third trial (I can't really remember) was excellent and I felt myself fully immersed and wanted to know all about the different books, I found it to be really fun and especially with what happened at the end of it I was very impressed and didn't actually expect it so that was a nice little twist!
The ending of this has set up the next book nicely and you can definitely see where this is going so I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
September 2, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
No one is sadder than I am that I didn't LOVE this sequel. I think at the end of the day, this book is missing the fun and charm of the first book, and that definitely impacted my enjoyment. And the fact that Amari couldn't catch a single break in this book definitely impacted my enjoyment because the story felt quite... bleak?
I still really liked it, though, and B.B. Alston remains a national treasure, and this series is still something incredibly special and one of the best out there!
No one is sadder than I am that I didn't LOVE this sequel. I think at the end of the day, this book is missing the fun and charm of the first book, and that definitely impacted my enjoyment. And the fact that Amari couldn't catch a single break in this book definitely impacted my enjoyment because the story felt quite... bleak?
I still really liked it, though, and B.B. Alston remains a national treasure, and this series is still something incredibly special and one of the best out there!
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