Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations #2)

Amari saved the world in Amari and the Night Brothers, even though her own brother, Quinton, is still in a magical coma. She's survived the school year, and looking forward to another summer at the Bureau camp when there is a very odd time freeze. Amari isn't frozen along with everyone else, but when the freeze stops, she wants to figure out who is behind it, especially since the entire Supernatural World Congress, including the president, Merlin, is still frozen. In his place, Bane is presiding, and Amari is worried that he will do something evil. Amari still has an uneasy relationship with the Bureau; she's uninvited from summer camp, reinvited, and gets a lot of mixed messages from the staff. Luckily, her friend Elise (who is a weredragon), is with her for camp, although she is going to attend Oxford University in the fall on a scholarship to a special program. Dylan, whom Amari fought in the first book and is a born magician along with Amari, has been imprisoned in the Sightless Depths, so couldn't be behind the freeze, but when he gets out, Amari is worried, especially since he seems to be behind Quinton's curse. The League of Magicians asks Amari to lead them, but she declines, not feeling ready to hold such a position of authority. When Cozmo then offers the position to Dylan, this necessitates a Game. There are elaborate rules for this, and rings which summon the children to a battle ground, and Amari is concerned that she won't win. She's also dealing with a lot at the Bureau's camp, and is partnered with Dylan's sister Laura Van Helsing. She is determined to figure out what happened with the time freeze, learn skills at summer school, and also gets some magical lessons from Maria, all the while hoping that Quinton's curse will be lifted. It's a lot. Will Amari be able to use her powers to save the world THIS summer as well?

What I liked:
Amari is dealing with the fallout of her magical ability being discovered. As she and her friends try to keep the magicians and the rest of the world from actual war, she is forced to participate in a crazy game designed to see who will lead the magicians and who will be the enemy. The buzz says it is a mashup of Harry Potter and Men in Black, which makes for a very edge-of-your-seat read.
Final Verdict:
I struggled with the badge part of the story, where Amari is forced to wear a badge and be shunned by everyone except those that the higher say are ok.
I find the elevators having personalities makes for a comical read. Will I get to where I am going? Amari being a magician and participating in the great game makes for a unique storyline as we also are dealing with the time freeze from the first book. I love the world that Alston has created and the lessons he weaves through the lives of his characters. It is full of magic, adventures, mystery, and choosing to do the right thing. While designed for middle schoolers, reading this book as an adult was a delight.

What worked:
You should definitely read the first book before reading this one, to understand Amari’s complicated life as a powerful magician. She’s a born magician which is a very rare and feared position to be in. Magicians were at the center of a war centuries ago, and they’ve been considered UnWanteds ever since, despite Amari’s efforts to save the world in the previous book. She’s forced into a personal battle between fair and foul magick, as she learns evilness is constantly looking to take control. Amari is one of the most powerful magicians ever, but she still needs to learn how to use her abilities. Her former partner Dylan succumbed to the power in the previous book, and he’s the main suspect behind all of the current problems in this book.
Outright war between magicians and other supernaturals is on the brink of exploding, as the Magician’s Guild comes to the forefront. The previous book implied they might provide support for Amari, but that’s not the way things turn out. The intriguing thing about this series is how the author is able to create different levels of mystery and suspicion in characters and situations. The Guild has its own agenda, and Amari sets events in motion when she refuses to lead them by accepting the Crown. The end result is the Great Game is activated to decide the future of all magiciankind. Amari’s convinced a magician did not cause the time freeze, but who else has a reason and the power to do it? Dylan is the obvious answer, but is that too obvious for readers to accept?
As in the previous book, Amari gives herself a quest amid outrage from the supernatural community. It was finding her brother last time, and this time she’s determined to discover who’s responsible for stopping time across most of Georgia and the supernatural’s Congress Room. Elsie, Amari’s best friend and weredragon, is once again by Amari’s side, though this story doesn’t include as many of her creative inventions. The big surprise is Amari’s new partner is Lara, the girl who bullied and tormented her in the first book. Amari grapples to trust her, and Lara promises she won’t turn on Amari. However, the doubt in their relationship is planted and complicates their interactions for most of the book.
What didn’t work as well:
The resolution isn’t happily ever after, but it sets the stage for a dramatic and eventful third book. I didn’t have any problems with the book overall.
The Final Verdict:
It’s hard work to stay good. The book boils down to a battle between good and evil, although it’s not always easy to tell one from the other. The secret motives of various characters will keep readers engaged and thinking. I highly recommend you give this book, and the series, a shot!