Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, and Angie Thomas for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

This was such a fun middle grade fantasy! I was swept up into Nic's world. Nic's a Remarkable, and she's only ever wanted to be a Manifestor like her dad. What stinks is she turns 12 and her dad still won't teach her how to use the Gift.

Nic gets the chance to prove herself and her abilities when her dad is committed of a crime that she's sure he didn't commit. In a shocking turn of events, Nic and her friends go on an adventure to find a stolen magical tool that reminded me a little bit of Percy Jackson's adventures. It was a wild ride that kept me guessing until the end and then set up a cliffhanger for book #2!

Angie Thomas weaves an extraordinary tale of magic and power in the story of 12 yr old Nic Blake. Unlike many protagonists in stories like these, Nic knows she’s a “remarkable” and has a connection with others of her ilk even though she doesn’t yet know how to use her own abilities. After she innocently makes a connection with her father’s past, he finds himself in great danger and it’s up to Nic and her friends to save him. (Oh boy, I’m really trying not to do spoilers here and after you read the book you’ll see what an UNDERSTATEMENT this all is!)
Anyway, throughout their journey they encounter creatures from African and African American folklore, an ACTUAL Underground Railroad (as in subterranean choo-choo), ghosts and haints, the daughter of the devil himself, and even an adorable hellhound puppy! I found myself casting the film as I went through each chapter. The action leaps from the page and practically begs to be seen on screen. I hope movie producers are watching because this will be the blockbuster hit of the year if they put it to film.
While this story is full of action and even comedy, readers will nod along to somber mentions of atrocities past and oh so present as Nic tries to come to terms with the difference between the experience of Black people in the “unremarkable” world versus the lands of the Remarkables. Even with those serious moments, this book reads as a celebration of Black culture. In a genre that is full of pale, blonde wizards and fair skinned maidens I am delighted with the change! I can only imagine how this “mirror” story and others that will surely follow will open this genre to many kids who’ve never seen themselves as being this remarkable!
I can’t wait to put this on my classroom shelves! Highly recommend for remarkable readers aged 9–14!

Thank you to Angie Thomas, HarperCollins Children's Books, Balzer + Bray, and Netgalley for this free advanced reader copy of "Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy" for an honest review.

I absolutely ran to scoop this up when it dropped that Angie Thomas was going to roll out a debut for middle-grade readers. I'm so, so, so, glad I did. While I know that I love her realistic fiction works aimed at older audiences, I found myself unabashedly adoring the whole of this new-genre fantasy world and our brand-new Miss Nic, her silly but smart father, her best friend/sidekick friends.

I love it and will be getting copies for my nieces & nephews!

Angie Thomas is an auto read author for me so when I heard she was working on a middle grade book I was so excited! Especially a middle grade fantasy! If you are a fan of books like Tristan Strong and Amari and the Night Brothers you'll love this one. The magic is full of African folklore and you will fall in love with all the characters instantly.

** spoiler alert ** I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

This book grasped me from the beginning. The world building was good. I LOVED that Jackson, MS was a big location *biased*. Bigger issues were discussed but I think they were handled in a way that MG readers can comprehend. The three main characters were diverse & offered something different to the story. I love reading about books within a book. Definitely buying a physical copy, buying for my nieces, & recommending to others!!!! <3

Meet Nic Blake-she and her very loving but goofy dad live in Jackson, Mississippi. They've moved a lot and Nic is really loving the community of Jackson, especially that she has a best friend. Nic's dad is part of a magical community called the Remarkables, except things are not quite what they seem. There are so many plot twists in this story and it moves so fast-I think the kids are going to love this one!

I have a middle grade age kiddo and we read similar books. There were some good things in this book but it was really exposition heavy. These characters were very one dimensional and in comparison to similar books, they are forgettable.

I will read anything Angie Thomas choses to write. Admittedly, I was a tad apprehensive to see her going from realistic fiction like the Hate U Give and On the Come Up to a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson style fantasy. I shouldn't have been concerned, this book is fabulous!
This is 100% for fans of Tristan Strong, Amari and the Night Brothers, and Percy Jackson. The magical world is unique and full of African American folklore and legend. While it could be tightened up in a few places, generally I think readers will be happy to push through slower sections because the overall effect is so satisfying. I appreciated that Thomas skill at writing believable characters dealing with truly had things wasn't lost in this fantasy world. Issues of race and representation were still relevant to the story and beautifully handled by Thomas, as always.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a fun, middle grade fantasy book but I expected a little more from the story because I’ve loved Angie Thomas’ previous books so much. While I did love the African-American history placed throughout this book, I did find that it slowed down the pacing of the story for a middle grade book. I thought that I would absolutely fall in love with these characters and the only character that I enjoyed was JP. There’s definitely potential for Nic’s character to grow in the second book, though I’m not sure I will continue on with the series.

A fun, magical middle grade adventure!

Overall, Nic Blake and the Remarkables is a fun read that will entertain plenty of readers. However, I didn't quite fall in love with the voice of Nic and the way the history was included in such large chunks. The amount of exposition took me out of the flow of the story a lot of the times. And while I loved that the magic and world had its foundation in African American history, I think the way it was introduced a lot of the times felt too much.

The plot and magical world itself, though, was exciting and unique! I loved all of the different Remarkables introduced and the different folklore come to life. It's a rich imagining that I think middle grade readers will enjoy if they can get through some of the more dragging details that slow the pace down.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, and I love that Thomas isn't afraid to make your feelings towards a character change.

Definitely give this one a chance for a magical adventure through the south!

When I saw that Angie Thomas, of The Hate U Give fame, was publishing a middle grade fantasy, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it. Fortunately for me, the Netgalley Gods agreed, and sent me an early copy!

In this series opener, Thomas is building a world similar to ours, but interlaced with a new, unique brand of magic. Remarkables, all of whom are ancestors of formerly enslaved Black Americans, are those with special gifts of varying qualities. While most Remarkables live in hidden Remarkable cities, Nic and her father live in the Unremarkable world, hiding in plain sight. Except that Nic isn’t able to use her gift yet, and even though her father promised to teach her on her 12th birthday, he’s now pushing it off once again.

But when Nic and her (unremarkable) best friend JP go to a book signing for the newest in the series of their favorite fantasy adventure author, things quickly get rolling when the author turns out to know Nic’s father. So well, in fact, that the three characters in his series are actually based on himself and Nic’s two parents and a prophecy that Nic’s dad has kept very secret from Nic.

I loved the characters in this story, especially JP and (eventually) the third part of their trio, Alex. As displayed in her first several novels, Thomas excels at dialogue, and that continues to be the case here. You fall in love with the characters through what they say to each other. I also loved the layering we see in the fictional book series mirroring the older generation, which is then again reflected in Nic’s generation with her, JP, and Alex. Thomas also plays with a lot of familiar fantasy tropes while incorporating a lot of her own very unique magical system, one steeped African American traditions, history, and folklore.

I feel like middle grade fantasies tend to follow one of two formats, either a magical school or a cross-country quest. This definitely falls into the latter category, and I think I tend to prefer the former, but that’s just personal preference. I did think the beginning could have used a little more work. Or perhaps, less work? Nic spends a lot of time explaining her family history, the magical world they inhabit, how it all works, and I think fantasy stories (and all stories really) are more gripping when we are dropped into the action and the backstory is revealed along the way, rather than just laid out up front.

I’m very intrigued to see where this projected trilogy will go! The ending left us with quite the cliffhanger!

Angie Thomas proves she can do no wrong when it comes to compelling stories! Nic Blake is a fun, adventure fueled ride that left me ready for book 2 immediately! It melds high-stakes adventure, Southern black folklore, and characters that you immediately want to befriend to create a wonderful new addition to any library collection.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

Angie Thomas is always a must-read for me, so I was super excited to receive her middle grade (and fantasy) debut as an ARC. I absolutely devoured this after I got into it, and I loved the twists and turns combined with magic (but not normal magic) and Black history and families and a diabolical plot and issues with being labeled the chosen one and you know, other normal stuff 12 year olds go through like figuring out who they are.

Nic (cough cough, named for nic stone??) discovers her Dad was hiding a rather large secret from her during their years together where he trains her in the history of their world -- Manifestors (magical beings) and hellhoudns and aziza and rougarous and all the other things and many black folktales while also telling the history of her ancestors. BUT her dad also hides a pretty big secret from her that she ends up having to reconcile with to also save him from a crime he didn't commit.

There were also MANY funny parts in this story. I overall enjoyed it. While I know this sets up more books in a series, I wish there would've been more on how the magic worked and more of that world building besides some brief history on how it came to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books/Blazer + Bray for the digital ARC!

This was a fun book to read. The style is similar to Percy Jackson/Harry Potter, which I loved. The plot moved along pretty quickly and I really liked learning about Black history and culture. There were also several twists and turns that were unexpected and the interactions between Nic and her friends and family were great and very believable.

The characters were fun and there were different types of magic and abilities shown throughout the book. I really liked Nic as the main character and thought she was a great protagonist, with an adorable hellhound puppy as a sidekick. There are a number of interesting side characters, including several magical creatures like demons, vampires, and a vegan Rougaru. JP, who is Nic's best friend, was probably my favorite side character.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy fun middle grade adventure stories with great characters and lots of magic.

I loved everything about this! The characters are funny and relatable but still unlike anything I’ve read before. This felt very Harry Potter meet Percy Jackson meets Tristian Strong all while being something new. I loved the setting being that I live in the area. I am so excited to follow Nic and her friends in what I know is about to be an awesome series.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a fantasy reader but I wanted to give Angie Thomas's new middle grade fantasy a try. This book was not for me but I know that it will resonate with the right readers. The use of Black history/folklore/mythology to create the story was excellent.

There were times when this book dragged on a little and I was ready for the next part of the story. But dang, this is some impactful writing. I truly think kids will find comfort in this story while also discover tough questions to discuss about the world. Even as an adult, I found myself researching some of the historical figures and events mentioned to learn more. This is a wonderful stepping stone for children and adults to discover black history that they might not have known before.

The fantasy elements were fascinating and wonderful. I loved being immersed in this world and am eager for more. Even though this is a middle grade book, I would have loved more depth and development of the characters. A lot of them felt a little flat, which is unlike an Angie Thomas novel.

Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this book and can’t wait for the next one.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables is about a young girl who finds out that she is a "remarkable." However, she has been living in the unremarkable world aka the normal, natural world. She quickly discovers that her father has lied to her and kidnapped her when she was a baby. Her father has been on the run all of her life and she has an opportunity to help sort this out. He has been accused of taking the a valuable weapon from the remarkables.

Nic, her newly discovered twin brother, and her best friend set out to find this weapon while her mother, father, and uncle are imprisoned for their 'crimes.' On their journey, they encounter many other type of remarkables and face a number of problems. The end of the novel comes to a nice close, but also leaves room for a sequel to follow.

The first book I ever read by Angie Thomas was The Hate U Give. To this day, it is still one of my FAVORITE books that I recommend all the time to my students. What I appreciate about it is the underlying themes in the book and its focus on representation. While Nic Blake and the Remarkables in geared towards what I think is a younger audience, it still does have some underlying themes. Nic Blake is a young, Black, girl which allows other people to see themselves as the hero. There's also brief mentions of what it's like to be discriminated against. Nic has to explain to her twin brother that when they go into a gas station, they need to keep their hands out of their pockets because it's not uncommon for the clerk to think that "people like them" steal. Breaking these stereotypes is what I love about Angie Thomas as an author and I appreciate that this has still made it into this book.

As an adult, I wasn't sure that I was going to like this book. However, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a different version of Angie Thomas as an author. I hope that this becomes one of the next great series for young readers! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Angie Thomas is a magic-maker. My school library shelves don't lie: I cannot keep her books on my shelf. So I was thrilled to receive an early copy of Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy. Reading this was like jumping in a pool on a hot day- refreshing and everything I needed- I did not come up for air until it was over. It was fantastic, a 10/10. The magic for me is in the details. Angie Thomas has created a whole world, and it is woven with history, culture and fresh, new creatures and magic. The story references black history, culture and current media in a way that will make so many kids feel seen. Nic Blake is a character kids will root for, relate to and learn from. It is a FUN read- so many twists and turns and characters who make appearances that I hope we will see again. This book is a strong addition to any middle school fantasy collection, and I am so glad that there are more to come.

I am loving this new trend of literal Black Girl Magic! This reminds me a lot of Amari and the Night Brothers and has similar vibes to Harry Potter (magic systems, prophesy, etc.), Percy Jackson (humor & folklore), and Root Magic (cajun/creole conjuring). This series will be a hit!

Nic Blake is a Remarkable living in an Unremarkable world, but she makes the best of it with her dad and best friend JP (an Unremarkable). She longs to connect to the Gift inside her and become a skilled Manifestor like her dad, but he just keeps delaying her. Maybe she'll learn next year... at least for this birthday she gets a hellhound puppy! Everything is shaping up to be a normal year in Jackson, Missisippi... but not for long.

I can't list anything else that happens because it is ALL spoilers. Craziness goes down, identities are revealed, prophecies are explained, and Nic finds herself with friends traveling on a quest adventure to save her whole world and family. Just when you think things must be wrapped up, there's another twist and more characters and settings to meet. This was a wild ride! It's also set up perfectly for a whole series. I can't wait!

I loved this story so much, though I wish there was more thorough world building. You can tell that Angie Thomas has the whole plot line in place, but I wanted to know so much more about the Remarkable world and how things had developed. Maybe in later books! I also loved how actual history was intertwined with the story. Historic Black and African American leaders were incorporated, the folktales and folklore of early enslaved people had connections to magic, and the Underground Railroad had a physical, mystical counterpart. It was all so genius and well done!

I highly recommend this one, especially for readers who loved Amari and the Night Brothers or any of the other aforementioned books/series. This one is a gem!

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!