I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin
Published by Razorbill on August 21, 2012
Pages: 305
Genres: Fairy-Tales/Retellings, Mystery
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads

When Lorelei's old school mysteriously burns down, a new one appears practically overnight: Splendid Academy. Rock-climbing walls on the playground and golden bowls of candy on every desk? Gourmet meals in the cafeteria, served by waiters? Optional homework and two recess periods a day? It's every kids's dream.

But Lorelei and her new friend Andrew are pretty sure it's too good to be true. Together they uncover a sinister mystery, one with their teacher, the beautiful Ms. Morrigan, at the very center.

Then Andrew disappears. Lorelei has to save him, even if that means facing a past she'd like to forget – and taking on a teacher who's a real witch.

What Lorelei and Andrew discover chills their bones – and might even pick them clean!

Tagged as ‘Coraline’ meets ‘Hansel and Gretel’ but this also reminded me a lot of ‘The Witches’ by Roald Dahl (in a good way!)

As of late, Middle-Grade books seem to be popping up everywhere but there have been some amazingly good ones that I never would have thought I’d be able to enjoy. This is one those stories that is perfectly suited for the younger crowd but are still a fun adventure for adults as well. Highly recommended!

This debut novel was extremely well-written and will keep any reader entranced till the end. Not just an entertaining read, this comes equipped with a deep message that I feel will be easily understood by younger readers.

In addition to the near-perfect cover, there were several pictures throughout the story that I loved. The artist to the cover  is Alexander Jansson. I would highly recommend you check out his website and view some of his other works – they’re amazing!