Book Review Club ~ * Feb 2013 *
Barrie Summy’s Book Review Club is back with another installment of great reviews!
book review blogs
@Barrie Summy
My own novel AUSTENSIBLY ORDINARY came out last week, and I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up! But you should really judge it for yourself, so I will be reviewing:
Nikki Loftin’s
THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY
From Amazon:
Lorelei is bowled over by Splendid Academy–Principal Trapp encourages the students to run in the hallways, the classrooms are stocked with candy dishes, and the cafeteria serves lavish meals featuring all Lorelei’s favorite foods. But the more time she spends at school, the more suspicious she becomes. Why are her classmates growing so chubby? And why do the teachers seem so sinister?
It’s up to Lorelei and her new friend Andrew to figure out what secret this supposedly splendid school is hiding. What they discover chills their bones–and might even pick them clean!
Mix one part magic, one part mystery, and just a dash of Grimm, and you’ve got the recipe for a cozy-creepy read that kids will gobble up like candy.
Last Friday, my son’s elementary school had an author visit from Nikki (because I’m the PTA Literacy Chair, and I set it up). She spoke to the 4th and 5th graders about fairy tales and how she twisted one around to make a totally fun new story. Then, thirty kids from each grade got to participate in a Writers Workshop with her, where they brainstormed ideas for a totally new story. (My son was one of the lucky ones.)
THE KIDS LOVED HER!!
She is so personable and engaging that everyone was entertained (and informed, of course). I bought a copy of her book for my son and I, and he finished it on Saturday. So, in a day and a half. He loved it, and since I haven’t had time to read it, I asked him if he’d like to do the review for today, and he agreed. So, I give you, his review of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy, by Nikki Loftin:
The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy was a fabulous book!! It was always full of suspense and had a few parts where you were frightened for Lorelei. Also, it was true to its cover; (not that I judged it by that of course) it was sinisterly sweet and sweetly sinister. If I had to rate it on a scale of one to five, I would give it a good solid ten!!!
Alex Goodnight, fifth grader-
There you have it. Probably the most succinct review ever presented on this site! I look forward to reading it myself!
Please visit Barrie’s blog (click on the typewriter above) for plenty of other great reviews!
02/06/2013 at 11:50 pm
Congratulations on the release of your next book! I loved your son’s review of The Sinister Sweetness. How lucky he was to be in her workshop!
02/10/2013 at 3:20 pm
Love the succinct review–says it all. And I’ve been curious about this book–because of the cover! (So yes, I am judging.)
Congrats on the new book!