Courtney Crumrin is a perpetually sullen, edgy, witch-in-training - a snarky, Coraline-esque heroine living in a gothic mansion full of shadows, an ancient Great-Great Uncle with a dangerous and mysterious library full of spellbooks, a horde of Night Things that pop up out of the shadows, and distressingly vapid parents that are oblivious to her and the house of dark magics that they are living in. This is a fun, just creepy enough read for middle school students and up. Tweens and teens who enjoy the worlds of Tim Burton, snarling otherworldly creatures, and the horribleness of being the new kid at a new school and not fitting in at all will find a lot to enjoy here. I definitely want to check out the next volume, anticipating more oddness, spooky adventures, and loathsome characters to come! For fans of Neil Gaiman for sure. NB: Not a good fit interest-wise for younger students, despite the 7+ rating, although there may be some fourth and fifth graders who enjoy the thrill of literal monsters in the woods who eat unsuspecting teens wandering through, snatch babies from their cribs who are never seen again, lurk under the beds, disappear/escape through magic portals, and hang out in goblin markets.