The cover was okay. Not my favorite, and I probably would have glanced over the novel as it didn't quite appeal to me. As for the story, it just exuded Harry Potter vibes, and I can't imagine reinventing it like this novel is trying to do. I'm sure that middle grade readers will enjoy this novel. And while I do occasionally enjoy middle grade books, I think the Harry Potter imitation/reinvention angle just didn't do it for me.