Catching Up on YAs

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.

There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family. . .

I started this book with high expectations and while it was a good book, my expectations were not met.

Same Difference by Siobhan Vivan
Sometimes a girl just needs a change...
The last thing sixteen-year-old Emily wants is to pool hop and tan her way through another summer in Cherry Hill. Now that her best friend has a boyfriend, everything feels...different in a way Emily doesn't quite understand. So when offered a spot at a prestigious art program in Philadelphia, Emily jumps at the chance to leave her hometown for a few hours a day.

But it takes more than a change of scenery and a new group of friends to discover yourself. As Emily bounces between a suburb where everyone tries to fit in and a city where everyone wants to be unique, she struggles to find her own identity. And while the rules may change, the pressures remain the same. Friendships can be hard to navigate. Boys are both deeply mysterious and utterly predictable. And the line between right and wrong is always a little blurry.

Most high school girls will relate to Emily’s search for identity and where she wants to fit in as she struggles between two worlds. A good

Amelia’s War by Ann Rinaldi
We have to stick by our friends, Amelia. No matter what.

Amelia takes her mother's words to heart as she sees her Maryland town split in two by the angry passions of the Civil War. The one time Amelia plays a part in the conflict, there are serious consequences for her good friend Josh. After that, Amelia vows to stay out of the war and just remain loyal to the people she cares about . . . people like Josh, who has no interest in fighting, only in writing truthfully about what is happening.

But all around the two friends, others are taking sides — acting sometimes with cowardice and hatred, sometimes with courage and honor. When Amelia and Josh have a unique opportunity to make a small difference in the course of the war, they must weigh their resolutions not to get involved against the claims of friendship and the life of a town.

I enjoy Ann Rinaldi’s historical fiction that looks into how the Civil War affected people’s everyday life and this one did not disappoint.

Shiver by Maggie
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf–her wolf–is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human–or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I found this to be a quick, sweet read. I expected a thrill ride, fast paced adventure, but it was more romantic with a slower paced suspense. The alternating point of view of Sam and Grace really enhanced the story. The Wolves of Mercy Falls series book two, Linger will be released in July.