GNW: Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks

Maggie has plenty to be worried about on her first day of high school. Her mother went AWOL a few months ago, her older twin brothers are hardly speaking to each other anymore, and she's being haunted by a ghost from the local graveyard. Oh, and did I mention that her first day of high school is also her first day of public school? She and all of her siblings had been homeschooled up until their first day of freshman year.

Though she's terrified, Maggie does manage to make some new friends in Alistair and Lucy, the two misfits siblings that she starts sitting with at lunch. When she tells the two of them about the ghost that follows her around, the three devise a plan to find out how to let the ghost rest in peace. The only problem? That plan might include stealing an artifact from a local museum and having a run-in with the Pack, a group of bullies from school who also happen to have it in for Alistair.

Faith Erin Hicks does a fabulous job in her depiction of Maggie's world, both in her storytelling and in the beautiful artwork that fills the pages. I really enjoyed Maggie's character and seeing her perspective as she deals with the overwhelming prospect of growing up. Starting high school is rough on its own, even without having to deal with a missing mother and a ghost that can't stop following you around.

As someone who is very close with her siblings, I'm the type of person that really enjoys literature that shows off siblings that care about and stick up for each other. Hicks manages to highlight this in her story while still capturing the frequent fights and the words we wish we could take back. The bonds of friendship, and especially family, are the central point of this novel and I loved everything about that.

Overall, this was a great and spooky adventure, filled to the brim with wonderful relationships and second chances. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's willing to give it a fair shot.

Rating: ★★★★☆