This series is wildly popular with both teens and adults.   It is very different.

Neil Gaiman's three year old son used to ride his tricycle in the cemetery across the street from his house.  That is where the idea came for this book.   It begins in a very scary way that might frighten younger children.

Cathryn says:  Welcome to The Gallagher Academy for exceptional girls, or as the students like to think of it spy high. Main character Cammie Morgan is brilliant and a CIA legacy, her mother and father were both spies, but when her father failed to return from a mission, mom decided to play it safe and take a job as the Headmistress of the elite private academy.
 
Cammie and her friends can speak 14 different languages and build a high tech surveillance system but they have no idea how to be normal teens. The one language this super genius can’t seem to comprehend is ‘boy’, and it is driving her crazy.
 
On her very first a training exercise for Covert Operations, trailing one of their own teachers in town she runs into Josh a regular teen boy and does what she has been trained to do, lie. Making up an entire life for herself to keep him from finding out the truth about Gallagher, then putting her training to work to make sure he is who he says he is, Cammie and her cohorts get in a bit over their heads.
 
This is the start to a great series; it is funny and touching with lots of cool spy stuff and adventure at every turn. It features strong female characters who are not perfect but can take care of themselves and their friends, they are also endearing in that boys are like an alien world to them but they are not all boy crazy, there is no drinking or drugs which is rather refreshing in this genre.

Cathryn says:  This semi-sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, is the tale of humble rug merchant Abdullah and his adventure to save his true love Princess Flower-In-The-Night, who has been kidnapped by a djinn. From the magic carpet to the castle in the air to find 30 some stolen Princess, Abdullah has his work cut out for him. On his travels he gathers with him an untrustworthy soldier, a pair of cats and a grumbling genie, none of whom are exactly what they seem to be.
 
With strong fantasy and clever characters, Jones has recreated a wonderful world that makes me wish there were more than two stories set in it.

Cathryn says:  This is an exciting thriller for any young adult into spy stories. While very violent at times and dealing unflinchingly with drugs, alcohol, bullying and other less savory topics, the reader will find themselves drawn into the shadowy world of MI5. Cherub is the well hidden division of the British Secret Service, its specialty is child spies, after all no one would expect a kid to be spying on them, would they.
 
The story revolves around James an 11 year old with more than his share of problems, when his mother dies suddenly he is sent to a group home where he is ultimately recruited into Cherub. And that is only the beginning. There are 8 titles in this British series so far and likely more to come.
 

Cathryn says:  Set in Feudal Japan this third installment in the Otori series is wonderful. Well paced and exciting the tale follows, now, Lord Takeo Otori and his bride Kaede as they fight to unite the three countries. As predicted there are five battles, four to win and one to lose but Takeo must survive them all to rule from sea to sea.
 
There is political and social intrigue, class and religious struggles and the constant threat of betrayal. Incorporating, ninjas, pirates and feudal lords, Hearn keeps the suspense up and characters even the lesser ones are well developed.