Far from the Tree was a very good book.  There were just so many OUTSTANDING YA books this year that it might be hard for it to stand out.  Compared to Auma's Long Run, Long Way Down, The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, it's hard to see this as THE Printz.  An honor book?  Sure!  As long as those I listed above are honor books as well, with Auma getting the big prize (in my imaginary world this will happen).  But this was an excellent book with so many emotions and great characters.  Very heart-felt and heart-rending.  Well recommended.  

The Year Ends on a High Note

Also Know As was my last book of 2012 and what a great book it was!  Super-fun!  I loved every page of this eARC from netgalley.com.  Never read anything from Robin Benway, but will now look for her name, for sure.  I do hope that this is a series, because I know teens will love this.  Maggie and her parents are parents are spies for the Collective, an international group of do-gooders.  Maggie's expertise is safe-cracking.  She hasn't ever lived a normal life, as you can imagine, but now she has her first solo assignment.  She must pose as an ordinary teenager at a private school in Manhattan.   She has to make friends and gain the trust of the son of a man who may be writing an article that will expose the Collective and ruin the fate of the free world!  Yes, the book is over the top and so is Maggie.  She is great fun, very likable, as all of the characters are.  There is a bit of romance as Maggie starts to fall for the young man she is spying on, the son of the writer.  Loved the book, the setting, the characters, the pacing.  Great book!  Great fun!