The House With Chicken Legs by Stephanie Anderson

My name is Marinka, and my grandmother says someday I'll also become a guardian of The Gate, leading the dead into the afterlife. However, I just want to have a real friend and do things beyond the boundaries of our house with chicken legs. Baba says something bad will happen if I stray too far away, and the house frequently moves us around to different locations. Which leads me to now. I was desperate and knew I was doing something wrong, and I knew Baba would be upset when she found out. I never imagined the truth she'd reveal about my past, and I never would have believed she'd leave me alone. I'm truly sorry for the foolish decisions I've made.

I must admit I almost stopped reading this book. I was ready to return it to the library when I got to the part about Marinka's secret. That made the book much more interesting. Marinka's desire for a living friend and a normal life blinded her perception of reality. She didn't fully appreciate her importance and didn't accept her destiny. She finally met another Yaga who shared more information about the significance of guardians. The house with chicken legs was the most compelling character. It's sole purpose was to protect the guardian in helping the dead return to the stars. However, the author gave it more of a personality in the second half of the book, and it developed a more important role in the plot. It couldn't speak, but it was still able to communicate emotions. The focus of the book was all about Marinka's struggles to deal with her conflicting emotions about becoming a Yaba and the disappearance of her grandmother. Loneliness and desperation were two strong emotions. Overall, the book will take some patience due to the slow start, but it might be worth your time.