Well hi.
It goes without saying that I’m embarrassed to be grasping for brain cells from those with better memory than myself — especially in my first post — but dignity is no longer my main concern since middle age set in. 
Here’s my dilemma:
I’m trying to remember the name of a sci fi/fantasy book I read in in 2009 or 2010. It might be YA Fiction (even more embarrassing) but I can’t be certain. The things I DO remember about the story are as follows:
-
The main characters are a young brother and sister who live with much older relatives (an aunt and uncle?).
-
The siblings work at a restaurant part time, he in the kitchen (dishwasher?) and she as wait staff. The restaurant might be a pizza place.
-
The aunt has a long list of unreasonable rules she expects the siblings to follow.
-
The siblings are in their early to mid teens and I think the girl is the elder of the two.
-
The siblings are the children of a human mother and a “god” or a human father and a 'goddess" (though I’m not convinced “god” and “goddess” are the terms the author used, I just can’t think of a better way to describe it.)
-
The siblings are expected to prove themselves (for a reason I also don’t recall) by negotiating a series of challenges/quests set in front of them by a “council” of people who are also gods/goddesses or some sort of supernatural sorts.
-
The time period is contemporary.
-
The elderly aunt isn’t all she appears on the surface. I believe she kills at least one person in the course of the story.
-
The brother is drawn to an older homeless (?) man who plays a musical instrument (a violin?). The man isn’t what he appears either and may (if any part of my memory still functions) be the children’s father or another relative.
-
The book I read stood well on its own but I am 90% certain there was supposed to be a sequel that hadn’t been written yet.
-
Oddly, the name Nick/Nicholas keeps coming to mind — I half suspect it to be part of the author’s name but an extensive search with that as part of the parameters has led nowhere.
(Shaking my head as I re-read). That’s it. That’s all I remember. If my less than adequate clues ring a bell I’d appreciate a reply.
My thanks.
