Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Summary:
There hadn't been any trouble out at the lake for years, and Sunshine just needed a spot where she could be alone with her thoughts. Vampires never entered her mind. Until they found her.

Review:
These are not your kinder, gentler brand of vampires. McKinley has woven a dark and twisted novel. There are no barriers between the real world and the Others. Sunshine lives in a world where suckers, demons, and werewolves are commonplace. Spending her days as a baker, her life is uneventful and she appears unremarkable in every way, except for her obsession with the Others. Then one night, she seeks out a quiet place to get away.

It has been years since the Wars, but no one goes to the lake anymore. There are too many bad spots and too many unknowns, but that does not stop Sunshine. She drives to her dad’s old lake house. She never even hears them coming. When they are vampires, you never do. Now Sunshine is in a battle for her life.

McKinley’s story does not romanticize vampires. They are cruel, heartless, and ugly. Nevertheless, she has created a powerful character to carry the story. Sunshine realizes her full potential and it could very well see her to her death. Only through an alliance with a vampire named Con do they both stand a fighting chance against a common enemy.

Sunshine commands the presence of every page. Her untapped abilities and her own conflicts with allying with a vampire create a unique novel that is unlike any others.

Reading Rating:
This was an intense read, and it did take me several days to tackle. Be prepared for a dark, gritty view of vampires. Also, due to mature content, I would recommend this title for older readers. And don't expect a sequel any time soon ;-)

Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier

Summary:
For Paula, accompanying her merchant father on a trading voyage to Istanbul is a dream come true. They have come to this city of trade on a special mission to purchase a most rare artifact—a gift from the ancient goddess, Cybele, to her followers. It’s the only remnant of a lost, pagan cult.

But no sooner have they arrived when it becomes clear they may be playing at a dangerous game. A colleague and friend of Paula’s father is found murdered. There are rumors of Cybele’s cult reviving within the very walls of Istanbul. And most telling of all, signs have begun to appear to Paula, urging her to unlock Cybele’s secret. As time begins to run out, she must solve the puzzle before unknown but deadly enemies catch up to her.

Review:
In this companion novel to Wildwood Dancing, Marillier skips ahead in time six years. Told from Paula’s viewpoint this time around, readers once again find themselves bending the lines between reality and the Other Kingdom. Sent on a quest, the scholarly seventeen-year-old must follow the clues that her oldest sister, Tati, is leaving for her in the form of signs, dreams, and apparitions.

Marillier has created another remarkable story with an unusual setting. The challenges that Paula faces as a young woman in Istanbul can only rival her strong-will—a trait that sees her through to the end. This story combines every element to spin a tale that will appeal to readers of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance. Though it is not necessary to read Wildwood Dancing prior to this one, I highly recommend it simply because it is another fantastic book and it gives you the chance to get to know the family as a whole.

Reading Rating:
I read this in one day! I couldn't put it down and was sad to see it end. Maybe a third book is in the future for these characters?

Heavy Reading, Lemurs, & Devious Plotting

Okay, so I've been a bit MIA lately. But I've been reading! Well, and working too. So I have lots of reviews I need to post. But first, something I just had to share. My dad has an obsession with the website, I Can Has Cheezburger. He's always sending me amusing "library cats" that I can post on my wallpaper at work. Here's my favorite one so far.

My goal for the day is to change the background on every computer at our reference desks to my cat background. Ridiculous, I know...but it amuses me. Kinda like Maureen Johnson and her lemurs! Though I have yet to take it to her level of lemur insanity...

Anyways, I recently was introduced to another site that's not as great as Cheezburger, but it had this awesome picture that I know you will enjoy! The caption was "Heavy Reading." All I can say is--thank goodness they didn't add Breaking Dawn to the stack. The poor cat would have been crushed :-)

John Green Speaks Out

If you haven't read it, please check out John Green's speech that he gave for the ALAN Conference. It is really inspiring and eye-opening. He once again proves his awesomeness and gives English teachers the credit they truly deserve. Also, he emphasizes the importance of giving teenagers the benefit of the doubt. They are smart, intelligent, and can "get it." But John says it much better than I ever could, so stop listening to me ramble and get on over to his site!

"...we know that young people can rise to intellectual challenges. I know because the course of my life was altered by teachers who challenged me, who assumed I was smart and refused to acknowledge otherwise despite considerable evidence. We know the importance of never selling kids short and never selling them out, because I’d imagine we’ve all seen our lives changed by teachers who believed in us." --John Green

Twilight Movie *Spoilers*

I really should just take my favorite Twilight books (Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse) and retreat to a corner.  I shouldn't have read Breaking Dawn.  And I really shouldn't have seen the movie.  Sigh.  

Don't get me wrong--I love, love, love Bella & Edward.  But I love my versions of them.  In my head.  And the movie just didn't match that for me.  There were too many awkward silences and drawn out scenes.  The acting wasn't great.  Can you honestly tell me you didn't giggle hysterically when Edward first got a whiff of Bella?  It was ludicrous.  And MY Edward is not a spider monkey leaping thru trees.  

But much like the HP movies, the big screen can never quite match up with what I have going on in my imagination.  My husband said he didn't think it was that bad, but then he hasn't been in love with these characters for years like I have.  But he did point out a lot of things they didn't include in the movie that made it confusing for non-Twilight readers.  I had a lot of explaining to do...

All in all, I could have done without, but now I know what someone else's vision of Twilight is like.  And it's made me realize that we each have our own version wandering around inside our heads.

Twilight is coming...

It's almost here!! Despite my best efforts to not get my hopes up, I really really hope that the Twilight movie lives up to all the hype and more importantly my high standards for what a Twilight movie is supposed to be like. I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive when they announced Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson as Bella & Edward. But they're starting to grow on me.

Kristen definitely has that awkwardness to her that embodies Bella. And Rob...well, I still want to fetch him a comb or something, but the chemistry between the two of them seems undeniable in all the clips I've seen. So come Friday night (yes I have to wait until after work!), me and my willing (yes, he's willing!) husband will be watching my most beloved vampire tale unfold...

BTW, if you see it before me, don't spoil it! Wait until Saturday to let me know what you think ;-) For now, this will have to do.

How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

If the cover and the title are not enough to draw you in, the premise of this book will win you over in a heartbeat. Set in New Avalon, the world's most self-obsessed city, Larbalestier (author of the Magic or Madness trilogy) has created a world where everyone gets their own personal fairy. No one can see or hear their fairy, but it is usually does not take long to figure out what kind everyone has. The lucky few have a really doos (cool) fairy like a clothes shopping fairy. But then there is Charlie, who got stuck with the most undoos fairy of all--a parking spot fairy.

Sure it is dead useful if you are old enough to drive. But to Charlie she would rather have no fairy at all instead of enduring the smell of gasoline and vinyl seats one more time. She is tired of her friends and family "borrowing" her in order to find the perfect parking spot. In an attempt to get rid of her fairy, she starts walking everywhere and this is where the trouble begins.

With a language and culture all its own, this story is not your typical fairy book. It will make you laugh out loud and cheer Charlie on in her attempts (and failed attempts) to get rid of her pesky parking fairy. With its fast-paced narrative, loads of drama, and a touch of romance, Larbalestier will leave you wanting more including a fairy of your own.

Caution: Despite the suggestions in the book, I was not able to get rid of my fairy, Pixie. And unlike Justine's fairies, mine is very visible and very loud. Check out the photo below to see what a "makes you trip and wakes you up too early" fairy looks like.