Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Rae Seddon, nicknamed Sunshine for her love
of daylight, is just your average young woman, with maybe a slightly
greater-than-normal interest in the Others: paranormal creatures such as
vampires, Weres, and demons. She's a master baker (her cinnamon rolls are to
die for) at her stepdad Charlie's coffeehouse, and has a good relationship with
her boyfriend Mel. Sunshine's life was going on fine, until the night she
decides to drive out to the lake to be alone with her thoughts for a bit, and
finds herself smack dab in the middle of an epic ongoing fight between two
vampires, Con and Bo.

Once you're in the hands of vampires you're
pretty much dead, which is why Sunshine is absolutely terrified of
herself when she not only escapes, but manages to save Con from
Bo's gang as well. Now she and Con are inexplicably and dangerously linked, and
Sunshine is only beginning to realize her magic heritage and the extent of her
powers--powers that are wanted by SOF, the "police force" that deals
with the Others. Sunshine and Con must form the strangest alliance
ever--between humans and vampires--in order to defeat Bo and save each other
from sure destruction.

SUNSHINE is quite different from previous
Robin McKinley's books I've read and loved. First of all, this IS an adult
book, and so some of the themes and content may be uncomfortable for younger
readers (although, knowing McKinley readers, most are pretty mature already).
Sunshine is also an unusual narrator; I think of her as almost the Jessica
Darling of the vampire genre, with her snarky, diary-like commentary, which I
enjoyed most of the time except when it got dragged out a bit in the middle and
you just wanted to get to what happens next, to the action!

I'm not sure
how Twilight fans will respond to this one because vampires are not
glorified in SUNSHINE, although Con is attractive in his looming,
expressionless way. However, if you are looking for a paranormal book with an
extremely strong female protagonist's voice, be sure to check this one out.