Book Review: Sunshine

You wouldn't ordinarily think that vampires and dessert would mix well, but somehow in this book, they do.

Rae Seddon, nicknamed Sunshine, is the baker for Charlie's Coffeehouse in vampire-infested New Arcadia. When she is kidnapped by vampires, her entire world changes, and she must learn to adjust.

Sunshine tends to be a little wordy, and there's some brief sexuality. Aside from that, this book is very interesting, and will make you hungry. Frequently. Sunshine's gothic-named desserts sound amazing: Cinnamon Rolls As Big As Your Head, Sunshine's Killer Zebras, Bitter Chocolate Death, Lemon Lust, cherry tarts, the dramatic pudding known as The Death of Marat, and Sunshine's Eschatology are just a few of the bakery offerings for which you'll want the recipe.

Book Review: Pegasus

This relatively new book is very similar in style to Robin McKinley's early works...until you get to the end.

In the world created within these pages, it is traditional for two peoples--the humans and the pegasi--to create a bond between carefully selected individuals in order for the races to better understand each other.

This is the story of a princess and her pegasus, and the secret that they uncover.

I didn't care for the ending at all--it was too abrupt, and didn't fully resolve things--but it was interesting until that point. However, the ending makes all the pages before it seem like wasted time, so I can't recommend this one wholeheartedly.

Book Review: The Blue Sword

Those of you who love Robin McKinley are no doubt already acquainted with The Blue Sword, as it is one of her very early works. However, I had the opportunity to discover it for the first time this past December, and fell completely in love.

This high-adventure tale has all the elements neccessary for a really good story: swordfights, kidnapping, danger, excitement, romance, and compelling characters. I loved it so much, I bought a copy online before I'd even finished reading the library copy. Highly recommended.

Book Review: Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits

Another excellent story collection by husband-and-wife team Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, Fire brings together tales of such things as salamanders, hellhounds, and the Phoenix. Some of my favorite short stories included Dave's Wood (Dickinson), Hellhound (McKinley)--possibly the best story in the book, and Salamander Man (Dickinson), although I enjoyed them all. This one also includes a story about McKinley's Damar, entitled A Pool in the Desert. This anthology is even better than their previous endeavor, Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits!

Book Review: Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits

This four-star collection of six short stories by husband-and-wife collaborators Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson is imaginative, satisfying, and extremely well-told. The tales are filled with mer-folk, sea serpents, water horses, and more, however, these are not your average mermaid tales. The rendering of the various worlds of the merfolk abound with rich descriptions, satsifying plots, and variety. Personal favorites among these stories included Water Horse (McKinley), Kraken (Dickinson), and The Sea-King's Son (McKinley). This last one surfaces as an unusual retelling of McKinley's favorite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. Excellent! [266 pages.]

Book Review: The Door in the Hedge

This collection of four short stories is great to curl up with on a rainy day with a good cup of tea. Along with two original tales by Robin McKinley, it also has her renditions of "The Princess and the Frog" and "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." Very enjoyable!

Book Review: Beauty

This version of Beauty and the Beast is possibly one of the best-written books I've ever read, as well as being a perennial favorite of mine. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast is a fresh, more detailed take on the classic story, full of vibrant color and rich descriptions.

Book Review: The Outlaws of Sherwood

Robin McKinley's take on the classic story of Robin Hood is an exciting and unusual read. I'm most familiar with the Disney version of events, and while I was aware that Robin Hood was not really a fox, the ending was somewhat disappointing. (You mean there are consequences at the end of robbing the rich to feed the poor?) It was still an enjoyable book, however, and I will definitely be reading it again.

Book Review: Deerskin

Robin McKinley's Deerskin is loosely based on the fairy tale Donkeyskin by Charles Perrault. I absolutely loathed this book-- the storyline is centered around a wicked king who, in the grief over his wife's death, rapes his daughter, and the reader is forced to follow the princess's tedious, bloody, and graphic journey as she flees and heals from it.  I forced my way through the book only to make sure that I'd never wonder how it ended, and to destroy any possible desire to return to it and find out what had happened. This is a book I never want to read again.  While the book was mostly well-written, the subject matter prevented me from enjoying it.  The only things I liked about this book were the prince, who is rather a nice change from predictability, and the extensive descriptions of fleethounds.  Overall, this book was unsatisfactory.

Book Review: A Knot in the Grain

This is great for anyone who likes fairy tales or fantasy stories (especially girls, as the main characters in the stories are all women). Brought to you by the same author who wrote Beauty, Robin McKinley's five stories--including a Damar tale--are entertaining and well-written. This book is perfect for when you just want something lighthearted and fun, and contains a sneaky reference to Peter Dickinson in one of the stories!