Sunshine by Robin McKinley

After the Voodoo Wars, life went on, but monsters lurk in corners. Sunshine is happy being the baker at Charlie's, her stepfather's restaurant. It isn't exciting, but she has a comfortable life, and she thought that it would be enough. Everything changes when she is kidnapped by vampires. Though she manages to escape, going back to her ordinary life may be impossible, and her time as a captive continues to haunt her. Slowly, she must learn about her heritage and who she truly wants to be - assuming that she can survive what's coming.

This is told from Sunshine's point of view, which gives it a wry tone even though the story is often a bit dark. It felt a little bit slow to me, particularly since there are often asides with further explanations of how magic functions in that world. However, I did enjoy reading this book and it's an interesting way of approaching a reluctant human-vampire cooperation. I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy books with magic in alternate realities or serious, dangerous vampires.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Enthralled, Howl's Moving Castle, Morganville Vampires, or Tantalize

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Quincie Morris is a relatively ordinary high school senior in Austin, but her life is rather busy. Her parents founded an Italian restaurant which she and her uncle have been running since their deaths. But to make it more interesting, they've decided to completely remodel to reopen with a vampire theme. Unfortunately, they have to find a new "vampire" chef in a hurry and turn him into a Dark Lord for the melodramatic aspect of the restaurant. As if that isn't enough stress, her half-werewolf best friend is unavailable as he deals with the difficulties of coming-of-age, leaving Quincie wondering where they stand. Will Quincie be able to deal with all the issues in her personal life and still pull off a perfect opening night at the restaurant?

This was definitely an interesting book. The characters, particularly Quincie, are well-developed and realistic. I thought the actual plot was a little odd - the ending seemed a little unfinished somehow, although it's obviously meant to be a bit silly. In general, I'd recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy fluffy stories or stories about the supernatural in real life.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Twilight, or The Wish List