Melissa "Dog/Wolf Lover" Martin's Reading & Ramblings: The Awakening of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie

Friday, March 25, 2016

The Awakening of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie

Having passed her test in Book One, Sunshine’s Luiseach powers are now fully awakened: for months now, Sunshine has felt spirits everywhere: heard voices, felt emotions – intense and sometimes overwhelming. She tries to ignore them, but it is impossible. Hoping to get her powers under control – and hoping for answers to her never-ending questions – she agrees to undergo training with her Luiseach mentor, even though she still hopes to give up her powers someday.

She and her mentor clash left and right; he doesn’t understand or approve of her attachment to the humans in her life; and she can’t understand how he could give her up so many years ago, only to endanger her mother’s life as part of a test.

Sunshine’s training is every bit as terrifying and creepy as her test was, and along the way she meets and befriends another young Luiseach, forcing her to confront her feelings for Nolan. Though her mentor is reluctant to answer her many questions, she finally learns more about her lineage, as well as the rift that threatens the future of Luiseach and the human race... and the crucial part she has to play in repairing it. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

4 STARS

Sixth-period biology isn't where most people expect to see a ghost, but I'm not like most people. After making a note about the genetic similarities of rhesus monkeys to humans, I look up to see the old lady standing in the corner of our classroom who clearly doesn't belong there. She's short and at least ninety years old. Or maybe, I should say, she was at least ninety. She's wearing a pink terrycloth robe with embroidered flowers along the neckline. Her eyes are intense, small and sunken into her skull. She doesn't blink as she stares at me, and it sends shivers along my spine. Quickly I glance around the room to reassure myself I'm the only one who sees this. No on is acting like we have a sudden, oddly dressed guest lecturer, so I know she's a ghost. I'm the only one who can see her, and she needs my help.

Sunshine is a Luiseach, which means she helps spirits pass on and she can fight some of the demons that try to take them as well. She has a protector named Nolan, but he's not the fight em' kind of protector, he basically finds out things for her to try to help her along.

In this book, Sunshine meets her absentee father Aidan, but there is a very good reason he left her at birth with the wonderful mother that adopted her. <--- Read the book.

Sunshine seems to be having some trouble with ghosts and she's in danger from a woman, so her dad comes in to whisk her away. Seeing as how they are not human, he shows Sunshine's mom some of the things that have happened through his touch so she lets her go with him. He's going to train Sunshine in being able to handle more ghosts and try to keep her safe from the person that wants to harm her. They find out that Sunshine has more powers than they originally thought which I thought was cool.

There is two sightings of this creepy man in the book that reminded me of the dude in Poltergeist 2. He doesn't say anything, he just gives evil looks so I'm not sure what's up with him and maybe he will come out in another book. I think there is a third book coming out. I hope!

There are a few creepy things that go on in the book. I found the book to be interesting and I'm hoping to learn more about Sunshine and some of the other characters.

"Luiseach," I say quietly. "Luiseach." I repeat the word, louder this time. "It's an ancient species of guardians who've been around as long as humans have been living and dying. It's their job to help spirits move on after people die. And to exorcise spirits who've gone dark."