Cybele's Secret byJuliet Marillier
"Wildwood Dancing" introduces us to five sisters who have managed to find their way through a portal into a Faerie Kingdom. At the end of the the story, the eldest sister remains in the kingdom, with the others seemingly barred from ever returning.
"Cybele's Secret picks up six years later with the scholarly sister Paula on a hunt in Istanbul with her father for an ancient artifact which supposedly brings good fortune to its owner. Paula begins to catch glimpses of a mysterious veiled woman who may be her sister and who passes cryptic messages to her about Cybele.
Marillier creates a strong character in Paula, who was very much a secondary character in "Wildwood Dancing." However, the plot concerning Cybele, is rather a weak one. The first part of the book offers only glimpses of who and what Cybele is. This in itself, might have been intriguing if only the second part of the book had followed through with a Cybele worthy of the build-up. But after a harrowing ocean trip, journey through the jungle, and a descent into an Otherworld where the main characters must undergo a bizarre series of tests the payoff seems disappointing.
Not a bad book - readers may enjoy the romantic angle - but not a great one.

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Where to start with Smekday? Okay. The earth is invaded by a bunch of aliens called Boovs. The Boovs generously "give" Americans Florida so that they can have the rest of the country. When eleven-year-old Gratuity Tucci's mom is taken by the Boovs to be a translator, she decides that she will drive to Florida by herself with only a cat named pig for company. Along the way, they meet a Boov who calls himself J.Lo (he's been hiding out in the magazine section of a store). J. Lo is on the lam from other Boovs, although Gratuity doesn't know this at first. Eventually, when another group of aliens called Gorgs arrive, J.Lo has to admit that he accidentally sent out radio signals to the Gorg. The Gorgs are much worse than the Boov and will not only kill all humans but will completely destroy the planet. But Gratuity, with the help of J.Lo and Pig manage to save the day.

At over 400 pages, there are alot of detours into side adventures, meeting with quirky characters, and lots of humour. But Gratuity and J. Lo are always at the heart of the story, their initial fear and antagonism gradually giving way to respect and frlendship. A fine book whose story and characters will remain with the reader long after the last page is finished.