Monday, November 14, 2011

Book Review: Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Medusa Girls #1
Published: September 6, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins Imprint)
345 pages (hardcover)
Genre: Young adult urban fantasy
Acquired this book: From the library
Warning: may include spoilers
Rating: 5 stars
Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster. 

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sweet Venom was so good! I’d heard a lot about it, and I’m so glad my library got it fairly soon after its release. This book had a bit of everything – action, humour, suspense, and a little bit of romance…or more accurately, potential for romance.

The story is told alternately between Gretchen, Grace, and Greer. They are all very likable, well-developed characters who are completely unique, but whose personalities compliment each other.

Grace was my favorite character. She was sweet, a little on the nerdy side, a bit unsure of herself, and she just wanted to fit in. She came from a great family – adoptive parents and an adopted brother – but was the most excited when she discovered she was a triplet and was part of a biological family. There was something so innocent about her, even when she started seeing monsters and discovered her heritage.

Gretchen is this tough, kick-ass, independent girl whose life is all about being a huntress. She doesn’t allow herself to have friends or a boyfriend because they don’t really mix with her lifestyle of monster fighting.

Greer is a snobby, self-important, shallow girl who goes to a great school, is popular, has a hot boyfriend, and a seemingly perfect life. Except that her parents (who never bothered to tell her she was adopted) are almost completely absent from her life, and when it comes right down to it, despite being popular she doesn’t really have any friends. When Gretchen and Grace find her and tell her they’re her sisters and the three of them are descendants of Medusa, she thinks they’re crazy and she doesn’t want anything to do with them.

It was interesting watching all three girls grow throughout the story, both separately and together.

I love how the story wound elements of Greek mythology into the modern-day world. I’ve always been interested in mythology, but haven’t read any fiction where it was part of the storyline, and I think Childs did a fantastic job. She took a great, unique concept and executed it with style.

The cliffhanger ending had me itching me for the next book in the series. There are so many unanswered questions, which means such great potential for the sequel. I’m curious to find out what happens to the girls, how the romances will evolve, what role Grace’s adopted brother plays, and so many other things.

~Marie

2 comments:

  1. My favorite is Gretchen! That girl is so badass. The boys in the story were quite mysterious too. I hope we get to know them more in the next book. And that ending! OMG I believe it's the most exciting ending I've read all year :D Great review!

    Oh. I L-O-V-E Greek mythology YA novels. It all started when I read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. After that I was hooked. These are some of my favorites: Starcrossed by Josephine Angeline, Abandon by Meg Cabot, and the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep.

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  2. I really can't wait to read this book. From the way you describe the sisters, I bet I will end up liking either Grace or Gretchen the best. And I'm psyched that you thought the mythology angle was wound in really well! I am adding this to my 2012 TBR. :) Wonderful review, Marie!

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Thanks for visiting Ramblings of a Daydreamer! I love hearing what you have to say, and I appreciate every single comment. I hope to see you here again soon! ♥
~Marie

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