Sweet Venom [Paperback]

When I hear the word `Medusa' it immediately conjures up the famous Ray Harryhausen snake haired creature from the original Clash of the Titans movie. SWEET VENOM by Tera Lynn Childs' version bears little resemblance. Instead, she imagines teenage monster hunters who are the only ones who can see the mythological beasties that prey on humanity. No snake hair. No serpent bodies. No turning people to stone with a glance. These descendants of Medusa have lethal venom laced fangs, the ability to hypnotize with their eyes, and three powers uniquely theirs.

Gretchen, Grace, and Greer are the three monster hunters who were separated at birth. All three do have very distinct personalities, which I appreciated, but those distinctions all kiss the cliché line more than I would like. Gretchen is the tough and jaded one who has been fighting monsters for years on her own. She's super sarcastic and supremely unimpressed with everything. She took a long time for me to warm up to and is responsible for the less than stellar start in SWEET VENOM. Grace is the sweet, brainy sister. She's big into computers and not so much into sticking up for herself. Greer is the sister we meet towards the end of the book. She's the socialite snob who is more concerned with not ruining her shoes than with the monsters attacking them.

Imagine teenaged Charmed but with Greek Mythology and you get SWEET VENOM. Not all the sisters endeared themselves to me, but the mythological ride was a fun one. I also really liked the guys in this book, two of whom clearly have big secrets they are keeping. In fact, I would have loved to read a whole book just about Grace and her mysterious older brother. Fair warning about the ending. I wouldn't even call it a cliff hanger since the story doesn't really get started until the end. The whole book is about the sisters finding each other, accepting their fate, and deciding to work together. The rescue mission, answers, romances, and fights will all have to wait for the next book in the Medusa Girls series which will be published in 2012. I had enough fun with this debut that I'll be looking forward to it.

Sexual Content:
References to sexual activity

I didn't start to really get into this book until about  of the way through, which was disappointing. It's not that the story was lacking or the characters were dull it's just that it lacked excitement for me. I absolutely love love LOVE Grace and Thane. I looked forward to a chapter when I saw it was told from Grace's point of view but Greer absolutely annoyed me (until the very end) and Gretchen was OK. Though, I liked Gretchen's situation with her `love' interest, Nick. Some can say he would be annoying but he also is very motivated to go after what he wants and honestly, you have to respect that.

I'm kind of bummed. Now that I got all into the book and was excited for what was happening, the book ended. Now I have to wait and hope the next book (SWEET SHADOWS) continues with the excitement the book finally delivered.

I love all the Greek Mythology involved in this book and I just know we'll be seeing so much more in the next book to come, and that really gets me bouncy with anticipation. I love the idea of Medusa and the fact that her true story was fabricated and now it's what we all believe. With the opening chapter, when she mentioned she was wearing sunglasses I just assumed it was to prevent her from killing someone accidentally but I like what Tera Lynn Childs did much better.

I feel like the minority who didn't really enjoy this book, which is weird for me. I usually like practically anything you place in front of me. It's not that I hated this, because I didn't...but I just didn't care for it. It's not one I'd pay for to own. Though, I am glad I read it so if you're looking for a fantasy novel that is much different from vampires, werewolves, faeries, etc then you should pick up a copy of this book. If anything, it's a quick read.

Told in alternating voices between the three sisters, Sweet Venom is the beginning of a new series for young adults about triplets Gretchen, Grace and Greer: sixteen-year-old descendents of the misunderstood Gorgon, Medusa, who are destined to spend their lives as huntresses, sending monsters who cross into the human realm to hunt back to where they belong. At the outset of the novel, only Gretchen is aware of her role as a monster hunter. Unaware that she even has a sister, let alone two identical twins, Gretchen encounters Grace, a recent transplant to San Francisco, by chance and is surprised to find that the girl who looks just like her also seems to have the ability to see monsters. It seems that San Francisco, the setting of the novel, is home to a gap between the monster realm and the human realm. Monsters roam the city disguised as humans, and only the three huntresses have the ability to see their true forms and, using their fangs, dispatch the monsters. At first, Grace is excited to meet her twin, but wary of training with the Rambo-like Gretchen to fight minotaurs, draeconas, and other "beasties." When Grace and Gretchen discover they have a third sister, Greer, it seems that they've stumbled upon more than they bargained for about the truth of their heritage and their role in securing the safety of the human realm.

Fans of Greek mythology will relish the first installment of the Medusa Girls trilogy by veteran author Tera Lynn Childs. Full of references to the residents of Mount Olympus (apparently, Athena was jealous of Medusa and fabricated the whole "snake haired killer" scenario), ancient monsters, oracles and more, this novel offers a fun and fresh take on some very old characters. Told in alternating voices between the three sisters, the plot constantly moves forward, making for an engaging and quick read. The author does a good job of introducing enough of the plot points to keep the reader interested, while also leaving some details to be unraveled in the second and third installments of the trilogy. The San Francisco setting of the story is also very pleasing for Bay Area residents, as the city itself plays a large role in the story. Childs has also been able to successfully create three sixteen-year-old female protagonists who manage to not tread into "annoying" territory very often. The meek but kind Grace makes a good contrast to the seasoned Gretchen. Greer doesn't make her appearance until well into the novel, but also manages to be an interesting character as well. Overall, a good start to an interesting series.

As a fan of Greek mythology, I was really excited to hear about a book that incorporates one of my favorite mythical leading ladies, Medusa, into the story. I was not disappointed in the resulting novel, which takes this rather gruesome myth and turns it into an engaging book for young adults. I really appreciate that Sweet Venom is not only entertaining, but also an opportunity for readers who are not as well-versed in Greek mythology to learn more. I am really looking forward to the next installment in the Medusa Girls!

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