Sweet Venom

Medusa Girls #1

by Tera Lynn Childs

Three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful Gorgon maligned in myth, must reunite and embrace their fates.

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, 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. . . .

Genres: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Romance

345 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2011

About the author

Tera Lynn Childs may pretend to be a goddess, but she’s really just a normal person. Well, maybe not normal. She is a writer, after all. Her works include the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romance series, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae fantasy series. Tera currently parks her laptop in the Seattle area and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Learn more about her magical realms and find behind-the-book extras at teralynnchilds.com.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1) by Tera Lynn Childs is a uniquely different take on mythological creatures and super heroes. Our heroes are descendants of Medusa, although the stories are all wrong about her but this story sets it right, lol. They fight creatures of evil that come to our realm. They hid their try identity with glamour. Only they they can see the true creatures. It is really a fun read. There are boy trouble with this too. The Medusa prophecy also says the girls guardians come in triplets. That is when it really gets wild. There are also other secret things going on. There is lots of action, lots of mini mysteries, fun silly things that keep things going strong, humor, emotions, and it is just a fun action story. Lots of fun all the way around. Going in my favorite folder! Immediately looked up the next two books online at the library so I had those!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to go ahead and make a point to say that when an author is going to narrate a story from 3 different first person POVs, that it is imperative for the voices to be so distinct that it is impossible to blend the characters together.

Childs accomplishes this perfectly in this novel. Greer, Gretchen, and Grace are so different and their voices are so unique that the characterization isn't just in the description of their clothes and their actions, but in the word choice and their tone. In addition, Childs takes on the old adage of nature versus nurture, especially with Greer and Gretchen, who are on complete opposite ends on the nurturing scale based on their respective lives. It is impossible for me to choose which of the girls are my favorite, because I can relate to them all in different ways, which is another great aspect of Childs' story construction.

I love Greek Mythology as it is, and frankly, Medusa used to scare the bejeezes out of me. However, that is all Athena's doing, right? Anyway, this fresh take on the gorgons and their importance to mythology is so unique.

Now, to the male characters in the story: Thane, Grace's strong, silent type brother, is shrouded in mystery which provides just enough intrigue to carry a secondary plot, but doesn't overshadow the girls' discovery of their destiny and their budding relationships. I personally think Thane would be a great match for Greer, granted, it would be odd for him to date someone who looks identical to his stepsister, Grace.

Nick, another hilarious mystery, I say hilarious because his snarky comments and his capability to get under Gretchen's skin amused me throughout the entire story. I can't quite figure Nick out, which I'm sure is the point, but I can't help but want to slap Gretchen upside the head and see the subtle hints in front of her that he JUST might be helping her out with these monsters. Plus, *SPOILER ALERT* I firmly believe that it was Nick that called to warn Gretchen at the end.

Milo, oh, Milo. Milo would probably be the boy I would have been completely in love during high school. He is cute, sweet, and has just the right amount of flirtiness with Grace so it doesn't make him seem overly pushy or sketchy. I'd like to make the assumption that he is the "safe" male character here, but I feel with this story, no one is quite what they seem. So I won't keep in my "perfect male specimen" box.

*SPOILER ALERT*

Overall, the only complaint I have about the story is that I really wanted to know what happened with Grace and Greer and their respective attackers at the end that they managed to get to Gretchen's in time to save her. However, I was reading an ARC, so maybe the final copy has these details.

Oh wait! One more complaint, WHY WASN'T IT LONGER?!?!?! I just didn't want to leave Grace, Greer, and Gretchen's world. (Creepy monsters and all.)

[TL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddyread with Melissa :)

2.5 stars
It started off good for me, I loved the concept of and them being descendants of Medusa. The writing was just okay but I was enjoying myself and pressed on.

In some cases I don't mind secret keeping but in this one it annoyed me alot of the time (the secret of them hunting monsters I can understand)... the 'love interests' for two of the girls I didn't care for. Milo was sweet but bland and Nick, I wanted to smack him sometimes.

Greer, bit of a bitch when we first meet her but considering all the stuff going on and her just finding out, I didn't blame her but she never really grew on me.

The one part before ending felt rushed and flat... the last pages redeemed that a little bit but overall I was 'meh' about it.

The Greek Mythology stuff is a bit overused but if done right, it can pretty pretty great. The angle in this one was a fun idea and I did enjoy those parts and them learning about their heritage/powers.

It's not a bad one but not great for me either *shrugs* I don't regret reading it but not interested in continuing the series.

[Sophie Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!! I'm lucky to have read it early!! Wonderful!!! Can't wait for the next book!

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew I wanted to read this book because I'm a HUGE Greek mythology junkie, but I didn't expect to love it this much!

Tera Lynn Childs took a well-known myth about a seemingly villainous girl with snakes for hair and turned it into something golden! Sweet Venom was well-written, well-crafted, and well-everything else. I had a blast reading this original portrayal of Medusa and cool mythological beasties.

You'd think it'd be hard to tell the triplets apart since their names were so similar, but it actually wasn't! Each of their first person narratives reflected their distinct personalities enough that I had no trouble at all. (And I adored how they were all brought together for the first time.)

Grace was the sweet, caring, eco-conscious optimist (and admittedly my favourite of the three); Gretchen was the fierce and attitude-driven huntress; and Greer was the slightly snobbish but still completely likable high-class girl. It was cool to see how their different pasts shaped them. I loved each of the sisters, and I loved each of the side characters too! (Especially Thane. ♥ Nick and Milo were awesome too!)

Overall, Sweet Venom was a fun and fresh series starter that I would definitely recommend! The quick and action-packed storyline made it so easy to read in one sitting, and the sweet romances kept me doubly entertained. I can't wait until book two comes out! :)

BUY or BORROW?: Greek mythology lover or not, Sweet Venom is a must-read! Buy it!

(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grace is a shy, sweet girl who can't stand up for herself.
Gretchen is a tough, specially trained monster hunter who takes crap from no one.
They look just like each other.
When these two meet, their lives will never be the same, as Grace discovers she's a descendent from the Greek Gorgon Medusa and her destiny is to protect the world from monsters. Gretchen takes up the job of teaching her the ropes, while trying not to think about her own mentor who has been missing for several weeks now.
Grace and Gretchen must try and work together to find a way to rescue Gretchen's mentor Ursula, while keeping boy trouble and monster trouble under control.

I read this as a book club book and I wasn't expecting much with it.

The concept was decently original, except for the heavily overused 'Greek Mythology' gimmick. However, the characters, plot, and storyline were flawed big time.

Grace was an irritating, self-conscious dork, Nick was a stalker, Greer was a bitch, and Milo was an ear molester. Gretchen was good in some parts, but even she had issues when it came to Nick.
The so-called 'romance' with Grace and Milo, and Gretchen and Nick was completely unrealistic. Normal boys don't act like that, unless they're stalkers like Nick who somehow obtains Gretchen's phone number without her permission and pesters her like an excited goat. If a guy did that to me, I'd be bitch-slapping that mothafucka into next week.

Anyway, let's move on to the next relationship.

Milo was the sweetest, most concerned, devilishly cute, and only has eyes for Grace.



Psh, yeah right. Uh, I'm pretty sure most guys aren't all touchy-feely the first time he meets you. Especially if that guy is a sports dude, and you're his new friend's little sister.

Grace, Gretchen, and Greer all had a severe case of talking-to-yourself syndrome. It's okay to do it sometimes, but you don't have to have a flipping conversation with yourself whenever you're alone.
I mean, I know, I'm a hypocrite for saying that because I talk to myself all the time. (It's quite a bad habit, actually) But in a book, it's just...annoying.

I would recommend this to someone who likes Greek Mythology and isn't turned off by unrealistic cutesy scenes and self-conscious characters.

[Mizuki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is somewhere between 1.5 to 2 stars, it's not the worst YA I'd ever read--the honor goes to Collen Houck's and Aprilynn Pike's YA series--- but Sweet Venom brings nothing new to the table and reading this book is like eating fast food, you ain't going to get anything of value out of it.

The characters are flat and there's no character growth for them. One of the love interests is too stalker-ish NOT to have any hidden agenda beyond him. And one of the sisters, Grace, is an annoying goody-two-shoes who has no backbone.

Okay, I can deal with stereotyped, flat characters IF ONLY the story is good; but sadly not only the Greek myth aspects look like they are only being randomly thrown into the book without any deeper meaning beyond them, also the author had clumsily inserted too many 'mysteries' into the story and in the end hardly any of those mysteries are properly explained. I didn't expect every single question to be answered in Book 1, but still...it would have been nice to see the answers to some of the questions, right?

Nap, we don't even get a hint.

My reaction: What? I read through the whole book only to be smirked at by this "READ THE NEXT BOOK!" sign at the very end?

Yuck.

As a whole, this book feels very shallow and poorly planned to me. It actually makes The Mortal Instruments series (by Cassandra Clare) look well planned and thoughtfully written. How sad.

Suggestion: If you want to read YA about Medusa and Greek myths, read Darkness Becomes Her instead. DBH has its own share of flaws, but comparing DBH with Sweet Venom, the former is better written and it looks a lot less shallow in my eyes.

[Nenia ✨ I yeet my books back and forth ✨ Campbell]

Remember when this book came out during the paranormal YA craze??

It's only $2.99 now!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who used to read Tera Lynn Childs' books when they were in middle school, this definitely took me back. I used to be so obsessed with how she incorporated Greek mythology with modern day teens, so this didn't fail me in that sense. This was a really interesting take on the gorgons and, even though the beginning was a little slow, it kept me intrigued the whole time! Just a nice girl power book to read! Will probably continue the series?

[Mary Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5 stars

One shouldn’t really judge a book by its cover but I thought the sleek style of SWEET VENOM was attention-grabbing. When I read the description, I was even more intrigued. It seemed to speak of shocks and surprises, interesting details and battles. Perhaps in reading the summary while looking at the cover, I was too confused and created expectations in my mind of what I would read and what I would enjoy from the book.

Here’s what it is:

SWEET VENOM tells the story of three girls – triplets, it would seem – descended from the not-so-mythological creature, Medusa, whose public persona has been destroyed thanks to Athena in the olden days. Gretchen is the tough one, the one who knows what lurks in the shadows and it is her job to send the various mythological creatures roaming San Francisco back into their own world. Grace is the quiet one, the shy girl that moves to San Francisco with her family and with a need to be something more. Greer is the sophisticated one, the one who lives in her perfect bubble of rules and parties.

There are fights.

There is potential romance.

There is confusion but rightfully so considering two of the girls have no idea what these creatures are and well, none of them knew they were part of a trio.

Here’s what it isn’t and what it is instead:

It’s not too thrilling, which is what I expected. To be honest, I went into this book thinking I’d get a dark and dizzying journey of three girls coming together and battling the odds (and strange creatures). What it is, instead, is an almost humorous account of three very different lives being forced to come together in the oddest of circumstances.

It doesn’t focus on the three girls together for a while. There are individual stories that get told, from various perspectives, and it takes a while for the girls to find each other and realize what’s happening.

Here’s what I’m thinking:

After I finished this book, I could appreciate it for what it was. It’s a very carefree-type tale of girls in high school and how supposed duties are mixed in with real life. I think my expectations caused me to dislike the book more than I should have, which is a shame, because it is a fun type of read. I thought Grace was adorable and related to her the most out of the three girls. Character-wise, I don’t think there are any stand-out performances regarding how they are written though the secondary characters intrigued me more than the three girls sometimes. Greer’s surfer-like boyfriend, Gretchen’s missing mentor, Grace’s brother and, my favorite of all, Milo – the boy Grace is interested in.

I’m not sure if the fact that I focused more on the secondary characters rather than the girls is a problem with the main characters or a point of brilliance that made those normally in the background stand out. Again, I think, perhaps, my own thoughts going into the book caused me to look for more – both in the characters and in the story. I often felt let down, not because the writing was bad (because it’s not) but because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and I kept flipping the pages expecting more – more thrills, more pizzazz, more something, but it never came.

At least until the end.

It’s clear that SWEET VENOM is the first of a series (whether it’s a trilogy or more, I’m not particularly certain) but what happens at the end of SWEET VENOM is one of the things I usually dislike in series or trilogies. It’s a cliffhanger. I find books in a series to be more gratifying when there is a full story that alludes to more coming (re: SHATTER ME by Tahareh Mafi). I’m sure many readers enjoy cliffhangers and want to spend the time in-between books thinking of possibilities but it always makes me feel like a story is lacking when there is no beginning, middle, and end.

An interesting read, truly, so long as you don’t go in with expectations garnered from a dark cover and a description that makes connections that aren’t truly there.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three sisters. Three different lives. Three very different personalities. Oh and they’re all living descendants if the Gorgan Medusa. Gretchen, Grace and Greer are triplet sisters. All separated as a child to keep them safe. Gretchen the strongly fighter hunts monsters that come from another realm and banishes them right back. She finds herself being pursued by Nick, her classmate from science class who doesn’t take no for an answer.

Grace is a computer nerd who lives with her loving adopted parents and brother Thane. They move from quiet suburban Orangval to San Francisco. Here, Grace meets a friend, Vail who is one feisty chick that talks back to queen bee Megan. Thane’s friend Milo drops by and Grace can’t help but have a crush on the guy.


Then there’s Greer, who’s the queen bee of her school and dates a surfer. Her two sisters show up at her door telling her she’s in danger. Greer doesn’t believe them and tells them to leave her alone. That’s until Greer sees monsters on her own.


This book had an original plot that I really enjoyed. A kickass twist on Medusa’s tale, I was thoroughly entertained. I did wish something happened though. The development was slow but I guess this book was just the beginning of the series, and it had to describe the journey of finding all the sisters. Overall an enjoyable read. I loved having the three point of views from the three different sisters. It showed various opinions and I quite love how they’re all different.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only made it a couple chapters in before bouncing out of this story. The premise is intriguing, but everything else seems so ordinary and stereotypical. I've only met Grace and Gretchen, but if I tell you "tough combat chick" and "shy computer mouse" you already know everything I do about the characters after pages of exposition. Add a dead-common mean-girl welcome to the new school and I find myself completely uninterested in going long enough to find if the premise works out.

[Colleen Houck]

Love it! Triplets? That is just awesome. Definitely looking forward to the rest of this series. Each sister was very different and seeing them interact was really cool. Also loved the monsters and can't wait to see how the budding romances play out. Excellent beginning to a series. So excited to continue.

[Jodi Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC.

We all know the story about Medusa, the snake-headed gorgon who Perseus killed. And how her gaze would turn someone into stone.

Or do we?

In SWEET VENOM, Medusa and her gorgon sisters have been maligned in myth. Ever since Medusa's assassination, her descendants have been fighting monsters that escape their prison by way of a crack in the seal between worlds, left there by one of those pesky gods (of course). Once in our world, the monsters disguise themselves as humans. Only descendants of Medusa can see their true forms.

The book begins with Gretchen biting a hydra to send it back to its world. That's totally normal.

Then Grace moves to San Francisco and begins seeing monsters. That's less normal. Grace's life is not supposed to have monsters.

Things quickly get even more complicated: Gretchen's mentor goes missing, one of the boys at school is immune to their hypnotic eyes, and . . . they have a third sister, Greer.

The rules of their monster-fighting world are changing. Something big is going on, and it has to do with the seal between worlds.

This is Tera's third series (following OH. MY. GODS. and FORGIVE MY FINS), once again centering on Greek mythology. Tera always amazes me with her knowledge, flawless prose, and fresh look at a popular subject. This book is no exception. And while you might worry that a story about triplets could have them all behaving the same, this never happens. Not once. Each girl has a distinct voice, her own personality, and unique reactions to the world they live in.

If you like Tera's other books? Read this one.

If you're craving a book about kick-butt monster-fighters? Read this one.

[Euridice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un Libro interesante, una manera distinta de ver a medusa y las gorgonas de la mitologista.

el hecho de que sean 3 hermanas tiene sentido, todo el drama del Olimpo gira en torno a ciclos y tríos.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Venom had pretty much everything that I love in a book-- awesome plot line, tons of action, wonderfully likable characters, humor that made me giggle throughout, and a small helping of sweet romance on the side. This was my first ever mythology book, and I definitely was not disappointed!


So let's talk about the main characters. There are three girls in this book-- Grace, Gretchen and Greer-- all who turn out to be sisters, or triplets actually. I loved every one of them because they were each unique and interesting in their own individual ways. Grace was sort of klutzy and insecure, but with a kind heart, Gretchen was the kick-butt martial arts girl who has a sweet, vulnerable side under her tough exterior, and Greer was the prissy little rich girl, who ends up being really funny and endearing at the same time. Every sister was multidimensional and stood out on her own. Furthermore, the story is shared between all three of them with their different perspectives, and they each had their own voice, so I was never confused as to who I was reading about from chapter to chapter.


The narrative definitely flowed well and was excitingly fast-paced. Sometimes I can get a little leery about reading a book with multiple perspectives because the story can get choppy and confusing, but this was not a problem in this book at all. In this case, reading from the POVs of all three sisters made the story unique and interesting. Also, for someone who doesn't know anything about Greek mythology beyond whatever I learned in 6th grade, the story and events were explained well and I never felt like I was lost. I really loved this story because it was fun, full of action, and had tons of humor sprinkled in throughout. And THEN there was the ending-- whoa, I was NOT expecting that!! Talk about a cliff hanger, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!


So basically, Sweet Venom is definitely a must-read, and if you don't have this on your TBR list yet I highly, highly recommend adding it because it will rock your socks off. I mean, rock them right off. I had so much fun reading it and can't say enough good things about it. Really, seriously, you NEED to read this book because it was absolutely amazing!

Lea @ LC's Adventures in Libraryland

[Devann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably more of a 2.5 but I decided to round down because there wasn't anything I found particularly engaging about the story. It's well written and it's a great concept, but the characters and overall feel are just so standard YA that it ends up feeling like a million other books I've already read when it should be something new and unique. I love the idea of the descendants of Medusa hunting monsters but I feel like the majority of the time in this novel was spent focusing on them going to school or dealing with their families or ~cute boys~ [yes I know, it's YA, what did I honestly expect]. It's definitely a solid start for anyone who has more patience for that kind of thing, but I thought it moved very slowly and the girls were pretty two-dimensional overall.

[Kim Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. It's sweet, sassy, and incredibly adventurous. Review to come.

[Jonababez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE IT! A VERY CREATIVE TWIST OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY! AND DEFINITELY FUNNY!!! ALSO AN ACTION-PACKED ADVENTURE BOOK!!!

Who would have thought to create a twist in the story of Medusa? But we all know that she is a very interesting character, right? What I only know about her is she's a beautiful maiden turned to a snake-haired monster that makes men turned to stone whenever they look in her eyes. She's scary right? And this book is about her three teenage descendants. I really liked how the book started, with a kick-ass heroine who kills monster, Gretchen. Then come Grace, who also looks like her, but new to town and also new to the fact that she has a sister and she has special abilities like Gretchen. The third girl is Greer, a sophisticated and rich girl, but also didn't know her origin. So they were shocked to know that they were triplets and very much identical. I really like how the book define the three girls, I really felt how different they are with each other. I will not spoil much the details, just a brief description of their different qualities. :)

This book is really cool! There are so many monsters they've encountered, I can't actually enumerate all of them! But I'm a bit familiar with them because I read all YA books with greek mythology. The romance part is cute, and very little. But it's ok, since the adventure is so much fun! Of course there are cute boys for each of them! I'm definitely looking forward for the next book because there are so many questions left unanswered and mysteries that have not been revealed yet.

Two-thumbs up for this book, I definitely recommend it to all the lovers of greek mythology! :)

[Melissa **Just Really Loves Musicals** · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*
Another one of our monthly buddy reads with TL :D

This book was a lot of fun to read. It was such an easy-going, light read, but also really interesting and exciting. The plot consists of 3 sisters, descendants of Medusa, who didn't know they were triplets until they find each other, and then have to work out why things are changing, why monsters are becoming more of a problem in the city than usual etc. Not only do they have to work together to understand what's going on with the prophecy and their new-found fate, but they also have to come to terms with having 2 new sisters that they never knew about.

I really liked the characters, especially Grace. She was such a sweet, normal girl, who just didn't ever expect something like this to happen to her. I liked Gretchen too, although found her a little cold sometimes. Greer was annoying, but I liked how she was in the end. Also, Greer is my number one favourite girls name in the world, so I enjoyed her for that reason too.

I also am extremely interested in both Nick and Milo. I hope they play a bigger role in the next book. Thane was also such an intriguing character! I really want to know why he was acting so strange at times! And the ending! Cliffhanger! Who was on the phone???

I'm so surprised at how much fun this book was, and I am looking forward to reading book 2 sometime soon.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not awesome, not bad....somewhere in the middle.
I guess I'd recommend this one to someone looking for a cute mythology-lite read?

[Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Venom was everything I expected it to be fast paced and action packed with just the right amount of hot boys and great storytelling! She also set it in San Francisco a place I am very familiar with and also mentions a place close to my hometown Orangevale which is pretty cool.




This story is told from three perspectives and while my favorite parts were Gretchen’s I grew to like Grace and Greer by the end of the book. Gretchen is a hard as nails girl whose main mission is sending these beasts back to where they came from. Grace is just finding herself and sometimes especially in the beginning I found her to be a bit whiny but like I said I grew to like her. Greer man when I first met this one I wanted to punch her in the face she was such a snob! She ended up growing on me anyways.




The boys in this one are very hot but also kind of vague I’m sure there’s more to them than meets the eye. I hope to find out more about them in book 2. I did really grow fond of Grace’s brother Thane he’s very strong and protective.




I really loved the use of mythology in this story being as I have studied and love Greek myth. I could imagine the putrid odors coming off the beasts and wanted to gag right along with Grace at her first scent of Minotaur. I can’t even imagine running into one of those let alone having to fight one! So if you love mythology and a story with some serious kick ass girls go get Sweet Venom when it hits the shelves October 4th!




Thanks Harper Teen for an advanced reading copy for review!

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

An OK, quick read, with interesting ideas, but that didn't grab me as much as I had hoped it would.

There are definitely high stakes here, with various characters who may hold even more secrets—and the three sisters aren't the only ones. I liked that the novel dealt with said sisters getting reunited and struggling with what they had discovered about each other, instead of having them immediatly accept it as normal. However, this also made for a first volume that was basically an introduction more than anything else: in the end, there's still no clue about why the monsters are popping more often, the bounty, Ursula, what's been happening behind the scenes, who's the actual villain/s, etc.

I also thought Greer popped up too late in the story (at the 50% mark or so), and it made for a much different dynamics than what the blurb led me to expect.

Special mention for Nick, who I definitely wanted to smack in the nuts and leave to grovel in pain on the side of the road. The guy was seriously a stalker, and "I can't take no for an answer" is a definite "get out of my sight real fast" signal as far as I'm concerned. Gretchen wasn't better in that regard—thinking she couldn't get involved because of her job as a huntress... Wasn't that a given anyway because the guy was, well, creepy and infuriating? If this is to become a romantic relationship, uh, no thanks.

I might check out voluem 2 if the library has it, because I'd like to know more about the overall plot, but... We'll see.

[Jackie "the Librarian" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another teen fantasy based on Greek Mythology, with a Buffy-esque feel. Grace moves to San Francisco, starts at a new private school, and discovers she has a twin and that there are mythological monsters running around that only she and her twin can see. Why? Because she's a descendent of Medusa, and it is her destiny to protect the world from the monsters. Except, something weird is going on, and there are way more monsters getting loose than usual.
Yawn...
Sorry, sorry, this book isn't really that bad, it's just more of the same. I'm bored (yes, me, bored, huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Robin McKinley/Patricia Wrede/Tamora Pierce fan that I am) with powerful warrior girls discovering they have a destiny. I guess it's not quite as overdone as vampires, but it's running a close second. It didn't help that this was all set up and no resolution.
This is a perfectly decent Percy Jackson/Buffy the Vampire Slayer mashup that could turn into a fun series.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to read a historical fiction mystery about Dickens without a single magical creature or vampire in sight.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro me llamo la atención por su trama principal.

Medusa siempre es la mala en las historias....pero si ella y sus hermanas, junto a sus descendientes fuesen guardianes de la humanidad?

El libro empieza bien, mostrandonos el punto de vista de Grace y Greechen en su día a día. Grace enfrentandose a un nuevo colegio con sus arpias correspondientes y Greechen luchando contra criaturas mitologicas de carne y hueso.

La historia avanza muy lentamente para mi gusto, dandonos muy poca información en relación a la trama principal sobre Medusa y sus descendientes. Algunas escenas de lucha son repetitivas. Se centra muy poco en la acción y más en el romance.

En resumen, me ha dejado con suficiente gusanillo para ver que pasa en el siguiente libro.

[Galla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, breezy read. I'd recommend it for anyone who's looking for a YA paranormal offering, especially if you like modern spins on Greek mythology. I would have given it a very solid 4-star rating, but it suffers from "setting up the rest of the books in the series" syndrome. The ending was abrupt; it felt like things had just gotten started in earnest when the curtain fell. Various plot threads were left dangling, such that the book ultimately came across as an extended prologue.

With that caveat, I'd still recommend it, and I will keep an eye out for future installments.

[Michele at A Belle's Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent, fast read and an unexpectedly short book. Then I took a moment to actually note the number: 345 pages? What? That’s not a short book! Then why did it feel as though only a short amount of time had passed from front cover to back? Because I INHALED this story. My poor, visiting family - here to spend time with me during the holidays, and once I began Sweet Venom, they completely had to fend for themselves. Sorry, Mom and Dad, but …MEDUSA!!!

I loved the sister aspect of this story. From personal experience, I don’t hold “sisters” in high regard, but I loved these sisters (and simultaneously prayed that, due to my own personal experiences, I won’t have any long lost sisters showing up on my doorstep…but I digress). These sisters are the descendents of Medusa, I mean, come on…how cool is that? I adored Gretchen and Grace. Especially Gretchen - her story was so intriguing, and she is incredibly strong, while still being likeable and engaging:

“Kevlar wrist cuffs in place, smoke bombs in left cargo pocket, zip ties in the right, and my handy-dandy, military-grade, metal detector-defying, twin APS daggers snug in their sheaths and hidden inside my steel-toe Doc Martens. Nothing like a well-stocked pair of black cargoes to make me feel girly.”

“For the first time, I want to let people in. I didn't want to hang up on Nick. I had to. Because, for the first time, I wanted to say yes."

I will have to warm a bit towards Greer, but her addition to the story was wonderful, and I can definitely appreciate her love/obsession with shoes. Sigh…jealous.

Mythology is so fascinating, and I’ve always loved reading about Medusa, but never more than I have in this book! What a brilliant twist!! I thoroughly enjoyed all the mythical beasties and the detail the author provided. I enjoyed even more the tough-as-nails heroines and the way they handled those beasties. The gifts these girls have are so extremely imaginative and refreshing. These are some pretty remarkable powers to possess. That, and everything else Tera created, is a breath of fresh air.

I’m quite fond of reading from different POV’s and was surprised at how easily they flowed. Kudos to Tera Lynn Childs for handling them in such a superb way.

The cover is just so appealing - it really drew me to the story. Not just the cover though, I thought the chapter pages were beautiful with their gorgeous swirls. Love that book eye-candy!

What an ending! It was incredible and action-packed, but I was in no way ready to stop reading there. I needed 345 more pages!!! I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I’m dying to know more about quiet Thane, charming Nick and “holy goalie” Milo! I admit Thane has me the most intrigued with his strong, silent ways and his alluring demeanor.

“Thane has such an expressive face; he always manages to say more without words than most people do with an entire monologue.”

“No matter how mad Thane is at me, he would never badmouth me or anyone else in the family. He’s loyal, first and foremost. He could want to strangle me one second, but would still lay down his life for me the next.”

I have some suspicions and can’t wait for Sweet Shadows Medusa Girls 2 to (hopefully) confirm at least one of them.

Like Mythology? Read Sweet Venom. Don’t like Mythology? I don’t care - read Sweet Venom. It’s a terrific book, fun to read and beautifully written. I’ll be adding more books by Tera Lynn Childs to my TBR immediately.


An ARC of this novel was graciously provided by Jeannette from
the Starry Eyed Revue

Review originally posted at:
A Belle's Tales

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Sweet Venom follows the story of triplet sisters belonging to an elite lineage of Guardians, separated at birth for their own protection and who are reunited as teens not knowing each other ever existed. They are teenage descendants of Medusa and have a role to play in sending monsters that escape into the human realm back to their own.

Gretchen was the first to discover her heritage at the age of twelve and has been raised and mentored by Ursula; she is a kick-butt, hardened character who is reluctant to let anyone close to her, I certainly found her to be the most fascinating of each of the sisters.

Grace moved to San Francisco with her parents and older brother Thane on a scholarship and it wasn’t until the move that she first sighted monsters but had no idea what they actually were, she was also the first to meet and train with Gretchen; she is sweet and there is an innocence about her that I really liked, she also seemed to be the most eager to learn.

Greer was the most reluctant to fulfill the role of Guardian, she is snobby and has lived a privileged life and had no idea she was adopted. She was the least endearing of the sisters to me so I am hoping she grows and matures as a character in the sequel.

The rules Gretchen has come to know and live by and the monsters behaviors are beginning to change and a bounty has been placed on the triplets heads by an unknown enemy, so they need to work together to solve the mystery of what is going on as well as work out who or what is behind the disappearance of Gretchen’s mentor Ursula and also who is the mysterious person trying to help them out.

Each of the main characters I found to be engaging and interesting in their own way, I don’t feel we received enough information about the secondary characters so I hope to see and learn a lot more about them in the sequel – the possible love interests, Nick and Milo were certainly intriguing and I hope Thane, Grace’s brother who was mysterious and protective makes more of an appearance, I feel there is a lot going on with one or more of these guys that we don’t quite know as yet (I’m thinking Nick).

I enjoyed the Greek mythology and the many mythical beings we come across in Sweet Venom, each are detailed and gruesome in their own way. The action is ongoing and the encounters aplenty.

Each chapter is an alternating POV of the sisters which I initially thought would be confusing but each were unique and they had such different personalities it was quite easy to work out and recognize who was who.

The first half of Sweet Venom didn't grab me the way the second half did. I felt there was too much time focusing on each of the sister’s personalities, school and family life etc. which I think is necessary in the first book of a series but in this case too much information was provided.

I have so many unanswered questions about the intriguing world Ms Childs has created which I am truly hoping will be answered in the next installment.

All in all, I enjoyed Sweet Venom; it is a great start to a new series and I look forward to reading the next book.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Tera's YA books! Each one has a rich mythology and a romance that leaves me wanting more. Sweet Venom is another one of her must read books. Sweet Venom has a refreshing, unique Greek mythology with a trio of butt kicking, strong, realistically written teen sisters whom are also descendants of Medusa. I know I've said this many times before, but I absolutely love it when the story's protagonist (in this case there are three) is strong willed, can kick butt, knows when to ask for help, and has a strong sense of who they are. I think that sense of being grounded and secure with who they are is such a huge quality to have in a YA book.

I loved the twist on the sisters, how they met and the fact that they hail from an incredible mythological character, which also blesses them with a lot of abilities to fight the creatures they come in contact with. Gretchen, Grace and Greer are all identical in their looks, but these three have had three completely different childhoods and I liked how they molded their characters. Gretchen is the one whom I admired the most. She's got this fierce attitude, has been taught in the arts of fighting, and has been prepared for what's about to happen. Grace on the other hand comes from a normal family, has a over protective older brother, and is just an all around fun character to get to know. Greer is a little bit more reserved on what she's about to learn. She's introduced close to the end of the story, and I'm excited to get to know her more as the series continues.

Along with each sister is a fabulous love interest that kept me hooked. Tera does such a great job at stringing me along with her character chemistry and the "are they going to kiss yet" scenes. I loved Nick and Gretchen! Their scenes either made me smirk or laugh out loud. Nick is fabulous and I love that he's totally undeterred by Gretchen and her attitude towards, which is for a good reason. Than there's Milo, Grace's brother's friend and surfer boy Kyle who's Greer's boyfriend.

Aside from well written characters, is an amazing mythological world that exists in the middle of the human world. Tera's world building and her explantations on how the girls are able to see these creatures and how they are descendants of Medusa is fascinating and intriguing. It's believable and I loved the spin she has on her Greek mythology. Sweet Venom is a well written book that sets the series up for a lot more action, twists, romance and leaves me wanting a whole lot more!

This book has everything I enjoy in a YA book. It's action packed, it has relatable characters, romance and makes me want to go beg her publisher to please release the sequel before next year. Not that I would really ask that.... I highly recommend picking this book up. Sweet Venom is a clean cut, fun, fast paced read that fans of Tera's will really enjoy. I'd recommend this to readers 12 years old & up.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I'm in danger of becoming a Tera-junkie. In the year 2011, I discovered her Oh.My.Gods. series and now Sweet Venom. Her easy-to-read style has carried through all of the books I've read; you open the first page and before you have a chance to breathe; you're waist deep in the story. I like that! Reading can be a learning experience with dictionary/Wikipedia look-ups required, a way to stretch your mind OR it can be a way to push everything aside while you fall into someone's story. Sweet Venom was an enjoyable journey into the meaning of sisterhood with a Greek mythological twist.

Not familiar with the premise??? Let's fix that, shall we, with the Goodreads summary: "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."

My impressions: My teachers at school would have a field day with the nature vs nurture implications of the three separated-at-birth sisters and their vastly different lives. I, for one, just enjoyed meeting each of them. Grace, Gretchen and Greer had such different stories, viewpoints and voices that the overall book just flowed. Tera created a twist on the current mythology craze with Medusa's descendants being the ones standing between monsters and humans --- with success. I've already added book two to my TBR. This series has so many possibilities; my curosity is peaked!

The only reason this book does not have 5 stars, cupcakes, lattes, puppies or any other measurable unit is completely subjective on my part. To earn 5 stars, the book must compel me to read it again! I really liked the story, I will buy the next installment but there was no burning drive to read it immediately upon completion...thus four stars. Should you read it? Absolutely! The three sisters have wit, humor, attitude and have stories to match.