| TITLE: Sweet Shadows SERIES: Medusa Girls #2 AUTHOR: Tera Lynn Childs PUB DATE: 9/4/12 FORMAT: ARC SOURCE: from pub for review |
Three teenage descendants of Medusa, now united, must claim their heritage to fight the monsters escaped from the abyss. Gretchen may have known she was a descendant of Medusa long before her sisters--after all, she's spent her life fighting the monsters that escape the abyss--but that doesn't mean it will be easy to teach the other girls the ropes. Greer has pressing social commitments on her plate and precious little time to train in her newfound powers. But that wretched second sight won't leave her alone, and her fabled heritage seems to be creeping into her fashionable life. Grace has worries closer to home--like why her brother, Thane, has disappeared. He's hiding something. Could it possibly be related to the secret heritage the triplets share?
*There may be slight spoilers for book one*
THREE WORDS: This Series ROCKS!
MY REVIEW: I loved Tera Lynn Childs’ Sweet Venom (read my review) and was anxiously excited to start reading Sweet Shadows. And like book one, Sweet Shadows is also made of win and all things awesome!
Picking up right where Sweet Venom leaves off, in Sweet Shadows Gretchen, Greer, and Grace, descendants of Medusa and monster huntresses, find themselves targets of a growing number of monsters and the key players in a looming war. Gretchen must prepare her sisters to fight the monsters that escape the abyss, but a mysterious Nick is distracting, Greer is determined to meet all her social commitments and not let her personal life and duties as a huntress collide, and Grace must deal with the growing distance her lying has caused between her and her parents and worry about her missing brother. Those people that can help keep disappearing and the monsters keep coming. On a desperate search for answers and help, Gretchen finds herself in a dark and unexpected place and Grace and Greer must rely on each other to get her back.
After the exciting and cliffhanger ending of book one, I dove right into Sweet Shadows and didn’t come up for air until the very last page. All the addicting and refreshing mythological elements, enticing romance, exhilarating action, fab characters and pure fun of the first book are effortlessly carried over into this sequel.
Sweet Shadows moves a bit faster than the first book, but that’s just because there’s even more action and thrills. The mythological world surrounding the triplet’s destiny and purpose is explored and developed more in-depth and Childs throws some wicked curve-balls and revelations at readers. This installment is just as fun as the first book, but there's a slightly darker vibe in book two as the stakes get higher for the girls and everything becomes a matter of life and death.
As in book one, the writing and world-building in Sweet Shadows is simply addicting and enthralling. Childs takes all things fantastical, whimsical and supernatural and blends them masterfully with relatable real world situations and experiences (romance, school bullies, pressure to be perfect, family obligations, figuring out where you belong, etc). I love that ALL of these aspects and elements are well balanced and explored.
We get to know our three heroines even better in this book and they experience a great deal of natural character growth and development. Gretchen is as tough and surly as ever, but she opens up a lot in this book. Rational, social queen Greer really grew on me in this book. She went from a very snooty, inaccessible rich girl to a tough, very capable chick who really has her sisters' backs. And my girl Grace continues to really come into her own as her confidence and leadership skills grow so much in Sweet Shadows. The dynamic between all three sisters is so intriguing, believable and well-crafted.
And of course, the swoon-worthy boys are back and play an even bigger role in this book. The electricity between Nick and Gretchen is palpable, but this funny guy proves to be quite the infuriating and fascinating complication for our fave tough chick. I love the more vulnerable and open side that Nick brings out in Gretchen. Milo and Grace are as adorkable as ever! There's something so sweet and charming about the two of these teens together and I can't wait to see where their blossoming romance leads.
The mysteries and revelations abound in this book! What is Thane hiding?! How will the triplets save Ursula?! What is Nick really up to?! Who and what can be trusted?! OH MY! The twists and turns had me excitedly and breathlessly turning pages until the very end. And what a hella frustratingly awesome and OMG-I-so-needwant-book-three-right-now ending!
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Tera Lynn Childs proves to be a superb storyteller which is why I'm so in love with this series! With a fast-paced, action packed and romance filled story, Sweet Shadows is a fantastically fun and spun sequel in an awesometastic series. A MUST read!
Tera Lynn Childs is the award-winning author of the mythology-based OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP, the mermaid tales FORGIVE MY FINS, FINS ARE FOREVER, and JUST FOR FINS (July 3rd, 2012), and a new trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa beginning with SWEET VENOM and SWEET SHADOWS (September 4, 2012). Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.
As in book one, the writing and world-building in Sweet Shadows is simply addicting and enthralling. Childs takes all things fantastical, whimsical and supernatural and blends them masterfully with relatable real world situations and experiences (romance, school bullies, pressure to be perfect, family obligations, figuring out where you belong, etc). I love that ALL of these aspects and elements are well balanced and explored.
We get to know our three heroines even better in this book and they experience a great deal of natural character growth and development. Gretchen is as tough and surly as ever, but she opens up a lot in this book. Rational, social queen Greer really grew on me in this book. She went from a very snooty, inaccessible rich girl to a tough, very capable chick who really has her sisters' backs. And my girl Grace continues to really come into her own as her confidence and leadership skills grow so much in Sweet Shadows. The dynamic between all three sisters is so intriguing, believable and well-crafted.
And of course, the swoon-worthy boys are back and play an even bigger role in this book. The electricity between Nick and Gretchen is palpable, but this funny guy proves to be quite the infuriating and fascinating complication for our fave tough chick. I love the more vulnerable and open side that Nick brings out in Gretchen. Milo and Grace are as adorkable as ever! There's something so sweet and charming about the two of these teens together and I can't wait to see where their blossoming romance leads.
The mysteries and revelations abound in this book! What is Thane hiding?! How will the triplets save Ursula?! What is Nick really up to?! Who and what can be trusted?! OH MY! The twists and turns had me excitedly and breathlessly turning pages until the very end. And what a hella frustratingly awesome and OMG-I-so-needwant-book-three-right-now ending!
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Tera Lynn Childs proves to be a superb storyteller which is why I'm so in love with this series! With a fast-paced, action packed and romance filled story, Sweet Shadows is a fantastically fun and spun sequel in an awesometastic series. A MUST read!
MY RATING
Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Book Depository
Tera Lynn Childs is the award-winning author of the mythology-based OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP, the mermaid tales FORGIVE MY FINS, FINS ARE FOREVER, and JUST FOR FINS (July 3rd, 2012), and a new trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa beginning with SWEET VENOM and SWEET SHADOWS (September 4, 2012). Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. 
3 comments:
EEP! I really want a copy of the first book to dig into. I've heard such fab things about it. I'm glad that the sequel is just as good! Your review makes me so excited, Aiecha, especially the part about "not coming up for air." :D
Ah I want this one!! I enjoyed Sweet Venom, and as you said with the cliffhanger, it left me wanting more. I loved her Fins series!! Great review :)
I'm all hyped up by your review now! I simply have to get my hands on this one. I am glad to know that this was even better than Sweet Venom!! (:
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