Title: Sweet Shadows
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Medusa Girls (Book #2)
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mythology
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: September 4, 2012
ISBN-10: 0062001833
ISBN-13: 9780062001832
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased

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. Can she rely on Grace and Greer, or even trust herself to keep them safe? 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?

With the warring factions among the gods of Olympus coming for them, the creatures of the abyss pushing into their world, and the boys in their lives keeping secrets at every turn, the three girls must figure out where their fate will take them and how to embrace the shadows of their legacy.



My Review:
The second installment of the Medusa Girls picks up right (and I mean right-at-that-very-moment) where the first book left off. Medusa's descendants, Gretchen, Greer, and Grace are back, they're together, and now they find themselves fighting for their lives as monsters from the abyss plan on killing them in exchange for freedom. Olympian gods are involved and has the potential to get deliciously messy, the girls have new (or old?) allies, and all the while they're dealing with their new-found lives clashing with their old ones.There's so much that I loved about this book. Sweet Shadows had more action and an up-close look into the abyss as opposed to just being set in San Francisco. Childs gave the reader a look from both sides this time, and we were introduced to more of the monsters. And not all of them are bad! Cheers! This other world is such a contrast to the city. It's dark and ridden with monsters who have absolutely no desire to be there, which is why they want to escape any chance they get.

In addition to the change of setting, the characters were further developed really well. Greer wasn't my favourite in the first book, but I have to say that without a question she was my favourite in this one. Especially when talking to her adoptive parents... my heart broke for her. Another revelation lies in the character of Nick. Throughout the first book, there was this obvious underlying that there was something going on with him. I love that his role was expanded beyond being a pretty boy always hanging around Gretchen. The relationships were also more cemented, and will continue through the next book if this one is any indication. Childs did it again; I already can't wait for the next book.

Alright, I'm going to go into fangirl-mode for a sec, but am I wrong to think that something might happen between Thane and Greer? And that I got positively giddy just thinking about it? Potential to be awkward, though, because Greer looks exactly like Grace, who is very much still Thane's little sister. ...Or has Thane ever really considered Grace his sister? It's obvious that Grace thinks of him as her big brother, but it's never talked about how Thane feels. I think I've typed Thane out more than 4 times in this little blurb. Such a cool name. Plus he's still very much a mystery as he was before, even more-so now at the end of this book (Greer even called him an enigma. Did I call it, or did I call it?). Back to him and Greer, they seem to share some kind of link, and I'm really curious to see why. He still wins out as my favourite guy in the books. I'm really interested to know what his deal is; he's so vague. Just when I thought all the mysteries from the first book have been solved.

Just like the first book, this was written in the three different perspectives of the sisters. My only issue with the first one was the switching points of views, as there was no real flow or uniformity. This book was set up the same, so it was a little confusing at times. Again, not a huge issue because even though the girls were more in tune with each other and had similar goals and experiences, they were still very much distinct. All the storylines and characters moved forward at a nice pace with every chapter, and it's getting more apparent that this war is going to be something big.

Once again recommended for Greek mythology lovers and lovers of kickass heroines; there are three of them in this one. I got through Sweet Shadows in less than 30 hours--that almost never happens. Definitely no sophomore slump here!

Note: Read for the Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge

My rating:

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Title: Sweet Venom
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Medusa Girls (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Mythology
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release date: September 6, 2011
ISBN-10: 0062001817
ISBN-13: 9780062001818
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased

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 Review:
Gretchen, monster hunter extraordinaire, starts the story off in the middle of a fight, in which she comes out victorious. She's also trying to get a hold of her mentor, Ursula, who has been missing for a while. Grace just moved to San Francisco from a small town with her mom, dad, and older brother. She's smart, eco-friendly, and wants a fresh start in her new school. Only thing is, she starts seeing monsters everywhere. One day, the two cross paths and discover that-- hey, they have the same face. Upon learning about her ancestry through Gretchen, Grace finds out that she's a descendant of Medusa, the snake-headed Greek mythology lady we're all familiar with. The two start to spend more time together and make a further discovery: they have another sister. They're triplets. Greer is the Blair Waldorf of San Francisco. She's preppy, on top of the social ladder, is involved in many extra curriculars, and has a boyfriend that is just as socially high up. When she's tracked down by Gretchen and Grace, she refuses to believe anything they say. But their arrival triggers something from her past and now there's no turning back. She is, in fact, a triplet and a direct descendant of the Gorgon Medusa.

It's interesting because in most YA novels about mythology, the gods are portrayed as the good guys and the Gorgons as bad. Or maybe that's just me comparing everything to Percy Jackson, which I really shouldn't be doing. Just an observation. So this turn of events with the Gorgons being connected as main subjects intrigued me, and I love it. I remember learning about the Gorgon sisters in class several years ago, Medusa and Perseus specifically, but it wasn't a myth that stuck with me. I had to think back in terms of accuracy for this book, but I gave up a few chapters in, because I was pulled into this world that Childs created enough to enjoy it as it is. Plus all the monsters were kind of confusing and I couldn't keep up, but I was entertained nonetheless.

Each sister, we learn, has a power parallel to each Gorgon sister as well as common abilities, and the girls spend most of the novel discovering what they can do and why. I loved the kickass action sequences; especially Gretchen's, she's awesome. But I think what I loved more was their journey to discovering each other, their background, and their inevitable strong bond. It wasn't sudden, which I liked. It was all very heart-warming and nicely paced.

When I saw that the novel was switching perspectives back and forth between the sisters, I got a little weary. They'd have to have very, very distinct voices to work well. Childs achieved this, though. The sisters are so different from each other and their individual narratives definitely show that. I did, however, get confused (again) at times because it's not like the perspectives have a flow -- one chapter will be Grace, then the next Gretchen, then Grace again, then Gretchen, then Greer. But again, their voices were so distinct that it wasn't such a problem. The potential love interests were also likeable and very intriguing, like there's more than what's in front of you. This is also the case with Grace's brother, Thane, who is an enigma wrapped in stealth, wrapped in sharp cheekbones and square jaw. It's hard not to like these characters.

Overall, this book is a winner. It took me a while to get into it, but once I hit about the quarter mark, I finished it two days later on and off. I went and got the second installment as well, which I'll also be reviewing soon. Thank goodness I have the second one already, because... holy cliffhanger. Check it out if you're a fan of sisterly love and Greek mythology (especially the different creatures, there are loads here).

Note: Read for the Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge

My rating:

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Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments, Book 1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Adventure
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release date: March 27, 2007
ISBN-10: 1416914285
ISBN-13: 9781416914280
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Purchased

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood — to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.



My Review:
This is my second time reading this book. I'd always been planning on re-reading the series to prepare for the upcoming movie. I didn't want to start them too close to the movie's release date (which is August 23, 2013 -- I've already got my calendar marked heavily in red), because I'd be comparing things like crazy. So when Marie's Paranormal Spooktacular came along, I thought this would be a good time as any to get to it.The story begins with Clary Fray and her best friend Simon Lewis heading to an all-ages club called Pandemonium, a place they seem to frequent in their home of New York. This night is different -- Clary witnesses a murder. Even more bizarre is that the act was done by three strange teenagers covered in odd tattoos who seem to be invisible to everyone but her. She knows what she saw, but she doesn't want to believe it. To make matters worse, her mother goes missing shortly after and her home is attacked by a monster. Now she's pulled into and very much involved in an unusual world that just escalates as the story goes on.

I was instantly drawn in by the characters, especially the Shadowhunters: Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. They have such a strong presence throughout that you can't help but be fascinated with them. Then there was Simon, who had me at "I wanted to tell you that lately I've been cross-dressing. Also, I'm sleeping with your mom." I'd have to say that the beginning scene in Pandemonium is one of my favourites. Right away I was intrigued as to where this whole story would go; there was action right off the bat. Personally, Clary as a character didn't jump off the page to me. Not that I didn't like her, I just found the others more interesting. I did enjoy the chapter with Magnus Bane's party (who is another one I've come to adore). Clare writes character interactions so well that I look forward to any and every scene where all of them are present, even Clary. It's like she's better when she's talking to the others. My only other qualm with the book was that by the middle, the plot was moving quite slowly. But I still couldn't put it down. It's worth it to keep reading though, because of the ending. Oh my goodness, the ending. I became so invested in these characters and their relationships, and then I reached the end of the book and let me tell you, I just had to go out and get the next one right away.

The world that Clare introduces is imaginative, well fleshed out, and written with vivid descriptions. She's created this universe that's so detailed that I noticed more and imagined more the second time around. It's like the further I went into the series, I noticed just how significant a lot of past details were from earlier books; these details had no purpose to me early on... but then I'd read about them later and a light bulb just goes off. The details are so intricate that I didn't even know they've made a space for themselves in the back of my mind. I'm glad I re-read this book, because it was nice to re-visit and recall a lot of these details in the narrative and in the characters themselves.

Before I read this the first time, I had glanced at reviews and saw that a lot of people either loved it or hated it. It seems that there's barely any middle ground from what I've seen. I fall under the category of loving-it-to-the-point-of-obsession. Seriously. I picked up this book about a year and a half ago but only read it in July of this year. After I finished it (I read during meals, before bed, during any spare moment I had), I got the other four right away and read them all in 6 days. I barely slept until I got to the end of the fifth book. When I found out that the next one isn't coming out until 2014, to say I had a bit of a breakdown would be an understatement. But, to conclude, City of Bones opens us up to a unique and mystical world of the paranormal that's nothing short of a great introduction to a series.

Note: Read for the Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge

My rating:

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This month, I'll be participating in the 2nd Annual Spooktacular Paranormal Reading Challenge, hosted by Marie at Ramblings of a Daydream. The purpose of this reading challenge is to read and review a minimum of three paranormal books between October 1st and 31st.

I can't believe it's October already tomorrow. But October means Halloween! One of my favourite times of the year. That reminds me, I need to plan what I'm going to carve into a jack-o-lantern this year. Last year was Voldemort and Thriller!Michael Jackson -- I got an amazing response from people, so this year needs to top it. I'm open to ideas!

Check out details on this challenge, taken from Marie's blog post:

• Read and review a minimum of three (3) paranormal** books. Reviews must be posted for the first time between October 1st and 31st, 2012. You don’t have to have a blog to participate, as long as you can post your reviews somewhere (GoodReads, Amazon, etc) and share them.
• For every paranormal book you read, review, and link up in the month of October, you’ll be entered in a giveaway to win one of the paranormal books below. To be eligible for the giveaway, you must complete the minimum of three books.
• The link-up in this post is just for sign ups. I’ll be posting a separate link-up for reviews on the 1st of October.
• Ebooks and audiobooks count. Adult and young adult books count. If this challenge crosses over into other challenges you're doing, that’s fine with me.

**PARANORMAL: Same as last year, I’m using a very loose interpretation of ‘paranormal’. It can be paranormal, fantasy, urban fantasy - basically any ‘creature’ or ‘otherworldly’ book counts - vampires, werewolves, faeries, shape shifters, zombies, angels, demons, mermaids, dragons, witches/wizards/sorcerers, trolls, sirens, banshees, etc.

Now, paranormal YA? My favorite kind. So it was hard trying to decide which 3 I'll read. Since my blog is new, I'll re-read a book and post a review of it for the first time. Plus I'm planing on re-reading the entire series to prepare for the movie release next year anyway (alksdjhf!). Another one will be a book that I just heard about yesterday, plus its sequel, which just came out.

1. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1) by Cassandra Clare: Nephelim, demons, warlocks, vampires
   [✓ Review]
2. Sweet Venom (Medusa Girls #1) by Tera Lynn Childs: Gorgons, Greek mythological creatures
   [✓ Review]
3. Sweet Shadows (Medusa Girls, #2) by Tera Lynn Childs: Gorgons, Greek mythological creatures
   [✓ Review]

There is also a paranormal book giveaway going on with this challenge, so if you'd like to sign up, do so right here.