SPBrittany+Krise-Sweet+Venom

=Sweet Venom = = Tera Lynn Childs =



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__**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. =====

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__**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. =====

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__**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 in myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

About The Author:


[| http://teralynnchilds.com/about/]

Career Highlights

 * Tera’s debut novel, [|Oh. My. Gods.], was a double finalist in the 2009 Romance Writers of America [|RITA Award] for Best Young Adult and Best First Book. The RITAs are the highest award in romance fiction. She took home the shiny gold statue for Best First Book.
 * [|Oh. My. Gods.] is on the 2009-2010 [|Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers] list, the 2010 [|Texas Tayshas High School Reading List] and the 2011-2012 [|Pennsylvania Young Reader Choice Award].
 * [|Forgive My Fins] is on the 2011 [|Texas Lone Star Reading List].
 * Tera’s books have been sold to publishers in [|Scandinavia], [|Germany], [|Hungary], [|Indonesia] and [|the United Kingdom].
 * Tera was a finalist in the 2004 Romance Writers of America [|Golden Heart Award] for unpublished manuscript with her first (and still unpublished) manuscript, a Regency set historical romance called Summer Sapphire.

Fast Facts

 * Tera has lived in eleven states and one foreign country.
 * Tera went to the same high school as Brad Pitt.
 * Tera is a former 7th grade science teacher.
 * Tera holds an MS in Historic Preservation from Columbia University.

(All information above can be found at [])

Tera Talks About Sweet Venom:
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From The Fans:
Reviews from [|Good Reads]

[|Jessica] rated it Recommended to Jessica by: Paranormal, YA, Mythology Shelves: [|arcs] 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.)

[|Mimi Valentine] rated it Shelves: [|boys-i-wish-were-real], [|pure-awesomeness] 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!

Reviews From [|Amazon]

[|**Library Lady Hylary - Fun, fresh take on Greek mythology**] October 16, 2011 By [|Library Lady Hylary] Format: Hardcover 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!

**sweet venom**, April 1, 2012 By [|LunaMoth] (North Carolina) - [|See all my reviews] With the current zombie/steampunk/dystopia craze its nice to go back to mythology and revisit some of the old stories and lore. Or in Childs case, remake the lore we know and love.
 * This review is from: Sweet Venom (Hardcover)**

What if Medusa was not the evil snake headed - turn -you - to -stone monster that we have come to know? What if instead, she was a guardian. A warrior who kept the bad beasties in their own realm and out of ours? What if she had children with a human lover and those children became warriors like her and kept the beasts at bay generation to generation? Then you would have a great premise and interesting story that is Sweet Venom.

We start off with Gretchen, a self assured, tough best slayer who lives with her mentor Ursula, however Ursula has gone missing, untroubled Gretchen continues slaying beasts (one a night) and keeping up with school work, as is her norm for the past 4 years. Enter Grace, an eco-geek (like me!) who loves computers, science and the new boy her adoptive brother Thane has become friends with. However, one night at a club Grace sees something.. monstrous, and not just one. Its there that Grace meets Gretchen, and finds out of her own heroic legacy and that the rules are changing, now beasts can come in pairs or more through the gate that holds them in their realm.

Pretty soon they also meet Greer, the pompous rich girl who denies her lineage. That does not last for long. Now monsters are coming in droves and they are all after one thing, the three girls (more specifically just one or all since there is a bounty on their heads).

It was a bit slow in the beginning, but quickly picked up. Gretchen and Greer were annoying at first and I took to Grace immediately. After a while though they all grew on me, since both Gretchen and Greer grow up in the last few chapters. There are still many mystery's to be explained in the next book. Like, where did Thane go? Who is Nick? And who is trying to kill the girls? I eagerly await the next book, the action and suspense is surprisingly very real and the end was a real cliffhanger!


 * Fan Review on YouTube **

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(Images found on [|Tera Lynn Childs Sweet Venom website]
 * Which Sister Are You.... **