Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Review: Sweet Shadows

Tera Lynn Childs
Paranormal Young Adult
328 pages
Katherine Tegen Books
Available Now
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
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?


MY THOUGHTS 
The second book in a trilogy featuring the triplet descendents of the Gorgon Medusa, Sweet Shadows picks up seconds before the action-packed concluding pages of Sweet Venom, thereby yanking us back into Greer, Gretchen, and Grace’s world with thankfully little preamble. Once Ms. Childs ensures she has our undivided attention, she then oh-so briefly recaps a few of the more important revelations of book one, giving us just enough information to jog our memories without weighing us down with unrelenting repetition. Though this second installment starts strong and is an easy, flowing read, it doesn’t necessarily incite a frantic need in us to devour it’s pages, instead we’re able to read it leisurely and at times set it aside, the desirable sense of urgency we feel with some other books notably absent.

One of the more interesting aspects of the series is the multiple point of views we’re privy to, with Greer, Gretchen, and Grace so vastly different in personality as well as their approach to the monster-fighting destiny they share that we can’t help but be grateful for the amount of time we spend with each of them. There’s never any question as to which sister were with at any given time, and Ms. Childs successfully makes sure that each point of view feels vital to the story, with no sister a superfluous addition to the overall story. Our emotional attachment to each young woman is a bit weaker than we might wish at times, as the desire to see them succeed as a group is far stronger than our connection to any of the three individually. We know each girl—her point of view familiar and comfortable to us—but we don’t know them intimately, instead we are more strict observers than friends or confidantes, and the feeling that they are an indispensable and imperative part of our lives remains elusive.

My complaint with the romance in book one carries over to this second installment as well, the presence of Milo as a love interest for Grace seeming unnecessary to the overall story. Nick’s presence and his relationship with Gretchen is significantly expanded however, changing Nick from a question mark into a vital piece of the supernatural puzzle, but it also reinforces Milo’s apparent extraneousness to the girls’ mission as a whole. Sweet Shadows is an enjoyable read despite those few drawbacks though, and it concludes much the same way as its predecessor with the girls surrounded by violence and seemingly at the mercy of fate to have us itching for the next book.

Rating: 3.5/5

33 comments:

  1. You know what we should do? Write a guid about good sizzling romance, where to find it, which books excel and which books just fail to brings us butterflies with their romance!
    Unless the plot is super good, I will always miss a good romance and often I cannot give the book a highe rating just because of that!

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    1. I meant of course a "guide"....

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    2. WE SHOULD!!!! You know I'm always wanting a bigger, better romance in my stories as well, I get so sad when there's potential for romance but then nothing comes of it:(

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  2. Thanks for the review-I only just realized that this was coming out and I definitely want to get a copy for myself and my sister who actually read and enjoyed the first book (she's such a picky reader that I was surprised we agreed on a book!)

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    1. I really enjoyed the first one, but this one felt just a touch slower to me. It had the feel of a middle book, but I still love the way Tera writes and I will definitely be picking up the next one!

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  3. I love the cover to this book, it's so pretty! It's a shame you had some issues with this book as it sounds like a decent installment to the series. Here's hoping you'll enjoy the next book a lot more! Another lovely review Jenny! :)

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    1. I love the covers for this series as well, their such a subtle nod to Medusa:) I can't think of anything specific as to why this book didn't work quite as well for me as book one, only that I didn't feel as connected to the story as I did previously.

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  4. Pretty, pretty cover. I'm sorry you didn't like this book as much as you wanted to. I think this could have been better if she didn't add the romance in at all. Then again... I do like my romance....

    Beautiful review, Jenny :D

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    1. I like my romance too, I think that's why I'm frustrated with Milo. Right now he's just sort of there, but nothing really happens with him. Things definitely progressed with Nick in this second book so I was very happy with that development:)

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  5. I didn't realize this was out! I have yet to read anything by this author and I really need to get on it. I see her name pop up here and there and people really seem to like her books!

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    1. Out today! I really like Tera Lynn Childs, she has a really easy style about her, and her books are the type were you all of a sudden find yourself on page 100 without realizing you'd read that quickly:)

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  6. Oh the triangle that doesn't need to be there but is. I am just not a fan. I am assuming that both Milo and Nick are "interests".

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    1. No triangle thankfully! Milo is the love interest for Grace and Nick is the interest for Gretchen:) I just don't quite get Milo's purpose other than to toss a little romance in, and I think, at this point, the story would work just fine without him. He may have a larger purpose in the next book though, like Nick did in this one, in which case I will eat my words:)

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  7. Wonderful review, Jenny! I haven't read this series, but it sounds really interesting and the lack of a love triangle is definitely something to look out for. I might check this one out, especially since you were pleased with this second novel despite your qualms with it. I hope the next installment is even better and thanks for introducing me to a new series, Jenny! :D

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    1. Yay no love triangle! I like all three girls and I like the whole concept, I just wanted a little more from this second installment:)

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  8. Seems a bit so and so, it could work, I never just know :)

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  9. The only thing worse than no romance is romance that doesn't really make any sense. Or... something.

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    1. Haha true! In the first book I wasn't sold on either Nick or Milo, and this one at least sold me on Nick so that's progress. Maybe the next book will be Milo's book:)

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  10. I still need to check this series out. The sisters and the Greek myth behind them fascinates me. I do like mutiple POVs but it bothers me a bit that we don't get to know them more initamately. Still I would like to check this series out!

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    1. I'm in love with all things Greek mythology, so I really enjoy that aspect of these books!

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  11. Definitely sounds like a middle book to me. I do love the idea of Medusa's daughters and fighting against that destiny but this book isn't just calling me. I think I'm going to put it on hold until I read reviews on the third and final book in order to make my decision.

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    1. It might be nice to read all three books in a row, that way you don't have to try and remember the finer details:)

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  12. I can see me being frustrated with the romance as well, but I like the sound of all 3 girls. I still want and need to read that first one and I think this one will make it to the wishlist as well. I'm hoping the 3rd book will resolve the romance issue. Then I may RUN to get them. :D

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    1. I'm hoping the 3rd book resolves the romance issue with Milo as well. And also the mysteries surrounding Grace's brother Thane. There are interesting things there, I just know it:)

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  13. I haven't had a strong urge to read this series. I think that I need a bit of convincing because right now the whole thing sounds just so-so to me. I'm glad you mostly enjoyed it though!

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  14. I read the first book and I wasn't that impressed with it. I liked each of the girls but like you said in your review we don't get to know each one terribly well. Still, I might pick this one up! :)

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  15. I still have to read the first book, which I currently have in a box..somewhere. I like to get more indepth with the characters. I still want to read it, just maybe not now.

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  16. Milo sounds like a poorly inserted plot device. Is it wrong for me to wish him gone already? I still need to read the first book, but I'm in no hurry to be quite honest. I might wait for all the books to be released before I make a start. Great review, Jenny! :)

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  17. Despite the issues, it sounds like an enjoyable sequel. Glad that each of the POV's are still unique and easy to tell who's narrating :)

    Nice review!

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  18. I've found that I love 2 POVs but when we get to more than that my interest level drops off...

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  19. I'm glad I read your review before I read my copy. First, I didn't even remember Nick and Milo but now, I do. And I won't be pissed at the cliffie ending. Thanks for that. Very good review. I thought this would be an even stronger book than the first one which I loved considering the author. I'm surprised. But I'm sure I'll still enjoy the book.

    Heather

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  20. I probably won't be a fan of the romance between Milo and Grace either....which really puts me off reading this series considering I like a good romance in my books :) Hmmm...maybe I'll check this out when I have time! Great review Jenny! Glad you enjoyed it :D

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