Sweet Shadows

Gr 8 Up—Gretchen, Greer, and Grace are triplets who have just met. Separated at birth, they are only now, in their late teens, discovering their family: the Gorgons of Greek myth. They are descendants of the misunderstood Medusa and are meant to be monster hunters. But they have enemies among the Greek pantheon, so they must fight not only monsters, but also powerful supernatural gods who want them to die before they can fulfill their destiny. They also have to figure out what that destiny is. Although this book picks up immediately where Sweet Venom (HarperCollins, 2011) left off, the girls are still getting to know one another, and they are still trying to figure out their powers. There are several boys involved-Grace's mysterious big brother, Thane; nice-guy Milo; and Nick, who is obviously more than he seems. But crushes and romance never take the spotlight away from the girls' actions and intentions. Childs writes with enthusiasm and tenderness for her triplets. The book is mysterious and has plenty of action and sympathetic characters. Fighting, crushes, superpowers, finding long-lost siblings, and Greek mythology-what's not to enjoy? Early fans of Percy Jackson are now in their late teens, and this mix of action, romance, and bildungsroman may be just what the doctor ordered.—Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT