Sweet Shadows, by Tera Lynn Childs (Medusa Girls #2)

Gretchen, Grace, and Greer are finally united and determined to fight the monsters heading their way while they attempt to face their destiny. This requires finding out what their destiny is, as all they know is that they are the Key Generation. The people who do know, Eurydale and Sthenno, have been kidnapped and taken to either the Abyss or the dungeons of Olympus, two equally dangerous places. The girls need to rescue their mentors while dealing with their own increasingly messy lives. Greer is trying to keep up with her rich, high-society peers and plan some elaborate tea while keeping her monster-killing hobby a secret. Grace is excited because her crush, Milo, likes her back, but how can she start a relationship when she's got a secret life she's keeping from her family? Grace is also getting increasingly worried about her (adopted) brother Thane who ran away from home without explanation. Meanwhile, Gretchen, the only sister who isn't leading a double life, has her own troubles in the form of Nick, the cute guy who called her in the last moments of Sweet Venom and saved the sisters' life by warning them about the house blowing up. Gretchen knows Nick is hiding something, but can she let her guard down a little and let him in?

This was a fantastic sequel. I said in my review of Sweet Venom that it felt more like an prologue to a novel than an actual novel, and Sweet Shadows was good enough that it made the first book worth the time, if only to get to book 2. Again, I was not a fan of the Greek stuff and I think the novel would have worked just fine without being based on mythology, but it was so far off from the Greek mythology usually incorporated into teen novels that it was easy to forget the connection at times. The story moved pretty fast, which was good because if it hadn't then I would have given up pretty fast. My patience was worn through after completing Sweet Venom, and if Sweet Shadows had continued at the same slow pace then that would have been it for me.

I don't remember if I wrote this in Sweet Venom's review, but the characters, especially the triplets, all seemed flat and one-sided. Each of the girls had a stereotype, and each stuck to her stereotype throughout. Although one could argue that Gretchen softened a bit, which went against who she was supposed to be, I think the whole point of having a character so tough and closed-off is to later open her up. She let everyone in too quickly, much quicker than a real person with that personality would, which made her seem even more one-sided in my opinion. My favorite character was Greer, because she even when she does feel gooey and emotional, she puts on a stoic face and says sarcastic things. Greer is the most real, despite her cliche rich girl attitude.

 
I remember having a conversation with some friends a few years ago about seeing full faces of characters on the covers of books. Seeing their faces had always helped my imagination along, but my friends claimed that seeing the entire face ruined the possibilities of who the heroine could be and what she could look like. I never really agreed with that opinion until now. When I look at the cover, I know that the girl represents either one or all of the girls, but since they all dress so differently, it makes me wonder which sister it is, or whether she is supposed to represent all of them. Any ideas?
 
Spoilers Ahead*******************************

My favorite scene in the novel was the one in the Abyss where Gretchen discovers that not only monsters live there, and that not all monsters are evil. It was especially cool because it messed with Gretchen's head and made her rethink everything she's done for the past four years. It also complicated the girls' non-plan, because it made them realize that there is no way to save the good guys without saving the bad guys, and no way to kill the bad guys without killing the good guys.

Is it just me, or was there something between Greer and Thane at the end? Not quite love at first sight, but definitely something at first sight. Which is really nauseating when you realize that Greer looks exactly like Grace, who is Thane's little sister. Thane was definitely shocked to see Greer because of her resemblance to Grace, but Greer definitely has a bit of a crush on her sister's brother. The incestuousness here is a tad uncomfortable, but since they technically aren't related, I guess it's okay? I think the only element of this that makes it disturbing is how Greer and Grace look alike, so if Greer and Thane were to get together, he'd be dating a girl who is the spitting image of his sister. Another reason for not wanting Thane and Greer to hook up is that as of now, Greer is the only single sister. The point of a novel such as this is that the author wants you to believe that this is happening in your universe, or in an alternate one, but in no universe does every person end up with a great boyfriend at the end. For Greer and Thane to end up together, one of the other couples would have to break up/die, which strangely doesn't bother me and I find myself inclined to wish Milo or Nick dead. What's happening to me? Where's the sweet girl who wants happy endings??????

4.1 stars.
 

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.