REVIEW: SWEET VENOM

Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: Templar
UK Release date: September 2012
Genre: YA, Mythology
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Watch out, all you mythological beasties roaming the streets of San Francisco - There's a new kick-ass team of demon-fighters coming your way - Meet Grace, who just moved to San Francisco. Then, there's Gretchen, who is fed up of monsters pulling her out into the small hours, especially on a school night. And Greer, who has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But everything tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're all sisters. These three teenage descendants of Medusa must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight. (Amazon)

I found Sweet Venom to be a fun and sassy read, and I loved the mythological twist of Greek-style monsters roaming the streets of San Francisco. The monsters were creepy, smelly and each very distinct. Tera Lynn Childs did a great job of recreating snarling beasts, and having been trained to send them back to their world, Gretchen was the perfect, feisty monster hunter. Straight away we were thrown into Gretchen's monster fighting life, giving the story instant pace and action. As Grace and Greer became involved in the foray later on, their attempts at sending the monsters back were a little clumsy and haphazard but it made the story feel more dangerous, as well as humorous.

The story is told from the points of view of three sisters: Grace, Gretchen and Greer. Each girl has a very distinct personality and narrative voice making it easy to distinguish whose POV you were reading. I loved Gretchen's fierce and tough attitude, and Grace's sweet and caring nature. Grace was a pushover but I could relate more easily to her, as she struggled to fit in at a new school. As she gained strength throughout the book I was there cheering her on. Greer, who enters the story much later on, was a bit of a snob who won't accept less than the best. She wasn't easy to like to start, but all of the sisters changed and learnt a little over the story and it made them all more admirable for it.

Lots of things started going wrong for Gretchen, with the plot taking unexpected twists and turns. Her mentor Ursula has disappeared and the rules that means only one monster can be in the human world at a time has changed. Straight away there is a sense of danger, and although Gretchen flounders a little, Grace sees everything in a positive life. There are plenty of questions that need answering and mysteries to solve. Although the story ends on a positive and hopeful note, there was little resolution to any of the plot questions, leaving a lot to be answered in the next books. Whilst I like to resolve some things at the end of every book, I'm still intrigued and excited to find out what happens next.

I think Sweet Venom would really suit a young teen, female audience who would be able to relate to one of the sisters in some way. There's also some subtle morals woven into the story too, about standing up for yourself, being yourself and looking out for family which might hit home more at this age.

Sweet Venom is a sassy action adventure with a fun mythological twist. Perfect for younger teens, this is a great start to the series.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: DREAMLESS

*Although there won't be spoilers for Dreamless, there will be spoilers about things that happen in Starcrossed. You can read my review of Starcrossed, the first in the series, here.

Author: Josephine Angelini
Series: Yes, #2
UK Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
UK Release date: 5th July 2012
Genre: YA, mythological
Kindly given by the publisher for an honest review

Can true love be forgotten?
As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out--a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies' cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen's sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos. (Goodreads)

Although I enjoyed Starcrossed, I didn't fall deeply and madly for it. But I have to say Dreamless totally won me over. I loved Angelini's style of writing, which was easy to read and flowed well. The story had great pace as so much happened action and plot wise, and there are so many twists, turns and revelations that I just couldn't guess what direction the story might take. I was completely drawn in and really wanted to find out if Helen could free scions.

In Starcrossed we find out that Helen and Lucas are first cousins and all hope of them having a relationship is destroyed. It's a bit of a sticky situation, because despite knowing they shouldn't be they are still inevitably drawn to each other and struggle to suppress their feelings; but being cousins makes it wrong and slightly icky. With the addition of hunky, funny and caring Orion, Helen has someone else she likes but is forbidden to be with. This makes for a great love triangle, as they all need each other but their feelings for each other are forbidden. The fact that all of them is well rounded with their own strengths and weaknesses and can standalone as a character makes it all the more real - why wouldn't Helen fall for Orion, as he's down to earth, protective and kind?

Greek mythology is an integral part of Dreamless's plot, and its been worked in really well. Obviously a lot of thought, research and planning has been done, to match the story with myths and effectively create and develop the characters, and it shows in the reading. Helen's nightly visits to the Underworld are hellish (quite literally!) and a really great addition is that we get to see a lot more of the Gods from Hades, Persephone, and Ares. Despite having a huge cast of characters, Angelini has managed to build in relevant backstories for each and create well rounded individuals.

Dreamless is a fast paced action-packed whirlwind of forbidden romance and greek mythology. This series just gets better!

Rating: 5*

REVIEW: THE DIG

The Dig
Author: Audrey Hart
Series: Yes, #1
Publisher: Backlit Fiction
Release date: November 2011
Genre: YA, mythology
Kindly given by the author for an honest review

When Zoe goes off to Crete to visit her aunt and uncle at an ancient Greek archaeological dig, she ends up transported back to real ancient Greek times. Except here, mythology is turned on its head, and the Olympian Gods are real, living people. Teenagers in fact. But will they be able to help her find out why she has mysterious powers like them and how she can get home, or will Zoe find herself up against the wrath of the gods?

Review: I really enjoyed the Greek mythology aspect, with the Olympian gods - Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Hermes - featuring heavily in the second part of the story. What's interesting about them was that they were just like real teenagers, having strops and being mean to the new girl. Except they have incredible (and dangerous) powers that they can use if something isn't to their liking.

I did like Zeus, the beautiful winged God, as he kept popping up to help Zoe when she needed it most. He was protective of her, encouraging and instantly saw the good inside her. He's still quite mysterious, and I hope to see more of the real him, beyond the god persona, in the next book.

I'm not sure yet if I've made up my mind about the main protagonist Zoe. To start with I was like, yeah I completely get how she feels as the outsider. She was independent, brave and didn't worry about having loads of friends or being popular. But then she bashed girly girls and clique girls, whilst spending all her time fawning over Zeus and hoping to kiss him. I'm going to reserve my judgment until the next book, although really I can't complain because personally I don't like perfect characters without any flaws.

Audrey Hart's writing style was really unique, peppered throughout with quirky metaphors, humour as well as references to pop culture and TV. I think that The Dig would be a great read for younger girls and teenagers, as it was a light read that wasn't bogged down with heavy mythology but kept light and fun. Saying this though, there were messages entwined in the story about friendship and judging others that are definitely relevant to this audience. With lots of adventure thrown in, from time travelling to trials of fire (quite literally) on Mount Olympus, the pacing was fast and the plot full of danger and suspense.

I'm really intrigued to see where the story with Zoe and Zeus goes next, and honestly I have no idea what might happen with them as there were no huge plot lines left hanging. I guess though we have to wait and see in the next book!

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: WRECKERS

Wreckers
Author: Julie Hearn
Series: No, standalone
UK Publisher: Oxford University Press
UK Release date: March 2011
Genre: MG

When a plain wooden box washes up a Cornish beach in the 1700s, no-one realises the horror that hides inside. The box lays hidden in a nearby mansion, until five teenagers uncover the box years later. When they open it, they will put the whole world at risk.

Review: It took me a while to realise that the modern day setting for Wreckers is actually an altered reality, where London was completely destroyed in a terrorist attack. The British King has frozen the borders so no-one can leave or enter the country; news is highly restricted; mobile phones, technology and transport systems have been taken away; and strangers are a very uncommon occurrence. The world has united to prevent the seas and the ozone dying, and eco-christianity has become the hottest new religion. I like the concept for this setting, but I did find myself rather muddled at the start trying to figure out some of the dialogue and references to this new alternate reality.

For some reasons I also expected the story to be about mermaids, maybe it was the cover image and because I didn’t know that Wreckers referred to those living on land in the 1700s who salvaged goods that have have washed up from wrecked ships. Instead the focus was around one box in particular - Pandora's box. Without giving away too much, I was also surprised over what the box contained, as I expected it be darker and more sinister.

The story is told from six different perspectives: Maude, Dilly, Danzel, Jenna, Gurnet and a mystery voice. This last voice was all-knowing; it was able to explain the alternate reality that the teenagers lived in, the history of the box, and also what happens in the future. I enjoyed hearing the story from the different charcters perspectives, and felt that without the mystery voice I would have lost within the plot. However I couldn’t help but wonder whether this was because within the characters narrative’s things like the setting weren’t tied in enough.

Out of all the characters Dilly was my favourite, because she was down to earth, friendly and caring. I did however like all the characters including Gurnet with his knack for adopting stray or dangerous animals, and even brash Jenna who just about redeemed herself by being completely un-tempted by the box (a positive in my book).

There are several reasons that made me feel this book would be better suited to a younger audience: there was the potential to make the box’s content scary and dark but it wasn’t, so much so that Gurnet befriends what is inside; there wasn’t the depth of thinking behind the setting (personally I can’t see the world uniting peacefully to save the world, although I really wish it would happen!); and finally because the narrative was all-knowing, needing to explain everything from the past, present and future.

An interesting and engaging story for young readers, Wreckers explores mythology, friendship and hope.

Rating: 3*

REVIEW: ABANDON

Abandon

Author: Meg Cabot
Series: Yes, #1
UK Publisher: MacMillan Children’s Books
UK Release date: September 2011
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Kindly sent by the publisher for an honest review

Pierce’s life is turned upside down after a near-death-experience and an unexpected visit into the Underworld. The realisation that she won’t be going home hits her, and she escapes from John and the clutches of death. Returning to life with a necklace, the only proof that her visit to the Underworld was real, she finds that danger now follows her and her only protection is the man that she scorned back in the Underworld.

Review: When I first started reading Abandon it took me a few chapters to get into the story and Meg Cabot’s style of writing. I couldn’t quite get Pierce’s background story straight in my mind because her narrative flits regularly and rather haphazardly from the present into flashbacks of past events. With all this flitting back and forth, the plot feels like little happens in it, as events are a bit jumbled up. When I realised that Pierce suffers from ADHD, I figured the first person narrative would probably represent this and might go some way to explaining the jumpy writing style.

I love the concept of the Underworld and Furies, and I like John’s role in it. Based very loosely on the Hades and Persephone myth, John is now keeper of the Underworld and wants Pierce to stay there with him. John has bad-boy written all over his black jeans and scarred skin, but there are other qualities to him that make him likeable and attractive. I really want to know more about his background as well as that of the Furies, and hopefully these aspects will be explored in greater detail in the next book.

I feel sad for Pierce, because even after a near-death-experience her parents still care more about her not being able to get into a good college and pass her driving license. Despite the fact that her dad would willingly throw money at her and any problem in her way (his way of parenting), you can’t quite say that Pierce is a spoilt brat or materialistic. She rides around on a bike and constantly forgets her phone. The best quality about Pierce and the one that makes me like her and ultimately makes John like her, is her kindness and caring nature. She is always putting others first although sometimes her logic of why and how isn’t always the best!

Whilst the characters, particularly the secondary characters, aren’t that well rounded and well developed, the story and concept has a lot of merit to it, and I will certainly be following Pierce’s journey in Underworld, the next in the series.

Rating: 4*

REVIEW: STARCROSSED

Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Series: Yes, Starcrossed #1
UK Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books
UK release date: June 2011
Genre: YA

Sixteen year old Helen Hamilton has always felt different from everyone else on the island of Nantucket. Overly shy, she has cramps if anyone pays her too much attention. But when the Delos family moves to the island, Helen instinctively wants to kill the beautiful Lucas Delos, and she attacks him in the school corridor. To top it off, Helen feels like she is going crazy as she has strange nightmares featuring three ghostly women, who continue to haunt her when she is around the Delos family.
After Helen flies away from an attack at her home, she learns that she is descended from Greek Demi-Gods and was born into an opposing House to the Delos family, making her attraction to Lucas an impossibility.

Review: Greek mythology is inextricably tied into Starcrossed, from the history of Demigods, their part in the Trojan War and three wailing women - the Furies. I don’t know my Greek mythology and I’ve never read Iliad, but this didn’t put me at a loss. Angelini did a good job working in enough history and references to the Greek Gods such as Zeus to make the story real and believable, without distracting from the plot or characters.
When shy and awkward Helen sees Lucas and the rest of the Delos family she is filled with feelings of rage and pure hatred, not falling at his feet like the rest of the female population. If you know me well, you’ll know that I hate straight-out ‘girl falls for the most attractive guy ever’ scenarios, so the fact that the relationship between Lucas and Helen is more complex than that pleases me.

I really enjoyed the minor characters from the Delos family, although you can notice some similarities to Twilight – beautiful family with inhuman strength, the sister that can see snippets of the future etc. Don’t let this put you off though, as in Starcrossed the minor characters suffer their ups and downs and aren’t just pretty faces.

Something I’ve read in other reviews, is that the start of the book is a little stilted and slow and some of the dialogue jarring. This is true and it was a little difficult to get into at first. But as you get further into the story, the writing smoothes out and the pace picks up. There are plenty of little breadcrumb trails ready for us to follow into the next book, such as Helen’s nightmares visiting the Furies, her relationship with Lucas and a prophecy foretold about Helen. These are tied in well enough so that I was left curious and wanting to know what will happen next, but not making me feel too let down at the end because I was left without answers.

Slow to start, Starcrossed is worth persevering for: a delight of Greek mythological proportions.


Rating: 3.5*