Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2012)

A descendant of Medusa living in San Francisco, Gretchen Sharpe fights mythical monsters and vaporizes them with a single bite from her venomous fangs. Her newly discovered sisters, Grace and Greer, share Gretchen's monster-fighting fate, but the characters' acceptance of their heritage--and their new family structure--isn't easy. Percy Jackson fans will appreciate the sardonic commentary as myth mixes with modern life in this well-voiced novel.

ALA Booklist (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Sweetly naive 16-year-old Grace moves with her adopted family to modern-day San Francisco and suddenly begins seeing monsters. She discovers that she and her two formerly unknown biological sisters ickly loner Gretchen and socially correct Greer e descendants of Medusa, and they must protect humans from minotaurs, basilisks, draecons, and other assorted creatures who have escaped exile. Gretchen has some training, whereas the other two have none, but Gretchen's mentor is missing, the number of creatures is rising, and the girls need answers before the door between worlds opens wide enough to swallow them all. Don't let the cover fool you: this isn't about vampires, but rather Gorgon descendants who dispatch monsters by injecting magic venom into them. Childs clearly has a sequel (or more) in mind and uses this book to ably set up an appealing conflict, introduce quite likable characters, and get readers ready for intrigue in the romance and fate-of-the-world departments.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Smart but timid Grace Whitfield doesn't want to move to San Francisco for her junior year, but a full scholarship to an elite private school is too good to pass up; she hopes it will give her a chance to reinvent herself. Meanwhile, Gretchen Sharp would love to go to school in peace, but her nights are spent fighting mythological beasts that prowl the city, cloaked in glamour and seeking human prey. When Gretchen sees Grace at an all-ages nightclub, she wants to know why there's another girl who looks just like her who can see the monsters, too. Their mysterious connection leads them to a third girl who also shares a strong physical resemblance. As in her Oh. My. Gods. series, Childs mines Greek mythology as the basis for this opening volume of a trilogy, a snappy read with an engaging blend of social angst, budding romance, and rousing fight scenes. Though the male love interests are unmemorable, the perspectives of three very different girls who discover an unbreakable bond add dynamic complexity to the narrative. Ages 13-up. (Sept.)

Kirkus Reviews

A 21st-century reboot of the Gorgon mythos. Imagine yourself a teenager just arrived in San Francisco, in a new high school. It's an opportunity to reinvent yourself, to become more than the meek wallflower you left behind. Unfortunately, Grace is finding that a change of place doesn't automatically change her. Life appears to be about the same as always...until she runs up against a Minotaur that only she can see. Things become even more bizarre when she sees a girl who looks exactly like her take out that monster as if it was a walk in the park. Gretchen, on the other hand, is used to returning monsters to their home world on a regular basis—it's finding a long-lost twin that she has trouble dealing with. Trying to build a bond between them, Grace finds there may be a third sibling out there and that their lives are bound up in ancient mythology, as descendants of Medusa. Starting with this cool, Percy Jackson–esque premise, this book is all about bringing the triplets together and setting up future action. Said action will probably include mysterious but luscious boyfriends, unknown dangerous foes and assistance from Ursula, a woman who rescued Gretchen from the streets but who is now in hiding herself. There's obviously a lot more to come in the sequel. For teens who hunger for a chick-lit alternative to Rick Riordan. (Fantasy. 13 & up)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)

Gr 1-3 Caution: This book may cause the warm-fuzzies. Orphaned wild burro Roo and litter-runt puppy Rena become livestock guardians and, eventually, friends on the author's ranch. They are initially paired to protect lamb orphans from predators. Youthful, mutual wariness eventually unfolds into friendship between the two. In the meantime, their work is displayed in words and pictures. Roo is shown in a stare-down with a distrusted ram, keeping him from her flock. Rena sniffs inquisitively and lovingly at her charges. Lambs go about their adorable lamby business. Heartwarming photos and clear, accessible text combine to make this story a winner. Display this book with Jon Katz's Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm (Holt, 2011), another fine, nonfiction photo-fest of working farm animals. The Guardian Team is perfect for classroomand familyreading time. Lovely.— Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI