Sweet Venom

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%E2%80%93up. (Sept.)