Review: Deadlines and Dryads - Rebecca Chastain

Getting the scoop might cost Kylie and her gargoyle their lives...

Dryads are a reclusive, passive species—or they used to be. Overnight, the peaceful woodland creatures have turned violent, attacking travelers with crude weapons and whipping the trees of their grove into a ferocious frenzy.

When rumors of the dryads’ bizarre behavior reaches journalist Kylie Grayson, she pounces on the story, determined to unearth the reason behind the dryads’ hostile transformation. Accompanied by the young gargoyle Quinn, Kylie plunges into the heart of the malevolent grove. But nothing she’s learned prepares her for the terrifying conflict she uncovers...

USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Chastain returns to the beloved world of the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles for a brand-new spellbinding adventure of elemental magic and courageous gargoyles. If you love action-packed stories filled with mythical creatures, brave heroines, and adorable sidekicks, you’ll love Deadlines & Dryads. Pick up your copy today to start the magical adventure!

Deadlines & Dryads is a standalone novel and does not require you to read the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles trilogy first...but it will make you want to read it when you finish.

The Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles:
Magic of the Gargoyles
Curse of the Gargoyles
Secret of the Gargoyles
Lured (Free novella)

Terra Haven Chronicles:
(Set in the same world as the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles but featuring side character Kylie)
Deadlines and Dryads (Novella)

Visit Rebecca Chastain's website for more information

Review:
Deadlines and Dryads is the first story in a new series set in the same world as Rebecca Chastain's Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles. You don't have to read the original series first (although I'd highly recommend it because it's one of my favourites!) but if you are familiar with the previous stories then you'll recognise a few of the characters in this spin off. Reporter Kylie was one of my favourite side characters in the other books so I was really excited when I found out she was getting her own series, she's such a fun character and this story really gives her a chance to shine.

A once in a lifetime event is about to happen and the Terra Haven newspaper has given all of it's reporters 48 hours to come up with the most impressive story they can find. The winner will be sent on the trip of a lifetime and given the chance to report exclusively on an event that occurs only once every few hundred years. Kylie may be a junior reporter but she is absolutely determined to win, she even has her eye on what could be the perfect scoop. Well it was until her sneaky coworker started following her around so he could write the prize winning story on the back of her hard work. The only chance Kylie has is to make sure she gets her story written faster than Nathan can but she's going to need all the help she can get to achieve that goal.

I love how determined Kylie is and the way she is able to keep fighting for what she wants no matter how many knocks she gets along the way. Nathan is despicable but I think pretty much all of us will have come across someone like him at some point in time, the kind of person who isn't willing to put the effort in but will cut any corner he can to make sure it looks like he did. It would have been so easy for Kylie to give up and let Nathan get the better of her but she's stronger than that and I couldn't have been more happy every time she outmanoeuvred him!

Luckily Kylie has a few allies in her corner to help, starting with adorable gargoyle and reporter in training Quinn. You might remember Quinn as one of the gargoyles rescued my Mika in the original series but he's become rather attached to Kylie and the two of them make a great team. He is ridiculously cute but also a steadfast and powerful companion and I loved seeing how curious he was about everything Kylie was doing. Her less reluctant ally is Grant, member of the FPD (Federal Pentagon Defence) who also appeared in the previous books. Grant is the leader of his FPD unit but he's investigating his current job alone while the rest of his team are tied up with another case. He would rather keep Kylie out of harm's way and well away from the action but once he realises how determined she is to see things through he realises they might as well work together and ends up accepting her help.

This is a brilliant start to Kylie's series, the story is fun and fast paced and I found it an incredibly quick read. It's also full of interesting supernatural creatures that you don't come across very often in young adult urban fantasy. While the story works as a complete stand alone you get a few hints about where the series is going and I'm definitely very interested to see what happens on Kylie's next assignment.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle (currently only available in the Elementals anthology):

Review: Lured - Rebecca Chastain

If something threatens a gargoyle, Mika’s confident she can handle it. But can she save the day when it’s Marcus who needs to be rescued?

Receive the novelette Lured for free!

If you’d like to see Mika, Marcus, and Oliver in another adventure, join the newsletter! You’ll receive an email with a link to download Lured so you can start reading today.

If you’re already a newsletter subscriber, you can find the link in the latest email.

READER NOTE: Lured follows Secret of the Gargoyles. To avoid spoilers, finish the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles before you read this story.

The Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles:
Magic of the Gargoyles
Curse of the Gargoyles
Secret of the Gargoyles
Lured (Free novella)

Terra Haven Chronicles:
(Set in the same world as the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles but featuring side character Kylie)
Deadlines and Dryads (Novella)

Visit Rebecca Chastain's website for more information

Review:
I love Rebecca Chastain's Gargoyle Guardian's Chronicles and I love it when authors give a little something extra to their fans so Lured appealed to me on several levels. This is a fairly short novella that can be downloaded completely free by fans who sign up to the author's newsletter.

Please be aware that this story is set after the three main books in the series so if you're not up to date then you will get spoilers. I don't think this is a great place to start reading the series because it gives far too much away about events that happen during the book so thats definitely something you should be aware of before picking it up.

Having said that fans of the series are going to love this! It's set not long after the end of Secret of the Gargoyles, in fact it starts with Mika, Marcus and Oliver beginning the journey home after their latest adventure, but they get waylaid by something that has it's sights set on Marcus. It's up to Mika and Oliver to come up with a way to rescue him and it's going to take everything she's got to win the day.

This was a really quick but very fun read, I loved spending more time with these characters and I'm really hoping that this isn't the last we'll see of Mika and her friends. Fingers crossed for more books in the future!

Source: Free story received by signing up to the author's newsletter

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Secret of the Gargoyles - Rebecca Chastain

I place the lives of all gargoyles into your hands with what I am about to tell you…

In her brief career as a gargoyle healer, Mika Stillwater has faced some daunting challenges, but none have stumped her—until now. A strange sickness infects a handful of gargoyles in Terra Haven, rendering them comatose and paralyzed. Worse, the cure she seeks is shrouded in the gargoyles’ mysterious culture and the secret they guard with their lives.

Gaining the gargoyles’ trust is only the first step. To save the sick gargoyles, Mika must embark on a perilous mission into the heart of deadly wild magic to a place no human has ever survived...

The captivating conclusion to the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles trilogy, Secret of the Gargoyles will charm readers of all ages, especially those who love extraordinary magic and endearing gargoyles.

The Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles:
Magic of the Gargoyles
Curse of the Gargoyles
Secret of the Gargoyles
Lured (Free novella)

Terra Haven Chronicles:
(Set in the same world as the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles but featuring side character Kylie)
Deadlines and Dryads (Novella)

Visit Rebecca Chastain's website for more information

Review:
Mika has a very rare ability that makes her a perfect gargoyle healer and she has dedicated all her time to helping gargoyles in need ever since she discovered it. Unfortunately there is one problem she has so far been unable to resolve and that's healing the gargoyles who are lying dormant around the city. Mika knows there is something very wrong with them but none of the research she has carried out has helped her find answers. It's taken a long time but now she has finally gained the trust of an older gargoyle who knows what is causing the problem but it isn't something that she can solve on her own and she is forced to turn to the FPD for help. Since most of the squad is currently unavailable it is up to Marcus to help Mika and Oliver on their dangerous quest, the only question that remains is will they be fast enough to save the gargoyles currently in Mika's care?

Secret of the Gargoyle is a fantastic finale to the Gargoyle Guardian trilogy that's full of action, danger and magic. Rebecca Chastain has created such a bright and vivid world and it's one I love spending time in. The way she describes magic use is wonderful and it just got even better in this book as Mika manages to tap into a power that humans aren't even supposed to know exists. The gargoyle characters are brilliant, I've loved Oliver from the beginning and it's been wonderful watching him grow from the tiny hatchling Mika rescued in Curse of the Gargoyles to the courageous companion he has become. Oliver loves Mika beyond all reason and thinks nothing of putting himself in harm's way to protect her but that is something that definitely goes both ways and Mika would do anything to look after him and any other gargoyles that cross her path.

Mika is brilliant, she's smart, brave and incredibly caring. As the only known gargoyle healer she sees it as her responsibility to look after all of the gargoyles and she thinks nothing of putting herself at risk to save them. I admire how focused she is on her goal but I loved that Marcus calls her out when she gets in over her head. She doesn't always see the dangers to herself until it's almost too late and she needs someone to help her take a step back and look at the bigger picture sometimes. Marcus obviously cares deeply about her and I really enjoyed the slow build romance that has developed between them. There were hints of an attraction between them in the previous stories but this is the book that really moves things forward since they spend so much time working together. I think they make a great couple, their personalities fit well together and they both bring something different to the relationship.

I've loved every minute of this series so I'm incredibly sad that it's come to an end but I'm still kind of hoping that Rebecca Chastain will choose to revisit this world again in the future. I'd be very happy to read more books from Mika's point of view but there is also definitely story potential for Mika's friend Kylie and a certain Captain. No matter what she's writing about this author is on my auto-buy list though and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Curse of the Gargoyles - Rebecca Chastain

Mika was trying to save a gargoyle, not doom the world...

Mika Stillwater isn’t known for her skills with combat magic. As a gargoyle healer, she spends her days mending broken appendages and curing illnesses in the living-quartz bodies of Terra Haven’s gargoyles. But when a squad of the city’s elite Federal Pentagon Defense warriors requests her assistance in freeing a gargoyle ensnared in a vicious invention, Mika jumps into the fray.

No one could have predicted that her involvement would ignite a chain reaction set to destroy the city, the world, and magic itself.

Brimming with epic magic and loveable gargoyles, Curse of the Gargoyles is the second story in the mesmerizing Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles trilogy. Fantasy fans young and old will delight in this highly original world and exciting, action-packed adventure.

Don’t miss the riveting adventure that starts it all: Magic of the Gargoyles!

The Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles:
Magic of the Gargoyles
Curse of the Gargoyles
Secret of the Gargoyles
Lured (Free novella)

Terra Haven Chronicles:
(Set in the same world as the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles but featuring side character Kylie)
Deadlines and Dryads (Novella)

Visit Rebecca Chastain's website for more information

Review:
Now that Mika has discovered her special skills as a gargoyle healer she has been putting them to good use helping to ensure the city's gargoyles are fit and healthy. She still isn't the strongest magical user in general and only has a low level of ability for anything but her earth element but when it comes to her quartz speciality she is second to none. She has managed to keep out of the limelight since rescuing a clutch of baby gargoyles and doesn't really want to get involved in defensive magic again but when a squad of Federal Pentagon Defence warriors request her help to protect a severely abused gargoyle she knows she has to do whatever she can. Unfortunately the gargoyle in question has been linked into a spell that has become highly destructive and unstable so if Mika and the FPD squad aren't able to find a way to break it the whole city could be destroyed in the fallout.

If you enjoyed Magic of the Gargoyles then Curse of the Gargoyles will blow you away! I was excited to get my hands on this story and read about Mika's next adventure but I don't think I even have the words to describe how much I loved this book. Everything I enjoyed in the first story is back here but bigger and better than ever. Mika has so much courage that even though she's relatively inexperienced compared to the squad she is working with she manages to hold her own, she also has an instinctive way about her when it comes to using the quartz element and that is what really makes her so outstanding when it comes to helping gargoyles in need. I just have to say how much I love Rebecca Chastain's descriptions of the elemental magic that Mika and the others use, she creates such vibrant images in my head while I'm reading that it's almost like watching a movie.

We still have the wonderful friendship between Mika and Kylie, they have such a brilliant connection and I enjoy seeing the way they always watch out for each other, it was also great catching up with the FPD squad we were introduced to in the first story and I liked that there are hints of a bit of romance in the air for both Mika and Kylie. As per the first book it was Oliver and his gargoyle siblings who stole the show though, they were adorable babies before but now they're growing bigger and have become much more independant. They all love Mika but she has a very special bond with Oliver and he is always by her side when she needs a magical boost. It wasn't just Mika showing her bravery in this story, Oliver and the others also put themselves in harm's way to protect the city and every other gargoyle in it, they do it because they trust in Mika to keep them safe and I loved that they had so much faith in her even when she's doubting her own abilities.

I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this story apart from that I wanted it to be longer, not because it wasn't completely satisfying in it's own right but because I would have been very happy to spend a lot more time in this world! The brilliant news is that the third story, Secret of the Gargoyles, is due to be published in June so we don't have too much longer to wait and I'll be at the front of the queue to start reading it on release day. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the series will end up being a lot longer than a trilogy though, one more story definitely won't be enough!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Magic of the Gargoyles - Rebecca Chastain

Updated Cover

Grab your copy of this fast-paced, imaginative fantasy adventure today!

Someone has kidnapped a nest of helpless baby gargoyles and is using them as pentagram focuses, devouring their magic—and their lives—for a horrific, illegal power boost. Swept into the dangerous underworld of black magic, earth elemental Mika Stillwater must cobble together her limited resources and skills to have a chance at being the hero the baby gargoyles desperately need. If she fails, the city will be at the mercy of the gargoyles’ murderers and their overwhelming destructive magic.

But pitting herself against powerful black-magic villains is proving just as deadly for Mika as for the gargoyles.

The Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles:
Magic of the Gargoyles
Curse of the Gargoyles
Secret of the Gargoyles
Lured (Free novella)

Terra Haven Chronicles:
(Set in the same world as the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles but featuring side character Kylie)
Deadlines and Dryads (Novella)

Visit Rebecca Chastain's website for more information

Review:
All earth elemental Mika has ever dreamed of is opening her own store where she can sell her magical creations, she has been saving for months and almost has enough to put down a deposit on a shop in an ideal location, all she needs to do is complete her latest order in time and her dreams will finally come true. Everything changes when a young gargoyle hatchling turns up at Mika's apartment begging for help. The gargoyle's siblings have all been kidnapped and their lives are in great danger as an unscrupulous magician is siphoning off their life forces to increase his magical abilities. Mika knows that she can't leave the gargoyles to be ruthlessly tortured by a monster but going up against such a powerful enemy will put a target on her back and could end up costing her everything.

Most novellas I read tend to be part of a larger ongoing series where I'm already familiar with the world and the characters so I'm instantly invested in the story and it's very easy to dive into them. I wasn't too sure how Rebecca Chastain was going to manage to create a whole new world, introduce an entirely new set of characters and create an engaging story in less than 100 pages but after loving all of her other novels I knew I had to give Magic of the Gargoyles a try. Consider me incredibly impressed because she did a fantastic job of all of those things and I enjoyed every minute of this story.

Mika is a great main character, she isn't the strongest magic user but she has a lot of heart and she puts herself at risk to protect the gargoyles because they aren't old enough to fight for themselves. You can't fault her bravery and I loved seeing her figure out more about her own skills along the way. I always complain about the lack of female friendships in some stories so I also really enjoyed the bond between Mika and her best friend Kylie, the two support each other 100% and Kylie immediately comes to Mika's aid when she is in trouble. What made this story for me was the gargoyles though, they were utterly adorable and each of the siblings had different quirks and characteristics that made them stand out as individuals. I'd quite like a family of baby gargoyles to move into my house actually, they would make life interesting for sure!

Magic of the Gargoyles is a fantastic little novella full of action and adventure and a very well built world considering how short it is. There is plenty of room for the story to be expanded upon and I'd love to read about more of Mika's adventures so I was very excited to discover that Rebecca Chastain is already at work on another 2 stories in this world. I'll certainly be buying any new instalments on release day and I can't wait to spend more time with Mika and the gargoyles!

Source: Purchased

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If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Original Cover

Kindle: