Sunday, 6 July 2025

GARGOYLES: Guardians of the Source

Written by  Tamsin Mori

                            

Cover: An ornamental arch in pale blue, is set on a dark blue background with mid blue vine leaves. Within the arch centre we see the 3 kids, along with their special creatures: a water kelpie, amazing insects and a tiny elf-like creature. Callan is sat astride Zariel, the winged lion gargoyle that features in the story. There is a crescent moon within the top of the arch and authors name below in pale yellow. The old house is in silhouette against a red/purple sky. They all stand on purple and blue grass. The title at bottom of page. Gargoyles is in white and yellow gothic text, the remainder is in shiny red capitals.

                                                        

An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.

Hello, and welcome to my latest Book Review featuring this week an amazing adventure in Middle Grade Fiction.

Without further ado, and with my trusty housekeeper, Mrs H, busy checking for dangerous ornamental masonry on the roof, lets get this book review on the the road to Gargoyle's Rest . . . 


Cover: An ornamental arch in pale blue, is set on a dark blue background with mid blue vine leaves. Within the arch centre we see the 3 kids, along with their special creatures: a water kelpie, amazing insects and a tiny elf-like creature. Callan is sat astride Zariel, the winged lion gargoyle that features in the story. There is a crescent moon within the top of the arch and authors name below in pale yellow. The old house is in silhouette against a red/purple sky. They all stand on purple and blue grass. The title at bottom of page. Gargoyles is in white and yellow gothic text, the remainder is in shiny red capitals.



AUTHOR:  Tamsin Mori (Click to link to their site.)

 

Illustrations by:  David Dean  (Click to link to their site.)

 

Published by:  Fox & Ink Books (formerly UCLan Publishing)  (Click to link to their site.) 


Publication date Paperback: 4 April 2024

 

Paperback 13 digit ISBN:  978 - 191 5235 909

UK Cover price for Paperback:  £8.99    


Amazon KINDLE price:  £7.85

 

Pages: 303

 

Age range:  9 - 12 and upwards



 

 

SPOILER ALERT


Some as to plot direction and characters.

 

 

Thank you to... 


We are exceedingly grateful to publicist Graeme Williams,  and UCLan Publishing for offering us a chance to Read & Review this story. 


As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we have bought, received as gifts, or received in exchange for an impartial review.

First and foremost, the books we review are those we select to read, like, and feel our global readers deserve to know about and that we hope they, their family, friends and students will enjoy.



 

The plot


After the death of his grandmother on his father’s side, Callan and his parents move to his grans house, Gargoyle's Rest, a rambling and seemingly decrepit mansion which sports large gargoyles around the roof, and a ‘no-go’ room that is unsafe. When he gets a look into the room he sees a hole in the floor. Stranger though is the fact the hole is surrounded by large stone gargoyles, the same as those around the roof. 

The grounds are expansive, overgrown, and full of intrigue for 11-year-old Callan who has been forced to leave all his friends behind. He discovers a girl, Yasmin, wandering, trespassing through the woods. 

Whilst they do not initially bond, Callan has an opportunity to make a friend and to explore. Yasmin lives with her family and younger, incorrigible, slightly annoying brother, Raf, in one of the estate cottages beyond the grounds and that Callan’s family now own. Her neighbours include Angus, who clearly is self-assured and clever, and has nothing to prove. He irks Callan who feels the need to compete and prove himself, more so when he discovers the special skills Angus Yasmin and Raf have and the creatures they can communicate with and, to a degree, control.

Callan’s new bedroom is rather spooky, with a huge stone gargoyle outside the window. On exploring the other floors and rooms, he discovers a bedroom. Within he finds someone’s diary. Taking it, he is intent on reading more about this person, and rather intriguingly, their role in what they describe as being a Guardian of the Source. The Source he will discover is a well that, whatever goes in comes out magnified – good or bad. The Guardians who through generations have protected the Source, have the power to awaken the great gargoyles that surround the house. 

Once awoken they become the fearsome fur, feather, scale, flesh and breathing creatures they formerly depicted. In fact, the Guardians are expected to bond with a gargoyle. Think Avatar and choosing your own ‘Ikran’ or ‘Mountain Banshee’. 

Seeing this as a great opportunity to prove himself, and get one over on Angus, Callan tries to awaken and befriend his own gargoyle, that outside his window, but only manages to invite a deadly ghast into his bedroom. Not a great start. Only a trained Guardian has the right to summon a gargoyle.

Behind the scenes, Callan’s dad, is struggling with the house. An old friend and structural engineer says the place is unsound and that he should sell up and move his family out before it falls down. 

As things worsen with the house, and a family secret related to the diary, so Callan and his dad come to blows and drift apart. Something else is also happening, the catalyst for the events and ill feelings. The well that contains the source is being awoken, and what was previously held within, an evil force, is starting to assert its power. And when it does, it will unleash disaster and ghasts on the world. But knowing that what goes into the well is magnified, who or what is feeding it evil?

Callan has challenges ahead of him, not just navigating friendships, his father and the hidden secret of the diary’s owner. Having started off wanting his own gargoyle friend to impress Yasmin and Angus, he very soon realises that he needs to be a guardian proper to not only save the house but his family and the good magic in the well, the source, that is being usurped by the evil. 

The problem is Zariel, the gargoyle outside his window, is far from willing to be befriended, or impressed with Callan, and considers far too young and grossly undertrained to be a guardian. 
Time is running out, and only a Gargoyle and Guardian as a pair can fight the looming threat that is growing in the shadows.



So, what did we think?


We have lived in a large, old creaking house, with rambling wild garden and a stream running through. I often dreamed that there was far more lurking within and without than just stray mice and creepy crawlies in the damp vegetation and the river's sometimes placid sometimes fast waters. Sadly we had no gargoyles, only long since dead and stuffed jewel eyed creatures, and let me assure you that they are scary enough. But if we'd had gargoyles I bet they would have talked and been just like those in this adventure. This is exactly the kind of fun I would love to have had, but likely would have not been as brave as Callan. 


What I love is that the journey Callan goes on involves his parents, particularly his dad. We get a real sense of the angst of friendship building for the kids, and a real dilemma for the parents as key elements of their lives, past and present, create problems tensions for them all, amplified by the evil that seeps into the house.


The story eases us gently into characters, location and situation, steadily enough to allow for the ensuing series to have fresh reveals along the way. There is plenty of action once we start uncovering the secrets of the mansion and the family past and present. The plot is original, and we can recall only one other gargoyle in a middle grade book series, though they weren't as central to the story as Zariel is. More grumpy gargoyles more often I say!


There is an admirable mix of the fantasy elements and human interaction without the reader feeling lost or overwhelmed by a new new world. How this changes with the new book remains to be seen. I have every confidence that the head of steam built up will continue to delight and draw younger readers in. 


Finally but not least, is the cover. It is colourful and shiny, and so very ably brings together every part of the adventure, characters and place and shows them off to best catch the eye. It did us, and I am so glad we chose it for review.



So, Crunch time. 


A well-crafted, atmospheric blend of fantasy, magic and adventure, with a healthy dose of spooky and dark to bring a big book feel. The delightful and compelling scene setting leads to a pacy and satisfying grand finale. Which in turn heralds another, soon to be released adventure for Callan and his new friends, humans and Gargoyles alike. 



And now for my Sunday Selfie . . . .

Half/part profile image of Erin's head and shoulders. She is facing right, and staring out a window that is out of shot. She sits on her fav green and white patterned seat pad, which is on top of a grey, white and black stripped sofa cover.

Was the cat outside looking at me, or the cat food Mrs H brought from Amazon? One thing for sure is that all the cats in this neck of the woods like the pate and biscuits Amazon sell. A good pricec and quality. Have any of you tried it also?



We are joining the Sunday Selfies, hosted by the wonderful Kitties Blue and their mum, Janet Blue, from the Cat on My Head blog in America. CLICK THIS LINK to visit their site and to get the code to add to your own blog . . . 


Small image. The Cat on My Head Sunday Selfies Blog Hop badge. Features a yellow-haired lady with a tuxedo cat on her head.

 


I hope you enjoyed that adventure. 

Till laters!

ERin 



14 comments:

  1. A lovely selfie, as always, ERin. The book sounds good too.

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  2. Not to worry, ERin (well purr-haps you should), we suspect they were eyeing your food ... best tuck it away in the pantry ... aahh: the book review, "oh to be a kid again and better enjoy these adventures"!

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  3. Princess ERin, if you have enough food to share that's purrfect. And we do not have gargoyles on our house thank goodness. Bad enough a herd of deer in the yard!

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  4. ERin my Princess friend...what a lovely profile you have. Keep one eye on anyone near your food.
    Even Mrs. H. Angel Madi always thought she needed to guard hers from me.
    Hugs cecilia

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  5. ERin....why dinna mizzuz H order mice creem and cakez for everee one frum amazon ? ☺☺♥♥ bee cauz her .....COULD !!! stay gorgeouz and heerz two a grate week a head !! ♥

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  6. That sounds like an exciting read. I think you need one of those gargoyles to help protect your food.

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  7. Erin, what a lovely. Selfie. Do you have your eye on one of those tasty biscuits?

    Woos - Misty and Timber

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  8. That does sound good and the cover is really cool. Your selfie is very pretty sweet Princess!

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  9. Adorable selfie! I haven't tried Amazon brand cat food but now I'm curious!

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  10. Keep your eye o that food ERin! You don't know where it might disappear too!!

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  11. That sounds like a very clever book, ERin. So many of the books you read have such imaginative plots (and this one is no exception), and we'r always grateful for your very thoughtful and thorough reviews. We like our pretty selfie! We suspect those cats were doing a little of both -- eyeing you up, for sure, but also seeing what those biscuits and pate are about. They certainly sound yummy. Hugs to you and Mrs. H!

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  12. The selfie is beautiful and the review sounds like just the sort of adventure I enjoy.

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  13. A beautiful contemplative selfie, Erin. We hope your food is safe from any outsiders! Maybe you should snag a gargoyle from some ancient structure and use it to help keep your foodables safe.

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