Medusas Destiny (Monsters and Gargoyles #1) by Lacey Carter Andersen

Medusas Destiny (Monsters and Gargoyles #1) Reviews

• 
  Lidia

  Pros
  
  - it's a book about Medusa
  - Ista-lust, not Ista-love. In the beginning.
  - they have always a hard on.
  - her past raises sympathy.
  
  Cons
  - they have always a hard on.
  - it's a standalone. It feels... Rush.
  - the guys aren't very characterized.
  - the magic vagina strikes again. After a night together they all fall in love.
• 
  Alli

  4 stars
  Sooo... I don’t have a specific reason why I liked this book. There were so many things that I disliked in it such as Insta-lust, Insta-love, sex in the first 15%, and threatened rape by the hero. That all being said I still really enjoyed it. It was a quick, fun spin off of the medusa tail and I will be reading the next.
• 
  Paula

  So many feels!!
• 
  Jillian

  Audiobook Review
  
  Medusa's Destiny is book one in the Monsters and Gargoyles series. As soon as I saw Gargoyles, I was all about giving this audiobook a listen. Gargoyles are my jam! This was my first experience with this author. It won't be my last. I really enjoyed her creativity.
  
  The story is about Medusa, who was once mortal but was cursed by the Goddess Athena over 2,000 years ago to become a monster who turns men to stone, and 4 Gargoyles named Byron, Harold, Forrest, and Marcus. The Gargoyles kidnap Medusa, thinking she is nothing more than an evil monster, and plan to use her to accomplish their intended missions and then kill her. But once they meet her, the realize that things are not as they assumed them to be.
  
  The book is Reverse Harem, insta-lust, and full of hot and sexy scenes. It is told in the multiple POVs of Medusa, Byron, Harold, Forrest, Marcus, and Edgar (who is Byron's dad).
  
  The audiobook is semi short at only 5 hours and 26 minutes duration. I wish there would have been more to their story. Especially during the 6 month gap between chapters 24 and 25. I enjoyed all of the adult scenes but I feel like they kind of took over the book and we didn't get enough actual story and action. Also, with the group adult scenes, without going into specifics or getting my review bounced for adult content, I found that they weren't really believable and that kind of bummed me out. Each time it was the 4 guys and her I found myself noticing things that just weren't possible based on the description as well as the sheer size of the guys and how tiny she was. Plus it almost seemed at times as if the author was trying to make the scenes more gratuitously erm... x rated than genuine.
  
  There were a few minor editing mistakes that I noticed but without having the book to look at I can't really speak to the editing. One thing that was really obvious though was that a sentence (in the final chapter during a group scene) was written twice but said slightly different and they were back to back. So obviously the author meant to swap them out but both got left in.
  
  I liked the narrator for the most part. She had excellent pacing, good tone and clarity, and a pleasant voice. I struggled though because besides the female POV, there were 5 other POVs that were all males and the narrator used the same voice for each of those male POVs. I felt like I had to pay extra attention to keep the POVs straight and more than once I had to restart the chapter so that I could hear the heading to know which POV it was. Perhaps adding a male narrator would have really elevated this audiobook.
  
  The second book was setup toward the end of this book and it sounds as though we will be revisiting this Gargoyle sanctuary and hopefully get to see these characters again. I'm definitely interested in continuing this series. Medusa's Destiny was a lot fun and as I said earlier, creative. I can't wait to see what happens next with Gargoyles and Merpeople.
• 
  Somia

  A Easy 3 STARS
  
  When I saw the blurb for this, I was so excited, a book that puts a twist on Greek mythology, where the monsters aren't really monsters - in this case Medusa isn't the frightening horrible women she is depicted to be through legends - sounds great.
  
  The premise of this is fab, but whilst this was an enjoyable light read, it wasn't the little gem I was hoping it would be. In this reverse harem, enemies to lovers’ book, things heat up pretty quick between Medusa and her Gargoyles, a little more intimacy and emotional layers would have added depth. And it would have been nice if each of Medusa's guys were more developed as characters.
  
  I would have loved some rich world building, especially considering the premise. Overall a nice light read, I’m looking forward to book two in the series.
  
  Acquired via KU.
  
• 
  Stephaniec

  Short, I liked that it was an alternative story about Medusa but it could have been longer
  
• 
  Vanessa

  World building was nice and I really enjoyed the mythology of it all, but while everything was nice to read and the steamy scenes were pretty hot, there was just something lacking to make this a "very" good read. Maybe because everything was a bit too fast for me and the last part I kind of skimmed through because it wasn't interesting, but I do recommend it for any Mythology lovers and fans of RH.
• 
  Seraphia

  Medusa's Destiny is so steamy that I needed a break to fan myself cuz things got HOT! lol! Next thing I knew the author had me wanting tissues at certain moments in the story. So let's just say this book is pretty awesome!
  We all know the story of Medusa, the evil gorgon who turns people to stone. Well, this story takes that one and flips it on its head. Medusa is an awesome character. She's engaging and truly fascinating. I love how the author put this story together. She gives us a unique twist on the story but still holds to things that we are familiar with in the original. We easily get to see that the real monsters in this story...isn't the one that has been labeled as such, but are the ones who deceive themselves into believing that they are "doing what is right."
  There isn't anything that I don't like about this book. I love the variety of the characters that the author gives us and how she even throws in a hint at the next book in this series. I have to say that I am eager to read the next book.
  If you are looking for a STEAMY read, engaging characters, and a fantastic storyline then grab this book! You will NOT be disappointed! This book is easily 5 out of 5 stars and hard to put down! Keep a cool drink nearby because you WILL need it! LOL
• 
  Tiffany Hook

   I loved this book by Lacey Carter Anderson! I love the characters, the World, and the storyline she created. I loved a different take on Medusa not being the villain everyone thinks she is. The chemistry of her Gargoyles Byron, Harold, Forrest, and Marcus was smoking Hot 🔥! I really enjoyed this story...had me hooked from the beginning! Medusa is smart, strong, and selfless...the gargoyles never stood a chance against her sweet nature! I really love that She is a tough woman who has survived many horrors in her two thousand some years. She is lonely and has experienced a lot of heartbreak, but still retains her humanity and respect for human life. No matter the bad that she has unintentionally committed and the fear and disgust she is shown by everyone, Medusa continues to strive to be a good person. This was an amazing read!
• 
  Jenn

  Fast Paced
  
  The thing is while this definitely encompasses a lot of sex it doesn't encompass a lot of getting to know each other. So I have trouble believing there's real feeling here. Also there's so many secrets that are never revealed like Peter, seriously that's one loose ending I'm so not okay with. Plus I didn't like how the book just kept fast forwarding months like the author couldn't be bothered to tell the whole story and show rather than tell what happened in the gaps. Finally if the story is going to have so many sex scenes I felt like they should have been a bit... hotter I guess.
• 
  4foxsake

  Stone hard.
  
  Fast burn RH about a ‘monster’ who changes the world view of monster killing gargoyles one sweet and snarky quip at a time. I loved the authors interpretation of Medusa and she definitely tugged on the heart strings. The book ends in a HFN, and the story arc changes to another monster and gargoyle quad. But prejudices don’t end with a happily ever after, and while some gargoyles are enlightened and learn from their mistakes, old habits die hard and the lives of monsters are still at stake. Can’t wait to read the next one!
• 
  Heather Gilbert

  Sweet
  
  There was something sweet about this tale, along with the underlying message that what you think you know may be wrong. Shades of gray people, shades of gray.
  
  Pros:
  - Medusa... 2,000 years old and still dealing with the same crap.
  - The guys... they all kinda blended in the story, but they each still played their role well.
  
  Cons:
  - Fast burn that felt it could have benefited from slowing down.
  - More questions... read the next one in the series! But yes, this tale is stand alone, but the world goes on.
• 
  Dena

  Suspenseful romance
  
  This was an amazing story of survival. Those guys are so judge mental and I hope that Medusa teaches them a lesson. Byron’s dad Edgar is a tool. They are pretty much ungrateful and I’m glad that she doesn’t know the truth about their depravity. Overall this was pretty suspenseful.
• 
  Rebecca ellis

  I loved it!
  
  I loved how we got to see another side of Medusa instead of just the monster from all the stories. And I really hope someone kills Peter or something for betraying her like that.
  I swooned anytime one of the guys was mentioned. Especially sweet Harold. ❤
• 
  Mariah

  A beautiful tale
  
  This was quite interesting. A kidnapping. A strange romantic fall into love. A terrible wrenching polarizing belief system. And a whole lot of, well, hoping against hope. Also, Athens is intense. I don't like her at all
• 
  Karin Dirksen

  This was exactly the story I craved! Medusa's backstory provided all the feels and the story had a HEA.
• 
  Jamie Penwell

  I absolutely loved this take on medusa
  
  This was fantastically written. I love the back story behind medusa and her overall personality. It also makes you think that would the monsters in myths be actual horrible monsters
• 
  Sydney

  I loved the amount of mythology in this book! There are so many legends of Medusa and this book takes bits from lots of them, then smushes it into one with a few creative liberties.
  
  Medusa herself was a tragic, sympathetic character who was easy to root for. I would have liked more chapters in her point of you in the last third of the book, but we did need the other viewpoints so I'm not too bothered. The gargoyles were likeable characters with interesting backstories. Their conflicts regarding Medusa were great to read.
  
  Honestly the only thing I really didn't like about the book were some of the gargoyle names. Harold? Gary? Arthur? Come on I know you've got better names up your sleeve Lacey! It's such a minor gripe to be honest, but I couldn't take Harold seriously.
  
  Overall I really loved this book and can't wait to read more in the series!
• 
  Shannon

  I really enjoyed the myths and legends behind this story. I loved the unique spin the author put on them. There were a couple of scenes I thought were a bit average but otherwise I enjoyed the story immensely and can't wait for more stories about monster females and their mates. On a side note the average middle age men names of the males in the book were a bit out of place and made it hard to imagine them being sexy gargoyles.
• 
  Jennifer Turner

  Very interesting
  
  I enjoyed this very much and would highly recommend anyone to check it out its a nice twist on the legend of Medusa
• 
  Daisy Sauceda

  Medusa, Byron, Harold, and Forest-
  
  So how do you know if someone is a monster who is evil? You don't until you get to know them. What is Medusa's story? So when she meets the gargoyles who are monster hunters. Byron, Harold, Forest and Marcus. They are on a mission but first need her help. What will happen once they actually see her? Will she still be doomed. I can say that there are heated situations. Will this effect her fate? This is definitely an intense and page turner.
• 
  Katie

  Wow!!! Now that was a ride. This is by far my favorite story fronts author. Medusa and Gargoyles!!! I seriously want more!! I loved the entire story. The ending was perfect. I really hope author writes more about gargoyles. They are one of my favorite paranormal creatures(monsters). Definitely a must read!!! Loved it!!!
• 
  Candiace

  She twists greek mythology into something new and makes the baddies good.
• 
  Jordan

  Medusa's Destiny is a fun and sexy, fast-paced, standalone RH that combines some of my favorite elements: mythology, steamy romance, and a little bit of the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. It is the first in a new series of standalone stories that will feature the once dying Gargoyles and the Monsters needed to help their species survive.
  
  I loved the way this author portrayed Medusa. She is a tough woman who has survived many horrors in her two thousand some years. She is lonely and has experienced a lot of heartbreak, but still retains her humanity and respect for human life. No matter the bad that she has unintentionally committed and the fear and disgust she is shown by everyone, Medusa continues to strive to be a good person.
  
  When she is kidnapped by a group of Gargoyles, she doesn't expect to come out of this unscathed. With the help of the trials they need Medusa to endure, their initial hatred gradually turns to understanding and acceptance and later to love. For centuries they have understood monsters to be evil and creatures to be destroyed, but what happens when they are faced with a monster who was forced into her circumstances and still fought to be good, despite what those around her did? With the help of Medusa, the monster they originally planned to kill, Byron, Harold, Forrest, and Marcus gain the ability to save the future of the Gargoyles.
  
  This story was a fun and steamy read that I couldn't put down! I loved all of the interactions between Medusa and her gargoyles, watching them go from hated attraction to becoming a family. I also appreciated that the author didn't shy away from some of the darker aspects of Medusa's history. Medusa is forced to face her past rape and punishment by the gods and the torture she endured for centuries by the "heroes" who tried to kill her for glory. But while these important aspects of her past are brought up to help understand Medusa, the story is not consumed by this dark past but instead focuses on a brighter future.
  
  As a classicist I am always intrigued by mythology and love to read authors' retellings of classic tales. This combination of myth and one of my favorite romance genres- reverse harem- created a fantastic story. I can't wait to read more of this series and see more reimagined mythological monsters find the HEA that they never could in their original stories!
• 
  Mary Ellen

  This is a dark and erotic retelling of Medusa. I loved the idea of this book and the potential for this series. Gargoyles, the protectors of humans are going extinct. There are only a small handful of female Gargoyles left and therefore are very rare and praised highly. The gargoyles protect humans from evil monsters, esp those revolving around Greek Mythology.
  
  Medusa is a bad ass main character, with relateable flaws and a take no crap attitude. When she crosses paths with 4 sexy Gargoyles her life is danger because even though she is stunning to look at, they just can't see past her Monster reputation. That is until they do.
  
  I love that this book and series takes the idea of Greek myths and turns it upside down. Giving a lot of the monsters or villains a positive or misinterpreted story. I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of world building story. I hope this author continues with this series.
  
  Warning: this series is dark, full of hilarious sexual situations and over the top hot sex scenes. Each of these books are reverse harems that revolve around a different female monster and some her sexy gargoyles. Each gargoyle will learn that things aren't so black and white, and just because someone has a reputation for being a monster doesn't mean they are one.
• 
  Ada

  Medusa's Destiny is a quickie that doesn't really get too crazy with the plot and it's all about the humping scenes.
  
  I didn't take this book seriously once it became clear it's all about the sexy times meeting the guys 5 seconds in. I think the pairing of Medusa with Gargoyles was interesting, I haven't read many books about Gargoyles for harem and it adds something that's not run-of-the-mill creatures. I mean the plot is simple and light since obviously the book is all about humping but still it's better to read about gargoyles than any other overused paranormals.
  
  Medusa as a character was softer than what I expected with the opening scene where she is kicking ass as the story moves she becomes more weepy and less angry. The harem doesn't have anything beyond stereotypes. With the short length, the delayed appearance of the fourth dude really leaves no space to add enough details to his character not to mention he hits the FMC that just completely ruins his character.
  
  I think it's a book to read if you don't go expecting an immersive world building story and complex characters, it's a face value book that has paranormal aspect but truly it just cares about delivering the naked tango scenes.