Cover Image: The Gryphon's Lair

The Gryphon's Lair

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Rowan is now the Royal Monster Hunter, and her twin brother, Rhydd, is destined to be king. But her mother's cousin Heward is still determined that his children be the ones to inherit the titles, and will stop at nothing to show that Rowan and Rhydd are too immature to properly lead.

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Eeek! My son and I absolutely loved The Gryphon's Lair, the second book in Kelley Armstrong's most recent series for middle graders.
It is action packed, and full of subtle lessons for the reader about what it means to be a good friend. As well as how our perception of situations are not always accurate.
My son said it NEEDS to be made into a movie! Like yesterday!
We both truly hope there will be a third installment in this awesome series!

Highly recommended! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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I always enjoy Ms. Armstrong's writing and I really enjoyed this series. The characters were great adn there was an improvement to this book versus the first.

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I did not read the first book prior to this book, I shall be rectifying that shortly. I loved this story and it is perfect for middle grade readers. The characters are relatable and the situations they find themselves in are also equally relatable to readers.

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Rowan is training to be the royal monster hunter in her kingdom. She caught a gryphon in the previous book, and it was allowed to live because it was pregnant. Now the gryphon is having her baby, but the mother dies due to complications. The baby gryphon grows quickly and thinks that Rowan is her mother. When the gryphon goes to extreme lengths to protect Rowan, the kingdom decides that the gryphon has to be killed. Rowan convinces them to let her move the gryphon somewhere else. On Rowan’s new adventure through the country, she meets even more creatures than last time.

I really enjoyed this series. I just found out that this is the final book in this series. I would have liked to see more of Rowan as she gets older. She had to face some more mature issues in this book, such as potential suitors for her and her brother. I love how Rowan is such a strong female character. She heads right into danger to do the right thing, rather than what everyone thinks she should do. She is confident and independent.

I felt like some of the fight scenes were too long. They lasted for a couple of chapters, sometimes, and they became repetitive. One thing that could have made the fights more entertaining is if there were illustrations to go along with them. There are some illustrations of the monsters at the end of the book, but I think the story could have been enhanced with illustrations throughout the book.

This is a great middle grade book.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Middle grade, fantasy reading students are going to love this book! I missed the series opener, but received a dARC from NetGalley and had no trouble immersing myself into Rowan’s world of monster hunting! The setting is the time of kings and castles, but the place is straight from the imagination of author Kelley Armstrong. The mythical creatures, however, come from the stories of many places-Australian dropbears, Welsh ceffyl-dwrs, European wyverns, plus the familiar unicorns, Pegasi, and gryphons and more. The action in this final installment of this duology is non-stop as Rowan and her companions, both human and fantastic, seek to return a young, orphaned gryphon to an aerie of its own kind. The quest is near constant close encounters with beasts of all kinds who seem to be as interested in studying Rowan (and maybe eating her) as she is in learning all she can about them. Highly recommended for grades 4-8, although the length and vocabulary will be too daunting for many on the lower end of that range.

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actual rating: 3.5

Another really fun book in this series. I love all the different monsters and I think Rowan is a really great character and really enjoy seeing her learn to navigate her new job as monster hunter and also how it affects her relationships with the people around her. Gave this a technical 3.5 stars because I think there were some minor pacing issues, but the overall fun energy of the book was definitely enough for me to bump it up to 4 stars.

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I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from Kelley Armstrong and Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Once again Kelley Armstrong has written a book, I really enjoyed reading. I think Rowan is awesome, I love that she is a monster magnet and tries to understand them instead of just killing them. I love Kelley’s descriptions of the monsters. I just wish this wasn’t a duology, I would enjoy reading more adventures with Rowan.

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SO cute! The jackalope, the gryphon and other monsters are actually pretty cute (at least the ones Rowan befriends/imprints on).

I know that several reviewers say to read Book 1 first, but I think it's fairly easy to catch up to the plot and plotting going on. Rowan is a wonderfully strong character, happier now in her role as Royal Monster Hunter than in her former role as Heir Apparent; the other characters are also fleshed out relatively well (with one exception), something that doesn't always happen in other books. The most disappointing part is that this is a duology and I'd love more of this world and these creatures.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

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What an epic story!!!!!! What can I say about this story? The characters are amazing! Dynamic. Realistic. And relatable. The plot was absolutely amazing! My attention was held the entire time. Twists. Turns. Suspense. I love the entire story!!!! I was sad when I finished.

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The second of a duology that started with A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying, this book is an action packed, monster filled installment that does leave room for more adventures with these characters, should the author decide to do so. The title of this duology is a bit of a misnomer as the focus is not really on slaying monster, but understanding them. Rowan, the incoming Royal Monster Hunter has a much more scientific approach than others might have. She learns through these two books not to come in with her weapons swinging, but to favour a more subtle approach including observation of the monster's body language in order to assess the correct course of action.
All of the old monsters from the first book are here and there are many new creatures as well, with the handy and entertaining guide in the back of the book. There are also a lot of relationships between characters that shift and are impacted by court politics. Just as Rowan uses her brains to survive encounters with monsters, she also things carefully about how to handle people as well. This diffuses conflict and allows her connections to other characters to improve. Just when the most impatient of readers begins to tire conversations between characters about court politics, there is a splash of humour and more action.
I think readers of this duology are going to hope for more adventures in this world. 4.5 stars.

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Kelley Armstrong is one of the best authors around who can build a world, a community, a character and their families and make them so realistic, you get a visual....even if it's a world of monster hunters. The Gryphon's Lair follows A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying as Rowan and Rhydd continue their battle to keep their family and friends safe and keep the kingdom from their uncle and cousins. YA target audience but I enjoyed the stories very much. If you have read any of her other series, this one is comparable in writing and the ability to make you start counting the days until the next release. If you have not read any of her series, you should. Kelley Armstrong will quickly become one of your favorite authors too!

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Everyone's favorite monster-loving, monster-taming, monster-hunting princess with her wide array of companions--of the human and fuzzy/feathery/scaly variety!

Princess Rowan is learning all she can as the Royal Monster Hunter. She is particularly eager to continue the study of the gryphon she brought home to the castle--and especially the baby the gryphon is pregnant with! But when things go horribly wrong, the baby is orphaned and imprints on Rowan. But as the baby grows fast and causes havoc, Rowan knows that it is her duty to bring the baby to the home of the gryphons, so that she can be among her kind. But what is a journey with a baby gryphon without a few bumps in the road? Especially of the monster variety?

The conclusion to the "Royal Guide to Monster Hunting" duology, Armstrong brings closure to these characters, while still leaving plenty of room for the imagination of the future adventures of Rowan, Dain, Jacko, and all of their friends. Fantastic in every sense of the word, "The Gryphon's Lair" is a stunning tale about friendships, growing up, responsibility, and, of course, monsters!

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The Gryphon's Lair is the second book in the series. The first book is a must read if you want to get a sneak peak into much of the context of the book. Both books were excellent in my opinion. The story features the same message of kindness and compassion as the first book. The Gryphon's Lair also explores trust, friendship, conflict resolution, and how to learn from mistakes. The main character, Rowan, shows great personal growth over the length of the story. She is intelligent and compassionate, all things I love in a female protagonist. As with the first book in the series, The Royals Guide to Monster Slaying, I strongly recommend the story. I enjoyed it as an adult, but know that it would work as a wonderful companion towards teaching some of these life lessons.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review The Gryphon's Lair

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Great follow up to the first book. Interesting new monsters, solid storyline and an exciting ending. Would highly recommend this series to fantasy fans.

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The Gryphon's Lair is the second book in the Royal Guide to Monster Slaying series by Kelley Armstrong. It is currently scheduled for release on June 2 2020. I do recommend reading the series in order, mostly to understand the characters and how they relate to each other. However, a determined reader could catch up fairly easily and still enjoy the read.

Rowan is now the Royal Monster Hunter, and her twin brother, Rhydd, is destined to be king. But her mother's cousin Heward is still determined that his children be the ones to inherit the titles, and will stop at nothing to show that Rowan and Rhydd are too immature to properly lead. After the gryphon that Rowan captured in Book One gives birth but then dies, Rowan is left with a baby gryphon she knows she cannot keep. And it grows faster than anyone can imagine. In order to save face after an accident involving the troublesome gryphon, Rowan, with the help of her friends Dain and Alianor, along with an entourage of monstrous companions, must make a journey to the mountains to release the gryphon back into the wild. What starts off as a simple enough task soon becomes a dangerous quest, as the group encounters numerous rare and deadly monsters along the way, including wyverns and ceffyl-dwrs.

The Gryphon's Lair is a book that is as much about Rowan and her friends coming together, and understanding each other and themselves, as it is the adventure of what to do with a young gryphon. I really liked the importance respect and compassion is given in this series. Rowan is trying to be a good member of the royal family, doing what is best for the kingdom while also thinking about understanding the monstrous creatures in the world rather than just killing them all. I laughed at some of he antic the crew she has assembled, cringed when those antics turned dangerous. There was action, heart to heart talks, amazing creatures, and a few heart wrenching moments. When I finished this story I was left with two thoughts. First, my daughter needs to read this series, as it is right up her alley, and second was that I hope there are more books set in this world coming because I am eager for more.

The Gryphon's Lair is a middle grade fantasy novel that has a near perfect balance of action and character growth.

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The Gryphon’s lair is the 2nd book in Kelley Armstrong’s Royal guide to monster slaying (Ages 10-14) I found it just as wonderful to read as the first book! The book picks up shortly after the first one ends. Princess Rowan, now the Royal Monster Hunter, must return a young gryphon to the wild and sets off with a small band of companions to find a nest of other gryphons. This turns into a dangerous mission as Rowan seems to attract all kinds of monsters. Rowan learns some valuable lessons on her adventure, but will they keep her safe.? As in the first book I loved the characters, both human and monsters! Rowan is such a strong and brave girl at her age, and I love the way she interacts with the different monsters! I highly recommend this book for children 10 and above (some slightly scary scenes for the younger crowd)
Arc provided by Puffin Canada and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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4.5/ 5 stars

The Gryphon's Lair is the second and final book in this middle grade fantasy duology. This is a continuation of the first book. So you must read A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying first.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors. I don't usually read middle grade books. But I read this series because I love her.

Surprisingly I actually love these books. The narrator is once again 12 year old Princess Rowan (1st person POV). She is such a lovable, compelling, compassionate, smart and quick-thinking heroine. She has a natural gift for interacting with monsters. And it is fun to see how she deals with every situation. Rowan is really IMO a great role model for any young girls reading this series.

This book is all about Rowan and a young gryphon. This story was very action-packed. Which normally wouldn't necessarily be my thing. But I have grown to love these characters. And I enjoyed this book very much.

This is such a cute series. What a charming and wonderful conclusion to this middle grade duology!

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An absolutely wonderful adventure that I enjoyed even more than the first book!! I love how the monster hunter teaches kindness and empathy towards all creatures, even monsters, and that friendship leads to achieving your goals. This story is about the dangerous journey to return a baby gryphon into the wild— and it’s epic.

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3.5, maybe 4 stars

"The Gryphon's Lair" was even more enjoyable than its predecessor, "A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying", and I liked that one. Then again, it's the rare book by Armstrong that I don't enjoy.

Rowan, who is now the royal monster hunter, needs to return a juvenile gryphon to the wild. She also still has to deal with her uncle and other relatives hoping to displace her or her brother, now the royal heir. Relatives can be such a pain, dreadful even. Fortunately, her brother and mother are on her side and decent relatives. She also has friends who have her back, most of the time. One friend does betray her and when Rowan finds out, her feelings are hurt of course, but then she handles it beautifully. Many adults could not handle it so well. I was sorry we didn't see more of her twin brother Rhydd but this is Rowan's book. She's the hero.

The story gently delivers messages on compassion, respect, communication, problem solving, and relationships. Rowan, Dain, and the others make mistakes but they learn from them and they apologize and try to work things out. It was nice to see the growth in the characters both from this book and the first, and from the start of this book to the end of it. As Rowan and her companions set on their quest, they have numerous adventures. The book is fast paced and full of action though it dragged slightly here and there. Still, it was fun and the creatures, the monsters, were delightful. Most I was familiar with but there were a few that were new to me. Armstrong chose from a nice array of myths for her monsters. And really, I had a hard time of thinking of them as monsters. I kept thinking of them as creatures or animals, and honestly, that was part of Armstrong's point.


"Absolutely not," Dain calls. "You're a monster hunter, not a monster collector. Stop taking them home."


"As they like you. As Dain says, you're kind and respectful, and that's why they stay with you. But the bigger question is why they come to you at all."
I frown at her.
She chuckles. "Does this seem normal to you, child? That you just happen to stumble upon gryphons and pegasus fillies and baby jackalopes?"


"So do you still doubt you have a natural gift for monsters, child?"
She's right. I have something, and it is both gift and curse. I attract monsters, which puts anyone near me in danger. But I understand them, too. I want to understand them, and I think that makes a difference.


"The Gryphon's Lair" was fun, sweet, and full of adventure. I think children who enjoy mythology and action will enjoy this. I'm disappointed this is the last book in this series.

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