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Khargals of Duras #6

Taken for Granite

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"Taken for Granite" is a a standalone novel, and the sixth story in the collaborative, multi-author, sci fi series, Khargals of Duras.
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A gargoyle imprisoned.
Captured, starved and blinded, Tas hates humans.

For eighty agonizing years, he’s plotted all the gruesome ways to exact his vengeance. Then one day his captors to make a fatal mistake. When the door to his cage opens, he’s ready to destroy the human on the other side.

But a different instinct takes over when he scents the female. His mouth waters and his fangs ache, demanding he make the fearless female his.

A single mom, desperate to save her kid sister.
Juniper owes a lot of money to a very bad man and unless she does what he wants, he’ll hurt her sister.

To clear her debt, all she has to do is drive a van and not ask questions. But when she hears a voice in the back, she realizes she may not only be a thief but also a kidnapper, and that’s where she draws the line.

What she finds in the back isn’t the loot she expected, but it also isn’t a person.

It’s a gargoyle… who intends to claim her as his mate.
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Khargals of Duras

A thousand years ago, a Khargal scouting party left Duras, only to crash on a planet called Earth.

Injured and outnumbered, the stranded Khargals hid among stone effigies and observed the slow evolution of the planet’s primitive inhabitants. With no means of returning to Duras, they watched from their shadowy perches and faded into legend, becoming the mythical gargoyles.

Until today. Long after any hope for rescue had died, the distress signal has finally been answered.

It's time to go home.

** -------------- **

Don't miss out on the full series!

Khargals of Duras.
Book 1: Gravel and Grit by Stacy Jones
Book 2: Hard as Rock by Stephanie West
Book 3: Heart of Stone by Regine Abel
Book 4: Sticks and Stones by Tamsin Ley
Book 5: Etched in Stone by Abigail Myst
Book 6: Taken for Granite by Nancey Cummings
Book 7: Rock My World by Zara Zenia

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2019

238 people are currently reading
222 people want to read

About the author

Nancey Cummings

63 books412 followers
Nancey writes fun, fast and flirty scifi romances featuring feisty heroines and out-of-this-world heros. Nancey lives in an old house with her husband and two cats who have complaints with management. When she’s not writing, she enjoys video games, horror movies and anything involving time travel.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancey...
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nanceycumm/

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5 stars
178 (33%)
4 stars
185 (34%)
3 stars
130 (24%)
2 stars
33 (6%)
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8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie A..
1,245 reviews559 followers
September 24, 2019
3.5 STARS!
"I will always return to you."
Sweet, funny and a little silly - but lots of fun!

Plot: Tas is a Khargal, an alien race that crash landed on earth a millennia ago who look like gargoyles. After escaping from a secret society who've been torturing and experimenting on him, he's surprised to find his fated mate - though not as surprised as Juniper.

So Juniper was a real riot.
"I have a potty mouth. It's a character flaw."
She made for a great heroine, even if she took meeting a walking, talking gargoyle a bit too easily in stride.
"You want some pants or are you just going to go commando?"
Tas, who's been in captivity for the last 80 years, isn't quite as sure about Juniper in the beginning, but he comes around.
Driven by instinct, his good wing wrapped protectively around her.
These two were wonderful together.
"What's stopping you from flying away?"

He pulled her to him until their foreheads touched. His breath mingled with her. "Because you are my pebble and you have my heart."
Unfortunately, outside of their relationship, I found the subplot of the secret society to be a bit ridiculous, but I thought all the humor made up for it.
Carefully he cleaned his crown of five horns, counting them on habit. He had not outgrown his vanity. The more horns a person had, the greater their strength, virility, and attractiveness. [...] He wondered if Juniper admired his horns.
If you just want to escape for an afternoon and don't mind a plot that stretches your sense of believability, I'd recommend this one.

Thanks for bringing this one to my attention, Angie! <3
Profile Image for Space Cowgirl.
4,133 reviews145 followers
July 14, 2019
Not Made Of Stone💘

Alpha Male Gargoyle🐺 Sci-fi Fantasy and Romance💞
The book starts out with a very sad story of Tas🐺, an ancient alien gargoyle/ Khargal, stranded on 🌎Earth, and who has been in the captivity of the Rose Syndicate for hundreds of years.
In his granite form Tas🐺 survived, but he's been defaced and damaged. He has been blinded, his wings broken, and been kept in a cage without food.
Now he is in his humanoid form and is too starved and weak to shift back or heal himself, but he hears in his sigil, the ping of the homing beacon that has been activated for rescue! Finally!

Juniper💃 is a waitress. Because of a loan, she is forced to do some pickups and deliveries at times for Mickey👺, a local Philly mobster. Unknowingly, she is transporting the crate with Tas🐺 in it, stolen from the Rose syndicate by her employer, Mickey👺. She is never to look at the cargo.

Tas🐺 escapes from the crate and realizes Juniper is his mate but he refuses to acknowledge it. Now Mickey👺 is holding Juniper's sister, Chloe, hostage. He expects Juniper💃 to somehow recapture Tas🐺.

ARC Received from Bookfunnel⛅
I also got the book with KU.

What an interesting and new take on Aliens living amongst us humans on 🌎Earth! Loved this book and I read it straight through!
Profile Image for Angie.
1,411 reviews234 followers
September 14, 2019
The weight of centuries pressed down on him, offering only loneliness and never-ending fight for survival. For what? More hiding, more loneliness, and endless waiting for a rescue that failed to arrive?
This female represented hope. Purpose. If he had a family to safeguard, his long life would not be wasted. He would not be alone.

5+ Pebble stars!!

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH.
I cannot even begin to describe how thoroughly and wholeheartedly I truly enjoyed this book. It encompasses one of my favorite combination tropes: an enemies-to-lovers story with a dash of protective-hero where our surly gargoyle does not want to fall for the foul-mouthed, blue-haired human but can't help it. Although the writing was not grammatically correct or spell-check worthy 100% of the time, I loved this book enough to overlook that and not let it detract from this amazing story.
The light diminished and they were in the shade. His one functional wing wrapped around, creating a barrier between them and the world. He shielded her, cradled her, and crooned, low and sultry. The song of a male lost to passion. A song he sang for her.

One of my favorite aspects of this story was the two MCs themselves: Tas and Juniper. I believe Cummings wrote them both PERFECTLY as they both had such distinctive 'voices'; Tas sounded exactly how I would expect a 1,458 year old surly and bitter gargoyle to sound and Juniper was the perfect loud to his quiet, the firecracker to his statuesque nature. They balanced each other so well, and I just LIVED for their interactions (especially when Tas would allow his old-fashioned sense of humor to appear). Overall, I am so glad that I downloaded this as a kindle freebie and will definitely be checking out the rest of the series even though they are written by different authors. And if you're still undecided about this book, let me tell you that I highlighted 94 passages in total (practically the entire book)!! Definitely recommend, and I will absolutely be rereading this one again ♡♡
No matter what stars they sat under, no matter what sun warmed their faces, he was home with her. Juniper would always be his home.

My Tas, a surly and jaded gargoyle with a surprisingly soft center...
[I will do my best to find a great pic!]
Profile Image for Emma's In Stock.
641 reviews46 followers
January 19, 2024
This was so much fun.

Juniper and Tas were really cute and steamy to follow, even though I wish that the tail had been used a bit more.

The plot is a little ridiculous, but if you can deal with stretching your mind in order to accommodate it, it's actually really fun.

Something that didn't sit quite right with me was how many times someone gave up their literal freedom for honor. Like, dude, what? The part with Rhododendron pissed me off a bit too, because how are you gonna ask to be seen as your literal CAPTIVE's friend? Oh just because you tried to set him free after how many decades of abuse and torture? Torture that you had a direct hand in? Wild. Also, I know Chloe is a teenager, but wow did she piss me off.

Overall, I really liked this book. I enjoyed the interesting, original twist on gargoyles actually being aliens and Juniper and Tas' relationship was really sweet to follow.
Profile Image for Mahalia Gosla.
338 reviews17 followers
March 25, 2019
Gargoyle

Who doesn't love the gargoyle romances!? I love Chole and Juniper and their bickering. This was a refreshing story. I recommend it!
Profile Image for Rose Howse.
914 reviews15 followers
February 22, 2019
Juniper is driving a van for her boss, to pay off a debt she owes, she is to back the van up, let the cargo be loaded and drive away. She hears some banging in the back and when she checks it out a Gargoyle bursts out. Tas, the Khargal/gargoyle has been tortured and blinded, but scents his female mate in Juniper. She lets him go free, but angered her boss for losing his cargo and he takes her sister, who she has raised since the death of their parents, as collateral. Nothing goes right after that and Tas and Juniper must team up to save the little sister, Chloe, and keep from being discovered by the Rose Syndicate who want the Gargoyle. Tas also must try to fight his strong attraction to Juniper who he knows is his mate as much as he doesn't want it to be so. There is a lot of adventure and fear of being found plus the Rose Syndicate got their hands on Chloe and will only swap her for Tas. Juniper and Tas have a very hot connection and she does do her best to help Tas out while he does his best to keep her safe and get her sister back. His urge to claim her and share his Dassa, aka mating fluid, is strong, he is convinced she is his Hondassa/mate. I totally enjoyed this exciting story of careing and drama and sweet affection between the couple. There is a HEA which I am gratefull for and a story that keeps you turning pages to see what will happen next and how it all works out.
Profile Image for Denise.
3,759 reviews
February 23, 2019
This is the first book I have read in the series and I will have to get more because I love Gargoyles. Juniper is a woman in over her head when she is required to retrieve a package from the docks and leave it for her boss. She made the mistake of borrowing money from the wrong person to finance her sister's expensive private school, and now she must work off her debt as her boss sees fit. She knows not to stop the vehicle and not to open the back, but when she hears banging and realizes that her cargo is alive, she can't help herself. Unfortunately, what she finds is not human and when it escapes she is in big trouble. Her boss takes her little sister as a hostage until she recovers his property, but how is she supposed to trap a gargoyle on her own?

Tas has been waiting to escape his captors for 80 years and now is his chance. When the back of the vehicle is opened he plans to kill the human and escape, even if he has one inoperable wing and has been starved almost to death. When he scents his liberator, though, he abruptly changes his mind. His mating fever has been triggered and he flees before he can give in to the call of the female. When she returns later to retrieve him to trade him for her sister, he decides he will do as she wants. He has his own reasons to go with her, but he must resist her sexual call. Right?

I was given an advanced copy of this book by the author. My review is voluntary.
Profile Image for Serena Buffaloe.
659 reviews12 followers
February 25, 2019
What a great treat !!!

Every book in this series gets better and better !!!
In this book Junie is a big sister who has had to accept responsibility for her younger sister after the death of their parents . Having not finished college left her with little job prospects, and even though the local "mob" employed het, she was able to put a roof over their heads and that was enough. Junie is tasked to "make a delivery" which means that she delivers stake coffee and donuts somewhere , and looks the other way as people put something in the back . Her orders are clear . Do not EVER go in the back of the truck , and don't EVER stop.
Tas is a Khargal who has been captured by the Rose 🌹 Syndicate and tormented for 80 years . He has lost track of time , and friends. One day he is transported to a ship, in a crate and left there. No food or water. Until the ship docks. From the smell he knows that he is not where he Was......He does smell a water course , but not the Ocean. What he DOES know is that THIS time , he will be FREE !!!!!
What neither Junie nor Tas figure on , is each other 😀😀😀 This story was a very funny, romantic feel good book with an awful lot of action and adventure thrown in !! I was very surprised at the end.!!
Now ,off to the next one in this epic series !!!!!
Profile Image for Shawna Sears.
309 reviews2 followers
May 5, 2019
Foreword: this is book six in the series, but it can be read in any order. I highly suggest pretty much all of them. Though they're different authors each, they all add to the world and the overarching story. Great teamwork!

Taken for Granite is an alien romance featuring the source of the human myths of gargoyles. The series follows the survivors of a 1000 year old crash on the journey to their long awaited rescue from our world. Tas is by far the most abused of the Khargals in this series, having been kept prisoner and tortured for the past 80 years by the villains of the story, the Rose Syndicate. His story has been one of my favorites because it's action packed and has a wonderful afterword three years in the future (I absolutely adore those). Tas is understandably a very angry, very untrusting character for most of the book.

Juniper is very down to earth and someone who is very easy to instantly like. She's a single mom to her baby sister though they are barely surviving in a rough world all their own. She shows temerity and lots of warmth of heart that make her lovable. I can't blame Tas for falling for her in the long run. Baby sister Chloe is a typical snarky teenager but her interactions with Tas are just amusing as all get out.

Tas is never the sappy, overly emotional or sweet lead male, but he does grow on you and I thoroughly enjoyed their love story. If you enjoy a good adventure with some mouthy teenager and a surprising ally, this book is for you!
Profile Image for Laura Levada.
269 reviews18 followers
November 6, 2021
Tas odeia os seres humanos. Ele foi capturado durante a Blitz da segunda guerra mundial, pela Sociedade da Rosa, e desde então ele vem sendo torturado e testado, ele esta cego e faminto. Um dia, ele consegue fugir quando estava sendo transportado, e antes que ele possa matar quem esta conduzindo o veiculo, ele descobre que é uma mulher e que o cheiro dela desperta grande emoções nele.
Juniper perdeu seus pais muito jovem e ficou com a tutela de sua irmã mais nova.
Para pagar os estudos da irmã ela pegou um empréstimo, e sempre que ele pede ela dirigi uma van com mercadorias, e sempre cumpre as regras, até o dia que se da conta de que uma pessoa esta presa na traseira do carro.
Ela o liberta, mas agora seu chefe quer a mercadoria de volta ou vai matar sua irmã.

Infelizmente esse foi o livro mais fraco da série até o momento. Eu não gostei muito da história, achei que teve uma série de furos, e a pesar de ter uma pequena dose de humor, não foi suficiente para agradar totalmente.
Em compensação o epílogo foi ótimo, alegrou bastante meu coração. Leva 3 estrelinhas.
3,761 reviews44 followers
February 22, 2019
🚀Great start to a new series: stony hero meets his sweet, soft savior😏
February 21, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍Really great world building with a tortured 🚀🌔alien who teams up with a cash-strapped waitress. Tas, the gargoyle look-alike hero, has a moving backstory and a real drive to make it out of his horrid situation. His success becomes all the more urgent once Juniper stumbles into his troubles. Tas and Juniper are a great team and Juniper's smart-mouthed teenage sister adds some comic relief to their tense adventure. There's steamy romance, villains to outmaneuver, and a looming ⏳deadline, all capped off with a lovely ending. 😊

This was only the second story I've ever read about gargoyles and I love this subgenre that turns the lonely, grotesque monster image of gargoyles on its head! Give me more!!

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Barbara.
19.2k reviews8 followers
March 7, 2019
The sixth book in the Khargals of Duras this is Tas' story this is the one that I have wanted to read the most, he has gone through so much. Tas has been held by the Rose syndicate for the last 80 years, but now someone has gotten sloppy with his shipping from England to the States. Juniper has to do things she would rather not do but she borrowed money from a really bad man so that Chloe can have a better education. All she has to do is drive a van and not ask questions to clear her debt, but she hears noise coming from the back of the van and she will not be a party to human trafficking. Juniper opens the van and Tas jumps out. Things happen really fast after that. There is suspense, drama, danger, shootings, murder, kidnapping, romance, and one mouthy teenager. The book kept me turning pages I had to know what was going to happen. I received a copy through KU and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
Profile Image for L. Starfyre.
Author 13 books212 followers
February 20, 2019
Part of a Collaborative Series by Seven Authors
This was the first book in the series that was available. I read it free on KU and plan on reading the other books in the series. I first came across Nancey's books through Amanda Milo. They wrote a collaborative series on Valos.
The Khargals are able to heal by hibernating and are mistaken for statues - then people start making statues that look like them and the statues become known as gargoyles.
The FMC is running into problem after problem just trying to raise her little sister. Juniper winds up taking a job (whether she wants to or not) transporting something illegal.
Tas is that something illegal. He has been subjected to decades of abuse at the hands of humans and is not their biggest fan.
This is the sometimes scary, sometimes funny results of Juniper taking that job.
Profile Image for Charlotte.
2,121 reviews80 followers
March 5, 2019
*WARNING* contains explicit adult situations and violence
Juniper lost her parents in a house fire. When her parents were killed she became the guardian of her 8 year old sister, so Juniper dropped out of college and became a waitress. When her little sister, Chloe was accepted to an elite prep school, Juniper had borrow money from a shady source, but she does what she has to.
Tas is a Khargal from Duras. Tas' space ship crashed on earth a VERY long time ago. Tas got to comfortable and was captured but the Rose Syndicate. The Rose Syndicate had Tas for MANY years until one day they made a mistake.
I enjoyed this story very much. I think it's easy to sympathize with Tas and understand why he is so suspicious of any sort of kindness. Rhoda is a bit of an enigma, I have to wonder just how much of a villain she really is and why. Great characters, I'll be watching for more of this series.
Profile Image for Mia.
12 reviews
January 14, 2025
DNF. I'm not one for breeding. The assumption of many many children is actually quite horrifying. It's a pity because I liked the story mostly, other than the constant "male" this, "female" that. I liked Chloe. She was fun, but I just struggle with straight romance stories that feel so hetro. Like everything revolves around being a man or woman, as if you are nothing more than your sex. Another thing is that there is a lot of assumed hetronormality in every aspect of the gargoyle species, which makes no sense. This instinct for the gargoyle folk to breed is creepily animalistic but I guess that's how most alien romance authors like to write. But what happens with queer gargoyles? Do they also feel the need to breed like feral rabbits?
In any case, the story was alright, and I liked the action.
Profile Image for Emily Lindsey.
Author 4 books21 followers
February 27, 2019
Be prepared to lose yourself in this story! I was immersed in this story right from the beginning. The characters bring the story to life. Juniper and Chloe have a special relationship, sisters yes, but also partners in survival. Tax supplied the catalyst to bring action, violence and strong connections into her quiet life. Taz and Juniper are perfect for each other but he fights it while she had a thing for the gargoyle cartoon as a kid. Lol, she wasn't wrong, he was hot too! I loved everything about this story and I'm making my way through all of them, out of order, but still, the stories rock!
Profile Image for Kaye Robinson.
938 reviews4 followers
March 4, 2019
Loving this series...

Wow the stories just keep getting better.
In this book we have Tas a Khargal who has been kept a captive of the Rose Syndicate. He has been tortured, blinded, drilled and burned as they try to do to find out more about the Khargals. But after being transferred to another location Tas escapes.
Juniper has not had a great time in life, she’s lost her parents and is trying to raise her sister by herself on very little but when she goes out on a job for the local mafia she breaks all the rules and accidentally sets Tas free.
The intrigue and mystery that unfolded in this was enough to hold me that I had to read it all in one sitting..loved it.
Profile Image for Lory.
3,273 reviews33 followers
February 21, 2019
I absolutely enjoyed this book. It had everything you need for a great read. Plenty of action, intrigue, and of course steamy romance to keep you hooked from beginning to end. Also can we talked about the steamy chemistry between Juniper and Tas. Overall a enjoyable and entertaining read. I voluntarily read and review this ARC no monetary compensation was received the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Briana.
214 reviews
March 13, 2019
This had a lot of potential for a great book. I think where the story lost me was with the heroine. I didn't like her or all the things that pissed her off.

I like sweet heroines because I think they are more understanding. But I've also seen some strong heroines pull of strong AND understanding and I love them most. This heroine started off as understanding considering her situation, but then when it went to hell so did she.

Or it could be me and I had strange standers for my females.
2,949 reviews15 followers
March 14, 2019
This is the sixth book of the series but the first one I have read and I loved it. The book blurb gives an accurate description of the story. The writing is great and the story is emotional, interesting, and well-written. I got really caught up in it and couldn't put the book down. Tas and Juniper's story has a wonderful ending as well. I can't wait to read the rest of the books of the series.

I am voluntarily reviewing an advance reader copy of this book.
148 reviews
February 24, 2019
Quirky, fun alien romance

A light enjoyable read that I found myself flying through. I liked the mix of characters and the time taken to develop them so that they became meaningful to me as the story progressed. I liked the double POV and that time was taken to explore the background of the story as well as the current day action. Loved the HEA/epilogue.
202 reviews
March 17, 2019
Fun, sweet story

Just sexy enough to be adult, but with a lot of family love. Poor Tas has a like/hate relationship with Rhoda, his torturer/rescuer at the Rose facilities. He has no idea that he owes her a lot. She helps him and gets an interesting "reward " at the end. Hope Rhoda gets a book! I enjoyed these characters, and I look forward to more stories from this world.
Profile Image for Jessica.
2,332 reviews23 followers
March 18, 2019
Awesome story!

Yes was there ultimate fighting machine even after decades of captivity and bringing the mob into play was genius. Juniper was realistic in her choices and it was refreshing, to say the least. The dynamics between the two simply worked and Chloe was the typical smartaleck teenager. Great job!
234 reviews
April 21, 2019
Mission rescue

Loved this book how Tas is honorable and is so hot for Juniper, she is a waitress struggling to keep her little sister at the school and got money to pay the school from bad guys and as payment she had a delivery/pickup to do when she finds the cargo was a sexy gargoyle...loved it
Profile Image for Aimee.
406 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2019
Sweet, quick read

I enjoyed this book for what it was. It t didn't have any big plot twists or major conflicts. It was a sweet romance amidst a terrible time, for the heroine. Overcoming alien-human differences isn't easy. And being on the run from a shadowy organization isn't either.
Profile Image for Cynthia Diamond.
Author 12 books76 followers
June 24, 2022
Yes, I started this series on book six but I saw grumpy gargoyle and leapt upon this with my audible credit. What a damn delight! It was one of those books that wiped me out of my morning grumpiness and made me smile and swoon while doing data entry. I'm so excited to get to the rest of this series.
4,497 reviews24 followers
February 19, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book 📚, it is filled with action and intrigue, the interaction and chemistry between the characters of Juniper and Tas is wonderful. I can't wait for more from this author. I received this book as a FREE ARC copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.
700 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2019


Entertaining story.

An entertaining love story about a human and a gargoyle. This is the first book that I have read about a gargoyle but, when this author put her spin on it was a very entertaining read.
Profile Image for Sheryl.
574 reviews5 followers
March 3, 2019
I loved it! The danger to both Tas and Juniper kept me on the edge of my seat.
Their attraction for each other was hard to deny. This is one of those books I didn't want to put down. It has become one of my favorites that this author has written. *I recieved an Arc for my honest opinion.*
2,374 reviews20 followers
March 26, 2019
An Intriguing Book

It's a good read for those who love reading alien romance? The storyline is exciting and kept your attention. The characters are complex, well develop, and steamy sexy scenes that leaves you saying ahh. Loved It and keep them coming.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews

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