Mayan Blood Review
Mayan Blood is by Theresa DaLayne and is the first book in The Stone Legacy series, falling into the fantasy and mythology category.
"Their empires have fallen, but their mythology lives on…
Zanya Coreandero is a seventeen-year-old orphan with only a single friend and no hope for a normal life. Diagnosed with anxiety and night terrors, no one believes her cuts and bruises are a result of an evil entity, and not a brutal case of self-harm.
With the only home she’s ever known being the isolated institution—where breakfast is a handful of medications, the psychiatry sessions are mandatory, and her every move is watched—the only relief is her red-haired roommate named Tara, who’s more like a little sister than her best friend.
Free will is strong, but destiny is stronger.
When Zanya is kidnapped, she meets a group of gifted Mayan descendants, each with a unique ability. Gone from a nameless castaway to the only hope of mankind, Zanya is forced to make a grueling decision: bond with an enchanted stone and save humanity from rising underworld forces, or watch helplessly as Earth falls victim to a familiar dark deity from her dreams. This time, he’s playing for keeps.
A wicked secret hides behind a handsome face…
When Arwan, a dark-eyed timebender, takes interest in Zanya's mission, it's unclear if his intention is to help, or if he's on a hell-bent mission for revenge. Wary of falling for another guy with major secrets and a tainted past, Zanya fights to keep her distance. If only her heart gave her a choice."~Goodreads
I was so excited to read Mayan Blood. The premise sounded so interesting. Lots of the start of the book is the story being set up along with the world, but the facts about mythology and the magic kept me intrigued, plus there was a sort of mystery to it. There is also a couple battles at the beginning. The real action for me started about halfway through the book, and the ending sold it. While I don't agree with a certain choice, I do see how it's a set-up for book two, and with the epilogue helped add to the "I wonder what will happen next" factor. There's also a small twist in the book, and though it didn't impact the plot much in book one, it made me smile.
DaLayne did a good job setting the world up. I felt like I understood all the concepts, which added to the enjoyment of the story. Let me say, the whole Riyata deal is pretty cool. I'm sure the whole concept will improve as the books continue because there's still so much that hasn't been revealed yet.
I have to say, however, initially I didn't like Zanya. I felt like she complained or was too pushy or making rash decisions. I warmed up to her more as the book went on, but my favorite character is Arwan. I connected to him almost immediately. We all face struggles, and it's clear he's facing his own, so that helped me to identify with him better. Zanya does have her problems, and they are addresses, but I feel like she didn't wrestle with them as much throughout the book. I can say though that it is impressive how Zanya handles two teenage boys who like to go at each other.
As a whole, Mayan Blood was an enjoyable book, from the world to the characters. If you like mythology-centered books, this is for you since it's centered around it.
Rating:
Zanya Coreandero is a seventeen-year-old orphan with only a single friend and no hope for a normal life. Diagnosed with anxiety and night terrors, no one believes her cuts and bruises are a result of an evil entity, and not a brutal case of self-harm.
With the only home she’s ever known being the isolated institution—where breakfast is a handful of medications, the psychiatry sessions are mandatory, and her every move is watched—the only relief is her red-haired roommate named Tara, who’s more like a little sister than her best friend.
Free will is strong, but destiny is stronger.
When Zanya is kidnapped, she meets a group of gifted Mayan descendants, each with a unique ability. Gone from a nameless castaway to the only hope of mankind, Zanya is forced to make a grueling decision: bond with an enchanted stone and save humanity from rising underworld forces, or watch helplessly as Earth falls victim to a familiar dark deity from her dreams. This time, he’s playing for keeps.
A wicked secret hides behind a handsome face…
When Arwan, a dark-eyed timebender, takes interest in Zanya's mission, it's unclear if his intention is to help, or if he's on a hell-bent mission for revenge. Wary of falling for another guy with major secrets and a tainted past, Zanya fights to keep her distance. If only her heart gave her a choice."~Goodreads
I was so excited to read Mayan Blood. The premise sounded so interesting. Lots of the start of the book is the story being set up along with the world, but the facts about mythology and the magic kept me intrigued, plus there was a sort of mystery to it. There is also a couple battles at the beginning. The real action for me started about halfway through the book, and the ending sold it. While I don't agree with a certain choice, I do see how it's a set-up for book two, and with the epilogue helped add to the "I wonder what will happen next" factor. There's also a small twist in the book, and though it didn't impact the plot much in book one, it made me smile.
DaLayne did a good job setting the world up. I felt like I understood all the concepts, which added to the enjoyment of the story. Let me say, the whole Riyata deal is pretty cool. I'm sure the whole concept will improve as the books continue because there's still so much that hasn't been revealed yet.
I have to say, however, initially I didn't like Zanya. I felt like she complained or was too pushy or making rash decisions. I warmed up to her more as the book went on, but my favorite character is Arwan. I connected to him almost immediately. We all face struggles, and it's clear he's facing his own, so that helped me to identify with him better. Zanya does have her problems, and they are addresses, but I feel like she didn't wrestle with them as much throughout the book. I can say though that it is impressive how Zanya handles two teenage boys who like to go at each other.
As a whole, Mayan Blood was an enjoyable book, from the world to the characters. If you like mythology-centered books, this is for you since it's centered around it.
Rating:
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