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 … 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.
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All in all, I really enjoyed this. I can’t applaud Theresa DaLayne enough for such an original young adult novel!
What I liked
This really was a breath of fresh air in young adult literature. I enjoy reading young adult books, but a lot of the plots are similar and tend to blend together at times. There are so many similarities among many of the books that I read. Reading a book stemming from Mayan mythology was refreshing in a young adult world of high school drama, vampires, and angels.
Apart from the main character, Zanya, I felt very connected to the characters. I liked their backstories and their commitment to being there. They each had their own personal things going on and everything flowed really nicely with all of the characters. The chemistry between the characters was excellent.
There are twists and turns. The story keeps you guessing. The things that happen in the book are not immediately predictable.
The story was solid. I was intrigued by all of the elements of it. There is history, a mission, an evil to defeat…so much complexity. I really enjoyed experiencing the story as things were unfolding. I also liked that once I was finished reading, I yearned for the next book!
What I didn’t like
I did not care for Zanya. I don’t know what it is about her exactly that gets under my skin, but I just could not connect with her. She seemed very whiny and way too excitable. She felt very childish to me at times. I thought that she had a lot of growing up to do. She is supposed to be the guardian of the stone and have all of this power, but I think that she has a long way to go.
The book felt a little choppy at times. Mostly just in the transitioning from one scene to another. I think that some revising could fix this easily. It just isn’t as smooth as it should be in certain places. In some places the transitioning is just fine though. It only seemed to pop up in various places throughout the book.
The copy that I received from the publisher had quite a few spelling and punctuation errors, but this is easily edited as well.
Although not a deal breaker, I thought that Arwan and Zanya jumped into love and a relationship a little too quickly. It didn’t seem as though they had gotten to know each other before they were kissing in the jungle. It felt rushed.
Would I Recommend It
Yes, I would! Theresa DaLayne tells such a fantastic story! It is original, and I can honestly say that I’ve not read anything like it before. This story is unique. If you are looking to take a break from all of those “same old” young adult reads then take a break with Mayan Blood! You will not be sorry that you did.
This is the first book I’ve read of Theresa DaLaynes’ and to be honest, I was skeptical. As I started reading this first installment, I was shocked to find each chapter sucking me in further. I was fully enthralled by the third chapter and could not put it down. Zanya Coreandero, a 17 year old orphan has been institutionalized since before she can remember. Her dreams are not just dreams and it shows upon waking. Of course everyone except her best friend and roommate believe she hurts herself. When the two teens get kidnapped they find a world of adventure, intrigue, magic, danger and romance. This is a must read book and I can’t wait to read the next installment.