Blog Tour & Reviews: The Stone Legacy Series #1-3 by Theresa DaLayne

||| THE STONE LEGACY by Theresa DaLayne |||

MAYAN BLOOD, Book 1 

INTERLUDE, Book 2 

LIGHTS OF AURORA, Book 3 

ANARCHY, Book 4 

BIRTHRIGHT, Book 5 - Coming Soon!

MAYAN BLOOD by Theresa DaLayne

The Stone Legacy Series #1

|| SYNOPSIS ||

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.

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Review

Title: Mayan Blood

Series: The Stone Legacy Series #1

Author: Theresa DaLayne

Publisher: Limitless Publishing, LLC 

Publication Date: December 29, 2015

Pages: 367

Genres: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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.

INTERLUDE by Theresa DaLayne

The Stone Legacy Series #2

|| SYNOPSIS ||

Tara may have spent years in an asylum, but that doesn’t make her crazy–just fearless. 

Dropped in Moscow with a the group of enchanted Mayan descendants, seventeen-year-old Tara Weeble is forced to wait on the sideline while her best friend—the Stone Guardian— battles to reclaim a friend’s soul trapped in the underworld. 

It sucks being ordinary when everyone else is superhuman… 

A mortal girl with a tainted past, Tara is left to deal with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Her boyfriend, Peter, is a healer. Her best friend is The Guardian, and everyone else is a powerhouse of awesome strengths. Meanwhile, she struggles to leave her childhood of abuse in the past, and while Peter picks her up every time she falls, it becomes clear he deserves better. 

When they opened Pandora’s Box, hell came pouring out… 

When she’s given a chance to aid in the group’s mission, Tara is eager to pull her own weight, even if it means uncovering buried memories of being held prisoner by the underworld general. Now haunted with flashbacks of torture, Tara wanders from the safety of Peter’s arms into a city of depravity and corruption. And amidst all this evil is a young man with an agenda of his own, who leads her down a road that will either prove she is a hero at heart, or drag her into a world she’s always feared. 

He wants revenge, she wants redemption. And in an underground ring of missing girls and bloody sacrifices, only the fearless can survive…



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Review

Title: Interlude

Series: The Stone Legacy Series #2

Author: Theresa DaLayne

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Publication Date: April 13, 2013

Pages: 156

Genres: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great book! The second book in this series follows Tara, and we get to things from her perspective. We see her struggle with her past and come to terms with things in her heart. 

What I liked

I really liked being able to see Tara conntribute more to the cause. She has been feeling so useless because she doesn't have any powers like the rest of her friends, and I think that it was weighing on her. I do like Tara's character much better than the main character of the series, Zanya. Seeing things from Tara's point of view was refreshing.

I very much enjoyed seeing a different part of the story. In the first book you get to see the main issue involving Zanya and her friends, and in this book you get a loot at offshoots of the story. It really brings things together with a better understanding of what is going on. It provides more about the bigger picture of what they are facing. 

In this book we get to see Tara's decline, and I think that is is significant to the story. We see how she struggles with her nightmares, her past, and her hope for a relationship with Peter. Her character development is really expanded and goes so much deeper than the first book. Tara becomes so much more complex in this book and it shines a light on the kind of person she really is. It's enlightening and beautiful. 

What I didn't like

While I liked seeing things from Tara's point of view, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Zanya and Arwan. I think that the book would have been much better if it had been written from both sides of the story including both Tara's journey and also Zanya's journey. 

The book was quite short. It felt more like a novella to me. While it didn't make the story lack at all, it didn't feel quite like a full book. I prefer reading longer works. I think that if the story had included both sides of the story as I pointed out above, it would have been best. 

Would I Recommend It

Yes. Reading this book is essential to the story being told by the series. It delves in even deeper and gives us a bigger glance at what the main characters are really up against. Tara's character evolves so much in this and it is beautiful to read. 

LIGHTS OF AURORA by Theresa DaLayne

The Stone Legacy Series #3

|| SYNOPSIS ||

After living her entire life in an orphan asylum, Zanya fears she may actually be losing her mind… 

Following the discovery of her ancient Maya bloodlines, eighteen-year-old Zanya Coreandero is faced with a daunting responsibility. She must protect the relic stone while Sarian, the underworld general, ceaselessly drives her to the brink of insanity. 

With the approach of an ancient bonding ceremony, Zanya struggles to control her abilities—and her desires… 

As the winter solstice approaches, it brings an onslaught of unexpected side effects. While Zanya struggles to seize control over her supercharged powers, she must also face an overwhelming suspicion that her boyfriend, Arwan, is hiding a secret so dark it could destroy them both. And with her powers finally taking root, the struggle to pace their relationship takes on a life of its own. 

Just when she thought life couldn’t get more complicated… 

With the arrival of a surprise houseguest, Zanya’s deepest fears about Arwan are confirmed. And when middleworld deities intercede, the group of gifted Maya descendants are confronted with hardships they never saw coming—including an enemy more deadly than they have ever faced. 

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And when that woman has no soul and a taste for revenge, they will need the powers of every surviving ancestor simply to stay alive.

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Review

Title: Lights of Aurora

Series: The Stone Legacy Series #3

Author: Theresa DaLayne

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Publication Date: January 26, 2016

Pages: 300

Genres: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: 4

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a gripping, very exciting sequel in The Stone Legacy Series. There is an epic journey, adventure, danger, and so much insight. I am just loving this series so much! 

What I liked

I love how the story is progressing! Things get so much more interesting in this book. I was on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what was going to happen next! 

I love Arwan's character. He is loyal, caring, and strong. He has this sad essence to him. He is ashamed of his lineage and feels like he is not worthy of Zanya. There is so much good inside of him, but he is so worked up over what bad there may be inside him. My favorite parts of the book were scenes with Arwan in them.

I also really loved Jayden's character. I feel like he kind of got gypped in his relationship with Zanya. He was forced to leave and break her heart when he really wanted to stay with her. He obviously cares about her. He is changed towards the end of the book and I hope that he doesn't falter in his good nature because of the things that he has gone through.

I liked that there were other Riyata characters introduced. And I really liked all the descriptions from the Winter Solstice celebration. I liked that a little more culture seemed to be included in this book. Including meeting some deities. 

What I didn't like

As with the first book in this series, Zanya just got on my nerves. I thought that as the series progressed my view towards her character would change. Alas, that did not happen. I don't quite know what it is about Zanya that makes me dislike her. I don't connect with her character at all. Zanya just gets on my nerves. She is annoying and she seems fickle. She is just too whiny for my tastes in a lead female character. 

The story felt a little choppy, although not as much as the first book in the series. I think that it just needs a little smoothing out.

Would I Recommend It

Yes. This sequel so full of adventure and brings so many things to light. I loved every minute of reading it! I seriously can't wait to read the next book!

ANARCHY by Theresa DaLayne

The Stone Legacy Series #4

|| SYNOPSIS ||

A single mistake has torn Jayden’s life down the middle, leaving him at a crossroads... 

After an ancient Mayan ceremony goes horribly wrong, Jayden is left to face reality—the girl he once loved is pledged to another. At his breaking point, he steals a cab to leave behind the group of enchanted descendants, this time for good. 

When Hawa—a beautiful but lethal acquaintance—decides to call shotgun, his only choice is to take her along for the ride. 

He’d be glad to have the company…if it were anyone but her. He only knows her by occasionally sharing a hallway in Renato’s huge estate in Belize. It’s clear she has a perma-chip in her shoulder, and they have absolutely nothing in common. So he thinks… 

With no cash and nowhere to stay, Hawa leads him into the heart of Guatemala City to an abandoned hotel of orphaned kids. As more of her tainted past is revealed, an unwelcome memory reappears in flesh and blood, threatening to break her wild spirit. 

A mysterious orphan is the only one standing between him and the new queen of hell… 

Modem, a spunky twelve-year-old girl with a knack for computers, seems to be keeping her eye on Jay. When his abilities go rogue and pull him back to the underworld, Modem shows she’s more than meets the eye. 

When everything spirals out of control, Jayden struggles to protect Modem and Hawa from very different enemies. But he won’t be able to save them both...

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|| ABOUT THE AUTHOR ||

THERESA DALAYNE

A long-time enthusiast of things that go bump in the night, Theresa began her writing career as a journalism intern—possibly the least creative writing field out there. After her first semester at a local newspaper, she washed her hands of press releases and feature articles to delve into the whimsical world of fiction.

Since then, Theresa has been married, had three terrific kids, moved to central Ohio, and has been repeatedly guilt-tripped into adopting a menagerie of animals that are now members of the family. But don’t be fooled by her domesticated appearance. Her greatest love is travel. Having traveled to over a dozen countries—not to mention an extended seven-year stay in Kodiak, Alaska—she is anything but settled down. Wherever life brings her, Theresa will continue to weave tales of adventure and love with the hope her stories will bring joy and inspiration to her readers. 

Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/theresa-dalayne/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresa.dalayne

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheresaDaLayne

Website: http://www.theresadalayne.com/