#Review: @MaraValderran "Heirs of War"

Heirs of War review
Author: Mara Valderran
4 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Urban/Epic Fantasy
Reading Level: Upper Young Adult/New Adult
Recommended for: Fans of fantasy
Book Available: October 13, 2013
Trigger Warnings: child abuse, murder, torture

My Thoughts: I think my favorite thing about this book is the way Celtic mythology is woven into it. It's not overt, but subtle things, and also the naming conventions. Which means pronunciation will drive you crazy, since Gaelic is the closest thing to Celtic and the way things are spelled vs. how they are pronounced is nowhere near the same.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and so the book goes back and forth between the point of view of the five girls: Zelene, Ariana, Isauria, Rhaya, and Terrena. It goes by chapter, though, so there is no head-hopping. I had an ARC and have heard that there have been some changes made for the final copy, but the essential storyline remains the same.

The abuse that Zelene and Sheridan both experience is heartbreaking. It's unfortunately also all-too-common, especially in the foster-care system like Zelene experienced. I suspect we're in for a big reveal about Sheridan at some point in one of the next books.

This is the first book in a proposed series. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'm hoping that the author will hurry up and right the next book so I can learn what happens next. The book is a real page-turner and I found myself completely engrossed in the story. If you like fantasy, and have been looking for something that sort of mixes urban fantasy with epic fantasy with tough heroines, than definitely check this story out. It's really enjoyable.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels, Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.

Screw the worlds. She’s getting her sister back.