[BLOG TOUR] Heirs of War (Heirs of War #1) by Mara Valderran

Title: Hiers of War
Author: Mara Valderran
Series: Heirs of War #1
Date of Release: October 13th 2013
Pages: 285
Source: *Received from Author in exchange for an honest review*

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.

This book was just, wow. Straight away you are sucked into a world wind of mysteries and dangers. The twist on elemental powers was extremely imaginative and gained control of your mind immediately. I  think the cover is very colourful and gives strong presence and aspects of their elemental and mind abilities.

Once upon a time five girls were born... and sent to a foreign dimension. Earth, where magic is not present and those who inhabit it are clueless to the truths around and above them. This is where four of the girls, Zelene, Rhaya, Isauria and Ariana have lived their whole lives until they turn eighteen, however, they have no clear idea or none at all of their powers and how strong they truly are. Except Terrena who has been on the run her whole life from those who have been ordered to kill her. Each have a guardian to help them through and protect them from harms way, but what if the danger and killings have already begun?

All these girls have very different, clear personalities and backgrounds. But, they have come together, by choice or force to bring peace to the world they were born to protect. But, they do all share one trait, they are strong and would always protect the ones they love, no matter what.  However, I did find it hard to remember which characters were which and who and how they related to people and situations in the story as, I found they were all thrown in very quickly which meant you had to really concentrate and go back a bit sometimes to remember. So, it did get a little confusing at times, but, you soon came to grips with the characters and so you were able to understand them more and the great detail that went into the development of their characters which was astonishing.

I also liked the way in which we were told the story from all of the girls points of view. So, one moment you would have the attack on Rhaya and next the attack on Zelene which happened at the same time. In this book there was a mind-blowing amount of thought and imagination that went into the story, and if it was not executed so fluently it could have become very confusing very quickly. The imagery was also brilliant meaning I was able to easily imagine the characters, their world and the situations they were in.

This is a book full of dark twists and turns that will compel you to read to the very end. And then there are the scenes of the assassinations... lets just say Kyle is a total bad-ass!