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Heritage of Blood and Magic
Asira can destroy souls, but must she sacrifice her own?
A hundred years after the Blood War, there is an uneasy peace. Feelers, wielders of elemental powers, are still feared by the rest of society even though they wish only for harmony. A new president, one of the Thinkers, who lacks elemental powers, is working to bring the people together.
However, not everyone wants unity.
A young Feeler, Asira, senses an overpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Meddling with death and time, forbidden blood magic resurrects a fearsome warrior. Driven by bloodlust and vengeance, this threat seeks to vanquish the Thinkers and establish a new Feeler dynasty.
Horrified, Asira gathers allies to fight back against this new, otherworldly foe. Through betrayal, grief, death, and darkness, Asira’s powers grow and coax her to unleash her wrath.
How much of herself is Asira willing to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want?
A hundred years after the Blood War, there is an uneasy peace. Feelers, wielders of elemental powers, are still feared by the rest of society even though they wish only for harmony. A new president, one of the Thinkers, who lacks elemental powers, is working to bring the people together.
However, not everyone wants unity.
A young Feeler, Asira, senses an overpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Meddling with death and time, forbidden blood magic resurrects a fearsome warrior. Driven by bloodlust and vengeance, this threat seeks to vanquish the Thinkers and establish a new Feeler dynasty.
Horrified, Asira gathers allies to fight back against this new, otherworldly foe. Through betrayal, grief, death, and darkness, Asira’s powers grow and coax her to unleash her wrath.
How much of herself is Asira willing to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want?
- GenresFantasy
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2024
8 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Mirna Chandrakumar
3 books21 followersHi everyone and welcome!
My name is Mirna and I’m a Canadian Tamil author from Toronto Canada, currently living in the UK.
I am working on a YA dark fantasy trilogy and book 1, Heritage of Blood and Magic will be published in January 2024!
The summer I turned 11, I read nearly 30 books in two months, and my love for fantasy grew from there. I knew I wanted to create worlds I could immerse myself in and characters I could fall in love with. I started writing short stories and fanfiction when I was 12 but never seemed to have the courage or time to start a novel-length project.
In 2017 I finally started writing the first book in the trilogy and I’m pleased to say the trilogy is complete!
You can find more details about my writing journey and latest releases on my website linked in my profile.
My name is Mirna and I’m a Canadian Tamil author from Toronto Canada, currently living in the UK.
I am working on a YA dark fantasy trilogy and book 1, Heritage of Blood and Magic will be published in January 2024!
The summer I turned 11, I read nearly 30 books in two months, and my love for fantasy grew from there. I knew I wanted to create worlds I could immerse myself in and characters I could fall in love with. I started writing short stories and fanfiction when I was 12 but never seemed to have the courage or time to start a novel-length project.
In 2017 I finally started writing the first book in the trilogy and I’m pleased to say the trilogy is complete!
You can find more details about my writing journey and latest releases on my website linked in my profile.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 15, 2024
A beautiful story filled with adventure and magic!
This is the author's debut work, and she has already made a remarkable impression! The world building is extensive and the characters are compelling.
After over a hundred years of the great war that left a rift between Feelers and Thinkers, the wounds are still fresh. When the magic of blood resurrects a powerful Feeler, Asira, the FMC pours in her powers to fight evil. She is from a line of potent Feelers. Her abilities are more enhanced than the others.
I liked the mystery of Asira's bloodline and how it helped her overcome the evil (not really sinister as we learn in the end). This one ends with another quest to be taken up in the next book. To keep the magic alive, I can't give away much.
The author's narration is easy to follow. The delivery is in line with the fantasy genre. The scenes with magic were filled with creativity. The play of words added to the mystical plotline.
This is the author's debut work, and she has already made a remarkable impression! The world building is extensive and the characters are compelling.
After over a hundred years of the great war that left a rift between Feelers and Thinkers, the wounds are still fresh. When the magic of blood resurrects a powerful Feeler, Asira, the FMC pours in her powers to fight evil. She is from a line of potent Feelers. Her abilities are more enhanced than the others.
I liked the mystery of Asira's bloodline and how it helped her overcome the evil (not really sinister as we learn in the end). This one ends with another quest to be taken up in the next book. To keep the magic alive, I can't give away much.
The author's narration is easy to follow. The delivery is in line with the fantasy genre. The scenes with magic were filled with creativity. The play of words added to the mystical plotline.
February 1, 2024
A dark fantasy set in a world of tenable peace between “Thinkers” and “Feelers”, this story tells of a young Feeler who will have to draw on all of her potential to stop a resurrected martyr from destroying that peace for good. It’s told in multiple POVs with extensive world building, which isn’t my personal go to for stories but the writing was engaging enough to keep me hooked, and I’m certain this will be a big hit with lovers of deep-rooted fantasy and lore.
January 14, 2024
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review — thanks for sharing! The premise of this book is really cool and I appreciated that it jumped right into the action! The aspects of the unique universe continued to unravel and I enjoyed learning more and more about it.
There were times when it dragged on a little bit and I wish this time would have been spent with more character development. I begin to like the characters more by the end but really only felt connected to maybe a few (two being the antagonists) throughout the book. I would have liked to understand the main character’s intentions and reasoning behind their actions more. But, that also means I was invested enough to want to get to know the characters more.
That being said, the ending really hooked me and has me excited to read the next book! I think it will go into some of the more interesting aspects of the characters and universe.
There were times when it dragged on a little bit and I wish this time would have been spent with more character development. I begin to like the characters more by the end but really only felt connected to maybe a few (two being the antagonists) throughout the book. I would have liked to understand the main character’s intentions and reasoning behind their actions more. But, that also means I was invested enough to want to get to know the characters more.
That being said, the ending really hooked me and has me excited to read the next book! I think it will go into some of the more interesting aspects of the characters and universe.
January 5, 2024
First, I would like to mention that I don't like reading books written in third-person POV, I prefer first person, however when its fantasy and if its good and holds my short attention span then I will (try) to read it.
With that being said,this debut novel was epic! Especially the magical battle scene like wow such detailed narrative, and I felt like I was there viewing it as it was happening.
Mirna's writing is absolutely beautiful. The words flowed and blended together like butter, and the descriptive writing was flawless! I am in awe.
Asira is on the side of peace. Nasila was on the side of peace, but since something happened, she wanted revenge. However, are these her thoughts and feelings or someone else's?
(🤭 no spoilers)
The story was enchanting, and you're immensely sucked into the world that the author has created. With all of the magical politics and the animosity between The Thinkers and The Feelers for me, I was torn on whose side I should pick, the whole beginning of the book and then by the end I'm team Feelers and now that I've finished I don't know I think I'm still on the Feelers side, lol.
Also ... I LOVE GRANDMA JADE!!!!!!! & Nasila !!!!!!
And by the end, Asira WOW! She's amazing 👏🏾
I really don't want to give too much away, but this is the first book in the trilogy, and I can't wait for the next book.
*I highly recommend this wonderful Magic filled story!*
*Thank you to the author for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
With that being said,this debut novel was epic! Especially the magical battle scene like wow such detailed narrative, and I felt like I was there viewing it as it was happening.
Mirna's writing is absolutely beautiful. The words flowed and blended together like butter, and the descriptive writing was flawless! I am in awe.
Asira is on the side of peace. Nasila was on the side of peace, but since something happened, she wanted revenge. However, are these her thoughts and feelings or someone else's?
(🤭 no spoilers)
The story was enchanting, and you're immensely sucked into the world that the author has created. With all of the magical politics and the animosity between The Thinkers and The Feelers for me, I was torn on whose side I should pick, the whole beginning of the book and then by the end I'm team Feelers and now that I've finished I don't know I think I'm still on the Feelers side, lol.
Also ... I LOVE GRANDMA JADE!!!!!!! & Nasila !!!!!!
And by the end, Asira WOW! She's amazing 👏🏾
I really don't want to give too much away, but this is the first book in the trilogy, and I can't wait for the next book.
*I highly recommend this wonderful Magic filled story!*
*Thank you to the author for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*
March 17, 2024
HERITAGE OF BLOOD AND MAGIC By Mirna Chandrakumar
A hundred years after the Blood War, there is an uneasy peace. Feelers, wielders of elemental powers, are still feared by the rest of society even though they wish only for harmony. A new president, one of the Thinkers, who lacks elemental powers, is working to bring the people together.However, not everyone wants unity.A young Feeler, Asira, senses an overpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Meddling with death and time, forbidden blood magic resurrects a fearsome warrior. Driven by bloodlust and vengeance, this threat seeks to vanquish the Thinkers and establish a new Feeler dynasty.Horrified, Asira gathers allies to fight back against this new, otherworldly foe. Through betrayal, grief, death, and darkness, Asira’s powers grow and coax her to unleash her wrath.How much of herself is Asira willing to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want?
😊What i liked -
✔ I am in awe. More so because it's the author's debut book.
✔ It makes you feel every bit of love or even betrayal.
✔ Fantastic world building.
✔ Asira's emotions were so well described.
✔ The way the story progresses you understand more and more on why a certain character is the way he/she is. Fantastic Character Growth.
✔ It keeps on the edge with mystery.
🤔What could have been better -
✔ Though I loved every bit of the book, I did feel it dragged at times.
📚Who Should read :
👶 Beginner's
💫Fantasy Lovers
📈My Rating : 4.5/5
P.S - I can't wait to read what comes next in this. I will miss a sweet favourite character from this one though.
Thank you, Mirna Chandrakumar, for a copy.
A hundred years after the Blood War, there is an uneasy peace. Feelers, wielders of elemental powers, are still feared by the rest of society even though they wish only for harmony. A new president, one of the Thinkers, who lacks elemental powers, is working to bring the people together.However, not everyone wants unity.A young Feeler, Asira, senses an overpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Meddling with death and time, forbidden blood magic resurrects a fearsome warrior. Driven by bloodlust and vengeance, this threat seeks to vanquish the Thinkers and establish a new Feeler dynasty.Horrified, Asira gathers allies to fight back against this new, otherworldly foe. Through betrayal, grief, death, and darkness, Asira’s powers grow and coax her to unleash her wrath.How much of herself is Asira willing to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want?
😊What i liked -
✔ I am in awe. More so because it's the author's debut book.
✔ It makes you feel every bit of love or even betrayal.
✔ Fantastic world building.
✔ Asira's emotions were so well described.
✔ The way the story progresses you understand more and more on why a certain character is the way he/she is. Fantastic Character Growth.
✔ It keeps on the edge with mystery.
🤔What could have been better -
✔ Though I loved every bit of the book, I did feel it dragged at times.
📚Who Should read :
👶 Beginner's
💫Fantasy Lovers
📈My Rating : 4.5/5
P.S - I can't wait to read what comes next in this. I will miss a sweet favourite character from this one though.
Thank you, Mirna Chandrakumar, for a copy.
May 27, 2024
An Interesting YA Fantasy
The story starts with a bang and ends with a twist. The author does a terrific job at describing the scenes in a way that felt magical. My favorite character wasn't a main one, but one that older and strong, Jade. The banter between her and Raymond was sweet. Not certain I would necessarily consider this to be a dark fantasy, perhaps dusk maybe better. Ot dabbles in dark Nuances but I wouldn't consider it to be dark, making it great for younger women to read it without worry. The FMC suffers from anxiety which many as also relate to. The next book will surely be something as the twist in the end was so good!
The story starts with a bang and ends with a twist. The author does a terrific job at describing the scenes in a way that felt magical. My favorite character wasn't a main one, but one that older and strong, Jade. The banter between her and Raymond was sweet. Not certain I would necessarily consider this to be a dark fantasy, perhaps dusk maybe better. Ot dabbles in dark Nuances but I wouldn't consider it to be dark, making it great for younger women to read it without worry. The FMC suffers from anxiety which many as also relate to. The next book will surely be something as the twist in the end was so good!
January 30, 2024
Unrest. Power. Thinkers and Feelers.
A need for harmony.
A threat of opposition.
A sense of ominous power.
This is the story of Asira and her discovery of truth and power—enduring betrayal and grief. A wonderfully written debut novel with intricate world-building, immersive conflict scenes, and epic character dynamics. A must read for any fantasy reader! I look forward to reading more from this author!
A need for harmony.
A threat of opposition.
A sense of ominous power.
This is the story of Asira and her discovery of truth and power—enduring betrayal and grief. A wonderfully written debut novel with intricate world-building, immersive conflict scenes, and epic character dynamics. A must read for any fantasy reader! I look forward to reading more from this author!
February 5, 2024
Great introduction to this series! Amazing characters and storyline. I couldn't put this one down!
March 10, 2024
The way you are drawn into there world and introduced to the characters is very interesting it’s makes u want to learn more about there world and its history I can’t wait to read the next book
April 4, 2024
An absolutely incredible story. Interesting characters and themes. The ending was very surprising and interesting.
May 13, 2024
Wow! Such a rollercoaster there at the end! This is an amazing story full of family, love, sorrow, and hope. I absolutely LOVE the magic system and how intimately energy and the elements are intertwined. I can't wait for book 2!!
February 14, 2024
I couldn't put this book down once I started. It was a lovely story with a great twist.
The descriptions of magic and the settings were eloquently written and easy to conceptualize in my mind. The characters were likeable and (not to spoil) a few moments brought tears to my eyes and made my heart skip a beat.
It's a brillaint novel and a great debut!
The descriptions of magic and the settings were eloquently written and easy to conceptualize in my mind. The characters were likeable and (not to spoil) a few moments brought tears to my eyes and made my heart skip a beat.
It's a brillaint novel and a great debut!
June 6, 2024
I have followed the author for a while, read the teasers she shared and couldn't wait for the full book.
Great YA novel, I fall inside the story instantly and was hard to put aside.
Can't wait to read more from the author.
Great YA novel, I fall inside the story instantly and was hard to put aside.
Can't wait to read more from the author.
January 31, 2024
It is a sin to meddle with time and death.
••
Heritage of Blood and Magic is a YA dark fantasy debut with elemental & forbidden magic, enemies to lovers, betrayal, vengeance and morally grey characters who will take you on a wild ride.!
••
Starting this year off with this as my first fantasy read couldn’t have been a better decision.! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for this book & I loved every moment of reading it.!! From the unique magical system, the world building to the characters and the plot twists.. the story flowed with such a perfect pace, I absolutely couldn’t stop reading.!!
••
The story starts with Asira, our protagonist when she senses an owerpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Something sinister is happening and will she be able to stop it before it destroys the already fragile peace between feelers (wielders of elemental powers) and thinkers who lack them.! And how much is she even ready to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want!?
••
I was also drawn to the antagonist but that may be because I’m totally biased towards morally grey characters.!! That aside, Nasila was such a force & definitely one to reckon.!!! Although my favorite character has to be Granny Jade.!! She was such a badass & and overall amazing character to read about throughout.!!!
••
If you’ve read upto here then what are you waiting for!? Go and read Heritage of Blood and Magic now.!! I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel.!!
••
Heritage of Blood and Magic is a YA dark fantasy debut with elemental & forbidden magic, enemies to lovers, betrayal, vengeance and morally grey characters who will take you on a wild ride.!
••
Starting this year off with this as my first fantasy read couldn’t have been a better decision.! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for this book & I loved every moment of reading it.!! From the unique magical system, the world building to the characters and the plot twists.. the story flowed with such a perfect pace, I absolutely couldn’t stop reading.!!
••
The story starts with Asira, our protagonist when she senses an owerpowering energy. It is intimately familiar and alluring, yet grotesque. Something sinister is happening and will she be able to stop it before it destroys the already fragile peace between feelers (wielders of elemental powers) and thinkers who lack them.! And how much is she even ready to sacrifice to preserve a peace many don’t want!?
••
I was also drawn to the antagonist but that may be because I’m totally biased towards morally grey characters.!! That aside, Nasila was such a force & definitely one to reckon.!!! Although my favorite character has to be Granny Jade.!! She was such a badass & and overall amazing character to read about throughout.!!!
••
If you’ve read upto here then what are you waiting for!? Go and read Heritage of Blood and Magic now.!! I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel.!!
April 24, 2024
What a fantastic fantasy novel by a fantastic author.
It was very easy to follow and I love the characters.
What a shocking ending to find out the real reality behind Cayron’s family.
I felt so bad for Asira on what happened to her grandmother Jade during the battle with Nasila, the main villain.
Mirna Chandrakumar, the author of this wonderful novel did an incredible job. I loved every minute of it and I can’t wait to read part two of this outstanding series
It was very easy to follow and I love the characters.
What a shocking ending to find out the real reality behind Cayron’s family.
I felt so bad for Asira on what happened to her grandmother Jade during the battle with Nasila, the main villain.
Mirna Chandrakumar, the author of this wonderful novel did an incredible job. I loved every minute of it and I can’t wait to read part two of this outstanding series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
I’ve been thinking about this story line since I finished. At first I gave 4 stars because I was able to put it down and didn’t find myself staying up late reading. However it’s been over a month and I keep thinking about it and wondering what will happen in the next book! So I’m changing to 5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2024
The Blood War ended a century ago, Feelers and Thinkers live among each other but the peace is fragile. President Raymond is new to the office and does his best to broker peace. Asira a gifted young Feeler senses an overpowering energy, someone has used blood magic to resurrect a warrior who’s out for blood. They seek to destroy the Thinkers and establish a new Feeler dynasty. Asira gathers allies and tries her best to fight back but how much of herself is she willing to sacrifice.
Not only were my expectations met, they were exceeded. First of all the plot is super compelling, conflict brewing between two groups and adding in another factor makes it even more interesting. The elemental magic and how it’s practiced is fascinating to read, especially since I don’t read fantasy all that often.
Next up I have to mention the characters, they’re all so unique and I love that everyone gets their moment because of the multiple pov. Sometimes that can complicate things but in this book it’s done so well in my opinion. The writing is just beautiful. So many good quotes to choose from. I highly appreciate the mental health representation and how that was handled.
Highly recommend this one if your a fantasy reader that enjoys elemental magic, blood magic, multiple pov and a morally gray antagonist.
Not only were my expectations met, they were exceeded. First of all the plot is super compelling, conflict brewing between two groups and adding in another factor makes it even more interesting. The elemental magic and how it’s practiced is fascinating to read, especially since I don’t read fantasy all that often.
Next up I have to mention the characters, they’re all so unique and I love that everyone gets their moment because of the multiple pov. Sometimes that can complicate things but in this book it’s done so well in my opinion. The writing is just beautiful. So many good quotes to choose from. I highly appreciate the mental health representation and how that was handled.
Highly recommend this one if your a fantasy reader that enjoys elemental magic, blood magic, multiple pov and a morally gray antagonist.
May 23, 2024
Mirna Chandrakumar's 'Heritage of Blood and Magic' is a beautifully written, action packed, young adult dark fantasy with intricate world building and compelling characters.
After a century of war, there's an uneasy peace between scientist “Thinkers” and elemental magic wielding “Feelers”and the new president is trying to unite the two factions. The tensions rise when a powerful feeler warrior is brought to life with forbidden blood magic, threatening the start of a new war. It is up to young Asira, a young and expectationally gifted Feeler from an ancient blood line, stop this force from destroying everything.
I liked protagonist's journey and personal growth as the story progresses. Asira struggles to control her newly discovered powers, and overcomes her anxiety to become the hero needed to defeat this new evil. Another favorite is the complex, morally grey villain, her ancestor Nasila who invokes some sympathy despite her terrible deeds.
I'm really looking forward to the next part of the trilogy.
After a century of war, there's an uneasy peace between scientist “Thinkers” and elemental magic wielding “Feelers”and the new president is trying to unite the two factions. The tensions rise when a powerful feeler warrior is brought to life with forbidden blood magic, threatening the start of a new war. It is up to young Asira, a young and expectationally gifted Feeler from an ancient blood line, stop this force from destroying everything.
I liked protagonist's journey and personal growth as the story progresses. Asira struggles to control her newly discovered powers, and overcomes her anxiety to become the hero needed to defeat this new evil. Another favorite is the complex, morally grey villain, her ancestor Nasila who invokes some sympathy despite her terrible deeds.
I'm really looking forward to the next part of the trilogy.
June 20, 2024
Hard to put down!
Wow this book! I'd been anticipating its release since I first read the synopsis and it didn't let me down. I'm impressed. Chandrakumar interlaced a beautiful, intricate world so vivid with a cast of compelling characters. I especially had to love Nasila, (SPOILERS) one of the main antagonists. Despite her pain and tainted feelings/thoughts in returning from the dead, she still displayed compassion and honor. She did not stoop low or play dirty to easily win.
Got a lot of Last Air ended vibes mixed with the multiple personalities (thinkers/feelers). I'm usually not too keen on books with magic but I cannot WAIT for the coming sequels. Bought this as an ebook but now need a physical copy to keep!
Wow this book! I'd been anticipating its release since I first read the synopsis and it didn't let me down. I'm impressed. Chandrakumar interlaced a beautiful, intricate world so vivid with a cast of compelling characters. I especially had to love Nasila, (SPOILERS) one of the main antagonists. Despite her pain and tainted feelings/thoughts in returning from the dead, she still displayed compassion and honor. She did not stoop low or play dirty to easily win.
Got a lot of Last Air ended vibes mixed with the multiple personalities (thinkers/feelers). I'm usually not too keen on books with magic but I cannot WAIT for the coming sequels. Bought this as an ebook but now need a physical copy to keep!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2024
I Think the book was okay, I was just not really something I normally would read.
I like when you read from two people perspectives, but I think there was a bit too many in this book.
Even though it isn’t something I wold recommend to my friends I Still think it was a okay book, it wasn’t hard to understand the world. I am a mood reader so maybe I just need to read it again another time, but for now I will give it 3 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I like when you read from two people perspectives, but I think there was a bit too many in this book.
Even though it isn’t something I wold recommend to my friends I Still think it was a okay book, it wasn’t hard to understand the world. I am a mood reader so maybe I just need to read it again another time, but for now I will give it 3 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 25, 2024
Mirna Chandrakumar’s first novel is an interesting work of young adult fiction centered upon the young nobles of a magical race tenuously coexisting with muggles, dividing society between Feelers and Thinkers. There are negative connotations going both ways with those labels, but the novel’s conflict is not so clear-cut. Imagine if Joan of Arc came back and was still absolutely livid at the English, and it was up to the modern French to save the modern English (even Yorkshire) from her undying wrath. That is the challenge Nasila Mayar presents to her great-great granddaughter Asira. That she is an undead abomination excuses some of the hatred, but not all.
The story keeps itself relatively unconventional in terms of muggle-mage relations and the general goodness of most people (except for three absolute jerks). It keeps the villains from being the usual villains in such a story, and inflicts more than one emotional gut-punch on Asira – who’s not quite a mystical chosen one, but there’s a movie with Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich anticipating her deal.
Some criticisms:
The worldbuilding has been minimalized to the point of leaving many potential points of confusion. There is television, radio, film, and technology capable of scanning eyes and hands – but apart from teleportation devices, people are walking everywhere, even on critical missions. And yet a car carries the president and even a traffic-jam is mentioned once. The effect is to sporadically interrupt the fantasy with random modern references, returning to the fantasy before anyone asks ‘can’t we drive or fly there?’ Or even ride horses, which are never mentioned. The impression is that these things were simply not considered, wanting to have wizards who can bend elements and then go see a rom com in a theatre (their version of Romeo and Juliet ought to be super controversial).
Magic, relationships and emotions are the focus of the story, and Chandrakumar puts those forefront in a prose that is utterly saturated with emotion. A lot of this emotion is told rather than demonstrated, however, and extra emotion is inserted at the expense of logic or consistency. One example was memorable: a man freshly-recovered from a serious injury wants a book. This book is in a room up a flight of two hundred stairs. This man is still weak, and he has many servants who could bring it down or carry him up (we don’t know if elevators exist, though Adelmar has more recent inventions). But he walks up those steps, huffing and puffing. To show his dedication and commitment to the cause, no doubt, but it comes across as a silly oversight of the writer rather than the character. And this partisan Feeler over Thinker bias is throughout.
The emotion-heavy perspective makes sense for Asira as she is an empathic being, but it is the consistent stance for other characters and even the primary antagonist, the vampiric Joan of Arc Nasila Mayar. I found this to be a bit homogenizing: no one is really bad, everyone is hurting and insecure and brooding on something. Also, since emotions don’t spring from nowhere there is little possibility for surprise with so many emotional compasses pointing the way. The emotional currents completely dominate the prose at times and even some elements of the worldbuilding connected to fantasy and magic were sketched rather than developed (a huntress, an amulet, etc). The normal mistake in this genre, introducing elements but not using them, was mostly avoided in HoBaM, but the story appears felt out rather than rigorously planned. Perhaps, with more Thinkers in the unfolding plot, so we’ll see the shape of Chandrakumar’s larger plan.
The story keeps itself relatively unconventional in terms of muggle-mage relations and the general goodness of most people (except for three absolute jerks). It keeps the villains from being the usual villains in such a story, and inflicts more than one emotional gut-punch on Asira – who’s not quite a mystical chosen one, but there’s a movie with Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich anticipating her deal.
Some criticisms:
The worldbuilding has been minimalized to the point of leaving many potential points of confusion. There is television, radio, film, and technology capable of scanning eyes and hands – but apart from teleportation devices, people are walking everywhere, even on critical missions. And yet a car carries the president and even a traffic-jam is mentioned once. The effect is to sporadically interrupt the fantasy with random modern references, returning to the fantasy before anyone asks ‘can’t we drive or fly there?’ Or even ride horses, which are never mentioned. The impression is that these things were simply not considered, wanting to have wizards who can bend elements and then go see a rom com in a theatre (their version of Romeo and Juliet ought to be super controversial).
Magic, relationships and emotions are the focus of the story, and Chandrakumar puts those forefront in a prose that is utterly saturated with emotion. A lot of this emotion is told rather than demonstrated, however, and extra emotion is inserted at the expense of logic or consistency. One example was memorable: a man freshly-recovered from a serious injury wants a book. This book is in a room up a flight of two hundred stairs. This man is still weak, and he has many servants who could bring it down or carry him up (we don’t know if elevators exist, though Adelmar has more recent inventions). But he walks up those steps, huffing and puffing. To show his dedication and commitment to the cause, no doubt, but it comes across as a silly oversight of the writer rather than the character. And this partisan Feeler over Thinker bias is throughout.
The emotion-heavy perspective makes sense for Asira as she is an empathic being, but it is the consistent stance for other characters and even the primary antagonist, the vampiric Joan of Arc Nasila Mayar. I found this to be a bit homogenizing: no one is really bad, everyone is hurting and insecure and brooding on something. Also, since emotions don’t spring from nowhere there is little possibility for surprise with so many emotional compasses pointing the way. The emotional currents completely dominate the prose at times and even some elements of the worldbuilding connected to fantasy and magic were sketched rather than developed (a huntress, an amulet, etc). The normal mistake in this genre, introducing elements but not using them, was mostly avoided in HoBaM, but the story appears felt out rather than rigorously planned. Perhaps, with more Thinkers in the unfolding plot, so we’ll see the shape of Chandrakumar’s larger plan.
February 29, 2024
‘Heritage of Blood and Magic’ by Mirna Chandrakumar is an upper YA fantasy set within a fully fleshed-out world. From food to the magic system, everything is created with an obvious amount of care and detail as to allow a reader to sink right into the story.
Said story is set 100 years after a devastating war between “Thinkers”, who lean on technology to accomplish their aims, and “Feelers”, who are gifted with special abilities granted by nature. The two factions of society have a strained peace that is brought to the breaking point in the very first chapter, and the tension only escalates when a powerful hero of the first war is resurrected using forbidden magic as a puppet for those who’d wage war anew.
A martyr whose death ended the first war, Nasila serves as one of the antagonists of the book, but she’s by far one of my favorite characters. She’s clever and strong, and while she does terrible things, they are done with compassion. She’s a highly complicated character who earns a great deal of sympathy by the book’s end—as beautifully grey a villain as anyone could ever hope to find.
Her counterpart in the tale is actually her great, great (however many greats) granddaughter, Asira. In the start of the story, Asira is a sweet young woman dealing with incredible grief and anxiety over certain events and information I’ll leave out as to not spoil anything. She’s insecure in some ways, making her journey to find her inner strength and become the leader the people need incredibly rewarding to read.
Supporting characters are also marvelously well-developed and add layers to the story. There’s fun-loving, ever-supportive Naomi. The kind president, Raymond, desperately wants to be a good leader and do right by those he serves on all sides. Jade, Asira’s grandma, is the most kick-butt, wise character in the book, and I adore her. Daylon I hate, as most readers likely will and are meant to at this point, and the fact I hate him this much means the author did a great job invoking emotion.
Fast-paced with tons of well-written action and a dash of intrigue, ‘Heritage of Blood and Magic’ is a fantastic start to what is sure to be a great series. I can’t wait for book 2.
Said story is set 100 years after a devastating war between “Thinkers”, who lean on technology to accomplish their aims, and “Feelers”, who are gifted with special abilities granted by nature. The two factions of society have a strained peace that is brought to the breaking point in the very first chapter, and the tension only escalates when a powerful hero of the first war is resurrected using forbidden magic as a puppet for those who’d wage war anew.
A martyr whose death ended the first war, Nasila serves as one of the antagonists of the book, but she’s by far one of my favorite characters. She’s clever and strong, and while she does terrible things, they are done with compassion. She’s a highly complicated character who earns a great deal of sympathy by the book’s end—as beautifully grey a villain as anyone could ever hope to find.
Her counterpart in the tale is actually her great, great (however many greats) granddaughter, Asira. In the start of the story, Asira is a sweet young woman dealing with incredible grief and anxiety over certain events and information I’ll leave out as to not spoil anything. She’s insecure in some ways, making her journey to find her inner strength and become the leader the people need incredibly rewarding to read.
Supporting characters are also marvelously well-developed and add layers to the story. There’s fun-loving, ever-supportive Naomi. The kind president, Raymond, desperately wants to be a good leader and do right by those he serves on all sides. Jade, Asira’s grandma, is the most kick-butt, wise character in the book, and I adore her. Daylon I hate, as most readers likely will and are meant to at this point, and the fact I hate him this much means the author did a great job invoking emotion.
Fast-paced with tons of well-written action and a dash of intrigue, ‘Heritage of Blood and Magic’ is a fantastic start to what is sure to be a great series. I can’t wait for book 2.
March 31, 2025
Full disclosure: I'm mutuals with this author on X.
Mirna isn't at the level of someone like R.F. Kuang...yet. But this is a good first effort and worth a read.
Things that could have been improved: There are some pacing issues and I wasn't always kept in suspense. There was also a slightly garbled paragraph early on that I had to figure out. Another round of edits might have caught this but it's not too big of an issue.
Things I Really Enjoyed: I liked the world building a lot. Adelmar isn't the usual sort of fantasy setting. It comes off as a world with a 1970s level of technology including guns and televisions. They also have these magical teleportation devices, called travel crystals. I'm not sure how these are made but maybe that will be revealed in a later story.
The main character, Asira also enjoys chewing on the leaves of the fictional "bolluna tree" when stressed, suggesting they are mildly addictive. Kind of like caffeine.
The magic system is described as being "elemental" in nature but instead of coming off as a copy and paste of Element Bending from Avatar: The Last Airbender, it's a little different from that. It feels just as much like channeling eldritch energies. There's little ritualism involved except for a scene where Asira's ancestor Nasila is resurrected in a cave.
The premise is a solid anti-bigotry narrative. It explores tensions between "Thinkers" and "Feelers." Thinkers are the mundanes of Adelmar. They have no special powers and rely on technology. Feelers are the energy-channeling and element-shaping branch of the human race. The conflict stretches back for generations. The inciting incident involves shadowy cabal of Thinkers sending a disaffected Feeler named Cayron to bring a powerful Feeler named Nasila back to life after being dead for a hundred years. But it's a twisted raising of the dead. The formerly peaceful Nasila awakens with a thirst for vengeance upon the Feelers. The fragile peace is jeopardized and young Asira must choose between working to preserve the fragile peace or joining her ancestor Nasila in waging war on the Thinkers.
So yeah, give this book a try!
Mirna isn't at the level of someone like R.F. Kuang...yet. But this is a good first effort and worth a read.
Things that could have been improved: There are some pacing issues and I wasn't always kept in suspense. There was also a slightly garbled paragraph early on that I had to figure out. Another round of edits might have caught this but it's not too big of an issue.
Things I Really Enjoyed: I liked the world building a lot. Adelmar isn't the usual sort of fantasy setting. It comes off as a world with a 1970s level of technology including guns and televisions. They also have these magical teleportation devices, called travel crystals. I'm not sure how these are made but maybe that will be revealed in a later story.
The main character, Asira also enjoys chewing on the leaves of the fictional "bolluna tree" when stressed, suggesting they are mildly addictive. Kind of like caffeine.
The magic system is described as being "elemental" in nature but instead of coming off as a copy and paste of Element Bending from Avatar: The Last Airbender, it's a little different from that. It feels just as much like channeling eldritch energies. There's little ritualism involved except for a scene where Asira's ancestor Nasila is resurrected in a cave.
The premise is a solid anti-bigotry narrative. It explores tensions between "Thinkers" and "Feelers." Thinkers are the mundanes of Adelmar. They have no special powers and rely on technology. Feelers are the energy-channeling and element-shaping branch of the human race. The conflict stretches back for generations. The inciting incident involves shadowy cabal of Thinkers sending a disaffected Feeler named Cayron to bring a powerful Feeler named Nasila back to life after being dead for a hundred years. But it's a twisted raising of the dead. The formerly peaceful Nasila awakens with a thirst for vengeance upon the Feelers. The fragile peace is jeopardized and young Asira must choose between working to preserve the fragile peace or joining her ancestor Nasila in waging war on the Thinkers.
So yeah, give this book a try!
January 20, 2024
In Heritage of Blood and Magic by Mirna Chandrakumar tension is brewing between Feelers (those who possess elemental magic) and Thinkers (followers of science). When a powerful Feeler is brought back through dark magic, things get out of hand and war is brewing again.
From the very first you get thrown into the action right away. There is a lot of tension and you want to go on reading to find out what happens. The writing style is flowing, fast paced and thanks to the multiple POV you get a feeling what both sides are thinking. You can understand each individual, their doubts, feelings and angst, and that is a job well done by the author.
The FMC Asira is struggling with the tension all around and when she finds out what she can do, it frightens her. Thankfully she has the full support from her grandmother Jade, who is a fierce lady. I liked her a lot. When the plot thickens and the battle between good and evil is not far off, I was glued to the pages. At the end you find out why they brought the powerful Feeler back and that came as a surprise. There is also betrayal of the worst kind and I wonder how that will go in the next book.
The worldbuilding and magic system is amazing, interesting and is told very well. I loved how the magic comes from the world around the characters.
When I started reading this book I had no idea I would become so engrossed in this story, and that was mainly because of the fast paced writing style, the multiple POV and the diverse characters.
If you want to read a kind of unique fantasy story, with great worldbuilding, a book that is easy to read, than this is the book for you. I can’t wait to read the sequel.
From the very first you get thrown into the action right away. There is a lot of tension and you want to go on reading to find out what happens. The writing style is flowing, fast paced and thanks to the multiple POV you get a feeling what both sides are thinking. You can understand each individual, their doubts, feelings and angst, and that is a job well done by the author.
The FMC Asira is struggling with the tension all around and when she finds out what she can do, it frightens her. Thankfully she has the full support from her grandmother Jade, who is a fierce lady. I liked her a lot. When the plot thickens and the battle between good and evil is not far off, I was glued to the pages. At the end you find out why they brought the powerful Feeler back and that came as a surprise. There is also betrayal of the worst kind and I wonder how that will go in the next book.
The worldbuilding and magic system is amazing, interesting and is told very well. I loved how the magic comes from the world around the characters.
When I started reading this book I had no idea I would become so engrossed in this story, and that was mainly because of the fast paced writing style, the multiple POV and the diverse characters.
If you want to read a kind of unique fantasy story, with great worldbuilding, a book that is easy to read, than this is the book for you. I can’t wait to read the sequel.
August 6, 2025
A very enjoyable fantasy read!
First, I really liked the characters. Asira, the protagonist, was great: proactive, competent, powerful and brave. I also really enjoyed the more antagonistic characters (although most, with the exception of the three elders, are morally grey). I especially really looked forward to reading Nasila and Cayron's chapters. Without giving too much away, Nasila acted as an interesting contrast to Asira - like two sides of the same coin. I also felt lot of sympathy towards Cayron. Raymond's chapters were great as it was interesting to see things from the political side. Multi-view POV is sometimes hard to get your head around, but I think the way each chapter related to the others made it a nice, smooth read.
The worldbuilding is pretty sound. The whole plot revolves around a blood war between two groups: thinkers and feelers. It was easy to understand what the conflict was and it actually reminded me a little of Romeo and Juliet (with less romance in the plot, although there is some). At first, I found it a little tricky to remember everything/understand the history of the world at the start, but the story flowed really well afterwards so I now think it was probably necessary.
Had a very creepy ending!
All in all, recommended for fans of YA dark/high fantasy who enjoy elemental magic and characters with depth.
First, I really liked the characters. Asira, the protagonist, was great: proactive, competent, powerful and brave. I also really enjoyed the more antagonistic characters (although most, with the exception of the three elders, are morally grey). I especially really looked forward to reading Nasila and Cayron's chapters. Without giving too much away, Nasila acted as an interesting contrast to Asira - like two sides of the same coin. I also felt lot of sympathy towards Cayron. Raymond's chapters were great as it was interesting to see things from the political side. Multi-view POV is sometimes hard to get your head around, but I think the way each chapter related to the others made it a nice, smooth read.
The worldbuilding is pretty sound. The whole plot revolves around a blood war between two groups: thinkers and feelers. It was easy to understand what the conflict was and it actually reminded me a little of Romeo and Juliet (with less romance in the plot, although there is some). At first, I found it a little tricky to remember everything/understand the history of the world at the start, but the story flowed really well afterwards so I now think it was probably necessary.
Had a very creepy ending!
All in all, recommended for fans of YA dark/high fantasy who enjoy elemental magic and characters with depth.
January 24, 2024
OH. MY. GODDD
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm giving this book 5 stars cuz there isn't a higher rating i loved this book so much
I don't think there is anyway that i can properly convey just how good this book was. LIKE?????? i don't think i can wait until the next bokks is released because..... i don't think y'all understand just how much i loved this book. like this is the first YA novel that i've read that didn't bore me to death or make me want to cry of frustration. Mirna Chandrakumar is officailly one of my fav YA authors.
for some reason this book remined me of 3 different book that i've read loved (shatter me, red queen, by the moon we fall). this book was like a combination of all three (minus the spice so far...) but better. this was far more interesting than i thought it would be (mainly because mst YA novels i've read weren't all that interesting)
i really want to rant about this book so much but that would mean spoilers and i don'y wanna spoil it for anyone so that they can feel the full range of emotions i felt.
thank for reading my review, now if u dont mind i need find another book to cure my newest book hangover. byeeee
I recieved this book as an ARC.
Thank you Mirna for the book i hope i can read trhen next books as well.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm giving this book 5 stars cuz there isn't a higher rating i loved this book so much
I don't think there is anyway that i can properly convey just how good this book was. LIKE?????? i don't think i can wait until the next bokks is released because..... i don't think y'all understand just how much i loved this book. like this is the first YA novel that i've read that didn't bore me to death or make me want to cry of frustration. Mirna Chandrakumar is officailly one of my fav YA authors.
for some reason this book remined me of 3 different book that i've read loved (shatter me, red queen, by the moon we fall). this book was like a combination of all three (minus the spice so far...) but better. this was far more interesting than i thought it would be (mainly because mst YA novels i've read weren't all that interesting)
i really want to rant about this book so much but that would mean spoilers and i don'y wanna spoil it for anyone so that they can feel the full range of emotions i felt.
thank for reading my review, now if u dont mind i need find another book to cure my newest book hangover. byeeee
I recieved this book as an ARC.
Thank you Mirna for the book i hope i can read trhen next books as well.
July 23, 2024
I was gifted an ARC of this months and months ago, and I apologize for the delayed review (Iron Flame put me in a reading slump).
This was my first read of 2024, and I'm giving it 3.5 stars. I really likes that places in this book were easy to remember without the map. Some may like complex and expansive fantasy worlds, but I find it too much. This book really nailed not being too overwhelming with world-building, especially for a fantasy. I also loved the concept of a group of humans (Thinkers) and a group of people with magic (Feelers) co-existing, and exploring that co-existence was really interesting! One more thing I loved was the multiple points of view, though I wish we had some for Daylon!
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
One of the things I didn't love as much was the fact that some parts of the book felt slow and easy, and others felt too fast. I found parts like the Thinker and Feeler battle and the Thinker & Feeler group heading to Nasila's cave a little too quick (those are the instances I could think of off the top of my head).
*** SPOILERS ABOVE***
Overall, I think this is a fantasy beginners to the genre and those used to it can enjoy equally. Thank you for the opportunity to dive into the world of Adelmar (:
This was my first read of 2024, and I'm giving it 3.5 stars. I really likes that places in this book were easy to remember without the map. Some may like complex and expansive fantasy worlds, but I find it too much. This book really nailed not being too overwhelming with world-building, especially for a fantasy. I also loved the concept of a group of humans (Thinkers) and a group of people with magic (Feelers) co-existing, and exploring that co-existence was really interesting! One more thing I loved was the multiple points of view, though I wish we had some for Daylon!
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
One of the things I didn't love as much was the fact that some parts of the book felt slow and easy, and others felt too fast. I found parts like the Thinker and Feeler battle and the Thinker & Feeler group heading to Nasila's cave a little too quick (those are the instances I could think of off the top of my head).
*** SPOILERS ABOVE***
Overall, I think this is a fantasy beginners to the genre and those used to it can enjoy equally. Thank you for the opportunity to dive into the world of Adelmar (:
January 13, 2024
Set in a world trying to escape the memories of a century-old war while tittering on the brink of another, this story begins at a moment of hope that turns into tragedy. Suspicions and old hatreds rear their heads again causing tensions to grow once more between the two groups that shape its society: the Thinkers, followers of science, and the Feelers, wielders of psionic powers and a kind of elemental magic.
If you enjoy books written in a YA style set in an interesting world, with a host of characters all of whom are wrestling with their own doubts and demons, then Heritage of Blood and Magic is a book that is worth looking into.
I received a free ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you enjoy books written in a YA style set in an interesting world, with a host of characters all of whom are wrestling with their own doubts and demons, then Heritage of Blood and Magic is a book that is worth looking into.
I received a free ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 21, 2025
DNF @ pg 63
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