The Stone Guardian by Theresa McClinton

From Goodreads - When myth becomes reality, reality becomes a nightmare.

Like any other teenager in America, Ashley just wants a normal life. But growing up in an orphanage for the insane is anything but normal. After endless therapy and increasing medication, her nightmares have only gotten worse.

Probably because they’re not nightmares.

When Ashley’s mysteriously abducted, she finds a reality even less normal than the orphanage. And she discovers something else—she’s no ordinary orphan. Faced with enemies thought to only exist in fairy tales, Ashley discovers she possesses a powerful Maya bloodline. She’s the daughter of an ancient Maya Guardian, whose duty is to protect the Stone of Muuk’ich, an enchanted relic blessed by the gods. But first she must get it back from Sarian, a power-hungry demigod who slaughtered the last guardian—Ashley’s mother. Without the stone, all will be lost.

When she meets Arwan, a hot Belizean time bender, his delicious olive skin and dark eyes make her feel a little less alone. But his gentle whispers and reassuring touch might not be all they seem. How can she balance love and duty when it’s up to her to prevent the rising of the underworld? Especially when the guy she loves might be its crown prince…

Ashley doesn't have a last name. She doesn't know who her mother or her father is. All she has ever known is the orphanage for insane teenagers. She's not insane, but no one believes her except her friend Tara. She has panic attacks frequently and is afraid to go to sleep. When she does, she dreams, but it's not like normal dreams. In her dreams, she's in another place and the bad man always finds her. More often than not, when she wakes up, delete comma she has wounds from her battles.

When a family wants to foster her for the last eighteen months before she becomes a legal adult, Ashley doesn't want to go. She doesn't want to leave Tara and she would rather be in the safety of the orphanage, the only place she has ever known. But when the doctors threaten to separate her and Tara until she is released, Ashley caves and agrees to the foster family.

But when Ashley panics during an episode, she finds herself and Tara in a place neither of them have been, Belize. There, Ashley is told that she has special powers, that of the Maya Stone Guardians. Her mother was the last Maya Stone Guardian and after she was killed, the Maya had to wait for Ashley to grow into her powers. But time is of the essence as the stone is in the hands of the demigod that killed her mother. Without it, the underworld could rise. 

Filled with amazing supernatural talents like timebenders, healers, mindreaders and more, THE STONE GUARDIAN is a unique treat in the young adult paranormal genre. I really enjoyed how Ashley grew from a victim of her mind to a confident young woman. Her love interest, Arwan, is a timebender and although he is hot, it's hard to decide if he's a good guy or bad until it's revealed. With great character development, phenomenal world-building and a solid plot, THE STONE GUARDIAN is a book that I'd love to see in a series. Highly recommend! 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.