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Immense Beauty and Terrifying Wilderness
Blood of Yarumaya follows a botany student from Stanford, headed for an internship in the Amazon rainforest, who learns about a rare tree and its resin, which holds the secret to human longevity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration for the setup of BLOOD OF YARUMAYA is my college-student daughters, and imagining them experiencing this story and wondering how they would respond and adapt to being forced into such a dramatic situation. The protagonist, Isabella Bryn Delgado, is a Gen Z girl from Malibu with a privileged life and a certain naivety about the world, similar to my own daughters. I wanted to explore how Isabella would respond and grow as a result of her experiences.
Was there a reason why you chose this location as the backdrop for your story?
The reason I chose the Amazon rainforest as the setting is simple: Its immense beauty and terrifying wilderness that transform it into its own unique character, and its isolation from civilization. There are so many mysteries associated with the rainforests that it became the logical choice to immerse the reader in. Plus, I am fascinated with the Amazon rainforests and their wildlife and people.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
A theme of survival was critical to the growth of the young protagonist. In the most primal situations, we are all subject to our instinct to survive, and out of this instinct grows knowledge, confidence, and a deeper understanding of who we are. Intertwined with survival is a theme of environmental issues that Izzy has to face and make choices where she stands. Other themes involved finding genuine love and how rare and precious it is once discovered, and how it drives us to do things we didn’t think possible before–pushing us to do the impossible. A theme of power and corruption was intertwined in the story: The exploitation of indigenous tribes, government conspiracies to steal and monetize the greatest scientific discovery in history, and the attacks on the natural resources of our rainforests, and from that a theme of ethics emerges. If you possessed a secret that could save the world and extend life expectancy dramatically, would you share it or keep it hidden away?
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
My current project is Book #5 of my Timepiece Series, titled The Timepiece Origin. It is the fifth and final book of the series and a prequel to the story. The book should be available in late Spring 2026. Books One through Four are currently available on Amazon in eBook and paperback.
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Isabella Bryn Delgado thought a research trip to the Amazon would breathe life into her failing Master’s degree in botany—and give her one last shot at salvaging her gymnastics scholarship before her injured knee gave out for good. Far from Stanford’s campus and the chaos of Palo Alto, she just wanted a quiet jungle escape. No pressure. No balance beam. And no more awkward run-ins with her soon-to-be ex.
But the man who was supposed to supervise her internship—reclusive microbiologist Dr. Dominic Quinn—is nowhere to be found when she arrives at his remote field lab. Alone in one of the most dangerous ecosystems on Earth with no contact to the outside world, Isabella soon realizes she’s been dropped into more than just a science experiment.
When a mysterious man claiming to be Dr. Quinn finally appears, he brings with him secrets buried deep in the rainforest: an uncharted tribe, a sacred tree called Yarumaya, and a miraculous resin that may hold the secret to human longevity. But the trees are dying—and the tribe’s survival is in danger.
As Isabella and Quinn race to uncover the cause, they find themselves tangled in a web of ancient rituals, vanishing ecosystems, and a connection neither of them expected. But some secrets aren’t meant to be shared. And some discoveries are worth killing for.
Blood of Yarumaya is a pulse-pounding eco-thriller about love, legacy, and the dangerous line between scientific discovery and cultural exploitation.
EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Reviewed by Ronél Steyn for Readers’ Favorite
Kevin D. Miller delivers a captivating environmental thriller in Blood of Yarumaya. Isabella Delgado is two weeks late in arriving for her assignment with Dr. Dominic Quinn in the Amazon. This was her opportunity to write her thesis on botany with firsthand rainforest experience, but now the doctor is missing. She just broke up with her boyfriend and is still dealing with a knee injury that shattered her gymnastic goals. To make things worse, the radio is broken, it’s humid, and the mosquitoes are hungry. When Dr. Quinn finally arrives at the field lab, he doesn’t resemble the forty-something man Isabella expected. Instead, he looks closer to her twenty-six years. What follows is a race to uncover the secrets of the Kawirén people’s longevity and help them survive the impending destruction of the Amazon.
Author Kevin D. Miller proves to be a master storyteller. Vivid descriptions immerse readers deep in the rainforest and awaken all their senses. With strong protagonists leading the story, there’s no doubt about wanting to turn those pages and keep reading. The pace is swift, creating an urgency that drives the plot forward. It ticks all the right boxes for action, adventure, love, and discovery, ensuring any reader will fall in love with the Amazon and making Blood of Yarumaya perfect for fans of nature and science. The dialogue is sharp, and the detailed stages of experimentation won’t leave you confused. Due to some strong language and closed-door sexual scenes, this book is best suited to a mature audience.
BLOOD OF YARUMAYA
Blood of Yarumaya by Kevin D. Miller follows Isabella Delgado. She’s a wealthy botany student from Malibu who travels to the Amazon rainforest for an internship. Her mentor is Dr. Dominic Quinn. He’s a brilliant but secretive scientist who appears much younger than he is. They discover a complex biological secret to anti-aging that involves rare tree resin and special bees. A corrupt politician named Julio Ortega wants this secret for his own gain. He hires mercenaries to attack the indigenous Kawirén tribe to get it. Izzy must use her newfound survival skills to save Quinn and protect the forest from destruction.
I found the character arc of Isabella surprisingly engaging. She starts the story as a somewhat entitled gymnast. She quickly transforms into a capable survivor. Her growth felt earned rather than just given to her. The romance between her and Quinn is sweet. It also carries a unique tension due to his actual age versus his appearance. I felt genuine anxiety during the raid on the village. Miller does a wonderful job of making you care about the Kawirén people. You desperately want them to survive the encroaching threats of the modern world.
The book tackles heavy themes like deforestation and corporate greed head-on. I appreciated this direct approach because it did not feel overly preachy. The science behind the longevity serum was fascinating to me. I loved the twist with the “rapid aging” weapon used against Ortega near the end. It was a satisfying bit of poetic justice.
I enjoyed this thrilling adventure. It carries a real emotional punch that stuck with me. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fast-paced eco-thrillers. Fans of adventure stories with a strong romantic subplot will also like it. It is a perfect read for anyone who has ever dreamed of escaping civilization to find something deeper in the wild.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0FTMC4WGN
LITERARY TITAN 