I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez Published by Wednesday Books on May 31, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 354
Format: ARC, Audiobook, eBook
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads
Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see her father fight in their arena, which will one day be hers.
But disaster strikes during their five hundredth anniversary show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s father is horribly injured. Facing punishment from the Dragon Guild, Zarela must keep the arena—her ancestral home and inheritance —safe from their greedy hands. She has no choice but to take her father’s place as the next Dragonador. When the infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter, Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, withholds his help, she refuses to take no for an answer.
But even if he agrees, there’s someone out to ruin the Zalvidar family, and Zarela will have to do whatever it takes in order to prevent the Dragon Guild from taking away her birthright.
An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don't want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.
So let’s start with the good, shall we?
I really enjoyed the infusion of Spanish culture into the worldbuilding. It’s done pretty well and as a reader, it made the story unique. Spanish vocabulary is used seamlessly throughout the story, which I personally like. However, there is no glossary so you have been warned!
And that’s what I liked the most.
Everything else is pretty lackluster. The characters are fine but lack depth and complexity. The worldbuilding is fine but lacks intricate details to make it come alive. The plot is basic, with nothing new to expect. And the romance? Well, let’s chalk it up to the first comment on lack of depth. If you have no complex characters, then the romance is going to be pretty average.
I genuinely feel bad writing this because I want to see unique stories succeed. But for that to happen, there needs to be unique things HAPPENING.
Overall, this novel had an interesting premise but its execution didn’t work for me. There are only so many ways to keep things unique when you use the same tropes seen in every other YA fantasy. I think it is time to reinvent the wheel.
2.5/5 star rating for me (rounded to 3 for Goodreads).
