~👑Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!👑~

Me when I added this book.
Me: Hmm, it has fire.
Might be arson, I like that.
Me: Oh
Me: OH
Me: Oh my arsenic soul-
Me: It has dragons-
Me: Wait, I can't make a decision this abruptly, can you imagine what the other books would say-?
Me: What about that poor book on my shelf that's been begging to be read-
Me: Will I be so cruel to ignore it?
*calmly tries reading the rest of the synopsis*
*calmly closes eyes*
*reads "infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter"*
*with eyes closed because that's a power, nowadays*
Me: HUNTER. DRAGON. MAN. MAN WHO IS A DRAGON HUNTER- THAT WHICH BURNS IS HIM AND THE DRAGONS-

So basically, that was my short and incredibly efficient turn into the neanderthal stage of my existence while adding this book.
Yes, I am indeed aging backward. Is that not normal?

|Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲4.0

Firstly, I would love to point out that I for once didn't have to use Google translate while reading a book with another language integrated within it.
And that made me a lot happier than I thought I would be.
Secondly, there were some Spanish curse words that I had to frantically cover while people passed behind me.
*forces smile*
It was... enlightening...

And thirdly, Arturo can glare at me and set me on fire any day of the week-
Preferably safe fire.
Because that ish would hurt.

*has violent flashback of that one time she tried to do five-minute crafts by setting hand sanitizer on fire and trying to put said hand sanitizer on hands*
She was above the age of ten.

Chile anyways so, on to the real deal (as real as it can be when I'm running on two teas, a sleeping pill and a list of key things that I will promptly forget).

Beginning with the plot and later deviating from my usual reviewing style (2022 has some changes y'all-), I must say that it was simply charming *bear wiggle*. Although predictable, it left me wanting more and more and- oh, there's not anymore. I shall touch on that in a few moments. I loved (adored, drooled for) the fact about the Gremios de Magia, Sastre, Dragonadores. I have no idea if it's because of the Spanish flair, but I felt my eyes shining as I read through them. The storyline of a flamenco dancer suddenly being forced into the world of dragon fighting was incredibly precious, and I looked forward to how it all would come together at the end. Now, the things that docked half .25 of a star off was that the plot itself, being as simple as it was, failed to bring me to my knees in excruciating pain of wanting to know all the details. At the beginning it dragged on just a tad, leaving me wondering at times whether it would pick up the pace (which it did towards the end, and I loved it) and because of that, the ending felt abrupt and too rushed.

Imagine a beginner driver (ahem, moi) trying to get through a field of mud.
At first, it's a slow, tedious, slightly messy ordeal, yet as the journey progresses in its complexity, you get used to the squishing mud between the tires.
But then there's an obstacle right toward the end of the road, and what does the driver do? Slam to a stop.

That was the gist of the plot in a metaphor that sounds exactly like what a two-year-old would say (remember, I'm aging backwards).
In all honesty, the book could've been longer and even a series! (I never say that, and I scared myself)
Why? Because I was looking forward to seeing more dragons, that's all I currently live for.

Don't get me wrong, I loved all the times they were mentioned, but they felt inconsequential to the story, if that makes sense. Like if you could eliminate the dragons and add some other beast, nothing would change. I would've craved to have seen more scenes with the dragons and the MC. Her battling or simply standing staring at their vicious beauty...
Can you tell I'm *this* close to flying out to Hispalia and getting possibly eaten by a majestic dragon?
In my opinion, it would be a marvelous going away party-

Moving along, before my acute obsession with dragons takes over, I wanted to dedicate a whole section to the romance.
Mayday mayday, Booksy found an enemies to lovers-
ABORT MISSION, ABORT MISSION- mission was not aborted so here we are now, gathered to commemorate how bloody amazing that trope is.
This book had all the components for it.
The tension.
The salivation (mainly by me).
The banter.
The 'I hate you', 'I hate you too', 'We should probably kiss' moments...
The too hot glances that burned through my moral restraints of imagination-

I'm afraid my infatuation with that trope was ever so engulfed in passionate flames.
The chemistry took time to actually grip me, since at the beginning they didn't even feel a smidge of something, so perhaps that's why it's not UP THERE, but dang. I was sweating-
I loved how they got interrupted every time they were about to kiss.
Reminded me of that time someone tried stealing a fruit cocktail from me and I stabbed them with a fork.
*He tried stealing the cherry y'all. THE CHERRY*
I didn't fall in love with the romance in this book, but I do have a massive, definitely one-sided, most likely unhealthy crush for it.
Because it's never going to happen to me.

And you know what? The characters fixed that hole in my chest a little.

Zarela had an honest to Hades transformation in my eyes. And I'm so proud-
At the start she was a bit self entitled (even her adorable dad recognized that), a little too self-absorbed (her dad also recognized that), maybe spoiled (her dad totally mentioned that) but then she evolved. Her stubbornness reminded me of me and I cannot fault her for that, I wish I had her tenacity and strength when facing detrimental decisions. Her willpower to help her family went beyond of what I thought she would give. I liked her character and would've loved to know more of how she really is. Apart from being a flamenco dancer and being in love, what did she like? What did her soul yearn for in the darkest of nights? *sigh* She has so much more potential and in my head, I can picture her being more of an amazing person as the years go by.

Arturo steal-your-freaking-will-to-date-in-real-life husband of mine, he simply was perfection. I truly believe he was more fleshed out than the MC. He played the guitar (hold me, I'm falling), he could tame dragons (this is so rude, why can't I have him?), wanted to write a book about said dragons... basically all you would love in a love interest.
Also, he hated the MC's guts.
Let's take a moment to appreciate this extraordinary occurrence.
You can try to convince me, but I know that underneath that brooding gray gaze, those bulging muscles, the harsh line of his shoulders- he is... waiting to be wed to moi.
*I'm desperate, okay?*

*screams into pillow because why not*

The MC's friendship with her best friend Lola was just hands down, flipping adorable. I enjoyed their chats, their interactions, their banter, their arguments- and I look forward to seeing what Lola lives for herself. What is she personally like, etc. When you know, we get a sequel... *smirk smirk*

Even though I didn't connect with the characters on a personal level, I think it was okay with this book at least. So many things had to be resolved in three hundred pages, betrayal, treachery, love, hate, anguish, grief. That I see why they weren't extremely detailed.

Like me.
I'm in a work in progress.
Possibly a DNF too-

On a closing note, I literally have never felt prouder of having to take a moment and register that I was reading a Spanish fantasy novel. With dragons. And enemies to lovers- I still have not gotten over it.
It's a disease at this point-
Nevermind, I love it.
The book itself was highly enjoyable, I would say low fantasy just because it wasn't as intricate or complicated to unravel. What you see is what you get, and I was okay with it.
I would marry the romance (before the actual 'I love you' part, afterwards it sends to get boring)
And Arturo.
And- I'll stop.
The writing was beautiful, the worldbuiding was a tad rushed, but I understood why.

Those 56 almost kisses though-
I'M DEAD-

But not really because my wedding is in three days, seventeen minutes and thirty-two seconds.
Who wants to be the maid of honor-

My rating 4/5 ⭐️s.

I was able to get an advanced reading copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, let me start out by saying that I love the precious works from this author. I enjoy her world building on Hispanic cultures. So when I saw the opportunity to read her new novel early I had to ask!

Firstly we follow Zarela Zalvidor is the daughter of a famous dragonador. After the death or her mother, she has lived with her father in their family dragon arena- that has stood in place for 500 years. However, Zarela’s woes start when their dragons get lose and attack the customers killing and injuring many to include her father. In order to restore the family honor she sets out to become a dragonador herself.

She finds herself hiring Arturo, a grump dragon hunter. She asks Arturo to help train her to preform in the arena while uncovering the secrets of who set up their family. Together they learn to dance, love, and live for themselves.

I also really enjoyed the dragon piece of this book! I thought it was a very unique way to change bill fighting- dragon fighting seems pretty cool! I will say if you are opposed to the fiction murder of dragons for entertainment then this book may not be such a fun read. BUT I will say it ends amazingly in regards to dragon fighting! So I would give it a shot!

I recommend this his book for anyone a fan of YA in 2022! Plus it’s a stand alone so why not!

Together We Burn
Isabel Ibañez

Genre• Sci-Fi×Fantasy×YA
Expected Pub Date• May 2022

This book surprised me in the best way possible. It was beautifully written, I connected to the characters, and the plot never failed to surprise me.
Isabel Ibañez created a creative, unique and vibrant. 
Plot twists abound, the magic is uniquely drawn, and intrigue
The storyline was very unique so I never got bored. I loved the way magic worked and how descriptive everything was.
The pacing was phenomenal and each word seems to be chosen with such intent
wonderfully magical story, filled with characters that grab your attention and leave you wanting more. 
I also really enjoyed the descriptions, but also how we got to know so many of the characters as well!
This is a rich, powerful story set in a world that's vivid and exciting as anything I've read.
A very satisfying read for me and had the perfect ending.

Wednesday Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

When I read the synopsis, I assumed we were going to have a girl and boy adventure book of hunting dragons and falling in love. However, Isabel Ibañez offered so much more!

What I liked about this book:
1. THAT COVER! It's gorgeous!!!

2. Throughout this book runs one common theme: Damn, this girl can't catch a break! However, no matter how many challenges she runs into, she fights every single one head on with true grit and feistiness!

3. While reading the book, I'm not going to lie, I was really mad about all the times Arturo pulled away from her from almost kisses. Like, there were a lot.....I was ready to mark this book down for that, even entered it in my notes so I wouldn't forget how frustrating that was, but then I found out why.....and I totally understood. My opinion of Arturo changed right that instant and I started loving him instead of feeling meh about him.

4. I love the banter!!! I mean, who doesn't want to be told by a hot guy how infuriating you are while he lingers close to your mouth???

5. I love the history and traditions in this world and how Zarela is able to blend everyone else's hopes for her into her own unique thing!

Why it didn't get 5 stars:
1. I felt like the pacing in the beginning was pretty drawn out. That isn't bad, but because of this, when a lot happened in the last 20% of the book rather quickly, it was a bit disappointing. Everything that happened quickly I would much rather have had a similar pacing (read as: more writing/detail) and just had a longer book.

2. It took a while for me to actually feel the chemistry between Zarela and Arturo. I think what was supposed to come across as flirty disregard at first, really came across as no chemistry for me. However, have no fear, they get there.

4 burning stars!

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Halie Decker <haliehorse1@gmail.com>
9:56 PM (0 minutes ago)
to me

~Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!~

5⭐𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
•Please Isabel Ibañez has done it again. I love this woman and her writing with a seething passion.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭
•The plot of this story is perfection! Dragons, drama, culture, rich history, great romance, and more intertwined into a perfect medley. Twists and turns that made me audibly gasp, and if this wasn't on my kindle I probably would have thrown my phone against a wall these twists were so good. Foreshadowing is hidden so well but enough so when the climax occurs you are left in shock at the fact how it turned out in such a way!

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
•The characters were amazing as in all of Ibañez's pieces. Zarela was this headstrong, stubborn girl who I constantly rooted for and wished things would work out for her. The character development was phenomenal and I loved watching the protagonists learn and change and open up to each other. Lola and other side characters also made me smile as they were fleshed out and actually contributed to the story.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
•I loved the worldbuilding. The dragons and their lore, the ancient history, the culture, the people, all of it was so rich and fleshed out and I truly felt that this world felt real. The world was constructed in such a beautiful way and I almost wanted to live there or visit and just breathe in the atmosphere of the city and maybe pet a dragon or two. Honestly, how immersive this world was stunned me and how well-written and rich it felt.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥
•I may have read the ARC of this, but I plan to purchase a real copy of this when it releases and y'all. You NEED to read this!

Truly wonderful from beginning to end.

This is the type of book you don't want to put down.

The author paints such a vivid picture through each chapter and the characters are so well written; you'll think you've known them your whole life.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

4.5 stars.

I had all the intentions of giving this book a solid 5-star rating, but I can't. And it kind of breaks my heart because I LOVED it. Truly, I felt myself deflate when I realized I couldn't give it 5 stars. (More details under Notes at the end.)

Now on to the good stuff.

This book was every bit as gorgeous inside as the cover was--the writing and the story were beautiful. Every bit of imagery added to the characters, the setting, and the story--I didn't feel like any of it was overdone. I absolutely loved the blend of flamenco and dragon fighting. Years ago, I read a book about bullfighting, so I recognized a lot of its elements within the dragon fighting in this book. And even though a couple of things reminded me of How to Train Your Dragon, this book is most definitely not HTTYD (though those are some of my favorite animated movies ever).

Zarela (18) and Arturo (20) are both interesting characters. The two of them are like a match and kindling; it's either going to keep you warm or burn your house down. I loved Zarela's determination and dedication to her family and home. I loved Arturo's good heart, despite his prickliness and tendency to shove everyone away. I wouldn't call him a teddy bear, more like an artichoke--you've got to get through all of the spiny leave before you get to the delicious heart in the middle. I cared about them. Supporting characters, too, were richly written--Lola, Ofelia, Santiago, even Guillermo, Don Eduardo, and Hector.

Note: Some swearing, mostly in Spanish but some in English. Some non-expicit sex (easily skipped). That's the reason I couldn't give it 5 stars, honestly--the sex. First, I'm irritated that more and more YA books are including what feels like obligatory sex scenes (and f words, btw). Many times they don't feel like they even really fit naturally into the story (like in this book--it felt out of character and kind of random to include them). But regardless of that, I just hate how sex has become such a big part of YA literature, in particular. I would have gladly purchased a hardcover edition of this book had it not been for that part of it.

Oh boy: it is absolutely impossible not to love this book so much!

A fiery, determined, powerful heroine who dances with dragons: ( seems like she’s great combination of Daenerys Targaryen and Shakira) - a brooding, tough, hard working tamer who can whisper to the dragons- hottest enemies to lovers trope- an impressive world building where the dragons fly around and their magic help them heal the people- a hateful revenge plan- mystery behind the carnage at the arena belong to Zalvidar family for 500 years!

Yes: this is heavenly package for the fantasy lovers like me who keen on reading about resilient, tough heroines and forbidden love stories with a touch of magic, action packed chapters, mesmerizing Latin culture.

18 years old Zarela Zalvidar can do anything to save their arena she’s inherited from her ancestors, the life of her father in expanse convincing the meanest dragon hunter Arturo Diaz de Montserrat.

They team up together to save the arena, inheritance and ancestral home of Zalvidar family but somebody out there is too bloodthirsty to destroy family’s reputation and everything they’ve worked for centuries.

And Arturo has so many secrets that ruin everything they built together! Could that brooding, hostile man rock Zarela’s entire world!
Go on and read it!

Even though the big revelations of the book were a little foreseeable, I loved the tension, I loved the magical world, I loved the passion between MCs that put the pages of hard copies into fire!

So I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 dragon lady who should be winner of dancing with stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

This was a decent YA fantasy story, and while there weren't really any surprises in the plot, the unique setting and strong protagonist made it a compelling read.

Okay, so I figured out the bad guy early on in the story, though I was still interested in finding out the why behind the actions and in what would happen to our protagonist (but yes, the why ended up being too far-fetched and a little implausible for me, but it didn't bother me too much). The plot followed a fairly predictable young-adult arc.

That being said, I still really enjoyed it. There's something to be said for a book that hits the points you're expecting—it's familiar and comforting while still being new. Zarela was an easy main character to love and root for and I liked the romance story with Arturo, even if, again, it hit all those predictable points. There's not a ton of character development, but Zarela and Arturo both get some growth that made for nice touches to the story.

And I loved the setting! The dragon-fighting and this somewhat magical world inspired by medieval Spain were intriguing and kept me hooked. I appreciate a good moral dilemma conversation and I liked the discussion that our main characters were having over the morality of dragon-fighting, and if something being a long-held tradition is reason enough to continue doing it. These kinds of conversations make a fantasy book more relatable. I also like that this is a standalone. I don't read enough standalone fantasy novels.

I also loved all the Spanish throughout—made me realize I know more Spanish than I thought!

This book. I can't tell if I want to eat or make out with Aurturo. Can I do both? Ibanez is one of the best authors at world-building. Everything in her stories is vivid and immersive and lush. This book is no different. The romance is swoony. The dragons are impressive. The friendships are perfect. And the banter. *chefs kiss*. Thank you St. Martins for letting me read this perfect fantasty. It will be a favorite for everyone.

In this high fantasy, Zarela is the daughter of a dragonadore family. The family hunts, tames, and fights dragons in their very popular arena. When tragedy strikes, Zarela loses her mother.

When the story begins, Zarela is still mourning the lose of her mother, but when the arena dragons are let loose, both patrons and her father are gravely injured. Zarela has to find a way to make ends meet and save her family’s home.

No one believes in her, not even her ailing father. But Zarela is determined to prove everyone wrong. She sets out to hire a new dragon tamer and purchase some new beasts for the family arena. She doesn’t know what she’s in for as she begins her adventure of magic, tragedy, and unexpected love.

This book was a really fun read but I would have loved some more world building and more descriptive writing. It read a little more like middle grade than young adult fantasy. I think that a little more depth to the story would have really set this up to be an epic fantasy. I’m also not a huge fan of spice in YA but it is what it is.

All I saw was dragons and I knew I had to read this one! Together We Burn is a slow-burn with mystery and adventure! The writing style was beautiful and captivating, with strong characters and a unique storyline. Zarela was a great protagonist - resourceful, passionate, and complex! The pacing was a little off at times, and I feel like so much was pushed to the last 20%, but it still had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the contrast between the culture/history of the dragon-fighting practice versus the brutality of it. This is my first book by Isabel Ibañez and I loved it! Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for my gifted copy! Release Date: 5/31/2022

“Together We Burn” by Isabel Ibanez was such a pleasant surprise. I had never read anything by this author previously, so the beautiful prose filled with descriptive language was welcome and really pulled me into the story from the get go. The theme of family and pride was strong within the book and enjoyable. I did have reservations in regards to the bullfighting style of the interactions with the dragons. While that aspect wasn’t my favorite, I found that the infusion of Spanish culture was great. It made this fantasy unique and interesting. The use of Spanish language in parts of the book made it feel more authentic but I’d rely on ownvoices reviewers on the cultural aspects of this novel. (Please seek out those reviewers)

DNF at 25%.

I unfortunately just couldn't get into this book. I'm not sure if it's the writing style, the characters, or just some sort of personal reading slump, but I've found myself disinterested in picking it up.

The premise is still very interesting, and I'm sure there are other readers who will love it, but it's not working for me, at least not at the moment.

Omg a high fantasy book with dragons!! It’s fast-paced and swoony. Perfect for fans of high fantasy novels.

This was such a great book! I loved the culture of Hispalia, as well as the different types of dragons. Zarela was a great main character, incredibly capable and compassionate, and I loved her relationship with Arturo. Even though the stakes in this book were lower than a lot of other fantasies (Zarela losing her family's home rather than the world ending) I was on the edge of my seat and finished this in one sitting. I didn't expect the identity of the person sabotaging Zarela's family, and I was really happy with how everything wrapped up.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are purely my own and not affiliated with any brand.

I will say I almost didn’t finish this book. It had nothing to do with the writing or the premise of the story. It was my person view on bullfighting and how ethical it is. I am really glad I pushed through and read to the end!! It was such a good story and I would have regretted not finishing it. Isabel Ibanez is such a great writer. I could clearly see and hear the dance steps in my find. The world she created is so detailed I can picture it clearly. I loved the main characters. I could relate to them and found their banter witty.

Overall, I would recommend this book to a friend. I greatly enjoyed it and as a Latina, I always appreciate when there are books that embrace the heritage!

I'm not a huge fan of fantasy but when I do read it I prefer teen and it doesn't hurt if dragons make an appearance.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

This is the type of fantasy I love; excellent worldbuilding with complex societal structure and dragons. Honestly anything including dragons 100% deserves a read.