Such a amazing read! This story kept me on the edge of my seat and exceeded my expectations. This was quite an adventure I highly recommend

before i give a review, i would like to thank the publishers avon and harper voyager for providing a cooy for exchange for an honest review.
this was honestly so good? i am so excited to see mariely lares writes next, this was such a stunning debut. the publishing infrastructure honestly needs to have more "zorro" reimaginings, i love all the history i learned from this and all of the world building

I really enjoyed this book. Mariely built a beautiful and rich world while still trying to stay accurate to the times. While I mostly enjoyed the main character, there were times where I found her too self defeating but overall well rounded. If this is her debut novel, she did a great job! I'm excited for more Pantera and Tezca.



Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

This was a pretty good book. Not my personal favorite but I think that other people would like it more than I did. The plot was pretty good. But it felt like it was missing something and the writing was not quite what i wanted

This book sounded like it was right up my alley, but I was ultimately disappointed with the writing. It felt unpolished, and there was a lot of tell vs show through descriptive writing and world building. I loved the premise and mythology the author brought into the book. Still a fun read for a gender bent take on Zoro.

A gender swapped version of Zorro? Sign me up! I was super excited to read this and while I really enjoyed it not sure it lived up to the hype fully. I felt sometimes it was hard to connect to the characters and also felt it was kind of info dumping at times as opposed to really leading me and immersing me in the story. However, the setting was incredibly cool and unique and I did have a nice time reading it. I would say it felt a little younger then I expected and a bit YA but that didn’t bother me much. Will still be purchasing for our library!

As a BIPOC woman of Aztec ancestry, this read was EXCEPTIONAL! With that said, the pronunciation and accuracy to the Nahuatl language could be a lot to decipher for someone unfamiliar with the language. The historical accuracy was magnificent and portrayed such a stunning cultural immersion that I already can’t wait to reread!

I could tell pretty early on that this writing wouldn’t fit my personal preferences, but the premise of this book is so cool. I love seeing more cultures represented in the world of fantasy, and a gender swapped version of zorro?? Very cool.

Unfortunately, there is just a lot of telling vs showing, and that made it hard for me to care about what the characters were doing or what was happening to them.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

The premise of Sun of Blood and Ruin had so much potential and it sounded so promising, but the execution was lacking a lot for me. The writing style was very much telling me what was happening, not showing me what was happening. It made it feel very YA when it was marketed as an adult book. I think I was looking for a lot more depth to the characters than what I found.

I did, however, really enjoy the setting and the history included. The little bit of worldbuilding that we got was done well and I really would like to know more about the mythology and history of the world.

I ended up DNF’ing around 51%, but I may end up going back and picking this up again because, as I said, it has so much potential.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Mariely Lares for an advanced copy of Sun of Blood and Ruin in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved the folklore and mythology in this book. I felt like the second part of the book felt a little disjointed from the first part, but overall I really enjoyed this.

A gender-swapped Zorro reimagining with Mesoamerican mythology, great for historical fantasy fans!

Sun of Blood and Ruin follows 18-year-old Leonora, a member of a very politically powerful family, who also happens to be the famous masked vigilante, Pantera. Not only is she a beast with a sword, she can also shapeshift into one (a black panther, more specifically) thanks to her training as a sorceress. Set in an alternate-history 16th century Mexico, the story focuses on Leonora’s journey to discover more about herself, her indigenous lineage, and her ability to choose her own destiny.

I’m very impressed with this as a debut! This is a novel rich in history and lore, so there were places in the first half where I did feel a bit lost. There’s just so much to take in. But once I got further into the story, the pieces really started snapping together for me.

I loved this as a Zorro reimagining because the swashbuckling action and the little verbal quips during the fighting felt really true to that! I honestly could’ve read a lot more of that, although the action in the second half is still super engaging, just in a different way.

I can definitely see the hint of a slow-burn romance here, but I wanted so much more from it! I needed more scenes with the two of them busting each other’s chops, sharing lingering looks and touches, etc. to really feel invested in that romance as a subplot.

Similar to the romantic subplot, there were other points in the story that I felt were being glossed over when I really wanted to sink my teeth into them. In the next book, I’d be interested to see if she can perhaps narrow the scope just a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my review!

Solid Book, 3 stars as of 53%

DNF at 53%

I am so disappointed by this DNF. The premise of this is fantastic! It's gender-flipped Zorro set in a post-Cortes Mexico. We follow Leonora, the daughter of the viceroy (?) or ruler of some type of Mexico City, and his Indigenous mistress. Leonora is caught between two worlds, that of the political maneuvering of the colonial elite, and that of her alter ego Pantera. Pantera is a vigilante fighting for the rights of the Indigenous peoples. She is a Nahual, one who can change into a spirit animal, a panther.

I really liked the setting, the world, and the premise. What led me to DNF was unfortunately the characters. They are set up to be interesting; however, there is a lot of telling not showing, and we are in first person, present tense POV. For me, the characters were very flat, and everything was written as if it were keeping the reader at arms' length. I did not feel connected in any way to the relationships that the main character was building, platonic, familial, or romantic. I felt quite frustrated by this. I was wavering back and forth on whether I wanted to DNF, and I got to a scene where an animal dies, and the MC was distraught. I felt nothing. To me, that is a pretty clear sign that I am not emotionally invested in the story, and usually if there isn't an emotional connection, those books don't end up being more than 3 stars. In addition, I don't think that by the halfway mark the plot was well very well established. It was sort of meandering and wasn't heading in any type of clear direction, so with both of those pieces not super working for me, I just didn't

I definitely think that this might work better for readers who are less character driven and more interested in the world building and such. And I will definitely be interested in what this author puts out in the future. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.

Wonderful premise. Love the idea of female empowerment and representation. The writing felt unpolished. Couldn’t get into it.

"Sun of Blood and Ruin" by Mariely Lares is a vibrant debut that takes readers on a journey through sixteenth-century New Spain, blending Mesoamerican mythology, Mexican history, and fantasy into a rich tapestry of storytelling. The novel reimagines the Zorro legend, starring Leonora, a young noblewoman who transforms into the panther-shapeshifting vigilante, Pantera. This intriguing character fights against the injustices inflicted upon indigenous people during Spain's colonization.

At its heart, the book is a gripping tale of identity and resistance. Leonora, bound by duty to marry the Prince of Spain, leads a double life as the feared and revered Pantera. Her struggle against the oppressive Spanish rule is filled with magical elements, legendary swordplay, and a deep connection to her cultural roots. The novel excels in its vivid scene setting, immersing readers in a world where witchcraft is a death sentence, and mythical beings are more than just whispers in the night.

However, the book isn't without its flaws. Some readers might find the narrative's pacing uneven, with a jarring transition between past and present events. The writing, while competent, shows signs of a debut author finding her voice. Character development, particularly for secondary characters, seems lacking, leaving some readers struggling to fully engage with them.

The novel's exploration of themes like colonialism and self-discovery is commendable. Its focus on indigenous myths and the inclusion of Spanish language adds authenticity and depth to the narrative. The romance subplot, though, may not resonate with all, as it lacks the necessary chemistry and feels somewhat forced.

Despite these shortcomings, "Sun of Blood and Ruin" is a fascinating read, especially for those seeking fantasy that steps away from typical European settings. It's a story rich in folklore, with a promise of more to come. This book, with its unique blend of history and fantasy, is a must-read for fans of Mexican history and folklore, and those who enjoy a fresh twist on classic vigilante tales.

LIfe is too short to read mediocre books, and unfortunately, this fell into that category for me. I didn't find the writing to be particularly strong or engaging, and I didn't care about the characters at all.

This had such an interesting concept and the world building was 5/5... but the rest fell flat.

1/5 Stars (DNF @ 44%)

TL;DR - A lukewarm book with big ambitions it did not live up to. Interesting enough fantasy elements where present, but little else going for it. Yawn/cringe.

Big thanks to Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

‘Sun of Blood and Ruin’ by Mariely Lares is a fantasy novel set in an alternate Mexico circa the 16th century. It follows an eighteen year-old named Leonora, the daughter of the late viceroy of New Spain, or as she’s known to the common folk, Pantera, the masked vigilante who…runs across a lot of rooftops or something. Decades of unrest between the Spanish colonizers and the indigenous populace comes to a head, and Leonora must reckon with her past and her own self to find a path forward.

Hoo boy, where to even begin.

First, this is NOT a gender-bent Zorro retelling. Full stop. As someone who grew up obsessed with the movie (and whose brain chemistry was forever altered by Antonio Banderas in the titular role), I’m honestly kind of angry this book tried to pass itself off as such. The only similarity is that it takes place in Mexico and the main character sometimes wears a mask. At 44% in, there was one sword fight that lasted all of like, three sentences. No, ma’am.

(Okay, I’ll concede that there is some cringe, 90s action dialog and supposed-to-be-comical dispatching of adversaries, which tracks with the movie, but those moments were few and far between, and thrust haphazardly in the middle of otherwise serious stuff tonally. Yikes.)

Prose-wise, it’s fine. Nothing special, but not as bad as some things I’ve read lately. At the beginning, it jumps back and forth between past and present with no warning, which is jarring and annoying, but it does get better as it goes on. It’s also really on-the-nose in places, not a lot of tact, but at least passable from a craft standpoint in general.

(That said, I was fully convinced this was YA until I double-checked what it was shelved as on NetGalley. It doesn’t read like adult at all, it reads a lot younger, both in terms of prose depth and in the maturity of Leonora and her narration.)

In that vein, Leonora was…there. She sure was. For someone billed as literally Zorro, she was surprisingly inept. All while thinking to herself (read: the author telling us) she’s badass and “such a good actor” and patting herself on the back for doing almost nothing. At best, she’s a 2D cutout who does nothing but reminisce about her old teacher who, in ten years, didn’t seem to teach her much, and at worst, she’s annoying and wildly inconsistent in her characterization. All this while we’re being repeatedly told she’s amazing and cool and super duper good at swords and never actually shown it. She also gives heavy “not like other girls” vibes, and she engages in girlhate and slut-shaming, and she’s just SO SPECIAL YOU GUYS.

(Oh, and by the way, she has two different colored eyes. So, sit with that.)

(Also, I called her “Lorena” multiple times in the first draft of this review because she was so completely unmemorable.)

The love interest (who is VERY clear from the moment we meet him, even to my dumb ace ass who doesn’t read romance) is similarly boring. The faux love interest is also flat (with the addition of being, at the point I DNF’d, a stereotypical “promiscuous, romantically amoral bisexual” - neat!).

44% in and nothing of note has really happened, and it just *drags*. Combine that with copious info-dumping (often apropos of nothing), non sequiturs, and chapters that ended really suddenly with the feeling that the author just ran out of steam and tacked on a few shallow, trite lines to close them out, I just could not keep going because I didn't believe it would get any better.

And then my final issue, which was really the deciding factor in me calling it quits, was the way this book handles the very serious subject of colonialism. Which is to say, it poked it once with a 39.5 foot pole, walked away, and posted a selfie wearing a “Land Back” shirt. Leonora is a mestiza, half-Spanish and half-indigenous, whose father is literally the crown-appointed viceroy of New Spain and participated in its colonization alongside motherfucking *CORTÉS*. She was raised until the age of 8 in the palace as basically a princess, then went off to train with Mister Miyagi for 10 years and then came back to live in and enjoy the luxuries of the palace once more. She *actively* still enjoys the benefits of her father colonizing this place (and thinks all the time what a swell dude he was), but we’re supposed to believe that she cares about the natives? She “fights for the people” but still agrees to marry the Prince of Spain “for the good of the colony”? Excuse me??

(Nuanced characters with conflicting morals and actions can and do exist, but this girl ain’t it.)

The narrative does nothing to denounce colonialism except mention it in passing, in a very on-the-nose, almost fourth wall breaking way that feels like the author talking directly to the reader and not the character exploring it organically. Leonora is all “colonialism is bad” in her thoughts, but all “my dad was a really good guy and I’m going to go along with the colonizers’ plan anyway” in action. The math ain’t mathing.

Listen, maybe the book pulls a 180 and goes on to have a really good, heartfelt, and accurate conversation about the evils of Spanish colonialism *that are still affecting the Americas to this day*, the inner conflict of indigenous folks with any settler heritage they might have, etc, etc, but if you can’t have even a glimmer of an intelligent conversation about it by 44% in, you’ve lost me. Maybe (and that’s a generous maybe, please seek other sources in addition) this will be a good intro for someone brand spanking new to the decolonization conversation, but that’s not me, so this was a huge miss.

Final Thoughts:

Yeah, no. I was so excited for this book, and not only did it fall leagues flat of my expectations, it was also a lot worse for the puzzling and lackluster “conversations” about colonialism. It was ambitious, but ultimately failed to live up to anything to tried to be. Generously shelving under “thanks, I hate it”.

I was excited for historical fantasy set in Mexico during the time Cortes was there, with a perspective from an Indigenous main character.

It started off with a lot of adventure, but then got a little bogged down with a lot of confusing telling instead of showing, to give the back story of the main character and place her in the politics of the time. It also felt like it was closer to YA than adult fiction which is not what I was looking for. I may try it again in another month and see if it sticks with me then.

The legend of Zorro gets a Mexican Mythological twist!

Pantera, leading a double life as Leonora de Las Casas Tlazohtzin, the heir to the Spanish throne, must fight the imperialist rule over New Spain. She risks great danger to protect the place and people she knows and loves.

What a premise, what a cover! I was drawn in by the beautiful art and exciting narrative. Mexican mythology enriches the old tale of Zorro the swordsman, now swordswoman. The setting is enticing, and I think it’s the gem of this story. I’ll be honest, the narrative didn’t flow and I wish I was more connected to Pantera. This is an adventure type novel, so I won’t hold the romance against it. Overall, I enjoyed the vivid atmosphere and mythology, it made this book worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC.

DNF - I'm really struggling to keep track of the plot. I may try this again in the future, but at this point I don't think this is a book for me.

This book left me with mixed feelings. I’ve been looking for an SFF novel that successfully integrates Central / South American mythology while awaiting the final installment of the Between Sea and Sky trilogy by Rebecca Roanhorse. Sun of Blood & Ruin definitely delivers on this front! The world building, which depicts the clash of cultures in Mexico a generation after the Spanish conquest, is excellent. And I was thrilled with the prolific use of Spanish and Nahuatl words without cumbersome direct translations into English. Unfortunately, this is also a YA romance that revolves around a not-like-the-other-girls teenage MC “finding herself” and her man. The plot, in which a prophecized magical apocalypse threatens to destroy the world, is a haphazardly realized afterthought.

TLDR: This book is like Gods of Jade & Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia crossed with a regency romance. I can tell that it will greatly appeal to romantasy readers and that the debut author, Mariely Lares, has promise. I am just not at all the target demographic.

Thanks to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.