Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares promised a rich tapestry of mesoamerican mythology and a gender-bent Zorro retelling with a sorceress empowered by her gods. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t quite live up to the premise and in both the large brushstrokes and the smaller details, this book could have gone through a few revisions.

The characters, including our MFC Leonora, are paper thin, barely more than the aesthetics that define them. We don’t see character growth with Leonora. She’s brash and rude to just about everyone, without need. Also, there is a lot of info dumping interspersed through the book, and the tone of the writing changes completely, becoming almost like a textbook.

Even something as minute as getting the royal titles correctly and consistently doesn’t happen. Leonora’s powers, such as her super hearing, come and go as the plot needs them to. Stylistically, the characters do not speak, they declare and monologue in a non-natural, stilted way that breaks the flow of the story. New characters are introduced through the entire book, adding to the chaos.

All in all, I really wanted to like this book and its lore but the writing got in the way.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

2.5 stars rounded up

This is a book that has me torn. I really enjoyed parts of it, yet other parts I very much disliked. The first 50ish percent dragged out so long that it almost made me want to skip ahead or skim certain chapters. In the second half, the pacing picked up quite a lot, which improved the star rating for me. This was due to there being little to no worldbuilding, or characterization in the first bit. We just jump straight into the action that is post-colonization in Mexico. Maybe this is because the author expects the reader to know more about Mexican history, which honestly I could learn more about, but the tension between the Spaniards and the Indigenous groups felt weak because of this. We're in the aftermath of a lot of lot of it, so there was no build up for the ongoing conflict. It made it difficult to fully understand all the characters feelings and motives.

Leonora was a confusing main character to read from because we don't get to see her struggling to learn skills or really much character growth in the whole first half. We know at the very beginning that she's an amazing fighter that wields tonali, which can be used to transform herself into Pantera, or a literal panther. But we don't get to see her learn to use tonali, we don't get to see her journey to learn the transformation, and we don't get to see her struggle with anything in regards to the magic system created. And the magic system is one aspect that I really did like about this book. It was very unique and the way that Lares describes tonali and how Leonara used it was very vivid. The descriptions as a whole were very well done and it made it easy to visualize the setting and characters. I just wish the same attention was paid to the plot and character development.

This was an inventive reimagining of the story of Zorro with an additional fantasy twist. Leonora was frustrating at times, but pretty endearing. The pacing was better in the second half of the book. I wasn't on board with the romance. However, this is a debut novel. I am interested in reading future work from this author.

An interesting fantasy that melds magic with Zorro and an interestingly human and tolerant Philip II of Spain, he of the Spanish Armada.

The second half of the book was definitely a million times better than the first half. The flow and overall story improved and became easier to read in the second half. I’m not going to lie, I spent most of the first half completely confused.

I think the biggest issue I had going into this book was the fact that it hit the ground running and there was no explanation on anything. Now this is just my opinion but the book is marked to a large audience but not everyone is familiar with Mexican culture. I think a brief history lesson so to speak would have been beneficial.

The plot just really jumps around and I found it hard to follow sometimes. Also, is she’s a master with a sword and it’s supposed to be a super special sword then why was she always loosing it? The romance was way too predictable and I really didn’t feel connected to the characters.

This was a miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC

"Sun of Blood and Ruin" is a captivating historical fantasy novel that combines elements of Zorro's legend with Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history. The story follows the masked heroine Pantera as she uses her magical abilities and swordplay skills to fight against Spanish tyranny in sixteenth-century New Spain.

The book starts off a bit slow, taking some time for the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story. However, once Pantera embarks on a journey to Snake Mountain with Andrés, the narrative takes a thrilling turn, feeling like an entirely different tale. This shift in setting and tone adds depth to the overall plot.

One aspect that stood out was the presence of three different storylines occurring simultaneously. While each storyline was enjoyable in its own right, they didn't always seamlessly fit together, giving the impression of disconnected narratives. However, the strength of the characters, particularly Pantera, made up for this slight drawback. Pantera is a compelling and resilient character, and her journey of self-discovery is a highlight of the book.

The interactions between Pantera and Andrés added a touch of charm to the story. Their moments together showcased their chemistry and added an extra layer of depth to their respective character arcs.

Overall, "Sun of Blood and Ruin" is an intriguing historical fantasy novel that offers a fresh retelling of the Zorro legend. While the story may have some pacing issues and disconnected storylines, the strong characters and the blend of mythology and history make it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

I was immediately sold when I heard this was going to be a Reimagining of El Zorro.

Set in 16th century New Spain ( México ) Sun of Blood and Ruin is an intriguing debut Historical-Fantasy novel with a splash of Romance filled with Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican History two decades after the Spanish conquest.

In this reimagining of El zorro, Our FMC lives a double life. By day She is Lady Leonora de las Casas Tlazohtzin, daughter to a Spaniard and a Mexica women (indigenous women) which makes her a Mestiza (Mix blood) and during night she is the incredible PANTERA A vigilante who fights for justice for the indigenous people of New Spain.

Leonora’s character is conflicted due to her past and her need to do the right thing, so her journey felt very much like a coming of age where you need to find yourself, the meaning of your life and the reasoning as to why you are doing and fighting for the things that your heart feels the need to accomplish.

I love how Mariely Lares was able to weave so much Mesoamerican mythology & Beliefs together with Mexican History and a charming Magic system. This Historical Fantasy story was filled with an incredibly amount of adventure, Politics, shapeshifter , Deities, Mythological creatures, and interesting side characters that if you are like me and google away, will end up devouring so much information that I was unaware of and ended up wanting to learn more and more of those times.

Her writing style which I still can’t point a finger to and express in words how mich I enjoyed it. Her prose and storytelling felt like rough on the edges and I LOVED THAT.

Anyways, I can easily say that this story was writing for me. I cannot wait to see how Mariely’s writing and story evolves as I will keep her in my radar from now on.

Definitely give this one a chance. PS: Have you all seen the Fairyloot Edition of this book?!? Unreal!!!! I had to get it

Thank you Harper Voyager and Netgalley for a copy of this novel in exchange of an honest review

The beautiful cover and unique synopsis immediately sold me on this book. Although I’m not a Zorro fan, I was intrigued by a fantasy book blending Mesoamerican mythology and Mexican history. Honestly, after reading the book those were the best parts. The author has clearly done her research. I loved how history and the Spanish language were woven into the story.

We follow Leonora, aka Pantera. Leonora is betrothed to the prince of Spain, and does not want to leave her homeland. Pantera is her vigilante name. Pantera uses her magic and ability to shift into a panther to fight the Spanish rule.

I wish I loved the plot and characters as much as the world building, but unfortunately that’s where the story fell flat for me. I still enjoyed it overall, but I found myself quite bored with the plot.

The premise had so much problem, but unfortunately it didn't live up to what I wanted. It felt very surface level.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend for fans of historical fiction and fantasy! This is a gripping and thrilling tale set in sixteenth-century New Spain. The novel follows the story of Leonora, a young woman who leads a double life as the respectable Lady Leonora and the feared and legendary Pantera.

In this world, witchcraft is punishable by death and indigenous cultures have been suppressed by Spanish rule. As a descendant of both Spanish and indigenous blood, Leonora struggles with her identity and the expectations placed upon her by society. But she finds solace and purpose in her alter-ego, Pantera, who uses her magic and swordplay skills to fight against the tyranny of the Spanish.

Lares paints a vivid and immersive world filled with magic, political intrigue, and mythical creatures. The blend of history and fantasy is seamless, and the author does a fantastic job of creating a rich and diverse world that feels both familiar and unique.

What stands out in this novel is the strong and complex female characters. Leonora is a multifaceted protagonist who defies societal norms and expectations. Her transformation into Pantera is a symbol of her rebellion against the oppressive Spanish rule and her desire to protect her people. Through her journey, we see her struggle with her identity, her fears, and her destiny, making her a relatable and compelling character.

The plot is fast-paced and action-packed, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The inclusion of prophecies and ancient myths adds an element of mystery and adds depth to the story. The themes of identity, power, and resistance are well-explored and make the story feel relevant and thought-provoking.

My only critique of this novel is that the pacing can feel rushed at times, especially towards the end. Some events and character developments happen quickly, and I would have liked to see them explored in more detail. However, this does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the story.

A fantasy in 1500s Mexico during Spanish colonialism? So unlike most fantasies I’ve read and I loved that. Love first person POV as well. My complaints mostly came from the plot being chopped up into super cool action scenes and then very long stretches of description, like I was reading a textbook. And because of that I often forgot characters names/places. But overall I enjoyed this book!
3.5 stars!

Sun of Blood and Ruin is a vibrant and engaging fantasy, with mysterious characters and an interesting magic, called tonalli, that’s comes from the Sun. Leonora’s tonalli (aka her power) is especially interesting since it seems to be underdeveloped despite being taught by Master Toto in the jungle for ten years. However her ability to control her powers enough to stop from shifting into her form as a panther is extremely skillful and impressive. I thought her character was vey interesting as she led a dual life. At some points (mostly with andrès) I feel like her identity was really easy to reveal. Her different colored eyes is a huge factor into this, but she also doesn’t change much except a disguise when appearing as Pantera. She is quite different in how she handles her political issues as Pantera vs Lady Leonora- both admirable fights against the injustices she finds in her home country.

The historical fiction aspect of the book was especially intriguing. The author wove elements from history, culture and well known media characters into a vibrant debut. I found much of the political aspect interesting more so than the action parts. I kinda like Amalia, as she plays the court to best of her advantage as a woman (slay) even if it put Leonora in tough positions.

All I know about the plot, at 34%, is that Pantera lost her sword, Andrés is very sus, the fight between the natives and the conquerors is getting very heated.
54%
OK wow lots of things are happening but it feels disjointed and the plot isn’t flowing as well as it did in the beginning.


Fast paced to to the point of everything is really messy and I’m confused but still interested in what’s going on.

Great great one liners that seem to have been the foundation for this story and that everything was almost written around them.

Ok romance but it kinda came out of the left field.

I think that this was a good debut but I don’t know if I will read the next book. The premise is great and the mythical elements as well as the historical aspect really made it interesting but overshadowed the plot and the characters. I didn’t feel a great connection to the characters as they felt two dimensional to me and lacked the complexity that characters fighting for their land and culture should.

I didn't know what to expect going into this. I only read the blurb after I read the book because sometimes it's nice to be surprised.

We have a quite well done trope with the whole 'princess' going undercover as a normal citizen being a masked sword wielding heroine with shifter senses and magical powers and a 'superhero' name. I do really like Pantera as a character though, she is very feisty and thinks that she is always right.

That's where the general part of the story ends with some ancient gods and a possible apocalypse type situation with a whole bunch of plots all coming to a head all at once.

There is a lot of history telling in this book and there are a lot of characters and places with similar sounding names so it took me a while to get my head around it. It was definitely something that made it hard to read this book without having to go back and re-read pages sometimes to try and work out what was being talked about.

As a first read through it was quite enjoyable and if I ever get the time to go back and re-read it, I think it would be better as a second read through.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperVoyager

Wow this book was amazing , the whole Zorro retelling amazing, loved how it keep me hooked and all the twists and turns, definitely exited to get more

This was such a fun read I loved it so much I couldn't put it down and was completely hooked from the first page

Loved this reimagining of the Zorro story. Thrilling and beautifully written. Will be ordering for my library for sure.

This is tricky for me to review. On one hand, I liked the concept a lot. A vigilante, with magic, in a fresh setting, against a backdrop of conspiracies—what's not to like? But the execution fell short for me, unfortunately. The pacing is really off. I'm more used to adult fantasy books starting slowly then picking up midway, but this here was all over the place. The main character is bland, the dialogue is quite lackluster. Overall, this was a real let down.

This is a re-imagining of Zorro with a young woman protagonist with pre-Columbian mythology and heavier themes of anticolonialism. It’s a stellar premise, but the execution falls short in several ways. While billed as an adult fantasy, the characters lack depth, which is something I really look for in adult fantasies. The pacing was also odd– there are some flashback scenes that were hard to identify as such, and there’s also a big transition about ⅔ of the way through that felt really clunky.

I honestly need to try and read this book again to get another perspective. I honestly think that when I picked this one up was not the right time, I was in a slump so every book I read felt wrong for some reason. Honestly the concept of the story felt really interesting, I grew up watching the legend of Zorro and reading this one transported me there. I really liked painter but idk I think the writing style annoyed me a bit so I didn't get to enjoy the full experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the e-arc!
Legend of Zora retiring? Sign me up! The premise of this book is absolutely fantastic, with Pantera using magic an amazing sword play in order to fight off the Spanish rule. She is also promised to the heir of the Spanish throne. Do you follow her as she learns of a privacy and hasta struggle between both her identities and her future? I think one of the best things of this book is the detailed lore and information we got about the world. I think the author did a great job of taking the original story and putting her own spin on it, which included more fantasy elements which I really enjoyed. I do wish we got to see more of Pantera but I ended up enjoying the story.