Flamenco dancing, enemies to lovers, magic, and dragons?! Sign me up for all of it!

"Together We Burn" has everything I wanted in a fantasy and more. It is jam packed with creative and imaginative concepts that blend real-world culture with fantasy stakes.

After a dragon fight turns deadly, young Zarela Zalvidar is willing to do anything to save her family's arena and protect the dragonador legacy she’s inherited. Even if this means teaming up with someone who's against everything her family's legacy stands for. Enter the forever-scowling dragon hunter Arturo Diaz de Montserrat. Through their partnership they find an entirely new way to build a legacy.

At times I felt that the 'villain' of the book felt a bit predictable, I felt that way because Isabel did such a great job at constructing the character arc that it could only mean one person was responsible. Ibañez does an amazing job writing the tension between Zarela and the patriarchy, Zarela and her father (+ his expectations), as well as Zarela and the love interest, Arturo! The magical world she built blends classic components of Spanish culture and heritage with fantastical elements.

Sidebar - I absolutely loved the use of Spanish words/phrases/foods interspersed throughout the book. I never had to look anything up because the author did such a good job of contextualizing her word choices and made the book & world building richer for it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, I have to say that I am not a fan.

I really wanted to like this one, but I couldn't. It has dragons & a Spanish flair that I've never seen in a fantasy novel before, which normally have a Northern European influence. So, I was really excited to read this book and am disappointed it didn't live up to my expectations.

The story is about Zarela Zalvidar, a young girl who lost her mother to a dragon attack. It falls to her to try to rescue the family's fortune by becoming a dragonador, a dragon fighter. The book has some steamy romance, and it took a few unexpected turns that I really enjoyed, but overall, it just wasn't for me.

My main problem with it was the Spanish dialog & vocabulary mixed into the English text. This book takes place in "Hispalia," an analog for medieval Spain. But it's clearly not Spain, and yet, the language that's sometimes spoken is referred to as "Spanish" not "Hispalian." I do speak a bit of Spanish, so I understood most of the Spanish words, so it wasn't a lack of understanding that bothered me. What bothered me was that every time I came across a Spanish word or line of dialogue, it knocked me out of the story. And it continued to do that each & every time. It destroyed my immersion in the story, and I understood about 95% of the Spanish used in the book. How well will someone who *doesn't* speak Spanish understand what's going on? Maybe I only have a problem with that because I do speak a bit of Spanish? Perhaps if I didn't speak it at all or if I were fluent, it wouldn't have bothered me so much.

The book is also in 1st person, present tense, which is an odd choice to my mind (most 1st person stories are told in past tense). I got used to that pretty quickly, but I couldn't get used to having so much Spanish mixed into an English language book. As I said, it completely destroyed my immersion in the story. Your mileage may vary, of course.

I give this book 3 stars out of 5. It didn't wow me, but there were elements I enjoyed: I liked Zarela and the dragons were awesome. I'm not usually into romantic storylines, but I really liked the love interest, too.

I really liked this one! From the first page I was hooked. I thought the story was very unique and I loved the flamenco dancing/dragon fighting theme. This was a 5 star read for me until the last 10-15%. I wasn't a fan of who turned out to be the "villain" and how that all played out. I felt like it changed the vibe of the story. Other than that, I really did enjoy this one!

Together We Burn
Isabel Ibañez
YA Fantasy
ARC NetGalley

Bullfighting with dragons and a side of dancing.

The daughter of the most famous of the Dragonadors must take his place to save their ancestral home, but she is a dancer, not a dragon fighter.

It's not too bad of a story, slow to start but it gets interesting even though I had a good guess of who the bad guy was, and the romantic side was too obvious, as was the climax.

The world-building and the 'dragon' characters I feel needed a little more. The world is where everything is and the dragons are the reason for what they do. But only the two MCs and a couple of the other of the human characters were decently described and held their own, but the rest pretty much merged together and were blurs when involved in the story.

3 Stars

5/5 stars
Recommended for people who like: magic, fantasy, dragons, fantacized history, stubborn MCs, family, mystery

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Instagram and has been posted to my personal review blog as of 2/23.

I was very excited to see that this book was available to anyone on NetGalley for 48 hours. I had requested it a few months ago but was denied, so I'm glad I still got the chance to early review it. The story centers around Zarela, the daughter of a flamenco dancer and a Dragonador (think bull-runner but for dragons). She's been trained by her mother, who is famous across Hispalia for her dancing, and has taken the stage herself.

I loved reading about this world. I enjoyed how things seemed to be centered around a series of guilds, Gremios, dedicated to different things like dragons, magic, art, etc. Dragons are, in my opinion, generally underutilized in fantasy today and so I'm always eager when a book comes out featuring them. While there's a decent list at the front of the book of the kinds of dragons there are, we really only get to see 3-4 types in the book. We do get to see several up close, though, so that kind of makes up for it. I also enjoyed how flamenco dancing and the dragon arenas mixed together.

For the most part the book takes place within the city of Santivilla, though Zarela does leave it a few times. I liked getting 'shown' around the city. The different markets and neighborhoods, the Gremio headquarters, the different dragon arenas. It was a little harder to get a good image of what Hispalia looked like outside of Santivilla, and not just because Zarela left the city so infrequently. Some parts of it seemed to be desert while others seemed to be lush and green, all within what was probably a couple miles of the city, so I wasn't entirely sure what to picture at any given moment.

I liked Zarela as a character. She was ambitious and determined, and loyal to what is probably a fault. She holds up remarkably well with everything that happens to her and her family, pushing through even when it would be easier to quit. Her ambition and determination go hand-in-hand, and she's determined to prove herself while also being determined not to quit (as already mentioned). I enjoyed her fire and how, even with her determination and ambition, she could also at times be sensible. I was worried that if she couldn't find a dragon tamer she would just go and get in the ring alone but...it actually seemed like if she hadn't gotten a 'yes' she would've stopped, which is relieving. Her loyalty to her family is admirable and it helps drive her to do difficult things, even if the people around her don't always agree or want her to do those things.

Arturo was way more difficult to like. He's a straight up ass until about 50% of the book, maybe a little more. After that he gets a bit better and seems to be a bit nicer, but he's still very prickly right up until near the very end. As someone who is opposed to real-world bullfighting, I'm very much with Arturo on this point, but I do think he could stand to be nicer to Zarela about it (of course the whole book is from Zarela's POV, so who knows). His care for the dragons definitely comes through and it's clear that their welfare comes first for him. Once he chills out a bit, he's actually pretty helpful and willing to go to bat for people (I don't know if I'd use the word loyal exactly, but he's definitely one to want on your side).

I adored Lola. She's such a good friend to Zarela, to everyone she meets really, and she's got an upbeat personality that adds some lightness to the events of the book. Lola balances Zarela's seriousness out very well and she acts as both a fun friend and someone that Zarela can lean on in times of trouble. I appreciated her commentary throughout the book.

Ofelia, too, was a side character that I enjoyed. She acts as a bit of a motherly figure to everyone. I liked her worrying and care for the other characters. Even when she was scolding them, it was clear the scolding came from a place of love and worry.

I will say that I did guess the perpetrator of things fairly early on. Like...before anything even happened early on. Whoops. I also guessed the perpetrator's reasoning as soon as the first hint of it was dropped. Double whoops. On the one hand I do feel like Ibañez did a good job about being subtle. But on the other hand I did predict who it was and why, so it's kind of hard to tell. At the same time, I was completely, 100% blindsided by the other reveal that came toward the end of the book.

There was one part toward the end where I was just like...wtf? It happened so quickly and it didn't even seem real at first. I honestly didn't really expect it to happen even though we were told it would just because it seemed so unlikely that it would actually be followed through with, but...

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The dragons and dancing were vibrant and the characters were enjoyable to read about. Some parts of it were predictable for me, but other parts weren't, so I think it balanced out nicely.

I really like the premise of this book. I thought it was intriguing that the traditional Spanish bullfights and flamenco were given a new twist with dragons instead of bulls. The morality of "taming" and killing animals for sport has been a long time debate, especially when it comes to the efficacy of how the animal is destroyed. These traditions are also steeped in long lineages of patriarchal dominance with little room for women and gender non-confirming individuals. To have the female character take on a masculine sport and its traditions in order to save her family was a really clever idea to play around with.

Man do I love a slow burn romance. And an enemies to lovers trope too! This has it all.

-Magic
-Dragons
-Feisty characters
-A broody male

Definitely recommend this. Blends Hispanic culture with fantasy so well.

Dragons? Sign me up.

The synopsis of this book really pulled me in but I stayed for the stubborn lead! Zarela was a headstrong girl who I loved and her character development throughout the story. I am also someone who lost her mom early in life so I really related to that part of her story.

I loved the worldbuilding, the lore, the dragons, most of the characters, and even the drama. However, the reason I can't give it 5 stars was the romance fell a bit flat for me. I did not sense the chemistry as much as I would have liked.

Review copy provided by NetGalley. This was a fun read - best part was definitely the budding romance and chemistry of the two MCs, Zerela and Arturo. Whew, talk about sparks! I also enjoyed Zerela as a heroine overall. A strong woman who stood up for herself, a good balance of flaws and strengths, and ultimately had a lot of agency that I just loved. I also enjoyed the twist of a fantasy take on bullfighting by switching in dragons. It was well done.

With that said, it definitely wasn't an amazing book. I saw all of the plot twists coming, usually long before the reveal. There is a mystery Zerela is trying to solve, but it was pretty clear by about a quarter of the way in who'd done it. So if you're more interested in mysteries than romance or fantasy, maybe look elsewhere. And while I did think the author did a good job with the world building, it was rather light. It was a fairly simple world in terms of magic, at least from what the reader sees, so it didn't need a lot of explaining, but I would have been interested in learning a little more about how the guilds worked, how the magicians used dragon parts in their spells, etc. I would also note that while there is magic in the world, the story doesn't use a ton of it - the big draw here are the dragons.

But even though the book wasn't really surprising, I didn't mind because the author did such a good job with the characters and building the romance. I also love having another standalone fantasy book to read that doesn't have the world ending as its possible catastrophe - sometimes I don't always want to take on an epic series where all is at stake! Sometimes it's nice just having a smaller problem to tackle in just one book! Oh, and although I was quickly icked out by the animal abuse factor of bull/dragon fighting where the end result is killing an animal that's already been maimed, let's just say it becomes clear pretty quickly the author will address that.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for sending me a free ARC.

This book was a delightful read. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting of the story. The book was a little predictable at times but I found myself enjoying it all the same.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! It was definitely unique and I love reading books with dragons in them. The main character was also likable and it had good character development as well.

I liked that that story kept me wanting to know what happened next and that it was also a quickish read. It didn't feel like it dragged on forever like some books do.

I would recommend this book.

This was a good read. The book started off slow. It didn't pick up for me until around 30%. I liked the idea of dragon fighting in place of bull fighting and the flamenco dancing but in my opinion there wasn't enough of it. I felt confused at times about exactly how big these dragons were that they encountered. The description of their sizes were contradicting at times. Like were they huge like normal dragons or the size of a bull? I don't know.
I like the banter between Zarela and Arturo but their relationship was more like a small flame. There wasn't enough heat for me.
Zola, Zarela's bestie, was hilarious and fun and I was wishing for more scenes with her.
The ending fell a little flat but overall, the writing was good and I appreciate the Spanish culture throughout the book. And shout out to whoever did the cover because it is beautiful!

Together We Burn was like drinking a perfectly warm spiced chai latte. It's a nice change of pace to sink into a standalone novel. Prepare to get swept away in a world of dragons, flamenco dancing, swoony romance, and drama among families and guilds.

One of the first things I appreciated about TWB: there's actual high stakes for our protagonist, Zarela. Zarela's ancestral home, family, and household rely on her. Her happiness and livelihood are on the line.

About the world: I found myself pleasantly surprised throughout the whole book. The magic system is fun and unique, and the take on dragons reminded me of How to Train Your Dragon. They catalog different types of dragons, and they remain wild, dangerous creatures. Also, and what I love about Isabel's books, is that characters have legit different points of view and outlooks on life. The topic in TWB is questioning traditions.

Lastly, the romance. There's an intoxicating, magnetic pull between Zarela and the love interest that we are set to expect; to me, that made it all the more swoony. I imagine the same energy as the spicy dancing scene in Zorro between Alejandro and Elena. Loved it.

Be sure to take advantage of pre-order goodies for TWB!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez is a Young Adult Fantasy novel set in a world inspired by bullfighting in historic Spain. This book was an okay read, but I wish there was a little more world building and descriptive writing. The beginning was really slow, I almost DNFed it. This book really wasn’t for me but it wasn’t a bad book.

Thank you to St.Martin’s/Wednesday for the eARC! I was so ecstatic to read the newest book by Isabel Ibañez!

Hot off the heels of her releases of Woven in Moonlight and Written in Stars, Ibañez shares her newest YA fantasy about a young woman named Zarela who dances with dragons! Go ahead close your eyes for a moment and imagine the fantastical whirlwind that is flamenco, a dreamy guitarist, and dragons! Are you also picturing fire? Good, now let’s tackle the romance:

We have some good, enemies-to-lovers banter and so much to swoon about. Arturo is completely what book boyfriends are made of: mysterious, brooding, and devastatingly handsome! Zarela is fierce and loyal, determined to protect her family (with the support of her adorable best friend!) With two strong-minded characters, how could they not butt beads? And how could you not smile and pump your fist in the air during certain moments that I will not spoil for now.

This is definitely a story with so many layers, like the main characters themselves, and I think it was super well done! Kudos to Ibañez for her use of descriptive language time and again!!!

Can’t wait for her next offering!

I’m totally biased here, and I wanted to see the kindle format, but also don’t like my unread percentage to go up! So here we are. :)

I really wished I could give this book a higher rating, but I had to force myself to continue reading it and overall it was okay. The concept is unique and interesting, and the world-building was well done, but I just wasn’t really sucked into the story. It was overall quite predictable and basic.

Zarela comes from a famous family: her father is the best dragonador of all Hispaniola (like a matador, but he fights dragons), and her mother was the best flamenco dancer, until the day she tragically died, killed by a dragon. After a disastrous performance that leaves her father seriously injured, Zarela has no choice but to take matters into her own hand if she hopes to save her family’s arena, and also to figure out if someone is trying to sabotage her family.

There are good ideas in this book, but I feel that they were not really explored and developed. I’m thinking here about the magic system and the “guilds” that were mentioned, but not really developed (and the magic did seem interesting and different from the usual YA books). The writing was good and the story easy to follow, but the dialogues between Zarela and Arturo made me roll my eyes a few times.

This book has a strong Spanish influence, which I don’t mind at all, but all the Spanish words thrown in the dialogues and descriptions might make it a little hard to fully understand every word for someone who does not have a basic knowledge of Spanish. It will not prevent you from understanding the story or the dialogues, but there is no glossary at the end of the ARC to help you if there is a word that you don’t get (I am thankful now for the Spanish lessons I took many years ago)

The characters are okay, but they lacked depth, as did the story overall. I would have enjoyed a little more action and more dragons too. While being an easy read, the middle of the book felt long. I had to force myself not to skim at times. Then everything happens in the last 30%. The ending was also weirdly done in my opinion… There is a “twist” but it was cliché and easy to see it coming so it didn’t shock me or create a strong emotional reaction.

The love interest had potential at first. I thought he would be a grumpy-but-likable character like Maxantarius in Daughter of No Worlds, but he ended up just being a boring grumpy-and-kinda-mysterious man that I didn’t care much about. The romance was also very predictable. I knew from the very first moment they meet that he would end up being the love interest.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez offers an inventive story & lots of passion, drama, & thrills.

Flamenco dancer Zarela Zalvidar finds herself responsible for the Dragonador arena her family’s owned for years & years after her father—already only somewhat present due to grieving her mother—is attacked by escaped dragons at one of their dragon-fighting matches.

Zarela feels compelled to save her arena, a task made both less & more difficult by Arturo, the supremely grumpy young man she wants to hire to teach her to fight dragons.

Lots of emotions pack these pages: grief, loss, anger, sadness, & Zarela experiences them all. She’s a fierce, dynamic character who may not be for everyone, but that energy & rawness is what I love most about her I think.

The romance is more than flavored with a dash of antagonism, as Zarela—still hurting from the loss of her mother by dragon attack—& Arturo—who wants to protect dragons & abhors dragon-fighting—are on opposite sides of the fight.

Though I was glad they reached a compromise, it resolves itself somewhat too easily for me & the overall ending feels somewhat rushed.

Overall this is a compelling YA with a relationship & a heroine that I was rooting for—by its closing pages I was celebrating what she had accomplished.

4 ⭐️. Release date: 5/31


CW: violence committed against humans by dragons & vice versa; murder

[ID: an ebook rests on an open hardback book on top of a green woven chair.]

This was a fun YA fantasy with a strong, determined heroine, and a very rich, Spain-inspired world filled with flamenco, dragons and dragonadors (much like bulls and matadors), family honor, and magic. Zarela is an artist, a flamenco dancer, and fierce in her love for her family and keeping their family legacy as dragonadors alive. I liked the world and the Spanish bent to the culture and I thought that the use of magic was interesting. I liked the writing and Zarela and the characters who live in her household, but the male lead felt more like a type than a character - he acts like he dislikes her but is actually interested so this is rather a troubling type I keep seeing repeated - and the plot felt a little basic, well structured but nothing really surprised me. A solid and entertaining YA fantasy that will appeal to young readers.

This book took me on an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning.. Isabel starts this story off with a bang, shattering my heart immediately. The love Zarela has for her family is so strong and evident. I absolutely adored Zarela and her stubbornness even though at times I wanted her to not be soo stubborn. The magical elements were a fun addition to the story. Overall it was a very heart warming family oriented story. The romance is there but more secondary which I really enjoyed. I kind of guessed the twist before it happened. A few things I felt were not really fully fleshed out but those are spoilery soo I will not go into it. A solid story that was enjoyable from beginning to end.