This book had just about everything that I like in a good book: enemies-to-lovers and magic. Add dragons to the mix and you’ve got yourself some extra fun. Instead of the bull and matador in the arena, we have the dragon with a dragon fighter. Then the author goes and makes it even more magical by adding dancing (flamenco) to the mix. When (not if) you pick this book up, I hope you feel the magic that I did (pleasant goosebumps ) when our dear Zarela makes the unexpected happen. She is determined, tenacious, and quite awesome, really. After her father is gravely wounded, saving the family legacy falls on her shoulders. She decides to train to become a dragon fighter. She is trained by the swoony Arturo. Their chemistry is undeniable. I hope you love them as much as I did.
The story does not take very long to become quite quickly action packed. It definitely falls under the unputdownable kind. It is a story of family, love, music, betrayal and hope.
The narrator for the audiobook did a great job with pacing. She was nice to listen to and provided a rather authentic experience during the storytelling.
I refrain from saying more because I really think this story is worth reading and would hate to spoil anything.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for letting me listen to an advanced audiobook of Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez. I am very happy that Netgalley now has audiobooks.

In Together We Burn the story takes place in a world where dragons wreak havoc on cities and towns. It is an old tradition that the captured dragons are used in shows where a Dragonador fights them.

Our main character, Zarela, is a flamenco dancer in a prominent family in Hispalia. Her father is the most famous Dragonador in their area. Unfortunately during her families 500th anniversary show the dragons break free and cause havoc. Her father and many others are severely injured. She does everything she can to help her father and make sure her ancestral home is safe. Taking matters into her own hands after the Dragon Guild proved unmoved by the terror that had happened at their show and unwilling to give her any aid. She finds Arturo, a dragon hunter and ex Dragonador to help train her to take her fathers place.

Zarela believes that someone is out to get her family, her only hope in saving her family and home is to train as a Dragonador.

It sounds so good on paper, and when I think about the story and the world it sounds really interesting. For some reason though I had such a hard time staying focused with the audiobook. It could be because I’ve been listening to it at bedtime and I’m already to tired so it is hard to stay focused anyways. In particular I was listening to the audiobook before bed a couple nights before writing this, it was interesting and I was staying focused, then my mind wandered and when I realized I was missing the story I was at a really exciting part. Then I was sad I missed the beginning of what was seeming like an exciting and important scene in the book.

You know when you put a book down and you don’t really feel like picking it back up to see what is happening. That is kind of how I felt while reading. For the most part I had fun while I was listening to it, but as soon as I put it down I forgot about it. Because of that reason it has taken me a long time to finish this book. Which makes me sad because I want to love it!

You might ask, why did you keep listening if you weren’t loving it?
To that I have a few reasons that come to mind.

1. I wanted to finish the book so I could write my thoughts for Netgalley.
2. I liked another book the Author wrote.
3. I wasn’t hating the book, I just wasn’t loving it.
4. I also wanted to see how it ended.

Now that I am done the book (I started the review when I had an hour left in the book), I was tempted to raise I rating from a 3/5 to a 4/5 stars. I also really want to read it again in a bit and see what I think of it then because I really enjoyed the last few hours of the book and I thought the ending was a satisfying way to close everything.

I would still recommend this book and audiobook. I liked the narrator, I thought she told the story well.

The premise of this book caught my attention right away. It did take a bit for me to get invested in the story, but once I did I was all in. I loved the world and the culture of Hispalia. The audiobook was fabulous and the narrator did a fantastic job. Zarela is a great, strong main character and Arturo's character was also complex and well fleshed out. It also had enough twists to keep me guessing. The romance was realistic and heartwarming. Also, there are dragons. :)

This was such a lovely story! The narrator did a great job brining it to audio. I think it was important to listen to it, to get immersed in the hispanic culture with the proper pronunciations. Isabel did a wonderful job writing a strong heroine, who has to come into herself. The world was magical and realistic and the romance was heartwarming!

I found this book to be a bit predictable at times. For example, I knew by the first introduction of a specific character that that character was going to be the main antagonist, even though it wasn't revealed until much later in the book.

I also found the unfolding romance to be somewhat trite and expected.

However, despite all that, I still really, really liked this book. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for dragons and therefore love just about everything about them, or maybe it was just refreshing to read a fantasy book set in a Latino/Hispanic culture. (The first one I've ever read in my 38 years on this Earth, by the way.)

I'm not sure if it was any one thing to be honest. It was just a really good book. Though predictable, the characterization was well-developed and realistic. I also found the action to move at precisely the right speed all the way through the book. The language was beautiful - the writer really knows how to paint a picture with words. I would happily read any sequel to this book that came out.

Again, my only complaint was that it was a little too predictable at times. But then again, when you've read as many books as I have, I guess it's hard for anyone to shock you. Still, I easily give this four out of five stars and would love to read any follow-up novels.

Oh, the audio format was just fine. No complaints whatsoever.

Together We Burn has a very interesting premise that I haven’t seen very often. It takes cultural inspiration from Spanish bullfighting, but instead of bulls, dragons are the ones being fought for entertainment. Any time dragons are in a story that’s usually enough to draw me in. I loved the worldbuilding and the magic system, and the arc of the story with the dragons as a whole. The romance didn’t quite do it for me, though I liked both of the characters. A bigger romance fan will probably love it, but there wasn’t enough for me. There were also characters that I didn’t think were developed enough. But the mystery element of the story and the fun banter and cool premise were enough to keep me entertained and keep reading. The audiobook narrator did a good job as well. Not my favorite performance but it captured the atmosphere of the story.

This book has a fantastic concept but for whatever reason I just felt disconnected while I was reading it. The book is written well, flows nicely and has some interesting characters but I felt like it was missing a few key things. I wished there had been more world building and I wanted more depth from the characters. Overall it was a good read but it wasn't great for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of the audio book.

Together We Burn was an amazing story! Not only was it beautifully written, the audio book narrator, Ana Osorio, did a wonderful job at bringing this book to life. I don't know much about Hispanic culture but this book was such an enlightening read. I learned so much while still getting an incredible story.
Not to mention the pacing of the story didn't feel slow, everything felt like it had a purpose. Our main character, Zarela, kept the story moving. She was a wonderful character, Zarela felt like a real person. It easy relate to her struggles and her passions, along with the love for her family and friends.
Usually I have a hard time liking enemies to lovers books, because the pacing always feels off, but in this story it felt natural and not forced. Even though Zarela and her love interest hated each other, it was clear (and exciting) to see their intensity turn into a relationship.

Immersive and rich with Hispanic culture, Together We Burn was an enchanting read!

Zarela's father is a Dragonador (matador but with dragons). When a tragic event occurs during a show, Zarela must fight to save her family's arena and prevent the Dragon Guild from taking it.

Ibañez has thought up an interesting world--magic and dragons aren't necessarily unique, but I haven't previously read a story in which the people live so closely with these gigantic beasts. Despite the uniqueness of the story, I felt the world building was lacking.

I think I enjoyed this book as an audiobook more than I would have if I had read it. Without the audio element and the wonderful narrator, I'm not confident I would have finished this. The narrator (Ana Osorio) did an excellent job portraying the emotions and vulnerability of Zarela. The interwoven Spanish in the narration felt authentic, and definitely added to the story.

This was a unique and beautiful magic system and world. The relationships and characters were developed and grew well. The plot was really simple and the pace was pretty slow. Overall an enjoyable read but may loose the interest of younger readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, Wednesday Books, Isabel Ibañez, and Ana Osorio (narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Together We Burn in exchange for an honest review.

This book is reminiscent of Spanish history (Spain) with it's flamenco dancing, Spanish language, and its use of dragons mirroring how bullfighting is in Spain. It's not a matador though, but a Dragonador!

Ana Osorio does a great job narrating the main protagonist, eighteen-year-old Zarela, adding the perfect lilt to the Spanish words and the first person narrative.

Zarela is a flamenco dancer and her family owns a dragon fighting ring, her father the leading Dragonador (or dragon slayer, as it were). One night, something terrible happens to all the dragons and her father, bringing Zarela's home and inheritance to be at stake. It is too late in the season to hire a new Dragonador, so she does the only thing she can think of: seek help to learn the art of dragon hunting to enter the ring herself.

There is only one dragon hunter she can turn to for help: Arturo, someone she immediately feels a connection with. His only response is a terse reply and lack of help. After staying with him for a few days, Zarela learns more about dragon hunting (and dragons) than she ever thought possible, and in an unlikely alliance, Arturo agrees to work with Zarela.

It is the secrets of that first fateful night when the dragons were lost that will come back to haunt Zarela, and Arturo as well. What strange mysteries from their pasts will arise? And how will Zarela fare in the ring against a mighty dragon?

There is so much more I'd like to say about this book, but then I would be getting into spoiler territory. It has been a long time since I read a book with dragons (I used to read dragon books a lot more often), and I really appreciate what this novel is doing with them. It is a great concept and the novel itself is full of Hispanic culture. I also appreciate that this is a stand-alone work and the ending is fitting and satisfying. The imagery from this novel is exquisite. 

This is such a great book, and the audiobook was a joy to listen to. Certainly a book I would recommend!

I loved the end of the book, but had a lot of trouble getting into this one until the last hour of the audio. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my DRC.

Together We Burn follows Zarela, a flamenco dancer and daughter to one of the most talented Dragonadors in Hispalia. After a tragedy occurs and her father is injured, it's up to Zarela to protect her family's name and home from further damage and from the Dragon Guild. She teams up with a grumpy dragon hunter, who can teach her to be a Dragonador. But things aren't what they seem and Zarela will have to uncover the truth and hopefully find a way to save her family's home.

Full of gorgeous imagery and scrumptious food descriptions, Together We Burn is beautifully written. It's such an interesting world and I would love to see more of the magic and how everything works. Zarela is a great character and I loved how fierce and determined she was. I also loved her friendship with Lola, who was such a fun character. Zarela and Arturo are definitely a grumpy/sunshine pairing, and I liked how their relationship developed. There were a few good twists and turns, and the final showdown was very satisfying.

Fantastic book! I loved everything about it. It had all the ingredients for a winning read....dragons, romance, mystery, intrigue, friendships, family, tragedy and secrets. It was a perfect blend of it all and I ate it up.

Zarela's family has owned a dragon fighting arena for five hundred years. It's literally a family business and their legacy. When it's threatened by what is obviously tampering by an outside person, Zarela takes it upon herself to try to save it all. When it's necessary for her to ask grumpy dragon trainer, Arturo for help, things really get interesting. They have a great enemies to lovers relationship that is fraught with its own secrets and hardships.

The author creates a world where dragons are real and families have long histories participating in flamenco dancing and dragon fighting. It's a huge part of the town's economy and identity - - so, when things go wrong, it impacts everything. In addition to a wonderful fantasy world, the character development is outstanding. You definitely get a feel for each of the main characters and several side characters. Zarela and Arturo are described so well that I felt I could envision each of them and could imagine their thoughts and feelings. Absolutely wonderful

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: This was done very well. I toggled back and forth between it and the ebook. It felt effortless and flowed smoothly. The narration lent itself to the story. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Together We Burn started off a little slow then picked up the pace. I was guessing at every turn what would happen next. This is a beautiful story of love, determination, magic, mystery, jealousy, and deceit. The plot twist was definitely unexpected 😳 I enjoyed the narration and the flavorful characters. Well done 👏🏾

Isabel Ibañez has become one of my favorite authors, MUST read! I just love her writing, her world building, her characters and their stories, and development. Together We Burn, was absolutely MAGIC. I cried instantly.. the story immediately dives into tragedy, and follows the story of Zarela, and her journey into solving the mystery that changed her life forever.
This book is binge worthy, includes Dragons, important Family/Friendship dynamic, and what do you know, a romance you won’t want to miss.
Congratulations to the author on the release of this beautifully written standalone. Readers.. you won’t want to miss this one!

While I really liked the overall idea of this book and it had some really good points, I also had a few problems with it. The beginning definitely pulled me in, but after a bit it started feeling pretty repetitive. It was also a little frustrating that there were some more complex (but still small, like a few sentences) sections in Spanish. While it obviously makes sense to have some Spanish, it might have been nice to have some sort of hint as to what was being said. If it were a print book I would just google translate it, but I had no way of looking up what was said so I feel like I lost things.

This was an excellent audiobook provided by Netgalley in exchange for a review. It is excellently narrated by Ana Osorio. The novel, written by Isabel Ibañez, is set in the mythical city of Santivilla, Hispalia. It is rich in detail that makes the reader picture not only the sights, but appeals to all the senses.
It is the story of the Zalvidar family and the dragon fighting ring named La Giralda. There is a terrible accident on the day of their 500th anniversary that causes lots of death and destruction. Years later, the daughter, Zarela, fights to keep La Giralda running.
This novel is part love story, with plenty of intrigue as well. I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend this book and audiobook as well.

This was one of my most anticipated young adult releases of the year because I loved the author’s first book and I thought this premise was so intriguing. Unfortunately, it didn’t connect with me as well as I had hoped. I thought it was good, but nothing standout or special. It felt long to me too even though it’s not that long of a book and there weren’t really many surprising elements. I didn’t feel very invested in the romance. The Spanish inspired setting and feel was wonderful and the author always has such yummy inclusion of food woven throughout.

I listened to the audio version and it was nice to hear everything pronounced beautifully.

Trigger/content warnings: animal (dragon) cruelty, death. Heads up that the romance is spicer than the author’s previous books. Two sexual scenes that are not fade to black.

Think of Spain with their gorgeous dancers, beautiful architecture, and ever more handsome men! Yet instead of bull fights they are dragon fights. Dragon fights are more deadly than bull fights but the humans are the real monsters. Do we find out the mystery of what happens at the beginning of the book? You'll have to read to find out!