Cover Image: Last Sunrise in Eterna

Last Sunrise in Eterna

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Member Reviews

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

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The Diverse Baseline

January Prompt B: A book by a Latiné author

While the first 2/3 of this book was gripping, the plot dwindled a bit in the last 1/3. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention, or maybe I just didn't care, but the twist completely surprised me. I'm not sure it was necessary, but it was new and refreshing.

YA fantasy is a difficult genre for me. Asian YA fantasy has been particularly bad. This surprised me. So did Lucha of the Night Forest. Maybe I segue to this section of the BIPOC party.

First of all, I enjoy the name Sevim, and the reason she was given this name. As a human that hates elves, there is more than meets the eye to this seventeen year old. Chosen for a contest on the elves' island turns into a very risky business. So is the elf prince Aro. Do sparks fly?

I used to ignore author's notes. However, I now enjoy them for the most part. Amparo mentions she has always loved elves, but never saw one that looked like her on screen. I felt that in my soul. As someone that grew up on The Lord of the Rings and other fantasies like it, I well know the genre is very white. High fantasy is still very white, and predominately written by men. I enjoyed a lot of it in my past, but I'm seeking more diverse voices in the genre. I hope to read more like this.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

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Why is it that a book that isn't White/Straight/Cis/US-based always has so many negative reviews stating that they didn't relate to the story or characters? I ask myself every time I see a negative review for this book because this is one of my favorite fantasy books I've read. The way it blends the history of Puerto Rico with this fantasy world was so expertly done while the story was so boricua that I felt my heart grow three times its size.

The story had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I needed spoilers but didn't want to be spoiled. I wanted to scream, laugh, and cry, and aaaah, it was such a fantastic book. I wish I could put into words that made sense how much I loved this book. The magic system, this magical island, the elves that looked like me, and the twists and turns... I am honestly so obsessed with this book.

But my favorite part is that these weren't poster characters of what the US thinks Boricuas from the island are like, and it isn't a US-centric-based view of Puerto Rico. This was such an accurate representation of the island that it was quite refreshing and which made me love it so freaking much.

I appreciate so much what this story did. I can't wait to read more from this author.

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I love books and stories about the Fae. They are my favorite kind after vampire stories.

I was so excited for this book! First off that cover is absolutely amazing! I am a sucker for a great cover. And the story itself backs it up. Ortiz is an amazing writer and I loved the mix of a fairy story with the culture and background of the author.

If it isn't on your list, it really should be. Its full of action and adventure and has well rounded characters that you can't help falling in love with. It was everything I hoped for!

Thanks for the chance to read this wonderful title!

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I loved the culture that was infused into this story. I liked the theme a lot and appreciated the way it was implemented for the most part. There were a couples instances where it made my head spin but overall it a was a nice read.


Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book.

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I had such high hopes for this book but was unfortunately left pretty disappointed. I didn’t love the characters and certain aspects of the plot. It felt unfinished and like it needed more polishing.

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What an amazing read this was! Definitely will need to add a physical copy of this book to my bookshelves, because first of all the cover is gorgeous and second the book is amazing. It's so refreshing to read a story set in Puerto Rico with Puerto Rican elves. The character and world building in this book are great, but Sevim (the fmc) definitely manages to steal the show.

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Action-packed YA fantasy with a submersive setting! Loved Sevim’s personality and perseverance!

And this cover is gorgeous!

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC copy!

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Last Sunrise in Eterna" is an enthralling urban fantasy novel that delivers a thrilling and fast-paced reading experience. Filled with twists and turns, it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The vibrant cover and intriguing protagonist, Sevim, immediately grabbed my attention. She constantly made me smile and I felt so related towards her! The captivating world-building and magic system offered insightful commentary on American imperialist interventions. While the characters were intriguing, I wished for more development to fully connect with them. However, there were a few aspects that detracted from my enjoyment, such as occasional confusion in the plot and unrealistic dialogue between characters. The romance, while not central, felt rushed. Despite these minor flaws, I highly recommend this diverse fantasy set in a Latin-inspired world. I look forward to reading more from Ortiz in the future.

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To find a book about elves set in Puerto Rico is exactly what I had hoped for as a child. Amparo Ortiz grips you with the voice right off the bat. I know my kiddo will enjoy this as much as I did. It was so good I went and bought it before I even finished the NetGalley!

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Wow. This fantastic book is a love letter to Puerto Rico.

The intricacies of the language use are impressive but also heartwarming. There's something beautiful about characters in a fantasy world who look and sound like Puerto Rico.

Thank you Amparo Ortiz.

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Pretty sure I only read one book in March, but I’m 100% ok with that because it was THE LAST SUNRISE IN ETERNA by Amparo Ortiz and it was amazing!

Seriously, get ready for a book that will make you go WHAT THE ACTUAL F more times than you can count. So many twists and turns and something so unexpected, you won’t have a choice but to keep reading until you find out what just happened because wtf!!!!

This takes place in Puerto Rico with landmarks familiar to me (I used to work at the Mall of San Juan!) and there’s so much about Puerto Rican history in an accesible way for those who may not know about our Island (and the surrounding areas).

I was drawn to this book 1. Because of BLAZAWRATH GAMES (see: PUERTO RICO AND DRAGONS!) and 2. PUERTO RICO AND ELVES? Sign me up!

This book is fun, fast, and will keep you on your toes. It might be a good fit for you if you enjoyed Holly Black’s CRUEL PRINCE (it IS less stabby tho…or is it 😉) seriously, READ THIS ONE.

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My Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review:

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and place on this blog tour – thanks!

This book was a fun and fast paced urban fantasy, whose twists and turns kept me on edge the entire time. It was my first Amparo Ortiz book, but I had heard good things about the Blazewrath Games so I was interested in starting this one. The cover was the first thing that had grabbed my attention: the colours!! They are so vibrant and the art is gorgeous. They really contrast with Sevim’s rather dark personality, which I thought was amusing.

As I mentioned, this book has a lot of twists, perhaps a bit too many for a book just slightly over 300 pages. I wished that Ortiz had picked one to stick to and developed that throughout, instead of relying on the wow factor of adding all of the plot twists that she did. I feel like the story would have benefited greatly from that, as it was a bit too much at times.

Aside from that, I did really enjoy the world building in this novel. The magic system was very interesting, and I loved the comment on American imperialist interventions that felt prevalent throughout the book (at least for me). It was a very interesting concept and Last Sunrise in Eterna certainly delivered on the wonderful world of these elves.

The characters in this book were quite intriguing, even if slightly under developed at times. I thought Sevim was an interesting main character – I loved her attitude and goth-ness. Aro was probably my favourite character, the most likeable out of every one, at least I thought so. I wanted more from the development of these characters to like them more, but alas, I felt underwhelmed in that department.

If you’re looking for a fast paced novel, filled with adventure, then Last Sunrise in Eterna might just be the book for you! A colourful world to match its colourful cover. I think this book will certainly be many new favourites.

Last Sunrise in Eterna released March 28th, 2023

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The real review is 2.5 stars but I rounded it to 3 stars.*
I wanted to like this book but couldn't get into it. I think a part of this problem is honestly me! I just finished reading a YA fantasy before starting this one and it may have been fantasy overkill for me. Although I enjoyed learning about this new magic system and the interesting trials that our characters have to go through, this book felt a bit rushed and all over the place.

One of the big issues for me was that we don't really know our main character Sevim. We get to know her on a very surface level, which may be intentional once a twist at the end is revealed, but it was tough to care for her and the situation she is put in. I felt myself roll my eyes at the majority of Sevim's actions instead of understanding her actions. I also felt like a few of our characters could have been flushed out more. One character is Deaf & uses sign language to communicate, the other is very bossy and you get hints of an attraction between them and another character but it's never explored. A lot of this story reads surface-level. Also, this book takes place in one of the islands of Puerto Rico, I wish we got to learn more about PR and the culture.

I did enjoy the detailed descriptions during the challenges! The "ensuenos" magic was so interesting to read about too. I did like reading about some of the character dynamics as well. If there is a sequel, I would love for Ortiz to share more about the magic system, characters, and culture of the land.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Page Street for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

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Last Sunrise in Eterna slayed! This novel did such a great job of combining Puerto Rico's history and the fantasy genre. I really loved that the elves were not only brown and spoke Spanish but that they switched back and forth between English and Spanish. These details rooted the elves in the real world as many bilingual people switch between languages so casually and in the same sentence.

I also loved the characters Aro, Sevim, Raff. And the romance between Aro and Sevim was so interesting because the characters are opposites. I just wished the romance was an even slower build up.

I recommend this book for fantasy lovers and readers who are looking for a fantasy set in Latin America and for readers who don't mind a morally gray, goth protagonist, and a sunshine elf prince.

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Last Sunrise in Eterna was something that wasn't for me unforantely. While I felt it had some great elements it just lacked depth and character development and showed me that I am definitely out of my YA Phase of reading but if you enjoy YA then definitely give it a try.

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I love that this is a Latinx fantasy book and the Spanish that was incorporated within. (I’m a sucker for Spanish in books) This book is full of diversity which I also really loved. A Boricua Elf prince and a gothic girl? YES.

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every now and again, a book we don’t expect to seduce us, to ensnare us so fully we can’t bear to put it down until it’s done, does exactly that. Amparo Ortiz’s “Last Sunrise in Eterna” is one of those special books.

it’s easy to celebrate a finely woven tale that reintroduces beloved YA tropes in a brand new way. this book in particular achieves the difficult task of blending fact with fiction. from structural inequities like racial and social divides to climate impacts, it touches on the damaging impacts of America’s colonization of Puerto Rico, all while balancing a rich storyline rooted around elves, magic islands and unexpected romance.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

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Amparo Ortiz's "Last Sunrise in Eterna" is a YA fantasy about a magical tournament that takes place on a secluded island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Winners will have the chance to wield elven powers in exchange for their dreams.

I haven't read Puerto Rican fantasy so I was pretty excited for this one. However, it hurts me to say that I couldn't get into it enough to see it through to the end. I stopped a little after the midpoint since I typically always try to give it a chance and see how the writer handles act 2. Still, it just wasn't for me.

I think it needed to stand out somehow. There have been a lot of magical tournaments done in fantasy. And there have been a lot of death game stuff too. Who can forget the iconic clock in Catching Fire? So I understand the pressure of taking this on. That was the thing. Just a little more of each element could have made this a better book.

Some of the characters are memorable at least. We know Aro and his obsession with donuts and our MC's gothness. But the chemistry isn't there. And the MC's quirks at times distract from the narrative instead of add to it. For instance, the MC's short stories. I could see the novel standing on its own without being distracted by other narratives.

I wish there was better immersion. Even when the book's worldbuilding is on the soft end, that doesn't mean that immersion should be sacrificed. I think any of Miyazaki's films prove that. Of course, I would have known more about the world if I'd read more but there have been loads of fantasy books that gradually immerse you in the first few chapters alone. In Black Sun and City of Brass, more and more information is revealed as you go along, heightening the current scenes and setting up future ones.

And most of all, I wished the challenges were better. When you're writing a novel on these tournaments, you need to remember you're going up against so many others. It helps to think of conundrums that, from the start, seem impossible to solve. Take the first challenge in Netflix's "Alice in Borderland" (not exactly? fantasy? but the design of the games apply). Arisu and his friends need to choose the right doors to exit the area or die. But there's no clear pattern. And there you have it. Something that sparks curiosity but also raises the stakes. And most of all something that will help show off just how clever and resourceful your characters are. Just a little more push and I think Last Sunrise could have gone there.

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