“Because it isn’t about my not wanting you, (…) I do, damn it. I do. So stay and talk to me, because if I can’t have more, then let me have less.”
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Mentions parental death, violence, and animal death.
“Together We Burn” follows Zarela Zaldivar, a known flamenco dancer who’s the daughter of a famous Dragonador (so like, a matador but with dragons instead of bulls), as she tries to keep her family business afloat after her father is injured during one of the shows. To do so, she’ll need some help, and so in comes Arturo Diaz de Montserra, a dragon hunter who immediately sets it off with the wrong foot with Zarela. But after another accident takes place, Zarela starts to think that perhaps these aren’t accidents at all, but someone looking to bring the Zaldivar family down. Will Zarela and Arturo overlook their differences and work together to save things they both hold dear? Will truths be uncovered?
You know when a book captivates you right from the first line? Well, this was it. Isabel Ibañez wrote “My mother died screaming my name,” and she had me. I read this book in one sitting.
I loved the Spanglish aspects of this novel since Spanish is my native language. I loved the characters and the love story that was woven into the adventurous parts of this fantasy novel. And it wasn’t only Zarela and Arturo, no, I loved the side characters and, well, just from the premise of the book I knew animal cruelty would be involved, so keep that in mind, but it certainly wasn’t overly gruesome or as sensationalized as it could be. Ibañez simply writes it as it is, in this world of fantasy. The only think I didn’t like about this book (other than the animal cruelty) was that it could be overdramatic at times–which I guess is to be expected of a YA novel, but oh well.
I would recommend this book if you like the enemies-to-lovers trope, if you know and appreciate Spanish culture, or if you’re looking for a relatively short but entertaining fantasy standalone book. The world-building was complex but it didn’t feel forced. This was truly a masterpiece.
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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
“He’s all of the warm and sultry flavors of Santivilla. I hold smoke and fire and sweet wine in my mouth. We catch on fire under a million stars. Together we burn.”
andrea's galley 