Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Could have used a bit more editing, but really solid concepts and world-building.
This *should* be right up my alley but I’ve had such a hard time getting past the writing style that I’m putting it down halfway through. I did love the concept of the story so I may come back to it sometime.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
World Cup on dragons? Yes, please and thank you. I have been eagerly anticipating Blazewrath Games, by Amparo Ortiz, since the first announcement. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my high expectations.
Plotwise, it does not hold up much under scrutiny. Too much of the plot is based on exceptions to the world building that Ortiz has done, without giving the reader enough time to settle into the rules of the world before they are broken. Major plot points are developed through methods that seem far too convenient, and the narrator and main character, Lana, does not have enough impact on the events that take place.
From a character perspective, there are simply too many people on the page. It is impossible for any of the characters to make a real impact because each one is fighting for a few lines here and there. The emotional stakes fall apart due to a simple lack of caring about any individual character.
The moments where this book shines are in the action sequences, especially the drama of the cup games. Overall, however, a surprisingly small amount of the action actually takes place during the cup itself, with the other plot taking precedence at every turn.
Another huge plus is the amount of rep on the page. There are tons of queer characters, as well as many POC and Spanish speakers. Although the translation of Spanish lines was sometimes clunky, the amount of Spanish was great to see.
Overall, this book was highly ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful in its goals. I fervently hope that other readers will find it more to their taste, as there was much to appreciate in the concept.
Thanks to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
Plotwise, it does not hold up much under scrutiny. Too much of the plot is based on exceptions to the world building that Ortiz has done, without giving the reader enough time to settle into the rules of the world before they are broken. Major plot points are developed through methods that seem far too convenient, and the narrator and main character, Lana, does not have enough impact on the events that take place.
From a character perspective, there are simply too many people on the page. It is impossible for any of the characters to make a real impact because each one is fighting for a few lines here and there. The emotional stakes fall apart due to a simple lack of caring about any individual character.
The moments where this book shines are in the action sequences, especially the drama of the cup games. Overall, however, a surprisingly small amount of the action actually takes place during the cup itself, with the other plot taking precedence at every turn.
Another huge plus is the amount of rep on the page. There are tons of queer characters, as well as many POC and Spanish speakers. Although the translation of Spanish lines was sometimes clunky, the amount of Spanish was great to see.
Overall, this book was highly ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful in its goals. I fervently hope that other readers will find it more to their taste, as there was much to appreciate in the concept.
Thanks to Page Street Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!