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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
This is what Harry Potter could have been. I would have killed for this at 15
CW: genre typical violence, murder, abusive parents, homophobia, abusive absent parent, major character death
CW: genre typical violence, murder, abusive parents, homophobia, abusive absent parent, major character death
4/5 stars.
This was so good! Blazewrath Games was an exciting mix of magic and mystery that I adored. The book followed our main character Lana as she becomes a member of the Puerto Rican team for the blazewrath games, but finds out that not everything is what it seems and there's nothing harmless about it.
We're immediately thrown into the chaos early on, when Lana comes face to face with a dragon and a blazewrath superstar who Lana had once looked up to. Straight away I'm suspicious of the games, and what more there is to it, but Lana first and foremost has been dreaming about being a part of the game so is still resolute to join the team - but also to find out more about what's going on behind the scenes. I adore the ambition and bravery, she's smart and headstrong and doesn't back down from a fight. But, she's also vulnerable, shown with her interactions with her mother. It's easy to root for her.
The whole games itself is fascinating. The rules are complex and took me a while to get my head around. I loved how all the dragons had distinct looks from one another, and their bonds with their humans was so sweet. It made me really wonder, are they being held captive to play, or do they really enjoy the game as much as their humans do? The Sire clearly thinks differently - and he was an amazing villain to read about. A dragon turned human, what a unique antagonist who's ideals I could almost get behind if he weren't harming other dragons in the process of his plan to "free" them.
Overall, a great read, and I'm super excited to read the sequel!
This was so good! Blazewrath Games was an exciting mix of magic and mystery that I adored. The book followed our main character Lana as she becomes a member of the Puerto Rican team for the blazewrath games, but finds out that not everything is what it seems and there's nothing harmless about it.
We're immediately thrown into the chaos early on, when Lana comes face to face with a dragon and a blazewrath superstar who Lana had once looked up to. Straight away I'm suspicious of the games, and what more there is to it, but Lana first and foremost has been dreaming about being a part of the game so is still resolute to join the team - but also to find out more about what's going on behind the scenes. I adore the ambition and bravery, she's smart and headstrong and doesn't back down from a fight. But, she's also vulnerable, shown with her interactions with her mother. It's easy to root for her.
The whole games itself is fascinating. The rules are complex and took me a while to get my head around. I loved how all the dragons had distinct looks from one another, and their bonds with their humans was so sweet. It made me really wonder, are they being held captive to play, or do they really enjoy the game as much as their humans do? The Sire clearly thinks differently - and he was an amazing villain to read about. A dragon turned human, what a unique antagonist who's ideals I could almost get behind if he weren't harming other dragons in the process of his plan to "free" them.
Overall, a great read, and I'm super excited to read the sequel!
2.5 ⭐️
I was really intrigued by the concept of this book, but there wasn’t a whole lot of nuance. There was so much telling as opposed to showing and that got really tiresome after a while.
I was really intrigued by the concept of this book, but there wasn’t a whole lot of nuance. There was so much telling as opposed to showing and that got really tiresome after a while.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I haven't read a book about dragons in so long, and the concept this book followed was fascinating! I liked how the dragons and their histories tied strongly to the cultural elements of each country they originated from, and the characters on Team Puerto Rico (who are most at the center of this novel) were each so interesting to follow. As much as this book is Lana Torres' story, the rest of her team and their perspectives are so important to her development and I enjoyed seeing their interactions evolve in different situations throughout the novel. I did have some minor issues with the book because the second half of the book felt a bit thrown together with plot points that seemed a bit too convenient, but honestly, I'm nitpicking. The mystery aspect was so fun to follow and I was really invested in seeing how the magic in this world functioned within all this drama and conflict. I can't wait to read book 2!
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
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:
Yes
‘Blazewrath Games’ by Amparo Ortiz follows Lana Torres, a girl who has long dreamed of playing in the Blazewrath World Cup for Puerto Rico’s team. Lana lives in a fantastically slanted version of our world where dragons exist and humans ride them to compete in the Blazewrath World Cup. When Lana gets the chance to join Puerto Rico’s team, she is also thrown into a conspiracy that includes the Sire, a dragon that now lives cursed in a human body, who wants nothing more than to see the cup cancelled.
‘Blazewrath Games’ is an incredibly fun and intriguing story that pairs exciting worldbuilding with complex and engaging characters. Ortiz does a great job of including bits and pieces at the beginning of each chapter so that the reader is introduced slowly to the world and it builds off of what is happening in the story itself. Since Lana is new to participating in the Blazewrath Games, she is a great point of view character because, though she is well versed in the world, she is still learning new things right along with the reader.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the mystery that is simmering along in the background. Ortiz drops bits of information that expand what the character’s know and continues to increase the tension in the story. My other favorite aspect is the found family, both with Lana and her friend Samira, as well as the family dynamic that is built between the Puerto Rican team players.
The ending of this story does a great job of wrapping up what has been happening while leaving open enough pieces for the sequel. I am very intrigued to see where this story goes next and I will definitely be following along with what Ortiz writes in the future.
‘Blazewrath Games’ is an incredibly fun and intriguing story that pairs exciting worldbuilding with complex and engaging characters. Ortiz does a great job of including bits and pieces at the beginning of each chapter so that the reader is introduced slowly to the world and it builds off of what is happening in the story itself. Since Lana is new to participating in the Blazewrath Games, she is a great point of view character because, though she is well versed in the world, she is still learning new things right along with the reader.
One of my favorite parts of this story is the mystery that is simmering along in the background. Ortiz drops bits of information that expand what the character’s know and continues to increase the tension in the story. My other favorite aspect is the found family, both with Lana and her friend Samira, as well as the family dynamic that is built between the Puerto Rican team players.
The ending of this story does a great job of wrapping up what has been happening while leaving open enough pieces for the sequel. I am very intrigued to see where this story goes next and I will definitely be following along with what Ortiz writes in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Read: March 2021
I enjoyed this, but not as much as I thought I would. Things I loved: the conversation around belonging and community, the queer rep, DRAGONS, Samira, and the villain. Things that didn't quite work for me: too many plot-threads and developments for the sake of convenience. Lana also changed her mind about so many things so many times, it kept jarring me out of the story. Overall, I did like the book, and will definitely read the sequel!
CW: character death, violence, death threats, murder, mention of homophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Minor: Homophobia
In theory “Blazewrath Games” sounded like an amazing book. Dragons, a tournament, a conspiracy - so why didn’t I love this?
The book failed to make me care. I didn’t care about the characters or what happened to them. I wasn’t invested in the events taking place in the book.
Overall I’d definitely recommend this book for fans of dragons and magical tournaments, it just wasn’t for me.
The book failed to make me care. I didn’t care about the characters or what happened to them. I wasn’t invested in the events taking place in the book.
Overall I’d definitely recommend this book for fans of dragons and magical tournaments, it just wasn’t for me.