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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Blazewrath Games is a fun, high-octane read. I was drawn into this on the promise of ‘Quidditch with Dragons’, and the book really delivers on that— Blazewrath is exciting and I wish I could watch it on ESPN9. The global fan community for the games is also an awesome touch, something Quidditch didn’t quite have because Muggles didn’t know about magic. It definitely suffers a little bit of Quidditch Syndrome (the game exists to highlight a protagonist), but unlike quidditch where the snitch is just worth so many more points, in Blazewrath it makes at least some sense. That said, all of Team PR’s games take like five minutes,and it makes me wonder how the other games that take up to four hours are even happening- Blazewrath definitely could have been a little bit more fleshed out.
I also loved a lot of the characters! The Puerto Rican Blazewrath team is a riot and a half, and so are their dragons. Watching Lana fangirl about the other players is also a really good lens to show us the diversity and badassery of the international field.
I have one major complaint about the book— why did it all need to take place in less than a month? While I was reading I was sort of jarred out of the story by how quickly things happened: how quickly Lana became best friends with her whole team, how quickly she learned to fight, how quickly she’s offered a $7 million contract. I don’t wanna armchair author too hard here because I really did like the book, but the marketing of the book welcomes direct comparison to Harry Potter, and I feel like the plot would have benefitted immensely from a school year-ish timeline. Relationships developing would make more sense, Lana would have time to become a good fighter, and the story beats would have more gravity. That said, pretty much all of my problems with the book fall under this umbrella, and I’m totally willing to suspend disbelief- I just think everything feels rushed.
Final bonus points, though, to the world building. There’s soooooo much I want to know about this world- where did dragons come from? How does magic work? Are there limits on it? What other Magical sports are there? I love a fantasy book that’s willing to put a bunch out there without trying too hard to explain, and let me mostly fill in the gaps- Blazewrath did that for sure. I think this is the first in a duology (why are we all so into duologies rn?? What happened to trilogies??), and I look forward to the next.
I also loved a lot of the characters! The Puerto Rican Blazewrath team is a riot and a half, and so are their dragons. Watching Lana fangirl about the other players is also a really good lens to show us the diversity and badassery of the international field.
I have one major complaint about the book— why did it all need to take place in less than a month? While I was reading I was sort of jarred out of the story by how quickly things happened: how quickly Lana became best friends with her whole team, how quickly she learned to fight, how quickly she’s offered a $7 million contract. I don’t wanna armchair author too hard here because I really did like the book, but the marketing of the book welcomes direct comparison to Harry Potter, and I feel like the plot would have benefitted immensely from a school year-ish timeline. Relationships developing would make more sense, Lana would have time to become a good fighter, and the story beats would have more gravity. That said, pretty much all of my problems with the book fall under this umbrella, and I’m totally willing to suspend disbelief- I just think everything feels rushed.
Final bonus points, though, to the world building. There’s soooooo much I want to know about this world- where did dragons come from? How does magic work? Are there limits on it? What other Magical sports are there? I love a fantasy book that’s willing to put a bunch out there without trying too hard to explain, and let me mostly fill in the gaps- Blazewrath did that for sure. I think this is the first in a duology (why are we all so into duologies rn?? What happened to trilogies??), and I look forward to the next.
There were storytelling issues before that, but that was it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Torture, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
LOVE this book, loathe the cover! Given a choice between any YA dystopian novel, I’d pick Blazewrath Games over Divergent, Maze Runner, Uglies, and at least the last Hunger Games book. With dragons and witches, friends family and frenemies, haves and have- nots, all set during a World Cup-like challenge being threatened by a terrorist, Blazewrath Games is filled with adventure and action. I can’t wait to start the second book!
4.5/5 stars rounded up
Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am the last person to possibly get invested in a sport, but Blazewrath Games had me captivated from the get-go. Reading Amparo Ortiz’s debut was exactly what I imagine some people experience when they’re at a football stadium – I was cheering, and screaming, and crying and gasping, and just rooting for Lana and her teammates so hard their victories started to feel like my own. Blazewrath Games is a book for the ages.
Blazewrath Games truly has something for everyone. Magical jock competitions somehow seem to be my kryptonite this year, despite my aversion to sports of any kind, but the cast of characters really made the book shine. Lana herself is indomitable and full of fire, and her teammates are no less impressive. In a world where magic is real and dragon history is a part of mainstream textbooks, Ortiz still manages to root Blazewrath Games in a contemporary world with contemporary characters. These teenage athletes train with their dragons, then scroll through Twitter and binge watch Law & Order in their free time. They all commit themselves to Blazewrath in order to represent their homes and make them proud, these very real countries who show up and cheer them on, and produce heroes, whether the characters themselves realize it or not.
You can read my full review here: https://loveyoshelf.com/2020/09/29/blog-tour-and-review-blazewrath-games-by-amparo-ortiz/
Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am the last person to possibly get invested in a sport, but Blazewrath Games had me captivated from the get-go. Reading Amparo Ortiz’s debut was exactly what I imagine some people experience when they’re at a football stadium – I was cheering, and screaming, and crying and gasping, and just rooting for Lana and her teammates so hard their victories started to feel like my own. Blazewrath Games is a book for the ages.
Blazewrath Games truly has something for everyone. Magical jock competitions somehow seem to be my kryptonite this year, despite my aversion to sports of any kind, but the cast of characters really made the book shine. Lana herself is indomitable and full of fire, and her teammates are no less impressive. In a world where magic is real and dragon history is a part of mainstream textbooks, Ortiz still manages to root Blazewrath Games in a contemporary world with contemporary characters. These teenage athletes train with their dragons, then scroll through Twitter and binge watch Law & Order in their free time. They all commit themselves to Blazewrath in order to represent their homes and make them proud, these very real countries who show up and cheer them on, and produce heroes, whether the characters themselves realize it or not.
You can read my full review here: https://loveyoshelf.com/2020/09/29/blog-tour-and-review-blazewrath-games-by-amparo-ortiz/
This book was a fun time. I really like enjoyed the world of dragons and wizards Ortiz built. The characters were interesting and I found the book very well paced. Didn’t drag, in my opinion. I liked the focus on Puerto Rican experiences without stopping to explain things. If you’re not of that culture, Google is there. I like when authors don’t assume they’re writing for generic white readers.
Excited to see the rest of the series and more of Ortiz’s work :)
Excited to see the rest of the series and more of Ortiz’s work :)
I loved several elements of the story, most notably the world building, dragons and magic. I struggled a little with the plot towards the middle and end, but overall I am definitely looking forward to reading the next one to see where this goes. Even if that final battle was devastating.
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced