A review by bittennailbooks
Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares

adventurous challenging mysterious 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? Yes

3.5

A high-stakes reimagining of sixteenth-century New Spain featuring a female main character Zorro, ancient magic, and a brewing revolution.

After Spanish contact, a young royal lives a double life fighting against the oppressors in New Spain, trapped in the Christian theocracy. Leonora lives a double life as a Lady and a vigilante fighter named Pantera. Armed with sorcery, she will free the inhabitants of this land, even if it means fulfilling her own cursed prophecy.

"Sun of Blood and Ruin" is an exciting debut from Lares but had both feet on the pedal. There is a lot going into this book when it comes to culture, religions, beliefs, and the magic system, so utilize the glossary to its fullest potential. As someone who is rather tired of Eurocentric fantasy, this was a refreshing dive into a high fantasy series.

I found myself having trouble settling into this novel at first; there is a lot of info-dumping within the first 50 pages that felt more textbook than world-building. If you stick with it, readers, you will be delighted to find a great story beyond the construction that serves up a complex world and ambitious debut. That being said, there are some points where I felt surrounded by information and forgot plot ties, but I feel that is common in many first novels and believe this story has the potential to be a great one.

It lost some points in the story construction, but there is definitely an emerald within. 3.5/5