I love that fantasy is starting to incorporate non western cultures and mythology, and this is what attracted me the most on <b>Sun of Blood and Ruin</b>

This book takes us to 16th century Mexico during the Spanish colonization, and tells us the story of Leonora, both vigilante and promised to the heir of the Spanish throne.

Though I loved the premise of the book and found the writing beautiful, I didn’t connect to the story the way I was hoping and expecting. I found the pace inconsistent, the romance a bit bland and I felt the characters lacked depth.

Overall, it was an entertaining fantasy read, that got better towards the end.

<i>I would like to thanks HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, HarperVoyager
and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I didn't know what to expect going into this. I only read the blurb after I read the book because sometimes it's nice to be surprised.

We have a quite well done trope with the whole 'princess' going undercover as a normal citizen being a masked sword wielding heroine with shifter senses and magical powers and a 'superhero' name. I do really like Pantera as a character though, she is very feisty and thinks that she is always right.

That's where the general part of the story ends with some ancient gods and a possible apocalypse type situation with a whole bunch of plots all coming to a head all at once.

There is a lot of history telling in this book and there are a lot of characters and places with similar sounding names so it took me a while to get my head around it. It was definitely something that made it hard to read this book without having to go back and re-read pages sometimes to try and work out what was being talked about.

As a first read through it was quite enjoyable and if I ever get the time to go back and re-read it, I think it would be better as a second read through.

I appreciate being gifted an arc of this book from the publisher and I did get a special edition delivered with my Fairyloot adult book subscription which has a beautiful cover.

The first few pages of the Sun of Blood and Ruin were slow-going, and for a handful of pages I wondered if this was going to end up being a DNF. Thankfully the story quickly picked up, and I was swept up in the adventure and magic that Mariely Lares has woven together with Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology.

In this reimagining of Zorro, Leonora de Las Casas Tlazohtzin is the daughter of a white noble man and Mexica woman. Leonora is the sister of the young teenage Viceroy of New Spain and her stepmother the Vicereine is determined to see her married to a profitable match. What her family do not know is that Leonora has a secret; she’s the legendary Pantera, a masked fighter that has been rebelling against the Viceroy and the rule of Spain that he upholds.

Lares has set herself a huge task in writing a novel that takes on history, and the politics of the time while throwing mythology into the mix as well. Other than the first few pages, I didn’t feel that there were large amounts of information dumping with Lares blending knowledge in with character reflections and dialogue. That being said, Sun of Blood and Ruin is a book with complex world-building which may not be for everyone. Personally, I enjoyed every aspect of it, and found Lares’ magic system especially compelling.

Leonora is a fascinating character, tenacious and independent, her strength balanced well with her vulnerabilities and flaws. Lares has not set out to create a heroine that is likeable all the time. She’s stubborn as hell, especially when someone tells her what to do. I found myself liking her more with every page, flaws and all. Sun of Blood and Ruin has a whole cast of interesting characters, many of them leaving me with complicated feelings. Lares has created realistic characters that aren’t good or bad; they’re just people trying to survive.

While there is a lot of politics and history in Sun of Blood and Ruin, this is very much a fantasy novel with adventure, magic and mythology at its core. Readers who have an interest in history, mythology and fantasy will enjoy the fusion of all three as they come together in this brilliant novel.

The premise was intriguing but the narrative kept switching between past and present in a way that prevented the writing from flowing smoothly. The worldbuilding was good but the romance was lacklustre and needed to be better fleshed out. The main character had potential but needed a stronger personality to stand out.

Sun of Blood and Ruin was such an interesting read and I loved that it was a Zorro retelling in a fantasy setting! I quickly found myself liking Leonora and how she balanced her two identities. She's a strong and fierce character who fights for what she believes in!

I really liked the world-building in this one that it was rich in history and mythology. I also thought the magic system was quite fascinating, especially Leonora's abilities and cannot wait to see if her powers grow more in the next book.

Whilst I did find myself feeling the book started off slow, it definitely picked up at the halfway point. I also would like to see more development in terms of the romantic aspect of this series.

Overall, this was a great debut full of action and magic! I'm intrigued to see where this series takes us!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Some undoubtedly excellent research into a hitherto under appreciated period of history, globally, and with some interesting magical world building to boot. But decidedly let down by the narrative drive and characterisation. Definitely a lot to intrigue and engage here, but a very flawed read.

A gender-bent Zorro with MesoAmerican mythology incorporated.

I was so so excited for this one based on its synopsis, but I think it fell really short. The writing was not my favorite, especially early on. It does get better, but it was still not great throughout. It also just dives in really quickly without much explanation for readers. I think this really could've benefited since it incorporates a lot of mythology people are probably not familiar with.

☆☆☆¾
(Rounded up to 4 due to the rating system).

A new legend begins…

I found Sun of Blood and Ruin to be an enjoyable read. I really liked the setting and all the magic and the Gods and I found the exploration of culture and mythology to be very interesting (though I did find myself confused at times as this was my exposure to Mesoamerican mythology so it would've helped had I been familiar with the mythology before reading, alas there is nothing I can do about it now and I am now a little more familiar with it so there's that at least). I also liked that there was a glossary in the back (though it would have been more helpful had I known about it whilst reading).

Whilst I did like the book, that was it, I didn't *love* it which was a shame but hey, at least it was still an enjoyable read. Some of the things that prevented me from loving it were probably how I wasn't invested in the book at all until nearly halfway through and I didn't really feel invested with the characters, including Leonora, I felt as if I were watching the story and characters through a screen rather than like being on the adventure / journey with them. I also felt the book was a little all over the place (and not just location-wise (because phew, Leonora went a lot of places)), like there was a lot going on and there was a struggle to balance it all as well as the fact that there were a few (minor-ish) plot holes throughout the book. One of the parts of the book which I wanted to like more than I did, was the romance. I liked it at first, how the relationship was developing and forming slowly after all, Rome wasn't built in a day, but then there's a kiss and I'm sure you're thinking 'it's only a kiss', and you'd be right except it was joined by an "it was always him" type situation like come on, you hardly know the guy That well and you've shared one kiss, calm down, please.

Whilst reading (by which I mean 82% in) I was thinking that there was absolutely no way the book was resolving within the next 18%, after all I only had about 20 minutes left in the book, which was when I thought to check Goodreads, and lo and behold, the book wasn't a standalone like I had thought but the first in a series. I don't think I'll read the next book unfortunately - despite some unanswered questions. I liked the writing and the world and mythology but unfortunately it didn't captivate me enough to warrant reading the sequel.

I requested Sun of Blood and Ruin as I thought it sounded interesting which it definitely was, and it didn't disappoint either so I don't regret requesting it. Overall it was a solid read which is why I'm rating it 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads, Netgalleys, Waterstones & Amazons rating systems).

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC. I really really enjoyed Sun of Blood and Ruin.

I didn't really enjoy this book. The flow of the story was a little off, though the second part was much better. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. There were too many characters who were not always easy to distinguish. I didn't like the romance. I did like the world building and mythology.

I wanted to love this one so badly. I absolutely love the concept of a Zorro retelling, however this just didn’t quite work for me and I had to DNF at just under 50%.

I really tried to get into this book and maybe I was just not in the right headspace to read this as I can be a bit of a mood-reader, however I really did try to continue and I just have no urge to. The pacing was a bit off and I found myself confused with what was happening at times. I also was just not invested in the characters.

I will however say that as far as I got it had a really great concept and the world building was well done.

I might try and give this another shot at a later time, however for now It was a DNF for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.
I was drawn to this book by the Mexican inspiration as well as the concept of gender swapped Zorro. Although it was enjoyable at times, it was an overall okay book for me. I will be buying for my Library however as I think my students will really like it!

I wanted to love this one so badly. I mean a gender-swapped Zorro sounds incredible as a concept. Unfortunately, this just didn’t quite work for me and I had to DNF at just over 50%.

I would like to point out that I thought the world building and culture the author wove into the story was very well done. However, the story felt quite disjointed with an uneven pacing that stopped me from becoming fully engaged.

I also struggled to become emotionally invested in the main character. Alas, there are just too many books out there I had to cut my loses.

I think this may work well for other readers, but I wasn’t quite the right fit for this book.

"Sun of Blood and Ruin" was an okay read. The writing is good, the characters are good, the setting is good, and the story is good. I think I probably expected too much after reading the blurb. To me, it felt a little bit unfinished and I was fighting the urge to make notes saying "tweak this" and "tweak that". I think me and this book are just incompatible, sadly.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares immediately caught my eye because of the striking and gorgeous cover, the vibrant colours and bold artistic style make for a stunning combination. When I read the summary of the book I was equally intrigued, I loved the idea of a fantasy set in a time and place that was so different from the majority of the books that I pick up, and the blend of Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology sounded like it would make for a powerful story. Throw in a masked vigilante with magical powers and impressive sword skills and I'm all in.
The book is the story of Leonora, a jewel of the court and promised bride of the heir to the Spanish throne. Her alter ego is Pantera , the sword wielding sorceress who fights for the people and their rights and supports their dreams of overthrowing Spanish rule.
Some things this book did really well, like introducing the Mesoamerican mythology and giving a brief overview of the period in Mexican history. I also thought it was stronger in the second half, the beginning was pretty slow and there was quite a lot of info dumping which made it a little difficult to get into the book.
I liked Leonora as a character and can't help but wish that there had been more about how she became Pantera and how she coped in the early days as she uncovered her abilities and decided what to do with them. Instead we jump into the story long after this point , when her role as Pantera is more established, I also felt the romantic sub plot was largely unnecessary and I never really bought into it.
I think this series has promise and I would try the next book , there is a lot of potential here.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Sun Of Blood and Ruin
The Debut Novel by @laresmar8

This book was fantastic in how the history and mythology was written. I found it really interesting and intruiging.
I've also NEVER read a book based on Zorro and I loved how original it was!
I loved the "magic" system in the book and one of my favorite parts was actually when Leonora had her tonalli stolen and her memories started to become lost. She had to find herself again and only then would she discover who she truly was.

For me, the only thing that took this book from a 5 to a 4 was the romantic pairing. I wasn't feeling it. Leonoras love interest (I won't spoil) was busy bedding other girls and it was only in the last few chapters I felt they would be together and even then, it didn't feel realistic.
I felt they needed more built up romantic moments rather than her walking in on him with a woman draped over him... There wasn't any chemistry with them.
Theres ALOT of names and people who have multiple names, sometimes 3 names which can be confusing but I liked how it added layers to the story too.

Overall I think it was a great debut and a really interesting read!

Thanks so much to @instabooktours
And @laresmar8 and netgalley for sending me a beautiful hardback copy of the finished book! The end papers with the maps are beautiful and the colours on the cover are so lush!

Sun of blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares
Rating 4 stars (7.14 on Cawpile)
Release date 28th September
I was intrigued by this book and thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for allowing me to read this. Whenever, I see a book about witches and vigilantes I am there for it. Leonara is a fascinating character and as we move through the book we find out more about her and just who she is and the role she plays in this world. Prophecy’s be rife in this world magic aplenty and a journey that will have you gasping and by the end of the book wanting more. I am so thankful that I was able to read this story and the setting was wonderful. I am very intrigued about the next book and am already looking forward to it. Leonara is sassy and a woman who knows her worth and constantly is pushing people who are not holding her worth. She is someone who faces some decisions that she was not ready to make but as always a prophecy likes to make people face their worse fears. And give me a prophecy and some gods and I will be there with bells on.

Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares is the first book in the Sun of Blood and Ruin Series.
 
This story is set around Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology and I really liked those aspects in the book. I already knew a bit about it and that’s also what made me interested in this book. At the same time, I feel like that if you don’t know anything about this topic, you might have a difficult time following along.
 
The protagonist Leonora is a respectable lady and a crown jewel promised to the heir of the Spanish throne. However, what no one knows is that she is also the legendary Pantera, a masked vigilante, who sympathizes with the rebels and helps those in need. That made her truly a badass and I absolutely loved her character. She is a person who doesn’t just accept what is happening in the male dominated world she is living in.
 
The plot started out very slowly and I needed a few pages to get into this world. But it picked up when the world was threatened by an ancient prophecy of destruction. It was really fascinating to learn more about this prophecy and to see how the characters reacted to it.
 
Overall, I really liked this book and if you also like Mexican history and Mesoamerican mythology, you need to check out this story. 4,5 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

A swashbuckling fantasy set in 16th Century New Spain. Leonora is the half-indigenous daughter of the former ruler and sister of the current viceroy, she is also Pantera, a masked vigilante and a shapeshifting Nagual warrior.
There's a lot to enjoy about this story - the fantasy elements connected to Mesoamerican mythology mixed with the turbulent historical setting are interesting and well done, and show the complexities of the politics and societies at that time. I think the setting and the mythology are the strongest part.
I'd have liked if there was a bit more time setting up Pantera as a figure of resistance and building up her renown, I think it would also have been interesting to see more of the struggle of Leonora keeping that aspect of her identity secret. As it is, she is quickly swept up in larger matters and the street-level vigilantism is replaced with prophecies, hidden lands and bloody battles.
I'm not sure if this is being marketed as adult fantasy or YA, but I would say Leonora's behaviour and the romance elements feel more coming of age/YA than adult and, again, I think I would have warmed to her more if we'd spent a little more time with her as she was building up the Pantera identity.
Overall, a solid fantasy debut with a strong setting and engaging plot. I'll be interested to see where the series goes to next

DNF at 21%

As a child I loved zoro I thought I would love this. Alas, not the case.

My main issue is with the writing. It's bland, none engaging and info dumpy at times. I'm often left wondering about where the characters are, it feels as if the characters are in a white room. And the pacing. it jumps a little too sudden to scenes with no natural flow. There’s little moments for the mc to process and to convey her motivations instead, we jump to another scene where the questions I had before weren't answered when I expected them to be.

Lenora. As a character she is bland and boring. I get the impression that’s she's the typical 'not like other girls.’ there is no depth to her character or any of the characters really.

I was most interested in the world. Granted, I didn't get far into the book, but I found the world lacking, especially in explanations. And what I was given was info dumped in a massive wall of text. How do they have magic? What are the limits of said magic? There was little answers. it felt weak as a result, not to mention the one point its mentioned that Lenora can hear at great distance yet this came on quite sudden and I would have thought it would have been mentioned or shown before hand.


This book does have the feel of a fantasy romance and I don't like that genre. Which is strange as this is meant to be historical fantasy and there was little of the historical, the one thing I was really looking forward to.

Overall this story, from what I read was week and boring. Some one else may find enjoyment in this tale but it is not me..

I hate to jump on the bandwagon with this one, because I didn't think it was necessarily bad, but it also didn't feel like something entirely new.

The setting and worldbuilding is what makes this stand out - a gender-bent Zorro retelling set in Mexico dealing with themes of colonialism seems like a home run. I liked how Central American language and lore was incorporated, and I think the author gave you enough context to work out what was going on even with limited knowledge of the subject matter.

Otherwise, though, it is reminiscent of every other NA fantasy new release. It felt to me like the characters were just going through the motions, and the protagonist was the petulant girlboss type which I never really seem to get along with. I'm also not a fan of like fated mates and things like that, so when combined with the shapeshifting element things were just a bit too animalistic and weird on the romance front too. Everything just kind of felt flat even in the action scenes, and I just wasn't invested enough to want to continue. I think fans of The Shadows Between Us or other Levenseller works might enjoy this, but sadly just not for me.