Challenge Corner discussion

An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don't want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.

Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see him fight in their arena, which will one day be hers.

But disaster strikes during their five hundredth anniversary show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s father is horribly injured. Facing punishment from the Dragon Guild, Zarela must keep the arena—her ancestral home and inheritance —safe from their greedy hands. She has no choice but to take her father’s place as the next Dragonador. When the infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter, Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, withholds his help, she refuses to take no for an answer.

But even if he agrees, there’s someone out to ruin the Zalvidar family, and Zarela will have to do whatever it takes in order to prevent the Dragon Guild from taking away her birthright.

I'm starting this today!

Okay, I need to wrap presents for my sister's birthday (it's tomorrow) and then I will add comments. Sorry for being so behind

I haven't even gotten to 25% of this yet so it's fine lol

Ch 1-9 (view spoiler)[ I probably would have cut my losses with the ring, but I understand that it means a lot to Zarela. I wonder if it's another arena owner that let the dragons loose and killed her trainer? (hide spoiler)]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[So, this author chose violence very early on. Like Disney. Hot damn. Also, I don't like the smell of oranges and I doubt I would like burnt ones either (hide spoiler)]

Ch 1-10: (view spoiler)[A lot of death has happened. Wasn't expecting that. I'm also wondering who was behind the dragons escaping and dying? Could it be the dragon master? Or am I just being oversuspicious? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 11-20: (view spoiler)[Ooo I like their bantering a lot. So, I'm really hoping he doesn't screw us both over and betray her. Or die. I'm also excited for her to train and everything. Don't even get me started on that creepy note threatening her. Ugh.

Also, can Lola and I be friends? Please! (hide spoiler)]

Ch 21-30: (view spoiler)[They would get dragonblocked. Just when I wanted the kiss to happen. Double ugh! Then the big reveal that he's the reason why her mother and all those other people are dead? What the what? Makes more sense than what I was originally thinking. For some odd reason I kept thinking he was a dragon shifter lmao. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 31-Finish: (view spoiler)[🤮🤮🤮 THE UNCLE? 🤮🤮🤮
Gross but a good book. Definitely enjoyed it and I'm happy that they are happy. (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Prologue: [spoilers removed]"

Haha like Disney

Alaina wrote: "Ch 1-10: [spoilers removed]"

Yeah, I'm wondering too...

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Prologue: [spoilers removed]"

Haha like Disney"

It's totally true.

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 1-10: [spoilers removed]"

Yeah, I'm wondering too..."

Continue to wonder girl. Everyone's a suspect.

Ch 10-20 (view spoiler)[ Maybe it's Hector behind everything, like he's jealous of her father? But then Lola and that guy were being suspicious too. And the head of the Dragon fighting organization seems to really dislike her, plus I think he's Arturo's father.

So many possibilities! And now another of her dragons was let loose (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20: Ooo I like their bantering a lot. So, I'm really hoping he doesn't screw us both over and betray her. Or die. I'm also excited for her to train and everything. Don't even get me started o..."

Haha, please don't die

Aly wrote: "Ch 10-20 Maybe it's Hector behind everything, like he's jealous of her father? But then Lola and that guy were being suspicious too. And the head of the Dragon fighting organization seems to reall..."

A lot of good options here. So many suspects and so little time.

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20: Ooo I like their bantering a lot. So, I'm really hoping he doesn't screw us both over and betray her. Or die. I'm also excited for her to train and everything. Don't even g..."

hahah yes, pretty please don't

Ch 21-30 (view spoiler)[ So much has happened! First, I'm very happy they kissed (and other things lol).
Second, I understand Zarela being upset, but it was just a small accident and I can't blame Arturo for her mother's death. Hopefully she'll let it go.

Lastly, I still have suspicions of Hector being the culprit. Eduardo is too obvious, but maybe it will end up being him? (hide spoiler)]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 21-30: [spoilers removed]"

That would've been so cool!

Alaina wrote: "Ch 31-Finish: (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]Gross but a good book. Definitely enjoyed it and I'm happy that they are happy."

Yeah, pretty gross yuck

Ch 31- End (view spoiler)[ I knew it was Hector! But I didn't realize he was so crazy.
The dad dying felt unnecessary. I think it would have been better if he'd lived.

At least it turned out good and she's dancing instead of killing dragons (hide spoiler)]

Aly wrote: "Ch 21-30 So much has happened! First, I'm very happy they kissed (and other things lol).
Second, I understand Zarela being upset, but it was just a small accident and I can't blame Arturo for her..."

Yes, a lot happened towards the end! I was kind of disappointed by his reveal but eh, I guess we needed to know. Still would have been cooler if he was a dragon shifter.

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 31-Finish:

Yeah, pretty gross yuck"

Still creeped out by the Uncle.

Aly wrote: "Ch 31- End I knew it was Hector! But I didn't realize he was so crazy.
The dad dying felt unnecessary. I think it would have been better if he'd lived.

At least it turned out good and she's dan..."

YEAH! Like what the what? Why did he have to die?

I am so glad this restarts the 26th bc I did not get to it last month LMAO

It's pretty good. I hope you like it!

Aly wrote: "It's pretty good. I hope you like it!"

I'm excited for it!

Starting this one soon too!

25% (view spoiler)[ So far I am very meh about this all. I don't really care about the MC. Maybe I'm just grumpy tho. (hide spoiler)]

45% (view spoiler)[ Oh yay we found the sexism and misogyny. Love that. 🙄🙄🙄 (hide spoiler)]

75% (view spoiler)[ I'm annoyed. She hasn't actually found any proof that Don Eduardo is the one that's got it out for La Giralda. I'm frustrated that she's so helpless. Bleh. Also why isn't Arturo trying more to get her to turn La Giralda into something different. Esp after that dancing with the dragon. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Ugh of course it was actually Hector. I had a feeling it was him when Zarela saved Senora Montenegra before she died. I'm so frustrated with this book. Idk if the ending saved it enough for me. It's between 2 and 3 stars. (hide spoiler)]

Started this one today!

I just got the audiobook so I'm hoping to listen to it today/tomorrow :)

Kelly wrote: "I just got the audiobook so I'm hoping to listen to it today/tomorrow :)"

Nice!

Elizabeth wrote: "Started this one today!"

I hope you like it

Chapter 1-7: (view spoiler)[ The situation really sucks for Zarela really sucks and I have empathy for her scrapping together the money that she'll need to pay for everything. But it surprised me that she didn't spare more than a few passing thoughts for the people that died at her family's show.... Or that she's surprised that she would be asked to pay for their deaths. It rubbed me the wrong way.

She's understandably naive but it was still a little frustrating for her to try to make accusations of foul play without providing a little evidence. More than circumstantial, anyway. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8-14: (view spoiler)[lol I knew the guy at the Grimeo had to be important.

I like the chemistry between Zarela and Auturo. He clearly wants her far away but also has begrudging respect. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15-21: (view spoiler)[I don't think Zarela suspecting the right people but I'm not sure who did it. Lola and Guillermo are suspicious but they don't have much to benefit from her family's downfall.

She's also making a lot of silly and dangerous mistakes in investigating mostly thoughtlessly. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22-28: (view spoiler)[Oohh! I like Arturo's secrets a lot! I wonder what compelled him to agree to fight a dragon again in front of the gremio. It seems like it's partly out of some guilt or duty, not just love for her.

Anyway, he was hiding a dragon?! I did wonder where he was sleeping. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 29-Epilogue: (view spoiler)[The big reveal lost me. I'm glad for her and Arturo and all, but it being her uncle kind of ruins it for me. It feels a little like it came out of nowhere and the motivation is weird... /spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

25% - (view spoiler)[This is alright so far, her uncle seemed weird to me when he said she should just sell the whole thing. also now she's trying to buy a new dragon. We'll see how that goes. (hide spoiler)]

50% - (view spoiler)[I don't like arenas, I hate any tradition fictional or real that makes the suffering of an animal an entertaining show or something to look at. It's cruel and shouldn't even exist. I hope they'll change in the book. We'll see (hide spoiler)]
75% - (view spoiler)[ I wish she would just try to change things but it doesn't feel like she wants to, even though she danced with the dragon.. I don't really love her because of it tbh. (hide spoiler)]
End - (view spoiler)[I definitely lost interest in the last quarter of the book unfortunately. I'm not sure why, didn't really make me feel much about the reveal. (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING NOVEMBER 5TH, 2023

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Starting this today

28%(view spoiler)[I am really enjoying this story and characters so far I like Zarela. The story is interesting first her mother died and then it moved on to something terrible happening and Zarela needing help so that they do not lose everything. (hide spoiler)]

finishing one I'm working on and then I plan to start! I hope you're liking it so far!

10 chapters / 27%

(view spoiler)[ I'm like others before, a little more meh on this one so far.
I agree, her not thinking of everyone who died was surprising.
I liked the idea of the dance even if I don't 100% understand fully the why. her mom's death was pretty awful

I, too, wonder who is setting the dragons free or sabotaging her. didn't like her uncle (hide spoiler)]

20 chapters / 53%

(view spoiler)[ meh, I'm not as pulled in to this as I thought I'd be
they had a really close call
I still don't like the uncle but I feel like he's such an obvious bad guy that I'm hoping it's someone else. (hide spoiler)]

30 chapters / 85%

(view spoiler)[ meh, I'm over their dramas. Of course he didn't mean the dragon to kill her mother
these dragons are killing all over the place. I hope she moves on from this. she can't possibly blame him. something else is going on here

I liked the dance and the kiss - although I'm just not loving this. I think the MC is a bit. . .frustrating? annoying? I'm not sure but I'm not feeling it (hide spoiler)]

and I'm done

(view spoiler)[ I was really glad in the end they believed her
I love that that added costumes to the dragons lol

but meh, this story was just okay for me. once I felt disconnected, it just never pulled me back in (hide spoiler)]

55%(view spoiler)[I am highly enjoying this book looking forward to how everything is solved. I love the characters Zarela determined and strong in many ways Arturo set in his ways they are starting to get closer looking forward to where it all goes. The story is moving at a nice pace some things are found out still not close to finding out why everything happened looking forward to reading more. (hide spoiler)]

probably going to read it if time allows