Blazewrath Games

Description

Lana Torres has always preferred dragons to people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete in the Blazewrath World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders fight for glory in a dangerous relay. Lana longs to represent her native Puerto Rico in their first ever World Cup appearance, and when Puerto Rico's Runner-the only player without a dragon steed-is kicked off the team, she's given the chance. But when she discovers that a former Blazewrath superstar has teamed up with the Sire-a legendary dragon who's cursed into human form-the safety of the Cup is jeopardized. The pair are burning down dragon sanctuaries around the world and refuse to stop unless the Cup gets cancelled. All Lana wanted was to represent her country. Now, to do that, she'll have to navigate an international conspiracy that's deadlier than her beloved sport.

Amparo Ortiz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but she currently lives on the country's northeastern coast. Her short-story comic, "What Remains in the Dark," appears in the Eisner Award-winning anthology Puerto Rico Strong (Lion Forge, 2018) and SAVING CHUPIE, her middle grade graphic novel, is forthcoming from HarperCollins. When she's not teaching ESL to her college students, she's teaching herself Korean, devouring as much pizza and as many Twizzlers as she can, and writing about Latinx characters in worlds both contemporary and fantastical.

"The best way to get nerds like me invested in sports is to add dragons, and that is something Blazewrath Games does beautifully. Featuring a heart-pounding, inventive competition and a compelling, global conspiracy, Ortiz knocks it out of the park with this debut." -Rachel Strolle, Teen Services Coordinator, Glenside Illinois Public Library District "Blazewrath Games lingered behind my eyelids in cinematic flashes: Witches and wizards! Dragons! Life and death stakes! Ortiz delivers it all with dazzling imagery and a heroine who wins the gold cup for personality and voice. This is an incredible debut and marks Amparo Ortiz as an author to watch in the YA arena. " - Karuna Riazi, author of The Gauntlet and The Battle "Rich in magic, history, and ride-or-die friendships, Ortiz's debut blazes into dragon canon bringing with it complex identities, a love for Puerto Rico, and fiery Sol de Noche dragons! I'm excited to see what Ortiz does next!" -Mia Garcia, author of The Resolutions *"An intriguing take on identity that will speak perfectly to both fantasy fans and realistic readers; recommended for any library." - BOOKLIST, starred review "In a nonstop, dragon-roaring adventure, this mash-up of magical realism and coming-of-age story will keep readers enthralled until the last page." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "Part coming-of-age, part magical adventure, dragon fans are sure to enjoy this fast-paced and inclusive book." - KIRKUS REVIEWS