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Asiri and the Amaru is a cosy Latin American romantasy, featuring Peruvian mythology and folklore as well as some surprisingly spicy scenes. Asiri has the ability to talk to animals. Because she feels her skills are being misused at home, she sets out for a coastal village aiming to live a normal life. A meeting with the handsome but awkward local animal healer and an encounter with an Amaru, a feared but supposedly mythical creature, who is injured in an earthquake make it impossible for her to keep her skills a secret. This was charming, full of delightful animals and warm, kindly people. It was very accessible for someone like me who doesn't read much fantasy, being fairly short and straightforward with no lengthy, complicated world building. I found it a light, satisfying, and enjoyable read.

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amy_in_the_city's review

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funny lighthearted fast-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? No

4.0

This was so cute and cozy. I loved that it featured indigenous Peruvian culture, and I enjoyed getting to know more about that culture. Dario was such a sweetheart, and I want more male love interests in romance to be animal healers. The animal illustrations before each chapter were a nice touch. I did feel like the romance was a bit too instalove, but I tend to prefer more of a slow burn than most people. I also had trouble trying to place this in a specific time period because I don't think there were many, if any, references to inventions of the 20th century and beyond. I don't remember any references to motor vehicles, lightbulbs, phones, etc. That lent the book a certain timelessness, and I suppose the time period doesn't really matter, but it kind of bothered me that I couldn't definitively place this in either the present day or some historical time period. But it's been a few weeks since I read the book so maybe I've forgotten some references to technology or maybe I just skipped right past them without noticing. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

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