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triple_m's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was book so deeply romantic. Definitely more of a romance than a thriller/horror but I still thought the vampire aspect was eerie and there was some gore.
Both of the main characters are so three-dimensional and I genuinely understand both of their perspectives, decisions, and actions.
My heart really ached for these characters but it made the emotional pay off so worth it.
Both of the main characters are so three-dimensional and I genuinely understand both of their perspectives, decisions, and actions.
My heart really ached for these characters but it made the emotional pay off so worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, and Blood
kaiyakaiyo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
first read of the year! I marked this as started in Dec just to immediately put it down in favor of some Palestine readings so this truly does count!
The romance was sweet, if a bit fade to black, but the true shine in this book was Nena (super badass), and the folklore. I am a slut for tales and creatures tied to a specific land or people. This delivered that many times over!
I am also a slut for supernatural creatures as metaphors for how white settlers destroyed and warped the land they stole. this book delivered that quite well. colonialism and environmental devastation are not unrelated; we’re seeing that right now with the species disappearing in hawaii, so I like when authors don’t shy away from it in historical fiction.
all in all a fun and surprisingly quick read! I didn’t mind the POV switches for once, as it made the Feelings more juicy. will def read more by this author if I can!
The romance was sweet, if a bit fade to black, but the true shine in this book was Nena (super badass), and the folklore. I am a slut for tales and creatures tied to a specific land or people. This delivered that many times over!
I am also a slut for supernatural creatures as metaphors for how white settlers destroyed and warped the land they stole. this book delivered that quite well. colonialism and environmental devastation are not unrelated; we’re seeing that right now with the species disappearing in hawaii, so I like when authors don’t shy away from it in historical fiction.
all in all a fun and surprisingly quick read! I didn’t mind the POV switches for once, as it made the Feelings more juicy. will def read more by this author if I can!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Misogyny, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Death
amburrella's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Misogyny
booklifeisthelife's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
So while reading this I thought it was an okay read but after I finished and got done with it I realized I didn't enjoy it much and that I had many complaints about the book. To name a few, some plot points were never addressed/resolved, we didn't get much lore/info on the vampires, the back and forth between the Mc and ml was kinda weird and drawn out but then happened too fast, and also there wasn't an actual ending. It was open ended, left to your imagination. So the romance didn't feel natural but I did enjoy learning about this world and the characters. I enjoyed the main character using her wits to fight for her future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Death and Gore
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
‘Vampires of El Norte’ by Isabel Cañas is a historical romance with a dash of vampires thrown in.
Nena and Néstor grew up together on Nena’s family’s ranch. Thick as thieves, they fell in love with each other at a young age and believed that they would be in each other’s lives forever. But when they sneak out one night and encounter a fearsome creature, their paths diverge for 9 years. When they finally come back together, their lives are vastly different, not only because of the threat of English settlers but also because of what Nena’s parents expect from her. Will the two rekindle their childhood love or have they grown too far apart?
This book is perfectly paced. Cañas does an exceptional job of making each piece of the plot and character moment feel natural. This is in part due to how strong Nena and Néstor are as characters. They feel fully fleshed out while also full of faults. In romances, I find that misunderstandings between the main couple often feel a little silly or immature but Cañas did a great job of making their miscommunication and issues with one another feel real. The addition of vampires in the story are a great supernatural point while remaining a part of the subplot. Cañas does a lot with the monstrosity of men vs the supposed monsters that live out in the wild. I did find that the ending and relationship resolution was a bit quick, especially in comparison to how well paced the rest of the story was. All in all, an excellent historical romance with a dash of the speculative.
Nena and Néstor grew up together on Nena’s family’s ranch. Thick as thieves, they fell in love with each other at a young age and believed that they would be in each other’s lives forever. But when they sneak out one night and encounter a fearsome creature, their paths diverge for 9 years. When they finally come back together, their lives are vastly different, not only because of the threat of English settlers but also because of what Nena’s parents expect from her. Will the two rekindle their childhood love or have they grown too far apart?
This book is perfectly paced. Cañas does an exceptional job of making each piece of the plot and character moment feel natural. This is in part due to how strong Nena and Néstor are as characters. They feel fully fleshed out while also full of faults. In romances, I find that misunderstandings between the main couple often feel a little silly or immature but Cañas did a great job of making their miscommunication and issues with one another feel real. The addition of vampires in the story are a great supernatural point while remaining a part of the subplot. Cañas does a lot with the monstrosity of men vs the supposed monsters that live out in the wild. I did find that the ending and relationship resolution was a bit quick, especially in comparison to how well paced the rest of the story was. All in all, an excellent historical romance with a dash of the speculative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Misogyny and Colonisation
torturedreadersdept's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book. It was well-written and kept me interested the whole way through.
I loved both Nena and Nestor’s characterizations. I fell in love with both of them and was rooting for them. Her writing is so visceral it makes your heart skip a beat or ache for these characters.Nestor’s love for Nena is heartbreakingly beautiful and I wanted to cry for him when the patron banished him and Nena said nothing . I really appreciated that there’s very little miscommunication. The characters pretty quickly tell each other their sides of the story and even if they are angry, they communicate. Beto was also a very loveable character. I thought the depictions of the vampires were creative and very well-written. The way she writes about the colonization and draws the parallels to real life is so well done.
There are quite a few Spanish words throughout the book but it’s not hard to look up any unknown words. I will also note that I think the book is romance first with the vampire plot being a sub-plot but still very significant. Overall I really enjoyed this read.
I loved both Nena and Nestor’s characterizations. I fell in love with both of them and was rooting for them. Her writing is so visceral it makes your heart skip a beat or ache for these characters.
There are quite a few Spanish words throughout the book but it’s not hard to look up any unknown words. I will also note that I think the book is romance first with the vampire plot being a sub-plot but still very significant. Overall I really enjoyed this read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Child death
yourbookishbff's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, Stalking, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood
yilliun's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Solid cozy fall weekend read. Definitely expected Twilight/ Vampire Diaries type vampires not monstrous Nosferatu types, BUT I think that sexy vampires would have detracted from the story. I did find myself genuinely afraid at certain points in the book. I like that Cañas blended historical romance with a definite gothic thriller twist.
I still don’t 100% understand the choice to rush back to Los Ojuelos instead of trying to regroup and find their companions. It did give us the forced proximity trope so I can’t be too mad about it
Being a non-Spanish speaker, there were a few terms I needed to look up to understand the story. I do think the mix of English and Spanish terms made the characters and their landscape more believable.
Being a non-Spanish speaker, there were a few terms I needed to look up to understand the story. I do think the mix of English and Spanish terms made the characters and their landscape more believable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Misogyny, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
imstephtacular's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence, Medical content, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury