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jillaay_h's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism
cheye13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I think expectations are absolutely key to enjoying this story. It is a dramatic historical romance with some speculative horror atmosphere. I found this to be a beautiful and nearly perfect story. The setting is so skillfully portrayed that it's seemlessly immersive. The emotions of the leads are nearly tangible. Within a single chapter, my heart ached for these two as if I knew them. And while there is technically a typical romance third-act conflict, it was so well executed, I nearly didn't notice it. An absolutely beautiful story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Sexual content
crystalisreading's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This was great. As good as that GORGEOUS cover. I'm a baby about horror, but I didn't find it really scary, just very atmospheric. Excellent audio narration. Creative vampires. Great treatment of violent colonizers and examination of unfair labor practices, done so smoothly it was a part of the the story, not a distraction. Has me thinking about the Mexican-American war now. A book to enjoy but also digest later. Recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual content
v_neptune's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
extremely strong start, but from the middle onward it was narratively kind of weak. still enjoyed it though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
apple_atcha_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
megasis487's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A spontaneous read on my part that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters are what made the book shine as well as miss Cañas writing ability of detailed metaphor that really brought her world to life. There were parts that had me a restless nervous wreck, that tore my heart in two, and also made me swoon. What a wonderfully crafted story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and War
Minor: Grief
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Finished reading: June 28th 2024
“Don't you always. He did. Porque así fue la suerte. Nothing worth wanting came easy; nothing worth wanting was ever given to men of dust and sweat.”
I'm honestly still speechless. It's no secret that I'm usually allergic to vampire stories, but after being blown away by The Hacienda I decided to take a gamble and add Vampires Of El Norte to my TBR anyway. I absolutely loved Isabel Cañas' writing style in her debut, and I had high hopes that this alone would be enough to help me forget about my aversion towards fanged creatures. Not only did this happen, but this might actually be the first time I end up giving a vampire story the full five stars. What an absolutely stunning and simply glorious read! Vampires Of El Norte is part historical fiction, part romance and part supernatural horror, with a war and family drama thrown in to add even more dept. The historical Mexican setting is sublimely done, and it truly transports you to the 1840s and a turbulent time in Mexico. The writing itself is vivid and stunning, and I basically knew this book was going to get the highest rating after just a couple chapters. This also has a lot to do with both main characters Nena and Néstor, who were able to win over my heart almost immediately. Vampires Of El Norte uses a dual POV structure, switching between Nena and Néstor to give us a better idea what happens both when they are apart and together. The supernatural horror element is also extremely well done, and I loved how the curandera healing was incorporated into the plot. I'm honestly a bit lost for words as it is SO hard to write a review that does this story justice... If you enjoy well written historical fiction with a supernatural twist as well as a dose of romance and don't mind things getting dark and twisted, I cannot recommend Vampires Of El Norte enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cannibaldear's review against another edition
5.0
LOVE A VAMPIRE AS A METAPHOR FOR WHITE GREED AND TURNING GOVERNMENTS/ENVIRONMENTS AGAINST THEIR PEOPLE!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
carlyoc's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Another fresh take on vampires. Adding to the ranks of recen Mexican vampire stories like Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Certain Dark Things, this book has some notable differences. The vampires are semi-sentient beasts rather than humanistic love interests and the story has a historical setting during the Mexican-American war.
Nena is thr daughter of a ranchero in Northern Mexico. She and her childhood friend Nestor are in love, but he is the son of a vaquero, a ranch worker and of a lower social class. But before that issue can come to a head, they encounter a creature that attacks Nena and leaves Nestor thinking she is dead. In his grief, he runs away to become an independent vaquero. He returns nine years later to help defend the ranch from the invading Yankees and only then discovers that Nena is alive. Together, they learn that the Yankees are using the vampires as weapons and how to defeat them. But will anyone at the ranch listen to them given their forbidden relationship?
Nena is thr daughter of a ranchero in Northern Mexico. She and her childhood friend Nestor are in love, but he is the son of a vaquero, a ranch worker and of a lower social class. But before that issue can come to a head, they encounter a creature that attacks Nena and leaves Nestor thinking she is dead. In his grief, he runs away to become an independent vaquero. He returns nine years later to help defend the ranch from the invading Yankees and only then discovers that Nena is alive. Together, they learn that the Yankees are using the vampires as weapons and how to defeat them. But will anyone at the ranch listen to them given their forbidden relationship?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Blood, Grief, and War
janey_bones's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Isabel Cañas' 'Vampires of El Norte' pleasantly surprised me with its captivating blend of romance, historical fiction, and socio-political commentary. While initially expecting a horror narrative akin to 'The Hacienda,' I found myself immersed in a richly detailed world where the metaphorical 'blood-sucking colonizers' take center stage. Cañas' exquisite prose effortlessly transports readers to a vividly depicted time and place, evoking a sense of nostalgia and intrigue. While not a conventional horror tale, 'Vampires of El Norte' excels in its unique exploration of themes and its ability to keep readers engaged until the very end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Animal death, Death, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism