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bkwrm1317's review against another edition
- 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
A unique take on the vampire as beast/creature, rather than human beings turned to vampires as the more common take. The vampires of this novel are used and abused by the Texas Rangers in their pursuit of what is today South Texas/Northern Mexico.
Some minor/general novel arc spoilers below, so read with that in mind:
Nena and Néstor's struggles to overcome their own fear and shame in order to let their love flourish felt extremely real and well-executed by the author. I loved reading their story, as well as Nena's arc of finding her voice, getting out from under the thumb of her emotionally abusive father and manipulative mother, who are more about appearances and keeping up with the Joneses than their eldest daughter's needs or happiness.
Néstor realizing Nena is stronger when he supports her/that with his support she can face down literal monsters and can match him for bravery in that way is such a powerful moment in their character arcs.
I just really loved this one - it's another of those novels that felt like it was written just for me.
Graphic: Violence, Classism, and War
Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, and Emotional abuse
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Violence, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
kate_arts's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Classism, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Colonisation, Abandonment, and Gun violence
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Death, Classism, and Gun violence
Moderate: War
maebemerissa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Listen. I heard "vampires in Texas," and immediately added it to my TBR pile. It is heavy on the romance side, but the threat of vampires definitely added to the tension of the book. While there were times where I got frustrated with Nina, I had to remember that she's a Mexican women...in the 1840's. Not a lot of options for women at the time (get married to a rich guy, that was the ONLY option). By the end of the novel she grows into a badass vampire slayer Buffy herself would be proud of. AND she has a MAN who backs her up. I was eating up the tension between Néstor and Nina. Like, literally wondering how this love story was going to end until the very end.
Graphic: Violence and War
Minor: Sexism
americattt's review
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, and Violence
Moderate: War and Injury/Injury detail
eujenia_m's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment and Classism
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and War
vicktoreaux's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Colonisation, War, Death, Gore, Grief, and Classism
danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
And this frustration was compounded by the fact that the book switched POVs between the two main characters who were deliberately not communicating so we were constantly getting inner monologue about said miscommunication from both sides. And for me I also found myself frustrated by the constant switching of POV when it was most often switching between the POV of two characters in a scene together. So it felt a bit unnecessary. There was nothing being revealed plot wise for the most part that the reader needed to see a different POV to understand. It could’ve just been written from an omniscient 3rd person or third person multiple which it basically already is, without distinguishing between POVs.
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Animal death, Blood, Colonisation, Death, Violence, and War
bcollent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Moderate: War, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Colonisation and Racism