Vampires of El Norte

"I grabbed this novel as my August BOTM pick mostly because it sounded interesting but also because it was a bit outside my comfort zone. BOTM listed this as a horror pick and the clear mention of vampires in the title had me all in. Although there are monsters in this story, I would hardly classify it as horror. Honestly, this is a slow-burn romance novel with a splash of monsters because the love story really overshadowed the horror in my opinion. The setting was beautifully written and the time period societal struggles were also represented well. The two main characters were interesting and played well together. Overall this book left me feeling slightly disappointed in a way that I just can’t put my finger on. 2.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 3. "

"Although this book takes place in the 1840s, this book doesn’t make me feel like I’m reading a historical fiction. I’m not a big fan of romance novels but this one was so beautifully seamless. The book felt real and filled out. At no point did I feel like it was slow or dragged on. I originally picked up this book for the inclusion of vampires, of course. And it is very interesting how they integrated vampires into this story. Though this is a fictional story, I felt like I still had a look into history. How they lived, how they interacted, the hierarchy on the ranches that I have never heard talked about. I will say that this book is mostly in English but uses Spanish vocabulary. I love this little addition other than I had to look up words which often would halt the story for me. This book was better than I expected, I loved the flushed out characters, the story, and the love the character have not only for each other but for their homes. I can see the self reflection the character must do to survive and the book had many unlikeable characters BUT they felt real, like they could very well be a family member. As I was reading I found myself wanting to keep reading to see what would happen next in the war and happen next in the romance. Although Nena was very hardheaded, and I was rooting for Néstor, this author did a very good job at telling their story. I was entranced from start to finish. The vampires pop up periodically throughout the story but they are not the main focus. I think so much of the story is beautiful that I don’t hate the lack of fanged friends. This book speaks on class, racism, and gender but the story is so much more about these characters and the love that is given and found. I love the spooky element and I love the growth the characters make along the way as they lay down their traumas. If you like the supernatural as a background plot and people growing, changing and making the decision to be who they want to be, this book will be amazing"

"The book was good. It took a minute get into it but when I did I literally felt like I was around a campfire in Mexico being told this story. It wasn’t “scary” but it was definitely fun and interesting and almost cozy. It’s different which I love. "

"The Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas <br/><br/>Nena, the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, is no stranger to monsters. Her family home, the land, and all the people living on and around their ranch have long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north trying to invade their territory and take it for themselves. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead. <br/><br/>Often the people of the ranch would speak of a magic that ran over the land. She knew magic wasn't real but as she felt an unease in the air, different than the usual calm, she suspected maybe there was some truth about the monsters her elders told the children to keep them close to home. Especially at night. <br/><br/>At 13, those old tales did not deter Nena from sneaking out with her childhood sweetheart and best friend Néstor as they did many nights before once the house was still. As they were getting older, her parents frowned upon her spending time with Néstor. What would people say? She was to marry one of the fellow ranch owner's sons when she was old enough to make their alliances stronger. <br/><br/>To see each other now, Nena and Néstor had to sneak out at night. On this night, however, they were unfortunate to face one of the creatures mentioned in the stories and it changes Nena’s life forever. <br/><br/><i>A flash of teeth in the darkness. Fear was sour in her sweat, in her breath, in the pale wordless ringing in her ears as teeth as sharp as knives, sank into her neck.</i> <br/><br/>This story starts off with vampires, but that isn't the only monster her family and people at the ranch face. With the threat of invading outsiders trying to take their land, they all have to fight to keep what is theirs. Not only that, this tale faces a misunderstanding that over time, two people with shattered hearts reunite under grave circumstance. A war with vampires, with the monsters of men and of a love that was taken away leaving a huge emptiness in their lives. <br/><br/>Going into this story, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was a book club pick and I didn't read the synopsis and only knew it was about vampires in Mexico. I have never read a book that had Mexican ties and was curious how the story would play out. Many cultures have their own tales of wicked things, myths and old legends and I enjoy hearing them. <br/><br/>The only thing I struggled a little with were some of the Spanish words and phrases as no entiendo ni hablo español. I know very basic Spanish words that most know so that was the only issue I had with the story. The rest was great. The story was scary, sad, frustrating, and sweet. <br/><br/>The bulk of storyline is about two young people who battle with themselves and each other over lost time, understanding how each other feel, and what they will do for each other as they try to survive an attack on their homes by human and supernatural monsters, and her family about how feels about her life choices. <br/>I thought it was fantastic and written well. <br/>"

"I enjoyed the read but l'm not a fan of Nena. I understand her hurt; however since she sees herself as a mature woman, I feel like she could have been forgiving and understanding towards Nestor. Then later when Nenas father banished him, it was her time to defend Nestor but said nothing. Being banished he had to leave but she basically abandoned him by keeping quiet. What was Nestor reaction? He blamed himself. He said he should have never left her, then he came back to her. Just didn't seem fair."

"Finished in a day! Couldn’t put it down! "

"6/10<br/><br/>I feel like it just could’ve been more interesting. It had a wonderful setting and an incredibly interesting concept but everything hinged on the ******* romance. There were vampires and wars and historical gothic fiction and yet it was all overshadowed by the ******* romance."

"If you love yearning, this book is for you. I loved the exploration of colonization, and identity, and class, and what a woman’s place is. Isabel Cañas is a master."

"Rich in emotion and gorgeous scenery. The main characters’ love and struggles were palpable, and the narration was excellent. The vampires added texture to the story but were not the entire point of the story which was a refreshing change from most fantasy books. A perfect standalone. "

"I wanted it to be scarier"