Item: Vampires of El Norte
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Isabel Cañas

AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

Vampires, vaqueros, and star-crossed lovers face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States invades Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.

Book Summary:

Nena was born and raised in Mexico during the 1840s. As such, she's well aware of the expectations set upon her. Likewise, she's not unaware of the monsters that pose significant risk to her and everyone she loves.

However, those monsters have usually been in the form of men. Now, there's supernatural hunting her people, and it will change their lives forever. Will it cost Nena everything to get to the bottom of this?

My Review:

Okay, you dangle the phrase "supernatural western" in front of me, and you just know I'm going to read it. Vampires of El Norte is everything that caption promised – and then some. It's a western drama, a tale of forbidden love, and a battle against evil (both human and supernatural) all in one.

There's a lot I want to say about Vampires of El Norte, but I'm afraid most of it will be spoilers. What I can say is that I enjoyed this story. It's split into two perspectives, Nena's and Néstor's (hint: here comes the forbidden romance bit).

Their story was delightfully complex, weaving in trauma with family dynamics/demands, not to mention local politics. All of that would have made a great story on its own. Throw in vampires, and you've got an interesting mixture.

Long story short, I loved Vampires of El Norte. I'm officially a fan of Isabel Cañas. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Highlights:
Different Take on Vampires
Forbidden Romance
Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Supernatural Western

Trigger Warnings:
Blood/Gore
Colonialism

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Vampires of El Norte

by Isabel Cañas

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Aug 31, 2023

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