Vampires of el Norte

by Isabel Cañas

English language

Published June 6, 2023 by Penguin Publishing Group.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-43672-1

(3 reviews)

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.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

When the United States attacks 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.

1 edition

B. Zelkovich reviewed Vampires of el Norte by Isabel Cañas

Review of 'Vampires of el Norte' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Ok. I actually really liked the ending. BUT, it was an uphill battle the whole way with this book. I also feel like this is more a historical romance with supernatural elements than a historical horror with a romance plotline. Again, Cañas's stories feel like they're for people not versed in horror/gothic tropes. Which is great, if you're that reader.

If you aren't... Well. It's a bit of a slog. There's enough good here that I'm happy I finished it, but it wasn't quite what I'd expected or hoped for.

Axl reviewed Vampires of el Norte by Isabel Cañas

Review of 'Vampires of el Norte' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

First of all, amazing cover wow,
This is an historical romance book, barely horror/fantasy and i couldnt be more happy lol, I melted a few times, im once again reminded that these kind of men are FICTIONAL but that's okay, I also loved Nena and her machete, it was also very easy to read

Annie the Book reviewed Vampires of el Norte by Isabel Cañas

Vampires of El Norte, by Isabel Cañas

5 stars

Nina would probably have lived an ordinary (if resentful life) as the wife of a don in northeastern Mexico if it hadn’t been for two things. One of those things was the American invasion that kicked off the Mexican-American War. The second, and more important, thing that changed her life was the vampire. Isabel Cañas drops us straight into Vampires of El Norte by having us follow a young Nina and her best friend, Néstor, as they venture into the darkness near Nina’s father’s rancho on the hunt for some lost Spanish gold. They never find the gold. Instead, a vampire finds them and attacks Nina. Néstor flees, fearing that his dearest friend is dead...

Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.