I enjoyed this but I ultimately wanted more of a focus on the vampire action and less of a focus on the love story element.

As a fan of vampire stories, I was excited to dive into Vampires of El Norte, and I found it to be a very unique take on the genre. The setting and cultural elements added fresh layers that set it apart from typical vampire tales. While it didn’t fully capture me the whole way through, it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different in vampire fiction.

I loved this book. The book is dark, intriguing and unsettling. Set in Mexico. In 1840s, something unsettling happened that changed Nena’s life completely. A monster attacked her and Néstor abandoned her as he thought that she is dead and it’s been nine years now. Néstor has been living in the grief that he couldn’t save her. When US invades Mexico, they meet each other again but will Nena forgive him and give him another chance. It was dark and terrifying. The danger that was lurking near the ranch and everything that was happening was so terrifying. Nena’s character was brave.

Thanks to the Publisher

Excellent. Loving the Mexican horror boom and it really adds to the vampire trope as not being westernised and recycled. This authors previous book was good but this was better - love to see writing improvement

Ich war von der ersten Seite an hooked, ich konnte meine Augen nicht mehr von dieser Geschichte nehmen. Gib mir Vampire, gib mir ein historisches Setting, gib mir zwei komplexe Charaktere, getrennt durch tragische Ereignisse, gib mir Kommentare über Geschlechter, Klasse, Hierarchie, gib mir Slow Burn Romance. Gibst du mir all diese Dinge, dann gibst du mir dieses Buch.

many thanks to rebellion for letting me read this book!

vampires of el norte was an incredibly frustrating read for me because unlike other books i disliked there were aspects that i found genuinely enjoyable and interesting. the setting of 1840s mexico was portrayed in a way that made it feel intriguing and alive and the book‘s vampires were probably my favourite element. however, all the positives got overshadowed by my biggest issue with the book which is unfortunately also it’s focus: the relationship between néstor and nena. both characters felt relatively bland, some of néstors internal monologue regarding nena actually felt uncomfortable, and they both just came across as immature idiots making their dynamic fall completely flat. the section where they are alone of the road really affirmed my dislike of these two characters so by the time we had the big emotional fallout in the last quarter of the book i was just annoyed. the prose in this book also became an issue for me because i just realised how often the author would use the same words over and over again or use slightly different words to just describe the same thing as moments before. i don’t think i‘ll ever want to give this book another shot and i doubt i will recommend this to anyone else.

1.75/5 ⭐️

A supernatural western set on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1840s?! Say less.

We have Nena, the daughter of a rancher, whose family has been struggling with the threat of Anglo settlers from the north. That is until something more sinister attacks Nena one night 👀 We also have Nestor, her childhood sweetheart who goes on the run after the attack thinking Nena is dead.

Cut to 1846 when the two are thrown back together again as the United States attacks Mexico. Their reunion is fraught as Nena is full of anger at being abandoned, but they have bigger things to worry about… 🩸

Yes, it’s a love story and I don’t often reach for love stories, but I liked the backdrop of the setting and the war and the supernatural entity draining men of blood. I’m also a big fan of learning more about different time periods through the means of fiction (like okay maybe not everything is entirely accurate, it’s historical FICTION after all, but it often prompts me to go down rabbit holes of reading more about events around this time!)

Personally I think it would have benefited from being a little darker, a little more bloody… but sometimes it’s nice for me to read a little bit of romance! 3.5 stars.

I do love a good vampire story and I was very impressed with this one- its originality, its evocative setting, its historical context - a pretty dark horror/love story I’d say! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

This was definitely a slow burn book, i did love the atmospheric setting. I was expecting more vampires kind of a from dusk till dawn vibe but it surprised me by being a historical romance with gothic horror vibes. I loved it.

Based on the description I was super excited to start reading this book, but as I dug in, I found myself losing interest in fast pace. The book is a rather slow read, thus takes its time to introduce and describe characters and their past with relationships. For those, who love in-depht descriptions and slow-burning masterfully written(!) book, I surely recommend this read. Sadly, I am more into "faster paced" books and did not finish the book.

<b>“He could survive on the scraps from her table—​had he not spent the last nine years starving? Anything she gave him now was a bounty.”</b>

Oh what an absolutely gorgeous gothic romance !! I adore them.

Two childhood sweethearts separated by tragedy, a woman trying to prove herself as worth more than marriage, a war, classism, colourism, rebuilding trust, and monstrous grey four-legged vampires that want to finish what they started. Oh and the yearning, so much yearning!!

Huge fan pls read

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Solaris for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

I had really high expectations for this book because I so loved another by this author, The Hacienda, but I just couldn't get into this one. I had little connection to Nestor in particular and while I liked Nena it was hard to keep reading. dnf @ 34%

3.5 ⭐️
Thank you netgalley for the e-copy of this book.
I liked this but it’s not a horror. The writing was really great but again, not a horror. This was a historical fiction with some paranormal elements and a sprinkle of romance.
If I had to rate it as a horror book, it’d be 1 ⭐️. As a historical fiction/romance it’d be like a 4 ⭐️ cuz the writing was lovely and I liked the tension between the characters - even though it was a very very slow burn romance, it was cute.

I'll edit this review later.

Vampires of El Norte is a truly incredible historic romance with a paranormal flare.

Isabel Cañas has pining and yearning down to an absolute art. Her writing is so lush, I was captivated by Nena and Nestor from the very first chapter. I adored their sweet moments together! I quickly became attached to them both and had my heart ripped out so early on in the book.

The wider plot beyond the core couple was outstanding. I was completely gripped and could feel the eerie, creeping sensation of being watched. This is action packed and steeped in folklore. I can’t rate this highly enough and can’t wait to purchase a physical copy. I would highly, highly recommend this stunning book!

I thoroughly enjoyed Vampires of El Norte, from the Historical setting to the vampire element and even the romance between Nena and Nestor.
Set in 1840s Mexico, a little Romeo and Juliet esque, the relationship between Nena and Nestor after they find their way back to each other is filled with anger.
Will Nena ever forgive him? Will they ever find a way to be together?
A really enjoyable read.!

4.75! Sure I’ll be a historical romance girlie if you throw in vampires and BEAUTIFUL PROSE.

Firstly, let me start by saying my foray into historical romance is recent, and so my tastes and broad and unrefined (yet). But you don’t need to be a connoisseur of this genre to understand what a brilliant and evocative tale VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE is.

Cañas seamlessly blends powerful themes here, while keeping the heart of this book firmly rooted in romance: supernatural horror, an incisive commentary on race politics, class and gender constructs, second chance romance, and an inherent cultural and heritage pride that bleeds into the narrative like the soil from Nena’s familial ranch rises to the air in a storm. There is a pervasive and deep rotted _love_ of culture here, a strong commentary on colonialism and the very real events that took place in Mexico and what became modern day Texas during the 1800s.

Sure, this is a historical romance between childhood sweethearts whom spend their formative years ripped apart after a terrible encounter with a vampire during a late night affair to hunt for the treasure that might free Néstor from the constraints of being a vaquero, a lower class stable hand. It’s a heartwarming tale of lovers finding their way back to one another and casting off the shackles of expectation and fall in love again as adults.

But it’s also a story that has embedded deeply within it a protest against the violence committed against Mexican people on their homeland by white invaders. It is a story of race politics, where the vampires are both monstrous creatures and the men who come to steal land from its rightful openers. Cañas gives us a horror in two parts, both supernatural and very, very human.

The vampires themselves were unsettling, and Cañas does a brilliant job of crafting an unnerving atmosphere. The ONLY reason why this isn’t a five star read for is, is that I wanted MORE vampires! More horror! Of course, at its heart VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE is a historical romance horror, not a horror story. However I would have loved slightly more of the beautifully crafted horror elements fed through, particularly during the middle of the book and prior to Néstor’s return, when we’re discovering the true cause of the “susto” the soul suspension wreaking havoc on the population of Nena’s ranch and surrounding ranches.

But overall, I ate this up. The prose is stunning, and sure there are some melodramatic declarations from Néstor but honestly who wouldn’t want someone to widely claim they couldn’t live without you when vampires are stalking your home on two fronts?

Yes, more please.

So here's the thing: I went into this, based on the description and, well, the title, expecting an actual horror novel about vampires. And vampires do be in it, don't get me wrong. But <i>Vampires of El Norte</i> is, first and foremost, a historical romance. There are horror elements and they are well done, the vampires in this novel are genuinely creepy and have an interesting twist to them, but these elements are surprisingly rare and inbetween.
Oftentimes, when I get something different from what i expected, it puts a damper on my reading experience. I wanted horror, I wanted vampires, I wanted them on the forefront of the story. But Cañas' writing is so alluring and lush that I was sucked into the romance between childhood friends and impossible lovers Nena and Néstor anyway. There was a really eerie atmosphere throughout especially the second part of the book that made it almost unputdownable. For what it is - a historical romance with gothic vibes and horror elements - this book is really really good. I genuinely enjoyed the main characters, even though Nena does become a little annoying at times when there wasn't really any need for her to be, and I liked learning about Mexico during that time period and the political struggles an expanding US caused this country. To intertwine this with vampires in the way they were presented here was pretty amazing.

So yes, if you're into historical romances, exploration of Mexican history and all of that wrapped in gothic horror vibes with some vampires sprinkled on top, I wholeheartedly recommend this novel.

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas transports readers to the harsh and haunting landscapes of nineteenth-century Mexico, blending elements of history, romance, and gothic horror. As Nena and Néstor, childhood friends separated by tragedy, reunite amidst the turmoil of war and supernatural threats, they must confront not only the external dangers of their world but also the unresolved emotions between them.

Although I was expecting a gothic horror story, the novel leans more heavily into the romance genre. The vampires serve as an intriguing metaphor for greed and colonialism, reflecting the historical context of the story. The historical setting is well researched, adding depth to the storyline and enriching the reader's experience. Isabel Cañas' vivid descriptions and well-crafted characters shine throughout the narrative, with the dynamic between Nena and Néstor providing a compelling emotional core.

This book is recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia as well as readers who appreciate a blend of historical fiction, romance, and supernatural elements.

Thank you to Netgalley and Solaris books for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Set in 19th century Mexico, where America and Mexico are at war, Vampires of El Norte is essentially a romance novel with a few vampires thrown in along the way. The book is written from the perspective of the two protagonists, Nena and Nestor, childhood friends, turned unlikely lovers.

The book started off well, with the main characters Nena and Nestor coming face to face with the first vampire of the book (more of a beast-like predator than a member of the undead) that stalks the lands surrounding Nena’s family ranch. After this brief encounter separates the pair, I found the book became very slow, up until the 60/65% mark. There was a lot of repetition, showing the same events from each character’s perspective or rehashing the same emotional state of each character over and over again - “you left me”, “I thought you were dead” - we get it.

Whilst the author’s intermittent use of Spanish terminology certainly added to the setting and authenticity of the book, for me personally, it disrupted my engagement with the book, whilst I sat googling “vaquero” and other terms that described Mexican social status. But that’s more of a “me” problem.

Overall, it was a well written book and a decent story that explored love against the backdrop of social and economic class. BUT, I went in expecting a horror. About vampires. In reality, it was quite tame and didn’t have any creepy moments - it just wasn’t quite what I was looking for and whilst I’m sure some will really enjoy it, for me it was probably a 3.5 out of 5.

Thank you to Solaris and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel Cañas's second novel is set on the Texas-Mexican border in the 1840s (hence the 'El Norte', North Mexico, though this part later became South Texas). Nena is the daughter of the patrón of Rancho Los Ojuelos, while Néstor is the son of one of their peóns [farm workers]. After a vampire attack throws Nena into a deep coma known as susto, Néstor believes her dead and flees the rancho to become a wandering vaquero. But Nena's abuela is a curandera, a folk healer, and manages to bring Nena back to the land of the living. Nena starts work as a curandera herself, determined to prove her worth to her father and avoid an arranged marriage as they try and defend their land from Anglo settlers. When Néstor returns, the two fight their mutual attraction while seeking out the cause of a new plague of susto among Mexican men.

Vampires of El Norte has a great atmosphere - I've loved historical fiction set in the shifting borders of Texas since I read Philipp Meyer's The Son - and what we get of the vampires is nicely scary. It ultimately had too much of a romantic focus for my taste, and definitely sits on the boundaries of YA and adult fiction, despite being marketed as the latter. Having said that, I had the same kind of fun reading this as I did with Bridget Collins' The Binding, even if I resisted the final message that romantic love matters more than love of a place - especially in the context of a people who have been consistently displaced. As Cañas writes in her afterword: 'When did your family come to this country? As a young person, I struggled to answer... The Rio Grande Valley is a pocket of the world where the border has moved more often than the people living there... When did this country come to us?'