VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE. ๐ง๐ผ๐ง๐ผโโ๏ธ๐ง๐ผโโ๏ธ๐๐ป
Set in 1840's Mexico, 'Vampires of El Norte' by Isabel Caรฑas follows Nena, an independent and strong-willed curandera determined to prove herself to her ranchero father before she is arranged to be married. Nรฉstor, a vaquero from the auxiliary cavalry and Nena's childhood sweetheart, returns after a 9-year absence - after the day that Nena was attacked by a vampire and presumed dead. Now, with the growing threat of the United States looming over Mexico and sightings of the blood-sucking creatures increasing, Nena and Nรฉstor must work together once again to face dangers from all sides.
I absolutely loved this. It felt like a Gothic Western and it was such an enjoyable blend of horror, historical fiction, and romance. I'll be real with you - it wasn't what I initially expected. There was a high focus on the relationship aspect and I'm not a romance reader but I ended up really enjoying the dynamic between Nena and Nรฉstor. Think: mild telenovela but with vampires and a gothic atmosphere. I mean, come on. That sounds AWESOME, right? I completely fell in love with Nรฉstor's character. The longing, the passion, the undying love... I admit, I was swooning over this fictional man.
This is one that I'll be recommending a lot. It covers a lot of different genres and I think it has something for everyone. Second chance/forbidden romance, vampires and gruesome deaths, and a historical setting with the Mexican-American War as its backdrop. All with beautiful, romantic prose and vivid atmosphere. I think it's perfect for new horror fans who are testing the waters or anyone who prefer milder horror elements.
Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.
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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, Nรฉstor 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 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 Nรฉstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunionโand Nenaโs rage at Nรฉstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago-is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.
Favorite quote: โHe's a broken man, but he isn't broken because of me. He was broken before he met me. Sometimes people think if they love a broken person enough, they can be what finally repairs them, but the problem with that is the other person just ends up broken, too." Summary: "It Starts With Us" focuses on getting better and beginning a new life of healthy love. It's a tale about experiencing love for the first time and about showing others the love you feel they deserve. This book demonstrates that not all romantic love will last and not all parental love is unconditional. โ๐ผ๐ซถ๐ผ