Carolina has always wanted to join her family of vampire hunters if only her father would see her, really see her. She has all the skill and talent, except she is a girl. Lalo is normally very level headed. Whatever made him go after the vampire that murdered his parents, no one will ever know. Now he himself is changing and will do everything he can to stop it. Carolina and Lalo have what is now one of my favorite meet cutes! What if she does try to kill him?! The banter between the two throughout the book is so fun. I adore our side charters, Fernanda and This is a vampire and vampire hunter love story, but it was so different than any I have read. The vampires were different. I loved their story. I was immersed in this story from start to finish. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Joy Revolution for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Overall rating: 2.75

Unfortunately, this book didn’t fully do it for me.

I have to give this book its flowers. It has great cultural representation, which I rarely see in fantasy or vampire books. It’s clear Montoya did her research, and it paid off wonderfully.

Loved Lalo’s character (and his sister!). Seeing his internal and external struggles felt raw. Instead of seeing him as a villain, I adored his individuality and emotional complexity.

Despite the positives of the novel, I couldn’t completely get invested. It felt very juvenile, and despite being 400 pages, it felt rushed…and slow? At many points, it felt like the romance became the main plot, while vampirism was pushed towards the back burner. It also felt a bit insta-lovey. I’m still not fully sure how Carolina went from hating vampires to immediately being attracted to and developing feelings for Lalo. Lina also embodies the very popular (and quite annoying) personality of “I’m not like other girls because I’m not girly.” The characters definitely did not act their age (early 20s).

With that being said, however, it is a good novel, just not for me personally. It’s not too graphic or violent, so it could fit into a young audience.

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book cemented that vampire media just doesn’t do it for me. I thought the plot was pretty interesting - definitely very creative, the characters were easy to root for, and the setting was very lovely, but I still just feel kind of meh towards this book. I also think the ending was a little too perfect for my tastes. Spoiler alert: not only does everyone live, but all the villains turn out to just be misguided people who are actually virtuous at heart.

What a wild adventure. I loved every second of this book and the journey our couple takes through the book. Loved the inclusion the authors culture while also adding g her own twist. I even got to meet the author during her book tour. Can’t wait to read her back list and all her upcoming books.

Super fast paced and entertaining- I love vampires and their fight to humanity. I do wish this was paced differently though/ big lead up for a few pages of action at the end and I just felt a little disappointed. Even their love story was too sudden for me.

Absolutely loved this book! It took me forever to read this simply because I did not want it to end! I enjoyed the world building, representation, and especially the romance. Such beautiful writing. Easily one of my favorite reads this year.

I unfortunately could not get into this book. I did try several times but I think the story just couldn't grasp or hold my attention.
I don't feel confident giving it a true rating as it was 100% my fault for not being able to get into the story. The writing is great and the concept is usually something that I would love. I'm hoping to give it a better shot down the line and for that I have kept it on my kindle. Once I am back in the mood for this type of story, I will leave a better review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book, I have just been very picky with the books that have captivated my attention or/and in the mood for.

Right out the gate, A Cruel Thirst drew me in with the intense and action packed beginning. The author knew how to get heart jumping and blood pumping with that opening. I'm a sucker for vampire stories (Buffy fan, yes) so getting another Latinx take on the myth was amazing. Lalo and Carolina, my heart broke for the tragedy they each endured because of the Vampiros. It was definitely seat gripping, nail biting when they first met considering the circumstances. I did laugh out loud quite a bit. The author's ability to write scenes and descriptions so effortlessly flowing kept my attention and I didn't want to stop reading. I needed to know what happened next and how things would wrap up. I was not let down at all. I may have shed a tear or two as well. I don't want to give away spoilers cause this book was a joy to read, but Nena and Fernanda were my favorite characters. The sass and just how the author brought them to life were so believable and hilarious. This book was everything a book should be.

First, thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.

I am absolutely captivated! This is the first book I've read by Angela Montoya, and I immediately will be getting Sinner's Isle (her debut) asap! This story revolves around Lalo, a quiet, sheltered scholar, and Carolina, a headstrong woman who's determined to prove she is just as capable as any man. After Lalo witnesses the death of his parents at the hands of vampiros, he is determined to track down the monster and prove that this evil exists. However, he himself is turned and not only does he have to grapple with the challenges of being a vampire but also navigate his own feelings about the very evil he despises. On the other hand, Carolina, is adventurous, spirited, and wants nothing more than to get revenge for her grandfather but also wants to show her father that she is a great vampiro hunter and more than capable of protecting their family. The contrasting personalities of the characters created a dynamic that kept me hooked.

The character growth is incredibly fulfilling. Lalo and Carolina both learn to confront their insecurities and desires, allowing them to mature individually and as a pair. Their journey is filled with touching moments and personal discoveries that made me root for them even more. The snippets of poetry throughout added a lovely layer, emphasizing their shared passion and emotional connection.

"and what is a few moments when our souls have loved each other since the beginning of time?"

What I loved most was the sweet, evolving romance between Lalo and Carolina. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the witty banter adds a playful touch to their interactions. It is a quick transition from enemies-to-lovers, but the whole time Lina was trying to kill Lalo, I was chanting KISS, KISS, KISS in my head. If I had barbie dolls of these characters, they'd have been mashed together.

Montoya expertly blends magic and family drama with this heartfelt romance, creating a rich tapestry of emotions. There are genuine struggles and vulnerabilities that make the characters feel all the more real, and I appreciated the depth she gave to them.

"A Cruel Thirst" is a beautifully crafted tale that combines heart and adventure, perfect for anyone who loves romance with depth. FIVE STARS!

This book has to be one of my all time faves!! ❣️ I love vampire romances- especially ones with strong FMC's- and this one hit the jackpot.

Things the author did amazingly 😍;
Characters 🎀
Her characters were well-fleshed out, and I felt like they were real people! It was a Jane Austen-esque drama with a diverse setting, and well done standings. The parents came off as likeable while still being strict with their daughter, the author perfectly pulling off that crazy hard balance between an overprotective parent and a hateable one. The MMC made me wanna hug him real tight and not let go. He was adorkable; basically, he was a book loving nerd who got turned into a vampire, and now has literally zero bloodthirst or even one hateful bone in his body, and is trying to figure out how to fix this so he can help his sister THIS IS WHY I READ FICTION PEOPLE. Also, the sister being lesbian was such a power move, love her for that. She took what she wanted, and didn't let anything stand in her way. I'm so glad there wasn't an exaggerated thing about it, you know, making it seem like being lesbian is so crazy and stuff, like, no it's not, can we return to the plot pls.
Setting 💗
I loved the setting. In a more Latin backdrop, I learned new things and got my societal view (I'm a regency girly), checking off all my boxes. The way it was described was just beautiful, and I felt like I could feel the forest, see the grand casa, and taste the clear water and see the brooks.
Writing 💞
Perfection. This author's writing was amazing, with perfect pacing, so we could expand on the story without it getting boring, and also giving us a detailed view on the characters minds. This was important to me, because a common mistake is when authors try and focus too much on plot, and they sideline the characters actual descriptions, and they end up sounding the exact same. Like, can we not? They're not all adorable sarcastic assholes, nor are they all broody quiet Azriels. So that's just another thing on the long list I could say the author did right, but I'm gonna stop here

This book was absolutely amazing, loved it, and I cannot WAIT for another book from this author. Thank you, NetGalley, and the publishers for giving me an eARC!

This was such an interesting take on vampirism! I really enjoyed the cultural representation as well.

However, the writing left something the be desired. I have noticed a reoccurring issue with YA (and even some adult) books where violent and dark content are written so juvenile-y. I did not think some of the content needed to be treated so lightly.

However, I still had a lot of fun with this one and would recommend to vampire lovers!

I absolutely love vampire tales, even though I’ve read very few books in this genre. This one stood out with its incredibly unique plot. Lalo, the protagonist, is turned into a vampire but is desperately struggling against fully transforming into one.

Unlike many movies and series where vampires are romanticized or have redeeming qualities, in this book, vampires are portrayed as monsters, staying true to their terrifying nature.

Rose, the female protagonist, is a vampire hunter, driven by her mission to eliminate the vampire race. Lalo and Rose are forced to work together, despite their differences, to destroy the vampire race.

The characters were well-written. I loved the emotional layers throughout the story. The backstory was rich and engaging, with a twist that took me completely by surprise and added even more depth to the plot.

This book is a great read in the fantasy and paranormal genre. It’s packed with action, emotion, and a touch of romance, making it an great read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys vampire tales with a fresh perspective.

"I want to kiss you, Carolina. But I fear that if I do, I might never stop."

Lalo Villalobos the man that you are!!!! 😍

This was my last read of 2024 and proved once again why I wait until the actual end of the year to do wrap-ups because I couldn't imagine not including this book! Montoya's Sinner's Isle was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and I had a feeling this would hold a similar spot in 2024.

I love how she took the formula from tangled and spun it on its head (and got rid of yk the problematic representation). THIS is what I expect from a comp - not a perfect retelling but something that adds to the original, beloved story.

Lalo is sheltered. A quiet (autistic-coded) scholar turned vampire who is disgusted with his vampireness. Carolina is the hellion, a daughter who just wants to prove her worth even if her reasons, as she comes to realise, are selfish. They are truly opposites: city vs country, quiet vs loud, adventure avoidant vs adventure seeking. Yet they share a love of poetry (I also loved the snippets of poems throughout) and family and it is enough.

There's banter and adventure, a perfectly plotted romance and wonderful character growth, magic and family drama.

This is the perfect fantasy romance and I'm so fucking excited to read what Montoya writes next.

Omg what a ride! From start to finish this was fun and deliciously tropey and sexy and silly all in one. I was smitten with Lalo’s dandiness and Carolina’s brash recklessness. They were such a contradiction but also worked so well together. It’s impossible not to love them.

2.75 rounded up to 3 stars

The first half of the book (genuinely, like about the first 51%) was so incredibly strong and interesting. I was ensnared in Carolina's story and her determination. I was invested in learning about the vampires, hearing about how Carolina would hone her craft and become even more vicious and intimidating.

But... then the romance happened. In the second half of the book were slammed into a relatively whirlwind romance. Everything happens FAST and it seems like the plot of the book ends up becoming second fiddle to the romance story itself. While I definitely don't regret the time I spent reading this book, I do feel like it could have benefited from stronger editing towards the end! This being said, the author has continued to improve with every book she publishes, and I will continue to give her a chance.

All my thanks to both Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC!

This story is a different take on vampires and vampire hunters. I enjoyed the humor and found myself laughing out loud at times. The romance that develops between Carolina and Lalo is sweet and I truly enjoyed both characters. I will definitely be purchasing for our library collection. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House Children's/Joy Revolution and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. This book did not work for me. It felt extremely formulaic and was going down a checklist to hit what point should come up next. I will say the chemistry between the protagonists was well done but I was skimming as quickly as I could to get to the end and see if I was right about where it was all going. This, for me, is not the new vampire/human romance fiction I want. I was bored and just wanted it to be over so I could start reading something else. It was just not for me. 2 stars.

An absolute delight! I loved not only the pacing of the story, but the telling of it as well. From start to end, I was given an adventure!

a vampire and vampire hunter must work together to get rid of all vampires, while they pretend to be in love (against their better judgement)

“𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙪𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙮 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧.”

thanks to Angela Montoya, Joy Revolution and TBR & Beyond Book Tours for sending me an ARC through Netgalley! this does not affect my thoughts about the book in any way. out now! check out my instagram post, to see some edits i made for this book <3

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK WAS ME GOING THROUGH THE FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF FOR REAL. my stress levels throughout this book was off the charts. there was not a moment of peace (or atleast thats what it felt like TT-TT)

enemies-to-lovers & fake-dating lovers, please assemble cause i have the perfect book for you!!! this book deserves all the love and attention cause i did not want to put this book down despite all the anguish it was causing me. oh and miss angela loves to torture both us and her characters casue tell me why two chapters in and both my adorable babies lose the one thing they love the most?? stunned does not explain my feelings, it was something beyond.

“𝙃𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙖𝙨, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙤.”

ᯓ★ let me start with lalo our sweet bookish boy. he'd rather stay home than do anything else, but obviously the universe had to intervene and was like boy u aint finding love in there, so here go and find it! and turned him into a vampire 😀 (classic move by fate i must say) the true gentleman whipped in love and literally the most cinnamon roll person ever. oh and he is such an amazing brother?!?!? he is the standard, the blueprint the everything!!! i will bubble wrap him and protect him for life (miss angela do not mess with him anymore pls 🥺) this boy is so whipped and obsessed with lina, i can’t 🥹💘

𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙯𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧.
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩?” 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙.
𝙃𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙. “𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚.”
“𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩. 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙊𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚.” 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙙. “𝙄’𝙢 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚.”

ᯓ★ then there's lina!!! she is so damn cool like WoW all she wants is to be part of the vampire hunters alongside her father and brothers but they wont let her cause she's a "girl" so off she went to prove her worth, and that's how she meets lalo (such a meet cute ૮꒰ྀི >⸝⸝⸝<꒱ྀིა and obviously there is a knife to throat moment 🤭) but she's also a badass who reads poetry and ajskdhhsdssdksdlk i love you lina!! her resilience, her bravery, she is everything i want to be in life! and the way even after that big reveal and the realization that what she knew wasn’t the entire truth she didn’t back down or give up, it just made her even more determined to reach her goal?! that’s carolina fuentes you all 😌✨

"𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚?"

ᯓ★ them together is the universe righting all wrongs and i will die on the hill that their love story is for the history books. the sassy banter, the señorita, the learning how to fight, ahhhsldjddskkk all their scenes are highlighted in my digital copy. literally 93 whole highlights and its all of their scenes and its not even one sentence each, its whole paragraphs of highlights. when i get a physical copy im gonna have to highlight the whole book while annotating. and the way these two were pining after each other from the start without realizing it is so hilarious and heartbreaking 😭 this love story is what all the poets write about 🥹💘 every god or mythical creature that kept them apart, i have some choice words for you

ᯓ★ and the whole myth behind the existence of vampiros/sedientos and the way that intertwines with them?!!?!?! INSANE!!! i did not expect that at all and im still flabbergasted by how the revelation made their relationship even more morally complicated for lina (poor girl just wants to love her boy in peace)

you should definitely read this book if you love:
🧛 latine fantasy
💘 slow burn romance
❤️‍🔥 dual POV
🔪 vampire x vampire hunter
🎀 so much banter
❤️ enhypen music coded

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's | Joy Revolution for the free e-arc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I loved the authors debut book and was part of the cover reveal and was excited to read it.its so so well done. I'm excited to see what she does next.

4.5/5☆