This was super cute!! I like this author, she has a great writing style and unique stories. With that said I didn't give this a 5 star because it personally was a little too YA for me.

There was limited romance and a lot of it was cheesy. This would be great for someone who likes fantasy that isn't spice or romance heavy. The writing is a bit immature so may be better for some younger readers!

With that said, her writing is awesome and her stories are well plotted out. If this were a genre I read a lot this would def be a fav!! You should read this if you like YA vampire romance, so cute!!

I’ve read a lot of vampire books, but each one could not be more different. A CRUEL THIRST, my fifth vamp read this year, draws from Mexican folklore and introduces a vampire who willingly suffers to maintain his humanity.

In Angela Montoya’s historical teen romance, Lalo Villalobos “sucks” at being a vampiro. Haunted by his initial deadly rampage when first turned, he refuses to become like the monster who killed his parents. Despite the pain and weakness, he will not feed on another human life.

Lalo and his sister Fernanda travel to Del Oro with a desperate plan to reverse his curse. Lalo’s research suggests that it might be home to the first vampire, or sediento. But it’s also home to a large family of skilled sediento hunters.

Carolina wants nothing more than for her father to see her strength and ability to hunt sedientos just like the men. After multiple failed attempts to prove herself by killing Lalo, the two become allies. Together they hunt for the original vampiro, whose death could vanquish all the monsters in his lineage, including Lalo.

I love Carolina’s confident and determined nature. She’s a great foil to Lalo’s gentle and straight-laced personality. Their sparing - both verbal and physical - is fun and flirty, keeping the tone light despite some dark subject matter. Carolina’s adventurous spirit and impulsive actions show Lalo, who previously found comfort in a quiet and cautious life, the joys of truly living.

A Cruel Thirst is a YA romance written for a teen audience. It’s also a fun, quick paced adventure for anyone who enjoys folklore-inspired stories with feisty female characters and sweet romance.

✨✨ARC Review✨✨

Don’t get me wrong I love Christmas and the fun contemporary holiday romances that come with it but, I was starting to get burnt out on them. Then i noticed this book A Cruel Thirst was on my calandra as it comes out December, 17!

Our MMC is Lalo, he usually does not act on impulse and tends to play life safe. Lalo as a child witnesses a vampire murder both of his parents and vows to avenge his parents. On the night he was meant to get his revenge he instead, reluctantly becomes a vampire.
Our FMC Carolina longs to join her family in becoming a vampire hunter. Unfortunately after a tragic accident involving the death of her grandfather, her father would rather marry her off and send her away “somewhere safer” Carolina is determined to not let that happen and prove herself as a vampire huntress.
Together our MCs reluctantly work together to rid the town of vampires.

I loved this book! I enjoyed the relationship development between the two MCs, it went from instant hate, to pining, to passion which are the best elements to any love story. I enjoyed the setting of this story, although Del Oro doesn’t exist it sure felt like it did when I was reading this book!

If you are looking for a fast paced YA novel with vampires definitely check this book out!

Full of all the pining a good vampire/vampire hunter pairing needs! This was such a fun read, with great pacing, wonderfully dramatic characters and the perfect amount of romance for the target audience.

DNF 21% in.

Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours and Joy Revolution for providing me with an arc.

I was really excited for this one as I did love Angela Montoya’s debut book last year but this one fell flat for me. I felt like the characters read really young for being 18 and 19, it would have worked better if they were younger. They also felt pretty one dimensional for me, 21% in I could only tell you basic facts that were surface level for both of them. It didn’t feel like there was any real mystery keeping me engaged and I didn’t care for either of the characters that far in. I did like the world and the lore was interesting but it felt like so much was revealed quickly that there wasn’t anything drawing me in to continue reading this one.

I am sad this one didn’t work for me and I will likely try whatever Angela writes next but this one really fell flat for me.

Review
9.14/10

What Worked For Me

Characters-10

The characters in A Cruel Thirst are wonderful. I loved the family relationships in this book, especially the one between Lalo, Fernanda, and Carolina and Nena. There was tension between the characters in this book, which made for a better story because you could feel what the characters were feeling, and understand where they were coming from. A Cruel Thirst had a lot of characters to follow, but the large ensemble cast was great because you meet so many great characters along the way, however, the story only mainly followed Lalo and Carolina.

Writing-10

This was the first novel I read by Angela Montoya. I loved the writing style, and I plan to read more from the author, The writing was lyrical in a way that made it easy to understand. Having two points of view was the best way to tell this story because as a reader, we wanted to hear from both Lalo and Carolina as they both have different feelings, emotions, and stories to tell.

Plot-9

A Cruel Thrist had a bit of a slow start for me, but I understood why because you need to have the background before getting to the meat of the story. I enjoy slow-burn stories in romance, so this was perfect for me as I got to know the characters as people before they got together. This is an adventure story as well as a romance, and I loved the action as well as the romance.

Genre

I’m looking to get more into Historical Fantasy, and this was a perfect mix of both genres. I loved learning about the period this was set in. The dialogue, as well as the outfits the characters were wearing, helped set the tone for this story. As a fantasy reader, I love strong world-building, and A Cruel Thirst was great in terms of world-building. I loved the addition of Mexican folklore in this book.

“Life isn’t something one just eases through. Life is a constant battle. Every moment of peace, every smile, every kiss that is worth a damn must be earned. So fight with me, Lalo. And if you are too weary from everything you’ve already been through, then I’ll raise my fists and fight for us both.”

In this glittering young adult romantic fantasy, aspiring vampiro huntress Carolina Fuentes and newly-turned vampire Lalo Villalobos must work together to rid the world of vampirism. After being secretly trained by her abuelo since she was a little girl, Carolina wants nothing more than to join her father’s guard and hunt down the vampiros in her town. Lalo’s parents were killed by a vampiro, and he has dedicated his life to researching and killing the beast. However, when he’s turned into a vampiro by his parents’ murderer, Lalo and his sister Fernanda are forced to flee their city and their parents’ murderer in search of an end to the vampiro curse. His research takes him to Carolina’s pueblo, though she would love nothing more than to kill him. When Lalo convinces Carolina they share a common enemy, they work together to destroy the vampiros once and for all, falling in love along the way.

A Cruel Thirst was a captivating novel filled with heart-stopping romance and dazzling adventure. While I was merely enjoying it at first, I slowly became increasingly invested in Lalo and Carolina’s story. Carolina is strong and willful, while Lalo is more quiet and timid in the beginning. I liked their dynamic and how they learn so much from each other, growing as people along the way. They are both so passionate about protecting the people they love, which I think was a key part of why they fit so well together. The plot of the novel was intensely interesting, especially the way the history of the vampiros was intertwined with Carolina’s family line and her pueblo. By uncovering the truth with Lalo, she wasn’t just enacting revenge on the vampiros—she was making amends for the past and helping Lalo create a new future where both their families would be safe. As with many vampire books, I found quite a few parallels to The Vampire Diaries. However, there were unique elements to Montoya’s vampiros that helped separate her novel from the countless other vampire books. I would have liked to see more mystery in Lalo and Carolina’s search for answers, because they seemed to quickly discover the truth and there were no big plot twists. But, I still thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the way Lalo and Carolina’s romance blossomed in the second half of the novel. Anyone searching for a romantic vampire novel rich with culture and strong familial bonds will love A Cruel Thirst.

Content Warning: blood, loss of family member, violence, and closed door scene.

Thank you to Hear Our Voices book tours and Joy Revolution for an advanced readers copy of A Cruel Thirst by Angel Montoya and the opportunity to review this book.

This Mexican YA paranormal fantasy, told in third-person dual POV, follows Carolina, a vampire huntress, and Lalo, a reluctant fledgling vampire, as they team up against a shared enemy. Packed with enemies-to-lovers tension, witty banter, and themes of self-discovery, it’s a thrilling and heartfelt story.

For additional thoughts, check out my video review - https://www.instagram.com/p/DDbOh9mgiE6/

After a stunning debut, Angela Montoya knocks it out of the park again with her second book, A Cruel Thirst. Sophomore slump who? A Cruel Thirst is a YA romantasy between a prim and proper city boy turned vampire and a fiery vampire huntress with a score to settle.

The chemistry between Lalo and Carolina was natural. Both have such a deep love for their family and it was a joy to see that motivation bring them closer to each other. This book had me laughing out loud and giggling and kicking my feet. Montoya excels at writing YA that feels accurate to the age of the characters and intended audience, yet enjoyable to read at any age (which is not always the case with YA in my opinion). I could see how intentionally every character, including the side-characters, was written. Fernanda and Nena have my heart, they were so adorable.

I just love a story that celebrates the strength in gentle men and ferocious women. I highly recommend any YA romantasy lovers check out A Cruel Thirst coming out December 17th!

A Cruel Thirst follows fledgling vampire Lalo Villalobos and vampire hunter Carolina Fuentes as they work together to end the monsters that threatens their families.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I really enjoyed this book!! The origin of vampires in this story felt fresh and had me reading to learn more. It was very fun to watch Lalo and Carolina’s relationship develop as they begrudgingly work together. The banter was top notch! Lalo was such an easy character to love. He’s kind, handsome, and selfless. Carolina is also great, a strong girl ready to prove that she is just as good of a monster hunter as any man in her family. Family is at the heart of this story. Both Lalo and Carolina are fiercely protective of their respective families. You can feel the love each character has for the rest of their family. If you’re looking for a new romantasy, then definitely check this book out!

Thank you Random House Children’s & TBR and Beyond Tours for providing this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Vampires, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers AND Mexican inspired lore/historical fantasy? I loved it. All of it. I will be recommending this to everyone I know! Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Angela Montoya for the eARC!

First off, how cute is this cover 🤩?! A Cruel Thirst features Lalo who has been planning on getting revenge for his parents who were killed by a vampire. That failed drastically when he ends up being turned into the very thing he hates. He ends up on the run with his sister as he tries to find a cure bringing them to a place filled with a long line of vampire hunters. One being Carolina who wants to be the best vampire huntress there is. Yet, everything changes when the two meets and a fake dating of convenience ensues between them as they work together to help each other.

The two main characters in this book were great. Lalo was not the average male character where instead, he’s shy, awkward, and prefers to be alone because of how people view him. Carolina is a fierce female character, and with these two opposites attract, their chemistry was everything with the banter between them. This book is rich in culture and lore, and I love the history elements in it. I recommend checking this book out if you’re looking for a young adult enemies to reluctant allies as both the characters go through changes and growth in this book that has a nice focus on family and what we do to protect them.

Thank you to tbrbeyondtours and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own!

I absolutely love Angela's work and her previous book, Sinner's Isle, which is one of my favorite YA fantasies. So needless to say, I was so excited to read this! Carolina and Lalo are sheer perfection. You get vampires, vampire slayers, swoony romance, action, adventure, and enemies to lovers. There was so much tension, pining, and chemistry while fighting the fact that they obviously should not have this attraction as a vampire and vampire slayer. The banter was so well-written and fun and I ate this up. Angela always balances out emotion, romance, and adventure so well.

Actual Rating: 4.5⭐

If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers story between a vampire and a vampire hunter, look no further—this book is for you!

The plot was well-paced and well-written; I was hooked right from the start until the end following Carolina and Lalo tackled the vampire issue.
The characters are loveable and I especially enjoyed the funny teasing between the siblings, which really enlivened the story!

Carolina is a badass character whom I admire and love. She’s a fierce fighter and lover, often quite reckless and prideful, and finally she meets her match in Lalo—the sweetest and sometimes awkward guy who always riles her up but also becomes one of the few people who can comfort, understand and support her.

I loved the chemistry between the two of them. It was delightful to see their banter and slight flirting!
I was rooting for them the entire time and curious to see how or whether they would get their happy ending while saving mankind from vampires.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and entertaining YA vampire romance that comes with a satisfying ending!
I’m definitely keeping an eye out for more books by this author in the future!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Grief, animal death, blood, gore, violence

this book was soon goood!!!

I had such a great time reading it, and the tension and romance build up was just everything. Having a dual point of view between the two main characters really helped. I absolutely adored the writing style, the family lore and the world-building. I loved the representation, it's really lovely to see more marginalised groups being represented.

The yearning and pining was everything!! It took so long to get there, but that's what made it such a good book. Like I've never read a vampire x vampire hunter book before but it was done so spectacularly. I would have loved an epilogue scene, regardless I really enjoyed the pacing and atmosphere of this book. It was just such a fun read.

Highly recommend it you want a fake engagement, Latin American representation and romance fantasy books!!

Thank you to Hear Our Voices tour, the author Angela Montoya and Penguin random house books for this ARC.

4.25 ⭐️

A Cruel Thirst follows Carolina, a fearless vampire huntress, and Lalo, a recently turned vampire, as they embark on a journey to uncover a cure that could end vampirism forever. When Carolina’s father tries to marry her off to his godson Rafa, she claims to be in love with Lalo to escape the arranged betrothal. Meanwhile, the two secretly continue their mission to find a cure for Lalo.

This book is a fast-paced, utterly charming romantasy that had me hooked from start to finish. I adored the witty banter and simmering tension between Carolina and Lalo—they’re a dynamic pair you can’t help but root for. Beyond the romance, the story beautifully explores the many ways love manifests, from familial bonds to self-sacrifice. It’s a heartfelt tale that had me smiling and giggling more than once.

CAWPILE Rating
Characters: 8 – Carolina and Lalo are compelling, well-rounded, and their chemistry is electric.
Atmosphere: 7 – The vivid settings and supernatural elements set the perfect tone.
Writing: 8 – Angela Montoya’s writing style is engaging, balancing humor and emotion seamlessly.
Plot: 8 – The storyline is captivating and well-paced, with just the right amount of twists.
Intrigue: 8 – The mystery of the cure and the growing romance kept me turning pages.
Logic: 7 – While enjoyable, a few moments required a slight suspension of disbelief.
Enjoyment: 8 – A thoroughly delightful read that left me eager for more!

If you’re a fan of romantasy with humor, heart, and a touch of the paranormal, A Cruel Thirst is definitely worth the read.

4.25 ⭐️

A Cruel Thirst follows Carolina, a fearless vampire huntress, and Lalo, a recently turned vampire, as they embark on a journey to uncover a cure that could end vampirism forever. When Carolina’s father tries to marry her off to his godson Rafa, she claims to be in love with Lalo to escape the arranged betrothal. Meanwhile, the two secretly continue their mission to find a cure for Lalo.

This book is a fast-paced, utterly charming romantasy that had me hooked from start to finish. I adored the witty banter and simmering tension between Carolina and Lalo—they’re a dynamic pair you can’t help but root for. Beyond the romance, the story beautifully explores the many ways love manifests, from familial bonds to self-sacrifice. It’s a heartfelt tale that had me smiling and giggling more than once.

CAWPILE Rating
Characters: 8 – Carolina and Lalo are compelling, well-rounded, and their chemistry is electric.
Atmosphere: 7 – The vivid settings and supernatural elements set the perfect tone.
Writing: 8 – Angela Montoya’s writing style is engaging, balancing humor and emotion seamlessly.
Plot: 8 – The storyline is captivating and well-paced, with just the right amount of twists.
Intrigue: 8 – The mystery of the cure and the growing romance kept me turning pages.
Logic: 7 – While enjoyable, a few moments required a slight suspension of disbelief.
Enjoyment: 8 – A thoroughly delightful read that left me eager for more!

If you’re a fan of romantasy with humor, heart, and a touch of the paranormal, A Cruel Thirst is definitely worth the read.

The book had good pacing and the writing was enjoyable. Maybe the plot could have been more fleshed out, but overall it was a little fun read. 3 stars.

This was such a great read! I love any kind of vampire book, and the characters made this even better. I LOVE Carolina and her stubborness, and the forbidden romance/enemies to lovers was so well-written.

One of the best books I have read this year.

The vampire lore, the Latin culture influence, and the characters were written so well! My experience reading this book was phenomenal because I felt that I was growing alongside the characters. The romance development was spot on, never felt rushed, and it felt just right. It was everything I was looking for in a vampire, soul-mates, enemies-to-lovers story!