A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya is an appealing twist on the vampire genre. The novel follows the main characters Lao Villalobos and Carolina Fuentes, vampire, and vampire huntress. Lalo is a shy, socially awkward scholar, more at home with books than people. He is a newly turned vampire and is on a mission to protect his sister and slay the original vampire to reverse his state. Lalo, who is averse to drinking blood and does not want to harm anyone, flees the city, and meets Carolina while seeking the original vampire’s location. Carolina, a vampire huntress in training, vows to kill all vampires after an attack on her pueblo. She is determined to fight the monsters despite her father’s refusal to allow her to be a hunter. She takes on the challenge alone to prove her worth. Lola and Carolina reluctantly join forces to defeat the vampires and protect the community and along the way a romance unfolds.

I love this story. There is romance, adventure and humor. It is a historical novel that blends Mexican folk lore that provides a unique take of vampires. Despite being enemies, Lalo and Carolina are attracted to each other and realize that they must work together to achieve their goals. The banter between them is humorous, along with the descriptions of Lalo's incompetence as a vampire and the lengths he goes to hide his true nature. The ending keeps readers on the edge of their seats, delivering a satisfying conclusion. Fans of vampire stories, especially paranormal enemies-to-lovers romances with a slow burn will enjoy this fun read.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC. Opinions are my own

When I tell you I DEVOURED this book (no pun intended) I ate it up like a vampiro who had not fed in days. I love love loved this book. It was so wholesome and hilarious at the same time. I felt that the characters really acted their age while not being annoying either. This book centers around two main characters, Carolina and Lido. It is a dual POV story, and I think being dual POV really makes the story that much better. Lido's parents are killed by a vampiro and he is on the hunt for revenge. He finds the woman who killed his parents and unfortunately loses his bid for revenge and returns home to his sister as a newly turned vampiro. This turning causes him and his sister, Fernanda, to flee their home city to search for some way to reverse the vampirism curse. Lido's studies over the history of vampirism leads them to a small village with a vampiro hunting mayoral family. The mayor's daughter is none other than Carolina, who is determined to become a vampiro hunter. Carolina and Lido meet in unfortunate circumstances where Carolina tries to slay Lido as he is feeding on a buck. Comically, he tries to reason with her and have a conversation but Carolina refuses to be rational. This first meeting leads them down path of self-discovery, growth, belonging, and of course, vampiro slaying.

I loved every single bit of this story, and I have to say it was perfectly written. It was extremely fast paced and was hard to put down. I loved Carolina and Lido individually, but their interactions were the highlight of every moment. This book is a stand-alone Mexican paranormal fantasy romance, and I feel that it personally checks all the boxes for my favorite tropes.
-enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
-fake engagement
-witty bad a** FMC
-BANTER!! (and a lot of it)
-a vampire boy who refuses to drink human blood
-unique mythology
-historical setting
-FMC constantly threating to stab the MMC
-uncovering family secrets
-LGBTQ representation

I do not think a single reader won't be considering Lido as their new book boyfriend as it is impossible to not fall in love with him. His gooey inside and introverted and serious demeanor make it hard not to like him. He would do anything for the ones he loves and even though he is a scholar not a fighter he still tries. Meeting Carolina almost felt fated for him, he never allowed himself to live and always existed within the confines that felt comfortable to him. Extremely obsessed with order and cleanliness it was no surprise to learn he was not the jewel of each courting season. Secretly envious of his boisterous lively sister whilst allowing her to be his excuse for never truly living. To see his character growth after turning and being forced to live outside of his perfected crafted confines and do things that made him uncomfortable helped him grow into someone who was capable of living. Despite being undead I do not think he had ever enjoyed life so much than when he was with Carolina. Carolina meeting Lido also helped her character grow. She was once someone who was bigoted towards vampiro and wanted to kill first and ask questions later, despite her grandfather trying to teach her to do the opposite. He told her once before that she should not go out and hunt vampiro and only should kill those who would cause harm onto their town. Carolina being young and hardheaded she refused to believe this notion and felt the only way to prove herself to her father as more than just a pawn to marry off was to kill a vampiro. Having a mutual mission with Lido showed her being a vampiro through his eyes. Like most vampiro, he did not want to turn and was forced because of survival. She watched him fight the bloodlust with everything inside him and knew that he was willing to sacrifice his undead life for the sake of his sister and the whole "world".
I was truly captivated by Montoya's writing. There was never a dull moment in this book, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how this would end. I am definitely putting Sinner's Isle on my TBR, and she may become another one of my automatic buy authors. I could recommend this book anymore it was perfect. I have no complaints which is hard to do. 100000000/10!!!!

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Children's - Joy Revolution for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh. This ticked SO many boxes!
- Enemies to lovers
- Fake engagement
- Strong and stubborn FMC
- Sensitive and sweetly protective and loyal MMC
- Vampires
- Generational trauma and healing
Carolina and Lalo were an absolute delight to read! The book is paced perfectly. It goes by quickly but just slow enough you get to enjoy it. The ending was exactly what it needed after the drama along the way. I will be recommending this to everyone!

I truly think this will end up as one of my favorite reads of the year.

Talk about “enemies to lovers “ , When our leads meet the MFC fully intends to kill the MMC - and she does not hold back. Its also not the only time she attempts to kill him.

The authors imagery, cultural detail and writing bring this story to life.
I adored both main leads as well as the side characters - who felt they had just as much depth to them as the main.
There is a family/community focus, a young woman who just wants to prove she is capable, a fake engagement, mystery and perfect banter.

I will say this is more slow burn- and remember it is YA! This is more for others to know considering the romance in the story, but slow burn is my favorite so there was no issue for me.

Absolutely recommend to others.
I read as an adv ebook & plan to get a physically copy because I need it.

I am absolutely in LOVE with this book!
I originally requested it on Netgalley when I saw someone on Instagram guess Fairyloot may pick it as a book. Well, it didn't end up being FL's Dec choice but....glad it came on my radar and that Netgalley approved me because WOW! I cannot get over how amazing this book is 😍
If you like vampires, Spanish vibes, enemies to lovers, a stabby FMC, fake dating and banter.....this one is for you!
Honestly Carolina got on my nerves at first, with how much she kept jumping to conclusions, but she grew on me. I understood her desire to protect her family. She just wasn't prepared for Lalo.
Sweet sweet, silly, Lalo 😍 I just love him 🥰
He's not the typical strong, fast, egocentric hero. No. He was brainy, loved to read and learn. He had morals and ideals and a fierce desire to protect his sister even against himself. He was different than most MMCs but that just made me love him more!
Not enough books where the nerdy guy wins the girl or becomes the hero in fantasies. Not only that but he encouraged and defended Carolina's strength and abilities. Who doesn't love a man that can stand up to the fam and says things like: You're wrong. She can take care of herself, she's a strong woman 💖
So excited for this book to release so I can add it to my library! It's a must! 🤩

Thank you, Net Galley and publishers, for the advance copy of the book.

I'm just going to say that this book was awesome, and you have to read it.

This book is perfect for romantic fantasy lovers who are looking for vampires. The author provides a different spin on the vampire/vampire hunter trope. Her characters are wonderful, and the book is full of humor, and banter that will entertain any fantasy romance reader. This book is full of cultural lore and myth, which is something you will find in all of Montoya's stories.

Just when I think I could not love Angel Montoya anymore!!

I really enjoyed Sinner's Isle by her but just wanted MORE and A Cruel Thirst delivered exactly that. I found the latter one to have MUCH better pacing and I felt the chemistry between the two main characters SO MUCH more. The atmosphere, the enemies to lovers, THE BANTERRRRR, the humor. It was a perfect balance for when you want escapism but do not want to hurt your brain with a high fantasy.

Wow! I loved this. Carolina is everything I love in a heroine: strong, independent, and fiercely protective. She doesn’t take crap from anyone, and I really appreciated how she was written. Lalo, on the other hand, is a vampire like no other—sensitive, soft, and burdened by the weight of his new immortality. His inner conflict made him such a compelling character to root for.

The chemistry between them is off-the-charts, especially with the fake engagement trope (which, is one of my favorites). What I loved most is how their relationship developed—not just as a couple, but as individuals. They challenged each other’s beliefs and grew together.

I was totally hooked by the balance of humor, yearning, and adventure. The world-building was vivid, and the themes of family and self-discovery really resonated. And let’s not forget the enemies-to-lovers arc! This book is a refreshing twist on vampire lore with a cozy yet thrilling vibe.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A personal DNF for me but still an enjoyable book so far! I think readers who suit the genre and those looking for something new will enjoy it.

I'm literally crying. OMFG
Release date: December 17, 2024
• Vampires
Mexican lore
Fake engagement
Enemies to lovers
Latina author
Forbidden romance
I just found a new favorite author! The romance was and Lalo??? I'm swooning. My new golden retriever vampire book boyfriend

In A Cruel Thirst we follow Lalo, a fledgling vampire who wants to avenge his parents deaths as he crosses paths with Carolina, a vampire huntress who desires to prove her skills to her father. Together they team up to find the original vampire and defeat him to put an end to Lalo and the Abundancia’s misery.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you to the publishers for this copy <3

First off woah look at that cover ! OMGGGG
This was my first read from Angela , and I have to stay i immediately went and ordered her other books!

A vampire x hunter love story ( we love enemies to lovers over here ) ! This was everything I could have imagined !

The writing was so easy flowing , and the world building was so fun !

The banter was so fun I found myself giggling .
FMC is so freaking cool , she is strong , knows what she wants and doesn’t take anything from anyone , and will do anything to protect her family !
I loved her sense of community and you don’t see that a lot in other stories !

The world building in this was it for me because I love a good quest into the unknown ! The imagery was spot on for me because I was able to picture everything.
The culture aspect in this was my favorite.
This blew my expectations, and I can’t wait to get a physical copy !!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. A Cruel Thirst was SUCH a good read. I really loved the unique twist on a vampire/hunter arc, and read through it much faster than I thought I would. This was my first book by Angela Montoya and it certainly won't be my last! A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

Ah! this book was definitely enjoyable! A truly original spin on the vampire/vampire hunter dynamic for sure!

So, the story follows an angsty, self-hating vampire who embarks on a quest to eradicate his own kind, only to unwittingly join forces with THE CAROLINA, a vampire hunter who initially aims to take him out.

Lalo and Lina hold a special place in my heart! This book was full of yearning and humor, offering a refreshing perspective on vampire lore that I’ve never read before. It was filled with adventure yet managed to feel incredibly cozy! I adored their banter! And loved how he was so charming and she was a fierce, no-nonsense female lead! Loved the strong family themes, the vivid imagery and an immersive atmosphere and the enemies to lovers and a fake engagement that felt refreshingly authentic!

.My only minor complaint is that the prose felt a bit choppy at the beginning, quickly getting smoother out as the story progressed but again was a bit disappointed to feel the book lost a bit of spark in the middle, however my overall experience while reading it was pretty incredible!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Last year, I read Sinner’s Isle, and ever since I've been eagerly awaiting Montoya’s newest book, A Cruel Thirst, even more so when I learned it was a vampire romance. It’s a fantastic read that sucked me in from the very first line and left its mark on me long after I finished it (puns intended).

In a world where vampiros are considered bloodthirsty monsters and are hunted mercilessly, Lalo is horrified when, instead of avenging his parents’ deaths, he is turned. Fleeing his home with his sister in tow, Lelo searches for a way to end the curse that has plagued him before he can do any more damage. Growing weaker because of his refusal to take human blood, Lelo meets Carolina, a hopeful vampire hunter from a family of vampire hunters.

Instead of a fierce MMC vampire and a FMC who is a damsel in distress, we have a bit of a reversal here. Lalo is unlike any vampire hero I’ve ever read, and I absolutely adored him. A man who still mourns the violent death of his parents and wants nothing more than to protect his beloved sister, Lelo has become what he abhors. Lelo struggles with his new immortality and all it encompasses. He’s soft and sensitive, and very different from the fiery woman he meets as he flees with his sister in search of an end to his vampirism.

Carolina is a fierce and bad-ass woman who knows what she wants, and it is not to become engaged to the man her father chooses. She’s determined to prove to her male-dominated family that she, too, can be a worthy vampire hunter. But when Carolina meets Lalo, everything changes. He is different from the other vampiros she’s encountered, and he challenges everything she ever knew about vampiros, her family, the past, and herself. And when he agrees to be her fake fiancée, their feelings become undeniable. They have so much chemistry, and I adored their banter and the way they slowly learned to trust each other.

Both Lalo and Carolina learn so much about each other and especially about themselves as they grow closer. I like how they both have their own epiphanies about life and love and what makes it all worth living. They begin to see that they are not so different. I love that Lelo opened Carolina’s eyes to the reality of vampires and shed some of her biases and prejudices, and I found it so satisfying that Lelo had to become what he hated the most to realize what he truly wanted in life and in himself. Their love story builds perfectly with the right amount of angst and longing, and some beautifully tender moments.

There are a bunch of stand out secondary characters too, especially Lalo’s sister, who is the sunshine to Lalo’s quieter, more broody personality. I loved Carolina’s cousin and her grandfather. Both hold such a special place in Carolina’s heart, and their staunch support of Carolina, when others tend to dismiss her, is lovely. I loved the exploration of different types of relationships, from romantic to familial to some wonderful friendships.

With an immersive and vivid setting, an interesting backstory, and dynamically layered characters and plots, this is a brilliant read. There’s a lot of depth and some amazing messages about family, love, generational expectations and trauma, and more.

This book was delightfully surprising! It began as a dark historic vampire revenge novel, and suddenly, it became a sweet romance complete with banter! The relationship between Carolina and Lalo is so good. The dynamic is hilarious and had me grinning through each interaction.

The story is strong, well developed, and clear. I enjoyed the richness of the lore regarding the gods and the afterlife. The setting was very interesting for me, definitely unique from my normal reads. I enjoyed the Spanish California details. It was very immersive and made me think of The Mask of Zorro in aesthetic (and banter!).

Honestly, it's just a really enjoyable story with rich characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well this was a fun book! I really loved that the mythology surrounding vampires in this book is based on Mexican lore, since that was unfamiliar to me and I loved reading about it.

This story is so fun and comical in light of the terror of vampires rampaging the main character’s Pueblo, and makes for such an engaging and thrilling ride. The main female lead is headstrong, brave, and intelligent, while the main male lead (a vampire by unfortunate situation) is clumsy, awkward, and not nearly as brave. Together they make for a hilarious and charming couple who work together to end vampires once and for all.

This was a quick and lovely read that had me laughing and crying and I highly recommend it! The ending was great and I think the author did an exceptional job fitting so many side characters into the book while making them all unique and relevant to the story. Well written and developed, I loved it!

Carolina Fuentes has always aspired to join her family in hunting the bloodthirsty monsters that plague her home. However, her family has different plans; they want her married and far away from the town's dangers. Defiant, she sets out to prove she can also slay vampires. But her encounter with a sediento, who is unexpectedly handsome and kind, leads her to question everything she knows. Lalo Villalobos's duties were to care for his younger sibling, continue the family business, and start his own family. Yet, everything changes when he becomes a sediento and must leave the city, determined to find the first of his kind and end the curse. When Lalo meets a determined young woman intent on staking him, they discover a shared enemy. Together, this unlikely duo embarks on a quest to defeat these malevolent creatures.
I adored this unexpected romantic fantasy featuring vampires and vampire slayers. The banter between the MMC and FMC was delightful, with a strong MMC to root for and their shared commitment to protecting their loved ones. Rich in culture and lore, this book captivated me from the beginning. And the cover? Absolute perfection!
This is my first encounter with Angela Montoya's work, and I am certainly inclined to explore more of her books.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review..

A Cruel Thirst aims for the heart in this thrilling adventure where a creature of death strives for life, and his hunter must decide whether to go for the stake or go for the risk in aiding him on his quest.

Carolina is a vampire huntress and Lalo is a newly turned vampire who seeks to find salvation after being forcibly turned. Together they make a formidable duo, going on a quest that will result in many discovered truths.

The plot is well paced, the action thrilling, the mystery alluring, and the romance brews with all the chemistry. I instantly enjoyed Carolina and Lalo-- both individually and as a pair. Carolina is headstrong and determined to prove herself worthy as any hunter in her family. Lalo is more reserved and uncertain, but his heart is one of resolve. To find a way out of his new "life" and find a way to end all vampires. I loved both characters, but Lalo truly took my heart.

Lalo is sweet, shy, awkward, and so gentle. He goes against the grain of so many YA male heroes. There is a softness that is so unexpected. His softness is an ironic contrast to his newly grown fangs and appetite, but it further highlights who he is at his core. A lover, not a warrior. A learner, not a destroyer. We need more heroes like Lalo! He's truly a revelation.

I think this book perfectly targets its young adult audience, I feel oftentimes todays YA sort of toes the line into more adult spaces (which is admittedly my preference), but it's very nice to read a YA that embraces wholly its genre. I respect so much how beautifully suited it is for younger audiences. Were I an adolescent this is the book I'd grow instantly obsessed with. The leads are so wonderfully relatable and its romance is one that should be admired and one to strive for. I really enjoyed meeting this story and its characters.

Overall, if you enjoy all things vampires and swoony romances, gentle heroes, and empowering heroines, be sure to pick up A Cruel Thirst!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House, and Joy Revolution for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

OMG this book was so much fun!! It was thrilling, entertaining, and full of excitement! Once I started I was hooked.

Carolina was a fierce, bossy, take no crap woman. I loved her. She was a handful for sure and I enjoyed her journey and growth throughout the story.

Lalo… oh sweet Lalo. He was so adorable! I loved his character. A total golden retriever monster so to speak. I really connected with him and rooted for him the whole way through.

Carolina and Lalo together were loads of fun! Their banter was entertaining. The dynamics of their relationship was fun and it was awesome to see a woman in charge as well.

So many good tropes in here like; enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, fake engagement, she tries to xx him, vampire/vampire hunters, cat and mouse, hiding in plain sight, fierce hunter FMC, cinnamon roll vampire MMC, family secrets, sibling love, unexpected love, forced proximity, touch him and xx, they save each other, she won’t give up on him, first kiss and then some… and so much more!!