I’m just a girl who LOVES vampires and this book did it for me. The world building, the characters and the romance were all spectacular!! This was such a fun read and perfect spooky fall vibes if you’re into that.

Love a good YA vampire story. This was an enjoyable journey with a different vampire lore than usual. The romance was very sweet. Loads of action.

I just thought this one was ok. It was a good start but fell short. I loved the cover and I also enjoyed the previous novel by this author.
I just wanted a more complex storyline about the history of the vampires. And also how they came up with a solution felt rushed and weak. I also longed for more romance with an undeniable chemistry and breathless encounters. 3.5⭐️
Thanks Random House Children’s via NetGalley

I really liked this book! As someone who has trouble ever finding a vampire book I like, this one was great! It didn’t romantize vampires instead kept them as the monsters, but also was a fun vampire/vampire hunter romance, that worked out really well. The characters were well written, the story seemed well paced and very interesting and I loved it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

i can't deny i'm a sucker for fantasy/horror romance and this one hit the spot. great depictions that felt vivid and alive as i read the book. tysm for the arc.

I enjoyed reading A Cruel Thirst. It integrates a lot of common vampire lore while also providing explanations for its origins, stemming back to gods and the first vampire. I liked both of the main characters, with Lalo being rather dramatic and terrible at being a vampire while Carolina was strong, spirited, and independent. The relationship that develops between them had the right amount of push and pull to keep it believable and interesting. I thought the Latino background of the characters was enhanced with the use of Spanish words throughout the story, but in a way that someone who doesn't know the language can still understand the meaning. Overall, I felt that this story was done really well, and I look forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Joy Revolution, and NetGalley for the advance review copy of A Cruel Thirst! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

The way I screamed when I saw the approval! I loved the Mexican lore found in this story. The vampires in this book were everything! I love that vampires have red eyes ever since twilight but the special abilities they have in this book is something I’ve never heard of, which was so unique. I loved how headstrong Carolina was and the fact that Lalo accepted her like that. The machismo representation was so accurate and did not feel forced. The trope of fake courtship and dislike>friends> lovers was perfect! I think the only reason this was not a five stars was simply because this story did feel more younger YA. I was expecting upper YA and it would have been chef’s kiss. This story still had a lot of adventure, detective work/mystery, suspense, and high stakes.

I definitely recommend for everyone but with a fair warning that it might feel a little juvenile. This was a highly anticipated read for me!

Thank you to Angela, Random House Children’s, and NetGalley for this highly anticipated e-ARC.

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a fresh take on vampire lore combined with a swoon-worthy romance! Carolina is a fierce, determined heroine who refuses to conform to tradition, and her journey to prove herself as a vampire huntress is both thrilling and inspiring. Lalo, on the other hand, is a complex and intriguing character—struggling with his new identity as a sediento while seeking a way to break free from the curse. Their unlikely alliance, full of tension and unexpected tenderness, brings a perfect mix of action, humor, and heart.

The world-building is vivid, with a rich cultural backdrop that adds depth and authenticity to the story. The dynamic between Carolina and Lalo is electric, and their shared mission to confront the evil plaguing their land makes for a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read. If you're looking for a romantic fantasy with engaging characters, sharp wit, and an adventure that keeps you hooked, this book is definitely for you. Highly recommend!!

🩸 A Cruel Thirst 🩸
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you @netgalley @randomhousechildrens and @joyrevbooks for this eARC!
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First of all, let’s just talk about this STUNNING cover! I immediately wanted to read it because it is so, so beautiful! I’m a sucker for character art on the cover.
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A Cruel Thirst is a historical fiction story that follows Lalo, a fledgling vampire, and Carolina, a young woman from a long line of vampire hunters that must work together to eradicate vampires from the world.
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And I’ll leave it at that! Going into it sort of blind I think brings a lot of fun to the story. Just know that I love Lalo with all my heart ❤️
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One of the best parts of the book was the writing! It was so easy to read and before I knew it, I had read half of the book in one sitting! I finished this in a day and a half or so and I was so sad it was over! It was such a fun, atmospheric romance that included a lot of Mexican-based lore on the origin of vampires. Reading this during spooky season was peak vibes 🤌🏻🤍🎃
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I definitely recommend reading this, especially during the fall season if you can! I can see this really helping with a reading slump too!
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Is this something you’d like to read? If you’ve read it, feel free to DM me so we can talk more about it! ☺️
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#acruelthirst #earc #netgalley #canva #fallreads #yafantasyromance #vampires #bookstagram #readerlife #readersofinstagram #bookrecommendations #historicalfiction

Despite me taking forever to read this book, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience reading it, especially because I was craving a good vampire romance book. I love the chemistry between Carolina and Lalo and their development, I love the humor they both have, and I really enjoyed them as characters. I feel like they went through a good development while still staying true to who they are in terms of personality. The storyline was also enjoyable to follow and I really appreciate the different bonds these 2 have with their families. My complaint about this book was that the last 15% felt so, so rushed. It would've benefitted from an additional 30-50 pages to wrap up the climax of the story and the after of it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a good vampire enemies? hate? to love book with a good plot to accompany it

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

It's a little younger than the genre a usually read but overall a nice basic vampire and human vs evil story. Pace was a little fast and flow were sometimes off in certain parts of the book but overall decent storyline.

I was really excited about this book, as it was one of my top picks for 2024. Sadly, it ended up being more about the atmosphere and romance than I expected. I was hoping for a stronger plot beyond the love story and more detailed vampire lore, but it felt a bit underdeveloped in those areas. The writing style also seemed more suited to a younger YA crowd. I think this wasn’t for me, but a lot of people might like it!

This was such a fun read! Absolutely loved it! Literally had me giggling on every page.

A Cruel Thirst is set around the most adorable virgo that ever virgo’d, I swear lol. Lalo Villalobos, an absolute introvert aims to avenge the murder of his parents by an evil vampire while Carolina Fuentes, a badass slayer, is determined to prove to her Papa that she is worthy of joining her family of slayers despite being a woman. When Lalo accidentally gets turned into a vampire, his only hope is to get help from the Fuentes slayers to break the vampire curse before the evil vampire catches up to him and his sister. But Carolina is a stubborn badass. Before Lalo has a full chance to explain himself, Carolina is set on ending him. Soon, he and his sister are wrapped up in the Fuentes family with a fake engagement and possible romances to boot. What follows is thrilling, adventurous and adorable hijinks!

Lalo is so endearing. I loved his dedication to protecting his little sister. And the way he just hates everything except a good book and being alone had me cackling! Carolina’s determination and stubbornness pops off the page as well. I could truly relate to her frustration for not being taken seriously simply because she's a girl. I loved how badass she is–the entire role reversal, in fact, between Lalo and Carolina was so refreshing. Not to mention the relationships with their family members. The banter is his real and hysterical!

A Cruel Thirst also has deep lore built into its world that I found so intriguing. Angela Montoya threads together beautiful vampire and Aztec mythology. I loved the origin of vampires in this story, how the afterlife is described with Tecuani and the way it played such a huge role in each character’s lives. I especially enjoyed following Carolina, as Lalo’s very being made her reevaluate her place among her family and in the world.

Honestly, I could just read endless chapters of all the characters arguing and Carolina and Lalo bickering, getting the better of each other. This story was so reminiscent of A Princess Bride and similar favorite adventure reads. Truly, truly had a blast reading this!

A Cruel Thirst is perfect for romantasy lovers who are looking for vampires. Montoya provides a unique spin on the vampire/vampire hunter trope. Her characters are wonderful, and the book brims with humor, and banter that will entertain any fantasy romance reader. This book is filled with cultural lore and myth, which is one of the hallmarks of Montoya's stories. A perfect choice for spooky season!

Hand down my favourite read this year!! This was so much fun! I couldn't put it down!A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya is an exciting and fast-paced adventure that grabs your attention from the first page. The enemies to lovers trope was executed perfectly and the banter was top tier!If you enjoy fantasy with depth and passion, this book is a must-read!An absolute page turner!Angela Montoya is my new auto buy author and can't wait to read her other work!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children’s for letting me read A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya! This was excellent, all the dark vampire vibes, perfect October read. Also, that cover, stunning!

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: vampire hunter x vampire, paranormal, vampires, fake dating, Hispanic culture

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 10/9 and will be posted to my book blog on 10/10 and to Instagram on 10/19.

This book had an interesting take on vampires. The basics are there--blood sucking, can't enter home without invitation, can't stand sunlight, etc.--but there were also things that altered slightly, such as how vampires lost a sense of themselves once they drank human blood, that they can see memories when they drink, and how some of them are tied to specific areas of land. A lot of vampire stories also don't try to explain vampires, but of the ones that do, it's usually some kind of magic. In this book, a trickster/death god, Tecuani, is responsible for vampires and thus vampires must obey the same rules he does (which neatly explains both how they hover between life and death and why they can't do certain things like go into sunlight or enter a home without an invitation). I liked this aspect of the story and thought it was a unique setup.

While vampires are "Tecuani's children," they can be made the normal way as well. They hold onto their lives and personalities at first, but once they drink blood, they become twisted into something terrible. So, unlike a lot of other YA stories, vampires are pretty much completely evil here...except for Lalo. Lalo is a special one, and while the question of why he's different isn't ever fully answered, the reigning theory he + others go with is that his first drink was from terrible people so he saw terrible memories and wanted to be as far away/as different as possible, whereas other vampires see lovely memories and yearn for more of them, twisting them into monsters.

I definitely felt bad for Lalo. His and his sister's parents were killed in front of him by a vampire, but since vampires aren't widely known about in this world, no one believed him. He's spent the past year leading up to the book's opening researching vampires and trying to figure out everything he can so he can avenge his parents (this alone is a funny thought because Lalo is a very bookish, clumsy scholar, not a warrior)...and then he gets turned into the very thing he hates. It's not a great situation all around, but Lalo handles things pretty well and remains focused on his goal of eradicating vampires, changing himself back to human again (if possible), and protecting his sister. That latter goal in particular is one that guides him, and it's clear he loves his sister deeply. Lalo also has a big heart and is a genuinely caring person who wants to help others.

Carolina, on the other hand, also wants to help people, but she's fiercer and more of the warrior type. Because her father has forbidden her from training to be a vampire hunter, she and her grandfather have been training in secret. Carolina also wants to help people and kill vampires, but a large part of her is also driven by the need to prove to her father that she'd be a good hunter. This ends up getting her into some sticky situations, but luckily she grows over the course of the novel and realizes she's been doing the right things for the wrong reasons and that at times it's backfired and hurt people.

I liked the side characters, particularly Carolina's abuelo, Carolina's cousin (Nena), and Lalo's sister (Fernanda). Nena and Fernanda are in the book more than Carolina's abuelo. Nena is more interested in flirting, balls, and eventually getting married than Carolina is, but despite their differences, Nena is always willing to help and support Carolina, even if that involves illicitly hunting (or helping) vampires. I liked Fernanda a lot. She's the younger sibling and more outgoing than her brother, but like Nena she's more than willing to step up and do what's necessary. Fernanda is quite dedicated to ensuring Lalo is safe and can be very fierce when the time calls for it. Nena and Fernanda also have a romance subplot, and the two of them work very well together.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it had a unique take on vampires. The romance is pretty quick, but the pacing of the book doesn't make it feel like instalove except the 'insta-attraction' at the very beginning.

I had high hopes for this vampire novel as it was one of my anticipated reads of 2024. Unfortunately this book seems to only revolve around the vibes and romance. I was hoping for more plot outside of it, and more lore of the vampirism with more information described in the book but was left lacking. The writing felt more-so geared to the younger YA reader audience then 15-18 which is the tone I prefer to read in YA.

However if this doesn’t bother you then this could be a good read fit for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a free ARC!

Oh my goodness, I could not put this down! I requested for the beautiful cover and stayed for the intriguing story. I loved the characters and the quest to essentially cure vampirism. It also had some very cute YA romance. Loved it!