A CRUEL THIRST

A plucky vampire hunter teams up with a bookish, recently turned vampire to stop bloodthirsty monsters in this paranormal romantasy set in 1830.

After Lalo Villalobos, 19, tracks down the vampiro who killed his parents, he ends up being turned into one himself rather than enacting the revenge he wanted. Using his newfound supernatural strength, Lalo escapes and returns home to Los Campos and his younger sister, Fernanda. Together they flee the busy city for the remote pueblo of Del Oro, which reportedly had a 200-year-old case of a vampiro that Lalo hopes holds the key to reversing his condition. Meanwhile in Del Oro, 18-year-old Carolina Fuentes wants to prove she’s just as capable as her father and older brothers of slaying sedientos, or “thirsty ones,” as the vampiros are also known—but only Abuelo believes in her. Four weeks after a tragic sediento attack on her family, Carolina stumbles upon Lalo. He’s feeding on an animal, and she’s determined to kill him, but she’s confused about why he seems so human and not the “abomination” she expected. Instead of slaying Lalo, Carolina eventually agrees to work with him to figure out whether they can unlock the secret to restoring his humanity. Montoya adeptly weaves elements of Mexican history into her sophomore novel, which features delightful supporting characters and lovable protagonists who have fantastic chemistry. The Spanish-speaking cast members are diverse in skin tone.

An irresistibly charming forbidden romance.