Vampires of El Norte

Gothic historical romantic fantasy taking place in 19th Mexico where estranged childhood friends, Nena and Nestor, find each other again while their country is attacked by Americans, pushed back by Anglo settlers and where people are getting mauled by horrific night creatures. 
What a great sophomore novel by Isabel Cañas!  Like her previous book, the author did a great job recreating the historical setting with a lush and vivid prose that gave the setting a gothic and creepy atmosphere. I loved the supernatural elements, the parallels between the vampiric creatures and the invading Anglo-Americans.  I really liked the main characters and their friendship and love story was deliciously angsty. The side characters weren't particularly compelling, except Beto, and I would have liked to see more of them and also the vampires.  The plot was engaging and a page turner though pacing wise I felt the final denouement was a bit too abrupt, as well as the resolution between Nestor and Nena. 
I will definitely be looking forward to read Isabel Cañas's next novel with her talent for writing historical gothic fiction.