Silvia Moreno-Garcia has definitely become an auto buy author for me. I love her concepts and how each book is so different from the last.

Certain Dark Things is a vampire noir set in Mexico City that's dark and gorey but also touches on important subjects like colonialism and classism. I really loved how she incorporated different mythologies to create a world where different species of vampires live amongst humans. It was a really great story and I highly recommend if you're in the mood for a gritty vampire story!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the digital review copy!

A whip smart, fast paced, urban fantasy that takes vampire lore to an entirely new level, CERTAIN DARK THINGS by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is the debut offering from @torbooks new horror imprint, Nightfire, and it is a perfect book to launch with. Reading almost as much as an alternate history as it does urban fantasy/horror, vampires are discovered in the 1960s to actually exist. As the world struggles with this new knowledge, vampires and humans attempt to coexist, but of course this doesn’t work out. CDT takes place in a near-future Mexico City, one of the few vampire-free zones in the world. Told from multiple points of view, CDT follows young, naïve Atl, a vampire of Aztec decent, who is on the run after her family is murdered by a rival vampire cartel. She befriends street kid Domingo, who can help her navigate the unfamiliar streets of Mexico City as she tries to negotiate them passage out of North America before either the Mexico City police, the human mafia, or the rival vampire family finds her and kills her. The way Moreno-Garcia creates such complex lore around each of the different types of vampires is fantastic. You won’t find sparkling vampires here, nor vampires that can change into mist. Instead, these are vampires grounded in the real world, with various subspecies and a history and lore to go with each. While being dark and gritty and bloody, it’s still refreshing to see a writer be able to do something original like this with vampires. Moreno-Garcia’s writing is slick and stylish; I’m sorry I haven’t read any of her other books yet. I’ll need to remedy that sooner than later.

I feel like the biggest praise I can give a book at this point in my reviewing journey is, “I’ve never read anything like this.”

That’s definitely the case with Certain Dark Things. This takes place in a futuristic Mexico City. Vampires thrive in this alternate reality, supplanting our modern-day cartels as the leading crime lords of Mexico. Outside of the walled, ancient city, their species reigns supreme. Inside, vamps are persona non grata, murdered on sight by the human crime syndicates that patrol its streets.

I can’t think of anything to compare it to, and that is so, so refreshing.

This is one of those weird reads for me where I went in expecting one thing (horror) felt like I got another (mystery with a dash of paranormal romance) and still ended up really liking the book, though the romance aspect, not so much (we’ll get to that later).

I’m not going to shelve this as horror on Goodreads because this truly didn’t read like one to me. Sure, some horrible things happen, and there’s a little bit of gore involved, but not enough for me to feel like it falls fully within that category, and I honestly was never scared or even remotely creeped out while reading. This, to me, read much more like a mystery.

The story is very much a character study, told through multiple PoVs, each building upon the next to develop the plot. None of these characters are shallow or one-dimensional. You know their histories, you understand their thought processes, and you get what drives them to do the things they do – even if you don’t agree with them.

It starts with an unexpected meeting of a vampire, Atl, and a young garbage collector named Domingo. Slowly you learn that Atl is on the run from other vampires. You see one of those enemy vamps kill a young girl. You’re with the cop who inspects her body for clues. You meet the enemy vamp’s jaded and apathetic handler.

With each new chapter, another piece of the puzzle falls into place, another layer of the plot is revealed, and all along the lore spreads through the pages, fully fleshed out and wholly enthralling. I LOVED the depiction of vampires. There are multiple species with differing abilities from one to the next. Some could pass as human. Others are no better than revenants. The world-building surrounding their legends was phenomenal. You’re fed bits of pieces in a believable way because Domingo, as a relatively sheltered Mexico City street kid, has never run into a vampire before and knows nothing about them. So you learn as he does.

The mystery aspect is also legit. Why is Atl on the run? What happened to the sister and mother she keeps talking about? Why can’t she go home? Does she even have a home left to go to?

You’re given answers to these questions the further you get into the book, but if anything, those answers will only ratchet your curiosity higher, make you just as desperate and wary as the characters you’re following.

About those characters… most of them are not nice people. Hell, most of them don’t even qualify as “people”. I wanted to mention this for anyone who needs to like their MCs to enjoy a book, and also just to set the right expectations for other readers. This is a great story, and as much as I was deeply invested in these characters, I wanted to slap the shit out of them on more than one occasion (think cringy decision making, TSTL moments, etc).

One aspect that bothered me was the romance. It just didn’t feel authentic to me, and it sure as hell felt one-sided. At times, that relationship was damn near problematic (imagine bonding a human to you in a Renfield-esque style relationship and not even warning that human what they were really getting themselves into). I think without it, I would have enjoyed the book more.

Aside from that, this was a quick, compulsive read that I had trouble putting aside, and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone looking for something unlike anything else they’ve ever read.

Once again, something completely new and different from Silvia Moreno-Garcia! Having very recently read another one of her books I was trying to imagine what new genre mix I would be stumbling into and I still can’t believe how different these two books were. CERTAIN DARK THINGS is a neo-noir vampire book set in an alternate Mexico City. Plenty of blood to keep vampire fans happy and lots of new elements to make this stand out against the others.

Who knew I needed different species of vampires to become even more invested? I’ve never been a huge fan of vampires books (I can almost guarantee my refusal to support my friend’s obsession with Twilight in high school had something to do with it) but I really enjoyed this one. The encyclopedia in the back of the book gave more information and history on the different kinds of vampires and I highly recommend reading through it.

Moreno-Garcia never ceases to amaze me with how different all her books are. Yes, this one is horror but it’s not the same kind of horror as MEXICAN GOTHIC was. Yes, there’s lots of action but it’s still very different from VELVET WAS THE NIGHT. What you can always count on, though, are well-developed badass and memorable characters, a rich and immersive setting, and a story with a steady pace to keep you going. If you like a good and very bloody vampire story, this needs to be the next one on your list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor for a copy of this ebook for review!

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is described as "a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore". It follows the story of Atl, a young vampire on the run from a rival vampire gang, as she tries to escape Mexico City. She befriends a street kid named Domingo, who becomes her unlikely companion as they battle cops, other vampires, and vampire hunters.

I struggle to give feedback on this book. It focuses a lot on worldbuilding and is not necessarily a plot-driven story. I was fascinated by the different types of vampires in this world, but overall there just wasn't enough of a story to make me love this book. I think that this book was still thoughtful and well-written, and it is obviously well-loved by other readers. I think at the end of the day, this book just wasn't my cup of tea.

I really enjoyed her previous book, Mexican Gothic. This book was more of a paperback style thriller. There was a lot of novelty in this story: a vampire novel with a female lead and a male sidekick; the setting in Mexico City and the crossover with conflicts with drug cartels. However I didn’t get much depth from any of the characters or their storylines. Lots of potential and perhaps future sequels will build this world out more.

I REALLY liked this. Worldbuilding gets me every singe time and with an utterly original take on vampires in a unique seeing, CERTAIN DARK THINGS kept me completely enthralled for the duration.

The story is set in a version of Mexico not too far into the future. Vampires exist and are known, but not really tolerated. Different countries have different ways of dealing with them. There aren't supposed to be any left in Mexico City, but surprise! Rodrigo meets Atl on a subway and neither of their lives are ever the same again.

As I got to know the characters better and as they got to know each other, I came to like them both quite a bit. Rodrigo is an underdog to cheer for and, just like the reader, gets thrown into this crazy world he doesn't know anything about. He grew up watching vampire movies and reading vampire comic books, so as he learns what true and what's not, the reader gets to learn more about the vampires and the vampiric clans that fill out the rest of the novel's world. Even if it's not with these characters, I'd love to spend more time in this universe.

While this book is classified as "horror" in bookstores, I'm not sure I ever felt like its goal was to horrify. I'd consider it to be more a noir/thriller and with some elements (vampires) that are often found in horror novels. Some grisly things do happen, but are mostly things you'd see in a thriller or action movie. That said, this horror fan loved it.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ebook ARC. I bought a copy too, because THAT COVER.

Atl gave me major Jessica Jones vibes, and I loved all the different vampire lore from around the world being incorporated. This novel definitely packs a lot of action and plot into less than 250 pages, and it feels timeless, with the texture of an old-time vamp movie layered over with a taste of modernity. Atl serves us bad ass young woman trying to stay low and make it, and Domingo is the goofy hero we didn’t know we needed.

What's most intriguing about this book is the world Moreno-Garcia has crafted. It's truly unique and exquisitely interesting. I also loved Domingo, our human protagonist, and the way he looks at the world. There were times where I couldn't follow some characters' motivations, and that pulled me out of the story occasionally. But overall a chilly noir that's worth a read.

A magical, mystical, vampire noir. Need I say more?

The dark beauty throughout the pages kept me constantly turning the pages.

I would recommend this to all true vampire fans and readers. It is a must read.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Solid, however my enjoyment stemmed more from the amazing worldbuilding than the actual plot, which was rather limp. The various kinds of vampires and their interaction with the human world, coupled with the vibrancy of a neon-noir Mexico City, was engrossing.

Definitely cool vampire lore, although, again, I kinda wished that the plot was a little stronger—or that there was a prequel featuring Atl's priestess ancestors, who sound absolutely vicious.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

Set in an alternate reality, Mexico City has become a refuge from the vampire clans that have taken control of the rest of the country. Domingo is a young trash collector who dreams of being valued. Atl is a young vampire, alone and on the run from vampire clans, street gangs, and the police. When a chance meeting brings them together, they soon must learn to rely on each other if they ever hope to be free from the horros that pursue them.

The characters are well developed and the pacing leaves you breathless. This a great weekend read and it is my hope that Silvia Moreno-Garcia will decide to return to her creation in the future.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. I will continue to think about these characters, their complexity, and where they may have gone after the words on the last page ran out. I specifically paused before turning to my next book to soak them in just a little bit longer.

***Trigger warning: Depictions of violence, torture, and sex.

Summary: Young vampire Atl is on the run in a futuristic, alternate-history Mexico City where vampires are real and the world knows it. Mexico City is supposed to be a vampire-free zone, making it all the more dangerous for Atl and her dog Cuali to hide there. Street kid Domingo stumbles into her path and decides to help her, though the police, anti-vampire gangs, and a rival vampire cartel are quickly closing in. Prepare for blood.

My review in short, no spoilers: I still can’t quite believe it, but I gave this book 5/5 stars. Five star books are precious to me and something to be awarded sparingly. However, the complexity of the characters and sheer uniqueness of this plot demand a five star rating. In the Author’s Note of this book, Silvia Moreno-Garcia warns that it is a weird book. She’s not wrong, but it’s brilliant! Certain Dark Things takes place in a setting that is dark and gritty, with its characters locked in a battle for survival. This is not a book to turn to for fairytale endings or a feel-good plot. It’s characters include an urban cop struggling against corruption and misogyny, a young vampire lost and alone in the world, a surprisingly noble garbage collector who earned his wisdom on the street, and a tired cartel member looking to finish one last job for vampire drug lords before retirement. Moreno-Garcia forces the reader to see each character from all angles, including their histories, strengths, and faults. Yet all of this takes place in the midst of a heart-pounding chase through a fascinating city. You will find yourself rooting for these characters, even while confronted with their dark slides. The tension is high, and it should be, because not everyone will survive this story. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this novel, narrated by Aida Reluzco. Her voice transported me to Mexico City; it absolutely heightened the experience of this book.

You might enjoy this book if…: You might enjoy this book if you’re a fan of gritty settings and imperfect characters. This would also be a good fit for those who love urban fantasy and sci-fi. However, anyone who dives into this book needs a strong stomach and the ability to confront dark scenarios. This book is violent, and certain scenes left me feeling queasy. The world the characters inhabit has a desperate, corrupt feeling with depictions of street life, homelessness, disease, sexism, and crime.

Potential spoilers beyond this point: One of the things I appreciate about Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the way she works the history and mythology of Mexico into her novels. The story is a tapestry, and she artfully weaves in just the right amount to keep me fascinated and craving more. I could have read a whole book about Atl’s subspecies of vampire that originated in Mexico and lived alongside Aztec society. This aspect of world building in the novel was excellent, although the reader is only given snippets over time. I believe this was an active choice of the author. As a reader, you are transported into a new world where you have to find your footing quickly as the action takes off. I frequently found myself feeling curious or confused about the world I was in, but I accepted this as “part of the ride.”

I absolutely loved how the reader is forced to come to terms with the fact that the heroes in this novel aren’t perfect. They were flawed beings, each doing their best to make their way in an imperfect world. I think this is one of the reasons I rated this book so highly. I am usually a bit of a sucker for stories in which the good guys are clear, honorable, and always win. This includes a happy ending wrapped in a pretty bow. However, this book had none of those traits, and I still loved it! The ending left me restless with the amount of unanswered questions and uncertain futures, but again, I believe this was an active choice of the author. I will always, always wonder about the futures of Atl and Domingo. Do they ever see each other again? Does Atl avenge her family? Who does she become? What happens to Marisol?! Yet I found myself marinating in my own discomfort at not having clear answers to all of these questions and feeling profound respect for the author. It wouldn’t have been true to the feel of this book to suddenly give it a perfect ending with all of our uncertainties wrapped up neatly. Instead, I went to bed dreaming about possible futures for those characters who managed to survive.

I thought it was so interesting that this book was originally published in 2016 by an indie publisher. Moreno-Garcia describes her own novel in the Author’s Note as being too “weird” to originally catch the interest of most large scale publishing houses. However, I am so grateful that this novel received the second release that it deserved, and I hope to see many more copies roll out onto library shelves! I look forward to recommending this unique action-packed read to patrons.

P.S. The dog does NOT die.

Thank you to NetGalley and Libro.fm for providing me with an Advanced Reader’s Copy and Advanced Listening copy of this book. My reviews would not be possible without their support for library professionals! All opinions expressed are my own.

Certain Dark Things is just a treat to read. I picked this one up because I loved Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic and because the cover is stunning and gave me a bit of a Blade Runner feel.

I haven’t read a vampire novel in ages — I was pretty sick of urban fantasy after reading a lot of it in the 90s/2000s. But Certain Dark Things is something different: a character-driven Mexican neo-noir vampire novel based in Aztec lore.

Moreno-Garcia’s alternate Mexico City is completely immersive, with complex, morally grey characters and a wonderfully fun twist on the mythology of vampires from around the world. It’s violent and gritty but very fun and intelligent, considering the impact of colonialism on the monsters of North America. Moreno-Garcia’s writing is so smooth and assured that even when she’s slightly info-dumping, I never got bored. I particularly loved that the tone is completely different from Mexican Gothic.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy for me to review.

*3.5 stars

"Certain Dark Things" is a noir vampire novel that follows Domingo, a teenager who lives on the streets in Mexico City, and Atl, a Nahuatl (Aztec) woman who happens to be a vampire, and her dog, Cualli. In this alternate present, vampires are unwelcomed in Mexico City and are hunted down by the government and human gangs. Thus, we follow Domingo, Atl, and Cualli as they try to escape Mexico and avoid getting caught by both human and rival vampire gangs.

As usual, Silvia Moreno-Garcia does not disappoint. While not my favorite of her novels due to the slow burn plot, I can't help but admire the level of research that goes into her writing and the descriptive nature of her style that makes the setting come alive. I quite enjoyed the author's take on vampires and the different types of vampires included. I didn't read the book when it originally came out; however, I loved the bonus content included in this version, such as the glossary and explanatory pages on the vampire lore of the book and the interview with Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

"Don't deceive yourself... this is not a love story."

Gigantic thank you to Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC! 💓 This was the first ARC I've received from Netgalley and I am so glad! I was very nervous when I was putting in my requests and am so grateful to the publisher for taking a chance on someone with a 0% review percentage. 😂

Did anyone know that "Certain Dark Things" was originally published in 2016? 👀 I had no idea until I started the book and read the Note to the Reader included in the rerelease. Originally "Certain Dark Things" was released by Thomas Dunne Books but was unfortunately put out of print pretty quickly due to publishing house reorganization, making original copies of the book rare and difficult to find. I'm so happy that "Certain Dark Things" has been republished and is available for myself to enjoy along with all of you!

I feel like all of my reviews are going to include me raving about the covers. It's gorgeous! The character art and colors used are absolutely marvelous.

There are many POVs that you read from in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading from all the characters' perspectives. We read from the POVs of...
Atl - A Tlāhuihpochtli vampire and our primary MC. At the beginning of the story she is running from a dangerous group of vampires and a traumatizing event from her past.
Domingo - A homeless, human teenager that is our second main character. He collects and sells scrap to get by.
Ana - A police officer that is put on a case related to another main character. She has just moved to Mexico City from Zacatecas to protect her daughter and herself from vampires.
Nick - A Necros that is a Chad fuckboy. He's literally the worst.
Rodrigo - The man in charge of hunting down Atl with Nick. I have a lot of sympathy for him for having to deal with Nick.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has written vampires in "Certain Dark Things" like no other vampires we've seen before. Every vampire has a subspecies they're a part of; like Atl being a Tlāhuihpochtli, who are the native vampires to Mexico and whose females can shapeshift and fly. Other vampires featured in the book are Necros, who are native to central Europe and most resemble the vampires we're most familiar with, as well as Revenants, who come from Russia and feed by sucking out the life force of humans, vampires, and other creatures. At the end of the book there is a "Encyclopedia Vampirica" provided that lists even more subspecies we don't get introduced to in the novel. Perhaps there's another novel coming that's set in the same universe? 🤞 One can hope.

Before this book the only other book I've read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was Mexican Gothic, which I also really enjoyed. "Gods of Jade and Shadow" and "Velvet Was the Night" are both on my physical TBR and I can't wait to read both of them along with her other released titles!

Third times a charm for me with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books. I had read two previous books, “Mexican Gothic” and “Untamed Shore”, and was not overly impressed by either of them.
“Certain Dark Things” was a fresh take on the vampire story and I enjoyed it immensely.

Moreno-Garcia creates a complex vampire story set in Mexico City. The book explores different vampires from all over the world and their mythologies. The author delves into vampire culture and history and how it affects human society. The world building was fantastic.

The book had a simple plot but it worked. The vampires were drug dealers who fought bitterly for their territory. I loved how grittiness of the story. The filth of the city and the seething criminal underbelly was brought to light.

The characters in this book were just as despicable as their surroundings. I loved the central relationship between Domingo and ATL so much. ATL was selfish and inhuman, while Domingo was very innocent. The dynamics and banter between these two characters were loads of fun.

The only real problem I had was the ending felt a bit rushed but it still satisfied me.

4.5 stars

Having been a love of vampires, when I heard about Silvia Moreno-Garcia's book, I knew I had to read it. I wasn't disappointed. Having been taken to a place in the world that I am only familiar with in movies, Moreno-Garcia weaves a tapestry of mythology and world-building that makes you feel like you are there with Domingo, trying to survive. With shades of George R. R. Martin's Fever Dream, this is a book for true vampire fans.

This is discribed as a neo noir vampire book written in an alternate version of Mexico city. It follows several perspectives.

Our main character Nahualt (AKA Ault) is a Tlāhuihpoctil. A type of Vampire that become more birdlike just before and during her feeding process. Her eyes are red when she had not fed and she can go out in daylight. She is able to bond with a Renfield (a human who exchanges blood with her) to garner assistance. She is one of the last of her kind and is trying to escape Mexico city into safety, but other Necro vampires stand in her way.

A Necro is closer to what we traditionally think of as a Vampire and are grotesque in their feeding. They are also powerful and have the equivalent of the Vampire STDs of this world.

One of the things that made this books so unique is how we have several types of Vampires, each with their own abilities and limitations. It was such a wide variety of Vampire that it lead the story into a very creative and cultured atmosphere. I loved that about this book.

The Revenant vampires are by far my favorite. They are the psychic vampires of this world and neither human nor vampire is safe from them draining the life out of you. Vampires fear them.

If you want a full discription of all the types of Vampires in this world, there is a helpful glossary at the back of the book.

This book was violent and super intense in some areas. I really enjoyed it.

My biggest complaint is that I wish we would have had more opportunity to spend with these characters. I loved meeting them and getting to know them, but it felt like such a brief glimpse. I was left feeling pretty unsatisfied with where we left the story and I hope there are more stories written in the future to further flesh out this world. I wish this book would have dug deeper and the action scenes more drawn out.

Overall, this book was super fast paced and loaded with a ton of Vampire mythology. This was such a breath of fresh air and I really enjoyed it.

My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

Silvia Moreno Garcia has become an auto-buy for me. This one is a paranormal/fantasy horror novel with all kinds of different vampires in Mexico City, focusing mostly on the blossoming friendship/romance between Atl and teenage garbage collector Domingo. In this world, vampires are born, not created. The variations of vampires are very different based on where their origins are. In Atl’s case, she is descended from Aztec blood drinkers and could shift into a bird - and she has talons. She is on the run from a Narco-type rival gang that murdered her family - and she finds quick friendship with Domingo.

I loved reading about the world Silvia created with the different “species” of vampires. Her writing is so enticing - All I wanted to read more about was the other vampire species - this is a re-release of he 2016 book with a new cover so I wonder if a sequel is eventually in the works. I certainly hope so. The relationship between Domingo and Atl is not forced and allowed to slowly progress and flourish throughout the book. Also, there is a companion dog - so naturally I was sold.

Thank you Macmillan/ Tor/Forge Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!