Moreno-Garcia always weaves beautifully dark tales of intrigue. I think of the images and characters in this book well after I place it aside.

THIS BOOK KEPT ME ON MY TOES AT ALL TIMES! Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a mastermind whenever she pick up a pen. The characters are created and executed flawlessly and the story keeps you engaged from the first page to the last. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title early!

Atl is a vampire on the run from another group of narco-thug vampires of a different race. She's made it as far as Mexico City, which is something of an non-vampire oasis in a country increasingly overrun by vampires from other countries, when she runs into Domingo, a street kid who works as a garbage picker. Domingo is instantly smitten and can't believe his luck when Atl invites him back to her hideout... This was a really fun story, with some very interesting vampire lore and different races of vampires from around the world. Atl is a descendant of a Mexican race of vampires who resemble large birds in their natural state, and suck blood using a proboscis and stinger, not unlike a mosquito. Then there are the Necros, European vampires who are the closest thing to the vampires we know from books and films, who are muscling in on the drug operations of the indigenous groups. And then there's Bernardino, a Revenant, a vampire who can feed on both human and vampire alike, and who assists Atl and Domingo when all seems lost. This was just a fun, fun book and highly recommended.

This is the 4th book I've read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I've loved them all.. She always creates the most interesting worlds with beautifully flawed and complex characters. I've never read another vampire story quite like this. I loved Domingo and Atl and how they slowly grew to like, care for, and trust one another. Inserting vampires into the world of drug cartels, poverty and police oppression was a fascinating thought experiment that I really enjoyed reading. If you are interested in seeing the typical vampire story flipped on its head, check this one out. Moreno-Garcia in my experience never disappoints.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After Mexican Gothic, I was excited to read Silvia Moreno-Garcia. The background, both current Mexican and Aztec that she prepared for this story helped the main tale about a street kid in Mexico City and a vampire girl take off. Another enjoyable read from a consistent author.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia once again brings fresh insight and imagination to a stale genre, this time moving away from the slow burn of a gothic house into the gritty underbelly of a world populated by mythic races. Her unique story-telling style is well suited to this creative story, it is an interesting story, and a great cast of characters.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire for an advance Netgalley of this title, which was republished on Sept 7, 2021. I'm writing this review voluntarily.

A brilliant blood-soaked, neon-drenched noir novel about vampires and their human Renfields in futuristic Mexico City, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Certain Dark Things" expertly combines a supernatural story with a narco narrative about the impact of colonialism.

Vampires have been outlawed in Mexico City, but that doesn't mean they're not lurking in the shadows. Young garbage collector Domingo, a homeless kid navigating the dangers of street life, runs into Atl--an Aztec vampire in hiding from another monstrous clan. Atl needs a way out, so she enlists Domingo's help. Soon, the young man is neck deep in menacing white European vampires, ruthless rival drug-dealing gangsters, and the cops who are on everyone's tail. Even if the couple is able to survive, what kind of life could they have together, constantly on the run?

"Certain Dark Things" is a rare, truly original vampire novel with elaborate world-building and lore that smartly addresses issues of race within the vampire community. Moreno-Garcia positions the traditional vampire--suave, light-skinned--as a settler colonizer, taking over the business and territory of POC vampires like Atl. It's fantastic to see this book in print again, as there's definitely an audience for it.

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

I love the way Silvia Moreno-Garcia wove together vampire lore, Mexican culture, current issues with really interesting characters.

The vampire lore sprinkled within the novel has to be without a doubt my favorite part. I love seeing different authors' takes on vampires. This one was one of my favorites, especially in combination with the Mexican culture.

The characters had such interesting personalities that kept me wanting to read as well. They were so complex and morally grey. I love how violent this story was. It was so gritty and dangerous.

The story for me felt just a bit surface level and I didn't care for the overall plot which hindered my enjoyment.

I read the old version (the one released before Tor Nightfire acquired it) and the new Tor Nightfire version, and liked it both times! I honestly have no idea if and how much the story was edited for the re-release (read them too far apart for direct comparison), so all I can say is that whatever the reason, whether circumstantial or because of different editing, I enjoyed the second read better.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is brilliant at world-building. There are ten species of vampires in CDT, and they all have different powers and weaknesses. I'm not generally big on vampires, but hers were so interesting that I found myself surprised by how much I wanted to learn about them. I loved how vicious they were.

I'm also not big on shipping characters, but found myself enjoying the dynamic between Atl and Domingo. Atl, specifically, has such depth of character. I loved her complexity. The way she struggles with who she is and what she's done. How she can be cruel at times to hide her vulnerability.

Overall, I enjoyed this story far more than I'd expect for a vampire book with a romance element, and that enjoyment is a testament to the author's skilled storytelling.

Thank you Tor Nightfire for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you ever thought that vampire mythology could use a little refresh, this is a great read. Vampire noir is the most frequent description given to the feel of this work, and it fits perfectly. We follow Atl, a vampire fighting for survival after her clan is wiped out. The story takes place in relatively modern day Mexico (where vampires seem to congregate due to lax laws on bloodsuckers), and Atl navigates a dangerous road trying to stay alive while dodging vampire clans at every turn.
Moreno-Garcia does atmosphere better than most writers, and this is no exception. Dark, creepy, and thick with vampire mythology. Must read.

I could not put this down. Moreno-Garcia has a way of world building. She took the age old story of vampires and made it fresh and interesting. She is someone who will be a automatic read for me.

Unique setting, and interesting take, but it took me forever to finish. I didn't feel fully invested, and as such the stakes weren't high for me.

This book was fantastic. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of those authors that just understands writing so well.

This dark and gritty telling of a vampire story has characters that are interesting, a backdrop that makes you feel like you’re there, and a story that sucks you in.

It’s fascinating how the author can jump from genre to genre in her stories and have them all be just as good.

Sparkley vampires need not apply. Certain Dark Things bring back the cold, aloof vampires of days past. Set in Mexico City, Moreno-Garcia shies away from the busy, bright streets into the back alleys and subway tunnels. It's a very neo-noir take, with gangs, drug cartel wars, and multiple sub-species of vampires. The relationship and dialogue between Atl and Domingo seemed awkward and yet, was still amusing. The lore and legend of vampires were unique and interesting but the best part was the world-building. It's gritty and dark with complex morally grey characters.

After this novel and MEXICAN GOTHIC, I’m convinced that Silvia Moreno-Garcia can’t write a bad book. CERTAIN DARK THINGS is a fresh and mesmerizing spin on the vampire novel. The book follows lonely Domingo as he’s swept up into the life and problems of the vampire Atl. It’s vividly written and has compelling characters.

As a side note, I also loved this book’s glimpse of Mexico City (a far cry from the media portrayals of Mexico we usually see in the US). I am eager to read Moreno-Garcia’s other work.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ebook copy.

As I've seen in her other books, Silvia Moreno-Garcia does a really great job world-building and executing a neo-noir aesthetic. It took me forever to read through this though. I was a bit bored for the entire first half and the plot didn't really pick up until 60% of the way. I also had a really tough time finding any of the characters likeable - all but one character were actually pretty annoying. I did appreciate the incorporation of many different types of vampire sub-species and lore and wished more of the sub-species that are covered in the back of the book made an appearance in the actual story.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia


Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an e-copy of this fabulous re-issue of Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.


Originally published in 2016, and now re-released with an absolutely ELECTRIC new cover and released by TOR, this edition has it all! After devouring the highly anticipated Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia last year, I immediately searched for her other works and though I did find more, it seemed hard to get my hands on them. Excited to find that Silvia Moreno-Garcia and her original take on vampires has emerged with this re-"vamp" of Certain Dark Things.

Silvia's world-building is incredibly rich and enchanting. I love her writing and how she jumps around genres from book to book. Keeps us guessing on what will she write next and how quickly can I get my hands on it?!?! Undoubtedly, Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an dark, gritty, yet fresh spin on Vampires that the genre desperately needed. She takes us Mexico City, where we meet Domingo, a teenage street kid, who survives by finding junk and flipping it to sell. He ends up befriending the beautuful Atl, a Vampire, and Cualli, her faithful dog. Atl is desperately evading not only gangs of humans, but worse, Necros, and she needs help navigating the city to escape. Necros are particularly nasty in that not only can they control humans with a single bite, but can poison even another Vampire, threatening the native vampires that have been here since the time of Aztecs.

This was a fun, fast read that was darkly inventive and exciting. So happy TOR gave us this edition and that Cover is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥Looking forward to reading any and everything Silvia Moreno-Garcia will grace us with. I'm definitely a fan! 5 stars from me!

I wasn’t enjoying it to begin with (should’ve DNF) then they killed the Doberman.

Never kill the dog - when will authors learn.

Gorgeous new cover though.

This was a different and fun read! I really love Moreno-Garcia's style of writing and will most definitely be reading more of her work! The plot moved quickly but still built up the characters in a good and believable way. The ending was a bit sad with all the death and moving away but I liked the open feel of the epilogue.

I absolutely loved this! Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a favorite author and this book did not disappoint!