I really like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and my favorite book of hers is The Gods of Jade and Shadow. I found myself struggling to stay engaged and committed to the story. Elvis and Maite were interesting characters but I wanted more growth from them and had trouble embracing them. The writing is still fantastic and I still enjoyed the experience, the atmosphere, and the setting.

Do not go into Velvet Was The Night thinking that you'll be getting the gothic horror and magic of Mexican Gothic, because you'll be disappointed. Taking place in 1970s Mexico, we follow two central characters—Elvis and Maite. Elvis is a criminal, growing up in a life of crime with regret. His life started out with chaos and he just couldn't overcome his environment. Elvis struggles with accepting his past at times, but also enlists to join the Hawks, a group of individuals tied to organized crime and government corruption with just as dark pasts as Elvis. At the same time, we are introduced to 30 year old secretary Maite. Maite seems to live a pretty straightedge life of work and romance stories. However, Maite gets more than what she bargained for after helping out her neighbor and cat sitting while she is away. As Maite starts diving deeper into a world she has never seen before, the two main characters' roles in the polticial uprising of 1970s Mexico begin to intertwine.

One aspect I love of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's storytelling previously was her ability to slowly build the atmospheric undertones around the plot. While she does do that in Velvet Was The Night , it falls a bit flat for me because the pay off isn't some dark, magical, sinister turn. I enjoyed the political historic content in this book, but ultimately was expecting something a bit different. Kudos to the author for being able to pivot and still provide an engaging story, but I'll make sure to go in with different expectations going forward. I will probably have an unpopular opinion, but please note that I still enjoyed the story for what it was! 3 stars isn't a negative review. I will still pick up anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes, and I think this book will be favorably reviewed by those who want something a bit more realistic and less fantasy.

It is historical noir. I liked the characters. The story was good. Fell a little short of expectations though.

The sense of place is constant. You never forget where you are. You don't accidentally find that in your head you're imagining an American neighbourhood (if you live in the US). The historical backdrop was a bit confusing for me as I don't know much about Mexican history.

Having the beautiful mysterious rich girl be a side character takes this story in a different direction from the start. It's a good choice because it's the characters that really make this book.

Special thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC in exchange for an open and honest review!

First can we talk about how beautiful this cover is!!!
This is my second from the author and I must say this one is my favorite.

Mood: a single glass of Don Julio Tequila (sipped, not gulped please), red lipstick, Bang Bang (My Baby Shot me Down) playing softly in the background while you read.

Velvet was the Night was simply a delight.

It’s edgy, sultry and simmering noir at its best. And – it’s just plain cool.

This is a crime novel, taking you to a dark point in Mexican history – yet the author’s writing style makes her dark world so compelling. Despite the danger and the heartbreak, a part of me wanted to live in her world.

I simply didn’t want the story to end and can’t wait for what the author brings us next!

And before I go – props to the cover artist on this one. The cover is amazing!

*ARC via Net Galley

Given the fact I was not the biggest fan of Mexican Gothic, I am SO glad I gave Silvia Moreno-Garcia another chance with this one. This beautiful historical fiction dives deep into the character's minds creating an intimacy with the reader that I haven't found before. Based on real events, this is a great glimpse into the Mexican history that many people that are not from the country would never know happened.

Meet Maite - she's a secretary that binds her time reading romance comics, pet sitting for her neighbors, and creating intricate tall tales about her make-believe suitors for her coworkers amusement. Then meet Elvis - your resident thug and unit leader of the Hawks; though rough on appearance he has a kind heart with a love for music and vocabulary words. Though the two couldn't be more opposite, their paths intertwine when Leonora enters and unfortunately goes missing. This is a story focusing on politics, romance, comradery, and loyalty; all coated in true Mexican culture.

Thank you Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Post will be available on www.instagram.com/whataginger.reads July 9, 2021.

Introverted secretary who lives for escapism gets pushed out of her comfort zone in a dangerous way and finds romance along the way. What’s not to love, right? And some aspects were likable; I liked the overall painting Moreno-Garcia created. The references to rock n’ roll songs, the characters who were more than what their roles demanded, and the real-life historical events that fueled the plot. I wanted to like this book! I really did!

It was a classic “judged a book by its cover” mistake, and I fell for it. But can you blame me! It’s a gorgeous cover, conjuring up all sorts of ideas about the main character. However, for me, the main character fell short of my expectations. I wanted the story to stop shuffling it’s feet and pick up the pace. I wanted more character development than I got out of main characters that had real potential. And most of all, I wanted the ending I feel was robbed from me after all the work I put in to sticking with it.

When I read the synopsis, I assumed it was a romance, an “us against the world” type. In reality, Maite and Elvis have a completely underdeveloped relationship, if you can even call it that. Maite, who in the beginning was absorbed in her illusion of what love should be, was annoying and doesn’t seem to learn anything, ending up in kind of the same boat she started in, albeit some new experiences. Elvis’ obsession with Maite, the stranger he is assigned to follow, is not an obsession with her personally, but more of what she represents: the normal, boring life he wants to lead but is undoubtedly out of his reach.

I wanted to like it, but what ended up happening was me power reading through it to get to an ending that was really no ending at all. Maite was too caught up in her romance books coming to life, and Elvis was too concerned with portraying the persona he created of himself. The story line had nothing to grab hold of; it was smoke, just like in the cover.

Velvet Was the Night was, in a way, disappointing to me. As a surface-level story, I didn't hate it. It was put together well, and the way that various characters eventually connected throughout the book was satisfactory (...with the exception of Elvis and Maite themselves; I wanted them to interact much earlier than they did). And yet, like Mexican Gothic, I felt there was something missing for me. Perhaps it's because I don't really know much about the noir genre, and haven't had much interest in it, but because I know I enjoy Moreno-Garcia's writing I thought that wouldn't matter. I would still like the characters. I would still enjoy the narration. That was ... only half true. Moreno-Garcia knows how to craft a good story, but I didn't feel like either of our main leads really grabbed me. They didn't feel like main characters, and in a way, as we discover later in the novel, they aren't.

Perhaps I'll come back to this review once I've had time to ruminate on the book.

Star Rating: ★★★☆☆ (i.e. "meh")

Special thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC in exchange for an open and honest review!

Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre: Historical Fiction and Mystery

Synopsis: Mexico City in the 1970s is filled with student protesting, a fear of communism, and political unrest. Maite is a lonely secretary at a law firm who spends her time listening to records and reading Secret Romance comics. Elvis is a HAWK agent who wishes he was spending his time listening to rock and roll and reading classics rather than hunting for *bad guys.* When Maite agrees to watch her neighbor Lenora’s cat for a few days but Lenora seemingly vanishes, suddenly she finds herself on a goose chase, and caught up in Lenora’s secret life of radical student protests. Consequently, Elvis is also looking for Lenora and he suddenly finds himself engrossed in Maite along the way.

Review: I LOVED THIS BOOK! Like loved. It was my favorite book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I’ve ever read. I loved the history and the quirky characters and how this story all started because Maite agreed to watch someone’s cat. I was my favorite book of April hands down and I can’t wait until it is released. I was so intrigued by the historical aspect of this one. I had no idea about the HAWKS and the US involvement in hiring moles and attempting to *stop* communism in Mexico. I went down a huge rabbit hole about what this book was about. Additionally, I love that Moreno-Garcia added historical notes and explanation at the end. One other note- I love weird characters that are kind of uncomfortable but also relatable. This makes me very drawn to Ottessa Moshfegh’s books and writing style. The main girl, Maite gave me some serious Moshfegh vibes because of her quirkiness and desire to just not be so lonely in a world of unrest. This was an easy 5 star book for me and it’s going to be released August 17, 2021!

#velvetwasthenight #silviamorenogarcia #arcbook #review #bookreview #booklover #bookstagram #booknerd #bookblog #bookblogger #netgalley #bookstagrammer #bookbloggersofinstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #bookaholic #bookaesthetic

1970s, Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of the Secret Romance comic. While students politically protest , she escapes in her comics.

Her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, seems to live a life of mystery that Maite envies. When Leonora disappears under suspiciously, Maite finds herself looking for her falling deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals.

Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora at the behest of his gangster boss. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life as he hates violence and loves old movies and rock ’n’ roll. As Elvis looks for Leonora he runs into Maite. He becomes obsessed with her and her similar taste in music. As they get closer to the truth they can no longer escape the danger of hit men, government agents and Russian spies all wanting to protect Leonora’s secrets.

I literally couldn’t wait to read this! I really enjoyed this noir style story of an important part of history. Now this is nothing like Mexican Gothic-not even close! This is definitely character driven. The complex characters are full of loneliness which helps drive them forward into the chaos and their complicated alliances. Told from different points of view really strengthen the bond of the two main characters and the connection they have. Being noir, the whole tone of this is moody and full of dialect and atmosphere that help propel the story along. It was exciting and interesting. I must say the use of music and the music of the time really wraps things up nicely. If you are in the mood for something dark, serious and volatile then this is for you.

Btw the cover 😍😍😍 my gosh!

Thank you Netgalley for my advance copy in exchange for my review.

I was so excited to get this ARC. She’s such a fun writer. Her leads are always great and the dialogue is always really snappy and fun. This is labeled as a noir, and I get that, but it really reads to me more as a political thriller. There’s a noirish tone for sure, but it doesn’t have a lot of the elements that I associate with noir, aside from a missing person. Just a heads up for other people who might go in expecting some hard boiled detective story from the description. I would strongly suggest reading the afterward. It’s short, but fascinating. Also, like Mexican Gothic, she curated a playlist on Spotify to act as a sort of soundtrack to the book, so make sure to check that out. It’s really good. I don’t want to get too into plot or anything since this does partially revolve around twists. Just know that even though there are no supernatural elements to it, you’re for sure going to enjoy this book if you’re already a fan of her work. Thanks, Random House!

Moreno-Garcia is just one of those authors where it doesn't matter what they write, you'll always pick up their work. I devoured Mexican Gothic and The Beautiful Ones, and I was thrilled to be approved for Velvet Was the Night. That cover, that title--I couldn't wait to get started.

Set in 1970s Mexico City, Velvet Was the Night follows Maite, a thirty year old secretary who yearns for more. She gets lost in her comics, romantic tales of love triangles with adventure, dashing heroes, and intoxicating damsels, searching for something or someone to rescue her from her mundane life. When her neighbor Leonora asks her to watch her cat, she agrees, but things get crazy when Leonora doesn't return. Teaming up with some unlikely characters, Maite soon finds herself smack dab in the middle of the adventure she always wanted, but what price will she have to pay to have it?

I really loved this book.

Maite was a wonderful protagonist. Quirky and plain yet utterly engrossing, her voice was strong and anything but boring. Her self-awareness made for some humorous moments. Her general unhappiness with her life, wanting more but being completely cognizant of her obstacles, she was an everyman, a person you can relate to regardless of where you are in life, and for that, I think readers will be drawn to her.

Elvis' voice is equally enjoyable, a parallel to Maite, almost, as he constantly searches for more. He wants material things, like a library and music collection, but he also wants the intangibles: love, intimacy, communication, love. As he watches Maite, he becomes a Cyrano figure, harboring an unrequited love but not knowing how to put those emotions into words.

It's also worth noting the significance of music here, how important it is to both Maite and Elvis but also to the people of Mexico City at a time when performances were outlawed. The playlist included at the end of the book is stellar, and I highly recommend.

More than the escapism, Moreno-Garcia gives us the overarching political turmoil of 1970s Mexico. It seems impossible for a love story to be set among the backdrop of unrest, murder, and rebellions, but at the same time, it fits perfectly with the story. No spoilers, of course, but the insight into the real-life events was more than a reflection on a tumultuous cultural standpoint, but an examination of the horrors of El Halconazo and how they apply to current political rhetoric.

Velvet Was the Night is a simultaneously bloody and hopeful story, a brilliant portrayal of love and violence and the gray areas in between. I'd recommend to fans of Atwood, barrio noir, international mysteries with light-hearted humor, or anyone looking to be intoxicated by storytelling.

Big thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Gritty and dark, this noir-type novel will be a great crossover for thriller fans who like Lars Kepler. I had a fun time reading this one.

This was not my very favorite book, I think because it was just a bit too slow pace for me, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was definitely very well and beautifully written! It was one that has a very captivating storyline and kept my attention, even with the slower pace. I don’t really know what genre I would call this, but do think it you’re a fan or the author, you’ll likely enjoy. I would recommend to those who tend to enjoy the same books as me’.

Will buzz around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release!

After reading Mexican Gothic, I was excited to read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s other books. I received an e-ARC of this one and while it was beautifully written, it just wasn’t for me. I was expecting more of a horror or thriller, but this is a historical noir. I had never read historical noir before, so it was interesting to be introduced to this genre, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. If you are a huge fan of noir, you would really enjoy this book as it is full of descriptive dialogue and imagery.

The first thing I want to say about this story is how it felt reading it. I LOVE stories that have atmosphere, where I can feel the darkness, the heat, smell the smoke or feel the noise of the city and this story is the perfect example of that. I was taking, transported into the story in more then just the plot or the characters. This entire story came alive for me and I loved every moment.

This story is a mystery, a noir is a very accurate way of describing the story. When I think about old noir movies from Hollywood this is what I think of, well written plots with interesting characters, places that come alive and a mystery that is not easy to solve and usually based on humanity rather then "extraordinary" means. This is not a supernatural story, there is nothing in this story but humans, at there best and at their worst and oh my goodness it is an amazing one at that.

If you enjoy mystery, people, heart and soul, noir, darkness and near perfection then give this story a try.

I had the pleasure of an ARC via NetGalley and Random House Publishing and I am leaving an honest review. #VelvetWastheNight #NetGalley

Wow! What a book. I went into this book without any knowledge of what it was about, just familiar with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous book, Mexican Gothic. I was initially disappointed there was no sci-fi/fantasy element to the story but eventually the characters Maite and Elvis drew me into their world and before I knew it, I couldn’t put the book down.

As Silvia states in the afterward, this is a 70s, noir, pulp fiction tale based on some real happenings in turbulent Mexico City. It is very indie-cinematic, and reminds me of a 21st Century missing girl amateur detective thriller. As always. I love to see how Silvia works with new genres.

This is a lush noir set in Mexico during very dangerous and unsettled 1970s, when the government and other entities worked to disrupt protests, protect the corrupt, and punish dissidents. In this mix we find Maite, who hates her job, is depressed about her life, and loves records. By agreeing to cat-sit for her neighbor, she finds herself completely ensnared in various operations to find and protect or destroy photographs that could be used as evidence to bring down major figures. This is a book rich with description and complex, conflicted characters, and I loved ever minute of it. It would make a fantastic short series; Netflix, are you reading?

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has created another awe inspiring book. I admit, this slow burning historical noir style book may not be for everyone. I find the author's use of dialogue and multi character perspective perfect. Chapters transition seemlessly from Maite to Elvis while both are at the same scene. The characters felt beautifully developed and the story line requires focus to follow the twisting plot to find the illusive Leonora. Major bonus of this book is the Spotify play list. It's hard to NOT be transported to 1970s Mexico City when both reading and listening together.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballatine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.