I was drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover so I had really high expectations for it. Unfortunately, for me, it just didn't live up to them. I loved the vampire lore that Silvia Moreno-Garcia created, I think I just wanted more out of the story.

I was lucky enough to receive both an eARC and ALC of Certain Dark Things. This book has been on my TBR for years and most of that time I was desperately trying to find a copy of it to read. Thankfully, this release of this book was what finally gave me a chance to read it and it was worth the wait. I’m a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and she’s become quickly an auto buy author for me after reading Mexican Gothic. When given a chance to pick up the book that I’d been waiting to read for ages, I didn’t hesitate, which was why I applied for so many different copies/formats for this book.
We follow Domingo, a street kid who makes a way of life for himself in Mexico City by collection garbage. Everything had been going normally for him until Atl came into his life and got permission to drink his blood. For she was a vampire, a creature that wasn’t allowed within Mexico City, but Atl was on the run after her family was killed by other vampires and she’s the next target. The two of them must survive as more and more people become interested in them and want Atl dead.
I really loved this book. I loved the mythology within this story, the different types of vampires and the myths that surround them, adding to it the people of Mexico itself. Atl is descended from Aztec priestesses who worshipped a god with feather armor. In turn, Atl could not exactly fly, but glide with her own wings.
Though there were pieces of this story that wasn’t necessary or just didn’t have a satisfying ending to it. I think the author wanted to do so much with this without being able to fully explore it all. This book was just a great book to listen to and I do recommend it, despite the few flaws it has. There is a lot of violence in this book and gore, but as for a horror stand point, I was able to get through it without nightmares, so it was pretty tame in that sense, but makes you desperately want more.

I got a copy from Netgalley for an honest review. I love vampire books but this one had a different feeling. Maybe because it takes place in a world where vampires are known. I did like that aspect that, some countries either excepted or didn’t except vampires. But I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. About 1/3 in to the book and I just didn’t really get into it and then I kinda got bored. I finished it but took way longer than expected.

It's clear to see why Moreno-Garcia is now a go-to author in her genre and Canadian fiction in general, what a star!

This was my second of her novels and I enjoyed the creativity of the idea and the carryout of her concept immensely. She makes it clear that her writing is a craft, and it's such a delight.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Certain dark things is a different type of vampire novel. This book takes place in Mexico City and breaks down vampires into different factions. The first one is the Aztec vampires. These are some of the oldest and our main heroine Atyl is just such a vampire. However in this story it’s the vampires that run the drug cartels. Her family has been doing this for centuries and now there are consequences. After the death of her family Atyl is on the run. While vampires are not allowed in Mexico City that is where she is hoping to find passage out of the country. Instead what she finds is Domingo, a street boy who is willing to do almost anything for her. He will be her snack, he will walk her dangerous dog, he will help her live and find a newlife. But this is no easy task. You see the other forms of vampires Necros are after a Atyl. Necros vampires aren’t only mean and nasty they are violent and they will get their revenge. But maybe just maybe with the help of Rever, Atyl and Domingo just might find safety and avoid attacks by the Necros Nick and others that are out to get them. Overall this was a very interesting take on a vampire novel. The world building is well done. It brings to life Mexico City and it makes it feel like someplace with a past present and future. It also makes you feel for the characters with the way the author describes and gives back stories to her vampires. Whether it’s the biologically altered protective dogs or the feathers that sprout with no notice this is a book that’s going to keep the reader entertained and engaged in the story. Is it the best vampire novel ever, No, however it is one that’ll feed the need for somebody who’s looking for something new or a new take on vampire lore.

Interesting story with well developed characters that is equally a fantasy and a thriller. Yes the story has vampires, genetically modified animals, criminals, and cops. But if you are expecting a mythical vampire story, you are going to be disappointed. Certain Dark Things is an alternate world story where the humans know that vampires exists and underground criminals who assassinate vampires. There is a good amount of history, lore and world building blended into the story to create an alternate Mexico City. Fans of Mexican Gothic will definitely love this. I’m just amazed how an author can write two different genre of books- this a fantasy thriller and Velvet was the night, a historical fiction and make us readers love every single chapter. Guess that is what they call as talent.

Thank you Macmillan audio via Netgalley for the alc,

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This was an interesting vampire story set in an alternate Mexico City where vampires exist everywhere but Mexico City because the human gangs had removed them. However, our lead vampire has gotten into Mexico City in order to get herself away from another vampire gang and to eventually get away for good from Mexico. The lore is very interesting and there are multiple types of vampires and even genetically modified dogs! The story moves along a quick pace but the story is interesting and the characters are well developed. If you like vampire stories, this is one of the good ones.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this.

I loved this book. I am a huge vampire lover but the Aztec point of view put on this, was amazing! I am not sure Ive read a book set in Mexico City so that was fun. We follow Domingo as street kid that gets introduced to our Vampire in this book. The author did an amazing job on this story and the plot.

Now for the audiobook. I love audiobooks but the narrator of this one was not my favorite. I did have to speed of the book to enjoy it. But once I did that and I finally was able to breeze through this. I think the narrator just needed more "ump" more character added. That would have added so much to the audiobook.

However, I highly recommend this.

What I loved the most about this book was it's originality, we have Aztec vampires and narcos and Mexico City as almost a character in itself. It's a complex, fascinating world that Moreno-García builds beautifully. I can easily visualize this world as a serial show. I loved the audio narration: yes to finding narrator with natural Spanish pronunciation, it added to the believability of this fantastic story.

I can not give proper feedback on this audiobook since the narrator of this was too difficult to pay attention to. It was too monotone for me and I kept zoning out. I’m embarrassed to say this because I do lots of audiobooks. I will try to read the book.

I decided to read Certain Dark Things on a whim without reading the synopsis and I am so very pleasantly pleased I did! I loved this neo-nori novel. This is a reimagining of vampire lore set in Mexico City. We follow Domingo and Atl. Domingo is a street kid that has just been trying to survive by collecting garbage. Atl is a beautiful and dangerous vampire, who is a descendant of Aztec blood drinkers. Atl tries to leave Domingo behind, but he is determined to stay and Atl finds herself actually enjoying his presence.

Dead bodies begin to stack up and local cops and crime bosses start to take notice. This book shows the dark side of this alternative Mexico City, where vampires, humans, cops, and criminals all roam. As their feelings get stronger, the stakes get higher. Will they escape together with their lives?

The characters were so endearing and I adored Domingo especially. This is the first neo-noir book I've read and I enjoyed the atmosphere of it immensely. I also highly recommend the audiobook, as the narrator does a fabulous job!

Certain Dark Things is the stunning dark fantasy novel that takes us on the journey with the young vampire Atl and her human companion Domingo. This book was a sensational page turner. Morena-Garcia did an incredible job with the world building and the atmosphere. The story is set in Mexico City and the picture that is painted sets the tone and mood of the story so well. Morena-Garcia's different types of vampires with the backdrop of the gritty city gives it a feel of a vampire noir. The story for me was elevated with the complexities of the vampire gangs, the complicated state of the police and relationship that develops between Atl and Domingo. This is an amazing story for those looking for action and dark fantasy, it's just that bloody good. For any sensitive readers, please know that there is mentions of sex and violence. Overall Certain Dark Things is a great recommendation for lovers of vampire novels, those who enjoy good lore, and horror.

Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to listen to the advanced copy of this book.

Certain Dark Things is full of a wonderful atmosphere of darkness, smoke, and heat that Moreno-Garcia has cultivated. She has reimagined vampires not as romantic sensualists but animals with all the biologic variation of wolves and birds. Setting her story in a dystopian Mexico City is a brilliant idea, and very well done.
The world building and background work really is the best part of this story, and more than earns it 3 stars. Moreno-Garcia did a splendid job envisioning this alternate world of vampires, and I'm glad I was able to read it. But the characters and plotting let the world building work down, to a certain extent.
My biggest issue was nothing really happens most of the book and the final confrontation felt very drawn out and somewhat clumsy. Given the strength of the world building, I wanted the characters and plot to amaze me as well, but they didn't.
Side note: the audiobook narrator made this story fun to read otherwise. They did a fantastic job showcasing emotion and attitude.

After trying and failing to complete the physical version of this story, I thought the audiobook would improve my experience with this one, but it didn't. I find the main characters to be dull and one-dimensional, fostering not a whit of connection with the reader, even though the storyline and the vampire mythos created is so interesting.

OH WOW.

I LOVED this vampire novel. Yes - You read correctly. VAMPIRE. This story is set in Mexico City, where the author presents to us a world where the discovery of vampires' existence took place in the 1970s and has reshaped the world entirely. Let me first say - WOW. There was so much bloody description, it's a dark and violent story that gives you that mafia vampire gang vibe. I was literally in awe of the vampire folklore that is introduced in this. There are several different types of vampires. I binged the last portion of this book today while I was cleaning and going for a walk with my dog. I had to speed up the narrator because I needed to know that badly what was going on. I was in tandem reading the book on paper, so when I wasn't enjoying the narration, I was getting lost in the pages.

Atl and Domingo are interesting and keep us turning the pages. Atl happens to belong to a tribe with ties back to the ancient Aztec Empire. While Domingo is a street kid who collects trash to make a living. When Domingo sees Atl for the first time, he immediately feels a pull toward her. I don't want to say anymore. This is such an action-packed and addicting read; I highly recommend you pick it up.

Certain Dark Things is dark and neon, grimy and gorgeous. One of the best vampire novels I've read, with a fascinating world of distinct vampire species and a world learning to deal with their existence, told from the perspective of young, desperate characters and their big dog, just trying to survive in a world that wants to destroy them. 9/10, highly recommended.

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.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing is phenomenal! I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but I ended up loving it very much. I am 100% here for a great vampire story, but this isn’t just any vampire story. In this novel we experience an alternate present in which the discovery that vampires exists, a discovery made in the 1970s, has reshaped the entire world of the 21st century. Mexico City is a closed city, which in turn leaves the rest of the county at the mercy of the vampire gangs who fight over humans and territory. My favorite part, there are multiple types/species of vampires. Who doesn’t love a good variation?

If you love vampire stories, the mixture of multiple vampire lore, “horror” books, and a fast-paced read then you definitely would love this book. I already have it ordered into my store and have recommended it to customers. So definitely a book I recommend and would sell.

4 stars

A wonderful storyline, some decent characters, & smooth writing made this a joy to read! It’s an ode to classic gothic vampire stories with some creative variations & Mexican folklore added in.

[What I liked:]

•I really enjoyed the world building, which blends elements of European vampiric folklore with Aztecan. There are also elements of a dystopian, authoritarian society, & the backdrop is a brutal drug war. The world building wasn’t messy nor did it slow down the pacing; there is just enough to make things interesting & create a vivid neo-noir setting.

•The storyline is engaging & the pace keeps things exciting throughout. There aren’t any shocking twists, but Atl has more & more pursuers making her survival tenuous as the story proceeds, heightening the narrative tension.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•The ending was anti-climactic. It also showed that some of the character growth I was attributing to Atl didn’t really happen, & made me disappointed in her as a character.

•It’s not clear why Bernardino helped in certain ways. Supposedly because of a code of honor, but he was also declared to have betrayed Atl’s mother. So that explanation was thin/non-existent.

CW: a 23-year-old woman & a 17-year-old boy have a romantic & sexual relationship, descriptions of violent fights & injuries, murder, substance abuse, sexist language

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

I remember a few years back when every blog I follow seemed to be talking about Certain Dark Things and all the reviews were tempting so I put it on my to-buy list and then I got distracted and I never read it. Ugh. I hate and I love that there are always so many tempting books coming at me. Anyhow, it’s been re-released by Tor Nightfire so if you’re like me and missed it the first time around now is the time to grab it for yourself (and maybe even read it, ha!)

I started this out by reading the print copy at night and listening to the audiobook from Netgalley (thank you Netgalley!) during the day. If you’re a fan of audiobooks I’d say go for it that way because the narrator does an excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life. About ¼ of the way through I put the paperback down and switched completely to audio because I found myself more engaged that way but YMMV.

The storyline, to be completely honest, isn’t one that thrills me. It’s set in an alternate universe in Mexico City and is about a young vampire named Atl who is on the run from another killer clan of vampires who want her dead for <I>reasons.</i> I’m not a super fan of vampire clan wars and vampire politics make me sleepy, likely because I read way too many of them as a youngling, but that’s totally on me. But Atl is interesting. She’s prickly and cold and embodies some of the vampire qualities that have mostly been wiped clean from so many vampire novels in the last decade or so (I said MOSTLY so please don’t come at me with your but what abouts . . . I know there are exceptions but I’m all about those Near Dark bloodsuckers). I also loved the folklore and Aztec mythology weaved into the story and, of course, I was a sucker for Atl’s beautiful, modified dog and Atl’s human servant Domingo. If you need to latch on to a character in order to become engrossed in a story, Domingo is that character. He’s sweet, a little innocent and so loyal it’s almost painful.

I’m going to rate the story a three (I know, I know, I’m THE WORST - no need to tell me again) but because of the excellent narration, I’m bumping it up to a four. It’s a bloody and brutal tale which I love and though it took a little while for it to get going for me, once I fell into it I enjoyed the audio experience so much I didn’t want to shut it off to do actual life stuff.