I absolutely loved Mexican Gothic. So when I came across Certain Dark Things, a book about Mexican cartel vampires, I was sold.

I really wanted to like this one but sadly it did nothing for me. I did enjoy the refreshing take on the vampires, where there are many vampire subspecies who have unique abilities but I just did not care for the characters or the story.

Domingo is a street kid and Atl is a descendant of the Aztec vampire clan, she is also on the run from another vampire clan that killed her family. They team up to try to get Atl help. This had so much potential except Atl and Domingo are both childlike and annoying.

Also as much as the author doesn’t want this categorized as YA, it still felt very YA to me.

The narrator Aida Reluzco did a great job!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love when an author can diversify their writing across different genres. Moreno- Garcia is that kind of talented author. I loved the atmospheric weirdness of Mexican Gothic and was all aboard for Certain Dark Things. Crime fiction, scifi, fantasy and vampires? Yes please!

Set in an alternate Mexico City we follow Atl, who is on the run from another vampire cartel that slaughtered her family. Domingo is a street kid trying to get by. A very unlikely duo that comes together to outwit the other side as Atl attempts to flee the city.

This is a slow flowing plot that has an interesting take on different groups of vampires. I liked the build on character depth and the darkly grim atmosphere that hangs like an oppressive curtain over each scene. It took me a little bit to get into at first. With the creeping plot and buildup of characters, I was glad I had Aida Reluzco narrating as my companion for this journey. She has a cadence that is equal parts soothing and captivating.
There comes a moment when the gore and action escalate and I found myself immersed wholly.

I enjoyed this audiobook overall. I was intrigued by the unique twist on vampires and look forward to what Moreno-Garcia has in store next. Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for them opportunity to listen to the advanced audio for an honest review.

Great characters and wonderful world building! Thank you so much to Macmillan audio and netgalley for a copy of the audio book. It's read by Aida Reluzco and she does such a great job of bringing this story to life.

Fabulous audiobook narrator and the story is absolutely divine. It's a sort of modern-day Gods of Jade and Shadow, in so far as there being a supernatural being pairing up with a human. Love the dark Mexico City setting and the layering in of police corruption. Masterful work and love this new cover so much!

I've sat on how I felt about this book for a minute.

I love the aspect of different kinds of vampires, I love the genetically altered dog, and the party life of snooty Vampires.

I especially love the tie in of Aztecs and Vampires. I was kicking myself for not thinking that myself.

But I feel like there was something missing. Is this going to be a series? Because it feels like it could be but the ending also kind of sounded like one of those fade to black.

I was really surprised by this book and not only because I had no idea what it was about but loved the cover. The narrator was really great with this audiobook giving each characters' pov its own distinctive tone so that you'd know right away who was talking. This story is about vampires, different kinds, in a world that knows there are vampires (born not made) and are not entirely seen as a good thing.
We have Atl, a vampire, who is escaping from Nick, a different more vile kind of vampire, who is accompanied by Rodrigo who is a human exactly like Domingo who is helping and maybe becoming friends with Atl, helping her avoiding the vampires looking for her and a single mom and police woman who wants to raise her kid in a city without vampire criminality.
The story is set in Mexico City, supposedly vampire free, and it involves many POV changes, running away, a beautiful dog, blood, twists at every corner and many interesting details that made this vampire world very intriguing.
I really enjoyed listening to this one!

Certain Dark Things from Macmillan Audio

“We are our hunger.”

This is easily one of the best vampire books I’ve ever read. While those of you who dislike exposition-heavy narratives might want to look elsewhere, those of you who love intricate world-building will be enraptured in this culturally rooted story about a vampire named Atl and a street kid named Domingo as they try to work out an escape from Mexico City, where the police and rivaling human and vampire gangs seek to kill them.

The plot is pretty solid, but in the tradition of many noir-type stories the plot is given rather less attention than the setting. But what a setting!!! I think the thing that really sold me on this story is that it <i>is</i> so grounded in culture—this book blends every piece of vampire mythos from around the world and weaves it into a rich geographic tapestry, covering the European necros and the Aztec-descended tlahuelpocmimi, and many other sub-species of vampires and finding a way to incorporate just about every piece of classic vampire lore you could think of.

I listened to this book on audio, and thus have no idea how to spell about half the names in the book, but a decent idea of how to pronounce them. Narrator Aida Reluzco does a wonderful job of creating the atmosphere and I highly recommend listening to this as an audiobook—it was the highlight of my commute this past week. I even found myself taking the scenic route on the way back home from work, just to keep listening.





Mild spoilers below for those of you who saw a dog on the cover of a violence-heavy novel and became immediately invested in its welfare:

Spoilers spoilers

The good dog doesn’t die

End spoilers

Certain Dark Things is as tantalizing and mysterious as the title and cover art imply. Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, introduces rich new vampire lore that’s ancient and expansive. Both books have a beautiful gothic style with Mexican flair. Set in an alternative version of Mexico City, Certain Dark Things envisions a world where warring vampire species live openly among humanity. It’s dark, gritty, and captivating. I loved every minute of it.

Alone and hunted by the rival narco-vampire clan who slaughtered her family, Atl is hiding in Mexico City until her family’s contacts can get her out of the country. As long as she stays fed and doesn’t overexert herself, she can pass for human. Staying fed isn’t easy, though, and Atl takes a huge risk on a human street kid named Domingo, offering him money in exchange for his blood.

He’s shocked to learn she’s a Tlāhuihpochtli - a type of vampire - not only because she looks human, but also because Mexico City is a vampire-free territory. Human gangs unite against vampire incursions, and sanitation crews sweep the city verifying ID paperwork and body temperatures. These measures couldn’t keep every vampire out of the city, but it did make things difficult for Atl and those hunting her. Domingo does more than give Atl blood - he wants to help get her out of the county safely.

The audiobook narrator, Aida Reluzco, is perfect. She bring Atl to life, and gives Certain Dark Things the authenticity it deserves. Her voice and pronunciation are beautiful, and the audiobook is an immersive experience.

Interesting take on vampire lore. I liked the action and the drama between the clans interspersed with the drama of humans around them. I don't speak Spanish, so having the book narrated helped me since I'm sure I'd pronounce most of the words incorrectly in my head.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia was a wild and wonderful book! Set in an alternate universe where vampires don’t just exist they in-fight with gangs and rival clans for control of cities. Domingo is a street kid whose life is forever changed when he meets a pretty girl, Atl, on a metro. Atl is a starving vampire running from a dark past. She’s more than he could ever imagine and pulls him into her word of darkness like a full moon eclipse. Sure to keep you listening well after bedtime.

Big thanks to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Atl is a vampire, Domingo is a street kid. Atl needs to feed on healthy blood, Domingo needs a friend. Together, they form a bond, a friendship, and trust.
Mexico city has no Vampires. Or at least it's not supposed to. And Atl isn't the only one.
She's on the run from another vampire clan, the one that killed her family. Their clan isn't the type to lay low, they will rip throats out without a thought and they want Atl.

I LOVE the vampire origin stories!! They aren't your typical vamps, most can't even reproduce by biting, they reproduce naturally. They have long lives but don't live forever and they have history! Atl's family history has Aztec and Incan connections. They have slightly different anatomy than their human counterparts and other vampires.
Silvia was nearly lyrical with descriptions and really breathed the story to life with color and history.

The narrator Aida Reluzco has a beautiful voice and truly brought Atl and Domingo into reality.

This was an alright book. It’s certainly a different take on vampires than what I’m used to, so that was refreshing! I actually quite liked how vampires worked in this world.
Didn’t love the ending, it was kind of abrupt and felt unfinished.
Overall, it kept my interest, but wasn’t anything spectacular.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator was fantasic. As a non-Spanish speaker, I am so glad that I actually listened to the audio version, as there were a lot of words I never would have pronounced correctly in a million years. Highly recommend the audio -- also, in love with this new cover. It represents the story perfectly!

My full review of the story can be found below:

**3.5-stars**

Certain Dark Things was originally published in October 2016, but is now being rereleased, by Tor Nightfire, with this splendid new cover!! With vampire fiction making a bit of a resurgance and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, justly, gaining in popularity, I believe it was a smart decision. I knew the second I saw this cover that I would read it.

This noir-style story takes place in an alternate version of Mexico City, where vampires are real and everyone knows it. Please note, we're talking dangerous, brutal vampires versus the sparkling romantic ones. We love to see it.

Domingo is a street-kid who collects garbage to make ends meet. When he spies Atl, the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, he is immediately drawn to her. As much as she tries to resist, Atl eventually succumbs to Domingo's charm. Atl is on the run. She has many dangerous people looking for her and Domingo insists on helping; even though he is clueless to the ins-and-outs of the vampire world. He'd do anything to stay with Atl though.

There's a gritty texture to this entire story. It's violent and dangerous. I really enjoyed the overall idea and the setting; particularly, how humans and vampires live side-by-side. For me, I feel like I needed it to be built out more to become fully invested however. It felt quite surface-level, which is fine. It's a good story. A solid world creation, but for me, I would need a little more substance before I could say that I really enjoyed it.

With this being said, it is a quick, fun read, quite atmopsheric and I think a lot of Readers will have fun with it. I do think it is a very solid example of Moreno-Garcia's style. I'm a fan!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I really appreciate it!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno Garcia in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book by Silvia Moreno Garcia and I loved it! I really enjoyed the gothic alternate Mexico City with vampire gangs, Renfields, and the policia. This story felt like a Bela Lugosi film noir with a twist. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read Velvet was the Night and Mexican Gothic.

Thank you to Tor and Net Galley for an advanced listening copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel, and fitting that this is a reprint of a book that long ago went out of print! I didn't know what to expect, which was honestly rather refreshing!

A neo-noir set in a reimagined Mexico City. Vampires have been publicly out since the 70's, but they are not welcome in Mexico City. Atl, descendant of the Aztec blood drinkers, asks young Domingo for a favor. He quickly returns to help her as her human companion, while also teaching her that it's okay to trust people, especially the people that just want to help you.

Atl is being chased to the ends of the Earth by a rival gang of Necros (different type of vampire) , and when a police officer catches whiff of both vampires, she'll do her best to stop them.

This was such an interesting premise. I loved the writing and the multiple POV for this story! I finished it in just over a day, and really can't recommend it enough! Such a cool story.

I will say, I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator. I would have loved if there had been multiple narrators for each POV.

Mexico City exists as a haven at the heart of a country overrun by drug-fuelled vampire gang rivalries, even for the vampires hiding from those rivalries.

Between Mexican Gothic and Certain Dark Things, Moreno-Garcia has, in my opinion, very quickly risen to the top of the contemporary horror game. Drawing on classic noir tropes with an alternative future-driven twist, she creates a very vibrant version of Mexico City as a safe haven in the center of a country plagued by drugs, disease, and a melting pot of cross-cultural vampire lore. When Domingo spots Atl on the subway, he’s taken by her and decides that he’ll do anything to get her attention, including putting his life on the line for a girl who is more than just a normal girl.

At the heart of the story are two very different characters who ended up at the center of a brutal rivalry between Narcos and warring vampire gangs. Domingo is a good kid in a bad situation, a trash collector who loves horror comics, just trying to stay out of the drama of the gangs that lord over the poor of Mexico City. Atl is a Tlahuihpochtin, a rich kid descendant of Aztec blood drinkers, hiding in plain sight from the violence that took down her whole family. Their relationship is at times so awkward and relies on them steadily building up trust in each other that was just so heartwarming to see.

I just genuinely loved the world that is built in such a short story (coming in at 272 pages). While it’s set in a world a lot like our own, the fantasy elements are woven in so well that it doesn’t take much to suspend disbelief (something that I find really hard to do with a lot of urban fantasy books). The overlaps across a variety of multicultural vampire mythologies is taken into consideration right from the beginning and explained in a way that made my reasonable, science-loving heart so happy (the vampires are a different species in the genus Homo that were integrated into society in the 70s, thus not erasing the existence of the same mythology in the world of the book). The ways that the lore in the book was considered so that it integrated into a modern Mexican setting (with some near-futuristic elements) absolutely wowed me and left me wanting to see more of this world.

The ending of Certain Dark Things is really reminiscent of the other books by Moreno-Garcia that I’ve read. They end in an almost bittersweet way that leaves them so open to imagining what comes next. It’s both frustrating and wonderful to me, but I can definitely see that as something that would be a problem to some readers and worth noting for future reference.

So TL;DR— God, this book is so good. It’s hard to believe that it went out of print, but I’m so glad that it’s resurfaced.

Advanced Reader’s Copies (I ended up with an egalley and the audiobook) that were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook is from Macmillan Audio and the egalley is from Macmillan- Tor/Forge and Tor Nightfire.

Moreno-Garcia describes this as a neo-noir about Mexico and vampires -with a genetically modified dog. CERTAIN DARK THINGS has been out of print for years and has been a book that has been very hard to find so I was super excited to see that this was FINALLY getting a re-release.

Told in multiple points of view, CERTAIN DARK THINGS is about a teenage street kid who happens to cross paths with a mysterious woman and her genetically modified dog. He soon finds out that she is a vampire - and in Mexico City they are rare given how much the city has hunted them down. But this isn't your typical vampire story. Moreno-Garcia took it a step further... vampires in this world are another species with subsects. There are different types of vampires - with different skills and feeding needs/desires/ways.

As Domingo gets pulled deeper into Atl's problems an unlikely friendship and alliance is formed. But Atl is being hunted by other humans and vampires and things quickly get violent as readers are left on the edge of their seat waiting to find out if they can make it out of the city alive.

This is an odd novel - and I mean that as a compliment. It's not the vampire story I was expecting, and I'm so glad that it took a different spin on something that has been told countless times before. I was hooked fairly quickly and was anxious to know how it would all pan out. CERTAIN DARK THINGS is violent and gritty, but overall it was a very entertaining read.

Aida Reluzco does a great job with the audiobook narration as well.

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

Certain Dark Things weaves a tale about vampires, who have been banned from Mexico City. Atl, a vampire descended from the Aztecs attempts to find refuge in Mexico City as she runs from another vampire subspecies clan. Along with her dog and a streetwise kid Atl weaves through the underbelly of Mexico City.

I will be the first to admit, I don't think this author is right for me. I absolutely hated Mexican Gothic, but from the cover of Certain Dark Things I honestly thought this would be more about Egyptian Gods and vampires. I was seriously wrong, but it's a good enough story that I think readers will enjoy it. This author has a gift for weaving original stories, they just tend to be a bit too off the wall for me to follow and really devour. The vampires were an amazing take however, I really enjoyed learning about the different species and how vampires were born, not made. This gets three stars from me simply because the story was stretched beyond it's welcome and lost me towards the end.

I recommend this for anyone who loved Mexican Gothic or those vampire lovers 14+ as there is a bit of gore(shocking, right?) This is a solid standalone that most readers could sink their teeth into.

Loved this book!

The unique combination of history, culture, and vampires made this such a fun read. With action from start to finish, the author made sure the reader would not be bored.

The setting of Mexico City was written so well that I felt like I was roaming the streets and being chased by vampires. My favorite part of this story was the extensive vampire lore. Variety is the spice of life, and the variety of vampires set in this world were unlike any I've read before, and each type of vampire had a vivid past and culture associated with them.

I could have done without the YA romance that develops, but it really doesn't take anything away from the main story.

Great neo-noir vampire read!

If you like books about vampires, you'll probably like this book. If you don't like books about vampires though, there's still something to be found here. It's a different take on vampires than most stories that I've read and it's full of action. Except for the whole needing to drink blood thing, you could almost forget that you're reading about vampires at all, which is a plus for me as someone who isn't huge into them. Where it truly fell flat for me was connection to the characters. I didn't feel their emotions or relate to their struggles. Whether this is a flaw of me or the writing, you'll have to read and decide for yourself. The audiobook was well read and compelling, and portrayed the different characters well.