Star Rating: —> 3.5 Stars

A refreshing neo-nior take on Vampires, that takes place in the underbelly of Mexico City; The narrator was an absolute perfect choice to fit the tone of the book. An undeniably fun, dark & gritty, action packed, entertaining tale, & entertaining audiobook in its own right. Another winner for Silvia Moreno-Garcia!

A huge thank you to Silvia Moreno Garcia, Tor Nightfire, & Macmillian Audio via Netgalley, as well as Aida Reluzco for the audiobook ARC! This in no way changes or affects my review.

I think this would make for a very enjoyable movie, but as a book, it didn't really work for me. I came close to DNFing a few times, but did find myself drawn to Atl and Domingo enough to see it through to the end.

The narration was great on this one, but what lacked for me was the story. I've read several of Moreno-Garcia's books and this one was by far my least favorite. I just didn't find the narrative or characters engaging.

In Certain Dark Things, Silvia Moreno-Garcia paints a lush supernatural world of vampires in Mexico City. She is able to build a believable setting with it's own politics and have each character with their own agenda. While this isn't my favorite Moreno-Garcia novel I am impressed as always at how much she is so skillfully able to pack into her stories. Her vampires are unique because she is able to blend global mythologies into her narrative in a way that makes sense, as well as what feels like an accurate depiction of how countries would react to the knowledge of creatures like vampires. I wish we got more time with Ana and really saw her world a bit more, and wish we got less romance towards the end as it wasn't very believable to me; But I do see how it all fits into the noir genre perfectly. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves vampires, film noir, or vibey settings.

Mexico City has worked hard to rid its streets of vampires. Living in a place that claims to be vampire free, Domingo never expected to meet one. When he does, he is dazzled by her beauty and intrigued by her existence. He is far from afraid.
Atl is a descendant of Aztec vampires. Though she is not like the vampires in Domingo's books, he soon discovers how seducing and lethal she really is. He would do anything for her, even kill.
With a warrant out for her head, Atl is living her life on the run. After a rival clan wiped out her family, she was forced to flee her home and hide in Mexico City. She was set on living the rest of her days alone, until Domingo entered her life. Now she has to worry about hiding herself, and protecting Domingo.

I am so glad I read this as an audiobook. I don't know if I would have pronounced a single name correctly. Hearing the names of the clans, or towns in Mexico, spoken with an proper accent, filled in the blanks my mind would have created. The narrator, Aida Reluzco, has a gorgeous voice that transformed the story.
When it comes to vampires I'm all about the dark shadow lurking, blood sucking, hypnotic type that prey on virgins. lol With the occasional few that sparkle in the sun 🤭 The Vampires in this book are like non other I have ever heard of. Though I was slightly turned off by the modern day approach with drug slinging vampires, I did appreciate their heritage. I loved that the bloodlines could be traced back to the Azteca, and that there were more then one species. I'd love a prequel to this story, with Atls family.
Though its classified as horror, id call the book a paranormal romance. It really is about the intimate connection between Domingo and Atl. There was no super gorey scenes, just what is expected with vampires eating habits.
I liked the story, and loved listening to it. Its a new approach on a century old story, and it worked.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno Garcia
4.5/5 stars

This book, I loved it!

An unusual love story, dressed as a vampire gangster noir. Yes, please! Honestly, I love Silvia Moreno- Garcia so much! She keeps cranking out books that are unexpected, super weird but still so, so good!

I loved the different vampires in this world, I loved that the MC was morally grey at best, I loved that this did not wrap up in a tidy little bow.

I did feel a little bit gross that Domingo was only 17, while Atl was 23. But it felt intentional – in my opinion, it really highlighted the power imbalance in the relationship. The relationship was most definitely an abusive one, one where she took what she needed at the expense of his well-being. It was interesting to see her genuine care for him develop and how that facilitated the ending. (I also want to acknowledge that I love fae books and often the age difference is enormous, I think it was Domingo's innocence and naivety that really spurred my discomfort)

My biggest grievance is that I just needed more. This book was short and sweet but it did leave me with questions. I'm really hoping to see more from this world. It was dark, corrupt, and fascinating.

Trigger warnings: graphic violence against people and animals, allusion to sexual violence, grooming

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, a disclaimer: I received this audiobook in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own opinions. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book.

I will be honest… I have wanted to read something by this author for quite a while because all of her books come highly recommended even if they vary in genre. When I saw this audiobook on NetGalley, I requested it right away. Then I saw that it was a vampire book and felt true disappointment. I do not tend to care for vampire books. This was SO GOOD though. The characters are layered, the noir atmosphere is gritty and dark, the world-building is amazing, the story had me hooked. This is not a standard vampire book. It is sooooo much better.

This was a really cool book. I have had a love hate relationship with Moreno-Garcia's books. I absolutely adored her previous work but some of her earlier work just wasn't for me. Luckily this book was a solid love. The way she framed a world using different vampire myths from different cultures and times was absolutely amazing and what made this story really stand out for me. I love a good vampire book and this one is going straight onto my top five list. I can not wait to get a physical copy to show off!

This was an interesting, diverse take on the vampires. Admittedly, vampire fiction is not my favourite subgenre of horror, but this one worked better than most. I really enjoyed the worldbuilding which pulled inspiration from Aztec mythology.

As for the story itself, I felt the plot was pretty thin. The story was very character focused, yet I did not become overly attached to the main characters. The book has some moments of grisly vampire horror, but it's not particularly scary. Instead the book provides thematic commentary on prejudice and class issues.

I am happy that this book got a second life with a republication from Tor Nightfire. While not a personal favourite, there is a lot to appreciate about this novel. This is a must read for people looking for a fresh take on vampire lore.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I believe this is a reissue? One I haven’t read before!

A noir vampire book? I normally only give more than 4 stars to a book when I love or love to hate at least one of the characters! Not this time. The characters were ok but the world & vampire lore, chef’s kiss! Perfection.

Alternate present … where the familiar existence of vampires happened in the 1970’s. The world is covered with many vampire subspecies in vampire-like gangs.

Mexico City is a place where all subspecies live & rules are lax.

Atl is a beautiful young vampire who escaped her family’s destruction by a rival gang in northern Mexico to Mexico City. She befriends Domingo, a street urchin (slightly annoying attempt at YA romance). Her goal is to escape Mexico as the rival gang & humans are out to kill her.

I LOVED the vampire world-building & was sad that there wasn’t more of it! I would read another book in this world (especially if the hints of YA were removed)!! Atl was a good choice for the main character as she is a young vampire and you get to learn with her along the way.

Extra star for the cool variety of vampires, it’s the vampire world I’ve been waiting for!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for providing me with this advance copy. I LOVE the cover & will be buying the book for my bookshelf! I hope there is another book ….

I was hesitant to read (well, listen to) this book because I just did not vibe with Mexican Gothic at all. And while “Certain Dark Things” was not without fault, I am glad I gave it a shot because it was overall a gripping story.

What I liked-
I enjoyed the way Mexican lore was woven into vampire lore to create Atl’s species. Also the way common vampire myths were dispelled with the creation of all of these different kinds of vampires.

+strong female characters
+dog (always fervently in favor of dog)

Didn’t care for-
Honestly I had a random, although glaring, issue with a minor part of the book and it was the excessive use of the word “damn”. I think there is at least one “damn” on every page, and they are very oddly used. Drove me nuts

Other than that, I didn’t have any major beef with the rest of the book. 3.5 stars- definitely worth a read.

I’ve added this to the list of vampire books I’ll recommend bringing the total to a whopping… three. I loved that Moreno-Garcia built a world which used the ideas of vampires from multiple cultures - it’s a very clever idea!

Certain Dark Things - which went out of print several years ago - has been brought back to life by NIghtfire just in time for what appears to be another surge of interest in vampire fiction. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's vampire novel is a refreshing and much needed take on vampire fiction that's far removed from any vampires I've read before. Not only does the novel center around Mexican vampires (who trace their roots back into thousands of years of Mexican history), its main character is an unusual one for vampire fiction. Domingo is a trash-collecting street kid who has gained his wits and interests through people-watching and reading his (mostly) fictional vampire comics. He has a sharp-edged innocence about him that feels rare, and it's his honest curiosity, genuine kindness, and tight street smarts that land him in the middle of a vampire clan war with Atl, an intimidating, troubled, and fugitive avian vampire with talons and wings and a trusty, genetically modified Doberman named Cualli. The developing relationship between Domingo and Atl amidst Mexico City's vampire war - as well as their opposing personalities and situations - is what the entirety of this book hinges on and it works so well. Certain Dark Things excels as a vampire novel, but it functions equally well as a character study about those weighed down by their hand in life, how they choose to free themselves, and who they trust to help them do so. Between Moreno-Garcia's sharp prose, Aida Reluzco's beautiful narration, and the nuanced, vicious plot of the novel, there's something here for many readers, and this is one vampire novel I hope will finally get the attention it so rightfully deserves.

Certain Dark Things

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Narrated by, Aida Reluzco

Audiobook

Approx. 9 hours

Obtained for Honest review from Netgalley

 

I am not a fan of vampire stories, maybe it is the stigma of Twilight and sparkly vampires that has me in that mindset but I have never been big into them or the stories. Well, this turns Twilight on its head and then kicks it in the teeth. These vampires would fit well enough in a story with Blade or 30 days of night. I had the pleasure of listening to this as an Audiobook that might of turned me into more of a fan.

Multiple vampire myths collide in a Neo Noir story set in an alternate (or might I say reVAMPed?) Mexico City. Atl is one of the main protagonists and a vampire that is Aztec descended. Atl is on the run from a rival vampire clan with her loyal canine companion Cualli. Domingo a human main protagonist comes into contact with Atl and soon starts to try and become close to her due to his fascination of vampires. The character development once they are with each other is just fantastic with Atl putting up a tough front while really just being good at running and hiding to Domingo also toughening up. This is a great story combining many elements and only a touch of romance so as not to alienate those who are not fans of romance novels (like myself) but instead it adds to the character development.

The Narrator, Aida Reluzco, does a fantastic job narrating making the story feel natural and easy to follow along with the various characters and their different voices and bringing life to the entire in an incredibly immersive way making this a hard one to put down. I was only able to once I knew I needed to go to bed for the night only to dive right back into it as soon as I could.

I tried to find anything I could point out as flaws in the story but really could not find anything that stood out to me as too negative and as such thoroughly enjoy my time listening to this book. The only thing I can say as an ugly and weird thing that hit me was the talk of cutting dicks or balls off, as I found that a terrifying concept on a personal level (Thanks to Lorena Bobbitt) There is so much more then what I have said and I don’t want to spoil any more then I might of already have done; so pick this up today!

In My Opinion, Certain Dark Things is a book for fans of vampire novels and those who usually are not. This does away with cheesy vampires and breathes new life into them and weaves an incredible tale filled with the supernatural action and grittiness that can keep you engaged and on the edge of you seat. This will open you up to reading more about vampires, or at the very least make you a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and this world.

 

I give this audiobook 5 blood packs out of 5.

Certain Dark Things is a weird book. That's not a bad thing. In fact, Silvia Moreno-Garcia addresses this in her author's note before the book even begins. She says readers should expect it to be nothing like her other books.

Atl is a young and gorgeous vampire, but some pretty bad people are after her, and she's trying to get out of Mexico City. She runs into a slight hitch when she meets Domingo, a kid obsessed with vampire comics and not really bothered by anything. Living on the streets, Domingo collects garbage and just tries to get by, and neither he nor Atl expect the unlikely partnership that blossoms after they run into each other.

First of all, everyone in this book sucks, and that's not a vampire pun. They're either uninteresting or just horrible people and/or vampires. Everyone except Domingo that is. He's the jewel of the novel, and Aida Reluzco really brings him to life. In fact, I would recommend the audiobook just for that alone. Time and time again I found myself laughing at the way she read him. He's a great character already, but Reluzco just adds that extra layer, making him even better. The story is okay. Plenty of gross out or uncomfortable moments though, so be warned. However, if this book didn't have Domingo in it, I would not have enjoyed it at all. He's easily one of my favorite literary characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC.

I really enjoyed this book, it was dark and supernatural. I enjoyed that the book followed the perspective of multiple different characters rather than just one. That gave it depth and intrigue. The narrator did a great job portraying all of the characters in a way that it was easy to follow. Overall, great audiobook, highly recommended!

Not your typical vampire novel! There is something so cool and so science-fictiony about Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novels. This one does not disappoint.
Atl needs to quickly escape the city, far from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn't include Domingo, but little by little, Atl finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in.
Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City.

Where do I even begin with this book? It was a complete and total obsession for me from start to finish. I absolutely devoured this book. The beautiful writing style that is Moreno-Garcia is just as predominant in this book as it is all her others. The prose is elegant and so fluid. It's quite easily to simply get caught up in her words and the world created here. This alternate reality with different types of vampires was incredible without being painfully overpowering. I have nothing, but good things to say about this book and the masterpiece that it is. I would read it again and again, no doubt about it.

This book genre can best be described as paranormal neo-noir with a touch of the 80s sprinkled in for flavor (the cover screams the 80s and I love it).

To start, this book is nothing like Mexican Gothic. Moreno-Garcia is a master at her craft and enjoys experimenting with different genres. I appreciate that about her.

If you are looking for a gritty novel complete with vampire gang wars between rival species (yup, multiple vampire species, none of which sparkle), then this is the book for you

And did I mention there’s a dog that glows?! Amazing.