There’s so much to enjoy about Certain Dark Things, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s vampire noir novel, that it’s a disappointment to feel so unsatisfied by the book as a whole. If you’d asked me at almost any point in the first three-quarters of the book, I’d have a ton good to say about it, from Moreno-Garcia’s novel take on vampire mythology to the blurring of cyberpunk and noir lines into the novel, from the view of a very different Mexico City to the dodging of easy parallels. But then there’s the ending of the book – or, more accurately, the lack of one – and it’s such a disappointing fizzle that I just can’t bring myself to have the same enthusiasm for the book that the rest of it deserves.

But let’s talk about the rest of the book, because there really is a lot here that I enjoyed. Certain Dark Things is the story of Domingo, a street kid who’s been surviving by digging through the trash and doing odd jobs to stay alive. It’s a weird world, mind you – vampire gangs are battling all around the country (though Mexico City has expelled all the vampires), for one thing – but Domingo is doing okay…until he meets the eyes of a beautiful young woman, who invites him home and asks to drink some of his blood. And quicker than you can say “Renfield” (a term that nicely gets repurposed here), Domingo finds him drawn into the life of Atl, whose Aztec-descended tribe has been decimated, leaving her on the run from some very dangerous vampires.

Even before I realized the book ended with a sort of mini-encyclopedia of vampire tribes and types, I was thoroughly impressed with Moreno-Garcia’s modernization of the vampire mythos. Each of her types wholly stands apart from the others, with not only distinct powers and abilities, but also with personalities and beliefs that make them instantly distinguishable from each other. Her allusions to other tribes (and those encyclopedia entries) only underline all of that, bringing this alternate world to life, and that’s before genetically modified animals or government agencies designed to monitor for the undead predators.

But just as much as it is a horror novel, Certain Dark Things is a self-proclaimed noir novel, and Moreno-Garcia does the genre right on the whole, starting with a woman on the run whose fatale qualities are evident even to the untrained eyes. Yes, Domingo may be too nice to do well in a noir, but that doesn’t really hurt the book that much – not when one of the fundamental questions is how far he’s willing to go in order to protect this woman (who’s far, far more dangerous than he could ever be). As Domingo gets in deeper and deeper, you can see the boundaries of society peeling back around him, plunging us into a world where human life is very disposable and where gangs have as much say over police procedure as any law ever could.

All solid so far…which makes it all the more disappointing when the book unravels in its final stretch. A compelling supporting character is checkmated out of the book in the most anticlimactic way possible, only to have their fate dragged out unnecessarily for multiple chapters. The book’s climax is perfectly okay, but I genuinely assumed there was more to come, as it felt really of a piece with the other set pieces, but no – that’s the end of the book, complete with a coup de grâce that feels so brief as to almost be an afterthought (and not worth the buildup that we’ve been given, especially since the reveal is shot a few pages earlier). And none of that even touches on the final chapter, which is an idea that could work on paper, but here feels less like an ending and more like an abrupt “well, I ran out of ideas” here, with a character choice that feels wholly out of place, and jars even worse against the epilogue that draws it all to a close.

It’s all so frustrating, because I was genuinely drawn into Moreno-Garcia’s rich, dark world, and found myself compelled by its characters (especially Bernardino, a reclusive, cat-loving vampire whose solitary existence is all but necessitated by his tribe). But ultimately, the end of the book is such a fizzle that I felt more frustrated and disappointed than anything else. Can you recommend a book if you know the ending is such a whimper? In this case, I just can’t.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia continues to knock my socks off, literarily speaking. Her Gods of Jade and Shadow was nothing short of breath-taking. Now she turns her wild and dark imagination to a vampire tale set in Mexico City. In this world, there are not one but many kinds of vampires, each with its own history, weaknesses, and predilection for bloodshed. Certain Dark Things tells the story of the perilous friendship between street-kid Domingo and Atl of the Aztec line of vampires whose family has been wiped out by the viciously violent narco-vampire clan. Atl is young and inexperienced in vampire terms and has led a carefree life, never having to make hard choices. Now she’s on the run for her immortal life. She’s the most beautiful woman Domingo has ever seen, and he can hardly believe his luck when she accepts his help. Atl’s only hope for a way to safety lies in fleeing Mexico, but to do that she needs documents available only through a secret and highly elusive vampire underground. Unfortunately, she soon attracts the attention of both crime bosses and a cop dedicated to exterminating her kind.

I’d classify this book as dark urban fantasy rather than horror, but it should appeal to readers of both genres. If you’ve never read Moreno-Garcia, you’re in for a treat.

This was a great change to the typical vampire story. Told from multiple perspectives, you see both sides of the battle for control, Vampires vs. Humans.
I also loved the lore behind the vampires, which is again, not the typical legends that vampires are based on. I want more from these characters. I got nervous towards the end, but Moreno-Garcia gave a neat ending.

This is a story about the way we love certain dark things.

I know a lot of readers really enjoyed Mexican Gothic, but it didn’t work for me personally. This one on the other hand, I loved! This was such a beautiful, dark, lightly frightening love story. This had the perfect blend of horror elements & compelling characters!

Thank you so much Netgalley & Macmillan- Tor/Forge, Tor Nightfire

I will absolutely read anything and everything Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes. This book is a vampire noir set in future Mexico City. It felt very Blade Runner or cyber punk, and I love the cast of interesting characters. There are a lot of points of view in this story, so you need to pay close attention as their lives begin to intersect. I’m really glad in had a chance to read this updated version of the book and really hope to see others pick it up.

*Arc provided by Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review."

Certain Dark Things is about a young female vampire caught in the midst of essentially a gang war with a rival vampire family in Mexico City and a human boy that gets caught up in helping her.

This one just wasn't for me. I might just be all vampired out at the moment so I'll give it another try at a later time.

It’s always great when I A) read a book from my stack of ARCs, and B) it fits a Bingo square, and C) it’s also a great book. I expect lots of people will be reading Silvia Moreno-Garcia for Bingo (between the Latin author square and the Gothic fantasy square); I’m happy to report that this book, at least, was pretty great.

This is a vampire story set in modern Mexico City. It’s mostly the same as our world, except that vampires were found to be real sometime in the 60s. The world has shifted because of this. In Mexico, the local cartels have made it a point to keep Mexico City itself free of vampires, though they largely are in control of much of the country (the genesis of this book had to be, at least in part, Moreno-Garcia asking “what if the drug cartels were run by vampires?”) Domingo is a teenager living on the streets, making a living by collecting and sorting through trash. He meets Atl, a vampire (and therefore incognito, because the local cartels do *not* tolerate vampires) on the run from other vampires. And so we’re off.

There’s lots that I enjoyed here. The book takes place entirely within Mexico City, and I found Moreno-Garcia’s writing of the setting incredibly evocative. The perspective shifts a bunch, though Atl and Domingo are the protagonists. Other perspectives are the vampire hunting Atl, the high-ranking Renfield with him, and the cop trying to stop them all.

It’s all great, but three things in particular stood out for me. First was the atmosphere, as I mentioned above. Second is the action scenes: they happen with shocking suddenness, and are often over as abruptly leaving you with residual adrenaline. And last, and most importantly, is the dynamic between Domingo and Atl. It’s got a sweet boy-meets-girl thing going on, in the middle of all this danger and tension. And despite the fact that it’s a vampire story (with Atl quite literally feeding off of Domingo) there is no sense of a predatory relationship as there so often is with vampire stories.

Overall very strongly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book, I just wish there was more of it! You could tell that Moreno-Garcia had a great sense of her world and lore, but there wasn't enough space to give everything enough time to breathe. I could have read so much more about the different types of vampires and their cultures. It definitely seemed like the Necros were boiled down to the bad, vicious, evil vampires, while our protagonist was one of the more nuanced types of vampires.

I liked the writing and the action, but I feel like there was room for more character development. It took me awhile to get through even though this book is a standard length, I think because I wasn't connecting to the characters. If there had been about 50 more pages, I would have liked to see more lore and world-building and character development. I'm eager to see how much Moreno-Garcia has grown as an author since this was originally published, and am interested in her newer works.

After being both horrified and intrigued by Mexican Gothic, I was looking forward to picking up the next work by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. And I was even more excited when I saw V.E. Schwab recommend it on Twitter!! While it would be unfair to compare the two books, I was still somewhat disappointed by the lack of atmosphere that hooked me into Mexican Gothic.
However, that does not mean that Certain Dark Things was a total bust. In fact, if you are fan of vampire folklore and all things dark and bloody, this will definitely be up your alley. The level of detailing to the vampire history and culture is quite impressive - there are vampires that suck your energy, or eat your flesh, or turn into birds. The slow burn between Atl and Domingo is sometimes cute and sometimes annoying, but totally relatable. Domingo is a 17 yr old kid who is naive and stupid and idolizes Atl. Atl is everything that Domingo is not, tough, practical, and clear on her priorities. Domingo stupidity did get on my nerves sometimes, but he is a kid, so it is understandable. Overall, a not so bad slow burn romance.
Unfortunately, the plot did not hook me as much as expected, and the ending completely ruined the book for me. I cannot say much about the ending without giving a spoiler, but lets say I did not like how abrupt and unsatisfying it was.
All in all, Certain Dark Things was a pretty average read for me. Vampire folklore enthusiasts - go for it. Other might want to pick up a better book.

Overall, Certain Dark Things is an excellent read filled with suspense. The noir vampire leaves you in Mexico City rooting for Domingo and Atl's, our main characters. Atl is a vampire of Aztec descent on the run from rival vampire clans after she disrespects its leader. Atl runs into Domingo and uses him as a human helper to navigate Mexico City to avoid getting caught. There are many twists and turns with an unsuspecting twist of events. If you're a Silvia Moreno-Garcia fan, you will enjoy this story.

This was a really interesting and refreshing take on vampires! I loved the dark and murky world-building that is always in Moreno-Garcia's work, and I look forward to reading more books by her!

I loved this take on Vampires! I'm such a huge fan of vampire books and this was such a different take from what i've read before. Fantasy books rich in folklore always hit differently and this was the exact sweet spot for me. I loved different takes on a topic thats been kinda beaten to a pulp in recent years. Really great book!

I really had no idea how to rate this, initially. I was really looking forward to this book, but in the end I was super disappointed. It felt like SO MUCH buildup for very little reward in the end. Then the book kind of just...ends. There is no real resolution. I honestly thought my kindle copy was missing part of it because I said to myself, "There's no way that it ends like that." It was a letdown.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I don’t read a lot of vampire books so I don’t know if this is typical. Atl and Domingo are Romeo and Juliet with bloodletting or maybe the odd couple. Atl is on the run with a devastating tale. Domingo is a street person.
The two provide an interesting couple’s story. I learned more about vampires than I ever knew. The appendix provides a full description of a variety of vampires. There was plenty of action and a good story line. I liked the dog.
I enjoyed the book.

read this book as part of the Ladies of Horror Fiction December BotM and ended up finishing it super fast. It's an easy read with short chapters. If you enjoy vampire stories such as True Blood or Twilight, you will like this one. It's bittersweet rather than romance, and it is considered young adult. There's a tender sex scene, and loads of gore.

The story is a little thin, and often felt padded out with unnecessary characters and plot developments. Some characters seemed introduced to create story points or deaths that are meant to be a twist in the 3rd act. See Ana, Bernadino, and Kika.

The world building is excellent, with lots of vampire lore (there are various subspecies with different abilities and alliances). The setting in Mexico City is honestly what saves the story. But, there are several info dumps as characters explain how the world works and my eyes started to glaze over.

The characters are pretty straightforward, with no ulterior motives or hidden agendas. Everything is laid out on the table. This works against the story and makes it seems shallow. Less would've been more in this case. Atl and Domingo are initially interesting, but both characters fall flat by the end. Atl is the cold and cool vampire chick who doesn't want to get too close to a human. And Domingo is the naive human boy who thinks she's the sun and the moon, and loves her just because. It felt a little Twilight-y, which works for a lot of people but I'm not into it.

As always Silvia does it again. I love their writing to much! This one is definitely added to my favs this year. Erie and mysterious, they bring us a wonderful story set in a Latin country with lots of suspense. I love Silvia’s books, this one definitely didn’t let me down.

I wanted to love this book. I really loved Mexican Gothic and had high, high hopes here. I enjoy Moreno-Garcia’s writing. It’s interesting and feels classic in the best way possible.

I just had a really hard time getting a grasp on the characters and their stories. This book is mostly on the same storyline - there are a few flashbacks, but those are somehow weaved into the current story, so it’s not all too hard to understand. But the characters were challenging to me, and I didn’t leave the book feeling like I really knew any of them.

I also felt that the pacing of the story was really awkward and was another thing I just couldn’t get a grasp on.

What I did really like were the ideas of vampires being different species as opposed to turned humans. And within the species, the different subspecies are super interesting. I could probably read a whole encyclopedia-style book that explains the different subspecies of vampire. I also wanted to learn all the things about modified pets, like Atl’s doberman.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has fantastic stories to tell. She’s incredibly creative and her tales are particularly unique, but unfortunately, Certain Dark Things seemed to miss certain marks for me.

I really like this author, especially the fact that I never quite know what I’m going to get when I open one of her books. She jumps around genres, going from gothic suspense to fantasy to paranormal historical romance and I get a little excited with each new release.

Certain Dark Things is labeled as dark fantasy horror and the version I’m reading is actually a rerelease with a new publisher. This is a vampire book, but not like the many, many vampire books I’ve read before. Set in Mexico City, a vampire-free zone, Certain Dark Things introduces its readers to an alternate timeline, where vampires were discovered in the 1970s and have since built themselves up into power structures much like the mob or cartels. Instead of your garden variety bloodsucker, vulnerable to light and holy water, these vampires are many and varied, divided up into different clans depending on their nationality.

Atl is a vampire native to Mexico, whose family roots lie deep in Aztec culture. She’s also on the run from a group of Necros vampires who killed her family and want to eliminate her as well. She teams up with a local street boy, who becomes her companion throughout the book and helps her as she’s finding a way out of the country and to safety. There is a bit of romance and some action, but mostly this book is a bunch of walking around and having conversations.

While I liked the premise and world-building, and the idea of different species of vampires in competition with each other over resources, this book dragged for me. And despite the gritty, dark undertones, I had trouble staying engaged. I WANTED to like it more than I actually did. At about 50% in I started skimming to get to the end and find out what happens. Which… was fine.

Not my favorite by this author, but an interesting premise.

For those that like vampire novels, this is a quick and interesting read. I'm not typically one to pick up a vampire story, and I wouldn't have picked this one up if not for the author, but I liked it well enough. The characters were good, but I honestly didn't care about the "action" plot and really wanted more of the main characters just hanging out.

Full disclosure: vampires are not my thing. I've always avoided them - all the books and movies (especially the glittery ones...) I'm just not into it.

But I am totally into Silvia Moreno-Garcia - always. So I got over my dumb no bloodsucker "rule" and sucked it up (pun intended) cause I literally ate this one up and I am now (gasp!) a vampire fan. (as long as SMG writes it tho)

I loved following this "neon-noir" novel about dangerous vampires who live amongst humans - but are banned from certain cities and zones - including a dark and gritty alternative Mexico City. It was so much fun to immerse myself in - fast-paced, dark and suspenseful.

When Atl, a vampire, reluctantly falls for Domingo, a street kid - she gets him entangled in her "vampire-drama" and he goes on the run with her to get out of the city. But it's not so easy - vampires are banned, and hunted. But other vampires are also hunting her.

It was a super creative story. I only wish it was longer and it would be cool to see more of this world. I craved a bit more depth to the story and deeper dive into the background of this new world, and wish she had delved more into the different species of vampires as she described them at the end (sort of a vampire 'glossary') - but still a really enjoyable read for this non-vampire fan :)