Yes I knew this was a noir & yes I like noirs (getting that out of the way since everyone is assuming that if I didn’t like this books it’s because I went into it not knowing & that’s not true.

Love the cover & love the premise of Mexico in 1970’s however the story itself fell flat.

Maite was unlikeable & Elvis felt too forced. The whole story felt like a farce of a story. I tried reading it twice but I just couldn’t finish - it was boring.

Hope it brings other readers more joy.

**Book Review**

Velvet Was the Night (ARC)
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I requested this ARC after enjoying Silvia’s book, Mexican Gothic, last year. Plus, the cover 😍 and the synopsis for this book really had me intrigued.

Unfortunately, this was such a slow start for me. I was not at all invested in the story or characters until about halfway through the book. I contemplated not finishing it which I NEVER do. I just didn’t care 🤷🏻‍♀️. However, about halfway through the story the pace did pick up enough for me to finish. There was a twist at the end I didn’t see coming which I enjoyed and helped to redeem things.

Overall, I never really felt attached to any of the characters and therefore did not really care much what happened to them. This one was just meh for me and quite disappointing. It had so much potential but just fell short in my opinion.

I’m not sure what it is about Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but I love her books even though they are all so different from one another. This book in particular isn’t really a genre I think I’ve ever read before, nor did I really understand the politics of Mexico in this time period, but I was all in and totally into it. The imagery was rich and, even though I was out of my element with the setting, I could see it, touch it, and believed the characters so much.

The synopsis says “edgy, simmering historical novel” and I don’t know that anything I can say in my review can really capture the essence of the book better than that. It was edgy and simmering and suave and.. velvet.. and words really fail me right now.

I definitely recommend this book. I honestly think I’d read the author’s grocery lists at this point. She just has this way of pulling me in, enveloping me in something different, and executing the strangest of themes and plots that I absolutely love. And this cover?! Spectacular.

Maite is a 30-year-old woman living in Mexico City. She’s unmarried, lives alone, and the highlight of her week is the new issue of Secret Romance that comes out weekly.

El Elvis is a young man, working for the Hawks. He’s sent on a mission to find Leonora, Maite’s neighbor, as she is part of a communist resistance.

I really, really wanted to like Velvet Was the Night, but it fell somewhat flat for me. It’s a pulp noir fiction piece based on the real Guerra Sucia (Dirty War) that occurred in Mexico in the 1970’s. Without a doubt, it’s an important part of history, but I couldn’t get into this novel. Much of the novel was about Maite and her romance stories, and El Elvis and his background. The action only occurred in the last 25% of the novel, and without that I really didn’t understand the purpose of the characters or the story.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was so excited for this book, but ultimately it fell flat for me. This is definitely a crime noir novel, it's a slow burn and the stakes are not high. Rather, there is a mystery unravelling and lots of violence. I did enjoy the political setting (1970s Mexico City) and was curious about what happened, but I didn't connect with any of the main characters and the ending wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped. This is a solid 3 stars for me.

Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Garcia-Moreno

Velvet Was the Night is a noir pulp fiction inspired by an historical event know as El Halconazo or the Corpus Christi Massacre which took place in 1971, Mexico City. It was a time of political upheaval, corruption and discontent. Hundreds of students were killed or injured during an anti-government protest. Protestors were attacked by a government funded and organized goon squad called The Hawks (Los Halcones).

In the aftermath of El Halconazo, art student and activist Leonora disappears. Interested parties are on the hunt for her and the camera containing potentially incriminating photos that could make heads roll. Maite, a plain “Juanita” and neighbor to Leonora, finds herself drawn into a web of political intrigue. Elvis, one of The Hawks, finds himself incomprehensibly drawn to Maite as he watches her from a distance while they each search for the missing girl. Velvet Was the Night has all the elements of a well crafted noir - rainy streets and shadowy figures, misfits and anti-heroes, mystery and intrigue, violence and lost illusions. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has once again created a world and a cast of characters that will grip your imagination.

Look for it - Pub date August 17 2021! I’d like to thank @netgalley for the gift of this digital ARC.

#velvetwasthenight #netgalley #randomhouse #delreybooks #arc #comingsoon #smokynoir #pulpfiction #historicalfiction #latinixwriters #ownvoicesauthor #ownvoicesbook #ownvoicesreviewer #beautifulcover #readinglife #bookworm #mmdbookclub

Every once in awhile I come across a book that’s considered a genre I haven’t read before. And that’s this book. It’s noir. I immediately had to look up what that was before diving in. Noirs are essentially psychological narratives with action. Velvet was the Night is a historical noir, and it does that very well.

However, I don’t think noirs are a genre I’m going to love. And that’s okay! If you’re into more character-driven thrillers, give this book/genre a try!

I also struggled with the language in this book. I get that it’s the harsh gangster characters, but I kid you not there were five curse words in two sentences - and that wasn’t uncommon in this book. I don’t mind language in novels, but it was a lot.

I did appreciate learning about the Dirty War in Mexico City - which is a historical event I’ve never heard of before. And this cover is gorgeous! The story was a slow burn and definitely picked up as it went on.

I became interested in the writing of author, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, when her novel, Mexican Gothic, was all the buzz last year. When I saw she was releasing Velvet was the Night, it was immediately added to my TBR list!

As I started to read the first chapter of Velvet was the Night, I was a little worried I was not going to be able to keep straight all the characters’ names being throw out at me, and felt maybe this book was not going to be for me. I am so happy I was wrong! The author did take her time at the beginning of the novel introducing the main characters, but the lengthy introduction in the first several chapters is what thoroughly wedged my interest in this book.

The main character, Maite, is a quirky and unusual secretary who lives alone in the 70’s. She loves her record collection and is looking for a life similar to what she reads in her romance comic books. The way Moreno-Garcia relates the story line from the comic books into Maite’s real life is amazing! I could totally imagine a born romantic thinking like Maite. It brought a smile to my face. I also love how the two main characters are drawn to the songs playing around them throughout the book. The author’s playlist at the end of the book is a fun extra!

I was totally invested in the book by half way through and struggled to put it down. I even learned a little history along the way. Velvet was the Night is a wonderful book and truly worth worth reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.

#NetGalley
#RandomHouse
#VelvetwastheNight
#SilviaMorenoGarcia

I do not often read noirs but did know that Velvet Was The Night fell into that category. Before reading I did see the author’s note about how she described it as a noir on Goodreads and appreciated that clarification.

With that said I found the story interesting but not extremely so. I was left wanting more, specifically what was really on the film. Also, I didn’t feel any deep connection with the characters and if any one of them had something happen to them I wouldn’t have been bothered.

I did like that there was still some true history weaved into the origin of this story and enjoyed the effort in incorporating a vinyl soundtrack into the plot which added to the time period.

Big fan of SMG but not my favorite style.

Thank you so much for the e-galley for Velvet Was the Night! I really loved Mexican Gothic and while I really enjoyed that book, I didn’t enjoy this novel as much. That being said, I loved the characters and the atmospheric writing by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’m definitely going to continue to read her books and I appreciate the opportunity to read this one before it came out.

Velvet Was the Night is a slow burn historical thriller and noir mystery. You could feel the tension in Mexico City throughout the novel, and through Maite's naivete, you don't know who to trust or what is the truth. Not my favorite of Moreno-Garcia's books, but a solid read.

Well, I have to say I have some mixed thoughts on this book. I was super excited to see a new Silvia Moreno-Garcia book and that cover is WOW! It's absolutely stunning and totally drew me in.
Velvet Was the Night is a historical mystery/noir book that had all the elements that I love with the setting and characters, but I felt the pacing was a little bit slow.

The book is set in 1971 Mexico City amongst political strife and is told from 2 different POVs.
Maite is a secretary living a normal, everyday life. She does have some peculiarities but that just adds to her character. Elvis is on the other side of the law. He works for the "government" but that's saying that loosely. They are a group called the Hawks and they are out to diffuse any unrest against the current system, no matter how dirty they are. Maite gets involved by watching her neighbor Leonora's cat. But what happens when Leonora doesn't return home and many people keep showing up looking for Leonora and what she may have? Maite knows nothing about what is going on. She just wants her money.

I loved the idea and the setting of the book. The characters were interesting and I wanted to get in their heads a little bit more. Even the supporting characters. I felt like they had a lot to say. Any time we were getting Elvis's POV, I felt like I was missing something. I don't know if it was the pacing or the content, but it left a lot to be desired. I felt as if I was just waiting for something to happen. The last 1/4 of the book was more up to my pacing and was exciting, but the middle half was more slow burn than I expected. Overall 3.75 stars.

I received a free e-book copy of this novel from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I want to thank the author and the publisher for making the advanced reading copy available to me.

When I read Mexican Gothic, I was impressed with the writing of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but it left me wondering if she could write another book at that level. She decided to surprise people with sometime different this time around, publishing a work of noir fiction. How did she read my mind? How did she know exactly the type of story I would enjoy reading?

As a huge fan of noir stories, I absolutely loved diving into Velvet was the Night. Crime, mystery, interpersonal conflict, and important human concerns are all here with an intriguing atmosphere to boot.

For me this is a five out of five-star read and I highly recommend the book for readers in general, but especially for people who enjoy political crime noir fiction.

Velvet Was the Night is the fourth book I’ve read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. And, even though it was outside the box of the fantasy and gothic tales I’ve read and enjoyed in the past (think Gods of Jade and Shadow, The Return of the Sorceress, and Mexican Gothic), I’ve always been curious about Moreno-Garcia’s mysteries. Velvet was the Night was an incredibly engrossing story set against the backdrop of a historical setting and atmosphere that was built on true and fictional details about 1970’s Mexico (the author talks more about this in the afterword).

I’m impressed by how easily Moreno-Garcia pivots between fantasy, gothic, and noir. Because Velvet Was the Night is definitely a noir story, a mystery, but it had a focus on an urban setting, a slower pace, and a darker grittier tone.

The story is told from two perspectives: Maite and Elvis. Elvis was involved in the clandestine side of the story, related to the major crimes that much of the story revolved around. He was rough around the edges, but overall I liked how Moreno-Garcia wrote him. Maite is a character of habit. She was definitely lonely—and her family didn’t help with those feelings of isolation—and so her daily life, her entire week actually, was dictated by the habits she found familiar and comfortable (mainly her job and her collection of books and music). Like all the characters in Velvet Was the Night, Maite was someone who was disillusioned but also had a habit or got involved with people/situations that could mean trouble for her if ever discovered. She was somewhat naive in a setting with secondary characters that didn’t really allow for it. It was interesting to see how their stories would eventually overlap as the story played out.

I don’t read noir too often, but I had to dip my toes back into that water for this one. It was worth it, because Velvet Was the Night was so good. I almost wish there was a sequel, but after sitting with it for a while, I think the story’s conclusion was perfect for it.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Del Rey) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

“Velvet was the Night” is an atmospheric historical noir about a mysterious disappearance set in Mexico City. Part revolution, part missing person and part political thriller, this book is touted as slow burn, but with more slow than burn.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes in a way that transports you to the time, with a vivid sense of place, including the musical references that defines the setting. The premise of the book sounds exciting with violence, Russian spies, government agents and gang members. Oh my! However, for most of the book I was waiting for something thrilling to happen. It just fell flat and left questions unanswered.

While I appreciated learning about this time in Mexico’s history, the Spotify playlist, and the beautiful cover, I was frustratingly left wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Del Ray for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️️

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: August 17, 2021

A genre I typically don’t read and I’m not sure it was for me. This is a historical noir pulp fiction but it seemed to be more about the neurotic traits of its characters. At the halfway mark I still couldn’t figure out the point and unfortunately I never did.

I had heard good things about the author previously, but this just wasn't my kind of thing. I don't love noir, but I did enjoy the characters. I knew nothing about that setting and found the history interesting but ultimately not the mystery.

I don’t want to compare this to Mexican Gothic since Velvet Was The Night is noir not horror, but this didn’t quite grab me in the same way. Mexican Gothic shocked and surprised me at every turn, whereas this story followed a familiar and mostly predictable plot line, but in a different setting from the typical “white” noir genre.

I enjoyed how focused she was on the characters and the alternating POVs of Elvis and Maite in 1960s Mexico. For someone who prefers character-driven stories, I was very well fed by the deep POV of each character. There are unique touches such as references to Mexican romance comics that Maite enjoys and a fun crooner playlist for Elvis. I enjoy noir in film format more than in books but that’s personal preference. I’d love to see this film adaptation because the story is strong enough for it.

One star knocked off for the abrupt epilogue. I was hoping for a little bit more after all the buildup.

CWs: violence, torture scenes

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine/Del Rey books for the eARC.

"The Devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape. You look like a kid who dances to Presley's records and watches foreign films."

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an absolute master of mixing genres. With 'Velvet Was the Night' she tackles political unrest in this noir and historical fiction blend. I can't complement this author enough. Every book of hers is different. In this smoky mystery we're transported back to early 1970s era Mexico City, Mexico. The music of the era becomes a character in and of itself here and sets the perfect backdrop for each scene.

Ermenegildo aka Elvis is a low level thug with a heart. He has dreams of one day rising above his current job as an enforcer. Maite Jaramillo is a daydreaming secretary and romance comic connoisseur with a penchant for thievery. Despite odd parallels between Elvis and Maite, the opening third of the book drags a bit with the two main characters going about their normal lives but stick with it. It's flush with internal dialogue and introducing characters but not much movement initially. I love quirky characters though. It's not until around the halfway point that the various political threads come together and you begin to understand what is going on. By then I was so invested in the story I couldn't stop reading. The suspense builds nicely from there to a crescendo action five star ending. If you're looking for a fast paced thriller with twists, that's not what this is but if you enjoy well written, character driven dramas, this one is fantastic.

Reading Playlist: We Gotta Get Out of this Place by The Animals, Can't Help Falling In Love - Are You Lonesome Tonight - Love Me Tender and Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley, To Be Seventeen Again by Violeta Parra, Blue Velvet by Arthur Prysock, No Me Platiques Más by Vicente Garrido, Piel Canela by Nat King Cole, Satisfaction by Los Apson, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by the Platters, Mano A Mano by Carlos Gardel, Will You Love Me Tomorrow by The Shirelles, Que viva el Rock and Roll by Three Souls in My Mind, Strangers in the Night - Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra, Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) by Nancy Sinatra, Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles, Dream a Little Dream of Me by Ella Fitzgerald, Somos Novios by Manzanero, White Room by Cream, At Last! by Etta James, The Girl From Ipanema by Antônio Carlos Jobim

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is brilliant at setting a mood and drawing me in with her brilliant slow placed style. This historical noir takes place in Mexico City during the 1970s. I fell in love with the flawed characters, especially Maite and Elvis. I have never read a book with a tone or atmosphere like Velvet Was the Night and as soon as I finished it I wanted to read it again.