Please excuse me while I SCREAM ABOUT THIS BOOK!!!! AHHHHH, FRIENDS, IT IS SO GOOD AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ IT!!!!

Most of you know that I’m a sucker for vampires, and this book DELIVERED. I almost couldn’t believe it was originally published in 2016 and went out of print (why?!) But now it’s back with a vengeance and was republished by Tor Nightfire, so get ready to sink your teeth into this story.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia follows Atl, a vampire from a legendary family, descendants of Aztec blood drinkers. She’s on the run from an infamous gang of Necros vampires who want to see her dead, and finds help from someone she never thought she’d go to: a human.

Domingo is no one special. He’s a street kid who collects garbage for money. He’s never met a vampire before. He knows they exist, but his knowledge of them is from comic books and movies. When he crosses paths with Atl, he doesn’t know what to believe, but he sure as hell has a lot of questions.

Atl and Domingo are an unlikely pair, but they find themselves dodging cops, calling on old friends and allies for help, and navigating their way through the dark underground world of Mexico City: a place where vampires are banned, but exist in groups small enough to hide, yet large enough to leave a gruesome scene as soon as they’re hungry.

This book was unlike any vampire novel I’ve read before. It introduced new lore, history, and different clans of vampires with unique cultures and customs. It’s not just ancient, white, European vampires in this story—although they are there, fighting with the indigenous vampires of Central America. I absolutely loved everything about this book, and learning more about what influenced the story.

If you’re looking for a new take on vampires, with classic noir tropes, politics, gangs, and a dark, gritty atmosphere, pick up this book. It’s easily one of my favorites of the year, and I can’t wait to see more people pick it up!

Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for sending me a finished copy of this book, and to Macmillan Audio for sending me an audiobook via NetGalley. The narration was incredible, and being able to switch between listening and reading was an amazing experience. I was able to read the book faster too, which was great because I wanted to keep going until the very end!