Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

26 reviews

bobbyob's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Blood

Moderate: Sexual violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Police brutality, Medical content, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Murder, Misogyny, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Slavery, Trafficking, Animal cruelty, Classism, and Colonisation

maresuju's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Death

Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Rape, and Trafficking

risaleel's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Alcohol, Violence, Gun violence, and Drug use

achay91's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Stalking, Gore, Death, Cursing, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcohol and Sexual content

Minor: Drug use and Confinement

bee87's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I initially dnf the paperback version but gave the audiobook a try and I’m so happy I did. The narrator was able to bring life into characters I had a hard time connecting with. The story is a captivating experience and it’s hard to describe without spoiling. I will say that I’m hoping for a sequel. My heart needs it!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Death, Bullying, and Grief

bobo4books's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore

Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, Alcohol, Murder, and Violence

andemilytoo's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Death, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Drug use and Animal death

takarakei's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The beginning dives right into the world and action. The gritty and gothic settings of Mexico City is described well and is an interesting backdrop for a vampire story. Via audiobook keeping the different characters separate and their involvement in the story was a bit difficult. However because it's multiple POV, as the story progresses the pacing gets off and really slows down. 
Overall there was not enough character depth or development, and by the ending I rather feel like nothing had changed? meaning the story was kind of pointless?
I've read a few books by this author and none of them quite hit the mark.

2.5/5🌶️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Gore

Moderate: Medical trauma, Drug use, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Sexual content

lupitabaeyongo's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Vomit, Blood, and Abandonment

booksthatburn's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Atl is a vampire hiding out in Mexico City after her family was murdered. Domingo is a former street kid, now working as a scrap picker for a rag and bone man. When he has a chance encounter with Atl on the subway, she invites him to her home to drink from him. What Atl intended as a single meal turns out to be the beginning of a partnership as they work on fleeing Mexico City together. They're pursued by Nick, a Necros who is obsessed with Atl, and Ana Aguirre, a detective who thought her transfer to Mexico City would mean dealing with fewer vampires than she used to.

The rapport between Domingo and Atl is excellently-written, driven by Domingo's adoration of Atl, and Atl's need for Domingo's help but distaste for feeling weak. Atl is using up every one of her mother's contacts along the way, relying on wisps of goodwill and loyalty from humans and vampires who assumed their obligations died long before Atl's mother did. This results in a tangle of one-off and repeating characters as Atl and Domingo navigate this loose network of contacts, just trying to get out of the city alive. 

The worldbuilding is immersive, built through stories, buildings, and how the characters move through this alternate version of Mexico City where not only are vampires real but there are several kinds of them. Some (like Atl) are Tlahuihpochtli descended from Aztec blood drinker temple priestesses, but human colonization and the encroachment of other vampires, like Necros and Revenants, have made things more complicated for recent generations. Several decades ago humans found out vampires are real, and many places promptly tried to legislate them out of existence. Mexico City is one such "vampire free" zone, a situation which causes problems for Atl.

The plot is a web of pursuers and pursued, beginning in earnest when one of Atl's pursuers gets sloppy and the police find a dead human. It's a dance of obsession, violence, and death, as Atl tries to use Domingo without him spooking, while Domingo finds himself falling in love with her and not minding being used.

I loved every minute, and am extremely happy with the ending. Don't miss this one.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Misogyny, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Vomit, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Suicide, Cannibalism, Bullying, Police brutality, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Ableism, Xenophobia, Sexism, Alcohol, Torture, Murder, and Child death

Minor: Excrement, Drug abuse, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Sexual harassment