Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Domingo, a lonely street kid, is scraping out a living collecting rubbish when a jaded vampire swoops into his life. The aristocratic descendent of Aztec blood-drinkers, Atl has suddenly found herself alone and vulnerable and on the run in the dark streets of Mexico City. All she wants is to get out of Mexico but that's easier said than done when you are being hunted by the cops, human gangsters, and a psychotic vampire from a rival cartel.

I really liked this tale of vampire narcos set in modern-day Mexico. It's gritty and bloody and violent with characters who are both complicated and morally grey. I loved the vivid world-building which draws on vampire folklore from around the world, and I also like the way Certain Dark Things subverts a lot of the tropes of vampire novels. Definitely a breath of fresh air into a very tired genre. Great stuff!

Recommended For: Fans of gritty and diverse urban fantasy

Read On: Another fantasy inspired by Mexican mythology is Servant of the Underworld by Aliette de Bodard. 

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

Myfanwy Thomas wakes up in a park surrounded by bodies all wearing latex gloves and no recollection of who she is. All she has is a letter in her pocket written by her former self. The old Myfanwy Thomas was a Rook, a high-ranking member of a secret organisation that battles the supernatural, and if the new Myfanwy wants to discover her identify and track down the people who betrayed her, she must find her feet before anyone realises there's anything wrong.

The Rook is a funny and wildly imaginative urban fantasy that was so much fun to read. Myfanwy is a hilarious, brave, and very likeable protagonist who I rooted for throughout the story. The world-building was deftly done through the amusing and sometimes poignant letters written by the old Myfanwy, and I loved the creative (and oddly specific) nature of some of the superpowers. I loved it!

Recommended For: Fans of Terry Pratchett and Ben Aaronovitch or anyone who likes smart and funny contemporary fantasy. 

Read On: The next in the trilogy is Stiletto which I'll be picking up very soon.