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belalucy's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-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? No
3.0
The book was interesting and fun but im definitely not part of the target demographic anymore.
jackiesspookyshelf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
emilunax's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
veecaswell's review
4.0
Summer ’95, New Orleans. Mina’s having a summer to die for.
17-year-old Mina arrives in New Orleans to visit her estranged sister, Libby. Mina loves nothing more than a creepy horror movie and can't wait to explore the city’s darkest secrets – vampire tours, seedy bars, spooky cemeteries, disturbing local myths…
But the perfect summer bliss is broken when, while exploring the mansion, Mina discovers the body of a girl with puncture marks on her neck and a lock of hair suspiciously resembling Libby’s … who, or what has made those marks? Is Mina’s fanatical obsession with Vampires playing tricks on her mind? Or could Vampires actually be stalking the streets of New Orleans, hunting for fresh prey?
When this story got going, this story was truly so good. The plot twists, the tension, action and in synergy leading to the end was brilliant and really wasn't something I completely expected, which is something I never mind in a book. The moments in this book where I was on the edge of my seat to find out what happened was incredible, and though I don't know how another book would continue, I do think I want to read more from this writer for sure.
The chemistry between the characters is also wonderful. The burning chemistry between Jared and Mina is great as the book develops and what happens next for them really is something I want to know and Della and Libby are the cutest couple and kind of goals to be honest. The characters are really well developed be that through the story or the diary entries and their growth in the book is done amazingly - and these characters in New Orleans make for a wonderful combination.
I also appreciated how much detail when it came to the era/dates that went into this book, with the style, films, music etc that were popular at the time and really woven into this book brilliantly - costumes, pop culture references and movies weaved into the story so well and were a nice touch to the story.
A great read that you really can sink your teeth (or fangs) into!
belladonna230622's review
4.0
This book nicely compiled all of my favourite things, vampires, horror and mystery.
New Orleans has a special place in my heart, and this book made me want to go back so badly. It also felt very nostalgic as it’s set in the nineties.
The book follows Mina a 17 year old girl who has gone to visit her sister who has moved to New Orleans. Murders start happening and they all have a link to an old legend from New Orleans.
The book had me hooked, I really loved the relationships between the characters, they felt very real. I could also vividly picture what the characters looked like in my mind, which I don’t always get. The mystery also has me hooked and I needed to know who was doing it, was it actually a copy cat? Or a vampire?
The ending did fall a little flat for me, but it was still enjoyable and tied up all the loose ends. I definitely think this is one of my favourite vampire books.
New Orleans has a special place in my heart, and this book made me want to go back so badly. It also felt very nostalgic as it’s set in the nineties.
The book follows Mina a 17 year old girl who has gone to visit her sister who has moved to New Orleans. Murders start happening and they all have a link to an old legend from New Orleans.
The book had me hooked, I really loved the relationships between the characters, they felt very real. I could also vividly picture what the characters looked like in my mind, which I don’t always get. The mystery also has me hooked and I needed to know who was doing it, was it actually a copy cat? Or a vampire?
The ending did fall a little flat for me, but it was still enjoyable and tied up all the loose ends. I definitely think this is one of my favourite vampire books.
michelles_teaandreads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
undervmountain's review
Immature, annoying writing and I can tell this story is going to have a bigger focus on an instalove plot, than the actual mystery.
caitreadss's review
5.0
Instant 5 stars for me! This book was everything I’ve ever wanted and more! Not only is our main character from Whitby right by where I live but it is set in New Orleans which is one my dream places to visit! So this made the the visuals of this book absolutely perfect for me, I could picture everything so clearly like it was just a movie.
It was so fun and fast paced and I read it so fast which I’ve definitely needed recently. There was not a single thing I disliked about this book, and I honestly think this might be my favourite book of 2022!
It was so fun and fast paced and I read it so fast which I’ve definitely needed recently. There was not a single thing I disliked about this book, and I honestly think this might be my favourite book of 2022!
bevpages's review
4.0
excuse me i loved this
this was such a fun time!! this story had almost a classic comforting feel to it. i genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy it this much and i’ll 100% be reading anything amy mccaw decides to publish from now on.
i loved the new orleans setting, it was gothic, dark and immersive. this was the perfect amount of spookiness with characters battling their own personal issues and it never once felt rushed or brushed under the carpet for the sake of plot. i loved the main character mina especially the side characters like jared! i think all characters complemented each other well and they didn’t feel 2D or like cookie cutters, each was distinct and had their own personalities.
i think amy did a fantastic job keeping the intrigue going throughout the book. i wanted to keep reading to find out what happened and for answers. this book almost read like two mysteries in one - the unexplained deaths and the disappearance of her mother. i think discussions on sibling relationships and family blended well within the story, it felt natural and the sibling relationship didn’t feel forced or rushed.
i genuinely don’t have any negative things to say about this, perfect for the spooky season and to curl up with during those cold nights. 100% recommended and i’m super excited to dive into the sequel!
this was such a fun time!! this story had almost a classic comforting feel to it. i genuinely didn’t expect to enjoy it this much and i’ll 100% be reading anything amy mccaw decides to publish from now on.
i loved the new orleans setting, it was gothic, dark and immersive. this was the perfect amount of spookiness with characters battling their own personal issues and it never once felt rushed or brushed under the carpet for the sake of plot. i loved the main character mina especially the side characters like jared! i think all characters complemented each other well and they didn’t feel 2D or like cookie cutters, each was distinct and had their own personalities.
i think amy did a fantastic job keeping the intrigue going throughout the book. i wanted to keep reading to find out what happened and for answers. this book almost read like two mysteries in one - the unexplained deaths and the disappearance of her mother. i think discussions on sibling relationships and family blended well within the story, it felt natural and the sibling relationship didn’t feel forced or rushed.
i genuinely don’t have any negative things to say about this, perfect for the spooky season and to curl up with during those cold nights. 100% recommended and i’m super excited to dive into the sequel!