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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
fast-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:
Complicated
I’ve read this multiple times now and honestly enjoyed it every time and even having learnt the twists after the first read, the plot is strong and you realise the easter egg clues you previously missed.
If you know someone who could watch movies on a loop indefinitely but isn't into reading and you would like them to get into reading but have never found the right book yet, Mina and the Undead is one to consider. Here’s my reasoning...
*It reads very cinematically and isn’t over descriptive.
*It revolves around a Horror Movie Tour Mansion.
*It has many pop culture references to the 1980s/1990s – movies, actors, music, lifestyles etc.
*Its chapter lengths are relatively short to allow for reading breaks (but the chapter cliffhangers make it hard to put down).
Hope this review helps!
If you know someone who could watch movies on a loop indefinitely but isn't into reading and you would like them to get into reading but have never found the right book yet, Mina and the Undead is one to consider. Here’s my reasoning...
*It reads very cinematically and isn’t over descriptive.
*It revolves around a Horror Movie Tour Mansion.
*It has many pop culture references to the 1980s/1990s – movies, actors, music, lifestyles etc.
*Its chapter lengths are relatively short to allow for reading breaks (but the chapter cliffhangers make it hard to put down).
Hope this review helps!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love a good vampire story, and this one was brilliant. I loved the setting and the characters. It gave me shivers. It has romance, betrayals, and some killer twists. What more could you want?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
FINISHED: this is all kinds of great! I gobbled through a whole load of this early this morning and I’ve just finished! Vampires, mythology and attractive Americans? Who needs more than that! This is full of brilliant characters, a wondrous story and man, do I wanna visit New Orleans now... although maybe without the vampires! I loved the twists and turns and the BEYTRAYAL. Properly enjoyed this!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I properly enjoyed this fast paced, murder mystery laced with classic horror, blood and gore. I immediately liked Mina as our main character and was intrigued as to what would unfold during her time in New Orleans. The writing was easy to fall in love with and I felt transported to the fascinating, yet dark, world of New Orleans in the 90s. Knowing only a little about New Orleans, I was absolutely enamoured with all of the mythology shared in this novel and how these horrors unfolded to touch Mina’s own life. It made me want to visit New Orleans whilst also simultaneously making me wary.
I wouldn’t say I am hugely into vampires or books about them but I loved the way they were interlaced into this book and the different classic references that appeared. Mina and Libby’s fascination with all things horror was fun. I would definitely be pants taking part in any kind of horror tour but reading along in the safety of my home made it thoroughly enjoyable! I really loved how clearly I could imagine everything whilst reading.
I really loved the characters in this book, especially the complex relationship between Mina and her estranged sister Libby. The way in which their feelings towards each other change and develop throughout the nook was really well done. Not to mention my love for Jared, Lucas and Della too. Another favourite of mine was definitely Thandie who I grew to love for a number of different reasons!
Mina and the Undead is packed full of punches. Full to the brim with adventure, mystery, gore and horror – definitely a favourite read of 2021 so far!
Thanks to NetGalley, UCLAN Publishing and Amy McCaw for my free digital copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Murder
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
5 Word Review: Family, vampires, horror, belonging, love.
This book? It's bloody brilliant.
From the very first page, I was in love with everything about Mina's story.
I love the messy family relationships, Mina and Libby have a lot of resentment for each other, they clash, but there is still some love deep down. At times it reminded me a lot of me and my sisters, because put us in a stressful environment and there will be a clash. Maybe some hair pulling. Regardless, I loved the slow build of their relationship back up, the desperation not to lose each other again, the sadness and reluctance to talk about their past.
There is an element of romance, and although there is a small age-gap that made me feel a teensy bit squiffy, I was here for it. If they were all just a couple years older I wouldn't have any issue at all, and I loved the chemistry. It was a pretty slow burn but once it got going *sigh*.
The writing feels kind of timeless - this could be happening at pretty much any time in the past 100 years, the plot is not constrained by technology, and I don't think it would change too much if it were set 30 years later. And I loved it. I loved the small hints and clues and the nostalgia about the setting. Whether it was bath pearls or Opal Fruits, I was misty-eyed for my childhood. I even looked out the Night World books once I finished, does anyone else remember counting down the millennium reading them and then there never being a tenth book?
As I read, I couldn't stop myself from tabbing out quotes or scenes that hit me particularly hard. If I'd annotated this book I wouldn't be able to reread it, and I ended up using an entire packet of page tabs. It was worth it.
I loved Mina's passion for vampires and all things horror. This book will give you an excellent TBR and have your watchlist full. It will probably also have you wanting to dress up as a horror character.
In terms of horror, this book did give me a pretty vivid nightmare when I was working on my review and a quote feature post (next week, guys), but I wouldn't say that it's especially gory. The action is very Buffy-esque, it has that fantasy element to it, and I found it easy to disconnect from the horror as I was reading and focus more on the feelings and psychological side of what was happening. Even if there is A Lot of blood and some pretty grisly murders.
A small thing that I thought was very clever was the whispered contrast of Whitby and New Orleans, how Mina's world in New Orleans was so vastly different from the grey and drizzly North of England, even if we barely saw her home. And that they are both places filled with vampire lore? Loved it.
Mina and the Undead was so, so good. It reminded me of why I love horror, even if I am a total wimp. Mina's passion for all things scary is contagious, and she was the perfect protagonist for the story.
I am desperate for a follow up. I want to know what happens next So Badly, and I'd happily read stories of their exploits at the manner for the fun of it. I want to see where they go from here after that wild ending.
Mina and the Undead is such a fun return to my past loves of vampire films and books. Like Mina, I loved reading Interview with a Vampire in my youth and since then I have really wanted to visit New Orleans. The book takes a very sudden turn to the (really) supernatural and there's an excellent twist and reveal. This book was so full of wonderfully vivid descriptions. I felt immersed in the mansion and in New Orleans, I could practically feel the heat. It has just intensified my need to visit!
The book itself has some fantastic nostalgic details on the cover, sprayed edges and the pages inside have super cool borders and artwork.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Let me start this review by saying that even though at some point I knew the summary of this book, by the time I picked it up I had completely forgotten about the fact that it was about vampires. I know the title says “Mina and the Undead,” but I’m a dumbass. I kept thinking it was zombies until I actually got into the story. Anyway.
The strongest element of this book were the plot twists. I must admit that I didn’t see quite a few of the twists coming. The last quarter of the book was just one twist after another. I was left with my mouth gaping open as I read. I must say, though, that some of the twists were a bit too rushed for them to have as strong of a payoff. I would’ve liked for at least a few of them to have been more spread out throughout the book. In general, the pacing of this book is my biggest critique of it. It sometimes sped through some moments that I felt like they could have used more development.
What I did like, though, was the complex sibling dynamic at the heart of the novel. Libby and Mina butted heads a lot. Because they’re both reeling after their mother abandoned them, their relationship is not in the best of terms. Libby wants to act like everything is fine, but Mina has been hurt by the time they’ve spent apart. Therefore, it leads to a lot of tension between them. Ultimately, though, the book places their sisterhood as what will keep both of them grounded. Deep down, they both deeply care about supporting one another and not letting the other be harmed.
Something else I enjoyed about this book were the side romances. Personally, I would’ve loved even more of Della and Libby because my sapphic ass could not get enough of them. If anything, I was just a little surprised by how openly queer they were considering this book is set in the mid 90s. Still, the two of them clearly cared a lot about each other, so it was sweet. Della also clearly made an effort to begin a bond with Mina which I appreciated. I liked that Della cared enough about Libby that she wanted to make sure she and Mina got along well.
I also liked Mina and Jared. Their relationship was one of the things that suffered because of the pacing, but I still found Jared charming. I liked that he and Mina bonded over their interest in New Orleans myths and mysterious murders. I would’ve loved to have gotten even more of that! It was the backbone of their relationship.
Overall, I had fun reading this book. It wasn’t a new favorite which is why I gave it 3 stars, but I would still recommend it to any vampire lover. If you go into it clearly thinking of it as a YA spooky read that you want to relax into because it is very comfortable with tropes, I would definitely recommend picking this up.
The strongest element of this book were the plot twists. I must admit that I didn’t see quite a few of the twists coming. The last quarter of the book was just one twist after another. I was left with my mouth gaping open as I read. I must say, though, that some of the twists were a bit too rushed for them to have as strong of a payoff. I would’ve liked for at least a few of them to have been more spread out throughout the book. In general, the pacing of this book is my biggest critique of it. It sometimes sped through some moments that I felt like they could have used more development.
What I did like, though, was the complex sibling dynamic at the heart of the novel. Libby and Mina butted heads a lot. Because they’re both reeling after their mother abandoned them, their relationship is not in the best of terms. Libby wants to act like everything is fine, but Mina has been hurt by the time they’ve spent apart. Therefore, it leads to a lot of tension between them. Ultimately, though, the book places their sisterhood as what will keep both of them grounded. Deep down, they both deeply care about supporting one another and not letting the other be harmed.
Something else I enjoyed about this book were the side romances. Personally, I would’ve loved even more of Della and Libby because my sapphic ass could not get enough of them. If anything, I was just a little surprised by how openly queer they were considering this book is set in the mid 90s. Still, the two of them clearly cared a lot about each other, so it was sweet. Della also clearly made an effort to begin a bond with Mina which I appreciated. I liked that Della cared enough about Libby that she wanted to make sure she and Mina got along well.
I also liked Mina and Jared. Their relationship was one of the things that suffered because of the pacing, but I still found Jared charming. I liked that he and Mina bonded over their interest in New Orleans myths and mysterious murders. I would’ve loved to have gotten even more of that! It was the backbone of their relationship.
Overall, I had fun reading this book. It wasn’t a new favorite which is why I gave it 3 stars, but I would still recommend it to any vampire lover. If you go into it clearly thinking of it as a YA spooky read that you want to relax into because it is very comfortable with tropes, I would definitely recommend picking this up.
Fantastic YA Gothic Horror! Filled with 90s pop culture and wickedly dark vampire lore, and set in a New Orleans vampire festival, this was an absolute blast! Look out for it when it comes out 1 April 2021
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4/5 stars
CAWPILE Rating: 7.28/10
Mina and the Undead is enjoyable, tense and thrilling - I had to know what was going to happen next.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR PROVIDING ME WITH A FREE E-ARC COPY!!!
This book is about Mina (obviously), a seventeen-year-old who goes to New Orleans from England to visit her estranged sister Libby, but before long, she discovers that someone has been replicating New Orleans' supernatural killings and the race is on to discover the truth and prove her sister's innocence.
I'm certainly not your biggest horror and vampire reader, but I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because it is on the same lines of this. The writing is good for a debut, and the plot and the twists in this book definitely kept me engaged. Also, and this is something I must add, the reveals at the end I didn't predict, which is always something I like to compliment books for doing because I'm pretty good at guessing reveals in books like this one. When the story picked up and more started to happen to the characters and to the plot, I was very eager to find out what was going to occur next and who the overall killer would be, because it's not as predictable as I thought it would be. Yes, I did see some of it coming, but again, I am good at predicting plot twists, but overall it was a very enjoyable book and I would recommend it to people who enjoy this sort of thing. For someone who doesn't read a lot of this sort of thing but wants to, I would say that this is quite a good place to start.
I will certainly be picking up a physical copy when this book comes out in April.
CAWPILE Rating: 7.28/10
Mina and the Undead is enjoyable, tense and thrilling - I had to know what was going to happen next.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR PROVIDING ME WITH A FREE E-ARC COPY!!!
This book is about Mina (obviously), a seventeen-year-old who goes to New Orleans from England to visit her estranged sister Libby, but before long, she discovers that someone has been replicating New Orleans' supernatural killings and the race is on to discover the truth and prove her sister's innocence.
I'm certainly not your biggest horror and vampire reader, but I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because it is on the same lines of this. The writing is good for a debut, and the plot and the twists in this book definitely kept me engaged. Also, and this is something I must add, the reveals at the end I didn't predict, which is always something I like to compliment books for doing because I'm pretty good at guessing reveals in books like this one. When the story picked up and more started to happen to the characters and to the plot, I was very eager to find out what was going to occur next and who the overall killer would be, because it's not as predictable as I thought it would be. Yes, I did see some of it coming, but again, I am good at predicting plot twists, but overall it was a very enjoyable book and I would recommend it to people who enjoy this sort of thing. For someone who doesn't read a lot of this sort of thing but wants to, I would say that this is quite a good place to start.
I will certainly be picking up a physical copy when this book comes out in April.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Mina And The Undead by Amy McCaw
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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A perfectly executed eerie YA Gothic Horror with twists and turns aplenty and bursting with 90s references to fully lure you into New Orleans Fang Fest 1995!
🦇
Who doesn’t love a good vampire story and with the right mix of darkness and gore, exploring sisterly relationships, family secrets and with a dash of romance Mina and the Undead sinks it’s teeth in with its own twist on the vampire stories that we all know and love
🦇
Mina And The Undead tells the story of 17 year old horror movie loving Mina who visits New Orleans to see her estranged sister Libby and to explore the spooky and dark depths of the city renown for its Vampires! But when a body is discovered in the Mansion of the Macabre where Libby is working holding a lock of hair suspiciously like Libby’s and marks on her neck the question is who or what has made those marks?
🦇
Perfect for fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dracula, Interview With A Vampire and Charmed. Being a huge Point Horror fan in my teens and beyond this is the next generation of the classic Point Horror!
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With so many twists and turns I kept trying to guess who the killer was and my guesses were always wrong 🤣 I also loved the New Orleans mythology throughout the book and I’m now wanting to visit and explore the city with its seedy bars and spooky cemeteries!
🦇
You will be screaming out for a sequel once this book sinks its teeth into you (*cough* more Jared please 😍 *cough*) I can’t wait to see what Amy McCaw writes next!
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Thank you to @uclan_publishing for my #gifted proof copy for review consideration
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#MinaandtheUndead will be released on the 1st April 2021 ... you can pre order now!