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loouvski's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kitkatdallibooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
paigek21's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
cyanide_latte's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a fun little romp! I'd only heard good things about it, and I'm glad to see that it held up to the hype. I do think that some of the 90s film references got to be a bit much; after a while it felt like there were so many being shoved in there like a quota was trying to be reached, and it took me out of the story more than it immersed me. I also feel like there were one or two plot points that don't make a ton of sense but it's forgivable, particularly given that this is a YA novel. All in all, I did enjoy this a lot and I'm glad I picked up a copy!
ljvalentine's review against another edition
4.0
A charming story packed with blood, boys and pop culture references galore. The main character and her sister were extremely compelling and gave me complete Summers sisters vibes. Can't wait for more!
onceuponafrida's review against another edition
4.0
I decided to hop on the summerween train this year, and this was my pick! And what a great pick it was. I have loved Buffy the vampire slayer for as long as I can remember. As well as all the other awesome supernatural and horror tv-shows & movies from the 90’s. So when I came across Amys booktok and saw first of all, her impressive collection of memorabilia from all the things I just mentioned, and then secondly that she had written a series inspired by Buffy? You best believe your girl ordered the first book right away. Mina and the rest of the cast, are such true 90’s icons. You literally get transported back to 95, the attention to detail with the clothes, music, pop culture and environment is so well done.
I love the whole murder mystery aspect of this book, it’s not ”just about vampires” there’s a whole serial killer on the loose plot too. It really felt like watching a movie, how the entire story builds up, and the plottwists. So freaking good. This book obviously reminded me of ”Buffy”, but also gave me the same feels as ”A good girls guide to murder” only with supernatural elements. Lastly it reminded me of Vampire diaries, with the vampire brothers (one evil one good), and the diary entries.
So all in all, a pretty damn good book. Gothic, YA murder mystery with vampires. What more could you need?
I love the whole murder mystery aspect of this book, it’s not ”just about vampires” there’s a whole serial killer on the loose plot too. It really felt like watching a movie, how the entire story builds up, and the plottwists. So freaking good. This book obviously reminded me of ”Buffy”, but also gave me the same feels as ”A good girls guide to murder” only with supernatural elements. Lastly it reminded me of Vampire diaries, with the vampire brothers (one evil one good), and the diary entries.
So all in all, a pretty damn good book. Gothic, YA murder mystery with vampires. What more could you need?
fernandlillyreadswithme's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
elliemaiblogs's review against another edition
5.0
My Review
This is an absolute gem of a book, I couldn’t put it down from the moment I started reading. The writing is fast-paced, easy to read and full of beautiful descriptions of New Orleans. I already fell in love with the place when I visited in 2017 and reading this book has made me want to go back even more than before, and I didn’t think that was possible. If you’ve never been you will definitely be adding it to your list after this. All the characters were so quirky, interesting and just a joy to follow.
The Story
We follow Mina in 1990’s New Orleans, the home of delightful beignets, Mardi Gras and live Jazz music. Her father isn’t around and after her Mum leaving last year, she decides to visit her sister, Libby in this city full of life and myths of abnormal beings. With multiple young women being murdered and Mina being an unlucky discoverer of one of these girls, her world starts to get a lot darker.
I certainly got my fill of horror, blood, dead bodies and vampires within the story and I was still left wanting more! For someone who isn’t a big fan of vampires, but with growing interest in the last few months, it’s so interesting to read and I really got sucked into(see what I did there) all the vampire mythology and tales from different parts of the world. As a massive fan of film and tv shows as well, I loved all the horror film references. The nostalgia and pop culture references really engage you as a reader as well, making it incredibly hard to put down.
Some parts were quite intense and I did get emotional a couple of times. I found myself just sitting back and enjoying the story and the atmosphere of New Orleans one minute and then the next I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails! I was so shocked at the twists which really surprised me because I expected it to be a bit predictable. I’m so glad I enjoyed it as much as I did!
The Characters
Mina is everything you want in a main character. She is smart, fun, curious and has such a strong passion for all things paranormal. I really enjoyed exploring New Orleans with her and see her fall in love with the city. She is an extremely likeable and relatable character, you will love her from the start! f you’re in the mood for a bit of romance, like I always am, you will love the spark between Mina and Jared. Sometimes it felt a bit rushed but in the end, it didn’t end up bothering me because I enjoyed their characters and the story so much.
Libby, her girlfriend Della and her friends Jared and Lucas kept the story interesting and very entertaining. I loved them all as soon as I met them and just couldn’t get enough! They are the type of characters that you could see yourself with. I wish I could walk down Bourbon Street with them all gossiping and join in with all the mayhem going on around them!
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is an amazing and unique young adult horror that you won’t be able to put down! There are plenty are surprising twists and you’ll be kept guessing who the killer is until the very end. I really loved Amy’s writing and can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. Please let there be a sequel! If you’re a fan of vampires, romance, drama and the 90s then you have to read this book!
https://elliemaiblogs.co.uk/mina-and-the-undead-by-amy-mccaw/
This is an absolute gem of a book, I couldn’t put it down from the moment I started reading. The writing is fast-paced, easy to read and full of beautiful descriptions of New Orleans. I already fell in love with the place when I visited in 2017 and reading this book has made me want to go back even more than before, and I didn’t think that was possible. If you’ve never been you will definitely be adding it to your list after this. All the characters were so quirky, interesting and just a joy to follow.
The Story
We follow Mina in 1990’s New Orleans, the home of delightful beignets, Mardi Gras and live Jazz music. Her father isn’t around and after her Mum leaving last year, she decides to visit her sister, Libby in this city full of life and myths of abnormal beings. With multiple young women being murdered and Mina being an unlucky discoverer of one of these girls, her world starts to get a lot darker.
I certainly got my fill of horror, blood, dead bodies and vampires within the story and I was still left wanting more! For someone who isn’t a big fan of vampires, but with growing interest in the last few months, it’s so interesting to read and I really got sucked into(see what I did there) all the vampire mythology and tales from different parts of the world. As a massive fan of film and tv shows as well, I loved all the horror film references. The nostalgia and pop culture references really engage you as a reader as well, making it incredibly hard to put down.
Some parts were quite intense and I did get emotional a couple of times. I found myself just sitting back and enjoying the story and the atmosphere of New Orleans one minute and then the next I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails! I was so shocked at the twists which really surprised me because I expected it to be a bit predictable. I’m so glad I enjoyed it as much as I did!
The Characters
Mina is everything you want in a main character. She is smart, fun, curious and has such a strong passion for all things paranormal. I really enjoyed exploring New Orleans with her and see her fall in love with the city. She is an extremely likeable and relatable character, you will love her from the start! f you’re in the mood for a bit of romance, like I always am, you will love the spark between Mina and Jared. Sometimes it felt a bit rushed but in the end, it didn’t end up bothering me because I enjoyed their characters and the story so much.
Libby, her girlfriend Della and her friends Jared and Lucas kept the story interesting and very entertaining. I loved them all as soon as I met them and just couldn’t get enough! They are the type of characters that you could see yourself with. I wish I could walk down Bourbon Street with them all gossiping and join in with all the mayhem going on around them!
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is an amazing and unique young adult horror that you won’t be able to put down! There are plenty are surprising twists and you’ll be kept guessing who the killer is until the very end. I really loved Amy’s writing and can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. Please let there be a sequel! If you’re a fan of vampires, romance, drama and the 90s then you have to read this book!
https://elliemaiblogs.co.uk/mina-and-the-undead-by-amy-mccaw/
azebrareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
annahlee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0