Mina and the Undead

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Amy does such a great job combining classic tropes with fresh ideas and produces a gripping thriller that engages the reader from the very first page. And what a lovely treat it was that this was set in the 90's and filled with nostalgia (bath pearls.

Shortly after arriving in New Orleans, 17-year old, Mina, can already tell it will be a summer she'll never forget. I have not read a lot of YA but from what I have read I think this book is a little bit different from the generic sort of YA that is around. 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! Meanwhile, the city is plagued with murders of young women, and when one of those women is discovered by Mina, things start to get complicated.

With haunted houses, family secrets and murder galore, this delicious and gruesome tale of the macabre will ignite a whole new generation of vampire fans. She can't wait to explore the city's darkest secrets - vampire tours, seedy bars, spooky cemeteries, disturbing local myths. Mina must discover the truth and prove her sister's innocence before she becomes the victim of another myth.

Bronnie is so lovely with the boys and we also felt that having a man enthusing about the books set a great example. Her quick wit adds a level to the characters that brings them to life and gives them their bewitching personalities. This book doesn’t waste time on introducing the mysteries walking through the streets of New Orleans. The book checks all the boxes your usual vampire romance would have ten years ago: the new girl trope, insta love, a paranormal murder mystery etc.Mina seemed to not react to horrible and traumatising events at all, she's always back to watching movies or eating sandwiches minutes after learning something horrifying. And it gets even better when Mina lands a part-time job at a horror movie mansion and meets Jared, Libby's gorgeous housemate, co-worker and fellow horror enthusiast. When Libby becomes a suspect for that murder and others, Mina teams up with her new crush, Jared, to try to clear her sister's name. Her relationship with her sister (Libby) is strong but strained and I also very much related to her. sisters and their friends must do what they can to survive and get to the bottom of who the psychotic serial killer is, before it's too late.

In the end, this might have been popular in 2012 during the vampire YA craze but in 2021 I expected it to bring something new to the vampire genre and it just didn't. This is a delicious and gruesome tale of the macabre, that is packed full of 1990’s pop culture details and is bound to appeal to fans of horror. After her first performance as a meatlocker victim, Mina goes upstairs to change and find the next actor to pass her costume to, but finds something much more sinister.It’s a fantastic independent book seller that will actually be responsive and select appropriate books for you.