Mina and the Undead Playlist Post

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.

Mina and the Undead by Amy McCaw, cover art by Becky Chilcott, published by Uclan

Vampires have always been part of Mina’s life, growing up in Whitby (which inspired at least some of Stoker’s Dracula) with a (now estranged) mother seemingly obsessed by them too. But they can’t be real…can they?

It’s summer 1995 and Mina is headed to stay with her sister Libby in New Orleans, hoping she might stay more permanently if things work out…but will they survive the summer?

Libby works at a haunted house style attraction giving interactive horror-movie-inspired tours full of thrills, where Mina hopes to join the team,and she’s arriving just in time for ‘Fang Fest’ in the city too. Roommate Jared seems to love a good ghost story just as much as she does and is full of local myths and urban legends (oh, and he’s gorgeous too – well, of course he is!) And then there’s the recent spate of murders which seems to be getting closer and closer to home…

As someone who grew up loving Point Horror, American Gothic and the like (not to mention pretty much all the vampire films referenced in the book) I know teen me would have devoured this; a group of cool, independent older teens at the centre of a vsmpiric murder mystery with a bit of Gothic romance thrown in for good measure. Yes please.

Creepy, full of twists, cleverly plotted and achingly retro this has it all – angst, family issues and romantic tension in amongst blood bars, crime scenes and graveyards. Sisters, lovers, suspects, dead friends, missing mums, a strangely accurate psychic… and of course vampires. This has everything a horror-loving, YA fan could want!

It’s also packed to the rafters with 90s pop culture references that I’m not sure how many teens will get (as if they weren’t even born then – it wasn’t that long ago!), but that I loved! They had me reliving my youth in the best way and, even if you don’t fully get them or know them well, they definitely added to the story’s atmosphere and authenticity.

With that in mind, I bring you my Mina and the Undead Playlist – what would you add?!

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