Mayhem by Estelle Laure
Release: July 14th 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Netgalley
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A YA feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.
It’s 1987 and unfortunately it’s not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy’s constant physical pair. Maybe with Mayhem’s own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren’t like everyone else. But when May’s stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem’s questions. Question about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self.
There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family. Hence, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach. Her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice. Therefore, she has to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.
About the Author
Estelle Laure (pronounced lore/lor) is the author of critically-acclaimed books for young people. She is best known for her novel, This Raging Light, which has been translated into twelve languages. She has five forthcoming young adult novels, including Disney’s City of Villains series (book one fall 2021) and Mayhem (July 14, 2020) with Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s. Also, she is very pleased to be fulfilling a dream by stepping into the world of picture books, the first of which will be out with HarperKids in 2021. In addition to writing her own stories, Estelle is an editorial consultant, writing coach, and educator.
She is grateful to every reader, teacher, librarian, and YA-loving adult that has picked up one of her books, and thanks you for paying her a virtual visit.
Mayhem Review:
Many thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me an advanced copy of the book for my review. I have not read “The Lost Boys” so I dived into the story with no expectations. The story turned out to be pretty suspenseful and held my interest.
Firstly, I enjoyed the theme of the story and the mystery behind the Brayburn family. There is a lot happening on the first half, with the mystery of the family, a serial killer on the loose, and Mayhem trying to adapt to her new surroundings. Moreover, I really liked Mayhem as the main character and her relationship with everyone. It was interesting to see how each of the characters reacted to the situation. Mayhem and Jason made an interesting couple. Moreover, I adored Kitt and wished she was more prominent in the story. Also, the author did a wonderful job in highlighting some important issues of how people cope with abuse (physical and substance). The diary entries also added an interesting touch to the Brayburn history.
However, I felt like the story lost its pacing in the second half. The pacing felt bumpy and uneven. For instance, the story concentrates on the Sand-snatcher, after which nothing happens, but then the story shifts again on Lyle. The story felt really fast at times, but dragged in certain parts towards the end. I would have enjoyed if these sub-plots progressed in parallel. Moreover, I didn’t understand why Neve had a change of heart towards the end. The author didn’t provide an explanation, and felt incomplete.
Overall, “Mayhem” was decent but had the potential to be great.
