Member Reviews

The Brayburn women of Santa Maria, California have always carried an air of mystery and the residents both fear and appreciate them.
Roxy Brayburn did her best to escape the pull of Santa Maria and her destiny by taking her daughter Mayhem far away. She’s become dependent on the cocktail of prescription meds and white wine that have kept the memories of her hometown at bay for many years but she must return when her husband Lyle’s abuse goes a step too far for her.

Now Mayhem has the opportunity to learn about her estranged family and discover magic in her lineage that she will inherit. Roxy and Mayhem have just begun to settle into the their small beach town with Roxy's sisters Elle when rumors of a serial killer dubbed the Sand Snatcher begin and Lyle’s phone calls threaten the peace the mother and daughter hoped to find.

I wanted to love this story. The cover is killer, the book summary grabbed me, and I love the idea of a “feminist mash up inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft.”
There are several Lost Boys references here but I’ll just say there are appearances from the Frog brothers and the oiled-up sax man. I didn’t get any Craft vibes; I felt Roxy’s relationship with her sister along with the abusive ex was very reminiscent of Practical Magic.
Instead of traditional vampires we get something watered down (if you read the story, know this pun was intended) with a backstory explained through letters that left me with way more questions than answers.

The story breezed through insta-love, a friend to frenemy, and justice for a serial killer and abusive ex. I never felt the urgency or like the stakes were high. I appreciated the 80s low-key horror influence as well as women taking a stand against abuse, and the recovery process for addiction, but the overall story was rushed and relied too heavily on nostalgia.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Mayhem is scheduled for release on July 14, 2020.

Was this review helpful?

“This can be really fun if you aren’t a drip about it.”

** Content warning for suicide, addiction, and violence against women, including domestic violence, child abuse, and rape. **

Brayburn lady coming for you
Take your man and curse you, too.
Brayburn lady knows your sins
Reads your mind and kills your friends …

***

I don’t know how to explain in words the feeling I have now, about how a person’s history affects their standing with themselves. About how in Taylor my mother and I were peculiar and nonsensical, but here we have the strength of all the Brayburns behind us and it runs like a current under our feet. Makes us stand taller.

***

Don’t deny evil, Billie. Crush it. That is your duty.

***

Seventeen-year-old Mayhem Brayburn has always felt like a square peg in a round hole. (I did an ’80s reference!) She and her babe of a mom, Roxy, live in West Texas, home of giant hair, fatty casseroles, and judgey conservative xians. Mayhem is lonely and “weird” and her only real friend is Roxy.

But it wasn’t always this way: like her mother (and grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother before her), May was born in Santa Maria, California, the land of sun, surf, and endless beach parties. Mayhem is drawn to the water (Taylor is sadly landlocked), is a little bit punk – and her biracial heritage (she’s Brazilian on her father’s side) probably doesn’t endear her to the suburban bleached blondes in her neighborhood.

Roxy up and fled Santa Maria after the (allegedly) accidental death of May’s father, Lucas Machado, when Mayhem was just a toddler. She hopped in the car and drove until they ran out of money, and wound up in a shelter – which is where Mayhem’s now-stepfather found them. It wasn’t long into the relationship that Taylor’s golden boy Lyle – a pastor, no less – started abusing his wife. He also got her hooked on painkillers and alcohol, and was no doubt thrilled to maintain Roxy’s isolation from her family. (Patterns, people.) When the abuse escalates to Mayhem, Roxy throws May and a bunch of random stuff in the car and books it.

With a little bit of cajoling and a lot of good/bad luck (read: no monies), Mayhem is able to convince Roxy to return to the family home, Brayburn Farm, now run by Roxy’s twin sister, Elle, and Elle’s adopted kids Neve, Jason, and Kidd. Here, Mayhem hopes to find some answers: about what happened to her father, why Roxy cut ties so suddenly and completely, and who she comes from. What she finds is so much more: a home, her people, a purpose. A voice and the power to wield it.

When she gets to Santa Maria, Mayhem is shocked to find that the Brayburns are celebrities of a sort (a really weird sort).

"[T]his place was build by Brayburns, and here Brayburns matter. I know because the whole road is named after us and because flowers and ribbons and baskets of fruit sat at the entrance, a gift from the people in town, Roxy said. They leave offerings. She said it like it’s normal to be treated like some kind of low-rent goddess."

It’s clear from the get-go that Elle and the kids are keeping secrets – BIG SECRETS – from her, but it’s hard to concentrate when you’re worried about your stepdad tracking you down and dragging you back to a literal hellhole, kicking and screaming. When there’s a serial killer called the Sand Snatcher hunting the Santa Maria beaches – YOUR beaches – for girls who look like you, who could maybe even *be* you. When your mom is an addict trying to detox after a life spent running from her demons. When she’s maybe trying to escape by having sexy fun times with a dude nicknamed Boner (or, alternately, Officer Biceps). When your soon-to-be-adopted cousin is super hot and sexy and has a mouth made for kissing (I feel like I should be more grossed out by this last than I was, but idk, I shipped it).

MAYHEM is billed as “A YA feminist mash up inspired by THE LOST BOYS and THE CRAFT” – which is accurate but also doesn’t quite cover it. THE LOST BOYS is 110% accurate, for reasons I’ll dive into later. I can see THE CRAFT for sure, but a better comparison is Mindy McGinnis’s THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES (possibly my favorite feminist revenge/female serial killer story of all time…not that there are nearly enough to choose from!). It’s a little softer and fuzzier than FEMALE, to be sure, and a lot more magical, but Neve and to a lesser extent May definitely send off some low-key Alex Croft vibes.

Elsewhere I saw references to Rory Power’s debut novel WILDER GIRLS – which is kind of funny-serendipitous, as I read MAYHEM immediately after BURN OUR BODIES DOWN, and felt some similarities in the foundations of each story. (Misfit teenage girl lives in Nowhere, USA with only her mom for company. She longs to know more about her extended family, which – as it just so happens – is matriarchal, occupies a supernatural/magical/sentient estate, and is longing for its wayward daughters to return home.) But MAYHEM proved infinitely more enjoyable.

Laure’s writing is, in a word, exquisite. As in, the lady knows how to turn a phrase; there are so many quotable bits to be found here. But it’s not all flowery prose; the meat of the tale is delicious and satisfying as well. This is a story brimming with ferocity, anger, compassion, and heart. MAYHEM is about justice: what it looks like, where we might find it, and who’s responsible for meting it out. It’s about losing your way, and finding it again. About family: that bound by blood, as well as the family we choose for ourselves. About what we owe to each other, and to our truest selves.

MAYHEM is set in the ’80s (LOVE!: 1978 baby here), and borrows heavily from THE LOST BOYS. As in: it’s a massive understatement to say it’s “inspired by” THE LOST BOYS. As in: Laure lifts some elements directly from the source material, including the Frog brothers and a half-naked, pied piper-esque musician clearly based on Tim Cappello. (To be fair, I remember the Frog brothers from the film; Tim Cappello, not so much. It has been more than a decade, though; I half considered a rewatch before calling it a day on this review – but, alas, THE LOST BOYS is sadly absent from Netflix.)

I should probably be more offended by this than I am; after all, it feels a little closer to plagiarism than homage. And what’s weirder is that the presence of the Frog brothers and the hypersexual musician really don’t further the story, or add to it in any way; MAYHEM would be just as rad without those elements. But the story is just so darn good otherwise!

I’m also not terribly happy by May’s desire to work with the police, rather than outside of them, especially considering these times we live in. The legal system doesn’t take violence against women seriously as it is, and I can’t imagine it was any better in the ’80s. Their track record is even worse with women and girls of color; ditto: sex workers, those with disabilities, LGBTQ folks, etc. The occasional Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer aside, most rapists and abusers get away scot-free. Why should we think that Officer Boner will be any better, especially with all that victim blaming nonsense he pulled on Roxy?

On this note, I was downright incensed that Lyle was allowed to live … but I guess his ultimate punishment was even better. idk, maybe we can segue that scene into another entry in THE CROWS HAVE EYES franchise? Kidding! But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t already fancast Catherine O’Hara as Billie Brayburn.

Was this review helpful?

I waffled between a 2 and 3 on this book. While I get some of Mayhem’s motivation, there were parts that were slow/hard to get into but there didn’t seem to be a lot of agency or reason to why she made some of her decisions. I think the supernatural-like premise that surrounds Mayhem’s family is interesting, but a lot of that intrigue gets lost on less likeable side characters or literally reusing characters from The Lost Boys & I’m not sure why or who that’s for.

Was this review helpful?

I requested Mayhem based on the description of this book being a mashup between The Lost Boys and The Craft which are two of my favorite movies.

I didn’t think anything about this book was similar to The Craft, though it did give out Practical Magic vibes on a darker level. It was also just a little too similar to The Lost Boys for my liking. So much so, the Frog brothers were even minor characters.

At first, I liked the nods to The Lost Boys until it became too much. Santa Carla vs Santa Maria, the Frog brothers, etc.

Mayhem was a bit of a slow book. I felt like things were never fully explained and kind of just “were.” It was never made clear what the Brayburn’s actually were. Maybe it was meant to be that way? The Craft/Lost Boys description would make it seem they were either witches or vampires, but they didn’t seem to be either. I was initially excited about that family journal entries but they didn’t end up giving as much insight into the family history as I had hoped.

This book was also described as a feminist YA novel. While the main characters were all female, I didn’t get many feminist vibes. I feel like they tried with Elle but we also didn’t get a deep enough look into her, or any of the characters for that matter, to make that association.

I did like the general idea of the book and I think it was set up perfectly for a sequel. I would enjoy reading what happens to Neve, Jason and Kidd and hopefully learn more Brayburn family history. I think this would be a fun book for anyone who is a fan of witchy/slightly supernatural YA books. It was an easy read and kept my interest the whole time.

Was this review helpful?

Sadly, this was a DID NOT FINISH for me. I loved the idea, but I couldn't get through the exposition for some reason.

Was this review helpful?

Roxy Brayburn returns to Santa Maria, a place Roxy fled, brokenhearted a decade ago, with her three year old daughter Mayhem. Leaving her twin sister and mother and all the Brayburn women's legacy. In Santa Maria the Brayburn name is both revered and feared. When Roxy's life was no longer bearable away from her family home, barely able to function anymore she flees once again this time from a life of brutality. Returning to her roots and all she ran from, her name, her duty and her legacy as a Brayburn woman one she must pass on to Mayhem.
Mayhem is excited to meet her aunt. who has three charges soon to be adopted a girl and two teens. Mayhem is quickly learning everything about the Brayburn women their specialness, the danger and responsibility their specialness brings. Magical waters and powers that can be deadly for someone not of Brayburn blood.
A book of abuse, assault, magic, mystery, and how women and teenagers deal and rise up. I enjoyed the book even if I don't usually read this type genre it was a fast thought provoking read.
Thank you Estelle Laure, NetGalley, and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this digital copy in exchange for a review.

Description
The Lost Boys meets Wilder Girls in this supernatural feminist YA novel.

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 pain, or 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 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, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good.

But when 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 and 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.

It was a slow start for me, and for whatever reasons, I expected more 80's elements to the story. Midway through the book, I still didn't know exactly what Mayhem and her family were - it wasn't a good or bad thing, just seemed to make the surprise of it go on and on. Stick with it to the end. You may find yourself surprised. I'm not so much a fan of the 'feminist' stigma, but it's still worth the time to read!

Was this review helpful?

trigger warning
<spoiler> being orphaned, suicide, rape, grief, trauma, kidnapping, substance abuse, domestic violence </spoiler>

Mayhem and her mother Roxy come back to the hometown May doesn't even remember because she was so small as they left; now they're fleeing an abusive partner. May suspects there are some secrets about their family that will have to be lifted. She doesn't expect magic.

I am glad I was forewarned by a friend who also got an arc that I had to expect some heavy topics. I think that if I hadn't known that, my reaction would be entirely opposite.

The plot is predictable, and nothing new. There is this family with roots and a secret, tied to a town that kinda knows but pretends to be none the wiser. Things kinda work, but it's a fragile balance. The protagonist falls in love and the emotions are reciprocated. Found families play a role on top of it all.

I liked it, maybe because this was exactly what I was in the mood for, though I have to say that the pacing at the end felt off. Suddenly, everything was resolved, while some aspect could have needed more space to come to a conclusion. It feels like the author is still growing in their craft.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the first half of it but the last bit was kind of a struggle to keep reading. I think i felt that there were to many plot points going on that were just tied up without any real flourish. I really liked the recontextualizing of The Lost Boys. That was a lot of fun.

Was this review helpful?

This was an okay read for me. I admire the author’s focus and message with this book, and I did really enjoy the writing style and Mayhem as a character. For me, the pacing in this was a little two slow and I found it hard to stay engaged with the story.

Was this review helpful?

Oh gosh this is a tough one to review! I enjoyed reading this novel, and I liked the plot, and the characters. The whole idea of the oppressed/betrayed/hurt/abused rising up and finding some kind of revenge is always a pretty awesome theme to me. And for someone who bears the brunt of childhood trauma, I have always courted the idea of suddenly obtaining some kind of supernatural powers to get revenge on those who hurt me as a child. It’s just that we have seen this story before, kind of. Mayhem follows the plot of The Lost Boys movie so closely, that it’s hard to differentiate between them at times. An old family heritage, secrets, a California beach town with a dark side, a bunch of teens who belong in one or another group… But I love The Lost Boys (I was born in 1978, anyone my age loved that movie), and the many resemblances to the movie didn’t bother me as much as I thought they would in the end.

The plot in short: Mayhem Brayburn and her mother Roxy leave Roxy’s violent husband and return to Santa Maria, California, home of the Brayburn family and their legacy. Mayhem finally discovers the truth about herself and her family, all the while a serial killer is on the loose in the beach town, preying on young girls. Several evil characters, witchcraft/magical elements, the beach, a family legacy, and some strong female characters make this into a fun summer read.

This is a 3 star story for me. I enjoyed it despite the many similarities between The Lost Boys and the plot, and because some of the magical elements were pretty interesting and original. I did think there was a lot of room for expansion though, some of the areas of the plot could have been fleshed out a lot more (the serial killer storyline, Mayhem and Neve’s relationship and difficulties, the blurring of lines between vengeance and justice etc).

I could actually see this work as a series though, I would love to see where Mayhem goes from where we left her at the end. (And I absolutely love that Estelle Laure named her main character Mayhem!).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Whatever this book was is not what I was expecting. This was messy and convoluted. There was so much going on, and none of it was given enough time.

The magic element was severely under explained in my opinion. Drink the water and poof, magic! And then you can do...things. What those things are, I’m not entirely sure. See the truth of people’s souls. Run super fast? Other things that were vague and confusing?

The characters I found to be flat and pretty empty. I didn’t care for any of them. There was a romance here too, and I hated it. It was very insta love, and there was zero chemistry. It also felt really unnecessary. I expected a more family/sibling type dynamic and feel like it would’ve been way better.

There were chapters from Mayhem’s ancestors’ points of view that didn’t add much, if anything to the story and were just there, taking up space.

The plot (or lack thereof) was slow. Nothing started happening until like halfway through, and even then, nothing really happened! The synopsis would lead you to believe that this missing girl thing is a big part of the book, but it was over so quickly and felt a bit pointless. Everything else was pretty underdeveloped and rushed as well.

One thing I did enjoy was the boardwalk. Loved the descriptions and atmosphere of the town.

I think this could be a book for some people. But if you’re going into it expecting a riveting mystery...don’t.

Was this review helpful?

3.5/5

First it has to be said, this cover is gorgeous. I am in love.

Mayhem tells the story of generations of Brayburn women in the beach town of Santa Maria, California, and the mystical and incredible powers that have been bestowed upon this family. It opens in the late 80’s with Roxy and Mayhem Brayburn, a mother-daughter duo that is escaping from an abusive situation and heading back to Roxy's hometown, Santa Maria. Mayhem is about to come face to face with who she really is and will finally meet the family and the secrets that surround it.

Aside from the magical element, we also get a mystery at the center of the story. Upon arriving in Santa Maria, Mayhem learns there is a serial killer in town that has been targeting teenage girls at the beach, and she soon finds that its family's duty to stop this person.

I throughly enjoyed the setting and ambiance of this novel; the 80's, a California beach town with a mystery, an elusive family of powerful women. In my opinion this book was strongest when the story focused on Mayhem and Roxy's relationship and their struggle to get away from Lyle and from the painful memories of his abuse throughout the years. I would have loved to see more of the mother-daughter relationship in favor of Mayhem and Jason for instance. I enjoyed reading the letters and diary entries from the rest of the Brayburn women and finding out their story and how the family came to be in possession of their powers.

Even though this didn't hit it out of the park for me, I am interested in reading more from this author in the future. I enjoyed the writing style and the themes explored in this story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I read this not having read the other books it was similar to so not comparing. It was a sweet fairy tale, moved too slowly for me and was somewhat predictable and needed more sharply defined moments/reactions to make it really work for me.

Was this review helpful?

It’s the 1980s and Mayhem Brayburn—coolest name—returns to her hometown with her troubled mother Roxy. Santa Maria, California is a beach town full of secrets. Mayhem makes friends with her aunt’s adopted children and discovers her family’s twisty history. “Mayhem” is a most excellent tale of women finding their own strength.

magic this book is for you. It’s family, witchcraft, and a dash of romance at its finest. I really enjoyed this read! I had one character i wish would’ve been extended in the book but do to NO SPOILERS you will have to read it for yourself! -

Was this review helpful?

I feel this book borders on plagiarism, so it's hard for me to review. Do I like the plot of the Lost Boys? Yes. If I didn't know this was a direct rip-off of that, I'd like it well enough. There is a lot going on, so some editing of the plot needs to be done. I will give the author the benefit of a doubt and assume she was trying to change the story enough to make it her own, but she should have cited the original work as inspiration.

Was this review helpful?

Reading many of the reviews, I have to admit that I approached this with some reluctance. I didn’t know if I was getting Lost Boys fanfic or some sort of direct copy. It’s really neither.

Before I get to the rest of the book, yes, she takes a couple of favorite Lost Boys characters and makes them characters in her world and, yes, there’s some dialogue, but I really don’t think it was meant as either fan fic or plagiarism. It really felt like more of a fun homage to the whole feel of Lost Boys. It was (dare I say it) humor. And as for vampires? Yes…and no.

I liked the book.

I liked Mayhem and her family. There’s definitely some darkness here and terrible things are happening in this little town. The magic that runs through Mayhem’s family is wonderful and terrible and adds to both the darkness and the heartbreak inherent in the book.

Give the book a try.

I like what the author did her and I’d definitely read them again!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Was this review helpful?

Scheduled to post TBD. Waiting on blog tour scheduling.

The publicist pitched MAYHEM to me for review and the first sentence was something like 'a YA feminist mashup inspired by The Lost Boys and The Craft' and I don't think I was aware of the rest of the email existing. Are you freaking kidding me? Inspired by THE LOST BOYS??? My favoritist movie in the whole world? A movie that inspired my own book that I'm querying right now???? GIVE IT TO ME. And The Craft was awesome too. But Lost Boys is my forever love.

So right off the bat MAYHEM is like 80% Lost Boys, from the year (1987, so grungy) to the location (Santa Maria) to the characters (I mean the book has the freakin Frog brothers in it!!! Or it did in the ARC. They won't be there in the final copy and that is 100% my fault I'm sorry. Yell at me all you like). My basket is full of all the Lost Boys easter eggs I collected while reading. Truly. Down to the feel of the movie, Laure nailed it. Just don't expect any vampires. At least not on page. That's not what this particular story is about. Unless you talk to the Frog brothers.

The story itself is just absolutely gripping. Roxy and Mayhem's history, how they end up leaving Santa Maria, and find themselves back there, it's gut-punching and horrible and I felt every second of it. I just couldn't help but wanting to shake some sense into Roxy who, at times of weakness, chastised her daughter for being a child while she herself regularly acted like a child and allowed Mayhem to take care of her as if Mayhem were the mother. Ooooooo that pissed me off so much. But Roxy is complex and is not just one thing throughout the story and I loved watching her evolve.

Elle's whole weirdo Grandpa situation in the hippie house on the hill in Santa Maria (you Lost Boys fans will know exactly what I'm talking about there) is the anchor of this story. Elle is a constant. She doesn't change much but provides the source of information needed for Mayhem and her new sort-of-siblings to get through what they need to get through. I do like how Elle adopted these lost children, Jason, Neve, and Kidd, and brought them into the Brayburn world. It's funny because they provided the biggest look into that world except the kids aren't actually Brayburns, at least not by blood which, depending on which story within the story you believed, made a difference.

Neve was 100% Fairuza Balk to the end. I especially enjoyed when her control started slipping because you really get to see that Nancy inspiration coming through in her character. Luckily Neve gets a better ending than Nancy did. Jason is the Star character (ha), a reluctant participant in what's going on and as things continue to unfold and as he understand what being Brayburn means, he wants less and less part of it. But he still supports. He provides information, lets people make their own choices and stands back and broods a little as they do. And Kidd is a kid, super spunky and enamored with the power she's been bestowed and cranky because she's not allowed to use it (I think she's 8 or 9, very Laddie).

And now we're at Mayhem, the teen forced to be an adult for most of her life and now finally getting to be a kid once they move to Santa Maria. I love seeing the world through her eyes. I love how smartly she contends with her power, questions it, and ultimately accepts it. I love how it really kinds of screws her up but fixes her at the same time. It was this thing she was missing, and her mom too, and now she's finally found something, and some place, that's made her whole and she doesn't intend to lose it. She turns into a total BAMF and I was applauding her at the end.

Such a fantastic story and one that made me love it even more because it's inspired by my all-time favorite movie. Laure did good by The Lost Boys and managed to create a uniquely familiar story that sucked me in and left me begging for more. And I absolutely loved what she did with Santa Maria. Very Santa Carla, down to the highest murder rate per capita. Santa Maria was it's own character that shined even when the boardwalk wasn't all lit up. Ugh, I wish there was more, but it looks like it's a stand alone. For now. :)

5

Was this review helpful?

3.5/5 stars

'Mayhem' was an enjoyable read!
It started slow, giving us enough information about the characters. I was happy that this book didn't dump all the information at once. There was a lot to explain, which they did throughout the first half of the book.
But I was still left with questions. Questions that would be answered later into the story. I personally liked that, because that way I could try to answer these questions on my own and later find out if I was right!
Furthermore, I also loved the magical aspects in this book.

Mayhem is very family oriented, which I appreciated! Family often doesn't have a big role in YA books.
Elle was a very mysterious character. I really enjoyed reading about her! You don't get a lot of information about her in the beginning, but it didn't stop me from quickly liking her. She was sassy and really priorities her family.

The reason why I couldn't give 'Mayhem' four or five stars is because not a lot seemed to happen in the beginning. Even though I liked the slow start in this book, it also felt like the story really picked up some speed only halfway through the book. That could've happened sooner, in my opinion.
The main issue in this book, the problem they were facing, felt resolved too easily. I think it could've had more of a build up to the climax. A big fight, if you will.
It didn't make me sit on the edge of my seat.

I recommend this book if you like fantasy with a dark vibe, that also talks about real-life issues!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

Was this review helpful?

Full disclosure, I have not seen/read the lost boys or the craft. I can't speak to some of the other reviews that mention this is too similar to the previously mentioned plot lines.
I absolutely loved this. It was a quick read for me that I really enjoyed. I found the family relationships relatable, the mystery well laid out with enough reveals along the way that didn't keep me wanting for too long. I enjoyed the scene and the time period, the characters and the way the different plots wove themselves together.
All kinds of vibes - from the raven boys to wilder girls/burn our bodies down.
Very well done!

Was this review helpful?